Chelsea 2023/24 season thread.


Didn't expect bournmouth to be so high :lol:. But, no one should be shocked at this. Chelsea is good at accounting, while United, and Arsenal are not as good. That is why I never use the argument about chelsea spending so much because I know they balance their books well and they have thr right to replace their outgoings with the funds they generated.

Back to footballing related matters, chelsea board need to give Pochettino Cherki, I have been saying that since the start of the window. I m intrugue to see what that one attacking player that they would get. Also it seems that Pochettino chelsea has only dropped points to the two of the top 4 teams so far this season. Not that bad for a team just put together this summer. And Chelsea was much better than those two teams. I can only imagine how good this chelsea team would be if some of the players they bought had a preseason and are settled in.
 
Didn't expect bournmouth to be so high :lol:. But, no one should be shocked at this. Chelsea is good at accounting, while United, and Arsenal are not as good. That is why I never use the argument about chelsea spending so much because I know they balance their books well and they have thr right to replace their outgoings with the funds they generated.

Back to footballing related matters, chelsea board need to give Pochettino Cherki, I have been saying that since the start of the window. I m intrugue to see what that one attacking player that they would get. Also it seems that Pochettino chelsea has only dropped points to the two of the top 4 teams so far this season. Not that bad for a team just put together this summer. And Chelsea was much better than those two teams. I can only imagine how good this chelsea team would be if some of the players they bought had a preseason and are settled in.

What are you talking about?
 
He's using the table after 3 games :lol:
Other things you can read out of the table so far but he didn’t:
  • Chelsea have lost 100% of their away games this season.
  • The only team Chelsea have managed to beat this season is the second-to-last.
  • Chelsea are currently the fifth best team… in London. Though if you count goals conceded they are second-to-last in the city.
 
Project is a long term one, obviously. There must be some patience. Ambition has definitely been displayed and it will pay off sooner or later. If you read my post in the other thread what i basically wanted to say is:

Boehly is buying very talented young players on pretty long(baseball) contracts and giving them mostly(surprisingly for me) relatively low wages. That means, if they turn out mediocre/crap(like potentially Mudryk, for example), he can likely shift them to midtable/relegation fodder PL teams or some established, traditional European, continental clubs. If they turn out great, they will ask for a wage increase and he can simply give it to them, because they would've deserved it, obviously(that will probably happen with Caicedo, for example, who i rate pretty highly).

Clearlake wants to build a multi-club ownership model(similar to City Football Group), which will obviously help in developing all these young talents they're accumulating. I also believe they will use the known Saudi connections to offload some potential complicated problems/contract situations - i believe there is at least some truth to that(connection between PIF and Clearlake).

Because Roman invested his billions in the club for years, he has built probably the best(most productive) academy in the world - that is his main legacy at the club, along with establishing Chelsea as an elite English/European football club. By selling all these academy products they're constantly producing, Chelsea will never be in FFP trouble. Selling academy products is a pure profit on FFP books, as we all know it here on this forum. That basically means that Chelsea's spending potential is virtually(de facto) limitless. FFP is never going to be an issue for Chelsea because of the main legacy, foundation that Roman left - academy.

Also, i don't see any limitations in who Chelsea are targeting in the transfer market. Paying any price doesn't seem to be a problem. Any player in the world is a possible Chelsea player. Then there is the London glamour factor - advantage Chelsea has over United, City, Liverpool, Newcastle...It's a big deal for more spoiled, vane, Instagram/TikTok younger generation to live in fancy London compared to other "poor, provincial" English cities.

So, just patience and Chelsea is going to be a force to be reckoned with, i have almost no doubts about that. Unfortunately for us, United fans :)
This one is a chelsea fan in disguise :lol::D
 
@duffer you going to be sitting with the Wombles or the Chelsea on Wednesday?
 
That would be tough because clubs do not need to disclose wages.

