Chelsea came calling before Arsenal’s credit downgrade



The Chelsea Blog repeated last season’s exercise and popped a few questions our way about 2011-2012.

No great original thought appears in the replies, but I place them on record so that Salut! Sunderland readers can:

* Tell me I’m spot on

* Offer a sharper assessment

* Come back later to tell me to say how wrong I was

I’d also add that my answers would be slightly different had the questions been posed today and not a couple of weeks ago.

News from the Emirates, for example, would have made me wonder about Arsenal’s chances of making the top four. I hate to say it but fear our opponents for tomorrow’s opening game will sneak in and grab the Gunners’ slot … that is a shame because M Salut is a fully paid-up admirer of M Wenger and would be sad to see his club slip down the pecking order.

TheChelseaBlog: So, a new season awaits – what are you hoping to get from it?

SalutSunderland: More consistency – ie no mid-season slump – and an improvement on 10th top


What do you realistically expect?

Not to win 3-0 at Chelsea again! Ninth, maybe eighth.


Do you think the transfer window has been kind to you?

Yessish. Once it became clear we’d lose Henderson but be paid a lot for him, I think Bruce spent fairly well.

<strong Is there anyone you’d give your right arm to bring in?

It is more a case of what than who: left-sided creativity and a proven striker. We have not properly replaced Bent.

Who are your most important players?

O’Shea, Brown, Gyan, Bardsley and, for the future we hope, Wickham. (And should obviously have added Sessegnon)

What about opposition players? Which PL player worries you most?

Rooney still.

How do you think your manager stands up against the rest?

I like him and he’s good but he is also some way short of greatness. This is the season he really has to prove himself as it will be his squad, with no ifs and buts.


And your supporters – can they give the opposition a run for their money?

Should count for extra points at home and always give a great account of themselves away

Where do you think you’ll finish this season?

As mentioned, one or two places higher than last season’s 10th

Any predictions for the top four?

A bit obvious – and could easily be wrong – but 1) United 2) Chelsea ) City 4) Arsenal

* Please note that M Salut is now on the road to Liverpool and may not be around to moderate replies from supporters who have not posted before and get caught in the anti-spam pending box. Suffice to say, all comments are welcome subject to the usual rules of decency and will appear in due course.

Monsieur Salut

1 thought on “Chelsea came calling before Arsenal’s credit downgrade”

  1. Fair comment,particulalry about sSteve Bruce. This is his squad, his team and he has been well back by the board. This is the season for him to prove how good a manager he really is. As you say, no excuses for anything less than a comfortamble 8th or 9th. And by comfortbale I mean no mid season slump and no just sneaking in there on the last day on the backs of others poor results.

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