3. Marc Cucurella

[Vesper 30,083]

51 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Not for me. Still think he's a quality player and once Potter smartens up and plays uncomplicated football and a recognizable formation, we will see the best out of him and our other signings.  

he is worth half what we paid

[robsblubot 3,595]

He seems the polar opposite from Alonso as a footballer. Unfortunately for us, Cucurella's weakness is precisely Alonso's one saving grace: technique (esp skill on the ball). 

Cucurella has aggression, pace, work rate, but lacks technique (esp on the ball skills) which is essential at this level. I cannot think of a single reason, other than rotation, where he would play ahead of Chilwell.

I do hope he improves and at least becomes serviceable, but things do not look good at the moment.

[Superblue 6,372]

He's definitely been in poor form recently, but I read that he was hospitalised with a bad bout of tonsilitis a few weeks back and lost a few kilos in weight.

It's easy to dismiss things like this hitting an athlete so hard, and he has been rushed back almost through necessity to play game after game because we're thread bare in senior defensive options and even in the left back/wing back role the other option is still having his minutes managed due to a serious injury.

He's clearly not right as he's being caught out for pace and power in situations that he wasn't last season at Brighton or even earlier this season.

We've probably overpaid for him, realistically like we have with a number of players in the summer and recent years, but I don't think by any means he's a busted flush and I think in time he'll prove to be a good addition to the squad. 

[Reddish-Blue 2,489]

14 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Not for me. Still think he's a quality player and once Potter smartens up and plays uncomplicated football and a recognizable formation, we will see the best out of him and our other signings.  

He's got some qualities but there should have been a massive question mark on the fee we were paying (when City pulled out at the 35 million mark). 

I was sort of surprised that we never looked at alternative options for the LB/LWB spot when the Cucurella fee was so high, he'll never be a 55 million dollar player.  I felt even United overspent on Martinez but he's getting the job done and he has helped Ten Hag build out a solid base moving forward. 

[Special Juan 28,089]

Needs to be played in his right position first and foremost- I mean you only have to look at CP and RS as wing backs- it simply does not work and Cucu needs to be that left side option.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

19 hours ago, robsblubot said:

He seems the polar opposite from Alonso as a footballer. Unfortunately for us, Cucurella's weakness is precisely Alonso's one saving grace: technique (esp skill on the ball). 

Cucurella has aggression, pace, work rate, but lacks technique (esp on the ball skills) which is essential at this level. I cannot think of a single reason, other than rotation, where he would play ahead of Chilwell.

I do hope he improves and at least becomes serviceable, but things do not look good at the moment.

If the transfers we're all dreaming about come to fruition, then it looks like our current left backs will have done my work for me so no one will need convincing that Jasko Gvardiol should become our starting LB/LWB.

[MoroccanBlue 5,375]

23 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

If the transfers we're all dreaming about come to fruition, then it looks like our current left backs will have done my work for me so no one will need convincing that Jasko Gvardiol should become our starting LB/LWB.

Has he even played there?

[OneMoSalah 8,883]

39 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

If the transfers we're all dreaming about come to fruition, then it looks like our current left backs will have done my work for me so no one will need convincing that Jasko Gvardiol should become our starting LB/LWB.

Hes mainly a left sided CB though, no?

I mean I don’t care how good he is, or could be, there is absolutely no point signing a player who predominantly lines up as a CB to try and shoehorn him out as a left back or wing back if its not his 100% natural position.

Would just be typically a Chelsea move though - sign a hugely talented left sided CB and use him as a wingback for the sake of it. Just like using Sterling as a wing back. Or Pulisic. Or Loftus-Cheek.

We will continue to be a team which uses a system with wingbacks under GP by looks of it but surprise surprise, the players he’s playing there aren't actually wingbacks. ie Pulisic and Sterling. So if we did sign a top CB prospect yeah he will probably become a wingback for us at one point.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

1 hour ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Has he even played there?

Don't care. He has the attributes.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

57 minutes ago, OneMoSalah said:

Hes mainly a left sided CB though, no?

I mean I don’t care how good he is, or could be, there is absolutely no point signing a player who predominantly lines up as a CB to try and shoehorn him out as a left back or wing back if its not his 100% natural position.

Would just be typically a Chelsea move though - sign a hugely talented left sided CB and use him as a wingback for the sake of it. Just like using Sterling as a wing back. Or Pulisic. Or Loftus-Cheek.

We will continue to be a team which uses a system with wingbacks under GP by looks of it but surprise surprise, the players he’s playing there aren't actually wingbacks. ie Pulisic and Sterling. So if we did sign a top CB prospect yeah he will probably become a wingback for us at one point.

Can't really blame Chelsea yet. 🙂

For all I know I'm the only person on the planet who wants this, but I am utterly convinced he would be a huge success on the left. Has everything for the role.

[MoroccanBlue 5,375]

33 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Don't care. He has the attributes.

So if Potter plays him at LWB and he looks terrible there, will you blame the player or Potter?

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

18 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

So if Potter plays him at LWB and he looks terrible there, will you blame the player or Potter?

I'll remind people that using the player at LWB was something I was strongly in favour of and then I will call it as I see it.

I will sometimes say that I don't believe XYZ player is good enough but I never 'blame' them. They don't sign themselves and they don't pick themselves. Others make those decisions and others are responsible.

Long way between here and there mind.

Edited October 31, 2022 by OhForAGreavsie