Premier League 2022-23 | Page 3 | Syracusefan.com

Premier League 2022-23

Thomas Partey was incredible vs. Man United today. I saw him run down United offensive guys on counter attacks at least 2 or 3 times where he seemed like he had a "turbo" button and made up 30 yards to get in the block. He's very solid on the ball, too, and picks a good pass most of the time. I know everyone loves Arsenal's young attacking players, but Partey is their unsung MVP for me.
 
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News of those available as the Chelsea clear-out begins:

Liverpool interested in Mason Mount, who would want to leave if Joao Felix signs permanently this summer.

Bayern Munich has inquired about Kai Havertz, and would like to try to get him for 35-40M, after Chelsea paid 72M for him 3 years ago.

Hakim ZIyech getting intererst from Newcastle, Arsenal and a couple others in Italy. Chelsea would be looking for around 25M.

Chelsea pursuing Denzel Dumfries, Netherlands International, from Inter Milan for right back, right wingback. He could easily co-exist with Reece James. You probably extend James' career by moving him to the back of the defense, so he doesn't have to run quite so much on defense; he can choose his spots to get forward.

Inter, of course, wants to see Romelu Lukaku firing again (as does Chelsea). If Lukaku gets going again (and I think he's still only about 29 or so ...), he's the kind of guy who can get you 15-20 goals in most of the Big 5 leagues, if he stays healthy. Maybe if Inter are not too difficult about Dumfries, we'll give them a better deal to make Lukaku's exit from Chelsea permanent.

Liverpool and Newcastle both would like Christian Pulisic. I think he would fit at Arsenal, too. A couple teams in Italy are also looking at him. I definitely think he moves this summer, for about 30-35M.

Callum Hudson-Odoi has failed to impress again on loan in Germany. Just sell him already. Some midtable team in Germany, Spain or Italy should be willing to take a chance on him. Just get him off the payroll.

As other teams notice Chelsea signing RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku for this summer - he's kind of a hybrid Left Winger / Striker in the Henry mold - and this kid Marcus Thurman, who they are trying to get from Gladbach and who played so well for France after Karim Benzema was sent home from Qatar, and they are also talking about trying to swap Kai Havertz for Dusan Vlahvoic from Juventus, where he's not really hitting the heights.

So, with maybe 3 new strikers for Chelsea, Villa, Palace, Newcastle, West Ham are all beginning to make inquiries about Armando Broja, currently recovering from an ACL, and out probably until October.
 
Frank Lampard appears about to get the sack at Everton, after losing 2-0 to West Ham. Duncan Ferguson rumored to be the replacement.

Nicolo Zaniolo, a 23 year old attacking midfielder for Roma has told Mourinho that he wants a move to Spurs to play for Conte. Deal worth about 30M. Mourinho thinks he'll stay. Young talented guy.

Wolves buy Craig Dawson from West Ham to replace some of the experience in central defense (Connor Coady, Willy Boly) they let get away last summer.

Bouremouth has a new French winger named Dango Ouattara who had his debut for them today, and earned them a draw with Nottingham Forest thanks to his late goal. Acquired for 20M.

Everton is another team registering interest in Hakim Ziyech from Chelsea, but they haven't been spending any cash in the last couple windows.

Declan Rice is making "come hither" looks at Arsenal now. Arsenal may offer 70M. Fair Market is probably 80M. West Ham will try again to get 100M, but I don't think Chelsea is going to bid for Rice again. The guys Chelsea are looking at to anchor their midfield of the future are faster and more mobile. (That kid Amadou Onana of Everton is an outstanding defensive midfielder.)

Man. United are looking to sign Ajax central defender Jurriën Timber in the summer as a replacement for one of Victor Lindelöf or Harry Maguire. West Ham has already expressed interest in Maguire. If David Moyes can keep his job, Maguire is probably the kind of centerback that he could get the best out of.

Now that they have moved striker Chris Wood out to Nottingham Forest, Newcastle may make a late move for Dominick Calvert-Lewin, who would be a great addition to their attack!

Aston Villa are trying to get Anthony Gordon, the attacking midfielder, away from Everton for a bid of 45M. Villa would want to pair him with Ollie Watkins in attack, they are reporting.

It sounds like Zaniolo is pushing hard to get out of Roma. West Ham have also expressed interest (as well as Spurs, noted above). Roma have reportedly lined up former Premier League phenom Gerard Delofeu as Zaniolo's replacement when he is sold.
 
OK, we are about half-way through the season, and the January window closes in about a week.

Let's project through to this summer. Who would make up your ideal line-up for next season - and let's try to be somewhat realistic - who has to go, and who might be interested?

