Chelsea owners and board

[Max Fowler]

5 hours ago, xceleryx said:

Yeah, it's the timing for me that irks me the most really. We're finding a bit of form and seeing improvements, made a cup final and are in the semi's of another, while trying to finish as high as we possibly can in the league, and now the CST release something that creates unnecessary toxicity during an important part of the season. 

The cup runs are such a false flag. We literally beat Preston, Villa (at two attempts), Leeds, Leicester, Wimbledon, Brighton, Blackburn, Newcastle (on pens), and Middlesbrough (at two attempts) to make a cup final and a semi-final. 

Last season, we got Man City in the third round of each cup and got dumped out. Precisely the propaganda that the board will parrot at the end of the season in the name of "progress".

Most Chelsea fans don't agree that there have been that many improvements to write home about. 

In our last four games, we were pretty shaky against Leeds and Leicester, gave Brentford their only point over the last 6 games, and embarrassed ourselves in the final against Liverpool.

Yes, it has been great to see Palmer, Gusto and Jackson push on, and even Mudryk start to show some spark. Most Chelsea fans support these individuals as they express themselves, but recognise that the collective has systemic problems that mean that a run of bad results is just around the corner.

Edited March 22 by Max Fowler

[Mark Kelly]

11 hours ago, Max Fowler said:

but the reasons we are 11th are obvious.

Shit coach

[Mark Kelly]

1 hour ago, Max Fowler said:

 

Yes, it has been great to see Palmer, Gusto and Jackson push on, and even Mudryk start to show some spark. Most Chelsea fans support these individuals as they express themselves, but recognise that the collective has systemic problems that mean that a run of bad results is just around the corner.

Shit coach 

[xceleryx]

1 hour ago, Max Fowler said:

The cup runs are such a false flag. We literally beat Preston, Villa (at two attempts), Leeds, Leicester, Wimbledon, Brighton, Blackburn, Newcastle (on pens), and Middlesbrough (at two attempts) to make a cup final and a semi-final. 

Last season, we got Man City in the third round of each cup and got dumped out. Precisely the propaganda that the board will parrot at the end of the season in the name of "progress".

Most Chelsea fans don't agree that there have been that many improvements to write home about. 

In our last four games, we were pretty shaky against Leeds and Leicester, gave Brentford their only point over the last 6 games, and embarrassed ourselves in the final against Liverpool.

Yes, it has been great to see Palmer, Gusto and Jackson push on, and even Mudryk start to show some spark. Most Chelsea fans support these individuals as they express themselves, but recognise that the collective has systemic problems that mean that a run of bad results is just around the corner.

So cup runs only count when you play specific teams does it? We still have to win the games we play. And for a side that's been rebuilt in the manner ours has, with the injuries on top, and been as inconsistent as we have, they've been far from certainties. 

Many said bad results have been around the corner for months now, every time we've had our backs against the wall we've managed turn the tide and come out in pretty respectable nick. That may not go on forever, and all teams are subject to a run of bad form eventually, but we're seeing this group show a bit more the longer they play together. Again, we're far from perfect and there's still plenty to be done but it's a start.

[east lower]

37 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

Again, we're far from perfect and there's still plenty to be done but it's a start.

Almost two seasons in and "it's a start".

We are the Premier League version of the NHS. The similarities are scary, we have a few good people at the coal-face. The senior management keep throwing money at it, thinking that will solve it and keep making 'Tsar' like appointments. While the grossly overpaid and ineffective and in varying levels of incompetent middle-management flounder trying to put things right, whilst waiting for their next overpaid job offer to arrive. But most people know it's not fit for purpose anymore (I hasten to add that's because it's trying to do too much, for too many).

We eventually beat two Championship teams in the FA Cup, squeeze a draw with the most out of form top-flight in the major European Leagues and win by a goal against a treading water Newcastle side and we've turned the corner, there's light at the end of the tunnel. We are a poorly coached  ordinary team, where flashes of brilliance emerge from the same small minority and as long as we don't let too many in, may win a game.

