Signing of the Season

[manpe 10,761]

There is a thread about TC player of the year, but since it's very one sided, I thought why not make one for the newbies. Now I know this poll will probably be leaning towards Hazard as much as it is towards Mata in the other thread, but the main point of this topic is to discuss our newcomers' debut seasons, because we've had quite a few this year.

The poll is a bonus, it is primarily a discussion topic. Who was the best? Who was the most disappointing? What could have been done better? Were they worth the money? How do you see their future at the club? Etc etc...

[Madmax 9,219]

My 2 cents

Marin : Getting the inconsequential one out of the way first. I hesitate to comment on this one because he hasn't been given a fair chance. Then of course, he hasn't really grabbed the limited opportunities he's been provided. Why Benayoun gets a spot over him on the bench is a mystery. Maybe he stole Benitez's sandwich ...

Moses : Really started the season brightly and offered a different option to the three amigos (direct running, 1 v 1) and if you'd asked me this in October/November, he'd won this hands down. Been a little bit off the boil since ACoN even though he pops up with a few goals every now and then without playing particularly well. All in all, decent enough, money wise as well. 6.5/10.

Oscar : No secret that I simply adore him. Really good signing that's settled in very well and made the jump so quickly; it's like a cat landing on its feet. Not as eye-catching as the other two but so intelligent in his play, so technically wonderful on the ball and so hardworking off it. Amazing to think he's just 21. Will be here for years to come and is someone you'd build a side around. That we nicked him from Spurs is the icing on the cake. 8/10.

Hazard : All eyes were on him when the season started and he immediately showed why. Started off like a house on fire and hasn't looked back since. His dynamic style has caught up with him somewhat in recent months and it shows in his performances. Disappears too much for my liking in some games but can really shift gears in an instant. We've been crying out for someone who can do something that makes us go 'WOAH!' and we've found that someone in Hazard. Again, someone who's landed on his feet, again someone who'll be around for a long time and again, someone who it's amazing is just 21. Injuries not withstanding, he'll be massive next year. 7.5/10

Ba : A little early to judge because he arrived in January but it's been par for the course from a rotational signing. Might have gotten a few more goals than he has but apart from that clinical edge it's all positive on the other fronts. Works hard, makes good runs, holds it up well. That knee hasn't been a trouble either. Both the goals against the Mancs were beauties. 6.5/10

Azpilicueta : Fantastic Dave is fantastic. Makes Ivanovic look like a poor fullback, and Ivan was voted the league's best a couple of years ago. Another young signing who's settled immediately and made that transfer fee look like a pittance. That he's made the Spain squad based on his season here says it all. 8.5/10

Special mention for Emenalo. He's done a sterling job.

[Strike 6,539]

A mention for Demba Ba. He has made a good impression in the big games - vs Man City, United. Playing the long ball to him is an added option when the team is struggling. vs Man City (in the league), he got the penalty after being played in over the top. vs Man United, he scored that beauty first-time volley and vs Man City in the semis, another long ball, another conversion.

Great backup option for next season, someone who can add a big presence up-front .

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Good thread, should do one for EPL too.

I think Cesar is def best value for money, not only did we get a first team player for so cheap it was a fullback no less. Considering how rare quality fullbacks are to come across this is one of the best transfers not just this year but for a while I'd argue. Plus only 23? Def one of the best transfers we've had in Abramovich era.

I think all the votes are pretty straight-forward except who would still be here in 5 years. Oscar, Hazard and Cesar are easy to stay for a long time. Marin and Ba no chance, Marin because he isn't good enough. I can Ba staying till the end of his contract but to stay 5 years means a renewal which won't happen.

Moses is the tricky one here, considering he's young he can easily get a renewal and still have good resale value after 5 years. Plus he can do a job and has good potential, don't see why he can't carve out a decent career here similar to Kalou as a good squad player. But I don't he'll ever improve enough to be first choice player at Chelsea I can easily see him being moved to finance a move for a better player.

