César Azpilicueta

[Jase 43,479]

Frank Lampard confirms Cesar Azpilicueta will captain Chelsea this season

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/09/18/frank-lampard-confirms-cesar-azpilicueta-will-captain-chelsea/

Frank Lampard has confirmed Cesar Azpiliceuta will retain the Chelsea captaincy this season, even though he is no longer guaranteed a starting place.

Azpilicueta made a late appearance as a substitute in the victory over Brighton, in which his replacement at right-back, Reece James, scored and assisted.

James is likely to keep his place on the right for Sunday’s visit of Liverpool, with Azpilicueta’s best hope of playing potentially coming on the left side.

But that path will also be blocked off once new £50 million signing Ben Chilwell is fit and Azpiliceuta faces the prospect of being in the unfamiliar position of spending far more time on the bench.

Azpilicueta has missed only four Premier League games over the past five seasons, but Lampard has insisted that sitting out more games will not change his role as captain.

“Yes, absolutely Azpi is club captain this season,” said Lampard. “He’s done a great job of it and since I’ve been in the role, he’s been a huge help to me, how he's handled himself on and off the pitch, how much he feels for the club, how much he communicates within the squad. 

“We can all see the quality of Reece James and the competition I have in that right-back position, but Azpi’s professionalism means he’s going to be as important for us this year as he always is. He is officially club captain.”

Lampard admitted Azpilicueta may not be pleased with his new status in the squad, but trusts the 31-year-old to keep leading by example.

“I can’t ask players who are as competitive as Azpi to be content with missing one game,” said Lampard. “Every player here should be keen to play every game. I know Azpi is like that. I know him very well from playing with him. 

“I don’t expect saints who say, ‘OK, I’m not playing this game, everything’s fine and rosy’. No, players need to want to play but, when you have someone like Azpi with the qualities he has as captain, I know he gives everything and I know that whether he plays or there might be times when he doesn’t, he will have the same positive impact on the group off the pitch. That’s all I can ask for, it’s a pleasure to have him here for that.”

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Hes 31 for crying out loud, hardly over the hill. Id still have him start the majority of matches. Say 60/40

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[NikkiCFC 8,089]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

Frank Lampard confirms Cesar Azpilicueta will captain Chelsea this season 

I'm curious who is captain when Azpi and Jorgi are not on the pitch? And this is probably going to happen very often. 

Silva? 

[Valdo 583]

10 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

I'm curious who is captain when Azpi and Jorgi are not on the pitch? And this is probably going to happen very often. 

Silva? 

Isn't Kante like 3'rd choice cp? Although he doesn't strike me as a vocal leader.

[Milan 17,881]

 

[Vesper 29,257]

Azpilicueta explains why he wants Hazard back at Chelsea

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/club-news/azpilicueta-explains-why-he-wants-hazard-back-at-chelsea/

Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta has named Eden Hazard as the former teammate he has missed the most as he spoke about their close relationship during a question-and-answer session on YouTube.

It has been more than a year since the 29-year-old left Stamford Bridge to pursue his dream at Real Madrid.

His departure practically marked a new era for the Blues, with young players such as Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner coming in to succeed him and the likes of Willian and Pedro Rodriguez.

Only a few players from the Premier League title-winning Chelsea side remain in the squad, including Azpilicueta who has become a senior member of the dressing room.

Interestingly, when asked to pick one former Chelsea player he’s missed the most, Azpilicueta chose his best mate Hazard.

He told Chelsea reporter Lee Parker: “I’ve been really lucky to play with top professionals and top men who have won everything.

“When I first sat down in the [Chelsea] dressing room, I looked around and thought ‘wow’. I had to make the most of it and I learned a lot.

“Obviously one [former Chelsea player] I had a [closer] relationship with was Eden Hazard because we were more or less the same age.

“We also lived really close to each other, we had our kids in the same school and the same class.

“It [was] a different kind of relationship but, in terms of football, I couldn’t complain [about Hazard].”

Despite his stardom, the four-time Chelsea player of the year is just a normal man outside the pitch, Azpilicueta added.

“He was very quiet, a family man.

“He would ring your doorbell to play and ride a bike.”

It sounds like the Eden Hazard we know – and miss.

 

[Tomo 21,741]

So with RJ's explosion this season that will hopefully (touch wood) carry on the way it's been going, what does the future hold for Azpi? 

Will he accept a more reduced role going forward or will he eventually want to leave to play more regular football?

I reckon the former could be the best move for him in terms of maxing out his career (and ultimately his earnings), he's pretty much played non stop ever since he's got here and there's been signs over the last couple of years that it was starting to show, so a more reduced role could now be the best thing for him as he enters the twilight phase of his career.

Whether he see's it that way however is another matter.

