🇵🇹 Raul Meireles

[robdog 2,084]

I'm probably the only one but I still have faith he'll come good. Not as a starter but as a good back-up, able to do a good job whenever called upon. I just know he's better than he was overall last season, I've seen him play at a higher level at Liverpool and Portugal. And I'm sure with the whole team being much better next season (surely), he'll perform better as well.

His defensive contribution last season shouldn't be taken for granted though. He's not a good tackler but he's pretty good when it comes to putting pressure and intercepting. And despite all the harsh criticism, he managed 6 goals and 6 assists, which is decent.

McEachran isn't ready for Chelsea. He should be loaned out to a Eredivisie side, it would do him a lot of good. A year at a PL side after that.

^+1...dude should not always be on the squad sheet, but is a decent squad playa. If Josh can emulate Tuftie Meireles, then he could easy push him out. Right now Josh is not at Tuftie's level. Tuftie is a seasoned International player, who happens to be a squad player for CFC. IMHO that is a luxury that we cannot pass up. True, he is had gaffs like @ Napoli, but he has also shined like vs Benfica. A couple more seasons w/ CFC, then you can replace him w/ Josh. Not now.

[Fulham Broadway 17,313]

Nice to see hes shaved his barnet -looks less like a Big Issue seller now

-but more like a San Quentin inmate in a Louis Theroux documentary

[nadavTKL 1,787]

I thought im the only one who realy want him to stay, glad to see most of you think the same. Very good squad player to have,

and i think next season he'll get better. Realy like this guy,.. great attitude, fight for the team as harder as anyone else, scored some nice

goals this season (cant stop watching the Benfica goal... class), and off course awsome tattoos and haircut its nice to have that too...

[Kieran. 6,317]

Perfect utility player for our squad next year.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Wtf, this "Raul should leave and Josh should get his place" thing is so fucking stupid.

People want to see RDM use Josh, who struggled for game time at SWANSEA and is no where near ready to play, instead of a fully established Portuguese international who turned in some good performances for us, proven in the Portuguese and English league and has plenty of experience? What have you lot been smoking.

See if Josh was ready, he would of played. Look at Sturridge, he went to Bolton, showed he was ready to offer something to the team, came back and PLAYED. Rant over.

[Spike 12,049]

Raul really puts a shift in the Cup competitions. He always has his best matches in the League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League. 6 goals and 6 assists isn't too bad from him. Remember AVB used him in a defensive role where he is an attack minded player.

[francozola 2,040]

The effort he showed in the Barca games was just brilliant. Never stopped running and harassing their players every time they got the ball. And this played a huge part as well, we always talk about heroes like Cole, Ramires, Cech, Cahill, Frank etc for what they did in those 2 games but Raul was right up there with them. Had a job to do and did it excellently. They got more and more frustrated when they couldn't break us down.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

For me, Meireles is a very useful squad player. He can cover a lot of ground, can be dangerous going forward, can play all over the midfield, and can mark his man. He lacks the quality to be starting regularly IMO, but Chelsea don't need him to any more and he is a useful guy to have around.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

He is like Ballack; good in a number of positions. Perfect squad player.

[Tomo 21,751]

I have worked out that we could potentially have a maximum of 73 games next season, with the clear out we are having of first team players it is vital we keep players who are happy in their role's as squad players, which makes the decision to release Kalou bewildering.

So regardless of what we think about how good they are, Meireles and Malouda have to stay on to play the squad role's, squad depth will be more important next season than it ever was before.

[Strike 7,489]

perfect back up to the midfielders. good right foot on him as well

[Jase 43,479]

I have worked out that we could potentially have a maximum of 73 games next season, with the clear out we are having of first team players it is vital we keep players who are happy in their role's as squad players, which makes the decision to release Kalou bewildering.

73 games?! Where did that come from?

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Was a bit unsure when we got him but really impressed with his performances.Fitted in so well

[Tomo 21,751]

73 games?! Where did that come from?

38 Premier League games

1 Community Shield

1 Super Cup

1-2 Club world Cup

1-6 Carling Cup

1-10 FA Cup

6-15 Champions League/Europa League

Maximum of 73

[Jase 43,479]

38 Premier League games

1 Community Shield

1 Super Cup

1-2 Club world Cup

1-6 Carling Cup

1-10 FA Cup

6-15 Champions League/Europa League

Maximum of 73

Are you seriously counting the possibility of replays in each FA Cup round?!

And we will be playing 2 games at the Club World Championship regardless of the result in the semi finals.

[Waterfall 893]

Wtf, this "Raul should leave and Josh should get his place" thing is so fucking stupid.

People want to see RDM use Josh, who struggled for game time at SWANSEA and is no where near ready to play, instead of a fully established Portuguese international who turned in some good performances for us, proven in the Portuguese and English league and has plenty of experience? What have you lot been smoking.

See if Josh was ready, he would of played. Look at Sturridge, he went to Bolton, showed he was ready to offer something to the team, came back and PLAYED. Rant over.

1000% agree with you. People underrated the likes of Malouda and Meireles so much

[Tomo 21,751]

Are you seriously counting the possibility of replays in each FA Cup round?!

And we will be playing 2 games at the Club World Championship regardless of the result in the semi finals.

Stranger things have happened

[Joker10 946]

I have worked out that we could potentially have a maximum of 73 games next season, with the clear out we are having of first team players it is vital we keep players who are happy in their role's as squad players, which makes the decision to release Kalou bewildering.

So regardless of what we think about how good they are, Meireles and Malouda have to stay on to play the squad role's, squad depth will be more important next season than it ever was before.

I think you are missing the point of squad depth, For Meirleles, Essien(add him to the list) Malouda, and Kalou to provide depth they need to be useful and contributes to a good result.

How did they do against Newcastle, Arsneal, and Liverpool when the likes of Mata,Mikel, Lampard, and Drogba were rested for FA and CL games?

poor result in all of those games, the point is to give good results when the better players are rested. That is squad depth and that is what what we need for next season.

[Ollie 4,400]

I actually like Meireles, don't know why but i do, he does a decent job. Perfect squad player. He always looks pretty comfortable and composed on the ball and can get the odd goal. He works very hard too, never gives less than 100%. Not the best player in the squad but certainly not the worst.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I think you are missing the point of squad depth, For Meirleles, Essien(add him to the list) Malouda, and Kalou to provide depth they need to be useful and contributes to a good result.

How did they do against Newcastle, Arsneal, and Liverpool when the likes of Mata,Mikel, Lampard, and Drogba were rested for FA and CL games?

poor result in all of those games, the point is to give good results when the better players are rested. That is squad depth and that is what what we need for next season.

So you're saying that our squad players should be good enough to beat the Arsenal and Newcastle's starting XI?? That's never going to happen. The situation that happened last year is very rare. We were going all out for two cups and had basically given up on the league. Normally, squad players are worked into the starting XI. Most teams don't have XI players they start every single week, they'll have about 15 players that they start regularly. You look at Man City, the team with the most depth in the Premier League last season, and they started 9 players for more than 30 games and and 6 for more than 20. ManU started 8 for 30 games and 5 more started more than 20 games.

You are not going to have world-class backups because A) they will be miserable being squad players nobody can afford that. Instead, you need a group of 15-20 players who can play regularly and cover all the positions. Chelsea, right now have Cech, Cole, Bertrand, Terry, Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic, Mikel, Romeu, Lampard, Ramires, Meireles, Hazard, Mata, Malouda, Benayoun, Marin, Sturridge, Torres which is more than enough in terms of actual players who are of a decent quality. We don't have any proper cover for RB which is obviously a need.