Chelsea Transfers

[Jase 43,479]

2 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

[coolhead23 1,147]

2 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Honestly this is now getting too exhausting ... This is becoming a regular update every 2 days that it is happening, it is happening but still nothing happening

Sometime it seems that we only want Havertz and no one else. 

[Vesper 30,236]

Why does everyone want to sign Ben White?

https://theathletic.com/1991260/2020/08/13/ben-white-leeds-brighton-chelsea-liverpool/

Ben White was one of the Championship’s outstanding defenders last season. Integral to Leeds’ improved defensive performance, the on-loan Brighton defender was described with good reason by The Athletic’s Phil Hay as “Bielsa’s perfect centre-back”.

Versatile too, White has appeared as a defensive midfielder for Leeds, and played in both full-back positions for Newport County while on loan there in 2017-18. His admirers extend beyond Marcelo Bielsa though, with Liverpool and Chelsea credited with interest in a defender Brighton themselves have so far appeared determined to keep hold of.

So why is this 22-year-old emerging as one of England’s most wanted players?

Defensively, White’s greatest strength is probably anticipation. He reads the danger well, constantly scanning the pitch to assess where threats may materialise. He’s not only quick to spot this, though — he’s quick to react and clearly had licence within Leeds’ defensive shape to leave the line and move into wide areas to halt opposition attacks. In this sequence, as Derby attack down the left-hand side, White has already anticipated the danger of a ball down the flank and sprints over to shut it down.

He checks his run once he realises that he can’t get to the ball first, using his body shape to shepherd the Derby runner towards the line and prevent an inside pass towards the area.

This gives Leeds time to regain a defensive shape, with two players aligning in the centre-back positions within the box and every other Derby player marked.

White’s ability to read and react to the situation and his willingness to leave the line and trust his colleagues to fill in prevents an easy ball into the box.

White’s positioning in this regard is important — whether in a back three or back four, he is regularly the deeper player, which allows him to sweep behind and move wide. While he’s not extremely quick, his acceleration is sufficient to react to balls in behind or in the channels, and his reading of the game means he’s often setting off towards the danger area before the pass has arrived there. His deeper position also means he’s the organiser and, despite his age, his team-mates clearly listen to him.

This anticipation also helps with his duels and interceptions. According to stats from Opta, White is fourth in the Championship for interceptions per 90 among players with over 800 minutes played, with 2.57. He also won 5.89 duels per 90; 57.4 per cent of his total. And although he’s not the biggest defender, he’s shown against the Championship’s most physical attackers that he can hold his own.

This sequence perfectly shows White’s defending style — he stands off slightly as the throw-in is about to be taken, ensuring he’s not too close to his man.

Once he can see that the player he’s marking is the intended recipient, he uses his strength and body position to get around the player and win the ball, which breaks to a Leeds team-mate who is immediately able to turn and run into space.

Not only has White won the ball, but he’s done so in such a way as to spring an attack from a relatively high position on the pitch.

While White’s defending is intelligent and proactive, it’s his work with the ball that marks him out as an outstanding prospect. White is ninth of all players in the Championship for successful passes in his own half per 90 minutes, with 37.1 — by overall volume, he was second behind Fulham’s Tim Ream. Importantly, White is bold with his passing choices, he’s not afraid to go long, especially into the channels, but he also often chooses the progressive, rather than the easy, option.

This sequence shows White being pressed in possession against Charlton. They have marked most passing lanes well and the simple option as White is closed down is a pass to the nearest player, Pascal Struijk. Luke Ayling, though, is aware that there is a more progressive pass on to Jack Harrison and is pointing to the player.

While many centre-backs being pressed with no cover behind them would take the short pass to Struijk, who could then steer it back to the goalkeeper to begin again, White finds Harrison and within one further pass, Leeds have bypassed two lines of the Charlton defence. It’s not that the pass to Harrison is that difficult, but White’s ability to assess his options and not pick the high-percentage, low-reward one is important.

He’s also an excellent ball-carrier. As this sequence shows, White has picked up the ball short. While he has space, Charlton are not badly set up to cover.

