Football Soccer Football Soccer Football Soccer

[Roy Jones Jnr]

Ajax are basically a bye for Utd in the final, they'll walk it. They couldn't even beat a Feyernoord side led by a 47 year old Dirk Kuyt, who's a fooking legend btw to the league title.

[MOTHERDUCKER]

Also a few years back when Bilbao stamped United out of the Europa, even then it was unthinkable to even compete for that trophy. The overwhelming thought coming from United was that they have no business in that competition. Let alone giving up on the league for the celebration of lesser trophies.

I understand the path to get into the CL but never the less. I would have never even imagined that you lot are seriously content and accepting of the carling and the Europa. As if it's the 08 double.

Never seen it. I'm not 30+ so 80s football and all that. I didn't see. But I've never not known United to not be in with Bayern, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.

How the mighty have fallen.

Not watched football long then? it goes in cycles.. up until a few years ago Madrid didnt do **** in Europe for 9-10 or so years.. now look at them..

Same as Juventus did absolutely nothing for the best part of a decade and now made 2 CL finals in recent times.

Milan had one of the best teams i have seen.. played United of the park.. lost to Liverpool in the final.. then got revenge the following year.. also beat juve on pens to win it

Point being were the **** are milan now? barca have hardly been on a great run either

[Roy Jones Jnr]

Well James Rodriguez is definitely leaving Real Madrid.

[Sparked_26]

history get a grip mate , chelsea where a fa cup side before the money came ' busby shankley paisly ferguson thats history

This is true but at least you acknowledge we were a cup side.

Since I've watched Chelsea we've always been good tbh and I'm 31 ffs. 97 F.A cup, 98 league, 98' Cup Winners, 2000 F.A Cup, and good runs in a few cup winners cups and even a champions league, and F.A cup finals in 94 2002. You do get some mad chat from people who I don't think even watched football pre-2003. Chelsea absolutely should have won the league in 1998/1999 too and our capitulation was very similar to Liverpool's slippy season.

And then obviously Roman comes in and restores to a position to where as the royalty from West London, and I think we can all agree, we belong - at the top table of English and European football.

The irony is, Man United and Liverpool are now cup sides. Well sort of. But Liverpool are literally at the level Chelsea were pre-Abramovich as in they're going life and death for 4th and if they do get it I have no doubt they'll kick on.

It is harder to discredit Chelsea now since the net spend for the last two seasons is £59 million but old habits die hard.

The fact of the matter no champion is going to be well received unless they're freak winners. People would be absolutely gutted if Liverpool won the league too as the boot of English football has been on their throat for a while and nobody likes Liverpool, Man United are trying to buy the title (as is their right actually as they are still the most commercially profitable club), Man City will do the same as United. And then you have Spurs.

It's not like Spurs spend no money. Sissoko and Janssen cost them upwards of £50 million but If they won the league and with their wage structure - they would probably get something approaching universal credit.

Nathaniel Clyne - £80,000 a week
Kyle Walker - 40,000 a week

Arsenal outspend Chelsea currently. Because they don't sell anyone and the also buy questionable players.

Even if Everton won it people would have an issue because it would have been funded by billionaire owner.

[PrinceNaz88]

Someone I know who knows his onions told me that they really rate Hammmezzz. Can't say I've been overly impressed apart from that World Cup but his stats are very solid.

Maybe he could be another one who tears it up like Alexis?

But he doesn't looks particularly quick to me. But the pattern for lads from the big dogs from Spain l they absolutely tear it up with their technical ability at least when they first arrive.

A la Mata. He was great at Chelsea but now he is lost at United who will always be likely ship him out and probably bring in someone more expensive and possibly not as good.

Is James better than Di Maria?

Difficult to say as he has been in and out of the side at Real Madrid.

From a technical point of view he seems to be top class.

Mentally he seems a little weak though so it could be Di Maria all over again although they aren't totally similar in their styles of play. Di Maria just has the look of an absolute pussy anyway.

I wouldn't play James out wide right, he isn't slow but he isn't quick either like you say. He needs to play attacking centre mid to get the best out of him.

Basically it's a bit of a gamble signing IMO just depends how much Man Utd are gonna spend on him.

[Phenom]

90 points for Chelsea with one more game to be played not a bad debut for Conte in the "best league in the world"

Really impressed by Ake every time I see him , I don't think Chelsea need Van Dijk with Ake and Christensen ready for 1st team that money will be better spent on LB/LWB

[Sparked_26]

Great game that! But you could tell there were 9 changes.

Ake is composed in certain areas but in the centre of defence he has a habit at this early stage in his career of getting caught too square on when people take him on.

I like him more as full back/defensive midfielder.

I think Chalobah is a good enough player, not really outstanding but a solid pro. He's unlucky he hasn't played more. He could be the new Mikel!

I don't really think too much of Kenedy. He doesn't seem to be anything special and Aina for me looked like a more robust player.

Squad wise, I think Christiansen, Chalobah, Ake, and Lewis Baker are game ready, and maybe Aina deserves a chance.

Loftus Cheek needs to play a whole season somewhere. Maybe even at championship level. Physically he just isn't there. Despite the size of him he has no stamina.

On another note Batshoes looked decent to me so it's surprising really that he has not featured more. His first touch and back to goal play is pretty good.

I suppose it's no surprise that a Chelsea team with 9 changes would likely have been torched by the better teams in the league.

Begovic needs to sold imo.

[F l i c k e r]

Not watched football long then? it goes in cycles.. up until a few years ago Madrid didnt do **** in Europe for 9-10 or so years.. now look at them..

Same as Juventus did absolutely nothing for the best part of a decade and now made 2 CL finals in recent times.

Milan had one of the best teams i have seen.. played United of the park.. lost to Liverpool in the final.. then got revenge the following year.. also beat juve on pens to win it

Point being were the **** are milan now? barca have hardly been on a great run either

Not as much as say sparked or that old guy who was a Man City fan but lived in canada on these forums but I was able to see Zola and also to understand why no one likes Leeds.

The thing is though, Manchester United, to me was never a solid club. They were always that club that you want to beat because they were at the top. Now it's like the reverse of Chelsea vs United. Chelsea is the big dog and United are the club sitting deep and trying to get the draw or the 1-0 result on an 80th minute counter.

That to me is baffling because I've never lived to see it. So yeah to me, I'm still like why is it acceptable for United to be that.

I get what your saying with ebbs and flows, ups and downs but it's still not a regular occurrence as for the last 20 years it's been Manchester United and everyone else. Now United is with everyone else.

But hey, at the end of the day, it's not the club I support so, y'all be happy with what y'all got and we'll keep winning the big cups.

[Phenom]

I think Ake fits back 3 perfectly better than Cahill even if we are being honest Zouma on the other hand doesn't fit at all I can see him going on a loan or being sold

Kenedy was **** today can't see a reason why he will be at Chelsea next season, Alonso was the most important player for Chelsea because no one can step in for him maybe Ake can but I haven't seen him in LWB tbh

LB/LWB should be a priority in the summer I wouldn't mind paying Bertrand back

[JJRod]

United have signed him for £55 million.

I read Marca and they said Man United and Chelsea were both interested but the price by Madrid was set at 65. Where did you hear he'd sign with Man United?