The Fish

Ornstein says Gallagher's going nowhere.

Chelsea have a ridiculously bad record on transfers, but because they've been propped up it's not really damaged them. Yet.

Was just having a look at their business in the last 7 seasons. They've made significant losses in 5/7 seasons from 2017-2023. 19/20 they sold Hazard for £100m, and 2021/22 they sold a few players to offset £99m of the £99.4m they spent on Lukaku. They've consistently made significant losses on their transfers as well. I get that a player's value isn't simply measured in terms of fees paid vs fees recouped, but Holy Shit; £15m on Barkley, barely played released on a free. (-£15m) £30m on Rudiger, mainstay of the team, free transferred. (-£30m) £33m on Drinkwater, barely played, free transfer 5 years later. (-£33m) £34m on Batshuayi, barely played and only recouped £8m from loan and transfer fees. (-£26m) £35m on Bakayoko, £11m from loan and transfer fees. (-£24m) £46m on Timo Werner, sold for £17.5m 2 seasons later. (-£28.5m) £100m Romelu Lukaku in 2021/22 loan fee of c£7m the following season. (-£93m) And that's ignoring the wages they've dished out to these players.

Gordon is a very different prospect than ASM on the flanks. Gordon is a left sided Almiron and that would allow us to play Joelinton back in midfield as Gordon would be doing a lot of pressing on that flank. A level of pressing that ASM can't match.

Who are their saleable assets? Because it's not Cucurella. If they hadn't just splurged on a stack of new players they could have got big money for the likes of Gallagher, Ziyech etc. but now? Not so much. They've definitely bought some very good players, and Potter is a very good coach. But they need CL football, and soon.

Yeah exactly, they're just throwing players at Potter who'll do his best (which I think is pretty good) but this slipshod approach is surely doomed to fail. When it does they'll have a bloated squad on phat wages that some new manager will have to get a tune out of because they've exhausted their FFP wriggle room. Nobody will be pay top dollar because everyone will know that Chelsea have to sell.

that was just off the cuff, I was going out on a limb.

Russia was still at war with Ukraine during Trump's shitocracy. Trump's election didn't give Putin pause, why would it? Trump was exactly who Russia wanted in place; a moronic, infantile, demagogue.

Yup, they're bang in trouble without future increases to their income. With Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham, that's 7 teams for 4 spots. Regardless if they're improved by this splurge or not, that's still a big risk. Also, how committed are they to Potter? Say he doesn't pan out have they got a coach who plays a similar style in mind to take over? Going off this transfer window, I'd guess not.

Putin didn't "do fuck all while Trump was President", it's just that the continuing war wasn't front page news. Also, Putin was up to all kinds of shit away from the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Better than Pickford? Not much of a stretch.

Chelsea are up to £490m for the season, so far.

Barreca?

League Cup size.

Not sure how much say Eddie Howe would have in a deadline day deal. Without much evidence I'm fairly confident there'll be a list of targets that Howe has worked with Ashworth and Nickson to produce. If one of those players is available they wouldn't need to involve Eddie in the haggling, it'll just be a quick "Eddie, we can get X, shall we go ahead?" then they go off and sort it all out.

Agreed, a loan move might make some sense, but a permanent move to a relegation threatened, Sean Dyche lead, toxic Everton... that's bad, that's very very bad.

Would be hilarious if we get their player, then gazump them for the replacement.

As if that would matter to her. Yorkshire puddings, Yorkshire tea, waiting until we're officially in Yorkshire before complimenting the view. She's reet proud of t'yorkshuh

Because of her heritage there is only ever Yorkshire tea in this house. I picked up Twinings in the shops and it was plucked from my hand and replaced with a box of Yorkshire before I knew what was happening. She doesn't even fucking drink tea.

Looking at the stats, they're a decent Championship outfit. Creating a better than average number of chances and their attacking efficacy is better than average. They're not great defensively allowing a lot of shots (only 5 allow more), but the opposition have to take a lot of shots before Sunderland concede; However, they are where they should in the league. Not leading the league, not flirting with relegation. This could all change if their first choice striker's output isn't made up in the aggregate, because they are very reliant on him.

Wonder if MBS could lean on their owner a little. "I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE"

I take your point. I think my issue is that he hasn't played DM for a couple of seasons now. A loan deal is more likely than a permanent transfer because Sheffield still have a transfer embargo, I guess. I dunno, I'm still hankering for a young Cheik Tiote/David Batty type.

Cup game against Crystal Palace last November, was the last time he was really involved.

Nope. But I can probably sort one out, given time.