As he advances, White spots that the Charlton player ahead of him is either going to press Struijk or move across to hold him up, and so he accelerates towards the gap.

Which he glides through.

He then hits a lovely pass with the outside of his right foot on to the run of Stuart Dallas, taking a number of Charlton defenders out of the game.

This kind of assertive ball-carrying is rare from a centre-back, as is the technical ability and acumen to execute the final pass.

And, as these stats from Opta show, White is consistently high in three important metrics for ball-carrying centre-backs: progressive carries from goal kicks, progressive carries into the opposition half, and shot-ending sequences started. Progressive carries are ones that move the ball more than five metres towards opponent’s goal. Ream is the only other centre-back to appear in the top five or six for those metrics, and no other players appear more than once.

This is what marks out White as a special talent, and it’s why clubs are circling the player.

So how might White fit in at his current club, Brighton, where he’s yet to play, or two of the clubs most closely linked, Chelsea and Liverpool? It’s worth saying that basing this on the team’s current style presents an issue: it could be that they adapt if White joins, because his abilities allow them to do something they currently cannot. Looking, though, at how these teams played last season it’s possible to infer some things.

Brighton

Graham Potter is a very flexible coach and it’s likely that he would see White, as well as Lewis Dunk, as the foundations of the team whether they play three- or four-man back lines.

Currently, goalkeeper Mat Ryan tends to look for the full-backs when distributing, or to hit the central midfield area. There’s little in the way of passing connection by volume between the centre-backs and the midfield, although more on the right as Adam Webster looks to play it forwards to Yves Bissouma.

This could suit White, and he could also drop off, offering a shorter option to Ryan to invite the press while Brighton’s midfield and wide defenders push up. It’s harder to see a clear fit here, but with Potter in charge, Brighton will likely be able to adapt to get the benefits of playing White.

Chelsea

Frank Lampard’s Chelsea have been disappointing defensively, lacking a coherent shape. Switching often between a back three and four, Chelsea consistently leave spaces ahead of the backline. Here White’s proactivity could be of real use, ushering Chelsea forwards to squeeze up towards the midfield, while also offering cover behind.

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s distribution does see a lot of passes up to 25 yards to centre-backs or a dropping defensive midfielder, so White would have opportunities here to take the ball and carry it into space. He’d also offer a deeper line of good progressive passing — currently Chelsea’s defenders mostly try to push the ball wide rather than bypass the opposition lines.

Liverpool

Liverpool are the only team linked with White to play a back four consistently, and here he would compete with Joe Gomez to line up in the right-sided slot alongside Virgil van Dijk. Alisson hits both centre-backs regularly with passes, but the progressive distribution from centre-back is left largely to Van Dijk.

The right centre-back does push the ball forwards to Trent Alexander-Arnold but otherwise often plays it across to Van Dijk. White’s addition would give Liverpool a second excellent passer in this position, while it’s also possible to envisage White’s ball-carrying working well, with Jordan Henderson either pushing forwards to make space, or dropping to cover and leaving room for White to go forwards.

As we’ve said, it’s difficult to know how a player would fit into a new side, and more so with central defenders than any other position. The simplest option for White would be a return to Elland Road — he knows the system, the other players, and he’s clearly a huge asset to the team.

But with Brighton keen to hold on to their most promising player, and clubs with more financial clout keeping a close eye on proceedings, it’s entirely possible that White will find himself in a new defensive set-up next season.

What’s clear, though, is he has the skills to succeed almost anywhere.

 

[NikkiCFC 8,344]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

I want to go to the alternate universe where we don't spend 100 million on Havertz and actually use that money to buy defenders!

Easy for you to say this after you got your boy. 

[Jase 43,479]

14 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Easy for you to say this after you got your boy. 

We got Werner because we needed a striker and he didn't cost 100 million!

