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      Chelsea 4-2 Gent LIVE RESULT: Blues secure routine win in Conference League opener – reaction

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      CHELSEA have beaten Gent 4-2 in their Conference League opener.The Blues broke the deadlock on 12 minutes through summer signing Renato Veiga’s header.Just after the restart, Pedro Neto fired in to double Chelsea’s lead at Stamford Bridge.Tsuyoshi Watanabe halved the Blues’ advantage early in the second half with a superb header before Christopher Nkunku restored Chelsea’s two-goal lead for 3-1.Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a fourth prior to Omri Gandelman’s consolation goal.It was a routine win for Chelsea on the night as they kicked off their Conference League campaign with a win.Match result: Chelsea 4-2 GentChelsea team: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Badiashile, Veiga, Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall, Neto, Felix, Mudryk, NkunkuGent team: Roef, Brown, Watanbe, Mitrovic, Torunarigha, Gambor, Fadiga, Delorge, Ito, Surdez, GudjohnsenExplainer: Why has Cole Palmer been left out of the squad?FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSFollow ALL the action from Stamford Bridge with our live blog below…That’s all from usThank you for joining SunSport’s live match blog.Good night.Copy linkCopiedSome of the night’s highlightsFour goals tonight from Chelsea, with each one needed to keep Gent at bay.Renato Veiga opened the scoring early in the first half.His strike was followed by Pedro Neto’s, which arrived moments into the second half.Christopher Nkunku then used one of his few touches to fire home.And Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was over the moon as he found his first goal for Chelsea.Credit: GettyCredit: GettyCredit: ReutersCredit: AlamyCopy linkCopiedNext upSince drawing with Crystal Palace, Chelsea have now won five in a row across all competitions.They will be hoping to keep that run going when they host Nottingham Forest on Sunday.And after that, Chelsea travel to Anfield for a tough clash with Liverpool.That’s followed by a midweek Conference trip to Panathinaikos, before October is seen out by back-to-back league and cup games against Newcastle.Copy linkCopiedMore from Maresca”We try to share minutes as they (the players) deserve it. The ones who play tonight doesn’t mean they wont play the next game.”In moment it’s like this but they compete in same way and this is crucial for us this season.”I know Kiernan very well, when you are in a club and the main player, then move to a big club, it’s not easy because you are not the main player and struggle at the beginning, so I’m very happy for him.”I think was clear you could see the purpose and identity from the team, very clear.”Copy linkCopiedEnzo Maresca speaks”A good performance, every game is tough. I think we approached it very well and got what we deserve.”A good result, good performance, a shame with the second goal we could avoid that, but all in all I’m very happy.”There were some good moments but we have many things we can do better, attack and defend.”Also we need to understand until the final whistle you cannot switch off. But I’m happy with the performance and result.”Copy linkCopiedCatch up with SunSportMissed tonight’s match and just want a concise report?SunSport has you covered below…Copy linkCopiedMore from KDH“Maresca is a breath of fresh air ever since I started working with him.“I’m taken back by his knowledge and what he does is passionate and motivates you.“The lads came up to me so impressed by way he works, you can see they are buying into it.“I’m happy we are getting results and only scratching the surface, let’s see, in six months we will be in a really good position.”Credit: AlamyCopy linkCopiedDewsbury-Hall speaks”I’m over the moon, I’ve been waiting for that since I joined the club to show what I’m good at. I’m happy it came to fruition tonight.”It’s an amazing feeling I’ll never forget, but winning the game after so many changes is a credit to everyone, I won’t forget this in a hurry.”I pride myself on working hard as I can every day. I’d like to play more but it’s my duty to make sure I’m making the manager think every day.”I feel strong and fit after injury and feel fresh, whenever I’m needed I’ll do my best.”Copy linkCopiedChelesa player ratingsThere were some big showings from Chelsea tonight.But some were less impressive.SunSport’s Dan King has looked at each performance.Check out his ratings below.Copy linkCopiedMatch statsA huge gulf between the two sides in terms of possession.Chelsea also had almost