robsblubot

Some excellent points made on this thread, on both sides of the argument (the OK vs fucked). We prob lie somewhere in between the two.... Think we all can agree on a couple of bizarre signings (CMs) and the disappointment in the striker position, which I too am still hopeful of an improvement. Striker is a very difficult position to fix. The GK situation corroborates my reasoning as to why we are so slow, and frankly, bad at transfers. While I do believe resources aren't as abundant as they once were, the real reason for me is that this club is reactive and not proactive. In the world of business, it means the club is not doing well and is getting behind clubs who are more proactive, not only dealing with transfers, but marketing, PR, etc. Back to the GK, it's not just the fact his contract is ending soon, but the fact we currently have not one but two stopgap options as subs. We have no aspiring, younger player, like Courtois himself once was, to eventually take over and have a shot at turning into a great GK. We seem to be incapable of providing these opportunities to younger players, which to me also points to the fact the club just doesn't think long-term. The system/formation change may help certain players, including Alonso. Pace is more important to a wing back than it is for a LB, esp a tall one who can help out the defense by winning high balls (as he has done plenty of). Moses on the other hand will be hard to fit as I don't think he's good enough to play in attack. It will be an interesting season with many bets on young and establish players... can't wait. * Bakayoko needs leave the club though (he must not be in the team starting the season)

heh hope so. Still would rather have had David Luiz in midfield against Belgium than fucking Fernandinho (choke) or chinese Paulinho against Belgium.... that's over and now we are back to real football... with fucking bakayoko

haha I don't dislike DL, and think his technique is absolutely incredible. Pretty physical too, so definitely an interesting player. Just don't think he's mentally fit to be a great CB (again we are talking about 'great' here). I honestly think DL might have become a fucking great CM (not even DM) had he moved into midfield and applied himself. The skill and physicality were all there.

not sure it would've been enough - mikel was still a very simple player (in my view way too limited for a team like CHelsea). I was going to turn into jose mourinho and compare players with red wine (instead of eggs), but decided not to. Does it make a difference if you hand over the ball via a brain fart vs the inaptitude of making a simple pass vs being immobile (and easily skipped past)? Mikel is Cahill while Bakayoko is David Luiz. OK maybe Bakayoko is the worst of Cahill and DL?

It pains me to admit it, but you might be right.

ok so I'm going to just say it: Ramires had batter technique and better passing esp considering how quick he was. Considering how slow Bakayoko is, his technique is even more glaringly lacking. The player is not culpable; our staff is (esp scouts). He's such a poor player that he may still be a liability as a backup. He needs to go... just not good enough as a backup and blocks more promising younger players.

Last time I watched him play he was bakayoko kinda bad. Unplayable at this level. i have not been following him, but he is small and used to lack power big time. Not that pacey either:). Very hard to imagine he would do well in the PL.

Agreed and the same applies to other, more important players, in the squad. If he wants to leave, then why keep a player who’s mind is elsewhere?

all this drama ... https://www.premierleague.com/players/4503/Eden-Hazard/stats?co=1&se=-1 and an actual link too! Can filter by season and compare with other players to have an idea of effectiveness and characteristics. We all have eyeballs, so just additional info. The club will be just fine with or without hazard. For me it is simple actually: sign a new deal or fuck off.

now THAT's a proper transfer window!!! Only this much DRAMA can follow up the World Cup we just had.

190m euros?! Could someone please translate to a currency I can understand? So, exactly how many bakayokos can we buy with that? I’m half joking here...

Right, but it’s a bit of a requirement when he’s field so high up the pitch... to create or score. Because someone has to dot it... the whole point is to score goals. move him back a bit, perhaps at the tip of a 3-men midfield with freedom to roam when the opportunity arises. Similar to what fabregas has done in certain games. We would need, prob do anyway, more goal scorers in the squad. It can’t be all down to the striker.

sorry thought the smiley there would be enough. Was trying to be ironic (hopefully not sarcastic) and failed. I totally agree with you and would love, like I said, that he did do more of the things that I think he does not do enough of. On the other hand I was proposing that perhaps we shouldn't be trying to make him do the things we know he's not so great at and focus on the things he does really well: movement, dribbling and possession - incidentally things that he could also do a bit deeper and perhaps with a bit more space and vision.

First Sarri says he will improve Hazard, which is clearly not possible. And now ^^ RM says Hazard is not a galatico... just crazy talk! Have a feeling he will not go, given the time left in the transfer window. He would only be sold if forced the exit, and I don't think he'd want to tarnish his image having spent so many years at the club. That will not make it any simpler in the next transfer windows though. Personally, I wish he would either sign a new deal or get sold, so that the club can move on. On a diff subject, watching him in this WC started thinking about his characteristics as a player as well as the things I wish he could do more of when playing so close to the opponent's goal: namely, more chances created and, less importantly, more goals. Under conte he would play very high up the pitch, even as a false 9 on occasion, with little success (IMO). Which I always thought exacerbates his weaknesses more than benefits him as a player. So I'm wondering whether we shouldn't be doing the opposite: bring him a bit deeper and let him control more of the game. I think that will take place anyway as he grows older and loses pace. It's not like he will change as a player at this stage in his career. It's a big part of Sarri's job to find the best way to use hazard, and perhaps that has not been the case lately with managers forcing him to be what he isn't.

