Alex Sandro

[BluesMadLad 1,450]

Just now, Special Juan said:

If we are to be anything of a threat or even compete as much as possible then both sides need mass improvement. 

Totally agree with u, are wing back positions are not strong enough say what u want about the team today, but are CM spots and wingbacks where the same ones that won the league, they get put up against a half BM team and get found out.

[Special Juan 26,064]

47 minutes ago, BluesMadLad said:

Totally agree with u, are wing back positions are not strong enough say what u want about the team today, but are CM spots and wingbacks where the same ones that won the league, they get put up against a half BM team and get found out.

Today wasn't, nor should it of been an eye opener for anyone, the glaring deficiencies were there from last season. Alonso, Moses, Matic and Cahill need upgrading on. Yes we have bought Rudiger but the problem being now is IMO we have dropped a massive mistake giving Cahill the armband, it makes him nigh on undroppable yet he's miles away from the level we need, he will get ripped to shreds in the CL as well as the wing backs.

The squad is worryingly thin, I hope these reports of four more players are correct, because we need it big time.

[BluesMadLad 1,450]

6 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Today wasn't, nor should it of been an eye opener for anyone, the glaring deficiencies were there from last season. Alonso, Moses, Matic and Cahill need upgrading on. Yes we have bought Ruddier but the problem being now is IMO we have dropped a massive mistake giving Cahill the armband, it makes him nigh on undroppable yet he's miles away from the level we need, he will get ripped to shreds in the CL as well as the wing backs.

The squad is worryingly thin, I hope these reports of four more players are correct, because we need it big time.

I'd be happy with just sandro and the Italian lad candreva is it dunno the spelling haha. VVD would be amazing but I could live without him. Just want them wing backs sorted haha.

Edited July 25, 2017 by BluesMadLad

[Rekin 835]

26 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Today wasn't, nor should it of been an eye opener for anyone, the glaring deficiencies were there from last season. Alonso, Moses, Matic and Cahill need upgrading on. Yes we have bought Ruddier but the problem being now is IMO we have dropped a massive mistake giving Cahill the armband, it makes him nigh on undroppable yet he's miles away from the level we need, he will get ripped to shreds in the CL as well as the wing backs.

The squad is worryingly thin, I hope these reports of four more players are correct, because we need it big time.

Agreed. I dont think the squad will be perfect this season and I am ok with it, but I do find it imperative that at least three positions per window get some elite players that are meant to be carrying this club to greater heights. Bakayoko and Morata so far are great, but we need at least one more (Sandro would be amazing) together with more width

[quickpassnmove 922]

21 minutes ago, BluesMadLad said:

I'd be happy with just sandro and the Italian lad candreva is it dunno the spelling haha. VVD would be amazing but I could live without him. Just want them wing backs sorted haha.

We're also thin in CM unless you think that Pasalic, another youngster (or Alonso), Bakayoko, Kante and Fabregas provide enough depth in CM.

[BluesMadLad 1,450]

38 minutes ago, quickpassnmove said:

We're also thin in CM unless you think that Pasalic, another youngster (or Alonso), Bakayoko, Kante and Fabregas provide enough depth in CM.

I like the look of baker tbh

[Henrique 9,054]

1 hour ago, Special Juan said:

Today wasn't, nor should it of been an eye opener for anyone, the glaring deficiencies were there from last season. Alonso, Moses, Matic and Cahill need upgrading on. Yes we have bought Rudiger but the problem being now is IMO we have dropped a massive mistake giving Cahill the armband, it makes him nigh on undroppable yet he's miles away from the level we need, he will get ripped to shreds in the CL as well as the wing backs.

The squad is worryingly thin, I hope these reports of four more players are correct, because we need it big time.

How giving Cahill the armband makes him undroppable? 

[Mana 4,624]

3 hours ago, Special Juan said:

the problem being now is IMO we have dropped a massive mistake giving Cahill the armband, it makes him nigh on undroppable yet he's miles away from the level we need, he will get ripped to shreds in the CL as well as the wing backs.e.