Edited March 22 by east lower

[Max Fowler]

54 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

So cup runs only count when you play specific teams does it? We still have to win the games we play. And for a side that's been rebuilt in the manner ours has, with the injuries on top, and been as inconsistent as we have, they've been far from certainties. 

Many said bad results have been around the corner for months now, every time we've had our backs against the wall we've managed turn the tide and come out in pretty respectable nick. That may not go on forever, and all teams are subject to a run of bad form eventually, but we're seeing this group show a bit more the longer they play together. Again, we're far from perfect and there's still plenty to be done but it's a start.

This will be my last post on this topic for at least a few days 😄 as we obviously just see things differently.

Yes - we have done well to progress in the cups, including beating a few half decent teams, but the performances as a whole (even against Leeds and Leicester) have been pretty poor. 

I am worried about owners patting themselves on the back seeing our cup runs as a tremendous sign of progress vs. last season when we have had a much easier draw in both. Many saw the writing was on the wall against Liverpool and the same for City in the semis.

"We've managed to turn the tide and come out in pretty respectable nick".

Again - I am not really sure what you are watching. I don't know what run of performances or results have left us looking "pretty respectable". The games against City? Results against piss poor Newcastle and Palace sides in between? On an individual level there are clearly some positives but as a collective we haven't improved much at all. Put that down to Poch, put that down to the owners, but I simply don't see the improvement you are seeing.

Edited March 22 by Max Fowler

[Sciatika]

I watched the 1-4 win against 9-man Spurs last night. The difference between the performances of the players then and now is chalk and cheese. We were woeful from the off, and up to the Romero sending off, they were all over us. It took going down to 10 men and the exit of Maddison and Van der Ven to make the match a bit more even. Despite those advantages, we could not break them down. People moan about Poch, but he has never advocated defending from the halfway line with players who have little or no pace to speak of. Postecoglou did, and it should have been suicidal. Yet still we could not get a goal. Even when Udogie was sent off, we weren't much better - they were much worse. Players like Colwill, Jackson and Mudryk demonstrated their childishness and lost their composure allowing Spurs to be given easy fouls. Two of our goals came in injury time when we had some fresh players with a bit of extra energy when they had run out of subs long before. It was a shocking performance. If that is a standard to compare, we are definitely better as a side now.  

[east lower]

17 minutes ago, Sciatika said:

I watched the 1-4 win against 9-man Spurs last night. The difference between the performances of the players then and now is chalk and cheese. We were woeful from the off, and up to the Romero sending off, they were all over us. It took going down to 10 men and the exit of Maddison and Van der Ven to make the match a bit more even. Despite those advantages, we could not break them down. People moan about Poch, but he has never advocated defending from the halfway line with players who have little or no pace to speak of. Postecoglou did, and it should have been suicidal. Yet still we could not get a goal. Even when Udogie was sent off, we weren't much better - they were much worse. Players like Colwill, Jackson and Mudryk demonstrated their childishness and lost their composure allowing Spurs to be given easy fouls. Two of our goals came in injury time when we had some fresh players with a bit of extra energy when they had run out of subs long before. It was a shocking performance. If that is a standard to compare, we are definitely better as a side now.  

I was there that game and we were very poor for up to the point where the first Spuds player went over the top on one of ours and got just a booking when he could just as easily been sent-odd. That, I believe got the players motivated and we're by far the better side for the rest of the first half. 

The second-half started ok but them going down to 9 left us wondering how to play. We were woeful, with the coach just tutting and waving his arms around-then shaking his head -pillock. 

Looked vulnerable at the back against 9 and we still look vulnerable now.

Individuals may have improved, but the team?

Edited March 22 by east lower

[xceleryx]

59 minutes ago, east lower said:

Almost two seasons in and "it's a start".

We are the Premier League version of the NHS. The similarities are scary, we have a few good people at the coal-face. The senior management keep throwing money at it, thinking that will solve it and keep making 'Tsar' like appointments. While the grossly overpaid and ineffective and in varying levels of incompetent middle-management flounder trying to put things right, whilst waiting for their next overpaid job offer to arrive. But most people know it's not fit for purpose anymore (I hasten to add that's because it's trying to do too much, for too many).

