Our Second String Team

[Steve 10,227]

I have come to the conclusion that Chelsea biggest problem is our second string line ups. We used to be so well known for having such good back up players. I recall this being said on numerous occasions by many commentators: "Chelsea's bench and reserves are good enough to form a second team in the Premier League". This is not the case anymore and this for me is where our problem lies (and the FSW). We need to bring in some good back up players who can fill in the roles when needed because right now at this very moment it is not happening and its been this way for the past couple of seasons.

This is not a shitty thread after a disappointing loss this has been on my mind for a fair few months now. Discuss!

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Courtois, De Bruyne, Lukaku, Piazon, Romeu, Kalas and Omeuro are all good enough for the 25 man squad. Baffled if at least 4 of them aren't in it next year. Even Essien could have been good enough for us this year tbh and even Florent fucking Malouda.......... in fact I will go as far as saying Gael Kakuta could have been useful instead of Marin and Benayoun this year and I don't even rate the kid.

Point is we need to get some of these players back (Coutois, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Kalas, Omeuro) I know it may harm some of their development but they would get games.

We could then use different systems 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2 etc as we would have personnel to try in different systems unlike the 4-2-3-1 which we have to play as we are short on CMs...

[Rmpr 8,977]

We dont even have great players for the pivot, a big time striker nor a centre-back like JT once was...Imagine our second team!

[Hutcho 8,443]

Yeah tbh, our second string team isn't available because they are all out on loan. Today we needed someone like KDB so much. Currently avaialble our second string isn't good enough. We need to start our first team. As i stated in a different thread, there is little chance that Hazard was too tired to start. He was probably as fit as the ones who did, so it was a bit pointless resting him. Players can't play every game, but in todays football i think people talk too much about resting players. I never see messi getting rested.

[Leif 6,006]

People, as usual, seem to overrate almost all of our players and are blind. Yes. I agree with you. Our subs/reserve options on the bench are pretty shit.

Not long ago you'd usually have either 1 of Essien/Ballack in their prime on the bench sitting alongside a ripe Deco. You'd have the likes of Alex/Carvalho etc. competing for a spot beside Terry (and Ivanovic during his central spells). Up front there could have been Drogba (prime), Anelka, Kalou (heh), and at times players like Crespo etc. For the wings there were options of Malouda, Cole, Anelka (again) & Robben at a point.

Now we've got Ramires instead of Essien/Ballack, Marin instead of prime-Malouda/Robben, Motherfucking Benayoun instead of Deco, Moses instead of Coley or Kalou (who I believe is the more all-round player), and erratic Luiz, off-form Ivanovic, past-prime Terry & not-good-enough Cahill competing for the central roles.

We even had Wayne Bridge competing for a spot with Ashley Cole! Now it's, er, Bertrand.

We had Mikel on the bench, which is where he should be right now IMO (although there is no better choice at this point) with Makelele as the starter.

We have possibly the 2 worst back-up 'keepers in the league (somehow) where at one point we had bloody Cudicini on the bench!

People need to understand that both last season and this season we have been and currently are punching above our weight. This is how Liverpool began to fall. All the signs are the same.

Not all that long ago our 2nd-string team could have consisted of Essien, Anelka, Mikel, Bridge, Deco, Robben (depending on form) and I just find it sad.

[The Mak 4,459]

We dont even have great players for the pivot, a big time striker nor a centre-back like JT once was...Imagine our second team!

Agree. Mikel, Ramires and Lampard are all second string DMs in my opinion.

Maybe if we played a different formation and had less on loan, we would have a decent second string, but 4-2-3-1 is a load of piss with first team 'DMs' we have right now.

Courtois

Brana-Cahill-JT-Bertrand

Ramires-Mikel-KDB

Moses-Torres-Marin

That seems ok. CM pairing of Ramires and KDB is beast. I know Courtois needs experience on loan though, but imagine having Cech as back-up in a few years! Need another striker and winger to replace Torres and Marin (which is looking more likely). Maybe a young CB like Jores Okre too instead of JT.