Terry for Chelsea dropped.
Per Mertesacker for Arsenal dropped.
Rooney for United dropped.

Captains can get dropped. They are not immune, same with Cahill here.

[jernej93 565]

Dalbert with 30M release clause  

[The Skipper 20,591]

3 hours ago, Mana said:

Terry for Chelsea dropped.
Per Mertesacker for Arsenal dropped.
Rooney for United dropped.

Captains can get dropped. They are not immune, same with Cahill here.

From what I've seen in pre season, it doesn't look like he'll be dropped soon. He's played some of the most minutes so far if I'm not incorrect. I haven't seen anything to suggest Conte won't start him. 

[manpe 10,565]

9 hours ago, The Skipper said:

From what I've seen in pre season, it doesn't look like he'll be dropped soon. He's played some of the most minutes so far if I'm not incorrect. I haven't seen anything to suggest Conte won't start him. 

It is doubtful that Christensen and Rüdiger are upgrades on GC at this moment, so I wouldn't be surprised if he at least started the season as a regular. If things will go well he will keep playing, if not he will get dropped. Last season we didn't have the option, this time we do. He is not the type of essential captain/leader that needs to be playing despite form.

[Pizy 15,214]

13 hours ago, Mana said:

Terry for Chelsea dropped.
Per Mertesacker for Arsenal dropped.
Rooney for United dropped.

Captains can get dropped. They are not immune, same with Cahill here.

All of those players are old and way past their best. Cahill is in his prime and was a mainstay in the side last season.

I'm with Special Juan here. Cahill will not be dropped unless he is just woeful for several games in a row. Should've given it to Luiz.

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

I thin Luiz would be a great Captain.  In fact, I selected him in the "next chelsea captain" thread a while back.  Back in his first stint here.  But, I you can't jump the queue.  Cahill was vice last season, and wore the armband every match when Terry wasn't playing.  I love Luiz, but you can't rock the boat with that stuff.  Giving it to Luiz this season is like stripping it from Cahill.  

[The Skipper 20,591]

7 minutes ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

I thin Luiz would be a great Captain.  In fact, I selected him in the "next chelsea captain" thread a while back.  Back in his first stint here.  But, I you can't jump the queue.  Cahill was vice last season, and wore the armband every match when Terry wasn't playing.  I love Luiz, but you can't rock the boat with that stuff.  Giving it to Luiz this season is like stripping it from Cahill.  

So we have to leave the armband for Cahill because sympathy? Just leave him as a VC, he's clearly not the leader on the pitch. Luiz is definitely our captain in my mind. Even Azpi shows more leadership. We need to be ruthless. 

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

2 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

So we have to leave the armband for Cahill because sympathy? Just leave him as a VC, he's clearly not the leader on the pitch. Luiz is definitely our captain in my mind. Even Azpi shows more leadership. We need to be ruthless. 

Not sympathy, really.  Also, I think there's more to it than just on the pitch.  If Cahill was VC last season, and he doesn't appear to be that vocal on the pitch, then he must be a very respected figure in the dressing room.

I just think, in this particular situation, since Cahill has been captain (all of last season) and is a likely starter, that giving it to someone else is the same as stripping it from him.  I just don't like the idea of taking it away from somebody.  

[Jype 5,840]

1 minute ago, The Skipper said:

So we have to leave the armband for Cahill because sympathy? Just leave him as a VC, he's clearly not the leader on the pitch. Luiz is definitely our captain in my mind. Even Azpi shows more leadership. We need to be ruthless. 

I think the club captain role is given to Cahill based on seniority and him being English.

I agree that on the pitch Luiz and Azpilicueta show better leadership through example but I sort of see where the club are going with naming Cahill the new captain. There's also approval for this from JT himself who said the following: 
 

 “Gary has been brilliant as captain for Chelsea but the manager will decide.