We eventually beat two Championship teams in the FA Cup, squeeze a draw with the most out of form top-flight in the major European Leagues and win by a goal against a treading water Newcastle side and we've turned the corner, there's light at the end of the tunnel. We are a poorly coached  ordinary team, where flashes of brilliance emerge from the same small minority and as long as we don't let too many in, may win a game.

Not difficult to understand the difference between signing players to complete immediately and investing more towards the future. So yeah, two seasons - or like 8 months with the squad as it currently constructed and a new manager, is a start. 

You and even I may have chosen to operate differently, but this is the future driven approach we've take and it's come at the expense of immediate results, performances and what have you. Like it or not that's the situation we're in and we're only going to know how fruitful it is in due course. 

[east lower]

10 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

Not difficult to understand the difference between signing players to complete immediately and investing more towards the future. So yeah, two seasons - or like 8 months with the squad as it currently constructed and a new manager, is a start. 

You and even I may have chosen to operate differently, but this is the future driven approach we've take and it's come at the expense of immediate results, performances and what have you. Like it or not that's the situation we're in and we're only going to know how fruitful it is in due course. 

I think you may be confusing 'future' with 'financial' at all cost.

The two fingers Boehly has been pictured with up his hooter at some American sports event, might as well be placed in the air waving them at our fans.

They might be billionaire's but they're morally bankrupt.

You say "we've" chosen, I and most of our fans didn't choose them. Forced into having them and their warped methods, with no say whatsoever!

Edited March 22 by east lower

[xceleryx]

54 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

This will be my last post on this topic for at least a few days 😄 as we obviously just see things differently.

Yes - we have done well to progress in the cups, including beating a few half decent teams, but the performances as a whole (even against Leeds and Leicester) have been pretty poor. 

I am worried about owners patting themselves on the back seeing our cup runs as a tremendous sign of progress vs. last season when we have had a much easier draw in both. Many saw the writing was on the wall against Liverpool and the same for City in the semis.

"We've managed to turn the tide and come out in pretty respectable nick".

Again - I am not really sure what you are watching. I don't know what run of performances or results have left us looking "pretty respectable". The games against City? Results against piss poor Newcastle and Palace sides in between? On an individual level there are clearly some positives but as a collective we haven't improved much at all. Put that down to Poch, put that down to the owners, but I simply don't see the improvement you are seeing.

Interesting because winning when not playing well is generally lauded, now it is seen as merit to continue the pile on - despite on several occasions this season we've had our backs against the wall and come through better than many anticipated. 

We've been a glorified cup side for years and well before the current ownership group were here, so technically I suppose nothing has changed there.. As for comparing last season to this, they're entirely their own set of unique circumstances. Even the make up of the two squads is night and day different. To try and draw a comparison from the two is challenging to say the least. 

Not surprised you've missed it, you tend to disappear whenever a few positive things begin to happen. 😅

As you said though we see things differently, shall leave it at that. 

[xceleryx]

5 minutes ago, east lower said:

I think you may be confusing 'future' with 'financial' at all cost.

The two fingers Boehly has been pictured with up his hooter at some American sports event, might as well be placed in the air waving them at our fans.

They might be billionaire's but they're morally bankrupt.

You say "we've" chosen, I and most of our fans didn't choose them. Forced into having them and their warped methods, with no say whatsoever!

None of us know the actual financial situation to rule any sort of informed judgement. 

Well yeah, none of us chose them. We were forced into this by other parties, but if wasn't Boehly and co it would've been someone else, and if wasn't someone else we'd not be here talking about club matters as we'd have no club left to support. 

Shit could always be worse, I think more should be mindful of that. 

[east lower]

11 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

None of us know the actual financial situation to rule any sort of informed judgement. 

Well yeah, none of us chose them. We were forced into this by other parties, but if wasn't Boehly and co it would've been someone else, and if wasn't someone else we'd not be here talking about club matters as we'd have no club left to support. 

Shit could always be worse, I think more should be mindful of that. 

