Premier League 25/26

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Chris_from_Sidcup said:

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Elthamaddick said:

I can see West Ham taking a point off Arsenal

Whatever the outcome of tonight’s game. Ie they reach the Champions League Final or they don’t, Arsenal will have to pay the consequences of the energy spent as a result.

West Ham, on the other hand, have battled best when they’ve been in a relegation spot and trying to battle their way out. They are back in that position. The Spurs revival will have been a wake up call and I can see West Ham pulling off a shock and beating Arsenal.

They play tonight and then West Ham isn't until Sunday, so that should be fairly manageable.

It won’t be a question of how many days rest they have in between matches, I think it’s more of a question of how many games they will need to get it out of their system. The West Ham game will be the first one Arsenal play. That’s when if there is some lethagy from tonight’s game and qualifying/not qualifying for the Champions League Final it’s likely going to hit them and their fans on the pitch next Sunday.

Will having their fans on the pitch help or hinder them? 

CaptainRobbo said:

Athletico Charlton said:

Chelsea have huge issues.  Massive long contracts make some players lazy. The best will want to leave, the average will hang around.  FFP will ruin them (hopefully).

Is Winston Bogarde still under contract there?

For any CL Members under 35:

Winston Bogarde signed for Chelsea in 2000 for 40k a week and a 4 year contract; this is 5 years after the Bosman ruling changed football contracts in the favour of players. 

Bogarde was a 30 year old Dutch international who only played 9 games in his 1st year. After that he wasn't wanted and never played another game for Chelsea in the next 3 seasons.

40k was a big Premier wage 26 years ago and no one else would pay that so he decided to turn up and train with the Youth team  or many times on his own at Cobham  making sure he was always on time and turned up so he couldn't be fined or sacked.

He dug his heals in and walked away with £8,320,000 before tax which could've been 40%.

Not too shabby for having a kick about with the Youth for 2 hours before going back to a mansion in Surrey.

soapboxsam said:

CaptainRobbo said:

Athletico Charlton said:

Chelsea have huge issues.  Massive long contracts make some players lazy. The best will want to leave, the average will hang around.  FFP will ruin them (hopefully).

Is Winston Bogarde still under contract there?

For any CL Members under 35:

Winston Bogarde signed for Chelsea in 2000 for 40k a week and a 4 year contract; this is 5 years after the Bosman ruling changed football contracts in the favour of players. 

Bogarde was a 30 year old Dutch international who only played 9 games in his 1st year. After that he wasn't wanted and never played another game for Chelsea in the next 3 seasons.

40k was a big Premier wage 26 years ago and no one else would pay that so he decided to turn up and train with the Youth team  or many times on his own at Cobham  making sure he was always on time and turned up so he couldn't be fined or sacked.

He dug his heals in and walked away with £8,320,000 before tax which could've been 40%.

Not too shabby for having a kick about with the Youth for 2 hours before going back to a mansion in Surrey.

I quite admired him for his stance. Not sure why Chelsea didn't loan him out though to at least save part of the salary.

"Why should I throw fifteen million euro away when it is already mine? At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract. Both sides agreed wholeheartedly. I could go elsewhere to play for less, but you have to understand my history to understand I would never do that. I used to be poor as a kid, did not have anything to spend or something to play with. This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. Few people will ever earn so much. I am one of the few fortunates who do. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership, but I don't care."