petre.ispirescu 4,928 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 He is definitely not as bad as some of you suggest. Maybe someone who has followed the Russian league can shed some light on this. I know he was regarded as one of the top prospects prior to his move to Zenit, but since then I haven't heard that much about him, nor watched him. I only watched Belgium's last two matches against France and Wales and quite frankly he was poor. Maybe he's stagnated in the Russian leave and now wants a new challenge. He is still young and could enter in his prime under the right guidance. Seems like a Mourinho type of player, can defend, is tall, knows how to keep hold of the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weckerz 3,781 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 ZENIT...and you don't have to watch millions of games to get a sense of what type of player he is.Relax, Zenith means exactly the same.You might get a sense of the type of player he is by watching a few times, that doesn't tell you the whole picture. Opposition fans watch Hazard when we play against them and base their opinion on that game and a few highlights they see on TV. My point is you need to watch a player constantly to assess them, which our scouts obviously do otherwise they wouldn't be interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea Legend 11 4,062 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 He is definitely not as bad as some of you suggest. Maybe someone who has followed the Russian league can shed some light on this. I know he was regarded as one of the top prospects prior to his move to Zenit, but since then I haven't heard that much about him, nor watched him. I only watched Belgium's last two matches against France and Wales and quite frankly he was poor. Maybe he's stagnated in the Russian leave and now wants a new challenge. He is still young and could enter in his prime under the right guidance. Seems like a Mourinho type of player, can defend, he is tall, knows how to keep hold of the ball. Honestly, without coming off like a hater he is quiet simply an upgrade to Mikel. How much of an upgrade is hard for one to truly discern... He won't displace Matic that is 100% a certainty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weckerz 3,781 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I have not watched him since his days at Benfica, i have heard he has digressed though. What do you think?He didn't develop as well as he would have in a better league, he's stalled his progression a bit. He's still a top midfielder in my eyes who could suprise many when he finally comes out of obscurity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea Legend 11 4,062 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Relax, Zenith means exactly the same.You might get a sense of the type of player he is by watching a few times, that doesn't tell you the whole picture. Opposition fans watch Hazard when we play against them and base their opinion on that game and a few highlights they see on TV. My point is you need to watch a player constantly to assess them, which our scouts obviously do otherwise they wouldn't be interested.Without going too far down this rabbit hole can you tell us what type of player he is now since we're all making baseless assumptions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo 21,751 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I haven't seen him lately but what I will say is for a new CM we need one who is not quite as defensive as Matic but more astute defensively than Cesc, also with a few goals in him would be nice.Does Witsel fit that bill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea Legend 11 4,062 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I haven't seen him lately but what I will say is for a new CM we need one who is not quite as defensive as Matic but more astute defensively than Cesc, also with a few goals in him would be nice.Does Witsel fit that bill?You're talking about a box to box mid.... I think we'd be a little underwhelmed using him in that role but you're probably best directing that question to Wreckerz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leif 6,006 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 He plays like Meireles with more technique end of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weckerz 3,781 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Without going too far down this rabbit hole can you tell us what type of player he is now since we're all making baseless assumptions?He's a versatile box-to-box who is technically excellent and defensively solid. Comparing him to Mikel is insulting. They're both strong, tend to slow down play and often play it safe, that's about where the comparisons end.I'm not saying he'd be an ideal signing, but for the reported 18M fee he'd be a steal and we would finally have some cushion in midfield and wouldn't have to rely on Ramires or Mikel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechromancer 262 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 He plays like Meireles with more technique end of.And less charisma.The true hero of the Europe cup. : ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bethos1 802 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 No thanks, don't like him at all. It would make our midfield less creative Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mechromancer 262 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Meireles is very creative. Just look his body. : ( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iseah100 5,612 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I've seen him in European matches as well as with Belgium. Never impressed me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCM4PR3Z 411 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Lol, he went from Standard to Benfica and he was the best player there since the first training. He could go to a lot of teams in the summer after but chose for the money and the false promises (they wanted to built a team to win the CL) in Russia. The first 2 seasons there was a bad atmosphere in Zenit, and he had to play as a DM, which is his worst role in midfield. He also couldn't show his creativity in that role. So things didn't work out in that period. This (third) season, he played as CM and many Russians say he