Some good points and I agree that I think its hard to break in to the top few without massive investment. However, with the new Premier league rules and Euopean Fair play rules I think you'll find an increased expenditure on the club and less on player wages. Although I am not one who condemns player for earning what they can. However, its always been difficult to break in to the TOP group. Clubs have to grow and build up their fan bases and ability to generate money. At the end of the day they are a busines.

Your question about Chelsea youth 'imports' is an important one. However, whilst it was true when Abramovich first arrived a lot of youth imports were bought (Arsenal are the 'best' or 'worst' at least depending on your perspective)it is definately NOT true in recent years. The vast amount of youth players are English. My previous post on this issue answers that.

For someone who is obviously quite articulate I'm struggling to understand why you'd want to troll one of Palace's main sites and do the 'my club is better than your club' schoolyard stuff.

Emulating idiots who may do it on your board is surely just childish. What you're doing isn't 'banter', it's a wind up, pure and simple.

Of course Chelsea are a better football club now. However in basically becoming Abramovic's plaything your club lost its independence and quite a lot of respect from other clubs. Yeah, lots of us envy you your success but it's also true that we don't really respect your club. You're sold out, become a Russian's club. You lot bend over for him, I say this genuinely it's embarrassing to watch. He's a positive for you sure but any denial of the negatives is false bluster or simple ignorance or denial.

For most Chelsea fans, in the round, this is a good deal...To become a massive club this probably has to happen as in today's world, money has disfigured everything so much...You don't need to develop and produce anything yourself, you can just buy success. Good for you, I really mean that.

Look at the difference in resources between Palace and Chelsea yet our youth team isn't only nearly exclusively from our own area but it's playing with the elites. This is something we are really proud of.

Moses and Zaha will always feel proud wearing our shirt not because of how much money we can pay them but because this is where they started and were first loved.

No big time charlies can take that away from us.

Edited by Stirlingsays (14 Feb 2013 11.29am)

Look at the difference in resources between Palace and Chelsea yet our youth team isn't only nearly exclusively from our own area but it's playing with the elites. This is something we are really proud of.

Moses and Zaha will always feel proud wearing our shirt not because of how much money we can pay them but because this is where they started and were first loved.

No big time charlies can take that away from us.

Edited by Stirlingsays (14 Feb 2013 11.29am)

Finally an educated debate! I think there is an element of truth regarding the problems with youth development at the bigger clubs. I think also that when you are looking for instant success there is a need to buy the right players to do this. Chelsea did it, as have City. However a closer analysis of our youth system over the last few years indicates a sea-change in terms of the amount of foreign talent we buy and the amount we produce. As stated in a previous post the vast majority of our youth team players are english.

Additionally Chelsea are developing the system of loaning very good young players out and if they do well then bringing them back. Look closely at our loan players and you will see that they are forging careers at the highest level and if they are successful (to the level to play for us) they will return and be part of the team. Palace even benefited from this with Scott Sinclair.