[Phil Driver 503]

I am going a bit off piste here,my signing of the season has not signed yet ,but hopefully he will soon and that is Frankie Lampard how we could ever think of letting him go is a mystery to me ,still a class act on the pitch and all that experience and knowhow he can show our younger players is priceless. Jose's first decision will be to sign Frank nap ,he knows what quality is.

[Jype 6,271]

Signing of the season: Eden Hazard

Was there ever any doubt after the young Belgian signed the contract? Similar impact to what Mata had on the team last year and pretty identical stats too. Not that it matters much what the goals are like but Hazard has been scoring some beauties. Expecting even bigger things from this lad next year when the team is hopefully managed by someone better than Rafael Benitez and when Eden is fully settled in the team and has learnt the language too. Scary to think how good this bunch of players will be within the next five years if we can just hang onto them and why wouldn't we, after all Chelsea are not a selling club.

Best value for money: Cesar Azpilicueta

With Eden Hazard being one of the most expensive players the club has ever bought, one can't possibly name him as the best value signing no matter how good he's been, especially when our season has been a disappointment. Azpilicueta however has been a great player and cheap too, how often does a club like Chelsea get a regular first team player for a mere 7 million? Having become a full Spanish international after the transfer I bet his value is now around 15 million if we were to sell him, which I'm sure we don't because this one is so good. Can see Azpilicueta staying at the club for a long time. Only way I can see him leave is if at some point of his career he wishes to return to Spain and the big clubs come calling but other than that I can see him sticking with us.

Could have done better: Victor Moses

Inconsistent performances from the Nigerian in his first season at the club. Sometimes he shows glimpses of the player he could become but other times he just seems hopeless. This inconsistency was a thing well known from his days at Wigan and to be fair one couldn't honestly expect to get a 22-year-old homegrown player with skills like Messi for only £10m. Good squad player and has done well to fill the boots of Kalou and Malouda but there's still a lot of work to be done if he wants to be a regular at a club challenging for silverware season after season. Consistency improves with age but considering how well the other new young players, some even younger than Moses, have done in their first season at the club Moses has a long way to go before he gets to their level. Similarly to Kalou, I can see Moses staying at the club for quite a long time and being a good squad player who won't complain with the lack of playing time if there are better players than him playing ahead of him. In the end Kalou never improved but it remains to be seen whether or not Moses can fulfill his potential and be the player we all know he can be if everything works out the way we want.

No hope: Marko Marin

Another gamble of a signing last year but sadly this one didn't work out at all. I had such high expectations for young Marko after seeing him play well in the Bundesliga and for Germany some time ago but I guess his career at Chelsea was over before it even properly began when the club signed Eden Hazard only a month after signing the former German international. Had we not won the Champions League and therefore signed Hazard, Oscar etc. things could have worked out better for Marin but I'm not complaining. Marin wasn't an expensive signing nor are his wages too high so I wouldn't expect any trouble in moving him on this summer.

Great thread, @manpe!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

27 people think that Hazard will be here in 5 years? You either are underestimating Hazard's potential or are unrealistically optimistic!

[Manuf 1,448]

27 people think that Hazard will be here in 5 years? You either are underestimating Hazard's potential or are unrealistically optimistic!

bar Robben, who was the last great Chelsea player who went to another top team?

[Stingray 9,441]

27 people think that Hazard will be here in 5 years? You either are underestimating Hazard's potential or are unrealistically optimistic!

Or you are subconsciously underestimating Chelsea's future!

Ahaa Nour

[The Skipper 20,593]

27 people think that Hazard will be here in 5 years? You either are underestimating Hazard's potential or are unrealistically optimistic!

Why not? CFC do not sell their star players, Hazard will be here for a long time unless someone like Real or Barcelona (the only clubs he'll realistically go to from ours) cough up big, big money, which I simply don't see them doing.

Hazard will be a superstar for us.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

bar Robben, who was the last great Chelsea player who went to another top team?

But who have we had with the potential of Eden Hazard?

Or you are subconsciously underestimating Chelsea's future!

Ahaa Nour

Why not? CFC do not sell their star players, Hazard will be here for a long time unless someone like Real or Barcelona (the only clubs he'll realistically go to from ours) cough up big, big money, which I simply don't see them doing.

