Worst Chelsea players in 21st century?

[Vesper 30,219]

3 hours ago, Henrique said:

In terms of football skills: Djilobodji, Gael Kakuta and Mason Mount.

In terms of money: Morata and Jorginho. Both make Shevchenko and Torrers look world beaters.

Ludicrous to put Jorginho and Morata, who we will come close to breaking even on, instead of Drinkwater,  who we will lose over £50m on, or Kepa, who will be around  £65m loss,  when salary and fees are included.

You have real issues with Mount. I detest our LBs but they both are far from worst players ever here. They just are dogshit now for EPL starters for us.

[King Kante 1,643]

Things have to be broken down into categories for things like this. For me, there are; expected to be first team players, most disappointing, actual worst footballing ability, worst squad member that actually got enough minutes to be remembered, mercenary, biggest waste of money. 

Here is my list; 

Mercenary - Winston B. 

Most disappointing - Sheva (£30m in 2006 was like £95m today.) 

Worst squad player that got minutes: The Joka

Expected to be a first team player: Bakayoko

Actual worst ability: Papy D. 

Biggest waste of money; Kepa (being brave here but I see zero qualities that are going to save him, in time I fully expect him to be seen as the time we decided to make a Karius quality GK the world's most expensive GK.) People can say Torres and Sheva all they want but at least they had shown actual talent to be considered top rank players. 

 

[NikkiCFC 8,334]

On 6/29/2020 at 1:42 AM, King Kante said:

in time I fully expect him to be seen as the time we decided to make a Karius quality GK the world's most expensive GK.) 

Wow how can you even say this? Karius quality? Karius is someone who people all over the world make fun of. He looked like complete amateur many, many times...

Liverpool with him could not win trophies, he cost them in CL final with gifting two goals to Real.

I mean he is not wanted in Turkey now ffs...

Real was interested in Kepa before us.

In his first season Kepa was with Eden our most consistent performer. On WAGNH where people vote after every game in season 18/19 he had 6.8 rating.

Only Eden and Kante had better rating. And RLC with 6.9 but he did not play a lot of games. Would we won EL without him? NO.

On this blog again only Eden better and some had same rating as him.

https://cfcdailyblogs.wordpress.com/2019/05/22/chelsea-18-19-player-ratings/

Independent also had him as one of the best.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-season-player-ratings-grades-2019-eden-hazard-sarri-a8920256.html

In 2019 he took number one spot in Spain NT from DDG and Spain have some other good keepers as well.

How would that happen if he is so bad? 

I admit he is not at this level this season but our defense has been shambolic very often almost comical at times. Also there were reports he broke up long relationship in autumn and this could had influence on him.

But he is fine now after being dropped.

During his time here I saw DDG, Lloris, Leno and even Alisson and Ederson making horrible mistakes that directly lead to goals.

What was worst from Kepa in his time here? I think free kick against Ajax and that Newcastle goal but that was not WOW mistake.

I am sure with better defense Kepa would not be a issue at all. I am also sure with him we can win major trophies we just need to sort defense first.

If we give up on Kepa I dont think I remember player being dropped for less.

His price tag is his biggest problem it seems.

Also people are still hating on him and when was the last time we conceded a goal where he did not react good? Newcastle in middle January.

He just needs better competition.

 

[King Kante 1,643]

8 hours ago, NikkiCFC said:

Wow how can you even say this? Karius quality? Karius is someone who people all over the world make fun of. He looked like complete amateur many, many times...

Liverpool with him could not win trophies, he cost them in CL final with gifting two goals to Real.

I mean he is not wanted in Turkey now ffs...

Real was interested in Kepa before us.

In his first season Kepa was with Eden our most consistent performer. On WAGNH where people vote after every game in season 18/19 he had 6.8 rating.

Only Eden and Kante had better rating. And RLC with 6.9 but he did not play a lot of games. Would we won EL without him? NO.

On this blog again only Eden better and some had same rating as him.

https://cfcdailyblogs.wordpress.com/2019/05/22/chelsea-18-19-player-ratings/

Independent also had him as one of the best.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/chelsea-season-player-ratings-grades-2019-eden-hazard-sarri-a8920256.html

In 2019 he took number one spot in Spain NT from DDG and Spain have some other good keepers as well.