However, it’s not just on the field that he has led the field brilliantly, but inside the dressing room as well. No one really gets to see that. He has been a man-mountain at times. 

The way in which he was speaking at half-time during some of the games, like in the FA Cup Final against Arsenal, where he was leading the group, showed what a big character he is. If he gets the armband, he will fit it well."

It's kind of like Carrick being United's captain now, he doesn't always play but when he does he wears the armband. I see no reason why Cahill being club captain would mean he always has to play, and when he's benched the likes of Luiz or Cesar will be captain. I think it's only a good thing to have many leader personalities in the team, it's one of the reasons the club was so successful in the past decade with the likes of Terry, Lamps, Drogba and Cech all being 'captain material' but sadly only one can carry the title of captain.

[Mana 4,624]

1 hour ago, Pizy said:

All of those players are old and way past their best. Cahill is in his prime and was a mainstay in the side last season.

I'm with Special Juan here. Cahill will not be dropped unless he is just woeful for several games in a row. Should've given it to Luiz.

Cahill is 31, same age as Rooney. Per Mertesacker is only 1 year older. So definitely NOT the age or how OLD the player is.

Prime? Cahill's at his prime? If this is his prime...*shivers* To be honest, he's not that much better than Terry. I even prefer Terry to Cahill IF Terry had pace.

[Pizy 15,214]

1 minute ago, Mana said:

Cahill is 31, same age as Rooney. So definitely NOT the age or how OLD the player is.

Prime? Cahill's at his prime? If this is his prime...*shivers* To be honest, he's not that better than Terry. I even prefer Terry to Cahill IF Terry had pace.

Rooney has been awful and nowhere near the player he was 5 years ago. Cahill is better now than he ever has been (not that he's ever been great). Trust me, I'd love for Conte to be ice cold and drop him from the start of the season but it's not happening. 

I think getting a world class LWB on his side of the pitch as well as Bakayoko coming into the side will help mask many of Cahill's weaknesses but neither are looking likely to happen any time soon unfortunately.

[Mana 4,624]

2 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Rooney has been awful and nowhere near the player he was 5 years ago. Cahill is better now than he ever has been (not that he's ever been great). Trust me, I'd love for Conte to be ice cold and drop him from the start of the season but it's not happening. 

I think getting a world class LWB on his side of the pitch as well as Bakayoko coming into the side will help mask many of Cahill's weaknesses but neither are looking likely to happen any time soon unfortunately.

Really? I see almost no difference to the Cahill two years ago. He has improved, but ever so slightly.

You're right, Cahill won't be dropped immediately until we lose games and start to fall behind. But if we are doing so well, why change in the first place? That's why while I also want Cahill dropped, Conte is giving a chance and I say give him that chance. Like he did with Ivanovic last season. Conte will axe him if he's not good enough.

[Rekin 835]

1 minute ago, Mana said:

Really? I see almost no difference to the Cahill two years ago. He has improved, but ever so slightly.

You're right, Cahill won't be dropped immediately until we lose games and start to fall behind. But if we are doing so well, why change in the first place? That's why while I also want Cahill dropped, Conte is giving a chance and I say give him that chance. Like he did with Ivanovic last season. Conte will axe him if he's not good enough.

I agree, right now there is little reason to change the back three. All of them have weaknesses, but they have shown that they can be relied upon. 
Having said that, Conte have shown that he can make changes quite fast. We started last season with Ivanovic and Terry, and they are no longer at the club. Rudiger is just starting to train with the club, Christensen is 21 and is learning Conte's methods. Neither of them have to slot in straight away, but if they show promise in training and during the games they get, I feel confident that they will play. 

Furthermore, it needs to be said again that Christensen is 21. That is really young for a defender. There is no urgency to make him our starting CB just yet. Let him learn from the veterans this season, get maybe 10-15 starts and he will be better for it. It is too optimistic to think he can just be thrown in and start performing on the highest level straight away.