While I agree with nearly all of the sentiment, I disagree with a lot of the suggestions. If one of the criticisms of the Sporting Directors is they've never built a big club, why should Frank Lampard have a role in recruitment? Besides scoring 200 goals in a blue jersey, what exactly are his qualifications for a recruiting role? Let's be real. He's been abysmal as a manager and his only qualification for those jobs is his pedigree as a player. Second, hasn't JT said his next coaching job will only be as manager? Feel like even if he were to come back as a coach, having that threat hanging over Poch isn't helpful. The "JT in!" shouts after every poor result will be deafening. I couldn't care less if Hazard is around to shake hands with the VIPs but it certainly couldn't hurt the mood! Lastly, Lewis Dunk is not the answer at CB. It's one thing to target experience but experienced TOP players should be the target then.
In the summer I would aim for Douglas Luiz since all other good CMs are hard to get. Ivan Toney is my pick for CF.
In return we should sell Chalobah (since they don't want him too), Galagher (necessary evil for money and to free up space in the midfield), Cucurella (he'll never fit in our team) and Broja (we can sell him for a good sum plus he's accademy player and will free up space for Toney, Jackson and Washington).
WOW!!! Quite an accurate writing. Today's game gave us a clear picture of our good and bad. BAD: we don't have a front line. Murdyck continued to out dribble, sometimes 2 or 3 defenders, and put passes into the middle but no one was there to put the ball in the net (as usual). Canceido was absent. At over 100 milllion he's been a waste. I thought he was a defensive mid. Cucerella played inspired and showed great speed and awareness. I'm shocked Colwill is not playing well at all. He's a center back not a wing. Sanchez played inspired but needs to improve ball direction. If James' injury is his hamstring he probably needs the surgery he should have previously had. Enzo and Connor played well. Why doesn't Maatsen play more? They are wasting him but it's obvious he's going to be sold...We definitely need a #9 which we don't have now. Jackson seems to be a step off and isn't a "face the goalie" striker. Broja needs seasoning which he can't get with our current situation. We need a little age to our lineup especially up front. Even my wife feels we are a good team but we need to put the ball in the middle more than just Murdyck and fricking shoot the ball. We get the feeling Palmer is taking too much on himself and would be even better if he'd distribute the ball more than shoot. Pooch is making demands and I agree but maybe be less pushy. We just hope upper management doesn't think he is a liability which he sure is not. We feel he's a blessing that an inexperienced team like us really needs for us to consistently win.
I appreciate the sentiment and the passion, but I disagree completely except maybe with the Joe Shields bit. The club was rotting from the inside and had to be gutted. It will take patience but we are on the right track. Need to get everyone healthy and go from there. Dynasties don’t last forever and you have to rebuild sometimes reload and this is a ground up rebuild.
Well said, from your pen to the owners ears. I’ve been a Chelsea fan for as long as I can remember (& I remember the 1970 FA Cup!) we’ve had some serious ups & downs, but it does feel like currently things are spiralling. Yes, we’ve been lower, but not with the winning expectations we currently have. Are these expectations unrealistic? No, i’m not convinced they are, we have a very talented squad, which maybe lacks some experience, but who in their right mind would buy into us now unless we make a seismic shift in attitude & results.
But of course, the owners have never publicly said that.
So basically they want to turn us into a feeder club on a grander scale to Brighton, Dortmund and Leipzig. If it doesn't mean us winning silverware then I hope they personally lose millions
Agreed Michael and Alex. I am sure that is the model. Except they have it slightly wrong. Brighton, for e.g. pick up these youngsters for about £4 or 5 million and sell them for £100 million or whatever. Chelsea pay £20 - 30 million, send them on some shit loan, and watch the value fall.
Good article - I could sense the passion and pain you're feeling!
I'm always a bit wary of giving "jobs for the boys". Look where it got us with putting Frank in charge (twice!) 🤣
I also don't know what the "project" is here. If it was to make us the worst performing club in the Premier League in 2023, then I'm not sure what the owners are thinking?
And how exactly is Pochettino proven as a coach? He bottled Spuds in the champions league; he failed to win the French league with the team he inherited at PSG under Tuchel; He is the poster child of Spursy. The moment we accept him as the benchmark, our standards completely slip.
Yes the owners have wasted £1bn. I'm of the belief that they're only decent signings have so far proved to be Palmer, Enzo and Badiashile. But they can't do anything about no clean sheets in the last 8 league games. It's the manner of how we are beaten and the ease of which are to play against
It's probably the greatest name in the world: Chelsea. You think about it. It conjures up the best part of the biggest city in the world. Chelsea... it's magical- Jimmy Greaves.
Agree with everything here, if we had bought Ward Prowse and Declan Rice instead of Caceido and Lavia we would have saved a little money and have a top midfield for the prem. Add a striker with experience up front (Watkins or even Solanke) we could hold the line way better. This is really down to a very naive set of sporting directors
yep. i will die on this hill that we got our midfield rebuild all wrong while spending approx 300m. No height /physicality, no PL experience and no leadership. Sign Caicedo after 1 good full season for a record fee. Got our pants pulled down. A 40mn player for 120m!!! And then a 19 / 20 yr old midfielder from a relegated team who only had 1 PL season for 60m. A guy who is not a DM, short and a very poor header.
That genius Winstanley looked the other way when someone like Rice would have added PL know how, quality, leadership and physicality to our midfield. Horrific squad rebuild! Shame on these jokers.