The we wouldn't have a club throwaway line wouldn't have happened. Absolutely no chance of that.

We are currently only discussed when people need a target to throw some crap at. If that constitutes a laughing-stock, don't know. At least we used to be feared and revered, even if others disliked us. They do laugh now.

Someone else, is looking a better alternative right now. Hapless and hopeless, describes the owner's and the coach - a marriage made in hell.

[My Blood Is Blue]

Genuine question... does anyone see the football bubble bursting at any stage? By that I mean, will players' wages ever stop growing or even start reducing again? It just feels so unsustainable to have such a large cost going on wages.

[Mark Kelly]

25 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Genuine question... does anyone see the football bubble bursting at any stage? By that I mean, will players' wages ever stop growing or even start reducing again? It just feels so unsustainable to have such a large cost going on wages.

I think they way we are going with contracts and it looks like the talk is that United are going the same way , we are moving towards a more sustainable model with lower wages and bigger achievement based rewards.

Driven by the Premier League's arbitrary "please don't insist on an independent government football administrator"  FFP constraints I'd imagine .

[Sciatika]

2 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Genuine question... does anyone see the football bubble bursting at any stage? By that I mean, will players' wages ever stop growing or even start reducing again? It just feels so unsustainable to have such a large cost going on wages.

I think a general economic bubble is about to burst in the next two or three years, and that will have a huge impact on everything, including football. People don't have any idea how unsustainable our current economic situation is. It has very little to do with politics and everything to do with individuals and communities. Having said that, I think the bubble is about to burst every year, and it never does. So, maybe I am just doom-mongering.

[east lower]

2 hours ago, Sciatika said:

I think a general economic bubble is about to burst in the next two or three years, and that will have a huge impact on everything, including football. People don't have any idea how unsustainable our current economic situation is. It has very little to do with politics and everything to do with individuals and communities. Having said that, I think the bubble is about to burst every year, and it never does. So, maybe I am just doom-mongering.

I agree. But think it’s a few years away yet.

There’s too few paying in and too many taking out and too many ‘jobs’ that don’t pay enough in tax to cover what it costs to educate and keep the people healthy.

Aging population, early retirement, pensions, the cost of COVID and effectively paying millions of people for nowt. Loan schemes that were well intentioned but pillaged by people that took and never had any intention of paying anything back. 
 

Football will catch the fallout, but in my view  it’s a decade or three away yet.

[chara]

Not sure if this is the right platform for a question from me.

I left UK in 1987....even with time spent out of the country prior to then I was well in tune with the day to day economics of just living,as we all are.

From my early days of attending live games at SB and elsewhere there was never a time that I couldn't afford to attend games,,,from my first working days when 10 bob would get me to SB entrance and a programme to the later years there never was an issue even during the less than "easy" times.

I am .of course, not in tune with the UK "living" economics but looking at prices I wonder how many times I could afford to attend games..my question is how does the pricing compare to "home economics" now?

I appreciate that at the top levels it's no longer a case of just shove everyone on the terraces and let them sort themselves out (with little need to consider comfort) with a viable return for watching conditions,

Anyone?

[Backbiter]

9 minutes ago, chara said:

Not sure if this is the right platform for a question from me.

I left UK in 1987....even with time spent out of the country prior to then I was well in tune with the day to day economics of just living,as we all are.

From my early days of attending live games at SB and elsewhere there was never a time that I couldn't afford to attend games,,,from my first working days when 10 bob would get me to SB entrance and a programme to the later years there never was an issue even during the less than "easy" times.

I am .of course, not in tune with the UK "living" economics but looking at prices I wonder how many times I could afford to attend games..my question is how does the pricing compare to "home economics" now?

I appreciate that at the top levels it's no longer a case of just shove everyone on the terraces and let them sort themselves out (with little need to consider comfort) with a viable return for watching conditions,

Anyone?

Back in the early 80s a pint cost about 60-70p (outside London). It cost £2 to get into the Shed. So about three times more than the cost of a pint. A pint varies a lot in price these days, but I don't think that multiple still applies.

