Thibaut Courtois

[Stats 6,987]

Probably because he has been delivering while he has been talking and made himself one of the best GKs in the world. Lukaku hasn't been making that much of a progress while also talking a lot.

2 poor performances from Lukaku seems to make everyone think he is a rubbish striker all of a sudden. Let's remmember that he still has had a very solid season. Yes Courtois has been delivering by talking but judging by our strikers inconsistent displays, Lukaku has performed well and certainly better than all the strikers we have. Lukaku had a good season, let's not forget that. He has been poor at the WC so far and while he has spoke a bit too often he is justified to feel he deserves a chance here.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2014/06/22/4905534/courtois-will-return-to-chelsea-cech-could-be-sold-says

Have any of the Belgians around seen the video on TV were supposedly Wilmots said it? Because yeah, I'm doubting Goal even quoting someone...

Yeah he said it.

Click on the link video at the bottom.

http://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/coupedumonde/detail_wilmots-affirme-a-houllier-que-courtois-va-retourner-a-chelsea?id=8298652

[Barbara 15,149]

Yeah he said it.

Click on the link video at the bottom.

http://www.rtbf.be/sport/football/coupedumonde/detail_wilmots-affirme-a-houllier-que-courtois-va-retourner-a-chelsea?id=8298652

blocked for Brazil, but thanks

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

blocked for Brazil, but thanks

Damn, well it's just a video about Wilmots talking to some older guy. The older guy asked if Courtois would come back to Chelsea this season. Wilmots responded "yes he's returning to Chelsea this season"

The older guy then asked "So they'll sell Cech then ?" Wilmots responded " It's a possibility, yes" (didn't really seem to be sure about this, think he was just speculating)

Basically just confirmed what Mourinho said to Marca that he's coming back to Chelsea this season.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

Cech is the better keeper though. Courtois might be better in a couple of years but he is not on the same level as Cech imo.

Some people think, Courtois is at least on the same level with Cech, if not better. The only Courtois lack compared to Cech is PL experience.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Some people think, Courtois is at least on the same level with Cech, if not better. The only Courtois lack compared to Cech is PL experience.

But that's down to interpretation. You can really honestly argue either way. The reality is there is very little between the two, but Cech perhaps tips it because he is very slightly better in some pivotal areas, such as positioning and handling. Courtois is probably stronger and a little more athletic than Cech, and he is more commanding in his penalty area, but then he obviously lacks the experience that Petr has. There's hardly anything between the two now, but what the Courtois-supporters will say is that Courtois should be number one based on the fact that he might, one day, be better than Cech. Of course that's possible, but for me, there's absolutely nothing major between the two of them. We're incredibly lucky to have two of the world's top five goalkeepers.

When Cech is back to full fitness, we'll see how good Courtois is. It's one thing to be the best goalkeeper in Spain, but he doesn't exactly have that much competition. The Premier League may not have many outstanding goalkeepers - Cech and Lloris aside, IMO - but there are many, many very good goalkeepers like Howard, Begovic, Szczesny, Hart, etc. that means we can see just how good the kid is.

I don't doubt his ability, but I do question his mentality. He says he wants to be guaranteed the number one jersey (apparently) - maybe he's scared of the competition? No-one deserves that right. I would like to see him and Cech given equal opportunities to impress. May the best goalkeeper win. He might have achieved 100 clean sheets by the age of 22 for club and country - a magnificent achievement - but I highly doubt he'll match either Cech's clean sheet record (24 in 35 games, 2004/05), beat his concession record (14 in 37, 2004/05), or match his tally of 100 Premier League clean sheets in 180 appearances. I don't think anyone will, though obviously Cech also had the best defence the Premier League has ever seen in front of him, between 2004 and 2007. Even so, those statistics will stand forever, IMO.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I would like to see him and Cech given equal opportunities to impress. May the best goalkeeper win.

45 minutes a game?

Goalkeeping is as much about building a rapport with the defence as it is catching the ball. Stability in that position is paramount to it's success. Chopping and changing between matches is a nice way to cause uncertainty amongst the back five.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

45 minutes a game?

Goalkeeping is as much about building a rapport with the defence as it is catching the ball. Stability in that position is paramount to it's success. Chopping and changing between matches is a nice way to cause uncertainty amongst the back five.

Don't be ridiculous. There's this mystical entity called pre-season. Cech has the number one shirt right now. When Courtois comes back, it's up to him to win that shirt from him. Right now, I see no reason to bench Cech. All the pressure is on young Thibaut to show how good he is.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Don't be ridiculous. There's this mystical entity called pre-season. Cech has the number one shirt right now. When Courtois comes back, it's up to him to win that shirt from him. Right now, I see no reason to bench Cech. All the pressure is on young Thibaut to show how good he is.

Will Cech even be fit for pre-season?