How would that happen if he is so bad? 

I admit he is not at this level this season but our defense has been shambolic very often almost comical at times. Also there were reports he broke up long relationship in autumn and this could had influence on him.

But he is fine now after being dropped.

During his time here I saw DDG, Lloris, Leno and even Alisson and Ederson making horrible mistakes that directly lead to goals.

What was worst from Kepa in his time here? I think free kick against Ajax and that Newcastle goal but that was not WOW mistake.

I am sure with better defense Kepa would not be a issue at all. I am also sure with him we can win major trophies we just need to sort defense first.

If we give up on Kepa I dont think I remember player being dropped for less.

His price tag is his biggest problem it seems.

Also people are still hating on him and when was the last time we conceded a goal where he did not react good? Newcastle in middle January.

He just needs better competition.

ring tough year

 

I categorised him as biggest waste of money for a number of reasons. The reasons are; 

1) He was never a £72m player and had done nothing to warrant such a fee. Hence, where players like Torres and Sheva had records to lean on. Kepa was just some random than we went mental on. 

2) You must be forgetting the Arsenal game at home. That game was for me his worst game as on the 1v1 he did his usual run out into no mans land which allows the player to slide it past him easily, then he dived the wrong way for the Bellerin goal (I mean seriously, how does a GK dive the wrong way?). 

3) Kepa's stats over 3 years (since he broke into the Bilbao first team), show no areas where you can say 'oh, look, he does this really well'. In fact, since he broke in he has conceded more goals than he should have done every single season. 

Kepa has serious defects to his game that will be difficult to iron out. These are:

1) His tenancy to swing his arms behind his back before attempting a save. This is a key reason for his 'weak wrists' and shot/save percentage. Further, this is also why his saves look great, when in fact most of them should be stopped regardless.

2) He is tiny for a GK. As they saying goes in American sports, 'you cannot teach height or size'. This is a big problem in a position, where height is probably the most important thing before agility, some may even argue it is the most inportant. 

3) He isn't brave. This is why he stays rooted to his line all the time and is awful in 1v1's (although I do give him credit for the City game where he closed down Sterling properly. I legitimately think this is the first time I have seen him do the right thing in a 1v1). 

4) His distribution is poor or at best very average. This is a problem as when you're not a top GK owning your six yard area or a top save specialist, you better have great distribution to help on attack like Ederson does. Kepa doesn't. 

5) When balls get cut in, he is very poor at covering his goal and allows himself to get very square on to a shot. Literally, I have not seen a top level GK struggle with this so much. He literally leaves the goal wide open 80% of the time on a cut back or puts himself in a really bad position to save a quick shot.

As I said, anyone who doesn't get the criticism/concerns over Kepa need to read this article; 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/platform/amp/2020/5/14/21257561/solving-chelseas-kepa-conundrum-part-1

Further, the arguement that Real wanted him is also not a great one in my opinion. Real hds him pretty much secured for €20m/£18m when he was on wages of around £10-15k per week (his initial Bilbao contract) so they probably could given him £40-50k. However, even in that situation Zidane still didn't want him. 

[Alabama 1,992]

Few months ago....people were branding Pulisic a marketing buy and some were even anticipating his loan move...

I wont surprise by people impatiently calling Kepa worst signing or waste of money or whatever...

 

[Vincent 403]

54 minutes ago, Alabama said:

Few months ago....people were branding Pulisic a marketing buy and some were even anticipating his loan move...

I wont surprise by people impatiently calling Kepa worst signing or waste of money or whatever...

 

Kepa was never worth the £71m it's just outrageous money for a goalkeeper to begin with let alone, for a goalkeeper with his qualities. His pricetag simply doesn't rhyme with his qualities - which isn't his fault though. He's a good, potentially great goalkeeper but lacks qualities that i don't expect for his pricetag. He is good on the line and he has good reflexes, but he lacks football intelligence and ability to play football. Although i'm clearly not his biggest fan, this isn't a player that should be mentioned in a topic like this. 

