comment by Simon West (U1830)
posted 40 minutes ago
Well LB problem I feel you can lay squarely at the feet of Pooch, we have had others available. He didn't play them, he can tell Cucu to stay
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Exactly, if he played Maatsen at LB/ LWB we'd be way better off. It's almost certain that Maatsen will leave on a permanent deal in the summer and we won't bring anyone on the same level for the same money.

Feels like 60 million is getting thrown around without realizing that it seems to be on the lower end of players you can buy now. The market is ridiculous and to expect certain levels because of the amount is really disingenuous.

If that’s the case then why are we selling Maatsen for half that amount, after an impressive loan for a team in the semi finals

It’s not ridiculous to expect players who are super expensive to be good because it seems other clubs are able to spend less, buy better players and not have to sell all their youth players to avoid breaking FFP.

comment by RtM (U1097)
posted 28 minutes ago

Feels like 60 million is getting thrown around without realizing that it seems to be on the lower end of players you can buy now. The market is ridiculous and to expect certain levels because of the amount is really disingenuous.
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Not true, we're just terrible poker players in the market & have no standards. City wanted him too but after 30mil got rejected their interest died, had a valuation & stuck to it.

United had this reputation for years, a lack of respect for the value of money. It's not an easy thing to shake off.

We’re 9th in the league. How many of the teams above us spent more than that on a LB.

West Ham are above us and Emerson starts for them, who we sold for a quarter of the price. Of course there’s some expectation that when you sell one player and replace them with a much more expensive one, they should be a big improvement. Otherwise why not just keep the original guy.

£60m on a full back should be a top tier player.

Cucurella was no better than what we had.

Oh look we’re back up to 12 injuries, again. Let’s keep pretending it’s this bad every season when this is almost an entirely different squad from two seasons though.

Let’s also ignore the fact that a lot of these are occurring in training, poor Poch is helpless to stop them…

Oh and while all this goes on the academy has seen ONE start all season, despite all of Poch’s talk of using the academy and how good it is

What's even more damning about the absurd amount of injuries we keep having is that we're not even in Europe so being overplayed or overstretched in any way simply can't be used as any kind of excuse.

Something very strange and very wrong is happening at the club and to make matters even worse (if that was even possible) so many of these injuries aren't even happening in matches. It's beyond bizarre at this point and the club have to address this.

comment by Randomer (U5245)
posted 41 minutes ago
Oh look we’re back up to 12 injuries, again. Let’s keep pretending it’s this bad every season when this is almost an entirely different squad from two seasons though.

Let’s also ignore the fact that a lot of these are occurring in training, poor Poch is helpless to stop them…

Oh and while all this goes on the academy has seen ONE start all season, despite all of Poch’s talk of using the academy and how good it is
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Who is pretending this is normal?

Lots of people saying that because we had injury problems in previous years we can’t blame this season’s injuries on Poch

I mean Enzo had a hernia for like 6 months and Poch continued using him constantly while loaning out two CMs, but no no he definitely has nothing to do with our injury problems according to many

comment by Randomer (U5245)
posted 1 hour, 34 minutes ago
Oh look we’re back up to 12 injuries, again. Let’s keep pretending it’s this bad every season when this is almost an entirely different squad from two seasons though.

Let’s also ignore the fact that a lot of these are occurring in training, poor Poch is helpless to stop them…

Oh and while all this goes on the academy has seen ONE start all season, despite all of Poch’s talk of using the academy and how good it is
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Who is the academy player? To be fair to Poch all our players are kids with still a fair few that came through the academy.

The injuries have been a joke, not helped by large sums paid on players we've barely seen play (nkunku, fofana, lavia) as well as the ever injured James and chilwell

He insisted that the blame for poor performances and results lay not just with himself but also with the players and leadership team, in particular those who signed some of the players now at the club.

“You ask me if the players need to improve, if they deserve to be here?” he said. “Yes. If not, it looks like it’s only me, not the whole organisation. It should be the whole organisation. I don’t say it is only me. It shouldn’t be like this."

“Because of the results, you can say, ‘Yes, it’s just him.’ But I don’t have the key of the club. I don’t take all the decisions here. That is to be made clear."

“If you say to me I have the key and this guy is here because it’s my decision, that is one thing. But if this is not my decision you need to judge me and judge him in his job. Because [recruitment is] not my direct responsibility.”

Pochettino’s mantra throughout the season has been that a young squad needs time to become consistent and that prolonged injury issues have hampered him. Asked if Stewart and Winstanley saw it the same way, Pochettino said: “I don’t know. It’s a good question for them but not for me. But it is the reality. OK, that is a point that if we are responsible, we are responsible. Maybe we are not responsible in this situation. I cannot answer the question because, to be honest, I don’t know the way that they are thinking. But I accept the game, I accept the rules and that it is not in my hands.”

=====================

Sure sounds like a guy headed for the exit.

Though he does have a point that the SDs should be leaving too.

comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 3 hours, 42 minutes ago

What's even more damning about the absurd amount of injuries we keep having is that we're not even in Europe so being overplayed or overstretched in any way simply can't be used as any kind of excuse.

Something very strange and very wrong is happening at the club and to make matters even worse (if that was even possible) so many of these injuries aren't even happening in matches. It's beyond bizarre at this point and the club have to address this.
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I wanna know how many of these injuries are players not really fancying it? A few ex-pro's have said unless you needed an operation immediately, playing through injuries with painkillers used to be normal. It's hard to say if that's typical old man "my generation was tougher" talk or if there's a kernel of wisdom there. I mean Enzo's needed surgery for months & he's been playing?

Whatever the case the PL needs to look into this. Too many clubs have been severely handicapped by absence through injuries this season - not inconvenienced, handicapped.

