Thibaut Courtois

[bluesman2610 1,217]

Back to back clean sheets for Thibaut and the backline .. I like this direction we are headed in

[Siwy_CFC 7]

Back to back clean sheets for Thibaut and the backline .. I like this direction we are headed in

I feel very enthusiastic too when i see how we play and results we take. Clean sheet yesterday but at least he doesnt have to much work.

[Myself 793]

B/c RM / Barca.

Unfortunately that is the case. Very concerning that Casillas is on the list, smells like corruption..

[BlueLion. 21,491]

If you all remember this time last season, Cech conceded 8 goals from 8 shots on target and we kept only four clean sheets in our first 17 matches. We then ended the season as the league's most miserly defence. Lightning has struck twice in this regard, Courtois has been seriously unlucky with all the goals he has conceded, I don't hold him culpable for any opposition strike we've conceded this season at all. But even for a confident keeper, a clean sheet buoys you, and when you start to get a little run of six or seven clean sheets over a period of ten matches, for instance, you start to feel invincible.

[Jase 43,479]

Gary Neville on Courtois...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/manchester-united/11260655/David-de-Gea-is-Manchester-Uniteds-most-important-player-right-now.html

Courtois has the talent to become the best goalkeeper in the world in the next 12 to 18 months. I believe he will go past Neuer. The player of the season so far, for me, is not Sergio Agüero but Chelsea’s new No1, who has brought a smile to my face. And not many goalkeepers make me smile.

In the Premier League, the ultimate test of physicality, it was almost a hallelujah moment to see how he dealt with crosses and set-pieces. My stance when a ball travels through the air into the box is that there has to be an excellent reason why it does not end up belonging to the keeper.

Watch Courtois’ starting positions when the ball is crossed. As he steps out he has already anticipated where the crosser is aiming it and is standing there already when it arrives. It is a fantastic ability. I will always argue for catching over punching and Courtois destroys the myth that punching is always a better option.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Courtois can fly

at the matched banner.

[DavidEU 2,023]

4 clean sheets in a row now for him and the back 4. 440 minutes without conceeding, after a bit of criticism that we weren't keeping any.

Keep it up T-Bo.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

4 clean sheets in a row now for him and the back 4. 440 minutes without conceeding, after a bit of criticism that we weren't keeping any.

Keep it up T-Bo.

He looks more like a "Chelsea goalkeeper" now, i.e. he isn't as fidgety in his goal, and seems just generally more relaxed with his all-round game. I think he was trying to impress too much in his early games, though, in fairness, barely any of the goals he's conceded have been his fault this season, IMO, besides Huntelaar's goal at the Bridge where he got his angles horribly wrong (good finish though in fairness from one of my favourite strikers).

[OhForAGreavsie 5,773]

Courtois can fly

at the matched banner.

What a fantastic photograph. Hope it's not 'shopped'.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

What a fantastic photograph. Hope it's not 'shopped'.

Yes, the timing is perfect. I believe it is real photo.

[OhForAGreavsie 5,773]

Yes, the timing is perfect. I believe it is real photo.

Well with the ball noticeably compressed would be even better timing, but near perfect for sure. The sharpness is incredible, even down to the reflection of the ball on the crossbar.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Well with the ball visibly compressed would be even better timing but near perfect for sure. The sharpness is incredible, even down to the reflection of the ball on the crossbar.

Ah yes, just millisecond after that would be nice, maybe he missed that and this is the closest one.

[Jase 43,479]

Thibaut Courtois is equally worthy of Manuel Neuer's Ballon d'Or honour

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Thibaut Courtois is equally worthy of Manuel Neuer's Ballon d'Or honour

Nah he isn't. Sorry Chelsea fans. He had a wonderful season, but Neuer is just something else. In terms of performances it's close, but Neuer was the star of the World Cup for me and an integral part in Germany's triumph, plus it's not as if Bayern had a bad season.

[HD3D 1,038]

Nah he isn't. Sorry Chelsea fans. He had a wonderful season, but Neuer is just something else. In terms of performances it's close, but Neuer was the star of the World Cup for me and an integral part in Germany's triumph, plus it's not as if Bayern had a bad season.

