🇧🇪 Thibaut Courtois

[Atholy 1,293]

Mind games?

No, not in my opinion. Simply rotation.

Cech is three games away from breaking the PL clean sheets record and his history here means he deserves the chances to try and attain that achievement.

Courtois will just have to deal with that fact. While you have another of the world's top five goalkeepers you can never be an undisputed number one. Courtois has to appreciate the fact he has played 66% of our games this season, because the other 34% have seen Petr Cech take to the field. Petr freakin Cech. We're not talking about Ross Turnbull here. We're seeing Mourinho use two world class goalkeepers, and why ever not? If it brings the best out of the two of them and they're both relatively happy, then it can only be a good thing for the Club.

When Petr inevitably moves on in the summer, Courtois will be the number one for definite. BUT - until then, he's going to have to bide his time. If he wanted to play for a club where he'd play 90% of the games he should have asked to stay in Spain for another year. Cech is goalkeeping royalty and Thibaut has to respect that fact, which I'm sure he does. I think he actually relishes having to be at his best because he knows one sub-par game and that could be curtains for the remainder of the season.

Hi Alex! I understand what you're saying and I can agree on that.

Let me rephrase what I wanted to say with 'mind games'. (Also bare in mind that I posted this before José gave his explanation, which was a very reasonable one imo!)

In general I'm not a big fan of rotation amongst GK's and certainly not in benching them after a weaker game. IMO a goalkeepers most loyal friend is: confidence! So as a coach, you cannot protect your 1st GK enough I think. Even after a total blunder... (or maybe even two)... I would still show confidence to my 1st GK because that's just what they need. Also frankly I don't care if that 1st GK is Thibaut or Petr (this is José's choice and the boys should fight for this spot in training).

I absolutely had nu clue Petr was this close of getting the EPL clean sheets records. He deserves this more than anyone else. So sure I would take this in consideration when interchanging those two! But I would only do this if I knew my 1st GK (in this case Thibaut) is mentally strong enough to cope with this situation of being benched after 'a weaker game'. Apparently this is also the case with Courtois, otherwise I'm pretty sure José wouldn't have done it.

In the long shot I also don't think it's a healthy thing to have 2 of the T0P 5 GK in the world in the same team. They miraculously seem to have a good connection at the moment (let's pray this remains until we are the League Champs!)... but eventually a situation like this is a recipe for disaster. Furthermore it's not really fair to one of the two that have to be happy with 'second pick'. None of the Top 5 Goalies in the world deserve this status. It makes my heart bleed to see Petr on the bench all the time!!

But from our (fans) point of view... we are very spoiled and we should enjoy this as long as we could of course !!!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Hi Alex! I understand what you're saying and I can agree on that.

Let me rephrase what I wanted to say with 'mind games'. (Also bare in mind that I posted this before José gave his explanation, which was a very reasonable one imo!)

In general I'm not a big fan of rotation amongst GK's and certainly not in benching them after a weaker game. IMO a goalkeepers most loyal friend is: confidence! So as a coach, you cannot protect your 1st GK enough I think. Even after a total blunder... (or maybe even two)... I would still show confidence to my 1st GK because that's just what they need. Also frankly I don't care if that 1st GK is Thibaut or Petr (this is José's choice and the boys should fight for this spot in training).

I absolutely had nu clue Petr was this close of getting the EPL clean sheets records. He deserves this more than anyone else. So sure I would take this in consideration when interchanging those two! But I would only do this if I knew my 1st GK (in this case Thibaut) is mentally strong enough to cope with this situation of being benched after 'a weaker game'. Apparently this is also the case with Courtois, otherwise I'm pretty sure José wouldn't have done it.

In the long shot I also don't think it's a healthy thing to have 2 of the T0P 5 GK in the world in the same team. They miraculously seem to have a good connection at the moment (let's pray this remains until we are the League Champs!)... but eventually a situation like this is a recipe for disaster. Furthermore it's not really fair to one of the two that have to be happy with 'second pick'. None of the Top 5 Goalies in the world deserve this status. It makes my heart bleed to see Petr on the bench all the time!!

But from our (fans) point of view... we are very spoiled and we should enjoy this as long as we could of course !!!

If it wasn't Cech, and if Cech himself wasn't so close to the record, there would be next to no rotation, of course.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Cech is three games away from breaking the PL clean sheets record and his history here means he deserves the chances to try and attain that achievement.

Jose will do it on purpose, playing Courtois after Cech just one game sort left until the end of season. Cech will think 'uh oh' and he will stay for another year, lol

[Atholy 1,293]

If it wasn't Cech, and if Cech himself wasn't so close to the record, there would be next to no rotation, of course.

It's also fair to say that I traveled all the way to London (thx to you by the way :tophat: ) with the idea to see 4 countrymen. I was a little dissapointed to see only 2 in the starting line up.

