His technique was always very good he just never built any momentum because of injuries and being in and out of the side.

I think it was a shrewd signing by gerrard and we would have been better of keeping him if he’d have stayed.

OJ Simpson would love you Bernard

Don’t let me stop you moralising about how it happened.

Onto more important issues (for me), while I’m laughing at Chelsea’s current problems, I’ll be disappointed if it stops me attending the away game at Stamford Bridge when it’s arranged.

Wow. Just wow.

Stop moralising about the Manson family folks because THOSE WERE THE TIMES !

Moralizing? No Bernard. Just trying to point out that there’s a vast difference between how the oligarchs got their wealth and power, and about how our own fraudsters did. Doesn’t make either method acceptable, but no-one in the UK including the likes of Farage, has ever held a gun to my head, or kidnapped my daughter, in order to get their hands on assets over which I had some control.

Degrees, Bernard, degrees.

I wouldn’t argue with that but, as I’ve said, I think it’s more important to look at how the oligarchs were able to accumulate their vast wealth than moralise that they took advantage of the situation offered.

I’m just uncomfortable with political moralising. Always have done and I’ve little doubt I always will do.

The Government have confirmed that CFC “will not be unduly harmed”, however with ongoing salary and contract commitments but no income and no sponsorship, they’ll need to live off their reserves for a while. If - when - those reserves run out and with no capacity to raise loans, presumably the Government will have to step in.

So in the absence of an Owner, presumably CFC will become State controlled. Effectively, CFC will be nationalised.

We live in interesting times.

It’s being suggested that Nike are going to pull their daft 500 million deal. If that happens only government intervention and nationalisation will prevent administration

If that happens we should do one of those petitions for parliament saying Chelsea football club should be liquidated as it’s a drain on the tax payer like those goons keep suggesting for the BBC. They have to publicise the salaries etc et.

One key aspect that isn't directly related to the sanctions is who will buy Chelsea from Abramovich once a sale is approved (which I assume will happen at some point). Since he bought the club, Chelsea's net spend is close to £1b, with most of it being funded by Abramovich.

I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that the next owner will spend that much - in fact, I'd say it's likely that it won't happen. Not many owners have been willing to spend like that. And while they have built a very good structure in terms of youth academy and such in the last 20 years, Chelsea still operate like an oil club. High profile managers coming and going every few years, big name signings to bail the team out when they underperform, etc. With a different type of owner they'd have to operate more like Liverpool, Arsenal or Spurs, and rely on smart signings, getting the right manager in and so on.

If you look at the commercial side of things, Chelsea are still some way behind the biggest clubs. 9th in average attendance, 5th in match day revenue, by far the most amount of debt of any club, and sponsorship deals more on par with Arsenal and Tottenham than the Manchester clubs. I think it's very likely they're entering a new era where they'll still be competitive, but not nearly to the same extent as in the last 20 years.

Perhaps some form of fan ownership will be introduced for Chelsea? Bayern are perhaps the most well known example.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.90min. ... -world/amp

Good post Hazuki. I suspect you’ll turn out to be right.

A draw is obviously the best result but if someone has to win, I'd prefer it to be Man Utd.

But if the UK Taxpayers are going to bail out CFC - at least until they're sold - then all the Taxpayers should have opportunities to get involved. I might fancy a few shares in CFC. Now that you're no longer an Arse shareholder, might you be similarly inclined, Bern?

Decent argument here for why CFC should be relegated from the PL. There are precedents.

https://segernet.com/why-chelsea-should-be-relegated-from-the-premier-league/

Taxpayers should be allowed to take turns picking the Chelsea team. Wouldn't apply to me obviously, but I've felt for a long time that Ross Barkley is being underused by them.

I see the 'why should the fans suffer' argument is widespread amongst the CFC mob.

Ask Rangers fans. Or Derby fans. Or Bolton, Portsmouth, Bury......the list goes on. None of those fans bore any responsibility beyond supporting clubs that had dodgy owners. As dodgy owners go though, Abro surely takes the biscuit.