[Atomiswave 6,072]

21 minutes ago, Tomo said:

So with RJ's explosion this season that will (touch wood) carry on the way it's been going, what does the future hold for Azpi? 

Will he accept a more reduced role going forward or will he eventually want to leave to play more regular football?

I reckon the former could be the best move for him in terms of maxing out his career (and ultimately his earnings), he's pretty much played non stop ever since he's got here and there's been signs over the last couple of years that it was starting to show, so a more reduced role could now be the best thing for him as he enters the twilight phase of his career.

Whether he see's it that way however is another matter.

If he is willing to play second fiddle then keep him, he clearly loves Chels and has been a superb player for us.

[Tomo 21,741]

3 minutes ago, Atomiswave said:

If he is willing to play second fiddle then keep him, he clearly loves Chels and has been a superb player for us.

That's definitely my choice (unless he badly bottoms out) the only question mark would be whether he would accept that.

[Jase 43,479]

49 minutes ago, Tomo said:

So with RJ's explosion this season that will (touch wood) carry on the way it's been going, what does the future hold for Azpi? 

Will he accept a more reduced role going forward or will he eventually want to leave to play more regular football?

I reckon the former could be the best move for him in terms of maxing out his career (and ultimately his earnings), he's pretty much played non stop ever since he's got here and there's been signs over the last couple of years that it was starting to show, so a more reduced role could now be the best thing for him as he enters the twilight phase of his career.

Whether he see's it that way however is another matter.

WHY DID YOU HAVE TO ASK THIS!? 😭

[Atomiswave 6,072]

26 minutes ago, Tomo said:

That's definitely my choice (unless he badly bottoms out) the only question mark would be whether he would accept that.

Spot on, as long as he gets to play here and there and wear the badge with pride im all for it. Some say he will end up at Arsenal in a few years, I dont see it but hey you never know. In any case RJ looks to have that position down, he has been quality all season bare a few mistakes in the beginning.

[killer1257 3,282]

I still think he has some good years left, so he should probably leave and get the last good years out of his career. I can see Conte or Mou going for him.

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[Jase 43,479]

27 minutes ago, killer1257 said:

I still think he has some good years left, so he should probably leave and get the last good years out of his career. I can see Conte or Mou going for him.

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Why would he go from our bench to Spurs' bench? Spurs, after all, already has Doherty. 

[Strike 7,305]

1 hour ago, Tomo said:

So with RJ's explosion this season that will (touch wood) carry on the way it's been going, what does the future hold for Azpi? 

Will he accept a more reduced role going forward or will he eventually want to leave to play more regular football?

I reckon the former could be the best move for him in terms of maxing out his career (and ultimately his earnings), he's pretty much played non stop ever since he's got here and there's been signs over the last couple of years that it was starting to show, so a more reduced role could now be the best thing for him as he enters the twilight phase of his career.

Whether he see's it that way however is another matter.

I don't see anyone decent offering a starting role. Teams are looking for high-energy fullbacks. He might accept a rotation role here. Lampard has rotated between Azpi and James so far but I expect James to play most league games from here on barring injury

[Tomo 21,741]

9 minutes ago, Jason said:

Why would he go from our bench to Spurs' bench? Spurs, after all, already has Doherty. 

Hypothetically Mou would bench Docherty and do his usual one fullback bombing on (Reguillon) while the other tucks in. Or if Reguillion gets recalled to Real, Docherty right Azpi left. Either way it's a moot point he won't go there, Arsenal at a push but no way Spurs.

[NikkiCFC 8,089]

I can see him staying till end of the contract - summer 2022. After that he will go back to Osasuna for free.

[Jase 43,479]

13 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Hypothetically Mou would bench Docherty and do his usual one fullback bombing on (Reguillon) while the other tucks in. Or if Reguillion gets recalled to Real, Docherty right Azpi left. Either way it's a moot point he won't go there, Arsenal at a push but no way Spurs.

Yes, I don't believe Azpi will go to Spurs or Arsenal but for argument's sake, we're talking about Azpi who is already 31 years old, not 21. He might still be able to perform at a decent level but I don't even think Mourinho would do what you said there, especially for a full back position.

[Jase 43,479]

17 minutes ago, Strike said:

I don't see anyone decent offering a starting role. Teams are looking for high-energy fullbacks. He might accept a rotation role here. Lampard has rotated between Azpi and James so far but I expect James to play most league games from here on barring injury

You forgot to mention 'form'. As well as James has done recently, he's still only 20 years old (will turn 21 next month) and would probably hit some kind of rough patch along the way at this point.

Another factor on the use of James and Azpi this season could also come down to who we are playing and how we will set up. Using James against Burnley and Sheffield United was the right move because we were always gonna to dominate them. But say if we go play Man City, Spurs or Liverpool and away from home, Lampard may opt for Azpi instead for example.