Good read on Ampadu. http://www.skysports.com/football/n...ssing-at-chelsea-after-rapid-rise-from-exeter
Definitely. I think the matches since the new year have shown we still have a bit of a way to go as we build towards the future, but the main takeaway for me is that we’ve got the CB spots more or less figured out. Courtois at GK and Morata up top are pretty solid for the spine too, it’s just the other center midfield spots that need a bit of work for me
Chelsea have appointed Guy Laurence as our new chief executive. He has loads of experience in both the sporting world and business world. He is coming from a group that oversaw the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Bluejays, and Toronto FC.
I feel I'm the only one who cares about this, but it's still news. I know, I know - "support the badge." But when the badge is funded by a dictator's friend, it's hard to look the other way. Nikolai Glushkov, who was a friend of a Putin critic, was found dead in London. He also testified against Roman in a court case. Granted, Glushkov also stole tons of money and is shady in his own right. I also wonder how Putin's anti-Semitism goes over with Roman. The idea that Roman is likely tied into the chaos Putin is creating around the world for no reason other than to make his own backwater country look better is more than a bit unsettling.
i think it's fair to have mixed emotions about this. there are some seriously unsettling things happening in the political realm that have kept my attention away from the game a bit and it's hard not to have difficulty reconciling the two at times.
1. Putin is probably the least anti-semitic leader Russia has ever had. (Granted, I couldn't tell you Kerensky's proclivities, but he was there for 6 months 100 years ago.) Ever. That's not a misprint. Putin's quasi-adopted father was Jewish, some of his good friends are Jewish and the official state policy at the moment is quite friendly towards Jews - far more so than it has ever been. Nor am I making excuses for Putin here, as I'm very, very far from a fan. But facts are facts. 2. Roman has very little to do with what the Kremlin does politically, he stays out of the way. He made his money in the 90s, during the Yeltsin years. The active "oligarchs" of the Putin era are either former security officials (siloviki) or Putin's close friends. Roman is neither.
I wasn't sure where to post this so I just made a new one. Also, I'm not posting this as some kind of kneejerk to yesterday's game because I have mentioned this during the season. Can someone tell me what it is that Moses brings to this team? He is athletic and fast, but not a threat going forward. His defense is serviceable, but not great. He had some good games last season and I think his perceived value got a little inflated. I don't hate the guy and overall dependable, but simply not good enough for the system we tried to play this season. Moses gets the ball on the wing time and time again during a game and very rarely is there any end product. Winning a corner is about the best case scenario for him most of the time and then we just play it short and have the ball back in the same spot again! I don't really know who was out there for us to upgrade with, but we didn't do it and that is another issue. I suppose we only have to worry about it another 10 games or so since the new manager likely will not play 343. Honestly, it would be a breath of fresh air if Conte every now and then mixed in a 4 at the back lineup just to keep opposition guessing, but it never happens. rant over KTBFFH!
First of all, he probably doesn't deserve his own thread. Moses is a hard worker and probably can be a good backup in cup games and injury. For a winger, he is better at being defensive with zero attack. I was expecting him to be the first one to be upgraded in the summer but we bought someone who is flawed as well. However, I don't think we have the ambition (or capacity) to be at the top at least for a few years. Our board is a joke but seem to get away unscathed. We can be intelligent while being prudent but that is not the case. We will be good enough for top 4 but won't get close to the other sides who are spending on quality. I am resigned to a mediocre few years till (if) things change.
Moses is a threat to score going forward, but some of us were pointing out last year that he was good in large part because our formation took people by surprise. In fairness to him, he’s athletically quite gifted which allows him to run all day and rarely be out of position. His defense has also gotten a lot better. Of course, his end product has always been a problem, which is particularly frustrating for a player converted from an attacking position.
On the attacking side, his biggest contribution is winning corners as a result of primarily hitting the first man and getting a bounce. As much as I would like for this to be a jokey take, it's sadly accurate.
This goes back to my point for a year now - Conte has done really well given the talent level of the squad. Other than Hazard, Kante (until he gets into the final third) and some of our defenders, there's a shocking lack of truly top class players at his disposal.
Everybody associated with Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the passing of our former player, captain and assistant coach, Ray Wilkins. Rest in peace, Ray, you will be dreadfully missed. pic.twitter.com/cSDhloOPDZ— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 4, 2018
RIP Ray, the youngest ever captain of Chelsea Football Club, local boy brought up through the ranks, cultured midfielder and by all accounts a bloody nice guy.
Goodbye Ray, you will be missed: tonight we're gonna fight like you taught us!Ciao Ray, ci mancherai: questa sera lotteremo su ogni pallone come avresti fatto tu!RIP, Ray Wilkins 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/YLokjuXkvD— AC Milan (@acmilan) April 4, 2018
Lovely touch just before kick-off in the Milan derby - Franco Baresi placing a Ray Wilkins jersey and some flowers behind the goal. pic.twitter.com/L6xOimmcWr— Mark Donaldson 🏴 (@DonaldsonESPN) April 4, 2018
I’ll never forget my first day at Harlington in August 1999. You approached me with your big smile and your gentleman-like ways saying “benvenuto al Chelsea!“. Being a big @acmilan fan, my journey at CFC couldn’t have started better. That smile will be hugely missed. RIP, Ray💙— The Sandbox (@Capitancarloc) April 4, 2018