NoTickles

@henrywinter So bad

England are not in the class of France, Argentina or Spain. But they do have some exceptional talent. Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane are world class. So is John Stones - at his best. Trent Alexander-Arnold is world class - in possession. Declan Rice is having the season of his life. There are more reasons to be positive going into this tournament than negative. But England have to be bold and play to their strengths.  Imagine if England were bold and, if all fit, went into the World Cup… Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.  Stones would have some covering to do of Alexander-Arnold when he raced upfield. Bellingham gets heavily scrutinised but he’s a big-game player, a winner and used to pressure at Real Madrid. He has to start. England also have an exceptional head coach in Thomas Tuchel who can make the right changes at the right time. England have a chance of progressing to the quarter-finals of the World Cup and then anything’s possible. But only if they are bold. Not gung-ho. But bold. Risk/reward. #ENG

@markgoldbridge Arsenal do that to multiple players on every corner. They’re allowed to do it so it’s now fair game.

Blatant pen for Newcastle not given by crap VAR...

@thechelskikid Playing the best right back in the world at right back and midfielder in midfield would definitely help, yes.

Is it just me that thinks we look far more structured and solid with Reece at RB and Santos alongside Moises? I don't think we concede the 2nd goal with that set up personally.

@tovers98 Did Cole Palmer not get a rest as well then?

Chelsea are into the FA Cup Quarter Finals after a 4–2 victory over Wrexham. It was far from a vintage performance, but we navigated the ultimate banana skin intact. Crucially, Chelsea picked up no injuries and were able to give a full week’s rest to Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah ahead of Wednesday’s massive Champions League Round of 16 clash with PSG. The difficulty of ties like this can often be underestimated. Almost everyone watching around the world who wasn’t a Chelsea fan was hoping for a Wrexham victory. The media narrative in the build-up leaned heavily towards the possibility of a major upset. The atmosphere at the Racecourse Ground was always going to be hostile, and so it proved as Wrexham took their first shot at an elite Premier League scalp since the takeover. Chelsea, however, found a way. They will be neither the butt of the jokes nor an “iconic” feature on a Hollywood series coming to a streaming platform near you. Ultimately, the result is what matters most. Victory means Chelsea remain in the hunt for domestic silverware this season. That said, there are areas of concern that the head coach and players will need to reflect upon. Defensively, Chelsea looked shaky and rarely appeared secure at the back for sustained periods. Liam Rosenior’s switch to a back three did not pay off. The lack of familiarity with the system, as well as between players who do not often play together, likely contributed to the ropey display. It was disappointing to be caught on the counter for Wrexham’s first goal, and Chelsea were perhaps fortunate not to concede from a set piece again, spared only by the intervention of VAR. Aside from isolated moments of quality, Chelsea did not threaten Wrexham’s goal consistently and lacked creativity in the final third for long spells. It felt as though the team only began to play with real freedom after going behind and later when João Pedro was introduced. This match should serve as a reminder to Liam Rosenior of the importance of the players rested tonight, and how performance levels can drop in their absence. There were, however, several positives worth highlighting. Alejandro Garnacho followed his excellent display at Villa Park in midweek with another strong performance, scoring the winning goal with a perfectly timed run and a calm finish. Since Rosenior shifted him to the left wing, his performances have been encouraging. Dário Essugo returned after a lengthy injury layoff and made an immediate impact, providing a crucial assist in one of Chelsea’s few moments of attacking quality. Romeo Lavia also returned and completed 65 minutes unscathed; an encouraging sign that he could be an important midfield option during the run-in. Josh Acheampong scored a vital second equaliser with a finish many top-level strikers would be proud of, and was arguably Chelsea’s best defender on the night. Marc Cucurella demonstrated his value after his own recent injury, making a key impact off the bench. João Pedro continued his outstanding form, scoring his tenth goal in ten games across all competitions. Finally, Jesse Derry was given 20 meaningful minutes. It was a positive example of Rosenior showing faith in an academy player at a key moment. Chelsea now head into Monday’s QF draw knowing that a trip to Wembley is just one game away. Potential Quarter Final opponents: Liverpool, Arsenal, Newcastle/Manchester City, West Ham/Brentford, Fulham/Southampton, Port Vale/Sunderland, Leeds/Norwich. What did you make of the performance tonight?

@CFCCentral3 Pretty obvious

5 CBs in the backline certainly helps with Wrexham's setpiece and direct threat but intrigued by what Rosenior is thinking otherwise.

@GoldbergCFC @MlrPaul2001 100%

@MlrPaul2001 Jackson was a similar fee. So better than him?

Best £35m we’ve spent in a very long time🤗 What a player👏🏾👏🏾

@elIisburner Why have we signed Emegha then? Jackson isn’t good enough and Emegha isn’t even close?

