Kurt Zouma

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

I have a feeling we have signed the next Sakho lol

[Special Juan 27,430]

I'm prepared to give him time.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

He looks like he'll need LOADS of time. Just looks extremely uncomfortable with the ball and doesn't seem to possess the type of agility needed to play at a high level. I hope I'm wrong but this doesn't look like a solid buy...

[Tomo 21,733]

Can see Mou signing another CB while Zouma is the Huth of this team.

[dee25 1,044]

Not all young players require a loan spell before they can be integrated into the first team, for example Ake in my opinion is for sure ready to play a role, but Zouma definitely needs to be sent out on loan. He's far too raw, makes way too many mistakes and generally isn't composed when put under pressure. He needs to be playing week in, week out because it's obvious that composure is really lacking in his game.

He'll probably be loaned out again, and it wouldn't surprise me to see us dip into the market for another centre back. I think we need more quality in that area.

[Rom2013 446]

Varane was bad in the first games for Madrid also. He started playing well in his second season, in the first season was really dificult for him.

Maybe this kid can't do it, but I don't think we should worry about some problems in a CB at the age of 19.No one plays in big teams with that age in the CB (there are some exceptions but normally they don't)

[The only place to be 11,313]

I'm prepared to give him time.

Good to see some are. Would love to see him hang around the team until Winter and train with the top-class players we have. We knew what we got when we signed him and he's not going to become Frank LeBouef overnight. He's a first-class physical specimen in his first month at the club, and yet people are farming him out already.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Not taking a jab at this guy based on is pre-season form, but I still think keeping Kalas as our 4th choice this year and sending Zouma out would've been the better option. Sending Kalas out on loan undermined all the hard work and effort he had put in during the last season and he would've easily integrated into our backline in the coming season. Now he has to come back after his season long loan spell and repeat the entire process again.

How crazy is this gonna sound if we send out Zouma on loan next season after him having a decent enough time this season?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I'm prepared to give him time.

I'm sure he'll be thrilled when he finds out

[Special Juan 27,430]

I'm sure he'll be thrilled when he finds out

I've text him he said it's awesome

[BenIsLegend 475]

I've text him he said it's awesome

Thought he would of said he's happy.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Not taking a jab at this guy based on is pre-season form, but I still think keeping Kalas as our 4th choice this year and sending Zouma out would've been the better option. Sending Kalas out on loan undermined all the hard work and effort he had put in during the last season and he would've easily integrated into our backline in the coming season. Now he has to come back after his season long loan spell and repeat the entire process again.

How crazy is this gonna sound if we send out Zouma on loan next season after him having a decent enough time this season?

Just give Zouma time... People who have never seen him before (not you per se) are judging him off two pre season games which is ridiculous.

There's a reason he was given the number 5 shirt IMO, if the club and Jose thought that he needed to go out on loan they wouldn't give him a number like.

At least give the lad some time to settle in instead of making conclusions that he needs to go out on loan after two pre season games. Don't understand why people put so much stock into these dead end friendlies. If that were the case last season then Moses and Marin should've started over Hazard.

[nyikolajevics 2,587]

Not taking a jab at this guy based on is pre-season form, but I still think keeping Kalas as our 4th choice this year and sending Zouma out would've been the better option. Sending Kalas out on loan undermined all the hard work and effort he had put in during the last season and he would've easily integrated into our backline in the coming season. Now he has to come back after his season long loan spell and repeat the entire process again.

How crazy is this gonna sound if we send out Zouma on loan next season after him having a decent enough time this season?

You are right but playing 90 minutes in the Bundesliga week-by-week is more benefitial for him than being our 4th choice CB.

Not to mention that the frenchman is Mourinho's signing, they talked on the phone and he convinced Zouma to join us. Kalas was already our player. It's possible that José doesn't want him and we only loaned him out to make his price higher.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Just give Zouma time... People who have never seen him before (not you per se) are judging him off two pre season games which is ridiculous.

There's a reason he was given the number 5 shirt IMO, if the club and Jose thought that he needed to go out on loan they wouldn't give him a number like.

At least give the lad some time to settle in instead of making conclusions that he needs to go out on loan after two pre season games. Don't understand why people put so much stock into these dead end friendlies. If that were the case last season then Moses and Marin should've started over Hazard.

Maybe I shoul've posted in the Kalas thread.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

You are right but playing 90 minutes in the Bundesliga week-by-week is more benefitial for him than being our 4th choice CB.

Not to mention that the frenchman is Mourinho's signing, they talked on the phone and he convinced Zouma to join us. Kalas was already our player. It's possible that José doesn't want him and we only loaned him out to make his price higher.

Kalas is a better defender than Zouma IMO( and that is not based on these pre-season games) Atleast Kalas is sort of a more technical ball-playing CB while Zouma is more of a physical threat.

With Terry and Cahill, we have a good mix. As far as our 3rd and 4t options go, both Branna and Zouma are physical defenders. Kalas would be the ideal pair to Ivanovic for our 2nd choice CB pairing. I really hope Jose is not intending to sell him.

[dee25 1,044]

Just give Zouma time... People who have never seen him before (not you per se) are judging him off two pre season games which is ridiculous.

There's a reason he was given the number 5 shirt IMO, if the club and Jose thought that he needed to go out on loan they wouldn't give him a number like.

At least give the lad some time to settle in instead of making conclusions that he needs to go out on loan after two pre season games. Don't understand why people put so much stock into these dead end friendlies. If that were the case last season then Moses and Marin should've started over Hazard.

If you look through the last 10 pages of this thread, there's a wealth of discussion about whether he's ready to play a role in the first team, and if you go even further to his transfer page, many were questioning his readiness then so clearly the reluctancy that some have extends further than two preseason friendlies.

I don't think it's a coincidence that he had a better season in 12/13 (when he was playing more regularly) than he did last season when he missed a lot of matches and was basically 3rd choice centre back behind Sall and Perrin. From what I've seen of him, he's the sort of player that needs to get into a momentum and I don't see how that's going to be possible with him being that far down in the pecking order. Clearly you disagree, and that's fine but from what I've seen of Zouma, he needs to be playing consistently. He's far too raw to be 4th choice, and I don't think he'll be able to perform adequately if he's not playing regularly. But let's see....

[Muzchap 8,966]

If you look through the last 10 pages of this thread, there's a wealth of discussion about whether he's ready to play a role in the first team, and if you go even further to his transfer page, many were questioning his readiness then so clearly the reluctancy that some have extends further than two preseason friendlies.

I don't think it's a coincidence that he had a better season in 12/13 (when he was playing more regularly) than he did last season when he missed a lot of matches and was basically 3rd choice centre back behind Sall and Perrin. From what I've seen of him, he's the sort of player that needs to get into a momentum and I don't see how that's going to be possible with him being that far down in the pecking order. Clearly you disagree, and that's fine but from what I've seen of Zouma, he needs to be playing consistently. He's far too raw to be 4th choice, and I don't think he'll be able to perform adequately if he's not playing regularly. But let's see....

Ok - but at the end of the day it's Jose's decision

If it goes wrong - then sure blame him, but I have a feeling he knows what he's doing with the youngsters - contrary to popular belief

[termninja 5,290]

I really really like this lad. Works really hard, very positive attitude and incredible physique. Was really good today and I'm really happy he got the full 90. It seems Jose has really big plans for him. Keep it up Kourt!