ja1

Probably would’ve been fine if he also had a decent performance overall and got a goal and assist.

Of course Alonso is a weak link. Not the first time he’s been hauled off early in a game for a terrible performance in his Chelsea career. When he gets dropped that won’t be the first time or the first manager who’s done it either, in fact every manager he’s played under has eventually dropped him.

The amount of hype and expectation on this guy, sometimes I feel sorry for him. He makes three cross field passes with no pressure on him in a half and Chelsea Twitter once again explodes with hyperbolic praise and sweeping statements. I don’t think there’s any other footballer out there his age with so much hysteria around him. I know they’re fans who are supporting him, but Christ.

Another fantastic performance from him. Type of performance that encapsulates his growth in character and application - best player on the pitch, instigating moves, really bringing the game to Everton on that right hand side.

A fair observation.

Echo everyone else’s thoughts about his improvement. Some different reflections on RJ, so the post will be a bit random but... - discussed before how maybe one of the major things lacking from him last season was that bit of assertiveness, aggression and positivity in his play. At the very start of this season I was starting to concede that, if this guy is truly so nonchalant in his play then midfield might be best for him. Well, he definitely has developed/is showing that side to his game this season. In his play on the ball, in his interactions off the ball, hell even the way he’s using social media. In several interviews, from the former youth players and RJ himself, he’s consistently described as loud on the pitch, if quiet off it. Didn’t see that last season but definitely see it this season. - I wonder if Lampard deserves a bit of credit as I suspect he planned from before the season started that RJ would be undisputed first choice. For most fans I think we were expecting another season of rotation at RB between Azpi and James. But from the very start it was clear RJ was first choice. Perhaps this has helped him develop that extra assurance and confidence in his play and persons this season - I think about at the start of last season I briefly suggested that maybe this guy would be a good choice for captain, during the time there was a lot of debate about who should be captain. Looking back that definitely would have been too early but this season I’m starting to warm to the idea again.. - I have a slight suspicion that RJ hits crosses in such a way that maybe it is harder than we give credit for for the recipient to score? I’m equally frustrated that so many of his chances seem to get spurred. It has actually been a thing since his Wigan days - RJ creating loads of chances and his teammates not finishing them off. but maybe..I wonder if RJ’s style of crossing. Which can be mixed but he does like a hard, fast cross straight to the player. Makes it harder than given credit for for the player to finish. I think that style increases likelihood of a successful cross in that it reaches the player but maybe harder for them to score. I dunno, just a random thesis I have 😅 - also..does anyone have a video/gif of another RJ moment in the Leeds match. There was a throw in on his side of the pitch and he kind of just ushers Jack Harrison off the pitch like a bouncer lol. Harrison had the same reaction as Bamford where it’s like ‘what can I do, the guys a brick house’

The article fails to address at all that actually one of the biggest reasons CHO isn’t playing more is his lack of quality in his appearances so far this season. If he performed better i’m sure he would’ve played more. The fact he hasn’t played more, when he’s one of the few wide options in our squad, with Ziyech and Pulisic injured for a while, speaks more volumes. The situation provides him an ideal situation to start for us regularly if he proved it. Thus far he hasn’t shown it yet. Perhaps in the future.

This is an odd way of thinking. Why not just appraise what you want of CHO independently of big club rumours. This same principle could apply to that Inter Milan were linked with Emerson, Barce and Madrid a few seasons ago linked with Alonso. It hardly changes my opinion of the player. Regardless, players like Renato Sanches, Arp, Odriozola and Cuisance just in the last few years discount the already illogical myth that Bayern ‘never get it wrong’ with young talent. Or that a young talent can go to Bayern and somehow is therefore destined to be world class. They’ve just spent £80m on Luis Hernandez for him to be a back-up (at best) LB, third choice (at best) CB. They’re a well run club, but not some infallible work of nature. If they’re offering £70m for CHO I think we are the winners in that. If we offered £70m for a 19 year old winger who just has not shown any consistent top-level quality in his senior career I would be against the move 🤷🏿‍♂️ Edit: I guess the £70m fee makes good headlines but thinking about the nuance of the deal it is actually smart move if Bayern for it (and not great for us). As others have implied, if he actually performs then they get a good player for £70m. If he doesn’t no issue, he just comes back to us. So it is just a low risk gamble. So to maybe change the final analogy in the above comment I wouldn’t mind if we got some random young talent on a loan to buy offer for £70m. As it is low risk. But I still don’t agree with the train of thought that because Bayern are interested, that means CHO is good. I’ll think he’s good when he starts showing consistent high level performances for us!

