What position will we finish this season?

[footballfan_82@hotmail.co.uk]

I think we have a good chance of staying in the top 3 this season, what about everyone else?

[Monty91]

[PSRB]

if we are within 7 points of the leaders at the end of September, if so then I reckon top 3 definitely, if not then it could be a long, hard season like last year

[canary dwarf]

We will lose the FA Cup final to Spurs.

[The A*ntöniö]

[Hillary]

[JJSB]

Might be preferable to at least not be faced with massed ranks of defenders in these games

[Luis Anaconda]

which just seems to confuse them

[JJSB]

[PSRB]

[Luis Anaconda]

started off like a rocket than slumped. Obviously Hazard looks a bit useful but far too soon to judge

[Hillary]

[Hillary]

[JJSB]

[Supermac1976]

* Newcastle were knackered since they played in Greece on the Thursday.

[JJSB]

On paper they're Euro champs and have spent over 80 million this summer. If that's a team not potentially strong enough to contend a title, I'm not sure what is!

[JJSB]

[Hillary]

about why spending does not automatically guarantee success?

[Wilsheres Clockwork Toy]

No doubt about it Chelsea got some very good players. There is a differnce

[JJSB]

And even without the benefit of hindsight it was obvious a lot of the value they got was very questionable. Just saying it will hardly be the greatest shock if Chelsea were right up there, and they should be up there in any case

[PSRB]

[JJSB]

[PSRB]

not immediately I'll grant but certainly as part of the tradition, etc

[Witharby 2-3 weeks]

[JJSB]

Liverpool won the Champions League and spent money at various stages and rarely threatened to win the league? Chelsea have almost limitless funds too, until FPP comes in, so it's not comparable really

[PSRB]

[Hillary]

You have posted:

a) that after three matches, you feel confident enough to judge that they have got their **** together this season (then argued when I said 3 matches was too early to judge).

b) "On paper they're Euro champs and have spent over 80 million this summer. If that's a team not potentially strong enough to contend a title, I'm not sure what is!", then argued when I pointed out that spending loads of money does not automatically equate success.

c) that winning the CL will provide them a springboard to go on to further success - then argued when PSRB pointed out that this didn't work for Liverpool.

After which you decided that we were arguing that Chelsea were NOT going to be contenders this season. No one has said that; it's a blatant strawman.

[Peter]

Premiership was a massive underachievement. I would expect them to do much better this season, and i would expect them to be close to the title race.

And certsinly to finish above us. Obviously there was the avb incident last year which nobody has mentioned.

[JJSB]

I could also give you several counter examples of where spending sprees DO result in success. As Peter said, last season theyunderachieved In the league, I suspect Di Matteo or another competent manager for the whole season would have got them a top 4 finish too.

[Red N White Army]

Defensively they lok suspect too. Sure they've won their games, but most reports I've read were that they were not that impressive 1st 2 games anyway. They'll probably be there or thereabouts, but they ain't all that imo.

[JJSB]

[Bergkamp's Brain]

[PSRB]