Do we genuinely need Havertz? Maybe, maybe not. I don't mind the signing but the overriding reason that is mentioned more than most is that he is a great talent and because he is available, we can't pass up the opportunity to sign him. That is a fair reasoning but on the other hand, it feels like we are only signing him because the opportunity is there and not really because we actually need him. Moreover, we desperately need to strengthen our backline, including the keeper. Spending 100 million or close to it on Havertz will take a large chunk out of our budget. Will we still have enough to strengthen the backline? We haven't looked close to selling the deadwoods yet and I certainly don't want us to end with another season with the same personnel in the backline. 

[Jype 6,398]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

We got Werner because we needed a striker and he didn't cost 100 million!

Do we genuinely need Havertz? Maybe, maybe not. I don't mind the signing but the overriding reason that is mentioned more than most is that he is a great talent and because he is available, we can't pass up the opportunity to sign him. That is a fair reasoning but on the other hand, it feels like we are only signing him because the opportunity is there and not really because we actually need him. Moreover, we desperately need to strengthen our backline, including the keeper. Spending 100 million or close to it on Havertz will take a large chunk out of our budget. Will we still have enough to strengthen the backline? We haven't looked close to selling the deadwoods yet and I certainly don't want us to end with another season with the same personnel in the backline. 

Whether Havertz joins or not I would think a left-back is definitely coming, just need to shift Emerson first and then we'll start seeing some more concrete developments there.

And with Lampard losing all faith in Kepa a new goalkeeper is a must-have too. No idea who that will be but there's no coming back for Kepa after being dropped in the winter and then shortly again after being given another chance. New GK will come regardless of whatever happens with loaning/selling Kepa.

CB is a tricky one. It seems Lampard is only after Rice and I don't think he's a realistic signing for this summer. 

[Atomiswave 6,118]

10 minutes ago, Jype said:

Whether Havertz joins or not I would think a left-back is definitely coming, just need to shift Emerson first and then we'll start seeing some more concrete developments there.

And with Lampard losing all faith in Kepa a new goalkeeper is a must-have too. No idea who that will be but there's no coming back for Kepa after being dropped in the winter and then shortly again after being given another chance. New GK will come regardless of whatever happens with loaning/selling Kepa.

CB is a tricky one. It seems Lampard is only after Rice and I don't think he's a realistic signing for this summer. 

Onana should be it, wouldnt cost a bomb either.

[Vesper 30,236]

20 minutes ago, Jason said:

We got Werner because we needed a striker and he didn't cost 100 million!

Do we genuinely need Havertz? Maybe, maybe not. I don't mind the signing but the overriding reason that is mentioned more than most is that he is a great talent and because he is available, we can't pass up the opportunity to sign him. That is a fair reasoning but on the other hand, it feels like we are only signing him because the opportunity is there and not really because we actually need him. Moreover, we desperately need to strengthen our backline, including the keeper. Spending 100 million or close to it on Havertz will take a large chunk out of our budget. Will we still have enough to strengthen the backline? We haven't looked close to selling the deadwoods yet and I certainly don't want us to end with another season with the same personnel in the backline. 

the only striker in the world worth £100m or more atm is Mbappe

IF he continues to score at his insane pace and keeps improving, then Håland in a year or two

I see no one else worth £100m or more in terms of CF's

due to ages, the only other players worth £100m next summer will be Sterling, Sancho, Havertz (if he further explodes regardless of where he is at) Kimmich, and maybe Davies, maybe Frenkie de Jong (if both keep up their meteoric rises) Saul is close

De Bruyne, Mane, Salah, Neymar, VVD, will all be 30 or less than a year away from it, and I would not pay £100m for Kane

Messi doesnt count and will be 34yo then anyway

A case could be made for Oblak and Alisson, but keepers are such a crap shoot, up up up, dpwn dpwn up

 

[Jase 43,479]

45 minutes ago, Jype said:

Whether Havertz joins or not I would think a left-back is definitely coming, just need to shift Emerson first and then we'll start seeing some more concrete developments there.

And with Lampard losing all faith in Kepa a new goalkeeper is a must-have too. No idea who that will be but there's no coming back for Kepa after being dropped in the winter and then shortly again after being given another chance. New GK will come regardless of whatever happens with loaning/selling Kepa.

