OhForAGreavsie

I agree with most people about the positions we need to strengthen but I also believe you have to take good players whenever they are available. With that in mind I hope the club is throwing its hat in the ring for Goretzka and Malcolm. Our problem of course is that we’ve manoeuvred ourselves into a place where good players have little or no interest in joining Chelsea. Goretzka is a tremendous footballer, and therefore unfortunately an impossible target. Malcolm’s reputation might not yet be as firmly established so let’s go all in before he too moves beyond our reach. (Assuming he hasn’t already that is.)

Thank you. I have always thought of Draxler as having a bigger reputation than he is capable of delivering on. Because of that ‘fixed’ opinion I haven’t really watched him with an open mind for a while. Maybe I should reevaluate him.

I've never been a Draxler fan. What am I not seeing OMS?

As far as I know that provision only applies to transfers between leagues. Premier League teams are not permitted to contact each other’s players without the permission of the player’s existing club until contracts are fully expired. That certainly is how the rule used to be, and I am not aware that it has changed.

Just watched the all touches vid. 8 chances created is an extremely generous assessment by whoever compiled the stats.

Sorry my fault. For precisely the reason you gave, I haven’t bothered with this thread for a while but I read a post about United fans recalibrating their opinions of Rom and that made me wonder how their faith in Nemanja was holding up. I therefore came here to post a question about that, saw OMS’s comment from two months ago and replied to it.

Proven to be severely limited. I suppose I'd better add, in my opinion, for complete correctness but it's there to be seen. That's not my reading of the runes at all. It may be that Antonio did not want to sell Nemanja to a perceived rival but it does not look to me like he was desperate to keep him. The boss commented that he had a conversation with Matic and our ex player decided to leave. Sounds like Nemanja didn't hear what he wanted to hear during that exchange. Also, if Antonio wanted to hang on to the Serbian, he's not likely to have banished him to train with the stiffs as he did from preseason until the move was completed. The sale did not, and does not, bother me in the slightest. If anything baffles me it is why anyone would be upset that we sold Nemanja to a top six club. Win/win if you ask me.

And what are they saying about Nemanja? Are they still raving about him or is that delusion crumbling too?

Some also trotted out the usual cliches when I said he wasn't very good and that he shouldn't be at Chelsea after watching his debut back in 2011. "He's young", they said, "you're being too harsh", "he'll improve". There are many things a footballer can improve but his talent level is not one of them. Rom has indeed improved those areas which can be affected by coaching, experience and practice but, If you lack talent, you lack it and no matter how old you get, how much you practice, or how long you play, you're stuck that way. I stand by the prediction I made in 2012. No manager of a top team will ever be satisfied to have Rom as his first choice striker. Any such manager who takes a chance on Rom, will soon be looking for an upgrade.

Calum is seventeen years and two weeks old, Charlie is showing few signs and there is plenty of room in the squad for Duje plus a young signing or two. If you feel the jury is still out on Richarlison then that’s a fair enough opinion, but I wouldn’t say we shouldn’t sign young players per se. It’s just a matter of exercising good judgement and picking the right ones. I say ‘just’, but of course you’re right that it’s tough to identify the genuine prospects. We do have to try though, not least because we are struggling to attract the established stars.

Not all of us. I've seen exactly what I expected to see from Kenney.

That's wonderful!

Phew. We don't need any more injuries that's for sure.

Then you can't have been watching very closely, or more likely your memory has gone into highly selective mode. Sorry to be so definite about this but it's the only way to express how strongly I disagree on this point. Think we'll have to leave this in the agree to differ pile. But... Check the action at around 4:15 in the video below. Anyone who has been watching Chelsea since 2004 has seen hundreds of such examples, and I do not exaggerate. It is worth watching the whole video if you're so inclined because it includes more positive contributions from The Drog. I'm not saying he didn't find ways to be effective. He did. Sometimes devastatingly so. He just wasn't the ultra smooth technician I'm reading your comments to be suggesting he was/is. That video wasn't selected to make my point. It was the first listed when I searched YouTube for "Drogba Vs".

Remembering that we’re talking about quality of close control specifically, and not necessarily about overall impact, then, in no particular order; Henry, Bergkamp, Suarez, Ibrahimovic, Van Nistelroy, Van Persie, Zola, Gudjohndon, Aguero. I did think about it for a few minutes, but I’m sure I’ve missed more than one who I would include in my list if I was reminded about them.

No it isn't. He is a professional footballer. All pro players are capable of great things and The Drog certainly was and is. There are many, many examples of outstanding control throughout his Chelsea career but there are more of poor touch. Look at Rom. His supporters could make a long highlight vid featuring moments of great technical excellence, yet all people who have watched him play know that such a video would give the wrong impression of Lukaku's overall standard. The Drog over Rom all day, everyday, but was his close control among the Premier League's best ever? Absolutely not.

Glad you are aware of my balanced fair minded approach. I’ve been supporting this club for more than half a century and I recommend it.

No idea what was said today but I’m a big fan of Gary Neville. He’s insightful and fair minded. The same can’t always be said about us when it comes to Chelsea.

I know you weren't really suggesting we should hold out hope for Kennedy but here goes even so. It has taken Kennedy twenty years to get where he is now. He isn't going to complete the journey ever, never mind in a matter of weeks. He is 100% not a wingback. No chance. None. If there are genuinely people who want to believe that the blame lies with Antonio then they are as deluded as those who were blaming Jose.

I've only watched highlight reels so far so haven't yet moved on to the all touches videos. Fekir is an obvious talent. It's clear to see why you like him but I have to say I prefer the other player mentioned a lot in the last few pages, Malcolm. He just seems a bit slicker, a bit more two footed and a bit sharper with his passing. A lot to claim to gauge from just highlights I grant you.

Ah, I see. That kind of acknowledged. Thank you.

What did he say?

Yes, it’s a strange comment from Antonio. If N’Golo is ‘nearly’ ready then you might look for the right moment to put him in the team. If he’s actually ready however, he starts surly.

OK, I’ll check out YouTube for a ticket.

He didn't say he expected it. He said he hoped for it, and I bet you do too. I know I do.