Closed RZ Pellets 1-1 Chelsea

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Zouma had a solid first half but was a bit iffy in the second. Not as disappointing as Salah though, who messed up a lot of final balls and just looked very erratic.

Not concerned about Zouma one bit, but Salah does need to step it up for his own sake. He's much better than what he's shown so far. Pre season is his chance to really put up an impression because the other guys are away but he's not done well so far.

I am! he looks extremely clumsy and doesn't really move the ball well. Has a long way to go, looks pretty awkward.

[zolayes 14,489]

-No attack at all today.

-Zouma is not ready yet,he sould be loaned out to get first team football.

-Bamford will never make it.

-Salah was shit for the second straight match.

-Boga scored a beautifull goal

-Luis debuted and Cech returned

That's all the points of the match.

Van Ginkel and Matic partners for life or at least the next 5 years

[FabHazard 655]

General play was awful..i mean when we are passing the ball we cannot keep it on the ground...

Our defenders are too insecure...they did not play high line(at the end they tried to play high up the pitch)...this is probably due to attacking players not pressing enough

We drew the game through individual brilliance

Very impressed with boga..

Filipe,matic,romeu were good...van ginkel,brown were decent

[stroey 2,525]

Van Ginkel was impressive, maybe we don't need Khedira at all.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

That's overly harsh. He actually played some nice balls in the first half but in the second everyone seemed a little knackered which isn't all that surprising.

He still needs to work on some of his positioning but that will come in time. He's a prospect for sure though.

Honestly, I really wanted him to impress me... Was elated when we signed him but given what I've seen the last couple games he doesn't look the prospect I thought he was. I don't like the way he is so deliberate with his pass and how uncomfortable he looks with the ball at his feet. Expected a lot more... Raw seems like a stretch, I would feel much more comfortable with Omeruo Kalas, Ake and Christensen at this point.

[Barbara 15,149]

Zouma had a solid first half but was a bit iffy in the second. Not as disappointing as Salah though, who messed up a lot of final balls and just looked very erratic.

Not concerned about Zouma one bit, but Salah does need to step it up for his own sake. He's much better than what he's shown so far. Pre season is his chance to really put up an impression because the other guys are away but he's not done well so far.

that's his biggest chance right now and he seems to be wasting it. Maybe he's overwhelmed? Feeling the pressure? Either way, I'm not panicking yet, but he's wasting a golden chance.

I really like Baker and Aké from our youth and I think they should be in the senior team as we'll need to register a few youth players to fill the homegrown quotas in EPL and UCL. I'm not so sure about Boga only because maybe a loan would be more beneficial to him. we'll see.

Brown could stay as well, but we need to see the positions we actually need replacement, if we're keeping the boys. I think we're stacked in his position.

My biggest joy in this match was watching a confident, daring, bold, giving-his-all Marco van Ginkel. I know he wants to impress to keep his position and may have been a tad too eager, but the way he's played the first half has more than assured his permanence with us imo. Either way, it seems like his confidence is unshaken after a very serious injury at age 20. That shows a lot of character - the kind I like.

I really liked Luís too and I can't wait for players other than the ones we had today to receive his passes and link up. The kids are still very much green - most of them - they don't have movement awareness yet - which is fine - and they don't do the instinctive run and movement. They were a bit lost at times, moving to the opposite side, not offering the better position to receive the ball, but that's all part of the learning curve.

It's complicated to say Zouma had a good first half and was bad in the second when the opposition only tried something more solid in the second. It may seem harsh, but when he was proved, he failed imo. I'm not writing him off, I'm not bashing the guy, I'm talking exclusively about this match. When he was pushed he messed up.

[couris 232]

zouma baker brown not very good.

[sdrcfc 461]

Good introduction for Luis, and Boga showed his usual brilliance from the younger team. Salah needs to improve, would like to see us bring in an extra CB. Van Ginkel could force his way around the starting XI.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I am! he looks extremely clumsy and doesn't really move the ball well. Has a long way to go, looks pretty awkward.

He's not a ball playing CB, shouldn't expect him to move the ball well. It's not what I'm expecting from him anyway. He's okay enough with the ball though IMO.

[The Skipper 20,609]

I'm not so sure about Boga only because maybe a loan would be more beneficial to him. we'll see.

Boga is still only 16/17 I think so there's no rush with him at all. Would like to see him in some COC and FA Cup games though, huge talent, and he looks driven and focussed enough to actually turn his talent into genuine football quality.

[Diego Kwsta 96]

Van Ginkel and Matic partners for life or at least the next 5 years

Yeah,I forgot to mention Matic and MVG.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Van Ginkel was impressive, maybe we don't need Khedira at all.

We never "needed" him in the first place.

[JDY 1,290]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSUVFghgqQg

0:54 for those who haven't seen the goal

[The Skipper 20,609]

Re: MVG, pretty funny how the opinion on him has swung around after one pre season match... Before this game he wasn't ready, now 'we don't need Khedira after all'...

(Not singling you out stroey, just an example to make my point clearer).

[Sheva. 5,373]

Zouma is like Luiz-lite, physically he's awesome, but has some brain-farts that could lead to goals conceded or red card. He's still young though, so he clearly can improve.

I'm not worried about Salah, he'll be fine as a sub.

Also happy with how active MVG and Matic were.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

He's not a ball playing CB, shouldn't expect him to move the ball well. It's not what I'm expecting from him anyway. He's okay enough with the ball though IMO.

To each his own I guess... To me he looks big, burly and clumsy. You still need to have a level of technique to play football, his best asset is his size and right now, to me he looks erratic.

[zolayes 14,489]

would have liked to have voted for Van G in 1st half and Boga in second for MOM

[The Skipper 20,609]

To each his own I guess... To me he looks big, burly and clumsy. You still need to have a level of technique to play football, his best asset is his size and right now, to me he looks erratic.

That has always been his strength. Zouma has never been, and will never be a technical defender that's comfortable on the ball. He'll improve as he settles in obviously but personally I know where his talents lie... Freak athleticism paired with big defending. Huge potential in my book, just give him time to settle in and learn from the likes of JT, Cahill and Ivanovic.

[zolayes 14,489]

Re: MVG, pretty funny how the opinion on him has swung around after one pre season match... Before this game he wasn't ready, now 'we don't need Khedira after all'...

(Not singling you out stroey, just an example to make my point clearer).

well I never said that

[JDY 1,290]

Zouma is like Lukaku and M.Sakho in that it looks like they are putting in maximum effort to play what looks like a simple pass for most. It won't change for any of them no matter how much training is put in.