Especially Thibaut not playing was an unpleasant surprise!

But luckily it's not all about me... Otherwise also KDB and Lukaku (in the right blue) would be on the pitch. Oh yeah I think I can be biased sometimes

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yeah, but Jose has put him on the bench because he wanted the coaching of Petr. So the only reason why he is benched is the fact that he is 22 years old.

Yes, experience is very important in football and can at times be invaluable.

[MCM4PR3Z 411]

A journalist asked Courtois if he is bothered that Cech gets his chance now, after that he began the season as the first goalkeeper.

"I have no problem at all with the situation. Cech has been a world class goalkeeper for a very long time now. If I listen to him, I still can learn a lot. If he makes a very good save, I wanna do that too. We keep each other at a very high level."

That's how you answer a difficult question in the media. Watch and learn, Lukaku.

[Stingray 9,441]

Watch and learn, Lukaku.

Not enough brainpower for that I'm afraid :-)

[MCM4PR3Z 411]

2 good saves, one world class save first half. So just a bad game against Villa

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

That's how you answer a difficult question in the media. Watch and learn, Lukaku.

The difference is of course that Courtois knows he's good enough to always become first choice eventually if he keeps working. He has no need to worry at all.

[DH1988 1,348]

Just doesn't seem sure of himself like earlier in the season few good performances or clean sheets will hopefully do the trick

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Don't doubt the 2nd best gk in the world...

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

Don't doubt the 2nd best gk in the world...

after Petr

[Stingray 9,441]

What. A. Display. I just love our duo tbh. It oozes quality!

[MCM4PR3Z 411]

2 good saves, 2 excellent saves, one world class save. Goal was impossible to save. 9,5/10

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Very good performance tonight, but I have to say I expected him to make all of those saves. That's how much confidence I have in him.

Matuidi header - arguably should catch it but he parried it well away from danger.

Ibrahimovic first header - very unorthodox to kind of slap it away, but it got the job done.

Cavani first header - arguably going to hit the post but you can't afford to take the risk. Did well to read the situation, especially as there was no defender on the post.

Cavani second header/goal - no chance with it, headed down into the ground and all the time in the world to pick his spot. He has every right to be disgusted with his defence.

Ibrahimovic one-on-one - again he should make the save and he did, and got the stroke of luck he deserved with JT/Dave's block.

Luiz header - I don't actually think he touched it despite the referee giving a corner. But if he did, again its a save he should make.

Ibrahimovic second header - he did well as it was headed into the ground, but again I had no doubts he'd make the save.

I have no gripes over his performance, the one annoyance is the slap from Ibra's early header rather than making a catch or at least a traditional parry. He still looks a little edgy but his cross collection and dominance of his box was back to his usual standard. I wouldn't call this a particularly brilliant performance because this is what I expect from the second best goalkeeper in the world.

[lionsden 4,689]

Jose should buy him a nice bottle of wine because he literally saved his ass tonight.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Very good performance tonight, but I have to say I expected him to make all of those saves. That's how much confidence I have in him.

Matuidi header - arguably should catch it but he parried it well away from danger.

Ibrahimovic first header - very unorthodox to kind of slap it away, but it got the job done.

Cavani first header - arguably going to hit the post but you can't afford to take the risk. Did well to read the situation, especially as there was no defender on the post.

Cavani second header/goal - no chance with it, headed down into the ground and all the time in the world to pick his spot. He has every right to be disgusted with his defence.

Ibrahimovic one-on-one - again he should make the save and he did, and got the stroke of luck he deserved with JT/Dave's block.

Luiz header - I don't actually think he touched it despite the referee giving a corner. But if he did, again its a save he should make.

Ibrahimovic second header - he did well as it was headed into the ground, but again I had no doubts he'd make the save.

I have no gripes over his performance, the one annoyance is the slap from Ibra's early header rather than making a catch or at least a traditional parry. He still looks a little edgy but his cross collection and dominance of his box was back to his usual standard. I wouldn't call this a particularly brilliant performance because this is what I expect from the second best goalkeeper in the world.

But Cech saving 2 shots straight at him against Everton is a lot better...I agree he didn't do anything out of the ordinary tonight, but then again that is what a top class GK does. Sometime it is not about punching a 30 yards driver on to the bar but making sure the really basic sticks.

[zolayes 14,489]

thought Tibo was superb tonight

[The_Flash 1,144]

Some fantastic saves tonight

[MCM4PR3Z 411]

But Cech saving 2 shots straight at him against Everton is a lot better...I agree he didn't do anything out of the ordinary tonight, but then again that is what a top class GK does. Sometime it is not about punching a 30 yards driver on to the bar but making sure the really basic sticks.

The Cavani save in the first half was unreal, and I think the ball would have been at the inside of the post, so it certainly saved us. His 2 saves in the second half were also far from standard, but the very best goalkeepers save those balls indeed. Very very good game.