Oh I have said this for a long while. Most have woken up to him but still a bit of a myth that he’s a ‘great LWB just a terrible LB’ or ‘he’s great going forwards, it’s just his defence’. Some of the arguments I’ve had about this guy other the years..when I first piped up about how overrated I thought he was in Conte’s second season or maybe even towards the end of his first season, some of the replies would make you laugh.

He did very well for the goal. I don’t know if I’m being harsh or maybe being more objective vs the many CHO fans on Twitter but I wasn’t too impressed otherwise. He was very predictable in basically everything he did (as said, other than the goal).

I don’t see why a Championship loan would be out the question, if he were to leave on loan.

Great game. He has acclimatised to top-level football very quickly and it has surprised me a bit. He was good at youth level of course but so was, for example, Dujon Sterling. I definitely wouldn’t have predicted this impact going on loan to PL straight away. But it vindicates his decision to leave even more. he’s genuinely a good dribbler. He does everything quickly and positively. Even appears to have good delivery. Let’s see how he does over the season but I think he’s looking like he could be just as big a talent as RJ and AWB. Two thoughts - I wonder whether he’ll represent Ghana going forward with the almost ridiculous depth England have at RB. He has shown he isn’t afraid to seek out playing time. And at 5”5 i wonder whether PL managers would trust him as a full back in a back four. Brighton playing 5 at the back with him.

Big fan of James but yes I think this type of urgency, assertiveness and progression is what he needs to go to the next level. Lamptey was a perfect example today where he of course has talent but also just does everything quickly. I know it sounds kinda ambiguous / general but I think it’s what separates best attacking full backs from ok ones. Robertson is a good example of someone who does it well. Emerson lacked this as well even though he did have some ability.

Still sceptical he’ll get the gametime he needs tbh. But we’ll see.

Lol 😂 wasn’t expecting that. But yeah any top or even mid-level Championship side

I would be happy with him going and consolidating his game in the Championship. It’s the same type of loan I’ve been suggesting for him for the last 18 months lol (I think he should have got a loan like this as early as Jan 2018). Mount, Tomori, Abraham, James, and now Gallagher have all had a lot of success for their development, going to the Championship and playing regularly, I don’t see why Ampadu can’t follow suit. He is 20 this season, barely made 10 league appearances. He is of course still young but another season where he barely plays will be detrimental. Just give him a low risk loan (that, as said, clearly works) in Championship, a 3000-4000 minute season where he will actually play regularly. I get this type of regular gametime *could*happen with a Premier League loan. And if it did it is pretty much ideal for us and for Ampadu. But even for promoted teams it is just low probability he gets regular PL gametime I feel. It is rare for such an inexperienced player, especially on loan, to just get into a top team like that. I know it does happen (eg. AC at Mochengladbach) but given Ampadu has already had that type of aggressive loan at Leipzig which didn’t work (seriously baffles me anyone expected it to but that’s a different story) let’s just chill with him, and let him settle his game in the Championship.

A far more appropriate loan then sending him to the Bundesliga title challengers..who would’ve guessed it 🙄

Well said from Rory

I was just using it to back up that objectively Emerson was good at the start of the season, by all accounts, subjective opinion and objective stats, as it seems to be getting rewritten. I’m aware 4 good games isn’t significant in the grand scheme of things but then equally no reason to start playing it down! Hes 25 but still made less than 200 appearances, very unusual. Which is part of the reason why I go on about him having potential as he matures as a player, he does have vast room to improve.

Sorry my bad on that, misreading the stats. I’d still argue very much against a fallacy of ‘he played in this win, that’s why he’s better’ but it’s cool..there’s not much between them and no use debating the minutiae vs each

I’ve lost faith in Emerson but he was literally statistically one of the best LBs in the league the first four games and many people had him as our best player at the start of the season.

Bit random logic. With Alonso in the team we also lost to City 6-0 and he was culpable for at least two of the goals. He has been subbed off early this season three times for poor performances (Liverpool, Burnley and Ajax). Not sure why he’s turning into something he’s not.

Scored tonight, nice to see him finally enjoying an injury free period. He had been in good form recently.