🇩🇰 Andreas Christensen

[The Skipper 20,609]

We'd be absolutely stupid not to give Andreas big game time next season, or even for the rest of his career to be honest. He quantifies as Home Grown right? Also quantifies as Academy Trained, if I'm not incorrect? If so, Andreas is gearing to be our first true academy talent since JT to come through and start regularly. And it's great timing too, seeing as JT is on his last legs.

Same with Nathan Ake actually. He must be kept. I hope the club realises this.

Right now as HG players, we have (those who are also 'academy trained' are in bold):

Fabregas
Begovic (who's probably leaving)
Ake
RLC
Moses
Cahill
Chalobah
Solanke
Terry (probably retiring)
Aina

Total of 10 HG players, with 6 'academy trained' players. Out of the above, we have JT and Begovic who will most likely leave, Aina will probably go out on loan too. That leaves us with 6 HG players and 3 academy trained. We need 4 in the UCL. I doubt we're going to be keeping ALL of Ake, RLC and Chalobah either. I'd like it if we ended up with something like this for the foreseeable future though (I've made some deductions on the players I don't think will stay):

Fabregas
Christensen
Ake
RLC
Chalobah
Baker
Moses
Cahill

I've underlined those that are on loan that I think should be included into the squad when back. This gives us 8 HG players PLUS 5 academy trained talents, which means we'd meet our 'English' quota for the CL and the FA quite nicely. I hope the club have something like this in the plans. Baker is good enough to be a squad player here IMO. We have to keep hold of our decent talents at least for the CL quota. With that, our squad next season will hopefully look something like this:

Courtois, x, x
Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Ake, Cahill, Zouma?
Moses, Alonso, x, x
Fabregas, Kante, Chalobah, Baker, x
Hazard, Pedro, Willian, RLC, x
x, x
('x' marks where we'll probably see new players next season).

So, with that being said, it looks like we need to bring in some goalkeepers (or keep Bego and/or Eduardo), some wing backs, a top CM, a top wide forward and two strikers (I don't think Batshuayi will stay). Here's what the 25 man squad could potentially look like:

Courtois, Butland?, Eduardo
Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Ake, Cahill, Zouma?
Moses, Alonso, Mendy, Oxlade-Chamberlain?/Semedo?
Fabregas, Kante, Chalobah, Baker, Fabinho?
Hazard, Sanchez?, Pedro, Willian, RLC
Belotti?, Batshuayi?

That is a very nicely balanced squad imo, and covers all bases very well.

[Tomo 21,751]

4 hours ago, The Skipper said:

We'd be absolutely stupid not to give Andreas big game time next season, or even for the rest of his career to be honest. He quantifies as Home Grown right? Also quantifies as Academy Trained, if I'm not incorrect? If so, Andreas is gearing to be our first true academy talent since JT to come through and start regularly. And it's great timing too, seeing as JT is on his last legs.

Same with Nathan Ake actually. He must be kept. I hope the club realises this.

Right now as HG players, we have (those who are also 'academy trained' are in bold):

Fabregas
Begovic (who's probably leaving)
Ake
RLC
Moses
Cahill
Chalobah
Solanke
Terry (probably retiring)
Aina

Total of 10 HG players, with 6 'academy trained' players. Out of the above, we have JT and Begovic who will most likely leave, Aina will probably go out on loan too. That leaves us with 6 HG players and 3 academy trained. We need 4 in the UCL. I doubt we're going to be keeping ALL of Ake, RLC and Chalobah either. I'd like it if we ended up with something like this for the foreseeable future though (I've made some deductions on the players I don't think will stay):

Fabregas
Christensen
Ake
RLC
Chalobah
Baker
Moses
Cahill

I've underlined those that are on loan that I think should be included into the squad when back. This gives us 8 HG players PLUS 5 academy trained talents, which means we'd meet our 'English' quota for the CL and the FA quite nicely. I hope the club have something like this in the plans. Baker is good enough to be a squad player here IMO. We have to keep hold of our decent talents at least for the CL quota. With that, our squad next season will hopefully look something like this:

Courtois, x, x
Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Ake, Cahill, Zouma?
Moses, Alonso, x, x
Fabregas, Kante, Chalobah, Baker, x
Hazard, Pedro, Willian, RLC, x
x, x
('x' marks where we'll probably see new players next season).

So, with that being said, it looks like we need to bring in some goalkeepers (or keep Bego and/or Eduardo), some wing backs, a top CM, a top wide forward and two strikers (I don't think Batshuayi will stay). Here's what the 25 man squad could potentially look like:

Courtois, Butland?, Eduardo
Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Ake, Cahill, Zouma?
Moses, Alonso, Mendy, Oxlade-Chamberlain?/Semedo?
Fabregas, Kante, Chalobah, Baker, Fabinho?
Hazard, Sanchez?, Pedro, Willian, RLC
Belotti?, Batshuayi?