And I hope you are right. good poacher and definitely more aggressive than both morata and giroud. Not that skillful and has had some issues with fitness... the guy got heavy playing football...

regardless of fee, Higuain is just not that good and is unlikely to improve the squad vs Giroud and Morata. Weird target for us.

This is going to be a tough one for the club and player. He shows glimpses of quality, making good runs and causing lots of problems to the opposition at times. He is powerful and has quick acceleration, which allows him to beat players in short distances. He's not very mobile and drifts in and out of games. He's definitely NOT a CM at this time, but could be an interesting player coming off the bench esp when we need a goal at SB. Would that be enough for him? hard to say - perhaps Sarri and Loftus need a long chat.

The issue is, as usual, about money... This might be the last chance the club has to sell Hazard at full price. If what you say happens, but say he does not sign a deal, then come Jan the club will be desperate to sell, which already means cut price. And the desperation would only increase come winter... at which point the player may choose to see out his deal. Honestly hoped this whole thing would have been settled prior to, or at least early during, the transfer window. Yay or nay... This club lacks long-term vision.

What's the catch with Belgium's Tielemans? He looked pretty good to me - pretty good technique and the type of player we need. I know he's at Monaco, but can't be all that expensive given his age and low exposure (so far).

If memory serves, my whole argument in this very same thread was that Eden's influence in the game is more subtle than of say KDB's, especially for Belgium. And I remember a very similar story in last WC. By subtle I mean that yes, movement, and dribbling *MAY* cause problems and open up spaces, but they also may not. It did NOT cause too many problems to France as they kept their shape despite all that dribbling from Eden (however many take ons). Dribbling is also less effective in tougher matches - can attest to that being Brazilian and having watched several world cups with many types of players. There are assists and creating chances... Assist tally is important because it infers the quality of the chance created, although they also depend (as you point out) on the quality of the finisher and players around. However, Hazard is low on chances created too, once again, for the player he is/his tier. Regardless whether the chances turn into goals or not, he does not create enough chances nor is he consistent enough creating them, esp in tough games. He just does not put players in front of the goal often enough for me. IMO his goal tally is less of a "problem" (just something he lacks) than his passing in the final third. First it was chelsea that lacked quality around hazard. Now apparently belgium lacks quality too, but one thing is certain: it's never on hazard as he is immune to criticism.

But you are (hazard fan) aren’t you? Hazard or Chelsea first dare I ask? either way, the dribbling argument is the craziest thing I’ve read around here tbh. Like your changing reality to make hazard look better... :). The definition of a fan. And yet it does not happen does it? The players remain in position track back and mark zone. did not see France lose their shape despise edens dribbling. Or the game for the matter. And yet one looks at the number of assists by hazard and they are very low. Especially in key games.

Thanks for the chances you are giving me as well as the condescending tone - much appreciated. Hazard is more than a dribbler, otherwise Douglas Costa would have the same valuation. And yet Hazard is the more important player, because he does, on many occasions, directly influence the game by scoring and assisting (D.Costa does not as much). My criticism of Hazard is not that he does not do those things (goals and assists), but that he does not do those things as often as other players who happen to have higher valuation in football (causation implied). So, what you call stupid arguments, I merely call reality based on the valuation of the players being discussed. Hazard is low on assists... don't know where you get all these chances he creates from. Doesn't he have fewer assists than Willian in the league? Yes. Ronaldo does not seem to have any problem scoring plenty of goals for Portugal, but it's really not about the number of goals. Portugal which I consider a mediocre team (far less quality than Hazard has around for both Belgium and Chelsea). You've just implied (strongly) that Ronaldo is not better than Hazard, which is exactly where we disagree (and I am far from a CR fan).

Who says I don't appreciate him? It's just that you talk about him as the best player in the world, which he clearly isn't. His valuation in football does not match your, and some here, rating (of him). What's the difference between him and Messi? Make it simpler, Eden and Ronaldo? Eden is *better* on the ball, and yet Ronaldo is the better player... because this is a game about scoring goals. Heh it doesn't work like that... You don't get to get the last word by decree. When you are done with someone, simply don't reply to her posts, and preferably add her to the ignore list. You seem to get annoyed by any criticism on Hazard, so please do use your ignore list - that's what it's for.

If you call anyone who doesn't rate Hazard as highly as you do a fucktard, then I am definitely one, and very proud of it. BTW, I understand assists and passes too...

Yeah ditto. hah fanboys... As much as it would hurt if Hazard left the club, the silver lining would be Hazard FC fans gone too. He won't leave though, because RM will go for Mbappe, better, younger, and with an end product. So how many chances did he create? How did he help his team with his many take ons? just one of many... Not posting this as proof of anything, just that I'm not alone in my thinking.