three times as many completed passes as Gent.Only five of their 20 shots were on targeted.But with four resulting in goals, there was no need for Chelsea fans to panic.Copy linkCopiedMore from Neto”We know we won’t be in control of all the game. Even when we are really good we will have to suffer sometimes a bit.”These nights will be difficult because to play here at Chelsea is important, but we always want to win.”To improve we have to have healthy competition.”It comes from the player. Even if starting every game you have to perform every day.”Copy linkCopiedPedro Neto speaksGoalscorer Neto has just delivered his post-match thoughts.The Portuguese ace said: “We did a really good performance. We came to our home to do a great game against a good team, we came here to win the game.”We did a really good job, we conceded two goals but it doesn’t take away from the performance.”Copy linkCopiedFULL TIMEFinal score: Chelsea 4 Genk 2 – and another win for Maresca’s Blues.They made hard work of it at times, while looking brilliant in other moments.But Chelsea’s second string are only going to get better with more gamesNext up in the Conference is Greek side Panathinaikos – away from home.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 290+3. Nearly over here and the three points are in the bag.Chelsea will be disappointed to concede two, especially one so late.Maresca is sure to have something to say about the latter.But the home supporters are still happy, with a win a win after the last few painful years.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 290. Sub Omri Gandelman has netted for Gent.It was a fine strike to beat Jorgensen.And it has sent the away fans wild.Meanwhile, we have four minutes of injury time.Copy linkCopiedGOOOOOAAAAALLLLLGent have pulled another one back!Fair play, that one is for the travelling fans.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 188. Maresca is still patrolling the sideline menacingly.He will be pleased for the most part with the performance.And the Italian clearly wanted to see what this second string XI was made of after Gent pulled a goal back.But the boys in Blue have done their job, with the result always being the most important thing for any boss.Credit: ReutersCopy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 186. Gent look to have finally given up the ghost.The Belgians put in an impressive shift after going behind in the first half.But Chelsea have proven a tough nut to crack.And since scoring early into the second half, Gent have not had any more proper chances.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 183. So close for Guiu!The striker makes a clever run and is fed behind the defender by Felix.He takes a shot at a tight angle.And the former Barcelona kid hits the side of the post.Copy linkCopiedChelsea subsFirst changes of the night for the hosts, with two goal scorers coming off.Marc Guiu is on for Nkunku up front.While Cobham lad Tyrique George replaces Neto on the right flank.And they will be both be hoping to help Chelsea net a fifth here.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 179. Another game, another goal for Nkunku.His stats won’t make for pretty reading.But a goal is a goal and the flexible striker is so far delivering the goods.Dewsbury-Hall has certainly put in a good shift today, and his goal was throughly well deserved.Credit: PACredit: GettyCopy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 177. Maresca is sending a message to his players on the pitch.With still no subs on, he must want them to see out this game and show they have defensive steel as well as attacking flair.Dewsbury-Hall still wants more though and smashes a great long shot at Gent’s goal, which is saved by their goalie.Disasi then think’s he’s scored but the ball nicks his chest and goes wide!Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 174. A yellow card for Disasi as he concedes a free-kick.But fortunately for the Frenchman, Gent can’t produce anything noteworthy with the set-piece.The Belgians aren’t going anywhere fast though.And Disasi is forced to clear to prevent Brown from getting his foot on the ball in Chelsea’s box.Copy linkCopiedChelsea 4 Gent 171. If Chelsea blow it from here there will be hell to pay.Maresca finally allows himself to celebrate as his old Leicester favourite Dewsbury-Hall gets off the mark for Chelsea.Nkunku put pressure on Gent’s defence before poaching the ball.It rolled free to Dewsbury-Hall, who bust a gut from deep to scream home from just inside the box.Copy linkCopiedGOOOOAAAALLLLA fourth goal for Chelsea!And it’s summer signing Dewsbury-Hall!Copy linkCopied More

