oldgit

Tough one that Keith. I can see us playing a 3 -4- 3 formation tomorrow with Reece on the right side midfield so, if we get a penalty, it would be out of him or Mr. Unflappable himself, Thiago for me. Not a lot of flakiness between them two, is there?

Well, that was an eventful transfer window! Beatrix has an embarrassment of riches now, talent from defence right through to attack. Now all he's got to do is make it work! It will be fascinating to see the starting line up he puts out against our near neighbours.

How old are you oxo? About 6 I reckon, after coming up with this contrived piece of excrement.

Agree we should have won this Keith. Defensively we were impeccable. Thiago and Badiashile are forming a formidable centre back partnership, Chalobah was solid at right back and Cucerella handled Salah pretty well. The midfield was nowhere near as good. Hall looked out of his depth, lazy in possession and wasteful in his passing. He's young and will learn from this. Gallagher worked hard but isn't the same player when he's asked to play further forward, Ziyech has a much better attitude when he starts a game and did well but the shining light for me was Mudryk. His searing pace and trickery is what we desperately need because we've got too many tortoises in the squad. Nobody can accuse Todd Boehly and his team of letting the grass grow under his feet in this transfer window. Apparently, we're still applying by and within FFP rules, even with the bundles that's been spent . When we get all the injuries out of the way, we will have one hell of a squad but, it's far too large and there will be some who are surplus to requirements and will need to be moved on quickly, because they'll have no chance of getting into the starting line up and bench when everyone is fit.

Yeah, Chuka needs to be in the midfield engine room, driving forward and using his pace, similar to Dennis Z. Agree about Mount Keith, a peripheral figure throughout. My joint Man of the Match award goes to Thiago and Gallagher. A very decent debut by Badiashile who looks a good signing. A bit more physicality from him though. Ziyech had one of his better games because his attitude to the cause was positive. We were well on top for the majority of the game, playing good football but, when we scored, panic set in and it was hump it anywhere. Chalobah seemed much more comfortable at right back in a back four. Did I see Aubameyang break out into a sweat at last?

I missed the first half but, what I saw in the second half convinced me that we are on our way back. Some of our football was easily the best we've played for ages. Quick, incisive passing in midfield and attack against a Fulham side who thrive on the same and are in the form of their lives. Before his red card, Joao Felix showed what a talent he is, pulling defenders around and linking up well with Mount, Kova, Havertz and Hall. Their winner was avoidable. No denying the quality of the cross but we had enough time to organise ourselves to prevent it.

I agree Keith. They are a well oiled machine in years of making while we were, until it was completely dismantled by two of our best defenders, Rudiger and Christensen, deciding to leave us in the lurch and seeking the glamour and Abramovich being forced out by outside influences. I didn't see the first half, but I was delighted to see that Thiago kept that preening show off in his place. As you say, Dennis Z and Kova were excellent while Chukwuemeka did some nice surging runs. Gallagher came on and was demented, putting his foot in and making some surging runs.

Play as we always do when we beat them Keith. Frustrate the <deleted> out of 'em and do them on the counter. Sterling doesn't deserve to start but probably will, because Beatrix will hope that, against his old team, he will want to prove a point. If he's not showing up after 20 minutes, I would drag him off to make MY statement that 'no slackers allowed here'. I would definitely start Kova, Gallagher and Ziyech because they showed the energy and pace that we will definitely need. My opinion on Pulisic is, he's working harder but gets clattered a lot because he can't sprint away from defenders like he used to. I'd still have him in front of Sterling though, which isn't saying much I know!

Sterling is a big disappointment in a Chelsea shirt, weak in the tackle and retaining position. Too many times he was given the ball and lost it, thereby putting the rest of the team on the back foot. He can go now and won't be missed. We've GOT to address the lack of pace and acceleration in midfield and on the wings. Teams like Forest pour forward on the counter and we are struggling in their wake. Pleased to see Gallagher coming on and looking like his old self, busy and productive while Kova showed his usual energy and positive attitude. If only he could pass though! You couldn't give Aubamyang away, never mind selling him the way he's performing. Absolutely no interest in helping the team when he appears. Dennis needs to improve, not only his fitness but his pace and drive. News that Kante is near signing a new contract is a big distraction out of the way Now Beatrix, because of so called 'big' players underperforming, who were already there when he arrived, is under the cosh. He has, up until now, always dealt with and improved, the lesser lights in the footballing fraternity, but now he's having to deal with inflated egos which is totally alien to him. I reckon that's why, in this transfer window and beyond, he wants players he can improve and not Big Time Charlies. Personally, I hope he's given the chance, Forget this season's Premier League top four and next season's Champions League. Let's get our own house in order first and kick on with his player choices. We've dipped in the past and come back stronger because that's the club's mentality. Bloody-mindedness! As an example and a parallel, people and so called experts are, as usual being reactive (being reactive means that you can never be wrong), gushing and drooling about Eddie Howe's great job at Newcastle and how he's transformed the team, conveniently forgetting that, back in late 2021 when he arrived, he made the worst start by any manager in the history of the club. The fact that he's still there and under the new Saudi ownership is a miracle.