But let's just get this straight....Courtois's last two club games were winning La Liga at the Camp Nou and the Champions League Final, but you want to judge his ability to keep goal for us against Olimpija Ljubljana and Vitesse Arnhem.

That's like the owner of The Ivy taking a couple of chefs to McDonalds to see which one if best suited to running their kitchen.

There was a reason to bench Cech last season....in fact he was. His form last season was iffy at times and for the first time ever he looked dodgy at crosses. I have absolutely no idea what you think we're going to learn in half-a-dozen pre-season games that the coaches don't know from watching Cech and Courtois over the last 18-24 months.

Pre-season might actually be this 'mystical entity' with the stock you're placing in it. :eyebrows:

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Will Cech even be fit for pre-season?

But let's just get this straight....Courtois's last two club games were winning La Liga at the Camp Nou and the Champions League Final, but you want to judge his ability to keep goal for us against Olimpija Ljubljana and Vitesse Arnhem.

That's like the owner of The Ivy taking a couple of chefs to McDonalds to see which one if best suited to running their kitchen.

There was a reason to bench Cech last season....in fact he was. His form last season was iffy at times and for the first time ever he looked dodgy at crosses. I have absolutely no idea what you think we're going to learn in half-a-dozen pre-season games that the coaches don't know from watching Cech and Courtois over the last 18-24 months.

Pre-season might actually be this 'mystical entity' with the stock you're placing in it. :eyebrows:

Yes. I want to see how good he is keeping goal for Chelsea, not Belgium or Atletico Madrid. A goalkeeper is only as good as the defence he has in front of him, and Atletico's is damned better than our's is.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Yes. I want to see how good he is keeping goal for Chelsea, not Belgium or Atletico Madrid. A goalkeeper is only as good as the defence he has in front of him, and Atletico's is damned better than our's is.

Really? Both defences are arguably the best in their leagues and you probably won't find a closer analogue for our defensive structure than Atletico's almost anywhere in Europe. Of course there will be changes, but I don't think you could ask for a better team for a goalkeeper to come from than Atletico's.

Having watched both keepers a lot, Courtois is better right now in my opinion. Cech has not looked like the Cech of 2012 for a while which is worrying.

Put it like this. I don't think we lose anything by putting Courtois in goal for us next season and I think there's a chance we actually become a better team with him. Pre-season is about fitness, not competition so I don't know how useful a yardstick that is. Pragmatically there's no reason not to go with Courtois, but emotionally there's always going to be a pull for keeping Cech and football is about emotion.

Either way we've got one of the top six (?) keepers in the world in goal for us.

[Reddish-Blue 2,231]

Yes. I want to see how good he is keeping goal for Chelsea, not Belgium or Atletico Madrid. A goalkeeper is only as good as the defence he has in front of him, and Atletico's is damned better than our's is.

Provided that we sign a quality LB, our defence won't be that far behind Atletico's!

E.g. Azpi - JT - GC - Luis is quite similar to:

Juanfran - Miranda - Godin - Luis

[Special Juan 27,106]

We won't concede a goal next season

[The Rising Sun 696]

So glad to hear this news!

While Cech has been amazing for all his years with us, i think his upward curve in performance had ended and there was too much uncertainty in his movement last 2 years.

He is still one of the best keepers around, but here we have a guy who will undoubtedly become/already is in contention for being the best keeper in the world.

And we can have him for the next 10 years.

Simply too good an opportunity to let go.

Goalkeepers of this caliber don't come around too often and considering we spotted him 3 years back and watched him progress into the best keeper in spain and Europe, its time we start reaping the rewards ourselves.

Its a tough call to make for the club, and the fans, but it is required.

One way or another, i dont believe in this theory of 2 WC keepers competing for first spot.

I remember watching the whole Tottenham nonsense unfold where they bought a WC keeper and told him that he will compete against the current keeper.

Such scenarios never end well, and the media scrutiny is not good for the team.

I have watched Courtois enough over the last few seasons and Cech every game.

I would prefer we get this kid back and have our first young investment come good.

It also brings back some credibility to us as a club, where nowadays people make jokes about Chelsea buying young talent and shipping them away, never to be seen around the club again.

[xPetrCechx 13,548]

Cech is better. Still.

[We Hate Scouse 10,261]

Cech is better. Still.

I have a feeling you'll soon be changing your username to xThibautCourtoisx

[bethos1 802]

Yes. I want to see how good he is keeping goal for Chelsea, not Belgium or Atletico Madrid. A goalkeeper is only as good as the defence he has in front of him, and Atletico's is damned better than our's is.

If you can perform for Atletico or Belgium I see no reason why he shouldn't be able to perform Chelsea like that.

[lionsden 4,689]

Yes. I want to see how good he is keeping goal for Chelsea, not Belgium or Atletico Madrid. A goalkeeper is only as good as the defence he has in front of him, and Atletico's is damned better than our's is.

This and absolutely this.