International Champions Cup

Triple header on TSN 4 tonight. 7:30pm-1:30am

Real Madrid v Paris PSG
Bayern Munich v AC Milan
Chelsea v Liverpool

Late night tonight.

F'n TSN.  This wasn't on the guide last week when I set the PVR for the Arsenal pre season injury match tomorrow.

Thanks for putting this up, Red - would have missed it all if you hadn't

Man City v Dortmund tomorrow noon Eastern time.

Arsenal playing the MLS Allstars tomorrow night. Always a tough game against the MLS stars, with them in mid season form.

Good first half in the Real/PSG game, too many changes after halftime madethe second half look choppy. Not bad a first 30 minutes in the Bayern/Milan game, will see how thecrest of the game goes.

The network went to the Chelsea game before the conclusion of Bayern match and I wasn't sure they were going back. Milan win it 5 - 3 on penalties. GG.

Decent game between Chelsea and Liverpool, plenty of pace and a bite to it. Powerful header by Cahill the only goal so far.

Fabregas gets a straight red for a wild lunge. Have to play the last 20 minutes a man short.

Haven't been able to see the game yet as there was a power cut over night so my recording of the game on Chelsea TV failed. There is a re-run at 12.

I stayed up to watch most of the game between Liverpool and Chelsea.

It was....preseason. Neither team can or will go into the season with this type of performance. It was horrible to say the least. The passing was a farce from both sides. Some unreal stuff from the fringe players on both sides. Traore for Chelsea knocked Grujic six ways to Sunday. Poor lad was unconscious before he hit the ground. Woke up on impact. Both Fabregas and Cahill going in for 50/50 balls and Franny seeing red. Here's a clip of Franny's challenge. No malice, but you can't be doing that in preseason. Then there was the early tackle on Willian from Moreno (who looks THE worst defending full back I've ever laid eyes on). It really could have sidelined Willian for a while tbh. Moreno apologized, but man it was risky play all round.

TBH Tick...if you have no decent beer, I don't see any point watching this. Your team was playing Loftus Cheek at striker (or false 9) and seemed to be working on counter attacks. Not something we're used to seeing. Chelsea basically didn't seem to want the football for more than ten seconds. On a positive note for you lot, Matic looks in better shape already than last season. Much brighter and engaged. Willian and Cahill looked in good form as well.

Very good seeing the shop windowing of Victor Moses. I wonder who will take him on loan this year? He's like a carpet cleaner at the grocery store. Needed once a year by someone, but not worth buying.

Liverpool were very similar in their quality. Coutinho looks very well rested. Very bright and seemingly ready to go. Mane was so so. The young lad Ejaria looks a nice talent. I'd be hopeful Klopp brings some of this youth through for you guys because the transfer market is ridiculous. Liverpool's defense is an issue though. You guys need a marshalling centre back. And a defensive mid while we're at it.

I have now seen most of the game. Was a highlights package at 12.

I guess the biggest talking points, if you go by the lame brain media was the sending off.

Probably a Red, but wasnt the worst tackle of the game, that award goes too Ovie Ejaria in the first half. Moreno probably was saved by it being very early in the game and yes, he does not look anything like the amount they paid for him.

I have to say, for Chelsea, this is about the best pre-season we have had in years. Some of the players actually look to be trying, something you could never accuse them off in the past.

Loftus-Cheek as a forward is the managers idea. For me, while he is a top talent with the ball in midfield, he is far from it without. The previous manager pulled him up on this, something I have been saying since he was 14-15. With the high tempo game its alleged the manager wishes to see, its extremely unlikely Ruben will find much game time in midfield. Everyone on the Chelsea board n fellow Chelsea fans are really hoping Ola Aina takes this chance. Another who has been with the club since a very young age, for me he would be an upgrade over Brana at Right back.

On the Beer front, after visiting the Beer festival at the weekend I have a keg of Green King IPA Bitter delivered and a keg on order from a small brewery in North Norfolk. Managed to get a list of pubs who serve IPA too which I am very pleased about. Alas none walking distance, but I might invest in a push bike. Getting there will be no problem, its the riding back pissed that might be a picture!

Footnote:

I have been a fan of Victor since he signed n believe he deserves another chance. His problem is Eden plays his position.