[Alabama 1,992]

5 minutes ago, Vincent said:

Kepa was never worth the £71m it's just outrageous money for a goalkeeper to begin with let alone, for a goalkeeper with his qualities. His pricetag simply doesn't rhyme with his qualities - which isn't his fault though. He's a good, potentially great goalkeeper but lacks qualities that i don't expect for his pricetag. He is good on the line and he has good reflexes, but he lacks football intelligence and ability to play football. Although i'm clearly not his biggest fan, this isn't a player that should be mentioned in a topic like this. 

Your post clears all my concern...the price tag isn't his fault...it is the buy out...I suppose price tag shouldn't be mentioned as far as he is concern....yeah he might be lacking in certain aspects of the game but this is a guy who was the third best keeper behind Ederson and Alisson in his first season in the premier league coupled with the piss poor qualities of our squad....To give fairness a chance he has been disappointing a bit this season but I think members here are going overboard mentioning his name in a thread like this...it doesn't help when you have school boy defense infront of you...

[Vesper 30,219]

My father says Chris Sutton was absolute dogshit, lololol

I was 6 when we signed him, so not exactly an expert in terms of real time suffering through what looks like a truly dreadful campaign for him

I do recall my father cursing a lot in Swedish about him (my mum reminded me)

and now, talking about that season set him off on a rant about Celestine Babayaro getting sent off in Barcelona and how we blew a lead to them in the CL, lolol

smdh

I regret even asking him now, he is getting me all wound up

[Superblue 6,372]

7 minutes ago, Vesper said:

My father says Chris Sutton was absolute dogshit, lololol

I was 6 when we signed him, so not exactly an expert in terms of real time suffering through what looks like a truly dreadful campaign for him

I do recall my father cursing a lot in Swedish about him (my mum reminded me)

and now, talking about that season set him off on a rant about Celestine Babayaro getting sent off in Barcelona and how we blew a lead to them in the CL, lolol

smdh

I regret even asking him now, he is getting me all wound up

You're father is right he was terrible. I loved the Chelsea signings back then as I used to hammer Championship Manager as a kid so seeing all these players like Zola, Desailly, Deschamps join was incredible. I can remember Sutton being so underwhelming as a signing and it just felt like it cost a fortune compared to all the foreigners we were bringing in.

If I remember rightly he scored 3 goals for us. One in the Champions League qualifier we won easy, one in an FA Cup game we won easy and one at the Bridge against United (to be fair a great header) which we won 5-0.

I can't remember who Sutton replaced? I'm guessing it was Vialli. Even at his age, Vialli was five times the player Sutton was. Or it may have been Casiraghi thinking about it, not sure.

Thank god that we shipped him out sharpish and managed to replace him with Hasselbaink who was always one of my favourites growing up.

 

[Vesper 30,219]

10 hours ago, King Kante said:

2) He is tiny for a GK. As they saying goes in American sports, 'you cannot teach height or size'. This is a big problem in a position, where height is probably the most important thing before agility, some may even argue it is the most inportant. 

 

Kepa is now listed at 1.86m or around 6 feet one and half inches, a wee bit under  (he was listed at 1.89m (ie a cunt hair under 6 feet 2 and a half inches) for years, not sure what happened) and also some of the other heights on T-markt have been changed for other keepers (have been raised)

 

1.84m to 1.89m is roughly an inch shorter to roughly an inch taller than Kepa is now listed at

 

Oblak 1.88m

De Gea 1.89m

Jasper Cillessen 1.87m (was 1.85m)

Alisson 1.91m (less than 2 inches taller)

Ederson 1.88m (was 1.86m)

ter Stegen 1.87m (was 1.85m)

Keylor Navas 1.85m

Kasper Schmeichel 1.89m

Yann Sommer 1.83m

Anthony Lopes 1.84m

Alessio Cragno 1.84m

Dean Henderson 1.88m

Fernando Pacheco 1.86m

Bernd Leno  1.89m

Tomas Vaclik 1.87m

Hugo Lloris 1.88m

Mattia Perin 1.88m

Pau López 1.89m

Jordan Pickford 1.85m

Aaron Ramsdale 1.88m

Roman Bürki 1.87m

 

