The Football.....

[Scaleyback]

Chelsea fan here.

I love 'my' club - owners come and go but the club goes on. 🙂

I am no supporter of Man Utd but their fans did protest at length against the ownership of the club. Whilst the Glaziers are still there they did respond by coming over and addressing the fans.
I haven't seen/read anything of significance from Chelsea or especially Chelsea fans calling for an end to Russian aggression.
Of all people they should be calling for an end to Russian aggression in Ukraine shouldn't they ?


MOD NOTE:
Any references to NCAP matters will not be accepted on CycleChat.
If you want to discuss them, go way over there –––––––––––––––> NCAP

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Nor did we, a draw would have been a fairer result but we had only 1 shot on target so what can you expect.
Gutted really as I felt we may have had a chance today, Palace and Watford next so hopefully get back on track.

Couldn't attend the game yesterday as i had a family event to go to.
The bits i managed to listen to on the radio in the first half sounded like West Ham had the better chances.
I think Wolves and us should finish in the top eight but unless Arsenal and Tottenham drop points from their games in hand i can't see neither of us getting a CL place.

 

[matticus]

Let's hear from the Chelsea supporters on here, are you happy to have Abramovich as your owner. Is the success of your club, in no small way attributed to Abramovich's dodgy billions really worth 'cuddling up' to this character ?

I am under no illusions that there are other less than reputable individuals/regimes also owning our football clubs.

If we assume that Russian oligarchs should* be blockaded for now, has Abramovich done the right thing handing over the reigns? I don't know exactly how the club structure works there.
(Or is he just trying to keep his head down for a while, while his bank account keeps totting up?)

*and also assume that NACA is the place for discussing that assumption!

 

[yello]

It's one for NACA imho. Let's talk about VAR!

 

[matticus]

It's one for NACA imho. Let's talk about VAR!

OK; then does VAR show that Abram' is still pulling the strings? Who exactly now controls the club? Where is the FOOTBALL* club's money going/coming from.

*FOOTBALL is a sport - not news or politics. Unless VAR shows otherwise :P

 

[SpokeyDokey]

It's one for NACA imho. Let's talk about VAR!

Okay.

VAR / offside / Lukaku / CFC vs LFC.

So, I took the Lukaku offside on the chin so to speak.

I am more than happy with the use of VAR. The problems arise when players/fans are not given the logic behind the decision.

Apparently Lukaku was offside due to the change in rules that allow a portion of the sleeved arm just below the shoulder as a legitimate area to control the ball.

The line was therefore started several cm further down the arm than I expected. It was thus offside by several millimetres according to some sources.

***

Aside 1 - the offside rule is a complete arse in many circumstances.

Aside 2 - shame that the same amount of scrutiny was not given to Kieta's high lunge at Chalobah that resulted in full studs contact on his inner thigh just below groin level. Even Carraghar said after the match that it was a straight red.

Apart from that it was possibly the best 0-0 that I have ever seen.

And apart from that the three results vs LFC this season (0-0, 2-2 and the 0-0 yesterday) means that we have massively closed the gap on the team that, on their day, are one of the very best attacking sides on the planet.

I love it when we play LFC or any other overtly attacking team - almost always results in a cracking game. We play well and they play well.

We still need to find a way to effectively deal with the 'low-block grind out 40 points a season for safety' teams though.

LFC and MCFC manage to do it although we seem to struggle - we were getting better until James/Chilwell were sidelined due to injury. Good to see James back yesterday.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble. 😁

 

[yello]

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble. 😁

I like a good ramble

 

[Chromatic]

Okay.

VAR / offside / Lukaku / CFC vs LFC.

So, I took the Lukaku offside on the chin so to speak.

I am more than happy with the use of VAR. The problems arise when players/fans are not given the logic behind the decision.

Apparently Lukaku was offside due to the change in rules that allow a portion of the sleeved arm just below the shoulder as a legitimate area to control the ball.

The line was therefore started several cm further down the arm than I expected. It was thus offside by several millimetres according to some sources.

***

Aside 1 - the offside rule is a complete arse in many circumstances.

Aside 2 - shame that the same amount of scrutiny was not given to Kieta's high lunge at Chalobah that resulted in full studs contact on his inner thigh just below groin level. Even Carraghar said after the match that it was a straight red.

Apart from that it was possibly the best 0-0 that I have ever seen.

And apart from that the three results vs LFC this season (0-0, 2-2 and the 0-0 yesterday) means that we have massively closed the gap on the team that, on their day, are one of the very best attacking sides on the planet.

I love it when we play LFC or any other overtly attacking team - almost always results in a cracking game. We play well and they play well.

We still need to find a way to effectively deal with the 'low-block grind out 40 points a season for safety' teams though.

LFC and MCFC manage to do it although we seem to struggle - we were getting better until James/Chilwell were sidelined due to injury. Good to see James back yesterday.

Sorry that was a bit of a ramble. 😁

Your aside 1 leads me on to my second idea to improve football, do away with offside.

 

[Dayvo]

Your aside 1 leads me on to my second idea to improve football, do away with offside.

My idea would be to divide the pitch into 4 equal quarters and you can only be offside* in the 2 end (goal) quarters.

* offside being based on current interpretation of the rule.

 

[PaulSB]

Chelsea fan here.