I agree about Moses. Always rated him, but the problem was his ambition to play for a huge club has seemingly halted any consistency in his game. He's got to play, and he hasn't really been doing that consistently in one place. He should really try to find himself with a club like Leicester or Swansea or perhaps Southampton or West Ham (I know he's had a loan spell there last season). I feel he'd do great in a side like this. He's 25 (feels like he's 40) and should try to move now.

If you do cycle to the pub, get yourself a helmet. As daft as it may look, riding home in the dark with a skin full is as dangerous as driving. Also lights on the bike.

TT...why don't you open a pub? Silly idea perhaps, but it would give you something to do...make your own schedule and you can pick the beer.

Busby wrote:

TT...why don't you open a pub? Silly idea perhaps, but it would give you something to do...make your own schedule and you can pick the beer.

Fuckin A!  I'm awaiting circumstances to figure out if I can come up with enough cashola to make it over to the Emirates late this year, or early next.  I'd for sure find a way to come by and have a pint or six with ya TT   

I think we know what Conte will bring to the prem this year. Hard tackling, low possession, counter attacking football.

Moreno is afucking terrible full back. He single handedly cost us the Europe League Trophy in May, and has been a very costly player in terms of the number of mistakes he makes that lead to goals.
He was 12million quid, which is buttons these days, but he's cost us a lot more than the money. I can only assume he is in the shop window.

Victor Moses, I don't agree. I think he flatters to deceive. He is a Championship level player at best. He was shit for us when he was on loan, and that was in the 13/14 season when everyone was brilliant.

I'm worried about defense. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though. Two new CB's and a new keeper, so if we can be rid of Moreno, maybe that gives us a chance, but you need these players to bed in, and its not the easiest league for that to happen in.

Grujic has a concussion. Who knows how many he has had before. They are very shitty things, and recovery is a lottery.

Spurs lost again this morning, this time to Athletico Madrid. As I understand it it played much better this time.


Alas I am too old to run a pub. If I was 10 years younger then maybe.

As you know I am not enjoying our move, yet up to now my wife loves the new area and of course being much closer to our daughter n Grandson, which was the main reason for the move, only for a bombshell to be dropped at the start of the week. My daughters partner works for a pharmaceutical firm and he has just found out they want to move him out to Germany to work for them there. It's a wonderful opportunity for them both, but its gonna leave me in the middle of nowhere n the wife completely deflated at the news.

Sod's law I guess.

Wow that sucks!
What absolute shitty timing as well. If you'd been out there a few years at least you would have got some value from the move and had a chance to bed in locally and make it home.

What's that old saying? Life is shit then you die.

Not sure if any of you guys watched it, but my lot were terrible at the weekend. At least thats what I thought, but listening to other Chelsea fans most are putting it down to games close together and certain players being given too many outings. Dont see that myself.

Surly the managers reaction tells you how poor it was, although he may at last let the cat out of the bag on Costa.

Haven't watched it yet, TT, it's recorded tho ... unlike the German GP that didn't ... grrr.

Couple of terrific long distance goals from Real, second in particular.

Highlights don't really show the balance of play. Hazard two goals on breakaways, looked a bit like consolation goals?

Liverpool beat AC with Origi looking very good. Still young that kid so he's going to be inconsistent.

Gooner wrote:

Haven't watched it yet, TT, it's recorded tho ... unlike the German GP that didn't ... grrr.

Wouldnt bother with the F1 mate, the bloke who gets through the first corner wins.....Again  

Milt wrote:

Couple of terrific long distance goals from Real, second in particular.

Highlights don't really show the balance of play. Hazard two goals on breakaways, looked a bit like consolation goals?

Liverpool beat AC with Origi looking very good. Still young that kid so he's going to be inconsistent.

No argument from me. Granted we had enough chances in the 2nd half to score a hat-full, but their personnel on the pitch at that time were mainly youth.

Again I must stress, while I felt it was an embarrassing performance, the club are waving the criticism off as thou they had told the players to go through the motions. The report from the club states the two left back goals as a cruel deflection and exposing a novice right back being caught out up the field and the other being a worldy strike.

It did give me the chance to reply to the report by stating "Just like last season" for the right back caught out up the field as a reference to Brana.

I guess there is some truth to there being too many games in a short space of time. Liverpool found themselves on the pitch again overnight against Roma with Sky reporting Klopp allegedly saying its not ideal to have so much traveling n games.

He is just showing common sense, but the suits love the money.