Emegha is not even close to Jackson, I can’t believe how underrated Jackson is

@GoldbergCFC Why have we bought him then?

I’m not even someone who even cares if Jackson comes back or not but this is disrespectful to him. He’s 3x the footballer that Emegha is.

@LKCOYB Selling players just as they hit their prime as a mature, experienced, elite level footballer = not winning any trophies

I love Cucurella as much as anyone. Top player, but he’ll also be 28 this summer. Hato is younger and more raw, but physically superior, growing everyday and has a higher ceiling. Barco is not as robust or defensively capable as Cucurella, but similarly tenacious/aggressive and on another level going forward. Between them both, they can likely replace his influence. This summer may potentially be the time to cash in, be bold and make that transition. Just like with Mount, Havertz, Madueke, Jackson or whoever; There will always be a some doubt if it’s the right choice, but that just usually means you’re selling at peak value (perfect timing). Again, I love Cucurella too and he’s been incredible these past 18 months, but it’s definitely something for the club to consider. Rationale > Emotion.

@Blue_Footy Let’s get Smit to keep him company

I think Hato is technically and tactically better now. He's just struggling physically which will come with a bit more time. That aspect can't be rushed. He will eventually get there. He's a top talent. That's not in doubt.

@MobyChe He’s a centre back who can play left back.

Hato's performance man. His quality is undeniable. You can see there is a lot more to come from him. He has the press resistance, faster, stronger and technical enough to play in the pockets or outwide. He can improve in terms of even being 1v1 out wide since he's playing LWB

@ArchieStanding Would be sweating for top 4.

Here is the squad I would like next year and why….. Warning ⚠️ Before anyone has a go at me. This is just a fun exercise and is purely hypothetical. I just enjoy doing this…… 1. Sam Johnstone - Ex England £5 million International, home grown, 32 and most likely cheap as Wolves will go down. Great squad player and on his day a v good keeper. Third choice keepers need to be dependable and someone great around the dressing room. 2. Senesi - Bournemouth (Free) His contract runs out in June. Picking up an experienced Prem CB for free doesn’t always work out (Tosin) however we all know that Colwill will most likely be our starting LCB for years to come and Senesi with his experience and the fact he is a natural LCB (profile we lack) would be a good addition to the squad. Quality passer and suits our style of play. 3. Barco - Strasbourg £25 million. Probably a player we don’t need but I don’t want to see him go elsewhere. Turned into a fantastic CM for Strasbourg but can also play in multiple positions. A real fighter and leader. Connection with Rosenior helps hugely. He has to come here next year. 4. Moreira £20 million (buyback option activated) Another one who wasn’t given a chance. Turned into an incredibly impactful player for Strasbourg and can play LB, LWB, RW and LW. Valuable asset to any side. Great team player and Rosenior knows him well. A real cult hero in the making…. 5. Smit £50 million - Depending on what happens with Lavia, I would love to get Smit. Reminds me so much of a young KDB. Feel there isn’t a natural replacement for Enzo in our squad and having him would allow us to rotate in that position. Sets the tempo so well and has a great eye in the final 3rd. This would be very greedy and if we get Barco, probably not needed. Just a massive fan of his! 🫣 6. Ndiaye £65 million. Really torn on this one. Feel we need a quality LW more than any other position currently. Prem proven, an absolute magician and works tirelessly off the ball. Was a toss up with Said El Mala for me (love the fact that he is 6ft 2 and reminds me of how Semenyo plays) happy with either but Prem experience made me choose Ndiaye. One of the best dribblers I have seen since Hazard left. 7. Morgan Rogers £85 million - Tenacious, hard working and an eye for a goal. Not to mention he is Palmers best friend. 😉 Returning players/pre existing signings: Emegha - hampered by injuries, moments of brilliance and moments of deep frustration. At 6ft 5 he will add a different dimension to our attack. Potential is there but VERY raw! Penders - Bring him back and let him fight it out with Sanchez. Generational keeper in my eyes and want him to settle with the squad. Quenda - Arguably the most exciting player that I am looking forward to having next year. Him and Estevao are going to have us off our seats for years to come. A super talent who could end up being world class. Anselmino - tough one. Let’s see how he gets on at Strasbourg. Injuries concern me but clearly the only way to get him to come back was to promise him minutes here next year. The games I saw for Dortmund he impressed me hugely but the Prem is a different beast. Players out: Tosin Badiashile Disasi Neto Garnacho Gittens (loan to Strasbourg) Lavia (let’s see over the next 3 months if he can stay fit, if he can we don’t go for Smit) Essugo (loan needed) Guiu Jorgensen Gusto - I will get Pelters for this but I feel he would have to be the sacrificial lamb in order to keep Acheampong. Plus I really really rate Antwi. 11 out - 11 in. Money spent (estimate) £250 million Money in (estimate) £200 million I know this isn’t FM and our squad won’t look anything like this. However it’s just a bit of fun as I love trying to build a squad in my head. I always think a squad size of 26 is the right number. I have added leaders, Prem proven quality and players Rosenior knows who fit the system and style of play. Could this squad compete for the league?