So would it not be incorrect to say Chelsea have cut £125M in wages then, if we’re not factoring in the wages of the players we’ve signed to replace the outgoing players?
 
So would it not be incorrect to say Chelsea have cut £125M in wages then, if we’re not factoring in the wages of the players we’ve signed to replace the outgoing players?
Yes, it would be a mistake to say we have purely saved wages in those cuts. But most of the people brought in after last Summer are on incentivized contracts. Mudryk is on 97k per week. He can EARN more than that, but they have it intentionally set up to be manageable.

They are also breaking it down not by players but by investment into position. So, say you’ve got someone you bring in on veteran starters wages for … striker. Doesn’t work out, so you get another person at very good wages. Doesn’t work out and you get multiple options on more reasonable wages to fix the issue: it would need addressing.

Because they probably have s profile of how much, including backups should be going towards each position on a yearly basis as an ideal metric. And that overall number will change by position, etc.

They have done some really good work this Summer. The final attacker is the only messy, scattered thing I’ve seen, and that is, in fairness, because they didn’t think it would be necessary. We went from quality starter, backup, and player who could fill the role if needed…. To losing all 3 of those players in 2 games.
 
Chelsea have a net spend of €162 million, no? When was that updated?

Yeah doesn't look like the latest additions of Djordje Petrovic (the backup goalie) and Deivid Washington (the Brazilian teenager) are included. Those two cost €16M each and were confirmed just a few days ago.

How much have we added though?

Maybe half of the amount saved?

Caicedo £250K/wk
Nkunku £200K/wk
Lavia £100K/wk
Disasi £100K/wk
Jackson £100K/wk
Sanchez £100K/wk
Colwill £100K/wk
Gusto £100K/wk
Petrovic £50K/wk
Ugochukwu £50K/wk
Angelo £50K/wk
Deivid £50K/wk
Maatsen £50K/wk

The figures are just my rough estimates and not to be taken literally, the actual numbers in most cases could be perhaps +/- 20K each. Should the wages be around that ballpark it's around £50-60M/y overall as compared to the £125M/y estimated in savings.

It's only natural the wage bill has gone down considerably with the moving on of more experienced senior pros and replacing them with mostly 19-22yo players who are only just now signing their first big contracts.
 
Looks like the club has stopped subsidising away travel, supporters trust issued this statement:


Further to the Club’s statement on away travel, whilst we are pleased that the club will continue to offer this valuable service with the unreliability of train travel and the short notice kick off time changes all supporters suffer, it is disappointing that the subsidy will be stopped. (Many thanks to the CST for subsidising the costs of travel to Bournemouth).

Despite the concerns expressed at recent meetings with CFC officials by all supporters groups regarding the increase in costs to away coach travel in these difficult times, the club have still decided to take this unpopular decision.

This coaches are used by, amongst others, some of our most vulnerable supporters who rely on this to attend matches. The overall cost to the club is a tiny amount in comparison to their recent outlay and is of immense value to those who use this service.

Chelsea Football Club is a community, open to everyone, and those who would not otherwise be able to attend without the Club’s help should be supported equally with others.

We urge the Club to reconsider their decision.
 
Struggled to score today even though completely dominating Wimbledon. Injuries hasnt helped because a lot of players that is part of chelsea 3rd team was playing that game. Players like borja, lavia, gusto, Gallagher, ugo, maatsen, petrovic, carni, madueke, should be the ones starting games like this. Even though some did start, it was a bad mix of 2nd and 3rd team players. The board is doing a good job with their spending, because without it all their injuries would be difficult for even a manager like Pochettino to deal with. Once a lot of those injured players come back, this chelsea team will be night and day different. Heard that madueke was good tonight, interesting to see who Pochettino will prefer with palmer coming in now.
 
Looks like the club has stopped subsidising away travel, supporters trust issued this statement:


Further to the Club’s statement on away travel, whilst we are pleased that the club will continue to offer this valuable service with the unreliability of train travel and the short notice kick off time changes all supporters suffer, it is disappointing that the subsidy will be stopped. (Many thanks to the CST for subsidising the costs of travel to Bournemouth).

