Chelsea Transfers

[Vesper 30,322]

2 hours ago, Pizy said:

We better be telling Brighton that a full sale of Colwill is completely out of the question. Them bidding these insulting amounts and us (hopefully) rejecting them out of hand could end up souring the apparently good relationship between the clubs.

In a world where someone with a similar profile as Levi (left footed, silky smooth, ball playing CB who is barely 20 years old) like Gvardiol is being talked about as the most expensive defender ever if he is sold this summer then £40m is a joke. He is someone who would cost us £85m if he was a Brighton player and we were going in for him.

If we have absolutely no other choice in the Caicedo negotiations then he can go on loan there again but ONLY if he signs a new 5 year contract first.

great (even very good) left-footed CBs who are remotely available are rare as hens' teeth

it only makes sense to sell Colwill IF we are buying one of the following:

I posted on this before:

we have 2 already (we need two or we are back to the turgid CuCu as a CB, arfffffffffffff) in Badi and Colwill

I still hold out the faintest of hopes for Gvardiol next year IF he isn't sold this summer, BUT it is a LONG shot, very long

left-footed CBs I rate

Josko Gvardiol  (probably a pipe dream)

Alessandro Bastoni  (not leaving Inter)

big drop

Sven Botman 
Evan Ndicka   (he is leaving on a free, likely to Roma)
Piero Hincapié 
Gonçalo Inácio'
Micky van de Ven 

 

(no Kimpembe as he has a ruptured achilles and after this summer he only has one sub 30yo season left, no Lucas Hernández, he is only 6 months younger, and is likely (ironically) going to PSG this summer, and I am not really sold on Pau Torres. Alaba is 31yo in 10 days and is not available, and finally, Laporte is 30yo at the end of this coming season, and is simply not good enough since his bad knee injury 2 seasons back)

I am also not sold on the 20yo Castello Lukeba (Lyon), need to see another season from him and David Carmo (Porto) and Morato (Benfica)

 

 

[King Kante 1,643]

If sell Colwill then I will give up with following our transfers. Just won't be worth the brain damage anymore.

[Tomo 21,751]

17 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Think people are really underappreciating the composure Badiashile has at his age. 

I think we need to figure out how to utilise all 3 CBs. 

This isn't about underating him more how highly I think of Colwill. I think he's got that high a ceiling I was even meh about the prospect of signing Gvardiol.

I see this as a similar situation to Arsenal last summer when they had Ben White but Saliba was returning.

[MoroccanBlue 5,389]

37 minutes ago, Tomo said:

This isn't about underating him more how highly I think of Colwill. I think he's got that high a ceiling I was even meh about the prospect of signing Gvardiol.

I see this as a similar situation to Arsenal last summer when they had Ben White but Saliba was returning.

Agreed, however I view Badiashile higher than merely a squad player. I still think there is a way to include all three where in an attacking aspect we have Badiashile as the sweeper, Fofana advancing with the ball and Colwill as the most traditional CB. Maybe allowing James/Gusto as a RCM/RW. 

[Mário César 1,346]

we're fine in our defense 

we need only a goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and at least a center forward

tbh I wouldn't be bother if we buy a winger if pulisic, cho and ziyech would be sold because we need a winger with end product 

and at least a creative midfielder

our problem is not our defense but our attack! 

[DH1988 1,353]

On 12/06/2023 at 17:18, OhForAGreavsie said:

This makes sense. The people in charge of the club eat, breathe, and sleep money. It would be a shock if they didn't have this covered. Do you remember the podcast name? I'd like to give it a listen.

Football therapy or other side of the coin, have it on in the background, if I hear it again I’ll make a note of the video.

Considering, as you quite rightly say, the people in charge work day in day out with money in dozens of areas of their portfolios, irrespective of being football specific, a deal is a deal, deadlines are deadlines, accounting is accounting, so on and so forth, definitely an interesting few weeks ahead.

[DH1988 1,353]

3 hours ago, Mário César said:

well maignan is not interested in join us, as expected 

so is onana or nothing seems to me 

Quite a shame with regard to Onana although I’m surprised people in the media made alot of his final performance, personally I thought he looked shaky aside from a solid Haaland save. I enjoy Onana’s attitude to be honest, his interviews are a laugh, wouldn’t be my first choice of keeper however.

[robsblubot 3,595]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

we're fine in our defense 

we need only a goalkeeper, defensive midfielder and at least a center forward

tbh I wouldn't be bother if we buy a winger if pulisic, cho and ziyech would be sold because we need a winger with end product 

and at least a creative midfielder

our problem is not our defense but our attack! 

Depends on what the goal is. Is it to just improve from last season and become a bit more competitive again, maybe CL qual? then perhaps.

Almost all areas need strengthening if the aim is to go after City. Personally I don't think much of our CBs compared to what we had not long ago:  Rudiger and even Andreas are much better than what we've got.