For  historical comparison, 9 of the all time greatest GK's in history

Iker Casillas  1.85m

Oliver Kahn  1.88m

Gianluigi Buffon  1.91m

Lev Yashin  1.89m

Gordon Banks  1.85m

Neville Southall  1.85m

Dino Zoff    1.82m

Peter Shilton   1.83m

Sepp Maier  1.85m

 

the only 'monster' keepers (1.93m and up, so 6 feet 4 inches and above)

on the first page of keepers

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Thibaut Courtois

Wojciech Szczesny

Thomas Strakosha (1,93m, just made it)

 

[King Kante 1,643]

22 minutes ago, Vesper said:

Kepa is now listed at 1.86m or around 6 feet one and half inches, a wee bit under  (he was listed at 1.89m (ie a cunt hair under 6 feet 2 and a half inches) for years, not sure what happened) and also some of the other heights on T-markt have been changed for other keepers (have been raised)

 

1.84m to 1.89m is roughly an inch shorter to roughly an inch taller than Kepa is now listed at

 

Oblak 1.88m

De Gea 1.89m

Jasper Cillessen 1.87m (was 1.85m)

Alisson 1.91m (less than 2 inches taller)

Ederson 1.88m (was 1.86m)

ter Stegen 1.87m (was 1.85m)

Keylor Navas 1.85m

Kasper Schmeichel 1.89m

Yann Sommer 1.83m

Anthony Lopes 1.84m

Alessio Cragno 1.84m

Dean Henderson 1.88m

Fernando Pacheco 1.86m

Bernd Leno  1.89m

Tomas Vaclik 1.87m

Hugo Lloris 1.88m

Mattia Perin 1.88m

Pau López 1.89m

Jordan Pickford 1.85m

Aaron Ramsdale 1.88m

Roman Bürki 1.87m

 

For  historical comparison, 9 of the all time greatest GK's in history

Iker Casillas  1.85m

Oliver Kahn  1.88m

Gianluigi Buffon  1.91m

Lev Yashin  1.89m

Gordon Banks  1.85m

Neville Southall  1.85m

Dino Zoff    1.82m

Peter Shilton   1.83m

Sepp Maier  1.85m

 

the only 'monster' keepers (1.93m and up, so 6 feet 4 inches and above)

on the first page of keepers

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Thibaut Courtois

Wojciech Szczesny

Thomas Strakosha (1,93m, just made it)

 

Comparing players like Zoff and Shilton is pointless as they are from different eras. As for his height, he is around 6'1" as whenever I have seen him he appears shorter than Zouma (6'3), AC and Luiz (6'2) but taller than Tomori (6'0). However, and this may sound a little like I am picking holes but it is true, he has an incredibly long neck, if you look and squad line up photos his shoulders in photos he lines up with players like Tomori but his Inspector Gadget neck, takes him above him. 

[Vesper 30,219]

37 minutes ago, King Kante said:

Comparing players like Zoff and Shilton is pointless as they are from different eras. As for his height, he is around 6'1" as whenever I have seen him he appears shorter than Zouma (6'3), AC and Luiz (6'2) but taller than Tomori (6'0). However, and this may sound a little like I am picking holes but it is true, he has an incredibly long neck, if you look and squad line up photos his shoulders in photos he lines up with players like Tomori but his Inspector Gadget neck, takes him above him. 

you cherry pick out a couple players and you think that rebuts it all?

lolol

his height is not the main issue at all

he does have short arms though

[Vesper 30,219]

it has been his last year that Kepa has regressed

from almost exactly a year ago

 

[King Kante 1,643]

28 minutes ago, Vesper said:

you cherry pick out a couple players and you think that rebuts it all?

lolol

his height is not the main issue at all

he does have short arms though

Tbf, when I say height and size I also mean his wingspan and not just his height. Personally, his height in isolation is not a massive issue, however when he has all the other faults I mentioned it does because he cannot do a TC/Cech and use his height/size advantage to dominate his box.

[King Kante 1,643]

26 minutes ago, Vesper said:

it has been his last year that Kepa has regressed

from almost exactly a year ago

 

Problem with stats like that they do not take into consideration the quality of shots faced. The article that I posted above paints a much better picture of his performances since his last a Bilbao. 