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      Chelsea fans say ‘would be disgraceful if we didn’t win’ as squad value compared to Conference League rivals is revealed

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      CHELSEA fans declared it “would be disgraceful if we didn’t win” after the value of their squad was revealed against the Europa Conference League’s other sides.The Blues are playing in the competition for the first time, having won two Champions Leagues and two Europa Leagues in the past 12 years.Chelsea fans reckon it will be a ‘disgrace’ if they don’t win the Europa Conference LeagueCredit: PAThe Blues’ squad value has been compared to other rivals in the competitionCredit: ReutersEnzo Maresca’s men came through qualifying against Servette last month.And they kick off their campaign against Belgian giants Gent at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night.It’s no secret that Chelsea have spent big since Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali’s arrival.The club has splashed more than £1.2billion on new signings.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd despite Chelsea’s squad finally appearing to gel, there are plans in the works for even more arrivals.Unsurprisingly, the Blues have the highest squad value in the entire Europa Conference League.TransferRoom claims they are worth a whopping £1.4bn.And that’s just fractionally less than all the other Conference challengers combined.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSTransferRoom reckons the other 35 sides have a combined value of £1.5bn.Italian side Fiorentina have the next-highest value of £268million.Frank Lampard hints at next job after Chelsea sacking he’d be ‘crazy’ to turn downTop five squad values in Conference LeagueChelsea (England): £1.4billionFiorentina (Italy): £268millionReal Betis (Spain): £170millionCopenhagen (Denmark): £85millionGent (Belgium): £80millionThey are followed by Spaniards Real Betis, rated at £170m.While Danish side Copenhagen (£85m) and tomorrow’s opponents Gent (£80m) complete the top five.It means that Chelsea have little excuse for not winning the Europa Conference League on their competition debut – at least according to fans.One said: “Would honestly be disgraceful if we didn’t win.”Another declared: “We’d even be favourites for Champions League if we were competing in it.”One noted: “More European silverware, other London clubs can’t relate.”Another added: “Nah swear if we don’t win this league.”Players signed under Boehly at ChelseaRaheem Sterling – £50mKalidou Koulibaly £33mGabriel Slonina – £8mCarney Chukweumeka – £20mMarc Cucurella – £57.5mCesare Casadei – £13.3mWesley Fofana – £70mPierre-Emerick Aubameyang – £10.3mDenis Zakaria – £2.7m (Loan fee)David Datro Fofana – £10.6mBenoit Badiashile – £33.7mAndrey Santos – £11.1mJoao Felix – £9.7m (Loan fee)Mykhailo Mudryk – £62m Noni Madueke – £30mMalo Gusto – £26.75mEnzo Fernandez – £107.8mChristopher Nkunku – £52mDiego Moreira – FREENicolas Jackson – £31.5mAngelo Gabriel – £13mLesley Ugochukwu – £23.3mAxel Disasi – £38.9mRobert Sanchez – £20mMoises Caicedo – £115mRomeo Lavia – £53.2mDeivid Washington – £13.7mCole Palmer – £40.1mDjordje Petrovic – £13.6mTosin Adarabioyo – FREEMarc Guiu – £5.1mCaleb Wiley – £8.63mRenato Veiga – £12mAarón Anselmino – £14mOmari Kellyman – £19.2mFilip Jorgensen – £21mKiernan Dewsbury-Hall – £30.2mPedro Neto – £51mJoao Felix – £42.6mMike Penders – £17m More

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      My dad was a Chelsea legend – now I’m making my own way playing AGAINST Blues in Conference League clash

