Thibaut Courtois

[Weckerz 3,781]

It's ok Alex. I understand your view on it. I think you slightly underrate Courtois, while me and others probably overrate him a bit. The sweet spot is probably in between

[Stingray 9,441]

It's ok Alex. I understand your view on it. I think you slightly underrate Courtois, while me and others probably overrate him a bit. The sweet spot is probably in between

The sweet spot is ALWAYS in between ....

Gnah, gnah, gnah :-)

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Not denying but being attacked unnecessarily for writing different view.

Then who's doing that? Disagreeing with someone is not attacking someone.

[bushman 2,043]

Then who's doing that? Disagreeing with someone is not attacking someone.

Ok it makes no sense to derail this thread. I just tell him to fuck off next time.

[The Mak 4,459]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8483316/Chelsea-s-on-loan-goalkeeper-Thibaut-Courtois-coy-over-future

Chelsea's on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois coy over future

"It is true that, at the moment, I am not sure what is going to happen next year because it is not only me that decides. It was me that decided to go to Chelsea, though, and I am really happy to be a Chelsea player.

"Before the end of the season, we will sit down and talk again. Whatever decision we take I am sure will be the right one. If I can stay here and we are in the Champions League, maybe that is better than being in the Premier League. I do not have experience in the Champions League, and that is the level Chelsea want me to get to."

Why do they have to try to make it out like he's leaving Chelsea or something? He simply just said he doesn't know if he's going on loan again or not. Fucking media.

[Jase 43,479]

Apparently, Guillem Balague suggested on Sky Sports that we have offered 30m and Courtois for Falcao.

[English Freak 456]

Apparently, Guillem Balague suggested on Sky Sports that we have offered 30m and Courtois for Falcao.

Yeh Balague also stated on Sky Sports that Barcelona had a deal in place to sign Neymar for 30 million after the 2014 World Cup.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Well, considering Balague is nearly always wrong, i'm not worried.

[zolayes 14,489]

Apparently, Guillem Balague suggested on Sky Sports that we have offered 30m and Courtois for Falcao.

I used to respect Balague but he is becoming a TWAT

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Apparently, Guillem Balague suggested on Sky Sports that we have offered 30m and Courtois for Falcao.

Sounds like bad business. 30m AND Thibaout, we are geting ripped off. Though, that's just daily Chelsea business as we've seen in the past.

[Spike 12,049]

I'll vomit if Coutrois is sold.

[Blue Gino 377]

If Cech continues at a top level for another four years, Falcao is winning Golden Boots and Chelsea are collecting trophies, would anyone still be sick of the thought the day Thibaut was sold?

[Spike 12,049]

If Cech continues at a top level for another four years, Falcao is winning Golden Boots and Chelsea are collecting trophies, would anyone still be sick of the thought the day Thibaut was sold?

Four year vesus 15. I don't like Falcao at all. Would prefer Cavani over him everytime. Falcao is so one dimensional like Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Atletico Madrid are exactly the same as Manchester United were 10 years ago. They relied on their big striker (Falcao/Van Nistelrooy) waaaay too mcuh. I would prefer a dynamic striker like Henry, Aguero, Van Persie over a fox in the box.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This rumor is completely ridiculous to me. Why would Athletico, who have huge financial issues, pay 20m (or shave 20m off the Falcao deal) for keeper when they have an excellent goalie in Sergio Asenjo on the bench?

[Blue Gino 377]

This rumor is completely ridiculous to me. Why would Athletico, who have huge financial issues, pay 20m (or shave 20m off the Falcao deal) for keeper when they have an excellent goalie in Sergio Asenjo on the bench?

It does sound odd, but so was the pursuit of Jack Butland.

[Stingray 9,441]

Four year vesus 15. I don't like Falcao at all. Would prefer Cavani over him everytime. Falcao is so one dimensional like Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Atletico Madrid are exactly the same as Manchester United were 10 years ago. They relied on their big striker (Falcao/Van Nistelrooy) waaaay too mcuh. I would prefer a dynamic striker like Henry, Aguero, Van Persie over a fox in the box.

I completely agree here. This is a long term versus short term strategy. Courtois - besides being an awesome belgian :-) - is a future asset to us, where as I am not sure about Falcao. Sorry to go into Falcao/Cavani here but it is relevant for Courtois.

I am glad Spike said it out loud, because I thinkit is true. Ok, Falcao got a LOT of talk. He scored a lot of goals and is in his prime now (28 yesterday I think which means he has a limited expiry date on him compared to others). I still think it would be Rong to sign him. It has Torres 2.0 written over it a bit. I do not mean he will have a drop in skills like Torres obviously had (injuries?), but when you look at his stats you see him mixing good games with games in which he is largely absent (Granada, Real, Celta de Vigo, Levante, ... ) Sound familiar, especially because besides Real the teams aren't all hat super great? His defensive contribution might tilt the - non existing - balance in our team even further off (funky pivot, Mata and Hazard that aren't exactly kings of defensive work). And, you can have all this for the price of a billion gazillion bucks. Hmmmm. How is that sensible?

I prefer a good, robust policy on the long term. However, we do need a top striker now. There is Ba, Lukaku and a big hole to be filled next year. I would indeed, as Spike, prefer Cavani. He scores pretty much on an equally regular basis then Falcao, but he contributes much more in terms of link up and defensive work. Also, his consistency is much higher and this is what we are going to need - something good and dependable - aged 25! So the best is yet to come. Investment wise this would be much more rational.

Just compare the performances the last games to compare reliability/ consistency:

Falcao: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/18701/

Cavani: http://www.whoscored.com/Players/24328/

[Jase 43,479]

Selling Courtois wouldn't make sense when most of our recent buys have been players for the future and Courtois fits into the bill. And furthermore, does the club know that there are other strikers out there apart from Falcao?! The obsession with him is just plain silly!

This rumor is completely ridiculous to me. Why would Athletico, who have huge financial issues, pay 20m (or shave 20m off the Falcao deal) for keeper when they have an excellent goalie in Sergio Asenjo on the bench?

If Asenjo really is an excellent GK, Atletico probably wouldn't have been so persistent in keeping him previously. And wasn't he dropped for favor of De Gea previously as well??

[The only place to be 11,313]

It does sound odd, but so was the pursuit of Jack Butland.

Signing Butland would have made perfect sense, but he didn't want to sit on the bench which is perfectly understandable.

As for this whole selling Courtois business, it would be a very risky thing to do. Yes we would have made a massive profit on him in the space of a couple of years but the possibility of transitioning from one solid keeper to another is something very few teams manage and it would've saved us a potentially massive headache somewhere down the road.

But it does once again bring up this question of which keeper we go with. There is a very compelling argument for us to cash in on Cech in the next 18 months and go with Courtois. However I am worried that if we do get Mourinho that he will stick with what he's familiar with and go with Cech. That leaves Courtois in the wind, although I'm sure Jose is familiar with him to.

This is one of the nicer problems we have at the moment.