is the best player in Russia now.People that are comparing him to Matic and Mikel obviously don't know him. Witsel has an insane technique in the first place, he has a lot of creativity despite the fact he wasn't able to show that in his first 2 Zenit seasons due to a restricted role. He is strong, has an excellent vision and passing, he defends very well, recovers a lot of balls. He can do everything, in Benfica he was the most all round midfielder in the world for me.Matic------------Witsel---Fabregas----In midfield would be insane. Never thought of Fabregas playing as a 10. That role would also fit him very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando 6,602 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 This would be a good signing to me. Before going to Zenith I wanted him from Benfica. If he comes he won't be a hit right away since he has to get used to EPL coming from a weaker league. Kinda like Willian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea Legend 11 4,062 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 He's a versatile box-to-box who is technically excellent and defensively solid. Comparing him to Mikel is insulting. They're both strong, tend to slow down play and often play it safe, that's about where the comparisons end.I'm not saying he'd be an ideal signing, but for the reported 18M fee he'd be a steal and we would finally have some cushion in midfield and wouldn't have to rely on Ramires or Mikel.He provides the same stuff Mikel did but on a higher level. Mikel had very good technique as well he just never got forward enough to display it. Its astonishing how similar their career paths are, both very promising youngsters who never really kicked on and lived up to the hype.I know Witsel is an upgrade to Mikel but I really don't see where he fits into our XI. He looks like our depth signing(if we get him) who will take Mikel's minutes and also the ones given to Zouma in the midfield, aside from that its hard to see him displacing Ramires, Cesc and Matic if we do go with three in the middle. Some might argue he is better than Ramires but he doesn't really offer the ball winning ability and counter attacking pace. He probably is the better footballer but I don't see him as a better box to box mid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
obiwan92 217 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 1 thing's for sure: Our afro ratio is about to explode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHOULO19 24,332 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Our midfield was overpowered against the better teams. Additions are neededMore than covered? in the big games Mourinho doesnt play with Cesc-Matic in the pivot, so he plays with average players such as Ramires or Mikel (or Zouma in DM), so how is it well covered? it is awfully covered imo, its our biggest disadvantage in the squad.Right now we have four CMs on 2 positions, thats enough, but the thing is that Mikel has to go, he has to go to make place for a new CM, someone who is also better than Witsel imo.And if it wont happen i see no reason to think we're going to improve next season."Spending the money elsewhere"... RW is also important, you could say that, but we're short of options to really improve what we already have. Not the same case in Midfield.We did well towards the end of the season when we played with Rami to help Cesc and Matic with Willian further up, instead of trying to play Cesc up the pitch which did not work regardless of who was playing behind him simply because Cesc does not have the pace and physical strength to play that role. No great player will accept to come here just to be a backup player especially with Jose's rotation policies. At the same time, we can't pay those ridiculous amount for a squad player. Mikel is our least expensive first team player (RLC aside) on our FFP books, Ramies our fifth least expensive. We need squad players like that. We need an attacking midfielder first and foremost, we need a CB because we only have one of those and he's 34! We need a good back up keeper, we need someone to replace Luis if he leaves and we need a striker, two if Remy leaves as a result of us signing Falcao. Also signing a central midfielder means burying RLC's Chelsea career. Witsel or almost any new CM would get more minutes than what Mikel is getting, minutes that will most likely be cut out of RLC's time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheIceMan 596 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Come On Get In!!! It's about fucking time we are 2 years late! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pizy 18,994 Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 We did well towards the end of the season when we played with Rami to help Cesc and Matic with Willian further up, instead of trying to play Cesc up the pitch which did not work regardless of who was playing behind him simply because Cesc does not have the pace and physical strength to play that role. No great player will accept to come here just to be a backup player especially with Jose's rotation policies. At the same time, we can't pay those ridiculous amount for a squad player. Mikel is our least expensive first team player (RLC aside) on our FFP books, Ramies our fifth least expensive. We need squad players like that. We need an attacking midfielder first and foremost, we need a CB because we only have one of those and he's 34! We need a good back up keeper, we need someone to replace Luis if he leaves and we need a striker, two if Remy leaves as a result of us signing Falcao. Also signing a central midfielder means burying RLC's Chelsea career. Witsel or almost any new CM would get more minutes than what Mikel is getting, minutes that will most likely be cut out of RLC's time.Not signing a new CM could potentially be suicidal.Not even taking into account how much all of our rivals will strengthen, imagine if Matic suffered a long term injury. We'd be totally fucked. Ramires and Cesc as a partnership would get torched, Mikel is far too limited to be any sort of solution over a lengthy period, and no chance is RLC ready to step in for big minutes.We should ideally have 5 options for CM. Matic, Fabregas, Ramires, RLC, and a new one. Witsel, Schneiderlin, Song, whoever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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