So if precedents mean anything, it's a points deduction at one end of the spectrum and full scale expulsion from all 4 leagues at the other.

100%

Zero tolerance for terrorist organisations needs to be applied here

We got a 2 point deduction for some pushing at old Trafford … Chelsea are allowed to get away with being actual terrorists and get nothing.

Bias

Can’t they operate at a debt before a new owner acquires them? Then it becomes the responsibility of the new owner to meet the debts, hopefully wanting to get all his (or her) money back by selling players before spending money on new recruits.

Without the permission of the Government, I don’t see how the club can take on debt.

All their bank accounts are effectively frozen as far as I understand

This will obviously have an affect on Chelsea's ability to attract and keep players. I wonder what Arsenal can do to pick off one or two for ourselves?

These places don't look too bad physically.

Abramovich owns the club. A bank sactioning a credit facility to Chelsea is effectively lending money to Abramovich. That is completely contrary to sanctions.

Absolutely, if they fail to meet the financial rules. Chelsea cannot be made a special case. As you say, Derby, Bolton, Leeds etc have suffered and received no favourable treatment. In Chelsea's case, it is more egregious. We are talking about sanctions imposed due to contributions to the invasion of a sovereign state.

Surprised to see Leeds on the list. Bristol looks really nice. I wouldn't mind giving that town a go. Brighton as well. Most I have never heard of.

I love his character, especially when it comes to non football things but lukewarm on him as a player. We can do much better.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/11/arsenal-urged-sign-man-utd-star-marcus-rashford-transfer-ray-parlour-16258527/?fbclid=IwAR06wOJHeNbAYW6M57NFh2F2WIQILMESxkVwgzWTcP52-6omouhtt1ni3cE

https://tbrfootball.com/paul-merson-say ... very-good/

Like Merson, my mind about Ødegaard has changed. He has been very good for us lately. The bigger tests are coming soon when we take on the teams challenging for 4th. Hope he wows us.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/03/11/a ... -interest/

Likely clickbait
Hoping it is nonsense as well

It’s being reported that Haaland is expected to move this summer and prefers Man City ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona.

How does that even work when Barcelona were reported to be billions in debt and Real Madrid weren’t much better off. It’s like they have a magic pot of money.

Gnabry has always showed a love for us, contract talks aside, why would he come back here and not to go somewhere else were the talks break down? And could we even meet his asking price?

https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/ ... UtiOr-F0mg

Still trying to process Flamini worth an estimated 10 billion. Now he's going in business with Özil. Matt, remember your ol buddy American Gooner who bigged you up incessently on the SG forum, you haven't forgotten me have you?

Hmm....just thought of something. We don't want the Kroenkes. Usmanov is...well...that's not an option. Flam, I have an idea for you mate.....

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/mathieu-flamini-arsenal-billionaire-ozil-26415266?fbclid=IwAR1g8kfipn7h89EMHwp_WPF00JtvwLtpetxWXI_LRDk2mMrJOZvB_dPy914

What do we hope today for united spurs ?

Draw ?

First option
Draw
Second option utd win

Really can't have spurs winning.
They are a bigger threat right now to us finishing 4th.
Really hope they start to tail off.
Conte, kane and son becoming very annoying.
Next 3 games for us are huge.
Might sound silly but more worried about the villa game of the next 3.
Gerrard will have them hyped up and they can do us damage if we don't turn up focused and on it.
Liverpool in a way is a free hit.
6 or 7 points from next 9 would be good.

Definitely a draw.

…plus 4 red cards and a few stretchers

With points deduction and a two year ban for Harry Kane for having an annoying face.

If united lose that actually they have big problems. You couldn’t rule them out but they will be quite adrift

Spurs worry me a bit more at the moment, plus we have to play them, plus they are spurs, so a united win would please me more.