A look at Chelsea's signings

[NishC300 1,865]

A look at Chelsea's signings

Chelsea’s signings in the two transfer windows during Summer
2012 and January 2013 were always going to be a pivotal part of the club
rebuilding itself to fit the new style of play the club has tried to implement
along with that it has also been used to bring more depth into the squad. So
how have our new signings faired in a season that has been rather dull for the
Blues.

Eden Hazard

The young Belgian tweeted that he would join the Blues after
a transfer saga that lasted almost a whole season. He started off in great
fashion breaking the ‘consecutive Man of the Matches for a newcomer’ with his
amazing skill. Of course many claim that since Mata got some rest after a
hectic summer Hazard’s performances have been slightly subdued. Personally it
would be too soon to judge this signing as successful as he still has a long
way to go and at the age of 22 and he
has been doing really well. He will possibly have to work on his work rate as
time passes by but he did prove that he could adapt to the Premier League as in
the friendlies he did take a little more time on the ball but since then he has
tried to solve that problem and has given Chelsea a player who can beat most
defenders in the EPL with his flair and can draw fouls which is useful when one
has free kick takers like Chelsea. He has improved throughout the season so he
will improve throughout his career. On the whole it has been a rather eventful
season for Chelsea (and for Hazard) and he will definitely keep improving if
handled correctly. A superstar in the making.

Oscar

The young Brazilian on his first ever start captured
headlines with two stunning goals and hasn’t stop with his stunning goals since
then. He has the best work rate of the trio (with Hazard, Mata and him), he has
been doing a good job playing out wide and making runs and dribbles, but what
Chelsea’s real aim should be is to convert him into a play maker who can sit in
the pivot and dictate the game as that is something Oscar has been very
successful in with Brazil. He did get a chance to do that against Sunderland,
but was quite often off position in that game and if he had played against
stronger opposition he would have been punished. This is something Chelsea need
to consider is their poor squad rotation which has resulted in several
youngsters not getting enough time to improve. If Oscar is handled correctly he
could easily become a Xabi Alonso/Pirlo like player. He does boast some good
tackling and passing stats and has shown his ability to track key players. Oscar
has been very consistent too and his defending will improve which could make
him a fantastic playmaker. If the club wants to play this new technical style
then making Oscar a midfielder for the pivot could be pivotal! Crucial for the
blue’s future.

Marko Marin

Another young signing the German missed the beginning of the
season due to injury. To be fair to him he has been in and out of the side and
hasn’t been given enough chances to play. He has good pace and good dribbling
skills and seems like a genuine winger and someone who could hopefully provide width.
It is essential that Chelsea give him more game time so that he does keep
improving as he can do much better. His goal against Wigan made him the shortest
player to score a header for Chelsea since Dennis Wise in 2001. A player who definitely
has huge potential and room for improvement.

Thorgan Hazard

I haven’t seen Hazard’s brother in action much yet many
people are saying he has been doing a fine job on loan at Zulte Waregem (who
are currently challenging for the title and with the Belgian Pro League having
a play-off system to decide the winner Zulte Waregem could get the Belgian
title) in his home country. He scored a brilliant goal at Lokeren to put his
team up 1-0 (the game ended 1-1). He is known for having amazing dribbling
ability, being able to drift around defenders and boasting a fine passing
ability. It would be good to possibly send him to Werder Bremen on loan next
season. He could silence those who claimed that the only reason he was at
Chelsea was for his brother.

Cezar Azpilicueta

Chelsea signed this Spaniard to add more depth to the RB
position since Ivanovic isn’t a natural RB and Bosingwa had left in the summer
and he has been more than just a replacement for Bosingwa! Even when the club
was struggling Azplicueta kept playing well and moreover, he is excellent
defensively (something that many modern full backs seem to lack). He has good
pace and picks the right moments to go forward on the overlap and can deliver a
good cross. The 23 year old might not have been one of the ‘big name’ signings
but his performances prove that he is someone who deserves a starting place
too. A future contender for Spain’s RB position.

Victor Moses

Chelsea signed the Nigerian from Wigan Athletic as he played
a role in their survival and was a winger who could add more width to Chelsea.
He also has a good work rate and has more strength than Chelsea’s other AMs. He
certainly has slammed those critics who said that he was not a good signing and
like Azpilicueta despite not being one of the huge cash signing has had an a huge
influence on the team and especially under Interim Manager, Rafa Benitez. He
has proven that he can be a regular starter along with helping his national
team to winning the AFCON! Still at the young age of 22 Moses will keep improving
and has already shown his fantastic dribbling skills and has been a pretty good
threat in the air (Shakthar Donetsk goal comes to mind first). An excellent
signing!

Demba Ba

Chelsea’s only signing in the January window (1 signing in
the whole window was shocking)! The Sengalese striker was a signing who was an
absolute necessity! With Torres’ horrendous form and no other strikers in the
team, it was almost essential for the Blues to sign a striker! With Torres’
form many players are capable of replacing him but Ba has shown that he is more
than just a replacement or someone to add more depth in that position but has
proven himself as someone who (next season of course) could lead Chelsea’s
title challenge. He reminds many of Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba, and has a
playing style similar to him. Long balls have been lobbed up to him, and due to
his physicality has done very well with them and due to his strength he can
drag defenders on to him allowing players like Mata more space to create/score.
He has been in good scoring form since he’s come and has shown the desire to
score goals and get the ball into the net (not the side netting or the one on
top but over the line!) for his team. It is essential that a team has a good
striker since they are the guys who do the goal scoring! Few teams can be
successful without a good striker and in most teams the striker is the star
man! So when the Blues had their main striker, Torres, in bad form they were in
trouble. Ba’s started with a bang!

