Qwerty

I thought we were facing a double points deduction this season, for breaching PSR over 22/23 and 23/24. Meaning that if we sold a player before 30th June, we won’t be as badly overspent for 23/24. But yes, the 23/24 breach was in the EFL, and we don’t know if that punishment will occur this season, or if they’ll wait till we’re relegated again, and then hit us with a points deduction. But all the talk is of the EFL breach being applicable in the PL.

I can see the merits in selling him, but really only if we can do it in time to benefit us from the PSR point of view.

Surely there’s no point selling him unless we can do it before 30th June, so it helps with PSR and reduces our points deduction? If we sell him after that, it won’t help with PSR, and it’ll just make us a weaker team. So it makes no sense for Chelsea to be approaching us with only 4 days left. It worries me, because it would be a pointless sale.

so for STHs, is it 8am or 9am online?!

I wonder if they’ll release more, because those tickets will sell fast I reckon

anyone know how we'll get tickets? Will it be through LCFC or Lens? I remember it was a nightmare getting the Leuven tickets - had to buy them from the Leuven site, which kept defaulting to Flemish. And had to create 4 different accounts using 4 different emails to get 4 tickets.

Anyone ITK have any idea of when these tickets will be available and many we might get?

I’m not very familiar with this situation, but I think you may struggle this early in the season, when everyone is still enthusiastic! STHs are allowed to “sell” a certain number of seats per season I think, so you may get lucky nearer the time. Any chance you could afford hospitality? They always seem to be available!!

I think we’re no more likely to be relegated with Cooper than we would have been with Enzo. It’s funny how Enzo has now been elevated to Pep status by some people here, when in reality we’ve all been saying for months that he’d be sacked by Christmas if he stayed with us. He has a plan A, and when that doesn’t work, he just keeps on with plan A. And our players aren’t good enough for that. And Potter, whilst no doubt a superior manager, was clearly dithering. He was probably making more demands, wanting more money, easy escape routes etc. He’d probably have been constantly looking out for better offers. And the bottom line is that we need a manager asap to decide who to sell before the end of this month.

My guess is that with the club needing to keep costs down, they're trying to get someone who's unemployed.

I don't understand people blaming the club for the changing odds and speculation. It's the journalists that make it up as they go along, make sweeping statements, then have to back-pedal when they turn out to be wrong. If they didn't invent stories in the first place, they wouldn't have to keep correcting themselves. I'm not sure about Cooper, but I'm not sure about Potter either. The way he abandoned his project at Brighton when Chelsea clicked their fingers, and the fact that he's turned us down before, makes me worry that he'd just be using us to get back into management, and would constantly be looking out of a better offer.

Away tickets are almost a closed shop. Every year I get another 50 points for renewing my ST, and every year the cut-off for buying away tickets goes up by 50 points. So I'm stuck in the "all STHs" bracket for ever.

I love Albrighton, not just his work rate, but he’s such a nice man too. I remember years ago when my kids were younger, they used to want to wait after games to get selfies with the players. Most of the players came out, did a few selfies, then waved and went to their cars. Marc Albrighton would do selfies with anyone who wanted one. I remember him actually saying “anyone else want a picture before I go?”. Such a top bloke.

I think Enzo has said he's happy with the Chelsea goalies

Yeah - it was our best win of the season and he said the team didn’t play well, or words to that effect. I was shocked, and it worried me that he seemed more concerned about the playing style than the results.

I agree. I keep reading stuff about Arteta having no previous PL management experience and still doing well, but the situation is completely different. Arsenal stuck with Arteta until the results came. Chelsea want immediate results from their managers.

that makes sense.

My understanding is that the transfer embargo was put in place by the EFL, so as soon as we're officially in the EPL, the embargo has gone. That's next week isn't it?

Interestingly on the Chelsea forum a lot of fans are saying his style wouldn’t suit their players

Also, just thinking, if he goes it needs to be soon doesn’t it, so we get the money in time for this season’s PSR. Only about a week left I think.

If Chelsea don’t want him on our terms, or he doesn’t want them, then obviously we have to keep him. But he’ll get no end of grief from fans, especially when we’re 1-0 down in the 80th minute and he STILL won’t sub Daka off!

I’d like to think we’re still an attractive prospect for a manager, even with the financial mess and points deduction. We’re in the PL, where many managers want to be. And let’s face it, all managers have massive egos and think they’re amazing. Many would probably relish the challenge of keeping us up despite the obstacles. And if they fail - well, it’s not their fault is it, it’s the points deduction and the finances. So they walk away with their heads held high and a big wad of cash. What’s not to like?!!

If by some chance Chelsea decide against Enzo, and he comes crawling back to us, he’s going to have a hard time persuading the fans to get behind him isn’t he. He already had a hissy fit mid season when we moaned about the style of play, but there’s no way he’ll get our unconditional backing now we know he’s actually looking for another job!

“concrete possibility”😂.

Enzo will enjoy travelling to far flung corners of Easter Europe in the Europa conference league!