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Not sure why Kepa is in this worst players in 21st century thread, he wouldn’t even be in the top 25. If he kept up his level from last season or didn't have that dodgy spell he wouldn't even be in the running. Weird to see that what maybe a dodgy spell that accumulates to maybe 7 or 8 games defines someone who was one of our better players and the better GKs in the PL last season to be in the running for worst Chelsea player of the 21st century.....

People can mention the fee but it was a buyout clause. At a club who have only sold their other key players (Javi Martinez and Herrera for instance and rejecting offers lower than the buyouts for Muniain and Williams over the years) for their buyout clauses because they have a recruitment policy where they try recruit players from the Basque provinces (right way to word it I think). With some of the fee probably being paid in instalments and other bonuses over the basis of a 7 year contract. Or even then if not, still, did the money come out of their pockets directly or mines or whoever elses? I mean realistically who is worth 71mn? In a realistic world where football transfers weren't inflated? Maybe 15 or 20 players? Out of thousands? Also, In a realistic world there really isnt anyone in our squad who you would justify paying that fee for. But the market’s inflated which has been an accumulation built upon spending by the likes of Real Madrid, us, Man City, Man United, PSG and the high prices of television deals and sponsorships.... so these thing are going to continue to happen unless Covid totally sends it the other way.

Even then if youve been watching Chelsea for any reasonable length of time and Kepa still makes your list of worst players in 21st century at the club, I really dont know. I can probably think of at least 20 others who were much much worse. Perhaps more if you went into real depth.

 

edit:whoops should of read back a bit further... idiot... apologies... delete?

[Vesper 30,219]

Just now, King Kante said:

Tbf, when I say height and size I also mean his wingspan and not just his height. Personally, his height in isolation is not a massive issue, however when he has all the other faults I mentioned it does because he cannot do a TC/Cech and use his height/size advantage to dominate his box.

I am thoroughly unhappy with the buy

it looks more and more like a top 5 ever fuck-up for the club

and to make matter worse

Guaita was dogshit tonight for Palace, he literally cost them the game

so down and off my list as a decent backup he goes

as the error was THAT bad

[Vesper 30,219]

1 minute ago, OneMoSalah said:

Not sure why Kepa is in this worst players in 21st century thread, he wouldn’t even be in the top 25. If he kept up his level from last season or didn't have that dodgy spell he wouldn't even be in the running. Weird to see that what maybe a dodgy spell that accumulates to maybe 7 or 8 games defines someone who was one of our better players and the better GKs in the PL last season to be in the running for worst Chelsea player of the 21st century.....

People can mention the fee but it was a buyout clause. At a club who have only sold their other key players (Javi Martinez and Herrera for instance and rejecting offers lower than the buyouts for Muniain and Williams over the years) for their buyout clauses because they have a recruitment policy where they try recruit players from the Basque provinces (right way to word it I think). With some of the fee probably being paid in instalments and other bonuses over the basis of a 7 year contract. Or even then if not, still, did the money come out of their pockets directly or mines or whoever elses? I mean realistically who is worth 71mn? In a realistic world where football transfers weren't inflated? Maybe 15 or 20 players? Out of thousands? Also, In a realistic world there really isnt anyone in our squad who you would justify paying that fee for. But the market’s inflated which has been an accumulation built upon spending by the likes of Real Madrid, us, Man City, Man United, PSG and the high prices of television deals and sponsorships.... so these thing are going to continue to happen unless Covid totally sends it the other way.

Even then if youve been watching Chelsea for any reasonable length of time and Kepa still makes your list of worst players in 21st century at the club, I really dont know. I can probably think of at least 20 others who were much much worse. Perhaps more if you went into real depth.

he isnt

it is a side talk

sorry for hijacking the thread

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

1 minute ago, Vesper said:

he isnt

it is a side talk

sorry for hijacking the thread

Its probably my bad for not looking far enough back 😂 and actually after checking it is 100% my bad for jumping the gun on a thread where he is mentioned maybe 3 times in a different context. Oh boy.

[Vesper 30,219]

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

Its probably my bad for not looking far enough back 😂 and actually after checking it is 100% my bad for jumping the gun on a thread where he is mentioned maybe 3 times in a different context. Oh boy.

no problem, cheers