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      ANDRI GUDJOHNSEN is out to sink Chelsea – despite his dad being a club legend. The 22-year-old Gent striker will face Blues in the Europa Conference League on Thursday. Andri Gudjohnsen is the son of a Premier League legendCredit: AFPThe 22-year-old – pictured in 2016 – is the son of ex-Chelsea star Eidur GudjohnsenCredit: GettyEidur won back-to-back Premier League titles with the BluesCredit: ReutersAndri is the son of former Chelsea and Barcelona talisman Eidur Gudjohnsen. The Gudjohnsen family have a strong football heritage, with Andri’s grandad Arnor earning 73 caps for Iceland. But the centre forward – who joined Gent in a deal over the summer – will have no time for sentiment against Enzo Maresca’s men.Gudjohnson began his football journey at La Masia in Spain, before moving to Espanyol. READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAfter scoring 20 goals for the youth setup, Andri was scouted by Real Madrid and joined the club’s reserve side. He scored 4 goals in 20 games for Madrid Castilla in 2021 before moving to IFK Norrkoping in Sweden. But it wasn’t until a loan to Norweigan side Lyngby that the striker’s full potential was unleashed. Andri has since turned into a goal machine, earning himself a lucrative move to Belgium after netting 13 times in 28 games last season. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSHe has also earned 26 caps for Iceland, scoring 6 times. Chelsea welcome Gent to Stamford Bridge on Thursday, with Gudjohnson returning to the scene of his dad’s finest hours.Watch Enzo Maresca’s incredibly blunt response when asked if he has regrets about axing Chelsea star from squadEider won two back-to-back Premier League titles during his time at Chelsea.He also lifted the League Cup in 2005 and amassed 78 goals in 263 appearances.The forward also played for Tottenham, Fulham, Stoke and Bolton as well as his trophy-filled spell at Barca. As well as Andri, Gudjohnsen has two other sons following in his footsteps.Andri has already amassed more than 20 caps for IcelandCredit: AFPSveinn Aron Gudjohnsen, 26, currently plays as a forward for Norwegian club Sarpsborg.While Daniel, 18, plays in Sweden for Malmo. READ MORE SUN STORIESChelsea are currently enjoying a four-game winning run in all competitions. But they will look to improve against Gent following last month’s disappointing 2-1 loss to Swiss side Servette. More

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      Meet the lifelong Man Utd fan and Welshman, 31, set to face David De Gea in Uefa Conference League tie