[Styles 9,790]

So you have realised at the end of March that our squad isn't good enough? What the hell have you been watching?

Bertrand, Marin, Torres etc wouldn't make the Southampton team. That says it all.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Just the result of piss-poor long-term planning a few years ago. The fact that we're now remedying that (as evidenced by the number of good quality players we have on-loan) is a positive but unfortunately we're suffering for not taking action sooner.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Compare our 2nd team to the the 2nd teams of the manchester clubs and there is a big difference

Lindegaard

Jones-Evans-Smalling-buttner

Anderson-Scholes

Nani-Welbeck-Young

Chica hernandez

Pantillmon

Richards-Toure-Lescott-Kolarov

Garcia-Rodwell

Milner-Nasri-sinclair

Dzeko

[The only place to be 11,313]

By the way, our second string team could theoretically be

Courtois

Kalas Omeruo Ake Van Aanholt

Chalobah McEachran

Piazon De Bruyne Kakuta

Lukaku

The problem is we simply didn't blood players properly a few years ago so we're having to do it now.

[Beigl 1,387]

Remember the good squad players we had 3-4 years ago with the likes of Beletti,Deco and so on.

[Special Juan 28,143]

Bad planning as far back as a few years ago. even look at last season, two strikers coming into a season littered with a million games. Only the Chelsea board could be so short sighted.

Next season I have faith with KDB, Lukaku and Co coming back but we also must make the correct purchases in the summer, that is massive.

[manpe 10,861]

Agree

[DDA 9,941]

I'm still baffled to why we left KDB out of our squad this season.

[zolayes 14,489]

In joses second season there were often articles suggesting our second team were top 6. Certainly. Top 10 .

This season has demonstrated how the squad strength has weakened

[GodZola 630]

It was said winning the CL 'papered over the cracks' which was true of course, however would any of you change that memorable night now knowing our squad was shite then? I know I certainly wouldn't.....!

However now that we have done the unthinkable with possibly the worst squad in the Roman era its time the club smelled the coffee. Courtois is a prime example of this situation we have currently been experiencing, there are a few different opinions on this forum but mine is to bring him back & let him & Cech slug it out for the No1 position - by doing this, as tough a decision it maybe it ensures we have 2 quality players in that position, yes selfish but it is the way forward & what needs to be considered for every position, we are not going to get back to the top without making tough decisions & being sentimental.

As mentioned there are a few quality loan players returning & with 3/4quality players signed in the summer we can turn it around, however it is pivotal on who we get as manager. Some don't favour Jose, some have their reservations, others are being cautious but most are like me want the guy back without hesitation - we have fucked about with mediocrity for too long & its about time we got back to consistency & challenging for titles instead of fighting for a CL place.

For me its like a jigsaw & Jose is the one to fit in all the pieces, if the hierarchy get it wrong with the new managerial appointment then we won't just be worried about the squad.

[Heisenberg 1,824]

Nothing criminal really, we are not fourth by chance.Our transfer policy is ridiculous since the departure of Ancelotti.

[zolayes 14,489]

By now with the money that has been invested in the academy and the the transfer fees paid in the past for 17-18 year olds we should now have at least 4 graduates in our squad perhaps not staters but in the squad

[Steve 10,227]

So you have realised at the end of March that our squad isn't good enough? What the hell have you been watching?

Bertrand, Marin, Torres etc wouldn't make the Southampton team. That says it all.

Obviously not.

[English Freak 456]

Completely agree with the original post.

Our second string team isn't good enough...and that could be the reason why we finish outside the top 4.

• Marin just isn't the right player for Chelsea,
• Benayoun is useless..(the fact that he celebrated Arsenal's 5-3 win at the Bridge last season says alot about how much he cares for Chelsea)
• Bertrand just doesn't look good enough
• We need a younger CB in the team, Terry is starting to show his age, Ivanovic has been horrible & Cahill is decent.