The College Dropout

Eddie Howe takes that Chelsea team to a title challenge imo. The depth is crazy.

Needs to go out on loan so badly.

Would’ve taken a point going into the game.

Would've failed if we had European football. But aye the availability alone of Fab & Schar last year was critical. Murphy too. We had such a thin squad by the end. We were fortunate that our biggest injuries were in the areas of our greatest strength.

The foreign extra Guinness >

We tried the Isak route tbf in Etikite and Sesko. Samu is the last I’ve seen in that mould.

This one they will pay for. 25+ they seem to want for free.

Even more ESL games too. I keep saying it - this new CL format + 38 league games is a killer and it's increasing the wage bills of the best clubs that need to compete in both every year. I've called Chelsea a super team, I think Arsenal are a Eze away from a super team too. At least in terms of depth.

It's Konate next season and Saliba the season following imo. They need a progressive passing CM and I think Tchou has a long-term future at CB, at least back-up CB.

We've increased our PSR footprint because of this though.... doesn't make ideal sense. I'm not entirely sure how you get cash into a football club - additional shares at a particular price I guess. But being able to pay upfront should be a small lever we use to get smaller fees and a little more PSR headroom imo. If i'm being honest with myself - I know the reason.

Why do we want to spread the payments - we not have the cash?

It’s also kinda ‘bigger club’ power. Real Madrid have taken advantage of free transfers or 1-year left on a contract for like 6 of their possible starting lineup. And they tend to do it now over like 3-4 years. It’s not even opportunity like Kroos was, it’s the actual strategy. Real say they want you. If they get you for free they’ll pay the megabucks. If you’re Rudiger, Alaba, Trent you refuse contracts from your team, refuse to go anywhere below the level of Real, too good to be benched. You leave for free. That’s player power but also big club power. Real are doing it with Konate and will try to do it Saliba too. In turn Liverpool are doing it to Palace. Liverpool could do with a CB this season though. Real went 2-3 seasons with only 1 RB as they waited for Trent. No striker as they waited for Mbappe. No other club can get away with such squad plan if.

Spurs tax to the rescue

This is PSG’s first game of pre season

Expected Spurs to win this. PSG have not had a pre season. Spurs being in the CL will stop them getting top 4/5 imo

Wouldn’t want to give him that.

They are selling him now rather than next June because he won’t sign a new contract and will only have 1 year left at the end of the season. It’s value led rather than strictly PSR. No team needs sales for PSR in August

Pretty sure Isak started after joining a few days earlier. But aye wouldn’t expect Ramsey to start against Villa.

There were several points last season you could tell Bruno, Joelinton (and Isak) was running on E. If Howe doesn’t trust his bench player - he’ll let lads walk around on E until the end or a key goal is conceded. He’s not one for fresh legs just for the sake of it.

Yeh he’s definitely starting 99% of games he’s available for. But he needs earlier and more frequent subs. As will Tonali imo. Ramsey is a great addition. But arm I don’t think Ramsey and Miley is enough.

Yeh the issue is replicating that + 10 CL games. Tonali has had a nice long rest. But Bruno definitely looks exhausted in games. Which makes him perform worse physically. Tonali could be a Fernandes type minutes monster. But Bruno definitely needs timely rests.

Look at Tonali's minutes - it's a consistent string of 90's Bruno G played every game getting an average 86.5 minutes

Aye but they are also not in the CL. Europa League only gets hot late in the season. Ramsey averaged 52 minutes in his final 19 appearances in the PL - which is significant aye. The bad thing for us is that he didn't impress. Positive for us is he was fit that entire period and that type of minutes is what I expect he'll get with us. I don't think he suits Emery though. Transfermarkt says he mostly played LM or LW.

I told you my answer. It depends on what our strategy is. I think our strategy is incoherent and entirely reliant on Howe maximising middling talents. We seem to be buying players for the now and need immediate results. Which is why I don’t think Miley is set to play a lot

Even though I agree Ramsey has been brought in to compete with Joelinton. If either Tonali or Bruno couldn’t play, it would be Ramsey to come in.