Conclusion

Personally in a season like this it is not easy to assess
most of the signings since most of them have been youngsters many of whom are
doing well in adjusting to the Premier League’s style of play. Ba has just
arrived at the club yet he has done incredibly well. Personally I have been
impressed by our new signings and believe that they are crucial to Chelsea’s
future along with handling the U19s/U21s well especially after beating Barcelona
2-0 away with 10 men they must obviously have huge talent, will and desire and
deserve the chance to play at some point in the first team. If the squad
rotation improves and Chelsea’s results improve these youngsters will definitely
improve as the squad might be rotated better if the results are better since
the management fear that if they don’t play their best squad in every match
they are not capable of beating an inferior opponent (which they should be!).

That’s it for my first sports article hope you like it!
(This article has been uploaded on talkchelsea.net and
www.nishchay-c300.webs.com)

[zolayes 14,489]

Excellent article ,,well done

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Azpi is 23 not 21...........

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Great article but a rather too optimistic look, imo. I agree that most of these players will be the future of CFC but in order for them to become so we need not only to praise their assets but also identify their weaknesses.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Great article but a rather too optimistic look, imo. I agree that most of these players will be the future of CFC but in order for them to become so we need not only to praise their assets but also identify their weaknesses.

I agree, but I think this will prove to be our best transfer window ever! (until now)

[NishC300 1,865]

Azpi is 23 not 21...........

Thanks for telling I changed it

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I agree, but I think this will prove to be our best transfer window ever! (until now)

The last 3-4 windows have been "revolutionary" in terms of the type of buys the club is making. Hazard and Oscar aside, all the other signings we've made have been low-risk and excellent value for money.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

The last 3-4 windows have been "revolutionary" in terms of the type of buys the club is making. Hazard and Oscar aside, all the other signings we've made have been low-risk and excellent value for money.

This. The sort of buys we always wanted, teh sort of buys that were logical in the evolution of the club. Still under Mou we signed either players as Ben Haim, Ben sahar, Steve Sidwell, Pizarro, that were simply not only not good enough but were the wrong players at the wrong time or we signed made names for big money.

Esp Azpi, Moses and Ba were signings for the future that also could make an immediate impact without costing too much. Amongst all the board bashing which is also deserved to an extent, we have differentiate and I'd like to know who sorted these signing out cos he deserves praise, hsi choices were odds-on.

[Rmpr 8,977]

The last 3-4 windows have been "revolutionary" in terms of the type of buys the club is making. Hazard and Oscar aside, all the other signings we've made have been low-risk and excellent value for money.

I dont think it has, I think it started with Mata...Actually, in the same window, we tried Pastore and Modric for insane amount of money!

We also had Torres, David and Rambo going for crazy transfer fees!

Chelsea started learning only last year, which is great, but if you look at each year since Roman took over, we always had our big share of failure or disapointment. However, this year has been quite posite (Moses, Azpilicueta, Oscar, Hazard, Ba, etc).

EDIT: Sorry, I understood years!

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Thanks for telling I changed it

No problem

[NishC300 1,865]

Azpi is 23 not 21...........

thanks I edited that, must have typed it accidentally

[NishC300 1,865]

thanks I edited that, must have typed it accidentally

oops sent it twice in 2 days lol

[NishC300 1,865]

This. The sort of buys we always wanted, teh sort of buys that were logical in the evolution of the club. Still under Mou we signed either players as Ben Haim, Ben sahar, Steve Sidwell, Pizarro, that were simply not only not good enough but were the wrong players at the wrong time or we signed made names for big money.

Esp Azpi, Moses and Ba were signings for the future that also could make an immediate impact without costing too much. Amongst all the board bashing which is also deserved to an extent, we have differentiate and I'd like to know who sorted these signing out cos he deserves praise, hsi choices were odds-on.

these were gr8 signings but what we did wrong was to only get Ba in January!

[coolhead23 1,147]

these were gr8 signings but what we did wrong was to only get Ba in January!

Guess we didnt go for any more signing in Jan comes down to the fact that the club doesnt feel that Rafa should continue beyond this season... so no point showing Rafa "the Money"

[NishC300 1,865]

Guess we didnt go for any more signing in Jan comes down to the fact that the club doesnt feel that Rafa should continue beyond this season... so no point showing Rafa "the Money"

doesn't the board do all the signings? I don't think the manager has much of a say in the signings.

[coolhead23 1,147]

doesn't the board do all the signings? I don't think the manager has much of a say in the signings.

I know but still .. they mite be just saving it for the best (yet to come) ...

Atleast an Interim manager doesnt have a say in the signings!

[NishC300 1,865]

I know but still .. they mite be just saving it for the best (yet to come) ...

Atleast an Interim manager doesnt have a say in the signings!

yea that's a good point but i hope signing only 1 player doesn't end up costing us matches!

[coolhead23 1,147]

yea that's a good point but i hope signing only 1 player doesn't end up costing us matches!

Come on mate, we have already broken the bank one too many times (got used to it now) ... I m disappointed as well but atleast we got in a striker which was very very important ... Going forward i dont think we would be spending the same way we have done in the past ...

[Strike 7,489]

Good piece on our transfers

surprised with a few of our signings in recent seasons like Azpilicueta for example. A few seasons ago, we'd have gone for someone like Maicon

[English Freak 456]

Azpi was a steal

Hazard & Moses will be awesome players in the near future

Unsure on Oscar. Let's see how he develops...

Don't see a long term future for Marin...but luckily he only cost a few million.