Hazard will be a superstar for us.

Not even United could keep hold of Ronaldo.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Not even United could keep hold of Ronaldo.

They could've if they wanted to, but they got ridiculous money for him, and alas, they let him go. As I said, apart from if we receive a ridiculous offer, it's perfectly plausible to think that Hazard will stay here for the next 5 years.

[Jype 6,271]

Not even United could keep hold of Ronaldo.

That's because an offer of £80m appeared on their table. If we too can keep Hazard for like four years and then sell him for £80m, I'm all for it. Can't see that happening though.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

They could've if they wanted to, but they got ridiculous money for him, and alas, they let him go. As I said, apart from if we receive a ridiculous offer, it's perfectly plausible to think that Hazard will stay here for the next 5 years.

That's because an offer of £80m appeared on their table. If we too can keep Hazard for like four years and then sell him for £80m, I'm all for it. Can't see that happening though.

Ronaldo left because he wanted to (and of course because someone offered a lot of money for him). And Hazard will leave to if he decides in 2-3 years that he wants to leave to a new challenge which is completely understandable.

[Magic Lamps 10,972]

But who have we had with the potential of Eden Hazard?

Not even United could keep hold of Ronaldo.

they could have easily. But I'd also have taken 94 fuckin million in a heartbeat. fergie sold him cos he thought Ronaldo had his peak behind him. he was wrong, but it was a calculated decision.

I am perfectly confident we can keep hazard. We can pay the same wages as anyone, we have beena nd will be one of the top5 clubs in the world. Barca and Real's spell at the top has just come to an end and Bayern won't pay wages as high as we. The next transfer window will see some big money moves that will shift the power away fromt he continent again.

Anyway. A big reason for our worldclass players staying with us for so long is the high identification factor of the Chelsea family. Lamps, Drogs, JT, Cech have carried the club for almost a decade. They have been brothers in arms. The same will happen to Luiz, Oscar, Hazard, Mata. Those bonds are stronger than an extra 30k per week or a prestigious name. Additionally our facilites are the best in the world and London >>Barcelona>>>>>Munich>>>>>>Madrid in terms of lifestyle.

[didierforever 7,349]

they could have easily. But I'd also have taken 94 fuckin million in a heartbeat. fergie sold him cos he thought Ronaldo had his peak behind him. he was wrong, but it was a calculated decision.

I am perfectly confident we can keep hazard. We can pay the same wages as anyone, we have beena nd will be one of the top5 clubs in the world. Barca and Real's spell at the top has just come to an end and Bayern won't pay wages as high as we. The next transfer window will see some big money moves that will shift the power away fromt he continent again.

Anyway. A big reason for our worldclass players staying with us for so long is the high identification factor of the Chelsea family. Lamps, Drogs, JT, Cech have carried the club for almost a decade. They have been brothers in arms. The same will happen to Luiz, Oscar, Hazard, Mata. Those bonds are stronger than an extra 30k per week or a prestigious name. Additionally our facilites are the best in the world and London >>Barcelona>>>>>Munich>>>>>>Madrid in terms of lifestyle.

THIS...

[Jype 6,271]

Ronaldo left because he wanted to (and of course because someone offered a lot of money for him). And Hazard will leave to if he decides in 2-3 years that he wants to leave to a new challenge which is completely understandable.

Fair enough, but I can't see us selling him on the cheap and judging by his days at Lille, Hazard doesn't struck me as a guy who would weasel his way out of a contract by blackmailing the club into selling him for below his market value. If there's no one willing to pay enough for him, then he stays at least until 2016 or even longer if he at some point pens a new contract with a couple of additional years in order to get a raise.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Everything was already beautifully said, but I would add an option of "who will be the better player in 5 years"...

[manpe 10,761]

Why not? CFC do not sell their star players, Hazard will be here for a long time unless someone like Real or Barcelona (the only clubs he'll realistically go to from ours) cough up big, big money, which I simply don't see them doing.

Hazard will be a superstar for us.