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      MAN UTD fan Connor Roberts is set to face his hero David De Gea – as The New Saints begin their European adventure in Florence. TNS have become the first domestic Welsh side to reach the group stage of European competition.Man Utd fan Connor Roberts of TNS can’t wait to face David De GeaCredit: GettyDe Gea spent more than a decade between the sticks at Old Trafford.Credit: GettyThey start the six-game Uefa Conference League phase at last year’s finalists Fiorentina on Thursday.For keeper Roberts, 31, it is a dream come true, with former United star De Gea set to don the Viola gloves after ending his year-long absence from football to sign for the Italian giants.Robert, who expects to be the busiest man on the night at Stadio Artemio Franchi, said: “I’m a lifelong Man United fan and it would be extra special to play against De Gea.”He’s arguably one of the best shot-stoppers the Premier League has ever had. READ MORE ON MAN UTD”He was the best goalkeeper in the Premier League by a country mile and I’d say he probably saved United from a couple of bottom-half finishes.”Unfortunately it didn’t finish too well for him because [Erik ten Hag] came in and wanted to go down a different direction, but football’s all about opinions.”Roberts counts former United first-team coach Eric Ramsey – now in charge of MLS outfit Minnesota – as a good friend.And he even considered asking him to contact De Gea before the Florence tie.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe continued: “Eric’s brother Alex is one of my closest mates and is also involved at TNS as part-time goalkeeping coach.”I’ve also got a good relationship with Eric and I was thinking of asking him to drop De Gea a line and say ‘Listen, can you give the TNS goalkeeper five minutes at the end’?Manchester United vs Tottenham Player Ratings”But I’ll definitely go and ask for his shirt at the end and maybe have a quick chat then.”Wrexham-born Roberts’ own career has not hit the heights he dreamed of after signing for Everton aged 15 when he faced the likes of Marouane Fellaini, Tim Cahill and Yakubu in first-team training sessions.The Wales Under-21 international had various loan stays before spells at Cheltenham and Chester and a move into the Welsh Premiership.The highlight was a call-up to Chris Coleman’s senior Wales squad for a friendly against the Netherlands in June 2014.Why NOBODY is the right man to replace Erik ten Hag at Man UtdSunSport’s DAVE KIDD says Erik ten Hag’s time at Man Utd is up… and explains what’s wrong with all the potential candidates to replace him.THIS is a mid-table squad at an underachieving club, with a lot of unwanted players on big money.And Ratcliffe is an instinctive cost-cutter who may not pay top dollar to the next manager.If this club wasn’t called ‘Manchester United’, it wouldn’t be an especially desirable job.The good news for United is that their new sporting director, Dan Ashworth, is a very decent judge of a manager.He has been instrumental in three previous managerial appointments — Gareth Southgate for England, Graham Potter for Brighton and Eddie Howe for Newcastle.None were wildly popular at the time, all were conspicuous successes.Interestingly, Ashworth’s No 1 choice for the Newcastle job was Unai Emery, who turned him down to stay at Villarreal but has since proved that judgment right by excelling at Aston Villa.Emery may well deliver the coup de grace to Ten Hag on Sunday — especially with Bruno Fernandes suspended and Kobbie Mainoo an injury doubt.And the Spaniard would be an excellent fit for United — yet there is next to no chance that he would abandon Villa’s Champions League campaign to take the Old Trafford job, not least because he isn’t a stark raving madman.Howe would be another good candidate to succeed Ten Hag but, although he has become frustrated on Tyneside, the Saudis would surely not allow Ratcliffe to poach Howe, as they reluctantly did with Ashworth.Potter is available but his Chelsea experience and lack of charisma would make him a tough sell.Which brings us to Southgate, who remains close with Ashworth and is an excellent man-manager who was seriously considered by United last spring.Yet, despite having led England to two of their three major finals, Southgate’s reputation for over-caution was only enhanced during the Euros.Mauricio Pochettino, passed over twice by United, is out of the equation having taken the United States job.Thomas Tuchel would be a popular and gettable option but, despite being a fine coach and a very engaging man, he is considered something of a loose cannon.Likewise, Roberto De Zerbi, now at Marseille after his brief Brighton stint sparkled then fizzled out.Kieran McKenna — a gifted former United coach who has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town — is an intriguing candidate but the imminent vacancy may come a year or so too soon.Marco Silva, the extremely under-rated Fulham boss, has been on United’s radar and should not be discounted.Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim, last season’s ‘next big thing’, was passed over by West Ham as well as Liverpool this summer and is not an easy man to pin down.Zinedine Zidane, who has taken over from Alan Curbishley as a 20-1 shot for every Premier League job, is a ‘figurehead’ manager and not an Ashworth type.Ruud van Nistelrooy, the former United goal machine who joined Ten Hag’s coaching team in the summer is the bookies’ favourite. Simply because he’s in the building and he’s Dutch.So, yes, getting rid of Ten Hag is the easy part.Roberts remembers: “I couldn’t catch a ball in the warm-up, I was that nervous. “I went from Wales Under-21s where I was starter over Danny Ward – who has gone on to have a fantastic career – to not being able to get a club for love or money and that was a really tough period.”I always thought I would climb back up the ladder, but in the end it didn’t turn out that way.”TNS have already played eight European matches this season.And Roberts accepts facing Italy striker Moise Kean will be a far sterner test than anything experienced before.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe added: “We’ve managed to attract a bit more attention to the Welsh Premiership with our run in Europe and it’s fantastic to play a team like Fiorentina.”Hopefully we can keep that solidity we’ve had in the European campaign. It’s a big ask, but giving the best version of ourselves is what counts.” More

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      League One club will host Uefa Conference League games THIS SEASON after new partnership announced