While I agree with nearly all of the sentiment, I disagree with a lot of the suggestions. If one of the criticisms of the Sporting Directors is they've never built a big club, why should Frank Lampard have a role in recruitment? Besides scoring 200 goals in a blue jersey, what exactly are his qualifications for a recruiting role? Let's be real. He's been abysmal as a manager and his only qualification for those jobs is his pedigree as a player. Second, hasn't JT said his next coaching job will only be as manager? Feel like even if he were to come back as a coach, having that threat hanging over Poch isn't helpful. The "JT in!" shouts after every poor result will be deafening. I couldn't care less if Hazard is around to shake hands with the VIPs but it certainly couldn't hurt the mood! Lastly, Lewis Dunk is not the answer at CB. It's one thing to target experience but experienced TOP players should be the target then.
Is there any way we can get this to Boehly's doorstep? He needs to read this urgently
In the summer I would aim for Douglas Luiz since all other good CMs are hard to get. Ivan Toney is my pick for CF.
In return we should sell Chalobah (since they don't want him too), Galagher (necessary evil for money and to free up space in the midfield), Cucurella (he'll never fit in our team) and Broja (we can sell him for a good sum plus he's accademy player and will free up space for Toney, Jackson and Washington).
Very well written, Score. I concur with your sentiments completely 👌🏻
Brilliant article nailed it 100% .
WOW!!! Quite an accurate writing. Today's game gave us a clear picture of our good and bad. BAD: we don't have a front line. Murdyck continued to out dribble, sometimes 2 or 3 defenders, and put passes into the middle but no one was there to put the ball in the net (as usual). Canceido was absent. At over 100 milllion he's been a waste. I thought he was a defensive mid. Cucerella played inspired and showed great speed and awareness. I'm shocked Colwill is not playing well at all. He's a center back not a wing. Sanchez played inspired but needs to improve ball direction. If James' injury is his hamstring he probably needs the surgery he should have previously had. Enzo and Connor played well. Why doesn't Maatsen play more? They are wasting him but it's obvious he's going to be sold...We definitely need a #9 which we don't have now. Jackson seems to be a step off and isn't a "face the goalie" striker. Broja needs seasoning which he can't get with our current situation. We need a little age to our lineup especially up front. Even my wife feels we are a good team but we need to put the ball in the middle more than just Murdyck and fricking shoot the ball. We get the feeling Palmer is taking too much on himself and would be even better if he'd distribute the ball more than shoot. Pooch is making demands and I agree but maybe be less pushy. We just hope upper management doesn't think he is a liability which he sure is not. We feel he's a blessing that an inexperienced team like us really needs for us to consistently win.
Nailed it!! KTBFFH 💙
Couldn't have said it any better mate
Very well written mate, captured a lot of our thoughts I think.
I appreciate the sentiment and the passion, but I disagree completely except maybe with the Joe Shields bit. The club was rotting from the inside and had to be gutted. It will take patience but we are on the right track. Need to get everyone healthy and go from there. Dynasties don’t last forever and you have to rebuild sometimes reload and this is a ground up rebuild.
Well said, from your pen to the owners ears. I’ve been a Chelsea fan for as long as I can remember (& I remember the 1970 FA Cup!) we’ve had some serious ups & downs, but it does feel like currently things are spiralling. Yes, we’ve been lower, but not with the winning expectations we currently have. Are these expectations unrealistic? No, i’m not convinced they are, we have a very talented squad, which maybe lacks some experience, but who in their right mind would buy into us now unless we make a seismic shift in attitude & results.
But very well written article and I agree with most, well done mate
I don’t think the sporting directors are bad, it’s the brief they have been given from upstairs.
Which is what? Because of I don't know what "the project" is
Sign youngsters , develop them, sell them for profit. They see us a business; simple as that.
That's my hunch as well.
But of course, the owners have never publicly said that.
So basically they want to turn us into a feeder club on a grander scale to Brighton, Dortmund and Leipzig. If it doesn't mean us winning silverware then I hope they personally lose millions
Agreed Michael and Alex. I am sure that is the model. Except they have it slightly wrong. Brighton, for e.g. pick up these youngsters for about £4 or 5 million and sell them for £100 million or whatever. Chelsea pay £20 - 30 million, send them on some shit loan, and watch the value fall.
Correct
Good article - I could sense the passion and pain you're feeling!
I'm always a bit wary of giving "jobs for the boys". Look where it got us with putting Frank in charge (twice!) 🤣
I also don't know what the "project" is here. If it was to make us the worst performing club in the Premier League in 2023, then I'm not sure what the owners are thinking?
And how exactly is Pochettino proven as a coach? He bottled Spuds in the champions league; he failed to win the French league with the team he inherited at PSG under Tuchel; He is the poster child of Spursy. The moment we accept him as the benchmark, our standards completely slip.
Yes the owners have wasted £1bn. I'm of the belief that they're only decent signings have so far proved to be Palmer, Enzo and Badiashile. But they can't do anything about no clean sheets in the last 8 league games. It's the manner of how we are beaten and the ease of which are to play against
It's probably the greatest name in the world: Chelsea. You think about it. It conjures up the best part of the biggest city in the world. Chelsea... it's magical- Jimmy Greaves.
We deserve better as fans.
Agree with everything here, if we had bought Ward Prowse and Declan Rice instead of Caceido and Lavia we would have saved a little money and have a top midfield for the prem. Add a striker with experience up front (Watkins or even Solanke) we could hold the line way better. This is really down to a very naive set of sporting directors
yep. i will die on this hill that we got our midfield rebuild all wrong while spending approx 300m. No height /physicality, no PL experience and no leadership. Sign Caicedo after 1 good full season for a record fee. Got our pants pulled down. A 40mn player for 120m!!! And then a 19 / 20 yr old midfielder from a relegated team who only had 1 PL season for 60m. A guy who is not a DM, short and a very poor header.
That genius Winstanley looked the other way when someone like Rice would have added PL know how, quality, leadership and physicality to our midfield. Horrific squad rebuild! Shame on these jokers.