Probably one for NACA so I'm not going into the politics of ownership suffice to say that if dirty money as you call it was stripped out of world SPORT then it would probably be much diminished financially.

Start the thread over there and I am sure you will get plenty of 'robust' replies. 👍

I love 'my' club - owners come and go but the club goes on. 🙂

I don't agree it's one for NACA as current situation aside I don't feel its a political matter. I wont go on a rant though.

Blackburn Rovers was purchased by Venkys 11/12 years ago and have been an unmitigated disaster. In the early years of their ownership I had a lot of involvement in campaigns to rid the club of their ownership though I was never a street protester.

Many fans have walked away or refuse to attend until Venkys leave. I've always believed if I allowed the owners to stop me going they would have "won." Like you I support my club regardless of the ownership. Owners and club are two separate entities. I'm not sure protesting against Abramovitch in relation to the Ukraine would make one jot of difference.

I was very surprised to read Abramovitch has loaned Chelsea £1.5 billion. Is this really true? It seems an astonishing amount of money as I imagine it's effectively to bankroll losses.

 

[matticus]

I was very surprised to read Abramovitch has loaned Chelsea £1.5 billion. Is this really true? It seems an astonishing amount of money as I imagine it's effectively to bankroll losses.

Google says he's worth about 15billion USD. So even if he never gets a penny of his "investment" back, he is only slightly paupered on 10billion+.

I'm sure many of us have squandered money on our hobbies until we were left with smaller sums in the bank!

 

[Scaleyback]

I don't agree it's one for NACA as current situation aside I don't feel its a political matter. I wont go on a rant though.

Blackburn Rovers was purchased by Venkys 11/12 years ago and have been an unmitigated disaster. In the early years of their ownership I had a lot of involvement in campaigns to rid the club of their ownership though I was never a street protester.

Many fans have walked away or refuse to attend until Venkys leave. I've always believed if I allowed the owners to stop me going they would have "won." Like you I support my club regardless of the ownership. Owners and club are two separate entities. I'm not sure protesting against Abramovitch in relation to the Ukraine would make one jot of difference.

I was very surprised to read Abramovitch has loaned Chelsea £1.5 billion. Is this really true? It seems an astonishing amount of money as I imagine it's effectively to bankroll losses.

I feel your pain, and have been aware of Blackburn Rovers disquiet with their owners for what seems forever.

While I can sympathise with your views " I've always believed if I allowed the owners to stop me going they would have "won."

Surely if many fans have already "walked away" and a sizeable portion still attending feel as you do the answer is organisation
leading to mass stay aways for as long as it takes ? I doubt the Venkys can "win" if they are playing to sufficiently low crowds to make the whole
ownership "thing" financially unviable.
I don't know ? maybe the Venkys are pig headed enough to play week in, week out while losing revenue ?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

My idea would be to divide the pitch into 4 equal quarters and you can only be offside* in the 2 end (goal) quarters.

* offside being based on current interpretation of the rule.

We've had similar conversations here and your idea would be a step in the right direction.

Would also like offside to be dependant on a gap between the defender and attacking player.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I don't agree it's one for NACA as current situation aside I don't feel its a political matter. I wont go on a rant though.

Blackburn Rovers was purchased by Venkys 11/12 years ago and have been an unmitigated disaster. In the early years of their ownership I had a lot of involvement in campaigns to rid the club of their ownership though I was never a street protester.

Many fans have walked away or refuse to attend until Venkys leave. I've always believed if I allowed the owners to stop me going they would have "won." Like you I support my club regardless of the ownership. Owners and club are two separate entities. I'm not sure protesting against Abramovitch in relation to the Ukraine would make one jot of difference.

I was very surprised to read Abramovitch has loaned Chelsea £1.5 billion. Is this really true? It seems an astonishing amount of money as I imagine it's effectively to bankrol

Yes 1.5bn - I think the club was last valued at 2.6bn pre-covid.

1.5bn has been invested over almost 20 years - two thirds 2004-2010 and 1 third over the last 11 to 12 years.

Club has been profitable most years recently and self sufficient for some time now - it was one of, if not the first EPL club to be FFP compliant. It has one of the best commercial transfer models globally and has set a template that a fair few other clubs have copied or have tried to emulate.

The club has also made huge philanthropic contributions to many charities/projects etc.

Here is some data showing owner input for some EPL clubs since 2010 (all in £'s):

Man City 1.1bn

Chelsea 0.570bn

A. Villa 0.459bn

Everton 0.348bn

Brighton 0.325bn

Leicester 0.318bn

That's all I could find quickly and it shows that even clubs that are not first tier EPL have owners that inject huge amounts of money into their clubs.

Situation is similar across the major European leagues too.

Chelsea is by no means an outlier at the top table.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Your aside 1 leads me on to my second idea to improve football, do away with offside.

The game would turn into a longball one with no midfield play at all as forwards would hang round the opposing penalty area at both ends and defenders would have to stay with them. For all it's faults, the offside law makes the game flow and encourages skilful play and different tactical formations.

it ain't really broke, so don't try and fix it. As long as the law is applied consistently it isn't a problem, and with VAR what ever distance between defender and attacker is applied it always has to come down to the last mm judgement. Otherwise do away with the technology and go by what the officials perceive and that was hardly without it's complaints and controversies.