That is a very nicely balanced squad imo, and covers all bases very well.

Cant imagine Butland accepting #2, i think we will go for Muslera. One day i hope a decent PL standard keeper comes out of the academy and his happy to spend his career on the bench for his boyhood club, like Steve Harper at Newcastle.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Just now, Tomo said:

Cant imagine Butland accepting #2, i think we will go for Muslera. One day i hope a decent PL standard keeper comes out of the academy and his happy to spend his career on the bench for his boyhood club, like Steve Harper at Newcastle.

I was just plugging gaps tbh. Can be anyone.

[DYC. 7,542]

4 hours ago, The Skipper said:

 

I've underlined those that are on loan that I think should be included into the squad when back. This gives us 8 HG players PLUS 5 academy trained talents, which means we'd meet our 'English' quota for the CL and the FA quite nicely. I hope the club have something like this in the plans. Baker is good enough to be a squad player here IMO. We have to keep hold of our decent talents at least for the CL quota. With that, our squad next season will hopefully look something like this:

Courtois, x, x
Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Ake, Cahill, Zouma?
Moses, Alonso, x, x
Fabregas, Kante, Chalobah, Baker, x
Hazard, Pedro, Willian, RLC, x
x, x
('x' marks where we'll probably see new players next season).

It's scary but those are the exact eight HG players I have in the fantasy squad in my head. I'd love for Baker to stay. Chelsea boy who at least possesses a specialty, his delivery and attempts from set-pieces. Decent shooting from range as well. But I honestly don't see it happening.

No need for six CBs though. Back-ups won't get a lot game time bar injuries and if you do have an emergency at the back with three CBs out injured, you simply revert to a back four.

[The Skipper 20,609]

3 minutes ago, DYC. said:

It's scary but those are the exact eight HG players I have in the fantasy squad in my head. I'd love for Baker to stay. Chelsea boy who at least possesses a specialty, his delivery and attempts from set-pieces. Decent shooting from range as well. But I honestly don't see it happening.

No need for six CBs though. Back-ups won't get a lot game time bar injuries and if you do have an emergency at the back with three CBs out injured, you simply revert to a back four.

It's why I put a ? on Zouma. He could go out on loan. We'd still have Marcos possibly covering at CB if we needed to. Not a big loss tbh. You're right though - those 8 HG players must stay. I hope the club has been building it up to this.

[Artandur 939]

 

 

[DYC. 7,542]

40 minutes ago, Artandur said:

 

 

I remain hopeful he'll return and become a mainstay. I'd be extremely disappointed if that wasn't the case and wouldn't ever raise my hopes concerning youth players again.

[Artandur 939]

1 hour ago, DYC. said:

I remain hopeful he'll return and become a mainstay. I'd be extremely disappointed if that wasn't the case and wouldn't ever raise my hopes concerning youth players again.

If we'd do to him what's happening to Ake at the moment would be tragic.

[The Skipper 20,609]

6 hours ago, Artandur said:

 

 

Who was it that was worried about whether he'd cope in the PL with challenges? @BlueLyon? The guy is such a clean defender it doesn't matter. 

[BlueLyon 9,359]

5 hours ago, The Skipper said:

Who was it that was worried about whether he'd cope in the PL with challenges? @BlueLyon? The guy is such a clean defender it doesn't matter. 

Indeed and I still am. My point was that he is not better in air than Cahill, and we already struggle in set pieces. Meanwhile Luiz and Azpi are atm not replacable. 

For obvious reasons I would never compare Buli and PL when it comes to defenders. Just take example in Boateng. Not saying he is the rule, but there is obvious that doing it well in germany wont mean the same in PL. Now obviously Christensen has plenty of time to develop further, after all Carvalho wasnt buff either. 

But what is more, Christensen never realy impressed me against better teams tbh. Not yet at least. He can be fantastic sometimes, but everytime they faced a better opponent, it ended with poor performance of both, christensen and bmg as whole. 

Generaly I will always prefer old school defenders, more so in such physical league like PL. They are reliable, there is certain guarantee they wont do some stupid shit and will get the job done. Also, players like Terry, Rio, Vidic gave alot more danger in corners, than what Christensen can offer IMO. Stones, Marquinhos, Christensen, Silva, Ramos (Luiz in past) all these modern CBs are doing so many awful mistakes in some games, its not even funny. 

They make nice passes and control the ball realy well for a CB, then suddenly all the hype they are awesome CBs and one of best in the world. Ramos is a joke of defender in so many games, but he replaces that with leadership and goals. Thiago Silva is a joke since he moved to PsG. Marquinhos has fart moments like against barca. And we all know how Stones plays and how Luiz played.