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      A LEAGUE ONE club will host Uefa Conference League games this season.Welsh side The New Saints (TNS) are set to feature in the tournament for the first this season after winning their play-off against Lithuanian side FK Panevėžys 3-0 on aggregate.Shrewsbury Town are set to host TNS’ home Europa Conference League gamesCredit: GettyTNS are the first Cymru Premier side to qualify for a European tournamentCredit: GettyBut their home games are to be moved from Park Hall, which is just inside the English border.Instead TNS will travel 20 miles south-east to League One side Shrewsbury, who play at the 9,875 capacity Croud Meadow.TNS kick things off against Astana on October 4, before Djurgården visit on November 28.Their final home group game is against Panathinaikos on December 12 and the two clubs are excited to announce their new partnership.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLTNS Chairman Mike Harris said: “We’d like to thank Shrewsbury Town for allowing us to host these historic matches at the Croud Meadow.”We are hopeful the community will come out in full force to support The New Saints as we face some of the continent’s biggest clubs.“Being so close to our Park Hall home will mean that supporters from Oswestry, Mid Wales, and North Wales can travel to cheer on the team.”TNS are the first Cymru Premier side to feature in the group stages of a European competition after winning the league last season and qualifying via a play-off.Most read in EFLCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSWho are these famous footballers?Their away fixtures see them take on Serie A side Fiorentina in what will be a real David vs Goliath clash.They also have a short trip across the Irish Sea to play Shamrock Rovers.Bromley boss Andy Woodman shares craziest EFL memories including players’ full on fight in club shop I What the EFL?! More

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      Chelsea’s Conference League clash moved 770 MILES to Chinese border as Blues face 18-hour trip and freezing temperatures

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      CHELSEA’S Europa Conference League group stage match against Astana has been moved over 770 miles away from the original location.The Blues were set to face the Kazakhstan Premier League side at the Astana Arena.Chelsea will face Astana at the Almaty Ortalyk Stadion – 770 miles away from the original locationCredit: PAThe stadium does not have a roof and the match is set to be played in DecemberCredit: GettyBut due to ongoing renovation work at the 30,000-seater stadium, the fixture has been moved to the other side of the massive country.It will now be played at the Almaty Ortalyk Stadion in Almaty – on the Kyrgyzstan border and only 250 miles from China.And, to make matters worse for the Blues, it is also set to take place in December, meaning temperatures will likely drop below freezing.The host stadium does not have a roof, so fans will face wintry conditions.Read More in FootballGenerally, temperatures in Almaty, Kazakhstan, range from 2°C to -7°C in December.And, ironically, Cole Palmer – who goes by the nickname ‘Cold Palmer’ based on his goal celebration – will not be able to play.The 22-year-old was left out of Chelsea’s Conference League squad last week.Injury-jinxed midfielder Romeo Lavia and defender Wesley Fofana were also left out of the 27-strong group for the competition.Most read in Europa LeagueFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSEnzo Maresca made the decision to balance the work load of some young players.Palmer was a key member of the first team squad last season and played 3,734 minutes of football in total.Chelsea fans can’t name their OWN PLAYERS after another wild transfer window under owner Todd BoehlySo far this season the midfielder has scored once and provided four assists in five games.Chelsea will face Gent, Heidenheim, Shamrock Rovers, Panathinaikos and Noah in their remaining Conference League group stage games.Chelsea will lose their soul by leaving Stamford BridgeBy Matt PennJUST what London needs – another £1billion bowl-shaped, soulless football stadium.No offence to Spurs, because theirs looks great, but it’s not like they had years of title-winning history to celebrate at White Hart Lane.Arsenal moved on from Highbury a couple of years after their last Premier League title win in 2004, and to no avail, they’ve been chasing that glory ever since.And the less said about West Ham’s move from Upton Park, the better. The Olympic Stadium pales in significance to Upton Park, where binoculars weren’t needed to see the pitch from Row Z.It’s no secret Chelsea fans have become disillusioned with the club since Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali took over from Roman Abramovich two years ago.The sacking of two full-time managers in that time, a 12th-place finish in the league, no European football, billions spent on Brazilian teenagers you’ve never heard of and civil war between the owners have turned the club into a laughing stock.Seems like the perfect time to revamp plans to leave Stamford Bridge, doesn’t it?According to The Guardian, Chelsea are in talks to move to a new 60,000-seater site in Earl’s Court, something they’ve attempted before.Chelsea are said to have made plans for the Lillie Bridge depot site as an area that could be developed in a move that could cost hundreds of millions.Forget that so much else still needs fixing on the pitch, that the results are still not going the way they should, that players still can’t seem to click on a consistent basis.The owners, who are said to be looking to buy each other out already, might not think it, and the seats might be a little rusty, but fans do value tradition.The Bridge has been a place supporters can call home every other Saturday. It’s raw, the stands are close to the pitch, it has four sides, and most importantly, it’s owned by the fans.For any deal to go through, Chelsea Pitch Owners (CPO), a group made up of over 14,000 fans, have to approve a move away from the 42,000-seater stadium.On the other hand, redvelopment of Stamford Bridge would see the team move away from the stadium for a number of years, likely double the three years Tottenham spent at Wembley.But why not overhaul each stand one-by-one? Both Liverpool and Fulham had stands refurbished and they were able to stay put. There are also plans for Crystal Palace to do the same.If Boehly and Eghbali are so desperate to put money at the forefront of their decision-making, then go about it in a way which will appease fans.Sadly, football isn’t really about fans anymore, and it’d be easy to say Chelsea will lose their soul if they leave Stamford Bridge.But you fear they already have. More