@Watch_LFC 🤣

Liverpool’s perfect summer window: Outgoing: - Gomez £10m - Endō £10m - Tsimikas £12m - Robertson Free - Konaté Free - Mac Allister £75m - Chiesa £14m - Salah £125m - Elliott £35m - Gakpo £75m Total: £365m Incoming: - Olisé £105m - Mickey van de Ven £65m - Archie Gray £60m - Gordon £100m - Wharton £80m - Promote Luke Chambers - Bajčetić takes over Endō’s role - Jayden Danns stays to be 3rd CF - Trey Nyoni takes next step - Josh Abe starts being integrated as RW back up, like Rio this season. Total: £370m Squad composition: GKs: Alisson, Mamardashvili, Jaros, Woodman CBs: Virgil, Jacquet, Leoni, VdV, Mor Talla Ndiaye, Ndukwe, Adekoya, Lucky FBs: Bradley, Frimpong, Kerkez, Chambers 6/8: Gravenberch, Gray, Bajčetić, Wharton, Curtis Jones 8/10: Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Nyoni LW: Gordon, Ngumoha RW: Olisé, Abe, Morrison CF: Isak, Ekitike But the true beauty here is how many players you have who can cover other positions. RB cover: Archie Gray, Szoboszlai. LB cover: Van de Ven LW alt: Ekitike, Wirtz RW alt: Gordon You keep a small, positive squad who all get the game time they want + competition in key positions (Rio takes the next steps developmentally, pushing for more minutes which keeps Gordon at his intense best every week), solid midfield depth and competition. Slot gets to play his regular XI all the time as he likes to, but when he has injuries or rotates for cup games, he still has top quality players and depth in defence. We can challenge for a treble with this, if injuries aren’t too long term during the season.

@CFCdruw You had no idea who he was 3 weeks ago

HUGE. I'm going to assume we've been doing a lot of work behind the scenes, because the wording has changed this week. At the end of last week, it was all about Rennes willing to negotiate a deal for the SUMMER. This week, the wording has changed... This could be huge. PLEASE.

@CFCDaily 4 months

Just sign Kante for 5 months please.

@TOSOTC_CFC Who galaxy brain Maresca was trying to play as a 10

Andrey Santos is going to be a huge player under Liam Rosenior. The way he covers the ground allows Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez to be far more expressive. The way he shields the defense gives the defenders immense confidence. A young leader and superstar in making 👏

@noahkaufmanmd All true, however I very much doubt there’s thousands of climbers who would free solo Taipei 101.

What Alex did last night was trivial for most of us Climbers. It was a spectacle, and it was super cool and it was great to see a friend succeed and be on the world’s stage. What really blew our mind as Climbers was the movie “Free Solo” and what he did on El Capitan. 🤯 That may NEVER be repeated. Thousands of us (including me) would free solo Taipei 101. Just some context for Non Climbers. For the rest of you, if you haven’t seen the movie Free Solo, prepare to actually shit your pants.

@goalsside @centregoals @DExpress_Sport If they’ve got a spare €250m, sure.

@centregoals @DExpress_Sport This transfer is probably matched in heaven

🚨🚨| JUST IN: Cole Palmer is willing to return to Manchester to JOIN Manchester United, following suggestions he may be feeling 'homesick' in London. 👀🔴 Although, he is currently on a contact until 2033 at Stamford Bridge. [@DExpress_Sport]

@journalism_rp @JohyanCruyff Nah. Pafos weren’t opening up and giving space. They’d have played exactly the same way had we scored first half. Keeping the score down was their only objective. The performance was abysmal.

@JohyanCruyff Absolute nonsense. It's been 15 days since Liam Rosenior took charge. 5 big chances, 1 taken. If we'd have scored 1st half we end up picking them off in the space 2nd half and everyone says what a mature performance it was. 🤷‍♂️

You might look at the shots & big chances & think “oh Chelsea must’ve been alright today, just couldn’t take their chances” No, NO, alarm bells should be ringing, the flags that are waving should be crimson, extremely worrying signs, I’m not impressed

@journalism_rp @NeilSpyBarnett @ChelseaFC It was abysmal. Play James at right and Andrey in CM and Estevao for Garnacho and there’s 3 goals easily.

@NeilSpyBarnett @ChelseaFC It was not absymal. Just ran into a keeper playing a blinder against us. 🤷‍♂️

If you constantly push your full-backs into central midfield, closing space rather than opening it, leaving 1 player wide each side, you get the kind of inexcusable gridlock that @ChelseaFC created tonight. A win, bit it was abysmal