Ryan Bertrand

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Regardless of his limitations as a player, I think Ryan has put in the two best performances by a LB for us this season. I know that's not saying much as Cole's shadow and a RB don't really set the bar too high, but it should merit more game time for him.

[The Mak 4,459]

I'm more worried that a first team player is injured and it took the club two weeks to announce it.

Ryan wasn't on that list last week despite Jose saying that he has been injured for two weeks now.

It's smells an awful lot like the Sturridge situation this time last year; is he injured, is he not? When the truth was that he just wasn't fancied and the protocol was to get the best out of Goldilocks. Worrying to be honest.

[Strike 6,961]

He is fit again after the mysterious knee problem. Bold prediction for the second half of the season - Bertrand will be the first choice LB. Among our 3 options I prefer him

[Jase 43,479]

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/06/fulham-ryan-bertrand-chelsea

Fulham become the latest club to, apparently, have interest in getting Bertrand..

[Sheva. 5,373]

Hopefully he doesn't leave. Ivanovic is injured, so he can back up Cole for the time being and try to impress Mourinho.

[didierforever 7,349]

Hopefully he doesn't leave. Ivanovic is injured, so he can back up Cole for the time being and try to impress Mourinho.

we have 3 matches left in jan, thats it. i will be pleasantly suprised if he is given any time on the pitch at all by mou.

11th hull city

19th united

29th whu.

thats all the fixtures we have until iva comes back from his injury.

hard to see him playing any part.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Hopefully he doesn't leave. Ivanovic is injured, so he can back up Cole for the time being and try to impress Mourinho.

But that's the point. He should not be a back up for Cole. Based on the performances this season, Ryan has played two games and has been nothing short of excellent in either while Ash has been below average to put it lightly. This is why Bertrand would want to leave. The same happened with Sturridge and he left because he wasn't given a chance even though he was clearly better than Torres but he was not the "big name" player.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Mou is hatin on the kid, he has never looked out of depth whenever his played for us.

[Steve 10,227]

Only reason we should let Ryan go is if its to make way for Shaw. There is no other reason this should happen unless he is trying to force the move.

[Tomo 21,681]

But that's the point. He should not be a back up for Cole. Based on the performances this season, Ryan has played two games and has been nothing short of excellent in either while Ash has been below average to put it lightly. This is why Bertrand would want to leave. The same happened with Sturridge and he left because he wasn't given a chance even though he was clearly better than Torres but he was not the "big name" player.

Against Arsenal he was, but against Cardiff and Swindon he wasn't excellent, a decent performance yes and enough to have earned more chances than he has defiantly, but he was a standard 6-7/10 in those two games.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Against Arsenal he was, but against Cardiff and Swindon he wasn't excellent, a decent performance yes and enough to have earned more chances than he has defiantly, but he was a standard 6-7/10 in those two games.

Compared to what Cole has been delivering and even compared to Azpi in terms of ofenssive contribution, he was like a breathe of fresh air. I agree, he just did what you expect your LB to do, but we've rarely seen what's that is like recently here at Chelsea.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Against Arsenal he was, but against Cardiff and Swindon he wasn't excellent, a decent performance yes and enough to have earned more chances than he has defiantly, but he was a standard 6-7/10 in those two games.

That's essentially what Bertrand gives you. 200 games and very little impression left is perhaps why people shouldn't be too surprised if Mourinho doesn't really rate him. Maybe there's an issue with his attitude that Jose doesn't like, or something in training but Bertrand's legend does seem to be growing in his absence.

[Tomo 21,681]

That's essentially what Bertrand gives you. 200 games and very little impression left is perhaps why people shouldn't be too surprised if Mourinho doesn't really rate him. Maybe there's an issue with his attitude that Jose doesn't like, or something in training but Bertrand's legend does seem to be growing in his absence.

He has played under 5 manager's at Chelsea and despite Cole being in a steady decline since he (Ryan) got promoted to the squad, none off them have made the change but at the same time have kept him around, that suggest's they think similar to what i do, good squad player, but not much more than that.