I understand that Neur has a better claim to the Ballon D'or than Courtois since he's won his domestic championship and the world cup. But the reality is also this:

- Neur plays in a league with practically zero competition where his club owns a monopoly. His achievements domestically (record of cleansheets, etc.) are thus massively overrated. On the other hand, Courtois and his club challenged and beat the domination of arguably the 2 best clubs in the world Barcelona and Madrid. Courtois can say he had a tremendous contribution in his team's hard road to the title. Neur can't say that because there never was a hard road.

- Neur was raped 4-0 against Real Madrid, meanwhile Courtois was credited man of the match when Atletico eliminated Barcelona in the Champions league. He then went on the reach the final. Also, he was credited multiple times throughout the season as the savior in League and Cup games against Madrid and Barcelona. This is because, unlike Bayern which plays possession, Atletico's strategy was to park the bus which meant tremendous hard work for the keeper.

- Neur played with the strongest team in the world cup. The ONLY team that gave Germany a semi-hard time was Argentina in the final and they only had 2 or 3 dangerous chances, where Neur didn't do anything Courtois wouldn't have done.

- Neur benefits from the fact that Germany has no other star that can be marketed as best in the world (because that star would have to be judged on the standards set by Cristiano and Messi) and the same happens with Bayern, which originally and ridiculously tried to promote Ribery as best in the world, which failed horribly, and now tries to promote Neur because it's not possible to compare him to Cristiano and Messi.

In sum: Neur is a wonderful goalkeeper, but not much better than Courtois. He benefits from a privileged position at club and country level which makes him, in my opinion, overrated. Overrated when people compare him to Buffon and overrated when people try to claim he's worthy of the Ballon D'or.

[Chelsea? 892]

Is he hurt?

[nyikolajevics 2,420]

Is he hurt?

Yes, he has a minor injury.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

I understand that Neur has a better claim to the Ballon D'or than Courtois since he's won his domestic championship and the world cup. But the reality is also this:

- Neur plays in a league with practically zero competition where his club owns a monopoly. His achievements domestically (record of cleansheets, etc.) are thus massively overrated. On the other hand, Courtois and his club challenged and beat the domination of arguably the 2 best clubs in the world Barcelona and Madrid. Courtois can say he had a tremendous contribution in his team's hard road to the title. Neur can't say that because there never was a hard road.

- Neur was raped 4-0 against Real Madrid, meanwhile Courtois was credited man of the match when Atletico eliminated Barcelona in the Champions league. He then went on the reach the final. Also, he was credited multiple times throughout the season as the savior in League and Cup games against Madrid and Barcelona. This is because, unlike Bayern which plays possession, Atletico's strategy was to park the bus which meant tremendous hard work for the keeper.

- Neur played with the strongest team in the world cup. The ONLY team that gave Germany a semi-hard time was Argentina in the final and they only had 2 or 3 dangerous chances, where Neur didn't do anything Courtois wouldn't have done.

- Neur benefits from the fact that Germany has no other star that can be marketed as best in the world (because that star would have to be judged on the standards set by Cristiano and Messi) and the same happens with Bayern, which originally and ridiculously tried to promote Ribery as best in the world, which failed horribly, and now tries to promote Neur because it's not possible to compare him to Cristiano and Messi.

In sum: Neur is a wonderful goalkeeper, but not much better than Courtois. He benefits from a privileged position at club and country level which makes him, in my opinion, overrated. Overrated when people compare him to Buffon and overrated when people try to claim he's worthy of the Ballon D'or.

You are entitled to your opinion and I respect it, but I don't think anyone can say Buffon is a better goalkeeper than Manuel Neuer. And of course he is worthy of the Ballon d'Or, he is one of the best players in world football. He isn't just a goalkeeper, he is a footballer. We'll agree to disagree, whilst you make some wonderful points regarding Courtois-Neuer, to then say he isn't worthwhile of being a nominee for World Player of the Year (most people seem to think that only goalscorers should be worthy of that commendation) and he isn't as good as Buffon is laughable, tbh.