Ole boasting that his team's ability resulted in Man City putting out a strong team against them, is one of the weirdest interviews I have ever seen. "Yeah, my team aren't so rubbish that City didn't rest everyone."
I notice that the bookies have us finishing 11th in the league. Meh - mid-table. I feel like I`m being deprived of my annual dose of exciting relegation battling. Ralph and the board out!
Thing with Bournemouth is, talking to their fans, they haven’t yet realised they are in the thick of the relegation battle. They believe they are too good to go down and are where they are as they are unlucky with injuries. That may be, but they are in the thick of it. They are also living in the assumption that they do this every year and then go on a good run. That may happen, but I am enjoying the car crash at the moment.
I think Chelsea have first dibs at £40M! They wouldn’t buy him back would they? Stranger things have happened. Cantwell looks very promising.
I tend not to talk about Saints at work, but we've just acquired one Saints mad character who happens to be very likeable too [who'd a thought it?] I mentioned Cherries in a positive light, and the nice thing was that he had no animosity to them either. I think we'll get along well. I mentioned Nathan Ake, who I wished had come to Saints straight from Chelsea. He too, shared my opinion. And if the Cherries are relegated this season, which I don't want to happen, I'd like Ake with us too. And/or Mings. Both pretty solid modern defenders, with an ability to do a lot more. Incidentally, he said that Ake has a direct Chelsea buy back clause [or first refusal] in his contract.
It potentially depends on what Chelsea see his market value as. Bmouth apparently rate him at around £60m. If Chelsea do too, then signing him for £40m makes sense even if they don't want him - because they could sell him on for £60m, and make themselves an easy £20m profit. Chelsea's position is actually very problematic for Bmouth. Whilst Chelsea don't put a bid in, Bmouth can just sit back and reject any offers which don't meet their £60m valuation. But the moment Chelsea offer £40m, and trigger the clause, Bmouth cease to have any reason to be rejecting bids for (say) £41m. Although what's more problematic right now for Bmouth is being 2-0 down at home to Watford. Sinking like a ship since October, with no signs of it changing. This off the back of the 4-0 thrashing by West Ham. Eddie might finally be under pressure.