[Mário César 1,346]

27 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

Depends on what the goal is. Is it to just improve from last season and become a bit more competitive again, maybe CL qual? then perhaps.

Almost all areas need strengthening if the aim is to go after City. Personally I don't think much of our CBs compared to what we had not long ago:  Rudiger and even Andreas are much better than what we've got.

rudiger and andreas were great in their last 2 season with us 

I remember both specially andreas maked a lot of mistakes in their first years 

I think our center back is not our first problem. lets see what they will do with poch

now a great goalkeeper is needed and our right back we have gusto as a reece backup 

in our left we have chilwell, cucurella (yeah weak but ok) and hall 

we have 3 great prospect defenders (fofana, lewill and dude from monaco) and I hope they developed with poch 

we need spend in our goalkeeper, centerforward and midfielders first than focus in our defense

[Mário César 1,346]

Also Rudiger and Andreas were great because of tuchel

they developed a lot with him

no way with other manager they were capable to performed like their performed in our ucl campaign per example 

I remember rudiger were talked to tottenham lol 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Mário César

[robsblubot 3,595]

14 minutes ago, Mário César said:

rudiger and andreas were great in their last 2 season with us 

I remember both specially andreas maked a lot of mistakes in their first years 

I think our center back is not our first problem. lets see what they will do with poch

now a great goalkeeper is needed and our right back we have gusto as a reece backup 

in our left we have chilwell, cucurella (yeah weak but ok) and hall 

we have 3 great prospect defenders (fofana, lewill and dude from monaco) and I hope they developed with poch 

we need spend in our goalkeeper, centerforward and midfielders first than focus in our defense

heh, I just don't see mistakes, or the lack thereof, being that important for CBs in today's game. While I agree that CBs should not be error-prone, CB mistakes are always relative to the level of protection, style of play, overall team play, and opposition level. None of our CBs have the ability to join the midfield and push the team forward like Rudiger did.

If you watch City play, their CBs are often exchanging passes just outside the opposition box out wide. A pedestrian CB at this level, esp nowadays, can be just as bad as an error-prone CB. Yes, he may look better individually (no mistakes), but the team does not work all the same.

"great prospect defenders"

I think @OneMoSalah wrote a few pages back, but what's this fascination with prospects? We are a top club and as such, we need to be signing players who have already delivered something against strong opposition. Yes, some of them look the part, but I'd say the majority of our signings have been more on the gambling side of things.

Players who are not already playing at a certain level will never develop in a club like Chelsea. They won't get the minutes for that.

For me Rudiger remains a top CB and would walk in pretty much any starting XI. Andreas, would be an addition to any roster anywhere. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by robsblubot

[Mário César 1,346]

10 minutes ago, robsblubot said:

heh, I just don't see mistakes, or the lack thereof, being that important for CBs in today's game. While I agree that CBs should not be error-prone, CB mistakes are always relative to the level of protection, style of play, overall team play, and opposition level. None of our CBs have the ability to join the midfield and push the team forward like Rudiger did.

If you watch City play, their CBs are often exchanging passes just outside the opposition box out wide. A pedestrian CB at this level, esp nowadays, can be just as bad as an error-prone CB. Yes, he may look better individually (no mistakes), but the team does not work all the same.

"great prospect defenders"

I think @OneMoSalah wrote a few pages back, but what's this fascination with prospects? We are a top club and as such, we need to be signing players who have already delivered something against strong opposition. Yes, some of them look the part, but I'd say the majority of our signings have been more on the gambling side of things.

Players who are not already playing at a certain level will never develop in a club like Chelsea. They won't get the minutes for that.

For me Rudiger remains a top CB and would walk in pretty much any starting XI. Andreas, would be an addition to any roster anywhere. 

what do you suggest?

buy more center backs? 

[Duppy Conqueror 1,565]

Man City CB's are generally highly rated but they play safe in the mind that if they should concede one goal they still likely to win the game. For ours that probably wasnt the case in many games.the better we get infront of them i think ours be allowed to shine.

[cosmicway 1,333]

Mbappe set to leave PSG.

[Mário César 1,346]

inter want koulibaly on loan

fuck them 

[Vegetable 830]

1 hour ago, robsblubot said:

For me Rudiger remains a top CB and would walk in pretty much any starting XI. Andreas, would be an addition to any roster anywhere. 

I still hold onto my opinion that Rudi was vastly overperforming in Tuchel's system/presence, but credit due, he had one thing that we sorely lack now - he was freaking annoying. You are right that pace of mind is a great help for CB and he was somewhat providing it to entire team, stripping our rivals of it - he would fight, he'd be menace to opposition, he'd be shithousing all day long.

KK did it to some extent in Serie A, but here it's completely not there. The "prospects" are fine, but new owner's vision is pushing us into ambitious 11 school choir boys, while on our level, we should aim into team of 11 cold pros or 11 Diego Costas (or mix of both). It's been said million times here already - we lack mentality way more than we lack skill or talent.

