And, we're off.....2016/17

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Stokie - It could go either way. Not a bet to include on your accumulator if you are someone who likes a flutter. I feel like we have a bit of momentum at the moment but our season has not been one of consistency.
 
Fish said:
The point was, if they win the game in hand they are only 1 point behind, and then....
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Still behind though buddy and the point I was making was that City aren't doing any better than Arsenal at this moment.

Toshy said no one would agree with this. Am I missing something.
 
Lord Tyrion said:
Stokie - It could go either way. Not a bet to include on your accumulator if you are someone who likes a flutter. I feel like we have a bit of momentum at the moment but our season has not been one of consistency.
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Our track record against Everton hasn't been brilliant recently. Although we beat you away last season you drummed us at our place.
I didn't actually see the game between us earlier this season as I was out of the country but from what I heard it was tight.

It's a big game really, we need to be trying to push on for 7th but you've been in great form recently.
Weve got West Brom at the weekend too so another massive game.

Id happily take 4 points whichever way round that happens.
 
Fish said:
👍

With Zouma back we have good cover at the back, we have good cover across the park with a strong squad to cover injuries or suspensions, so I think we're in very good shape, we can score from many areas and not just rely on Costa too much.

We had a £35m bid for Dembele turned down and we failed to land Inter Milan midfielder Jonathan Biabiany.

We also had a £26m bid for Italy midfielder Antonio Candreva rejected by Inter Milan.

We missed out on signing Craig Gordon forcing us to block Asmir Begovic's £10m switch to Bournemouth.

So we're looking to strengthen still on what is already a strong squad but there will be some leavers & retirements in the summer to offset against new arrivals.

What a great maiden season Conte has had and Kante must be the signing of the year.
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With regards the signings Chelsea were rumoured to be bidding for - why wouldn't they first look at the players they already own. Abraham for example is doing exactly what Dembele did in the Championship last year - scoring lots of goals - why spend £35mil plus on him when they could try out players like Abraham or Batshuayi , same with someone like Biabany - Chelsea have over 20 players out on loan playing at a decent level - they already own them so why look to spend further money on young potential when there is already a long queue of players waiting to be used ?
 
sawtooth said:
Still behind though buddy and the point I was making was that City aren't doing any better than Arsenal at this moment.

Toshy said no one would agree with this. Am I missing something.
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Ah say who's Toshy, I could get upset 😁, just to clear up a misunderstanding on my part, I meant to say that no one would disagree ( not agree) on this site with you re City this year as they have been hit and miss. As a City fan it's a bit more obvious to me coz I see it every other week. The games v Barca, Arsenal, Chelsea have been excellent performances. The games v Everton, Leicester etc have been Rammel.
Glad that's cleared up 👍
 
I think it did Chelsea no harm at all missing out on those signings. Begovic is a WAY better back-up keeper than Craig Gordon. They have much better wingers in the squad than Biabiany and Candreva already. £26m on Candreva would have been an awful lot of money for a fairly average 29 year old. As for Dembele, he does have tons of potential, but as LP mentioned, so does Tammy Abraham, why not give him a go first? or at least give Batshuayi some game time before bringing anyone else in. Conte did very well in the transfer window over the summer, Kante was a superb signing, but his targets in January are a little on the strange side.
 
Dan2501 said:
I think it did Chelsea no harm at all missing out on those signings. Begovic is a WAY better back-up keeper than Craig Gordon. They have much better wingers in the squad than Biabiany and Candreva already. £26m on Candreva would have been an awful lot of money for a fairly average 29 year old. As for Dembele, he does have tons of potential, but as LP mentioned, so does Tammy Abraham, why not give him a go first? or at least give Batshuayi some game time before bringing anyone else in. Conte did very well in the transfer window over the summer, Kante was a superb signing, but his targets in January are a little on the strange side.
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That's if you believe the rumours. I think the Dembele bid has credence but I'm very sceptical about the rumoured bids for Biabiany and Candreva.

Begovic wants more playing time and I believe he was told that he could go if a decent replacement could be found. No point trying to hold on to unhappy players. He may rethink in the summer assuming we secure a CL place.
 
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He, Conte, and no doubt reports back from his staff regarding loan players is sufficient for him to know he needs more finished articles within the squad to be able to fill any gaps he is already aware of who will be leaving in the summer.

Trusting and developing young players is all well and good but sitting them on the bench doesn't give them enough game time to develop, the PL clubs and its managers is a results based tough league and unfortunately it is a race not a marathon, the face of football has changed now in that respect.

