2023/2024 English Premier League Thread

[Locke]

I say that and he gets an assist on a wonderful Jota goal!

[Locke]

What is with this new trend of socks that have holes in them? Is it something to do with Connor McDavid?

[Locke]

And I say that and....Conor Bradley scores a beauty! Goal and an Assist and we're not even at half time!

[Matty81]

It's astounding how bad Chelsea are after all the money they spent. I get that they are younger players who might improve, but it's a real lesson in the fault with overpaying for transfers and also trying to integrate a team of the hottest young star players over too short a period of time with limited veteran leadership. They have sold off a massive crew of younger players who they thought weren't good enough like Guehi, Tomori, Abraham, Havertz, Mount, Pulisic and Gilmour... pay over the odds for replacements and let their veteran leadership like Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante, Rudiger and Christensen walk for little or no money at the same time. It's a masterclass in how not to rebuild and waste a ton of money doing it. Can't believe there is talk of them losing Gallagher now too... I could honestly see them being in the relegation scrap next year without him

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Matty81

It's astounding how bad Chelsea are after all the money they spent. I get that they are younger players who might improve, but it's a real lesson in the fault with overpaying for transfers and also trying to integrate a team of the hottest young star players over too short a period of time with limited veteran leadership. They have sold off a massive crew of younger players who they thought weren't good enough like Guehi, Tomori, Abraham, Havertz, Mount, Pulisic and Gilmour... pay over the odds for replacements and let their veteran leadership like Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante, Rudiger and Christensen walk for little or no money at the same time. It's a masterclass in how not to rebuild and waste a ton of money doing it. Can't believe there is talk of them losing Gallagher now too... I could honestly see them being in the relegation scrap next year without him

This is important. I know they're leaning hard on guys like Silva and Gallagher, but watch that first half...they are becoming unhinged.

4 yellows in the first half alone.

1 shot on target and that was from like 40 yards...Alisson had time to take a sip of water before collecting that.

Liverpool with the missed penalty...okay, that happens, it was Darwin afterall.

But Chelsea are just a shambles. They are all over the damned place, theres no structure, they're getting worked in midfield. Poch better make some changes or this isnt going to get better.

You'd definitely expect more from such an expensive team.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Locke

This is important. I know they're leaning hard on guys like Silva and Gallagher, but watch that first half...they are becoming unhinged.

4 yellows in the first half alone.

1 shot on target and that was from like 40 yards...Alisson had time to take a sip of water before collecting that.

Liverpool with the missed penalty...okay, that happens, it was Darwin afterall.

But Chelsea are just a shambles. They are all over the damned place, theres no structure, they're getting worked in midfield. Poch better make some changes or this isnt going to get better.

You'd definitely expect more from such an expensive team.

Even more concerning for them... I know they do a decent job selling but with them amortizing those 500 million in deals over 7 years they are going to be hamstrung financially as far as avoiding the FFP loss limit for a long time. I think they might have a very tough stretch ahead of them unless one of the kids they signed turn into a real star who can carry a team to points. Like Olise at Palace did against the Blades yesterday who they also released

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Even more concerning for them... I know they do a decent job selling but with them amortizing those 500 million in deals over 7 years they are going to be hamstrung financially as far as avoiding the FFP loss limit for a long time. I think they might have a very tough stretch ahead of them unless one of the kids they signed turn into a real star who can carry a team to points. Like Olise at Palace did against the Blades yesterday who they also released

Ohh...I wouldnt worry too much about that.

I think the thing some people may not realize is that part of the reason Boehly has been spending like a drunken sailor is because he has backers.

Those backers are in Saudi. So when a player becomes 'surplus to requirements' Chelsea are just going to sell them to Al Hillal or whomever for an outrageous fee and....would you look at that! The books are miraculously balanced!

[Locke]

Conor Bradley is having himself a hell of a match.

[Locke]

And just as I say that...another assist for this kid! Bradley with another assist!

[Locke]

A goal and 2 assists in a 3-0 match against Chelsea. Thats a helluva game for anyone.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Locke

Ohh...I wouldnt worry too much about that.

I think the thing some people may not realize is that part of the reason Boehly has been spending like a drunken sailor is because he has backers.

Those backers are in Saudi. So when a player becomes 'surplus to requirements' Chelsea are just going to sell them to Al Hillal or whomever for an outrageous fee and....would you look at that! The books are miraculously balanced!

Yeah, he has those backers, but they're obviously against the limit at this point. They haven't spent anything this month and the only talk has been about them selling. It's also harder to shift some of these guys at this point. And selling someone with 7 years left isn't going to help the situation that much because you only get so much credit. They're basically looking at selling homegrown players to gain some FFP flexibility (which is why Gallagher comes up), but he's actually useful.

It's glorious to watch them be so bad after the shopping spree. What's really going to make this amazing though, is when they get a new round of sanctions (they've already admitted guilt) and they still have no room and are handcuffed.

[Locke]

Lol!

"Darwin Nunez is the only player to hit the woodwork 4 times in the same Premier League match since they started collecting those records 21 years ago."

[Senator Clay Davis]

We all pondered what exactly Chelsea's transfer strategy was all summer. It didn't appear there was one. And sure enough they look like a discombobulated unit with very few parts that fit. They can spend another £5 billion if they want, with the same strategy they are currently employing they won't amount to anything.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

We all pondered what exactly Chelsea's transfer strategy was all summer. It didn't appear there was one. And sure enough they look like a discombobulated unit with very few parts that fit. They can spend another £5 billion if they want, with the same strategy they are currently employing they won't amount to anything.

Its complete opposites.

Liverpool - Have a Plan
Chelsea - Buy whatever we can!!

This wasnt even close. If Darwin could finish this would have been a slaughter and Klopp took a game from a position of a lead to give Robertson and TAA some minutes after injuries and they immediately made mistakes for Chelsea's goal.

[MegaErtz]

Originally Posted by Locke

With the absence of Trent, Robertson and Tsimikas this Conor Bradley kid looks like a player! Calm and his passing looks great.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been the player of the season for the entire league so far, and this Bradley kid looks to be even better. He's been man of the match in three of his four starts.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Well, 3 bad scorelines for Arsenal today.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by MegaErtz

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been the player of the season for the entire league so far, and this Bradley kid looks to be even better. He's been man of the match in three of his four starts.

He just tore Chelsea apart like they werent even there. That was a helluva game from him.

[d_phaneuf]

Timo werner

pretty good pickup, 3 assists already

Once son is back from Asian games, and werner is cover for son, and a suddenly on fire Richarlison, good depth

[Slava]

I think Werner with Maddison is going to be awesome. Aside from a couple dumb plays today, that was a good performance, overall.

[devo22]

Wolves-United is absolute bonkers.