I wouldn't be surprised if Thiago's influence was pivotal here.....If it's true of course as, anything the Sun reports, has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Looks like the Boehly inspired package of signing promising young players that are quick, but not costing bombs is well under way. No superstars but good, intelligent investigating of talent that is about to take off. And that is what we desperately need, especially in midfield where we look a bit leggy without Kova and Kante.

A totally dominant first half where we could have been 4-0 up at the break, and it wouldn't have been an injustice. Our football was quick and decisive, got past their press and poured forward. The second half was the polar opposite. We became negative, loose in our passing and certain players stopped working. Fatigue or boredom? I b%$&dy hope it's the former because we won't get away with such poor play against better teams. A decent full debut for Zakaria but the James injury is a big worry as he looked excellent. The two substitutions did nothing to enhance the team. Gallagher was well off the pace and looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. Aubamyang was his usual useless, lazy self.

Delighted to see the minnows Morocco beat Portugal. Our game was similar to the Brazil v Croatia game in many respects, one team very proactive, quick one touch football, getting the ball forward as early as possible, while the other team had a more measured approach. The difference was, they took their chances and we didn't. As far as Potter's future, there will be plenty of embarrassing, red faces in the boardroom if they get rid of him this quick. Is Todd Boehly the sort of man who admits his f@%ks up this early? I don't think so. The 'party line' will be that this a "transitional season" but the problem with that is, the majority of our squad will be looking for Champions League football 2023 -2024, so the pressure is on!

Yes Keith, the snowy topped Neymar clones are sashaying their way back to Sth. America. One down and one to go. Kovacic was outstanding but Modric was the star of the show. What a th^&^ing he is!

Them and Argentina can get th&*&ed. Regarding the England v France game and the Walker -Mbappe match up the world is talking about, I wouldn't put it past Deschamps to play Mbappe down the centre, Giroud on the bench and some other French flying machine on the left.

I bet Thiago is delighted to be associated with those, preening, self indulgent, diving show offs.

Yes, a female referee might make the players a bit better behaved on the pitch!

A bit of a dicey first half hour for England, as one of the Senegalese strikers was man- marking Rice, so the outlet to the midfield and attack was limited. Then up steps the kid Bellingham, dropping deeper to pick up the ball and gliding effortlessly through the midfield. Senegal have very quick players but, because Bellingham is equally as comfortable with either foot, he kept them guessing where he would pass the ball next. Kane also dropped deeper and we know how well he can ping a ball to the runners. A near faultless performance by Southgate's men but with France up next, a whole new set of problems will have to be encountered.

Haha, yeah there's been a concerted effort by the TV companies to introduce the female element into sport commentating, punditry and interviewing. A few are OK but BT Sports in particular have laid it on them to be as cringeworthy as possible. Definitely some players turning up at the World Cup, hoping their reputation will get them through (Neuer for one, who's been diabolical) and others out to prove a point to their clubs in particular.

It's what you perceive to be funny which others don't. Name calling, bitchy personal remarks and continuously patting yourself on the back is tedious and isn't football banter at all and isn't remotely clever. People become quickly fed up with all that <deleted>.

What was it? 4-1 Brazil before the competition started? Anybody would think you nicked the Crown Jewels! 4's is a reasonable price, nothing more and nothing less.

Guaranteed we'll have Red Armpit on here saying he knew that would happen, and backed that as well.

Did you have your usual ruck with the United rabble Keith?

Being a big Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse fan was the reason for that moniker, although I am cracking on a bit as well!

Yeah Mac, forgot about the European Cup Winners Cup in 1971. I had to go home after the first game and missed the replay.