Tbf if Christensen wasnt already ours and a product of youth development, I wouldnt even consider him for Chelsea. I would prefer Dijk any day. 

Christensen right now is good, he gets so much hype because of his smooth ball skills. Wouldnt surprise me if he had same problems Stones has right now. 

But since he is already ours, lets give him a run. Maybe Im horribly wrong and he will turn great. 

I think he can be good defender, dont get me wrong, but just not my type of CB for this league and our current needs. We need powerful, decently skilled and experienced leader type CB if we are about to replace either of our current 3 CBs.

[The Skipper 20,609]

2 hours ago, BlueLyon said:

Indeed and I still am. My point was that he is not better in air than Cahill, and we already struggle in set pieces. Meanwhile Luiz and Azpi are atm not replacable. 

For obvious reasons I would never compare Buli and PL when it comes to defenders. Just take example in Boateng. Not saying he is the rule, but there is obvious that doing it well in germany wont mean the same in PL. Now obviously Christensen has plenty of time to develop further, after all Carvalho wasnt buff either. 

But what is more, Christensen never realy impressed me against better teams tbh. Not yet at least. He can be fantastic sometimes, but everytime they faced a better opponent, it ended with poor performance of both, christensen and bmg as whole. 

Generaly I will always prefer old school defenders, more so in such physical league like PL. They are reliable, there is certain guarantee they wont do some stupid shit and will get the job done. Also, players like Terry, Rio, Vidic gave alot more danger in corners, than what Christensen can offer IMO. Stones, Marquinhos, Christensen, Silva, Ramos (Luiz in past) all these modern CBs are doing so many awful mistakes in some games, its not even funny. 

They make nice passes and control the ball realy well for a CB, then suddenly all the hype they are awesome CBs and one of best in the world. Ramos is a joke of defender in so many games, but he replaces that with leadership and goals. Thiago Silva is a joke since he moved to PsG. Marquinhos has fart moments like against barca. And we all know how Stones plays and how Luiz played.

Tbf if Christensen wasnt already ours and a product of youth development, I wouldnt even consider him for Chelsea. I would prefer Dijk any day. 

Christensen right now is good, he gets so much hype because of his smooth ball skills. Wouldnt surprise me if he had same problems Stones has right now. 

But since he is already ours, lets give him a run. Maybe Im horribly wrong and he will turn great. 

I think he can be good defender, dont get me wrong, but just not my type of CB for this league and our current needs. We need powerful, decently skilled and experienced leader type CB if we are about to replace either of our current 3 CBs.

Christensen is a much better defender than Boateng was at his age. Boateng was a decent prospect but nowhere near as good as Andreas was at his age. He improved significantly under Pep at Bayern. I wouldn't really call him a new school centre back because he has good ball skills. He has a very classy and elegant way of defending, that some old school defenders like Beckenbauer or Maldini for example had too. He wasn't voted BMGs POTY just because he has nice skills on the ball, he's actually a smart defender too. Conte will do wonders with him.

You talk about Cahill being better in the air but that stat proves that it wouldn't be a downgrade per se. The guy will get bigger. He has the right frame already, and will naturally put on more weight in the coming years. Also, Cahill can be quite stupid when it comes to marking in set pieces, as we've seen on numerous occasions in his career. 

[the wes 7,212]

Brilliant wee video of Christensen 

[Artandur 939]

Max Eberl said today on TV, that Christensen would like to stay in Gladbach and they're still trying to make it happen.

[the wes 7,212]

Chelsea want to keep Andreas Christensen at Stamford Bridge next season and may loan out Kurt Zouma to make room

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4467722/Chelsea-want-Andreas-Christensen-season.html

[the wes 7,212]

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

England >>>>>>>>>> Germany

[kmk108 1,186]

10 minutes ago, Chelsea Legend 11 said:

England >>>>>>>>>> Germany

Top four/five, definitely. Mid table I may give it to Germany. I think the likes of Schalke, Leverkusen and Gladbach are better than Bournemouth, Southampton, etc. Bottom of the table is hard to say. 

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

19 minutes ago, kmk108 said:

Top four/five, definitely. Mid table I may give it to Germany. I think the likes of Schalke, Leverkusen and Gladbach are better than Bournemouth, Southampton, etc. Bottom of the table is hard to say. 

point still stands

[kmk108 1,186]

28 minutes ago, Chelsea Legend 11 said:

point still stands

Some players prefer a certain league but Chelsea is a no-brained upgrade for Christiansen. Even not playing every match, Christiansen is potentially an important piece of a great back line. I remember him discussing liking Gladbach a lot but he's in a position to move to one of the biggest clubs in the world and playing a massive role in years to come. I can't see many players not wanting that opportunity. 

[The Skipper 20,609]

On 09/05/2017 at 10:39 PM, the wes said:

Why do people keep comparing stats of players that play in a back 2 with our back 3?