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      Chelsea’s ‘crazy’ and ‘unbelievable’ decision to leave Cole Palmer out of Conference League squad SLAMMED by ex-Prem ace

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      COLE PALMER’S exclusion from Chelsea’s European squad is ‘crazy’, says Europe’s top player boss.Fifpro president David Terrier also believes it sums up how the increasing demands heaped upon the stars are “disrespecting” football.Chelsea have been slammed for leaving Cole Palmer out of their Conference League squadCredit: GettyFormer West Ham star David Terrier questioned the workload on playersCredit: AlamyChelsea left their best player out of their Conference League squad to  “manage workload” ahead of what could be the longest season in history.But former Metz defender Terrier, who played once for West Ham, said: “It’s unbelievable. I didn’t understand why Chelsea would leave one of their best players out of this tournament.“It’s crazy. But football is  getting more crazy every day, whether that is with the calendar, the transfer system or the workload on players.“The fans want to see the best players on the pitch. The people who  pay to watch football on TV deserve to see the best players.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL“Cole Palmer is a top player. I want to see him playing in every game for Chelsea. If not then the spectacle of football is diminished. “It is disrespectful to football that clubs are now having to manage the loads for players like him.”Chelsea made the decision based on their involvement in five competitions.In addition to Europe there is the Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the expanded Club World Cup.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSThat runs from June 13 to July 15, gobbling up almost all of the traditional rest period for players.Palmer, 22, can be included in the squad should Chelsea reach the knockout stage of the Conference League. Man Utd flop Jadon Sancho makes bizarre claim about Enzo Maresca being reason he joined Chelsea but it doesn’t add upFormer Chelsea forward Eden Hazard suggested an annual 50-game limit for players as a compromise.Fifpro feel compelled to canvass members about boycotting the Club World Cup.Terrier said: “In England, France, Spain, all player contracts finish in June.“So if the Club World Cup had been played this summer, Kylian Mbappe would have started it contracted to Paris Saint-Germain and finished it as a Real Madrid player. It is stupid.”Chelsea are a circus – it will be TERRIBLE for football if they win anything, says Troy DeeneyCHELSEA are a circus — aren’t they?, writes Troy Deeney.But the bigger concern should be if somehow, some way, Todd Boehly’s insane master-plan brings about success this season.Finish in the top four. Win a trophy like the FA Cup.He will then turn around and say: “See, it works” and all of a sudden, other clubs will begin considering copying this mad model to try and compete in the Premier League.Before you know it, there will be a bigger divide between the top clubs and the rest and this country’s top flight will become something we have been fighting against — a Super League.The smaller sides and promoted teams will be wiped out by the elite and will end up saying, ‘What’s the point?’Football as we know it will change, and there will be no going back.As a neutral, you don’t want to wish failure on a club or a regime, but it’s depressing to think about.We should almost be looking at it in amazement — the owners have come in with this model and they’ve treated it as if they are buying stocks and shares, not players or human beings.Boehly has wiped away any sense of sentiment or old-school values from that club and the worrying thing is that he doesn’t seem to care.Does he even like football?Read Troy Deeney’s hard-hitting opinion on Boehly’s Chelsea shambles in full.Or check out all of Troy’s columns on SunSport. More