[chara]

9 minutes ago, Backbiter said:

Back in the early 80s a pint cost about 60-70p (outside London). It cost £2 to get into the Shed. So about three times more than the cost of a pint. A pint varies a lot in price these days, but I don't think that multiple still applies.

Thanks.... that was the sort of "real" comparision I was looking for...

[FrankLampard8]

1 hour ago, chara said:

Not sure if this is the right platform for a question from me.

I left UK in 1987....even with time spent out of the country prior to then I was well in tune with the day to day economics of just living,as we all are.

From my early days of attending live games at SB and elsewhere there was never a time that I couldn't afford to attend games,,,from my first working days when 10 bob would get me to SB entrance and a programme to the later years there never was an issue even during the less than "easy" times.

I am .of course, not in tune with the UK "living" economics but looking at prices I wonder how many times I could afford to attend games..my question is how does the pricing compare to "home economics" now?

I appreciate that at the top levels it's no longer a case of just shove everyone on the terraces and let them sort themselves out (with little need to consider comfort) with a viable return for watching conditions,

Anyone?

Put it this way. I live in Suffolk now. I have a toddler and my wife works part time as a result. Your typical young family starting out I would say. I make a decent chunk more than the reported average UK household income and my wife is obviously contributing on top of that too.

I haven't been to the Bridge since before covid now for various reasons however, my nearest team are Ipswich who could make an argument for being the most exciting team/club in the country right now. My in-laws started taking me down there around 3 seasons ago. I've really come to love going and was starting to go more and more. However, even with tickets cheaper than Chelsea at around £30.00 a pop and an exciting historic season unfolding here, there came a point where I totalled up how much i'd spent on football this season and looked at my bank balance and had to take a step back from it. It really does seem like a far cry from days gone by and I have no idea how clubs will sustain fanbases in the future on this basis. I suppose people always find the money somehow because we love it.

P.S. Omari is some player - what i'd give to have him in Suffolk again next season!

Edited March 22 by Deactivated

[JaneB]

9 minutes ago, Deactivated said:

Put it this way. I live in Suffolk now. I have a toddler and my wife works part time as a result. Your typical young family starting out I would say. I make a decent chunk more than the reported average UK household income and my wife is obviously contributing on top of that too.

I haven't been to the Bridge since before covid now for various reasons however, my nearest team are Ipswich who could make an argument for being the most exciting team/club in the country right now. My in-laws started taking me down there around 3 seasons ago. I've really come to love going and was starting to go more and more. However, even with tickets cheaper than Chelsea at around £30.00 a pop and an exciting historic season unfolding here, there came a point where I totalled up how much i'd spent on football this season and looked at my bank balance and had to take a step back from it. It really does seem like a far cry from days gone by and I have no idea how clubs will sustain fanbases in the future on this basis. I suppose people always find the money somehow because we love it.

P.S. Omari is some player - what i'd give to have him in Suffolk again next season!

Welcome back 😃

[FrankLampard8]

Just now, JaneB said:

Welcome back 😃

Thanks! I've been lurking for a while - couldn't stay away could I?!

[Blue Moon]

Actually, as an OG, the multiple still works. My ST in Shed Lower is £380/year, or £20 a home match, and a pint of Pride in the Shed bar is £7.30 (I think). Might explain why ST prices are going up … 

[chara]

@Deactivated...again just the response I was asking for..."I suppose people always find the money somehow because we love it"

True enough but as you say a far cry from the past....I recall going to all sorts of games..the pre FA cup final game,,etc without thinking much of it..No Chelsea game?...the odd Saturday I wasn't playing..off to somewhere in London just to watch a game..no saturation TV coverage,

Times change and I am no "the old days were the good old days" chorister,,,bits yes and lots no!

To me the Tour games over here are "events" rather than just primarily preseason warm ups prep etc not really being presented for the die hard football fan with a knowledge of the game.... sigh...$$$ first. The travel involved for the squad is somewhat disturbing,,,the sheer size of this country is hard to accept from a distance (Colorado is just about on a par with Mainland UK) West coast to East Coast?..lunacy.