Despite the concerns expressed at recent meetings with CFC officials by all supporters groups regarding the increase in costs to away coach travel in these difficult times, the club have still decided to take this unpopular decision.

This coaches are used by, amongst others, some of our most vulnerable supporters who rely on this to attend matches. The overall cost to the club is a tiny amount in comparison to their recent outlay and is of immense value to those who use this service.

Chelsea Football Club is a community, open to everyone, and those who would not otherwise be able to attend without the Club’s help should be supported equally with others.

We urge the Club to reconsider their decision.

So … I’ll admit, I didn’t even know this was a thing. As an American I understand it’s my duty as a fan to pay that $10 per hot dog and $8 per beer. And travel to away games? When I do get to ho to them it usually involves air travel.

So, are they getting rid of buses that take fans to away games?Or are they just making people pay for their ticket?

“most vulnerable fans” that’s the kind of title you usually reserve for people in need of food, or housing. If you can’t afford a bus ticket … should you be paying to go to games at all?

I find the whole idea weird.
 
So … I’ll admit, I didn’t even know this was a thing. As an American I understand it’s my duty as a fan to pay that $10 per hot dog and $8 per beer. And travel to away games? When I do get to ho to them it usually involves air travel.

So, are they getting rid of buses that take fans to away games?Or are they just making people pay for their ticket?

“most vulnerable fans” that’s the kind of title you usually reserve for people in need of food, or housing. If you can’t afford a bus ticket … should you be paying to go to games at all?

I find the whole idea weird.

The buses are still available. They are just not subsidised anymore. So a bus ticket from a collection point in London to, say Bournemouth would cost a supporter £10 after being subsidised by the club. That same bus ticket would now probably cost £30, maybe more depending on where in the country Chelsea are playing. I’ve personally never made use of those buses. I’ve always hopped on a train to away games but it is kind of shitty for a club that has spent nearly £1B on an endless number of players to draw the line on subsidised buses, when the costs involved in running this scheme for the fans is a drop in the ocean relatively speaking.
 
The buses are still available. They are just not subsidised anymore. So a bus ticket from a collection point in London to, say Bournemouth would cost a supporter £10 after being subsidised by the club. That same bus ticket would now probably cost £30, maybe more depending on where in the country Chelsea are playing. I’ve personally never made use of those buses. I’ve always hopped on a train to away games but it is kind of shitty for a club that has spent nearly £1B on an endless number of players to draw the line on subsidised buses, when the costs involved in running this scheme for the fans is a drop in the ocean relatively speaking.
I guess…

We DO do stuff like this… but usually only for High School level teams traveling way outside their normal range ( like for title matches) so parents with lower means can go. I dont think we even do it for collegiate teams, certainly not for general fans.

The idea of subsidizing any part of following g a professional team is a totally alien idea.
 
I guess…

We DO do stuff like this… but usually only for High School level teams traveling way outside their normal range ( like for title matches) so parents with lower means can go. I dont think we even do it for collegiate teams, certainly not for general fans.

The idea of subsidizing any part of following g a professional team is a totally alien idea.
It's alien to a United Statesian sure. It's a big part of why football clubs are important to communities in the UK. Knocking "most vulnerable fans" as people who shouldn't be going to away games is really shitty.
 
I guess…

We DO do stuff like this… but usually only for High School level teams traveling way outside their normal range ( like for title matches) so parents with lower means can go. I dont think we even do it for collegiate teams, certainly not for general fans.

The idea of subsidizing any part of following g a professional team is a totally alien idea.

I guess that's the difference between US and European sports culture, and I say that as someone who loves and follows several American sports. I think they'll end up reversing this decision soon enough because there's been a backlash, the CST have been scathing in their response and it isn't simply isn't worth the hassle for the relatively little money the club is saving from not subsidising the buses. Feels like a huge PR own goal for very little gain.
 
