Gallagher isn't deadwood but I think everyone knows they're not going to be challenging for CL and cups with him as a midfield regular anytime soon. He's their McTominay pretty much.
Chelsea 2023/24 season thread.
- Thread starter duffer
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik @Rood and Imran @Annihilate Now! start with the good news by celebrating Manchester United Women's emphatic FA Cup win over Spurs at Wembley and the future of manager Marc Skinner.
Then it's the bad news and the ever worsening form of our Men with losses to Arsenal and Palace.
Finally the main debate - ETH Out now or keep him until the end of the season - if not longer. Are you Team Nik or Team Imran?
No idea. Don’t think most people have even contemplated Poch being sacked. I’ve not seen any names floated yet.
The pipe dream is the ownership crawls back on their knees to Tuchel and gives him a 5 year contract. This squad is absolutely crying out for a 3-4-2-1; Poch's devotion to the 4-3-3 has been baffling
I wouldn’t be opposed to Tuchel back at Chelsea in theory but more than anything I want these owners to just stop for a minute. I know things have been bad for a while but they’ve signed a hundred players in 18 months and they’re yet to let any manager have the time to work through the mess. If it was up to me I wouldn’t sign a single player the next two windows, unless we lose a crucial player (say Enzo forces his way to Barcelona or PSG for example) and just let the the squad settle for a little while.
This is exactly why I want Tuchel back - give him a remit to just coach and not have to deal with any bullshit and he'll excel. Also almost certainly we'd go back to 3-4-2-1 which would on paper fit this squad like a glove - no clue why Poch keeps trying to shoehorn the team into a 4-3-3
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Ah nice one. You’re just popping in to stick the boot in without saying hello 
Surely these useless twats can beat Sheffield.
Ah, feck, I've probably jinxed it now and they'll win.
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Ah, feck, I've probably jinxed it now and they'll win.
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We recently lost to Manchester so anyone can beat us.Surely these useless twats can beat Sheffield.
Ah, feck, I've probably jinxed it now and they'll win.
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Booooooooooooooooooooooooo!
Top 4 here we come
Chelsea sporting co-directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart will continue their firesale of Chelsea academy players in January: Conor Gallagher, Ian Maatsen and Trevoh Chalobah are all expected to be sold by the duo.
https://theathletic.com/5116411/2023/12/27/chelsea-january-transfers-striker-gallagher/
I’m guessing ffp is biting hard
https://theathletic.com/5116411/2023/12/27/chelsea-january-transfers-striker-gallagher/
I’m guessing ffp is biting hard
I know we can’t really speak from United, but for spending the equivalent of a small country’s GDP, Chelsea’s starting lineup is shocking.
People say this but ignore that we have like a gazillion injuries.
Chukwuemeka, Chalobah, Fernandez, Caicedo, Chilwell, Cucurella, James and Fofana.
What is that, like 4 or 5 first team starters?
I mean yeah that’s half our starting lineup plus Sanchez and half our bench probably. Also Sterling and Palmer are suspended.
There’s no way that’s half your starting line up?! What have they done to be missed as starters?
The shimmering club badge on the new shirts looks great, I have to admit.
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Most of these played against United?
Not sure Fofana, Cucerella and Chalobah are starters either?
James, Enzo, Sanchez, Sterling, Palmer, Chilwell are not considered starters? That’s half the team. Fofana was one too before he got injured but we’ve signed Disasi and brought back Colwill last summer.
Most of these players have been available all season though haven’t they? Bar Chilwell and possibly James?
Yes but then other players have been missing. Nkunku and Lavia have just returned for example. And anyway the poster I replied to was talking about why our bench was full academy kids. I answered with the reasons above
Not really
Malo Gusto was excellent, deserved his MOTM.
Chalobah been injured for quite a while but still early 20s and played a fair bit when Tuchel was there so probably can get around 30m.
Maatsen could've gone back to Burnley late in the window but decided to stay and really hasn't started that much although he did play tonight in one of those inverted FB roles.
Gallagher is the big one. Playing every week under Poch but contract running down so that's a tricky decision to navigate as you're going against manager wishes.
Maatsen was played as a straight up RW.
I feel much more confident with Petrovic between the sticks than Sanchez. I think he’s done enough to keep his spot when Sanchez returns.
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I love that his name is "bad taste" in spanish.
Every time I watch Chelsea it looks like they are trying to work out how not to win. Nearly every time they have enough chances to win but contrive to perform some combination of either missing all of them or constantly passing the opposition through on goal.
They're even more baffling than United. It's not dull I'll give them that much.
They're even more baffling than United. It's not dull I'll give them that much.
Nkunku is going to make a big difference going forward, but I can’t help but feel none of the defenders they’ve signed are any good.
There’s a reason why home grown players are being sold and not any of the utter shite you have throughout the squad.
Gallagher being sold gives it away
I don’t know why anyone would argue against that. It’s 100% FFP related. It can’t be anything else. It’s the only way we can explain Lewis Hall being hurriedly shoved out of the door despite him agreeing to a new 7 year deal a few weeks prior to his move. Maatsen, Chalobah and Gallagher were all shopped around on deadline day. Gallagher and Maatsen had offers but both chose to stay. Maatsen thought he’d be part of the team but he’s hardly played since, so his stance might have changed if he gets another offer in January.
Gallagher won’t go anywhere I think. He’s the club captain until our perpetually injured players return and Poch plays him in literally every game. He could veto any move knowing he’s an automatic starter regardless.
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The "FFP" rules should be changed, total stupidity that to game the system you need to sell all your home grown players...
FFP based on revenue is stupid as it is as well, nothing fair about it.
FFP based on revenue is stupid as it is as well, nothing fair about it.
I swear Palace basically always lose to them no matter how shit they're playing.
You know how we have teams that we always struggle against, even our title winning teams would lose there regularly, like Newcastle and Everton away? Well Palace is usually our banker, no matter how awful we are.
Yeah ours seems to be Fulham.
Maatsen and Chalobah would be sold regardless if they were from Cobham. I dont see the club being desperate to sell Broja or Colwill for example.
Chalobah is our weakest CB and Maatsen isnt rated by Poch and isn't signing a new deal which i dot blame him for if he's not going to play.
When it comes to Gallagher they aren't actively looking to sell they are saying if we get a stupid offer they would consider it.
Lewis Hall wanted to go Newcastle and again Poch was hardly using him in pre season.