It kills the fun of being a fan more than anything, seeing constant injuries. You don’t care about the players as a result because why bother. You never get to watch your actual team play.

comment by g7 (U12473)
posted 6 hours, 24 minutes ago
He insisted that the blame for poor performances and results lay not just with himself but also with the players and leadership team, in particular those who signed some of the players now at the club.

“You ask me if the players need to improve, if they deserve to be here?” he said. “Yes. If not, it looks like it’s only me, not the whole organisation. It should be the whole organisation. I don’t say it is only me. It shouldn’t be like this."

“Because of the results, you can say, ‘Yes, it’s just him.’ But I don’t have the key of the club. I don’t take all the decisions here. That is to be made clear."

“If you say to me I have the key and this guy is here because it’s my decision, that is one thing. But if this is not my decision you need to judge me and judge him in his job. Because [recruitment is] not my direct responsibility.”

Pochettino’s mantra throughout the season has been that a young squad needs time to become consistent and that prolonged injury issues have hampered him. Asked if Stewart and Winstanley saw it the same way, Pochettino said: “I don’t know. It’s a good question for them but not for me. But it is the reality. OK, that is a point that if we are responsible, we are responsible. Maybe we are not responsible in this situation. I cannot answer the question because, to be honest, I don’t know the way that they are thinking. But I accept the game, I accept the rules and that it is not in my hands.”

=====================

Sure sounds like a guy headed for the exit.

Though he does have a point that the SDs should be leaving too.
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Speaks the truth and sounds like an exit speech too. What sane manager wants the Chelsea job with these owners and current internal setup?

It does look like Pochettino is going to leave at the end of the season with these comments he keeps making. I don't know if I'm happy or upset with that, it's obvious that it isn't just his fault, there again he isn't blameless either Colwill at left back, Maatsen everywhere else but left back and Gallagher in the number 10 role. His substitutions are beyond bad he should be way more proactive.

Am I the only person who doesn't want James, Colwill and Chilwell not to play again this season? If they prove their fitness then Southgate will almost certainly pick them for the Euros, I'd much rather they're not picked so that they come back for pre-season fully fit.

comment by Devil (U6522)
posted 6 hours, 58 minutes ago
comment by Superb (U6486)
posted 3 hours, 42 minutes ago

What's even more damning about the absurd amount of injuries we keep having is that we're not even in Europe so being overplayed or overstretched in any way simply can't be used as any kind of excuse.

Something very strange and very wrong is happening at the club and to make matters even worse (if that was even possible) so many of these injuries aren't even happening in matches. It's beyond bizarre at this point and the club have to address this.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I wanna know how many of these injuries are players not really fancying it? A few ex-pro's have said unless you needed an operation immediately, playing through injuries with painkillers used to be normal. It's hard to say if that's typical old man "my generation was tougher" talk or if there's a kernel of wisdom there. I mean Enzo's needed surgery for months & he's been playing?

Whatever the case the PL needs to look into this. Too many clubs have been severely handicapped by absence through injuries this season - not inconvenienced, handicapped.
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To be fair to Enzo...at least he's stood up to be counted whilst half a dozen others have languished on the sidelines for far too long...I guess the injury got too much & we haven't got anything to play for now

comment by blueisthecolour (U1528)
posted 6 minutes ago
It does look like Pochettino is going to leave at the end of the season with these comments he keeps making. I don't know if I'm happy or upset with that, it's obvious that it isn't just his fault, there again he isn't blameless either Colwill at left back, Maatsen everywhere else but left back and Gallagher in the number 10 role. His substitutions are beyond bad he should be way more proactive.
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spot on..said this all season

comment by blueisthecolour (U1528)
posted 3 minutes ago
Am I the only person who doesn't want James, Colwill and Chilwell not to play again this season? If they prove their fitness then Southgate will almost certainly pick them for the Euros, I'd much rather they're not picked so that they come back for pre-season fully fit.
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James needs to decide whether he's cut out to be a Professional footballer...his talent isn't in doubt...but fack me he's a liability

I'd play him in midfield starting in the close season, & see if he can stay injury free...but if he aint cutting it - get shot

Colwill I haven't seen enough of...Chilwell...another liability for me

comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 40 minutes ago
comment by blueisthecolour (U1528)
posted 3 minutes ago
Am I the only person who doesn't want James, Colwill and Chilwell not to play again this season? If they prove their fitness then Southgate will almost certainly pick them for the Euros, I'd much rather they're not picked so that they come back for pre-season fully fit.
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James needs to decide whether he's cut out to be a Professional footballer...his talent isn't in doubt...but fack me he's a liability

I'd play him in midfield starting in the close season, & see if he can stay injury free...but if he aint cutting it - get shot
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I'd rather he played RCB in a back 3 like Azpilicueta used to do for us, just like Azpilicueta James is one of the best 1 on 1 defenders going.

Did James even have that operation that we were all.saying he needed and was going to have ? Or has he just wasted another season delaying it yet again for no reason?

comment by blueisthecolour (U1528)
posted about an hour ago
comment by Sheriff JW Pepper (U1007)
posted 40 minutes ago
comment by blueisthecolour (U1528)
posted 3 minutes ago
Am I the only person who doesn't want James, Colwill and Chilwell not to play again this season? If they prove their fitness then Southgate will almost certainly pick them for the Euros, I'd much rather they're not picked so that they come back for pre-season fully fit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
James needs to decide whether he's cut out to be a Professional footballer...his talent isn't in doubt...but fack me he's a liability

I'd play him in midfield starting in the close season, & see if he can stay injury free...but if he aint cutting it - get shot
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I'd rather he played RCB in a back 3 like Azpilicueta used to do for us, just like Azpilicueta James is one of the best 1 on 1 defenders going.
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Agree, but that means going back to 3 at the back of course