Great decision by the club. The £1 - £2k they are shelling out on subsidising away travel for 13 games a season is way too much in the grand scheme of things. The money spent on subsidising the away travel for a season is far better spent paying Wesley Fofana's wages for one day.
 
It's alien to a United Statesian sure. It's a big part of why football clubs are important to communities in the UK. Knocking "most vulnerable fans" as people who shouldn't be going to away games is really shitty.


Well, here EVERYONE “wants” to go to games. I remember growing up as. Redskins fan near the DC area and it was nearly impossible to get tickets. There was a 30 year waiting list for season tickets. The only game I ever got to go to in person was a pre season game and we had to buy scalped tickets for like 250 a ticket .. in the 80’s… to what was essentially a practice game.

Having the money to actually be in arenas for games is one of the reasons some people hustle to get what they have.

It IS an alien concept for us, but not because we don’t care about our teams, or they aren’t a pivotal part of our community … it just would never occur to us to use what is essentially a charitable subsidy for fan away trips. There are plenty of fans that can afford to go, it’ll be on TV, and that money for the subsidy can go to things like Children’s Cancer research or something (and yes, they do a LOT of that sort of thing).

If it is that important to the people there, I’m sure they’ll reconsider.
 


Not happening. Most likely it will be Conor Gallagher, chalobah or maatsen.



I would advocate Pochettino to let mudryk play the role chilwell is playing or at least play a 4 2 3 1 with matsen or Cucurella at left back. Mudryk is extremely talented, the only problem is how to fit him in the team when the vice captain is crowding his space.

Watching how Nunez for Liverpool suddenly making people look twice at him, Mudryk with consistent game in the correct system time would do the same
 

I … don’t get he fast axe here. He played super well in preseason, and then the entire shape of how we played changed back again when Nkunku got injured. So why panic? Is he just mentally having a tough time with the price tag? Social media abuse (which, if you’re a Chelsea ‘fan’ and doing it ….no).

He does have an amazing amount of talent, he’s not on super high wages ….. it would have to be one hell of an incoming exchange for me not to be gutted by this.

Mudryk could flop, but he could also end up world class. Cole Palmer is never going to better than a Ross Barkley to me. I don’t get it.
 
There are plenty of fans that can afford to go, it’ll be on TV, and that money for the subsidy can go to things like Children’s Cancer research or something (and yes, they do a LOT of that sort of thing).

Ye, feck the disabled or young fans who want to away games and benefited from this, who needs them? Better to use that money to pay 1 week of Fofana's wages.

Seriously though, you really think the club removing the subsidised travel is going to donate that money to charity? And saying it's going to be on TV, do you not understand the benefit of having actual fans in the ground backing the team?
 
I think the current tally is 46 players out and 17 players in this window. The recruiting and player sales department are earning their money this month.
 
Isn't it sad that after spending so much, Chelsea has to rely on a 22 year old striker.
 
So … I’ll admit, I didn’t even know this was a thing. As an American I understand it’s my duty as a fan to pay that $10 per hot dog and $8 per beer. And travel to away games? When I do get to ho to them it usually involves air travel.

So, are they getting rid of buses that take fans to away games?Or are they just making people pay for their ticket?

“most vulnerable fans” that’s the kind of title you usually reserve for people in need of food, or housing. If you can’t afford a bus ticket … should you be paying to go to games at all?

I find the whole idea weird.
Really does say a lot about you… Enjoy your $10 hot dog while the majority of us love the beautiful game.
 
Been saying, Chelsea fans think it's as easy as buying young players and then they become world class. Young players have a high probability of failing and Chelsea have locked themselves into dozens of potential landmine players who could fail. Then when they aren't winning anything, other teams aren't gonna buy these failures for big money the way they have been over the past decade, this whole loophole experiment is gonna end so bad for Chelsea.
 


Could easily be flirting with relegation by January at this rate :wenger: