Arsenal have had the most yellow cards for time wasting this season with 7 yellows. I had a look and we’ve won games by a single goal 9 times this season, those being the games where you’d imagine time wasting was precedent. Considering what we see week in week out from every team in the league protecting a narrow lead that’s a very high ratio

That last bit will definitely get him into trouble.

Apparently during Abramovic Chelsea reign the club was run at a £900k loss per week on average

I see you don't say "a £900k investment per week."

I think this is different to what the Kroenke's are doing with Arsenal, and the latter is not 'doping'.

Is it an investment until it becomes a problem, then it’s a loss!

So how do you define doping?

I've looked at a few definitions of 'doping' and I can see that we are talking at cross purposes because of vagueness about the definition of 'financial doping'.

It is often defined just as spending not funded out of revenue. In that case there is no distinction between 'investment' of external funds and 'doping'.

A more nuanced definition is:

"…financial means not earned by a club directly or indirectly through its sporting
operations or supporter reputation, but rather provided by an external investor,
benefactor or creditor detached from sporting merit and supporter reputation as
well as from sustainable investment motivations"

By this definition, I would suggest that a strong case could be made that Kroenke is putting money into the club for "sustainable investment motivations". The same cannot be said of Abro's motives for pouring money into Chelsea.

Just looked the figures up. Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for £140m. £60m for the club itself and £80m to pay off their debt at the time.

If Rich is right and Abramovich has spent £900k a week on them, then over the nineteen years that equates to £205.2m (£900k x 12 = £10.8m a year. £10.8m x 19 = £205.2m). Add that to the £140m purchase price (the cost of the club at £60m and it’s debt at the time of £80m), and it amounts to £345.2m.

Reports suggest that the preferred bidder for Chelsea, Todd Boehly, is buying (or has bought) the club for £4.3b. Does that not give Abramovich a profit of approaching £4b? Even if Abramovich doesn’t get back the £1.5b that Chelsea are in debt to him for, that’s still a net profit for Abramovich approaching £2.5b. It was a long-term investment that ended up being for nineteen years. But is a £2.5b profit not an investment?

Doesn’t my last post suggest something different? I accept Abramovich is only getting his profit from being forced to sell Chelsea. But some might take his ‘investment’ in them not to make money (even if he ended up doing so) as more noble (almost a sort of ‘as a fan’ scenario) than what you may be suggesting are Stan’s motivations?

For example, if someone gave me so many billions for my wine collection that I could offer not only offer enough money to Kroenke to make him sell Arsenal to me, but to give me enough to blow Sheik Mansour’s expenditure on City out the water (let alone Abramovich’s on Chelsea), then I would. Not as a financial investment, but motivated by me wanting Arsenal to win trophies.

Is that not more noble than Stan treating Arsenal as a financial investment, if that’s what you think he’s doing?

It was 20 years ago today…….

Yes it’s pretty hard to comprehend Steps broke up 20 years ago.

Wonder what H is up to these days.

52 weeks in a year. But even so, (900 000 x 52 x 19 =) 889 200 000 + 140 000 000, is well short of £4.3b. So either the figures are wrong or you are right.

But does league form matter? There was a lot of speculation on here about what would it mean if Wham won the Europa league and my thought at the time was let's see when they win it. Arsenal being no stranger to the same experience. Frankfurt have done something right so I think would be equal odds to beat Rangers.

I agree there have been some squeaky bum games recently. Only consolation I can provide is that this is the youngest team in the league and also the likely most improved in many areas. (I'll let Rich provide stats), I think due to the low experience, the team is nervous about fast starts.

Equally look at city. Mega bucks, the best players in the league, but so used to attacking and controlling possession that they fell apart under sustained scrutiny.

All I can think right now is that if we keep improving then that is what I want to see

I'm not familiar with UK tax laws but could this loss have been claimed back from the govt? E.g written off income, etc

Open question to the forum...ratings on Tuchel since becoming Chelsea manager?

I don’t really know what to say. I think he did well to win the champions league last year but look at his bench today.