An example of that is, Chelsea, Man Utd & City's bench's exceeds £120m each and are full of internationals, Liverpools is barely £30m with I think 3 young players, yes that's great for the emotive home grown fan but IF Liverpool who are now out of all cups and COULD drop out the top 4, how good is that phylosphy then when it's a results driven sport. Also, how many on that weaker bench can come on and change the game. Surely they are best out on loan playing regular PL football and if they then show promise, bring them back, if not, leave them out there until they are worth selling to that host club who they obviously suit better than a return to the Bridge.

Personally with how we are seeing Liverpool playing under Klopp with a high intensity, you need a much stronger bench than what you have as you have no depth of experience to rotate or come into the team when there are injuries or suspensions or when a player needs a rest! The other main title contenders all can, I think that's a huge difference currently and is why Liverpool just won't cut into that finished article, they will start the season running but don't have an experienced bench to maintain it.
 
Fish said:
He, Conte, and no doubt reports back from his staff regarding loan players is sufficient for him to know he needs more finished articles within the squad to be able to fill any gaps he is already aware of who will be leaving in the summer.

Trusting and developing young players is all well and good but sitting them on the bench doesn't give them enough game time to develop, the PL clubs and its managers is a results based tough league and unfortunately it is a race not a marathon, the face of football has changed now in that respect.

An example of that is, Chelsea, Man Utd & City's bench's exceeds £120m each and are full of internationals, Liverpools is barely £30m with I think 3 young players, yes that's great for the emotive home grown fan but IF Liverpool who are now out of all cups and COULD drop out the top 4, how good is that phylosphy then when it's a results driven sport. Also, how many on that weaker bench can come on and change the game. Surely they are best out on loan playing regular PL football and if they then show promise, bring them back, if not, leave them out there until they are worth selling to that host club who they obviously suit better than a return to the Bridge.

Personally with how we are seeing Liverpool playing under Klopp with a high intensity, you need a much stronger bench than what you have as you have no depth of experience to rotate or come into the team when there are injuries or suspensions or when a player needs a rest! The other main title contenders all can, I think that's a huge difference currently and is why Liverpool just won't cut into that finished article, they will start the season running but don't have an experienced bench to maintain it.
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I fully agree,re the players on bench needing to be able to contribute if you want a successful team, but i think for Chelsea certainly, the idea that payers will go out on loan and then come back is a bit of a smoke screen, you may sell some for a little profit, but home many players in the last decade have actually come back.

Chelsea simply don't nurture their own anymore.
 
So why look to buy Dembele who is less proven than Batshuayi and far from a finished ? If young players aren't going to be trusted at Chelsea then why buy them and ultimately why would a youngster go there knowing they will be either shipped out on loan or just say on a bench , wonder if Batshuayi regrets his move right now - hot property from the Euro now just a very expensive substitute.

And as for Liverpool and many other clubs - we don't have a billionaire who is happy to spend £150 million on players who won't play - if we are spending that much money it's on players for the first 11 , not many clubs can afford to pay massive wages to keep players happy to sit on a bench - and I personally wouldn't want players who are happy just picking up a wage to sit and wait
 
Liverpoolphil said:
So why look to buy Dembele who is less proven than Batshuayi and far from a finished ? If young players aren't going to be trusted at Chelsea then why buy them and ultimately why would a youngster go there knowing they will be either shipped out on loan or just say on a bench , wonder if Batshuayi regrets his move right now - hot property from the Euro now just a very expensive substitute.

And as for Liverpool and many other clubs - we don't have a billionaire who is happy to spend £150 million on players who won't play - if we are spending that much money it's on players for the first 11 , not many clubs can afford to pay massive wages to keep players happy to sit on a bench - and I personally wouldn't want players who are happy just picking up a wage to sit and wait
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Phil yet again you're talking utter rubbish.
So you wouldn't want a bench full of quality players to give the manager more options when needed?

I suppose Liverpool are doing things the right way?
Come on then who are all these stars of the future coming through at Liverpool?
 
Liverpoolphil said:
So why look to buy Dembele who is less proven than Batshuayi and far from a finished ? If young players aren't going to be trusted at Chelsea then why buy them and ultimately why would a youngster go there knowing they will be either shipped out on loan or just say on a bench , wonder if Batshuayi regrets his move right now - hot property from the Euro now just a very expensive substitute.

And as for Liverpool and many other clubs - we don't have a billionaire who is happy to spend £150 million on players who won't play - if we are spending that much money it's on players for the first 11 , not many clubs can afford to pay massive wages to keep players happy to sit on a bench - and I personally wouldn't want players who are happy just picking up a wage to sit and wait
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Well phil I won't knock your honesty, looks like UEFA cup again next year then.
 
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