Chelsea 2023-24 - Roster (* - Likely Regulars)

Striker:
1. *New Guy TBD - Marcus Thuram, or Dusan Vhalovic
2. *Christopher Nkunku (joins from Leipzig in summer)
3. Either Kai Havertz (if they can't sell him to PSG or Bayern) or Armando Broja
4. Datro Fofano

Attacking Forwards / Attacking Wingers:
1. *Misha Mudryk
2. Christopher Nkunku
3. Raheem Sterling (?)
4. Christian Pulisic (?)
5. Noni Madueke
6. Andrey Santos

(You have to keep at least one of Sterling or Pulisic, but both are playing for their jobs this spring. Both might be sold just to bring down the average wage.)

Number 10 / Creative Playmaker:
1. *Joao Felix
2. Mason Mount
3. Connor Gallagher
4. Anthony Hall - Everton ?

(If Felix gets a contract, then Mount leaves)


Box to Box Midfielder:
1. *[New Guy - Moises Caicedo / Enzo Hernandez / Alexis Mac Alistar]
2. Carney Chukwemeka
3. [Another New Guy? B List - Amadou Onana from Everton, ]
4. Ruben Loftus-Cheek
5. Cesare Casadei
6. Omari Hutchinson

(I believe Chelsea is going to sign at least one guy in January, and if they can't get an A lister will be back for them in the summer. Jorginho, Kante will both be released. Loftus-Cheek is playing for his job this spring.)

Holding / Defensive Midfielder:
1. Matteo Kovacic
2. Dennis Zakaria
3. Jorginho
4. N'Golo Kante


Central Defenders:
1. *Ben Badiashile
2. *Wes Fofana
3. *Thiago Silva
4. Cezar Azpilicueta
5. Trevor Chalobah
6. Kalibou Koulibaly

Left back:
1. *Ben Chillwell
2. Marc Cucarella
3. Lewis Hall

Right Back:
1. *Reece James
2. Cezar Azpilicueta
3. [New Guy: either Denzel Dumfries A list, or B lister more affordable from France or Spain]

Goal Keeper:
1. Kepa
2. Edou Mendy
3. Giovanni Slonina
4. *[Likely to Sign a starting Premier League keeper]

WHO HAS TO GO?

Pierre-Emerick Aubamayang
Jorginho
N'Golo Kante
Kai Havertz
Kepa
Edou Mendy
Kalidou Koulibaly

STILL ON THE BOOKS, BUT ON LOAN - HAVE TO DUMP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:

Romelu Lukaku
Callum Hudson-Odoi
Timoue Bakayoko

WHO IS LIKELY TO FIND INTEREST AND BE SELLABLE BY SUMMER?

Hakim Ziyech
Christian Pulisic
Koulibably
Jorginho
E. Mendy

= = = = = = = = =

How would you like your team to look next year? Who might you buy? Who do you want to sell?
 
They need to move Mount, Havertz, Sterling, and Pulisic

Havertz will give them the best bang for their buck return wise.

Mount, to me, has been a massive disappointment but would do well in Italy.

I think Pulisic is gone from Premier League play. Just too much smoke that Chelsea would block any transfer to another PL team.

Sterling has been poorly handled. Not really clear where they stand with him.
 
They need to move Mount, Havertz, Sterling, and Pulisic

Havertz will give them the best bang for their buck return wise.

Mount, to me, has been a massive disappointment but would do well in Italy.

I think Pulisic is gone from Premier League play. Just too much smoke that Chelsea would block any transfer to another PL team.

Sterling has been poorly handled. Not really clear where they stand with him.

I'm sure Bayern would like to get him, but on the cheap. They already put out a statement that they have no interest in signing Havertz.

But PSG apparently is another team that could use a creative midfielder. They could see him as a replacement for Adrian Rabiot in their midfield.

Sterling needs a vacation. He's been through some stuff, with the home invasion and robbery while he was at the World Cup. He is trending down, though.

They need somebody else they can count on at the front of their attack for 15 goals, apart from a striker. They expected Sterling to be that guy, and that's reasonable based on recent performance, even as he was being phased out at City.

If you want to compete for championships, you need a couple guys who can each get you 15-20 (all comps) a season, then a couple more who can get you around 10 from the wing or attacking midfield.

Add in a couple center backs who can chip 4-5 goals a season from set pieces, and that's a well balanced offense.
 
They need to move Mount, Havertz, Sterling, and Pulisic

Havertz will give them the best bang for their buck return wise.

Mount, to me, has been a massive disappointment but would do well in Italy.

I think Pulisic is gone from Premier League play. Just too much smoke that Chelsea would block any transfer to another PL team.

Sterling has been poorly handled. Not really clear where they stand with him.

As for Mount, I think he has been a very good player. It's just that he has played more games than 99% of the players in Europe in the last 2 years. He's dead. You see the same thing with a bunch of the players at Liverpool.

As for Pulisic, I think Italy is a better fit for him. I'd like to see him reconnect with someone like Tammy Abraham, but I don't see Mourinho liking Pulisic much as a player. He's not good enough defensively.

But I think somebody in Italy (or Spain, where refs protect players more, and the weather is great) could do very well with him.
 