1Arrizabalaga
4Christensen
14Chalobah
17Saúl
18Barkley
19Mount
22Ziyech
29Havertz
31Sarr

Do you think Artetas public opinion would be affected if he could call on such an Armoury in reserve should things be not working out.

To be honest I think anyone who manages chelsea, united or city is a compete wanker

Klopp gets more respect but not infinite.

We are all scousers today.

Oh and Brighton.

Wolves equalize on nearly the last kick of the game against Chelsea. We threw away 3rd. Oh well. No title next year.

Late Wolves equaliser at Chelsea. Beat Leeds and we're a point behind them with 3 games left.

What a shocker, Chelsea stumble so late in the game. Long may they keep giving us shocks like these.

Got your answer Granty

What’s the minimum we need squad wise to compete next season?

By minimum I guess I mean new players in to compete in the Europa, Premier league and cups. By my reckoning we need:

Another CB to compete/rotate with White and Gabriel
A new RB to rotate with Tomiyasu
A CM
2 strikers/forwards if Eddie leaves.

That’s 5 players.

I’m happy for Saliba to be the 3rd/4th CB with Holding, young player of the season in France after all! Not sure there’s a place for Nelson as well as he’s now doing in the Netherlands and then there’s the question could MN come in as back up RB? With European games he could get 15 starts with sub appearances over the season which is a higher rate than he’s been playing on loan at Roma.

If we went big on a CM and striker I’d be happy with returning loanees giving us depth for rotation but what we’ve seen from this season is these players will definitely play. You’ll be relying on Taveres and M-N at some point if they’re your back up full backs.

Another big summer coming up!

That’s kind of unlucky. Northampton Town were vying with Bristol Rovers for the final automatic promotion spot today.

Dead level on points but Northampton were 5 goals clear on goal difference before start of play.

A 3-1 away win for Northampton should have been job done.

But Bristol won 7-0 to level up the goal difference and to clinch promotion on goals scored. Very surreal.

Assuming Mari leaves and saliba comes in to replace him ..

The minimum

2 strikers
Midfielder
Left back (No way can you rely on Tavares, I can’t recall such a liability. He’s targeted every week. Arteta will know this. Bloke needs to be loaned and a replacement sourced. )

However I think it’s patently obvious Pépé will leave so expect a wide player too. I don’t think we will sign a right back.

Brighton is turning out to be a tough nut to crack for Man Utd.

Man U getting humiliated at Brighton. Happy days

That Potter bloke seems to know what he is doing.

Sorry Top Gun

Couldn’t resist.

LETS GET POTTER

To be honest I think that new united manager needs to go full Arteta and dismantle that Squad.

That’s is an abysmal showing. Shameful

Cuccurella at Brighton looks excellent. Might cost a bit though.

This performance from united reminds me of our home game v city in Emery’s last season.

Players not giving a toss ambling around not running behaving like arseholes. Just downed tools literally and visibly. No wonder Mikel chucked all that lot out.

Was thinking exactly the same. He looks terrific. Always offers himself. He would fit in our system too

It will be their 4th home win of the season.

I'm sure commentator said that's Trossards first goal of 2022.
Did I just dream his goal against us and spurs then.....

Curucella has impressed me for a while.
Brilliant player.
Would love him

Guaranteed top 5 now with that utd defeat

Come on Liverpool
Batter Spurs please

I expect Spurs to put on a far better performance away to Liverpool than Utd just did away to Brighton.. Having said that, Saturday evening, Liverpool fans should be boozed up and raucous! Sunny day, balmy evening by northern standards, that ferry going back and forth across the Mersey and the Liver birds in full song. 10-0 easy!

Spurs are such a scummy club and team ......just bloody Sods law they go and pull off a result akin to the away win at City.
Liverpool want that title so surely not...

I would agree that Frankfurt are at least equal odds for the final. My point was more to do with Rangers having already beaten the second and fifth placed Bundesliga sides (Dortmund and Leipzig respectively). With Frankfurt being eleventh they are surely the weakest of the three German sides Rangers have met.