macphisto

All this stuff about pre-season, Carragher pointed this out the other week, what about players returning from injury? A player could easily be out for longer than the summer break and they don't have a pre-season. I've never heard anyone give an injured player an excuse that they still have to get fit after returning three/four months ago. Also, with Isak there's not an ounce of body fat on him, so it's not like he got really out of shape over the summer like other players.

Silverstone was just towing the party line. Any sponsors we get in the next few years will either directly be related to PIF, like our existing sponsors, or indirectly related to PIF. For example, I'd be surprised if our Adidas deal was not related, behind closed doors, to Adidas sponsoring a lot of the Saudi League teams. Not big money, in the grand scheme of things, but we're hiring a lot of these executives and what do they actually do? Our current commercial deals with Noon and Sela would have been sorted in 10 minutes and we've got the infrastructure guy who worked at Manchester Airport. What exactly is he working on? It's money for nothing or maybe I've misunderstood their roles and they're relatively minor.

That's the thing with Livramento and Hall, it won't be a few years before a young fullback comes into the team. Livramento could easily see his pathway into the 1st team, given Trippier's age, but that's not the case now. It's a good problem to have but just not sure how you solve having good back-up options.

Be interesting to see who comes. Who would want to compete with one of those two for a place in the team? That's not to say we shouldn't try but it's difficult to think of the profile of player we should target.

Brighton are nothing amazing as people overlook their signings that didn't work out. Look at their most expensive signings, it's hit and miss like most teams.

Your design has made it to Thailand 😂

Interesting point, my only criticism of Howe this season is that I would have binned the League Cup early and concentrated on the League and Champions League.

With the benefit of hindsight I would have been much firmer with Liverpool and insisted on a free shot at getting Ekitike with us then selling them Isak.

When you say turn it around, do you mean this season or a chance to go again next season with an overhaul? I only ask as I've seen the phrase used a few times. I don't expect too much this season, I hope I'm wrong, so for me whatever happens this season he's got a free pass. The spotlight is then on those above to properly plan and recruit in the summer before I'd judge Howe next season.

Are we not just at the end of the road with this team? A lot of our key players have been here since Howe arrived, some before his arrival. Almost like a perfect storm with the Isak dibacle, lack of leadership at the club, aging players, and injuries to key positions. Whatever happens this season, Howe deserves the time to build a new team.

My original point was about wages out of control, demographic of the fans is not related to that. I only brought up attendances as the cost of attendance was mentioned in reply to my original post.

This chart is pointless if you also don't look at the increase in income during that time. I'm not arguing that football is cheap, I'm not saying the makeup of fans at games hasn't changed. My original point is that wages are not out of control. They are well under control.

The full backs are going to be tricky. We all say the full backs are sorted for the next 5 years so what profile of player do you bring in? Who would come? I'd probably go for more of a utility player that's a better full back than Burn but a worse centre half. I say that as I doubt we'd get someone as good as Burn at centre half and a better full back.

Is that why several clubs have built new stadiums or extended their grounds in that time? Not to mention a demand to increase our ground. Attendances have have never been so high. Do you really think the US owners, in particular, wouldn't charge as much as possible irrespective of their expenses?

Who's Us? Ultras?

Wages haven't spiralled out of control. No PL club has got into serious financial trouble since Leeds and Portsmouth which I don't think has anything to do with Chelsea. I know I'm picking you up on your wording but it's the kind of claim made in support of PSR that actually lacks any validity on inspection.

Has he been sacked?

Reading the Gordon thread and his stats, it makes you wonder what Barnes is thinking? If he's not in the team now then it's obvious he'll never get in on a regular basis; particularly when he's considered one of the best, if not the best, natural goalscorers in the team. I had really high hopes for Barnes when we signed him but it's time to accept the move hasn't worked out as we all hoped. We need to move him on in the summer.

One thing to note, if it hasn't already been said, is that we only had one fit striker for all of last season and this season too. That's bound to have an effect on results and shows what a miracle he performed last season. Overall, this season definitely feels like the end of an era for this team.

Only comparable club team to that Milan team is Barcelona in their pomp but I'd back Milan over them. Best in my lifetime

Shevchenko goes under the radar a lot, his fall was something else.

I'd agree with this but the only thing that makes me have doubts is that they could have chucked that type of money, probably a lot less, directly at the player before he re-signed late last season.

I wasn't after the jacket but it's sold out on the Adidas website (you have to use their Confirmed app to buy it). Got the T-shirt which is what I was after.

Not picking you up on your words, but he's been terrible since we won the cup.

This is the one I'm after