CB is a tricky one. It seems Lampard is only after Rice and I don't think he's a realistic signing for this summer. 

I know I sound impatient here but I am slightly concerned by the lack of movement with the defensive signings. Are we waiting to complete the Havertz deal first or what? If it's the former, then it kinda makes things nervy because when the hell are we gonna get that deal done?

[ZAPHOD2319 4,821]

25 minutes ago, Jason said:

I know I sound impatient here but I am slightly concerned by the lack of movement with the defensive signings. Are we waiting to complete the Havertz deal first or what? If it's the former, then it kinda makes things nervy because when the hell are we gonna get that deal done?

I have read some of the good journalists say teams get their highest price deals done first. As tight lipped as Chelsea is about transfers, I doubt anyone really knows what their overall strategy is?

[NikkiCFC 8,344]

Last winter we could buy some players but we did not because we waited for the right ones (first targets) and it did not cost us. We got top4. Many complained about this. They just wanted us to sign anybody.

Looks like it is the same now. Frank only wants his first targets and is ready to wait for them no matter what. We will get Chilwell and Rice now or next summer I do not now.

But we will probably replace both LBs soon so going for Chilwell should not stop us from buying Reguilon now for such a low price. Just Emerson sell will cover it.

But we need to decide do we spend budget on Oblak or Rice? Cannot have them all this summer.

 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Onana should be it, wouldnt cost a bomb either.

No RAJKOVIC

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[Magic Lamps 11,692]

1 hour ago, NikkiCFC said:

Last winter we could buy some players but we did not because we waited for the right ones (first targets) and it did not cost us. We got top4. Many complained about this. They just wanted us to sign anybody.

Looks like it is the same now. Frank only wants his first targets and is ready to wait for them no matter what. We will get Chilwell and Rice now or next summer I do not now.

But we will probably replace both LBs soon so going for Chilwell should not stop us from buying Reguilon now for such a low price. Just Emerson sell will cover it.

But we need to decide do we spend budget on Oblak or Rice? Cannot have them all this summer.

 

I would be ok with that. Regu this window, rice Chilwell next summer. But what I can’t stand is us sitting there Fecklessly  waiting for Chilwell price to drop and then Panic buy some dud after Reguilon has joined Napoli and shit like that

[ZAPHOD2319 4,821]

Get you sum Willian!

 

[blu35_army 551]

4 minutes ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

Get you sum Willian!

 

what the hell??? even in his prime he didn't deserve more than £150k/week base on goal/asisst that he made in PL. really bad deals for arsenil...

[Valdo 583]

what the hell??? even in his prime he didn't deserve more than £150k/week base on goal/asisst that he made in PL. really bad deals for arsenil...

I wouldn't be surprised if he has a great first season with them. He does the dirty side of the game as well and tracking back a lot. Whether arsenal is foolish or not to pay that much is to be seen. Can they keep a good public face after laying off that many staff members?

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[Styl1994 188]

Upamecano Should be our number one target next summer.

 

[LAM09 7,065]

Get you sum Willian!
 

Talk about him taking a pay cut to move to Arsenal. So much for that.

[bigbluewillie 1,930]

4 hours ago, Styl1994 said:

Upamecano Should be our number one target next summer.

 

I'd heard a lot about him, but never really seen him play.

I watched him last night gainst Atheltico he was brilliant and still only 21yo.

I agree pull all the stops out to get him, he's just what we need, mind you i'm sure Liepzig wont want to sell him after Timo, but fuck it give them whatever they want.

[Rapkun 668]

1 hour ago, bigbluewillie said:

I'd heard a lot about him, but never really seen him play.

I watched him last night gainst Atheltico he was brilliant and still only 21yo.

I agree pull all the stops out to get him, he's just what we need, mind you i'm sure Liepzig wont want to sell him after Timo, but fuck it give them whatever they want.

He agreed a new contact recentely just like Werner the season before. It includes a release clause which will be active next summer for about 42m euros. Totally expecting Bayern to snap him up. Clubs could have signed him this summer for 60m(old release clause) but I guess everyone passed up on him or they thought it was too expensive.