And like you said he gained lots of experience out on loan, we are not talking about Aziz Deen-Conteh.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He has played under 5 manager's at Chelsea and despite Cole being in a steady decline since he (Ryan) got promoted to the squad, none off them have made the change but at the same time have kept him around, that suggest's they think similar to what i do, good squad player, but not much more than that.

That's not entirely true, though. AVB benched Ash for him and RDM used him quite a lot (even if more at LW than at LB) and last season he made 38 appearances for us!

He was slowing becoming a regular for us until Jose came and halted the progress even though Cole's performances have taken a dramatic decline this season. For the past two season, even though Ash was providing net to nothing going forward, he was still very solid in defense and very much a big game player. In fact I remember people on here only a year ago saying that he was still the best LB in the world. But he seems to have lost a lot that this season which naturally should have meant a bigger role for Ryan in the team but for some reason it meant playing our only RB at LB.

Ryan deserves a genuine shot at becoming a starter and he's probably not getting it because he isn't a big name player and no one in the media is making a big deal of his lack of matches and the fans don't make a fuss about him not playing like they do with Mata or KDB.

[Tomo 21,681]

That's not entirely true, though. AVB benched Ash for him and RDM used him quite a lot (even if more at LW than at LB) and last season he made 38 appearances for us!

He was slowing becoming a regular for us until Jose came and halted the progress even though Cole's performances have taken a dramatic decline this season. For the past two season, even though Ash was providing net to nothing going forward, he was still very solid in defense and very much a big game player. In fact I remember people on here only a year ago saying that he was still the best LB in the world. But he seems to have lost a lot that this season which naturally should have meant a bigger role for Ryan in the team but for some reason it meant playing our only RB at LB.

Ryan deserves a genuine shot at becoming a starter and he's probably not getting it because he isn't a big name player and no one in the media is making a big deal of his lack of matches and the fans don't make a fuss about him not playing like they do with Mata or KDB.

Didn't Cole's have a couple of lay off's last season which accounted for about 10 of his appearances? Then there was the Europa and games like QPR and Southampton where Rafa pretty much rested the whole first Xl because of another game shortly after. Also he had a fair few game at LW, especially at the start of the season, also a few of them were off the bench to protect a lead late on (for example, both matches against Arsenal).

I think the Cole was the best LB in the world still being used past it's sell by date was mainly people who didn't watch Chelsea and hang on to the same cliche's, Ferdinand's name was still in the worlds best defender's debate's up until about a year ago, even tho he hasn't been at that level since 2008.

Back to Ryan, he should have made more appearances without question, but some players just seem made to be dependable squad players, and, imo, Ryan's one of them. There's no shame in that, infact i would much rather we use the academy for squad depth than buy tripe like Marko Marin for the same purpose.

[Reddish-Blue 2,223]

We should offer Bertrand + Cash for Luke Shaw...

Win win for both clubs

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Didn't Cole's have a couple of lay off's last season which accounted for about 10 of his appearances? Then there was the Europa and games like QPR and Southampton where Rafa pretty much rested the whole first Xl because of another game shortly after. Also he had a fair few game at LW, especially at the start of the season, also a few of them were off the bench to protect a lead late on (for example, both matches against Arsenal).

I think the Cole was the best LB in the world still being used past it's sell by date was mainly people who didn't watch Chelsea and hang on to the same cliche's, Ferdinand's name was still in the worlds best defender's debate's up until about a year ago, even tho he hasn't been at that level since 2008.

Back to Ryan, he should have made more appearances without question, but some players just seem made to be dependable squad players, and, imo, Ryan's one of them. There's no shame in that, infact i would much rather we use the academy for squad depth than buy tripe like Marko Marin for the same purpose.

He literally made 3-4 sub appearances at LW for us last season. And Ash was never out for long last season. Ryan was as much a squad player as Garry Cahill (45 app) or Mikel (38 app). The point is, he was a very much trusted regular in the team. We're not talking about Marin or Paulo Ferreira here.

I'm not discussing if Ryan can be a top player or not, in fact, I agree that for a team like Chelsea he should be a very reliable squad player, but at the time all the other options at LB should not be at a top team like us. Simply put atm, he is better than Cole and Azpi at LB so he should be starting regardless if he isn't a top player or not.

[Thendo 1,088]

Going on loan to Aston Villa...