[Reddish-Blue 2,530]

1 hour ago, robsblubot said:

heh, I just don't see mistakes, or the lack thereof, being that important for CBs in today's game. While I agree that CBs should not be error-prone, CB mistakes are always relative to the level of protection, style of play, overall team play, and opposition level. None of our CBs have the ability to join the midfield and push the team forward like Rudiger did.

If you watch City play, their CBs are often exchanging passes just outside the opposition box out wide. A pedestrian CB at this level, esp nowadays, can be just as bad as an error-prone CB. Yes, he may look better individually (no mistakes), but the team does not work all the same.

"great prospect defenders"

I think @OneMoSalah wrote a few pages back, but what's this fascination with prospects? We are a top club and as such, we need to be signing players who have already delivered something against strong opposition. Yes, some of them look the part, but I'd say the majority of our signings have been more on the gambling side of things.

Players who are not already playing at a certain level will never develop in a club like Chelsea. They won't get the minutes for that.

For me Rudiger remains a top CB and would walk in pretty much any starting XI. Andreas, would be an addition to any roster anywhere. 

@robsblubot agree with your points about signing more established players ready to come in and play from day 1 but the problem is, we tried that route with Koulibaly and now we're stuck with an ageing defender getting 300k a week and very likely playing 20 games a season. 

Andreas screwed the club over by initially verbally agreeing to sign a contract extension, then asking for a shorter extension then just declining the offer altogether and leaving us on a free for Barca.  The guy was an academy player and could have at least signed a 1 year deal to get us a transfer fee but he didn't and left us with a huge hole at CB which we're still trying to solve.  I'm not convinced on Fofana just yet.   Badiashile looks solid and Colwill be a huge addition as he's got all the tools to be a very very good defender. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

1 hour ago, Mário César said:

what do you suggest?

buy more center backs? 

Not more, better. Thiago Silva isn't getting any younger and his ability to drive the team forward is limited to say the least. The others, like you said, are mere prospects who can improve, but at their own pace. The question remains: is this a good enough status quo for a top club? Perhaps it is due to the transition period (in leadership too), but I can't imagine disputing with the top clubs like this.

1 minute ago, Vegetable said:

I still hold onto my opinion that Rudi was vastly overperforming in Tuchel's system/presence, but credit due, he had one thing that we sorely lack now - he was freaking annoying. You are right that pace of mind is a great help for CB and he was somewhat providing it to entire team, stripping our rivals of it - he would fight, he'd be menace to opposition, he'd be shithousing all day long.

KK did it to some extent in Serie A, but here it's completely not there. The "prospects" are fine, but new owner's vision is pushing us into ambitious 11 school choir boys, while on our level, we should aim into team of 11 cold pros or 11 Diego Costas (or mix of both). It's been said million times here already - we lack mentality way more than we lack skill or talent.

I think Rudiger also has that rare Pace for a CB; he is doing well at RM too.
Was never a big fan of KK and was shocked by his form when he joined. Looks too heavy and old to be playing at this level. Maybe in a low block situ, but few teams play like that these days.

yeah I suspect it's just another thing the owner is completely clueless about in football (his soccer) and at this level. These players will never develop unless they can already deliver at a certain level on the get go. Some say Mudryk has been unlucky that he joined us at this time, but that's relative. He perhaps got more minutes because of the situation.

I agree that the right answer is always a mix between experienced and young, and all playing at a certain level. This is something folks here miss a lot: experience matters esp in big games. Players who have already experienced those situation, and succeeded, are more likely to succeed again. It's not easy to be under pressure and people react differently to that.

[robsblubot 3,595]

9 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

@robsblubot agree with your points about signing more established players ready to come in and play from day 1 but the problem is, we tried that route with Koulibaly and now we're stuck with an ageing defender getting 300k a week and very likely playing 20 games a season. 

Andreas screwed the club over by initially verbally agreeing to sign a contract extension, then asking for a shorter extension then just declining the offer altogether and leaving us on a free for Barca.  The guy was an academy player and could have at least signed a 1 year deal to get us a transfer fee but he didn't and left us with a huge hole at CB which we're still trying to solve.  I'm not convinced on Fofana just yet.   Badiashile looks solid and Colwill be a huge addition as he's got all the tools to be a very very good defender. 

Well, KK was just a bad signing. We should've done better.

I do not think Thiago Silva is the same player he once was. He's been relying on his great reading more than usual, but is already playing a more limited CB role than before.

Badiashile looks good, but it's always a big question-mark as how these players respond in an away game at Madrid. We know how the now much-maligned Azpi does, because he's faced that challenge countless times before, but it's always a big test for the young.

Another example is Kova: we knew how he did in big games, because our scouts saw that. We don't know how players who come from say Brighton will do in the same situation because they never faced that challenge before. I'm not saying we should not bet on promising young talents, but doing only that won't quite work either.

Edited June 13, 2023 by robsblubot

[ZAPHOD2319 4,826]