Thibaut Courtois

[rohitmohanihm 39]

Didnt Courtois already say that he went on loan again this year cause its world cup year and next season he wants to stay and fight for a place??? or something like that

[zolayes 14,489]

I have a bad vision of Courtois leaving in 2 years time and 2 years after that Cech retires and we desperately search for his replacement.

[rohitmohanihm 39]

I have a bad vision of Courtois leaving in 2 years time and 2 years after that Cech retires and we desperately search for his replacement.

Blackman anyone??

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Im guessing this well an truly kills the fantasy we can loan him to Fulham to adapt to the PL well and truly stone dead.

Are you kidding? The guy won 2 European prizes and took his team to the CL.

Fulham would be an insult. No offence.

[Tomo 21,751]

Are you kidding? The guy won 2 European prizes and took his team to the CL.

Fulham would be an insult. No offence.

That's not my view, but other's have said in the last few months that he should be loaned out to the PL to "adapt" to the league, i have been saying for months that next summer is decision time. I wouldn't have regarded it as a 'fantasy' if it was my wish.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I think people care way too much about this. Courtois looks like an excellent young keeper, but keepers are easily the easiest and cheapest position to find. It's not as if we sold Courtois, we'd have nobody, we'd just go out and buy another quality keeper. For me, I'd keep him unless some time offered 25M pounds or more then you just have to sell and we can stick with Cech for another year or two and then buy some in-form keeper for a lot less money. If we do bring back Courtois, we should sell Cech, but I'd be surprised if we got more than 5M or him.

I don't think people realize how cheap keepers are. Neuer was 15M pounds and the third most expensive keeper in history., That was 2011. Lloris was 10-15M Euros last season. Both were young and considered world class keepers at the time.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Those sums are weird. A keeper can be more important than a striker. An importance that is most clearly seen if you happen to own one that sucks. ^^

[Tomo 21,751]

I think people care way too much about this. Courtois looks like an excellent young keeper, but keepers are easily the easiest and cheapest position to find. It's not as if we sold Courtois, we'd have nobody, we'd just go out and buy another quality keeper. .

If that was so easy, i think Fergie would have took quicker than 6 years to find an adequate replacement for Schmeichel.

[English Freak 456]

@Tomo,

There are more quality keepers out there now..in comparison to 1999 when Schmeichel left for Sporting..

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

If that was so easy, i think Fergie would have took quicker than 6 years to find an adequate replacement for Schmeichel.

You're using an outlier and acting as if that is the norm. Most teams have no trouble finding replacements. Not to mention, as English Freak does, that this was 15 years ago. My other point is this. In those 6 years after Schmeichel, ManU won 3 Premier League titles. So while they struggled to replace Schmeichel, they were still the best team in England over that period. That's hardly struggling. You can win in football with a less than elite goalie.

[The only place to be 11,313]

You can win in football with a less than elite goalie.

True, although I think you said it best when you suggested...

You're using an outlier and acting as if that is the norm.

Cech was the key player in our greatest ever success. Conversely Arsenal's failure to sufficiently replace David Seaman led to them starting with Lehmann in goal in the CL Final with Barca....an extreme example perhaps but I think we've become a little spoilt with having someone like Cech between the sticks for so long.

Not only is Courtois technically very good, he's also had an excellent (perhaps perfect?) education at such a young age. Already a European champion and an international keeper, he's also faced Barcelona and Real Madrid on numerous occasions.

Compare that to the other 'bright young thing' whose name is floated about - Ter Stegen. Very much back-up for Germany, he has won fuck all and never even competed on the European stage. Courtois has the talent, the pedigree and we already own him. Finding someone else similar in the next decade is not going to be an easy task.

[bushman 2,043]

Every team needs reliable goalie. No team can win many games with an average one.

Those who think that, should look at Cech´s performances, asap.

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Every team needs reliable goalie. No team can win many games with an average one.

Those who think that, should look at Cech´s performances, asap.

Although Valdez is decent, he's not world class in my eyes. Barca might be the only exception to this rule.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Thibaut and Cech are both excellent keepers. The difference is that Cech is our "Get out of jail free" card now, while Courtois, may not be that good at the moment, can be our keeper for more than 10 years.

So it's never going to be an easy decision. It's a choice between short-term success and long term-success.

[bushman 2,043]

Although Valdez is decent, he's not world class in my eyes. Barca might be the only exception to this rule.

Still, he is good enough. Those who think, as I read here, any team may win CL, PL the top competitions ought to give up on football, I feel.