To be fair there are signs of Barcelona slowly fading away, they may not be such an alluring destination in five years anymore. Xavi isn't getting any younger, neither is Iniesta. Messi alone won't be enough to keep them at this level. Busquets and Faberglass will do their best to carry the torch, but it won't be enough imo. Puyol is already out of the picture and look what kind of effect it has had on Barca's defense. This kind of talent is hard to come by even in La Masia so I think that in five years they won't be this desirable Barcelona they are now. This current crop is their golden generation who everybody wants to play with and once they are past it or retired, they will once again become a so-and-so club and so will Spain.

Real on the other hand seems to always attract superstars, no matter if they win anything or not, so I agree that they could be able to get Hazard if they really wanted to. I'm worried they could target him as a replacement for Ronaldo, but £100m and we can talk

The prospect of having Hazard at 27 years of age around his peak, is a very mouth watering thought indeed. Unless he gets major injury problems, there is nothing to suggest he won't reach the biggest heights for a footballer. Hopefully the club recognize that and keep hold of him whatever it takes.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Marko Marin - di Matteo didn't ever fancy him, and he has barely played under Benitez, either. It speaks volumes that the likes of Benayoun and even young Ake are played ahead of him. He'll be gone in the summer, which is a shame because he's not had a chance to impress here - but I don't think he is "Chelsea standard". He seemed to be a panic buy before last Summer as the club thought we were consigned to the Europa League. Either way, he's been a disaster, although not particularly been bad on the pitch when he's played. 3/10

Demba Ba - a very astute signing by the club. We needed a classy striking option instead of Torres, and he has been supplied. It is very difficult to adapt to a new team mid-season, for him to have scored six goals for us already despite being rotated and rested more than half the time is pretty decent in my opinion. A brilliant buy in terms of value-for-money - Demba will be here for three-four years and do a decent job for us, the same as Anelka. Great technically and very strong, we look so much better when he plays. If Benitez didn't have a hard-on for Torres, he'd have played twice the games and probably have netted 10+ goals for us by now. 8/10.

Victor Moses - what a great buy. Everyone knows I am a big fan of Moses because of his versatility and his ability to do a job in any attacking position. He also had a good amount of potential and can be an important player on a squad level for us in the future. When you compare his performances to his worth, you would have to agree he has been a good buy in terms of value for money. He's been solid if not spectacular, and his return of 10 goals in 25 starts is respectable for any forward. 7/10.

Oscar - one for the future, but he has achieved more in English football than I expected him to this year. 60 appearances in a debut season - actually, in any season, for a club is absolutely incredible, but he still has the same boundless energy he had in his first games. He is capable of the spectacular of course, but just as important is his ability to get stuck in a do a good job for the team. His work ethic is excellent and he uses his body well to shield the ball away from opponents. We haven't even begun to see how good he is in my view, but he hasn't started badly at all, has he? 7/10.

Eden Hazard - big things were expected of him, and rightly so for £32 million. He has had a good first season in my opinion. I look at him and think "wow, this guy can be as good as Ronaldo", and he genuinely can. The main thing with EH17 is his team ethic - he is a very selfless person. That makes him different from the Messis, Ronaldos, and even Nanis and Walcotts of this world. It is very rare for a forward player, especially a wide player, to be selfless. He has had a good season overall, although he did tail off around November-January time. But, like little Oscar, we have so much more to see in this guy, and as far as I am concerned his potential is unlimited. Can he become the best player in the world? Yes, in my opinion. Yes he can. That doesn't mean he automatically will, but he has the potential to be a legend in his own right one day. 8/10.

Cesar Azpilicueta - my signing of the season. An absolutely inspired transfer. I am a fan of Ligue Un and have seen Azpi play for Marseille over the last two years, and yet I didn't think this was at all going to be a spectacular signing on any account. However, we've found a real gem here. Our right-back position is sorted for the next six-seven years as far as I am concerned. He is a great full-back; if he was English the media would have wanked themselves into a coma over him. He is absolutely unreal - pace, speed, aggression, tenacity, discipline; all the traits of a full-back and he has them in abundance. He has the potential to become our own Philipp Lahm. He is already brilliant defensively, and he will only improve in an offensive sense. Great, great buy. 9/10