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      Conference League omission a hammer blow to Cole Palmer’s long-term Dream Team prospects

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      COLE PALMER’S (£6.3m) long-term Dream Team prospects have been dealt a hammer blow.Chelsea have not included the 22-year-old in their squad for the Uefa Conference League in an attempt to manage his workload.Palmer’s backers will be frustrated by Chelsea’s decisionCredit: Dream TeamThe Blues qualified for the league stage of Europe’s tertiary competition after beating Swiss outfit Servette over two play-off legs.Enzo Maresca’s side are favourites to lift the trophy but Palmer’s omission from the squad suggests the Conference League isn’t a particularly high priority.The PFA Young Player of the Year has been Chelsea’s talisman since his transfer from Manchester City – he scored 25 goals in all competitions last season.More importantly, he’s become one of Dream Team’s most-popular assets.In fact, only Erling Haaland (£8.8m) features in more teams at the time of writing.A celebration we won’t be seeing in the Conference League any time soonCredit: ReutersPalmer’s owners would have been relishing the prospect of a top-tier performer being unleashed upon favourable opposition with Chelsea set to face the likes of FC Noah, Shamrock Rovers and Heidenheim in the coming weeks.The club’s decision to save their best player for domestic duties should stave off fatigue and improve their league prospects but Dream Team bosses will see nothing but a lorry-load of points going up in smoke.Such is Palmer’s pedigree, he remains an excellent option even without additional fixtures to bolster his schedule.Most read in FootballChelsea didn’t have any European commitments last season and the England international still racked up 350+ points when all was said and done.But it’s simply true that players active in Europe generally earn more points in the long run.Maresca evidently doesn’t see the Conference League as a high priorityCredit: REXPalmer is currently ranked fourth among midfielders having amassed 32 points via one goal and four assists.Will he be able to keep pace with the likes of Luis Diaz (£4.7m), Bukayo Saka (£6.3m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£6.6m) when the European games start coming thick and fast?Palmer may be added to Chelsea’s European squad after the league stage but there’s a danger he would have fallen too far behind by then.Score PredictorPlay Score Predictor with Dream Team this season!FREE to play£250 weekly prizePredict scores of five selected Premier League fixtures and earn points for accuracyMost points wins weekly cash prizePLAY NOWGaffers should be aware that the Champions League and Europa League are expected to be particularly profitable this season due to the revamped format.Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham and Manchester United are guaranteed eight continental fixtures each throughout the league phase, with the knockouts to follow for those that qualify.Palmer has been a passionate points hoarder in Chelsea blue but he’s suddenly giving up a significant number of fixtures to his rivals.It will be interesting to see to what extent his ownership decreases as a result of his omission from the Conference League squad – Romeo Lavia (£2.8m) and Wesley Fofana (£2.6m) are the other big names left out.BetMGM sign up offerBetMGM: Get £60 in free bets — HERE*New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 6x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 2 x £10 Bet Builder, 2 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org More