jackflap

A frivolous billion can't even buy them a Carabao cup up against a bunch of squad players and kids in the final. When the time comes that the sums have to add up and they don't Chelsea should be let fail and serve as an example of how not to run a football club.

Looked like he set up to hit it with his left and then just poked it home with his right to throw the keeper. That's an outstanding bit of skill.

Need Trippier to go down with a heart attack to steady us

Hard game back for Isak, gonna be mostly pressing and chasing hopeful balls

Trippier is so streetwise

Schar shanking things is a bad omen

Didn't come across like that to me, seemed he was more stressing how important it is for us to get our transfers right because of FFP. Reading between the lines I'd say a permanent transfer isn't a foregone conclusion and as it stands they're not inclined to make it one. Would love it if it was somehow a masterstroke to scupper Chelsea's FFP position. Appear to make a permanent transfer a formality knowing Chelsea wouldn't be able to resist reinvesting the earnings. Then send them back an asset with a vastly diminished value that Chelsea don't really need themselves but probably have to sell. Maybe we'll round the circle and end up buying him off them at a discount. Feels like this is the type of shit we need to be pulling to break the monopoly of the big spenders.

Seemingly always one injury away from absolute disaster this season, must be incredibly frustrating for the players as well, those playing and injured.

Eddie I love you but you're behaving like a moron

I hope he stays but wouldn't push the boat out for him, think the club is due a certain amount of loyalty from him despite his right to maximise his earnings. Think he can go up another level as a player with the right coaching, get the feeling he's still learning his trade as a midfielder. His link up play with Bruno is superb and one of his main strengths so if Bruno goes does that diminish his value for us? Could see a big stylistic shift in midfield if that did happen.

Obviously Howe has done an incredible job but he's not infallible and like everyone is bound to have his blind spots. Think he certainly is guilty of being too loyal to certain players but loyalty is a fine line. Thought we saw it against Liverpool early in the season when his subs felt telegraphed and led to us losing control of the game. Similarly with Burn at the minute it's getting to the point where I'm sure opposition managers are setting out to expose him and we've being slow to react accordingly. Not having Joelinton in there has significantly weakened our left hand side as well and we need a better one on one defender to make up for it.

In fairness Anderson has looked fairly average in his opportunities so far, nothing on Mileys level.

2022 looks like it'll be the high watermark of our January transfer dealings. What a whirlwind window and the stakes couldn't have been higher. You revert to nostalgia in times of dross.

Wouldn't be so sure, feels like we're entering into a new era now with a lot more talk of compliance. Think COVID gave teams a free hand to write off spending and that's gone past the 3 years now.

Great that the market has suddenly deflated just after Chelsea spunked a billion on players.

I would say the Tino sub was obvious by the time it was made and there'd been a few warning shots before the goal. First half we were great though and pulled Villa around brilliantly. Forgotten how good we can be myself.

Bruno has been majestic, he has to carry so much of the calming load. Feel sorry for him that he hasn't gotten a chance to benefit from the Tonali signing yet. Villa haven't done a thing since Livramentos come on, within 5 minutes I felt the game was done. Howe needs to acknowledge how vital he is now.

Bit of drag and all, played it like a golf shot, crazy anticipation by Martinez. Commentators oblivious

Miggy with the final ball!! Kept him on the left

Hope we see this through just to serve a reminder how good a side we are when our players aren't playing on fumes. The way we've pulled Villa around to create space has been superb. Should've scored earlier.

One injury too many for Isak, 65m is too much of the budget to be occupying the treatment table that often.

Homesickness

Agree with you for the most part but I think we're still unlocking his potential as a midfielder. Would be very sad to see him go as I don't think we've seen the best of him yet but wouldn't agree with putting him with the top earners just yet, maybe give a contract with a lot of incentives.

"Even while playing at Real Madrid, Alonso has declared himself a Liverpool supporter and returns to watch games at Anfield when his schedule allows. He was quoted in The Times Online in 2011 as saying, "I am still a Liverpool fan and will be forever, absolutely" and that he will raise his Liverpool-born son as a Red supporter" Wikipedia

I hate them and I'm a pessimist so I can see this working in their favour, get Alonso in before anyone else has an opportunity to pounce for him. Offload Salah to Saudi at the perfect time for 200m and Alonso gets to rebuild the team as he wants it. One year of transition and then by year 2 they're humming. Don't have any doubts that Alonso will be a top coach. PL will be dominated by Spaniards or thereabouts.