Newcastle turns up the interest in Everton's Anthony Gordon. I didn't like him as yet another signing for Chelsea, but for Newcastle, he would be tremendous. Already acclimated to the Premier League. Turns out that he is literally one of the fastest players in the league! I knew he was a good attacking midfielder, but had no idea that he was such a threat on the counter-attack.


In a sort of funny twist, Man City and Arsenal have their own Boeheim / Hopkins saga. Pep says, "He could have been coach here, but he didn't want to wait!" And you're still coaching there, aren't you? And Arteta is already in his FOURTH SEASON at Arsenal. How long was he supposed to wait??? LOL

 
Marcelo Bielsa is in London talking to Everton about their coaching job.

Mikhail Antonio of West Ham is looking to leave by the end of the window, and is quoted as saying there have been talks, but does not say with whom.

The young midfielder Stefan Bajcetic, who played for Liverpool vs. Chelsea the other day, has just been given a new 4 1/2 year contract by the Reds.

Weston McKennie's agent is in London as Arsenal look to offer 30M to Juve. Leeds is still in the picture.

Everton's Amadou Onana is not interested in signing with Chelsea. Moises Caicedo has also been valued at 100M by Brighton, pricing him out of a move.

Everton trying to get an extra 20M (65M total) from Newcastle for Anthony Gordon, which Newcastle labels as "ridiculous". No longer interested.

With Inter pricing Chelsea out of a move for Denzel Dumfries, quoting them 65M+, now they're trying to salvage something. Spurs have also withdrawn prior interest, leaving Inter trying to get 50M from Newcastle.

Spurs former interest in Dumfries, the Netherlands international, has been replaced with a move for Pedro Porro of Sporting Lisbon. Spurs are also looking at former US international John Brooks, most recently playing in Germany.

I'm also hearing that Chelsea is going to go back to Brighton in the next couple days with one last offer for Argentina's World Cup sensation Enzo Hernandez, the midfielder. They are going to make a "take or leave it offer" of around 85M. It's unlikely that Brighton could get more than 45M for him (or 35-40M for Moises Caicedo, and Everton might get 40M for Anthony Gordon) when the summer window is open.

People better be sure they are willing to leave all that money on the table, especially when you might be playing in Championship next season, in the case of Everton.
 
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Five days left in the window. Daily Mail with a round up of what every one of the 20 Premier League teams are looking for as we approach the end of the window.

 
Five days left in the window. Daily Mail with a round up of what every one of the 20 Premier League teams are looking for as we approach the end of the window.

Chelsea went HAM
 
Chelsea went HAM

Crazy amount of money for Hernandez, but they had to do it now, because they are amortizing the contract over 8.5 years, and it's going to be paid in 5 installments, also stretching out the hit to FFP.

FIFA is going to close this loophole that the US billionaire figured out in the summer, limiting amortization of player contracts to 5 years. By paying a bit over the odds, in advance of the summer, Hernandez is only going to cost them 14M a year rather than 24M a year, thanks to the much longer amortization period that will be gone by the summer. (Actually, it's going to cost even less than that, because of the fee being broken into installments, so maybe only 8 or 10M a year against their FFP "account".)

They have to sell 5 or 6 guys this summer (mostly high wage guys, too), and will still be looking for a striker (Vlahovic from Inter, replacing Havertz), maybe another athletic midfielder like Onana from Everton or Caicedo from Brighton to pair with Hernandez.

I don't see N'Golo Kante being renewed. He's always hurt and you have to transition to the new guys with the younger legs.

I could still see them add one more center back (Koulibaly will be sold this summer), and are looking at David Raya in goal, probably selling Edou Mendy.

Aubamayang will be gone. Mount might leave this summer, if they sign Felix to a permanent deal.

Ziyech is already gone to PSG (I believe the paperwork issue will be sorted out; there will be enough evidence of timely announcement and filing of the deal).

They might keep Pulisic around as a squad player if the sell Sterling or Mount. He could play on the left wing (alternating with Mudryk) or playing the 10, alternating with Felix / Mount.
 
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Anybody catch the latest episode of Ted Lasso? Chelsea has been doing some social media in support of the show, and it has been a hoot.

Graham Potter gave a fake interview about their upcoming game with AFC Richmond. It was a little stiff, but it was great fun.

Here are a couple of the images I've seen on Twitter (or maybe it was Instagram) in support.

"He's here, he's there, he's *cking everywhere - Roy Kent!"

Chelsea %22Legend%22 Roy Kent (Ted Lasso).png


Get ready for the Battle of the Bridge. Turns out that Richmond is a suburb of Southwest London, so this is a "London Derby", folks!


Chelsea v. AFC Richmond - Battle of the Bridge.png
 
Hey, Guy Fawkes, great battle for 3rd in the Premier League Fantasy!
You leaving Toti on the bench this week, is exactly how I felt last week, leaving Odegaard on the bench last week for the guys who had 2 game weeks.
 

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