27. Malo Gusto

[Mattill 16]

He's a baller

[Vesper 28,993]

On 30/01/2023 at 19:34, Vesper said:

I have big hopes for this lad!

super excited

 

[Vytis33 1,163]

He’s gotta be one of the best signings of the Boehly era when you factor price paid vs performance.  Still only 20 years old too 

[OneMoSalah 8,783]

Him & Connor best players last night. Reece is going to struggle to get back in if he cant get fit and this guy keeps playing like that.

Aggressive when defending, showed real intent when he got forward. None of this going through the motions nonsense you get from watching Reece at times. 

Fully agree with above, one of the few good signings under Boehly. 

Edited December 28, 2023 by OneMoSalah

[James 5,212]

 

[James 5,212]

 

[DDA 9,689]

Not one post on how immense this 20 year old was last night. 

This forum is on its knees.

[Special Juan 27,439]

He's been great since coming back from his injury, I'm saying this now old glass man Reece James is going to struggle to get in, not just on form but his injuries won't get any better

[Vesper 28,993]

Malo Gusto form should help Chelsea avoid repeat of Reece James woe

https://theathletic.com/5271727/2024/02/13/malo-gusto-reece-james-Chelsea/

This time, there should be no need for Chelsea to rush captain Reece James back from injury.

The desperation to have James, one of the best right-backs in the world, on the pitch has led Chelsea to make mistakes in the way they have handled him in the past.

It is never easy to get the balance right when assessing the best time to recall a key player following a spell out through injury. Despite all the data and medical advances, there is no crystal ball. Luck, certainly bad as far as James has been concerned, does come into it.

Yet because James offers so much on the pitch, providing balance and leadership, he has come back too early at times. The best example of this was last season. After injuring his knee against AC Milan in October, he suffered the same problem again during his comeback match against Bournemouth two months later when he surprisingly started rather than being given a gentle introduction as a late substitute. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it proved to be too much too soon. He ended up missing another five weeks, returned to the side for two months, then got injured again.

It has been a similarly exasperating story for James this season. He has made just nine appearances, during which he has not once completed 90 minutes, due to hamstring injuries. In December, he had an operation on his right leg, with the specialist who did the procedure expecting him to be out for three or four months.

Aside from the responsibility James would feel as a key player for Chelsea and their captain, there is also the slim hope of making the England squad for the European Championship in the summer on his mind.

But Chelsea can afford to be patient to ensure James gets back to feeling 100 per cent right physically and mentally. Why? The form of Malo Gusto.

No one would say Gusto is as good as James in the right wing-back role — at least, not yet. However, the biggest compliment you could pay the France international is that he is limiting how much the 24-year-old is being missed.

Gusto is in his first full season at Stamford Bridge having been signed from Lyon for £26.3million ($33.4m), plus add-ons, in January last year and spending the second half of last season back on loan at the Ligue 1 club.

You could argue that he is second only to Cole Palmer in terms of the best buys the owners have made since they took over in May 2022. Gusto turns 21 in May and is beginning to look like a bargain.

His display in the 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace on Monday was the perfect demonstration of this. When Chelsea laboured during a very poor first half, he was one of the few bright spots due to the width he added to Chelsea’s attack.

It was Gusto’s fine cross, one of 11 he delivered on the night, that set up Conor Gallagher for Chelsea’s equaliser just after half-time. He had a remarkable 132 touches in the game and a 92.6 per cent pass completion rate from 94 passes.

Another sign of his influence was that 50 per cent of Chelsea’s attacks came down the right flank. To put that in perspective, only 30 per cent of their attacks came on the opposite side where the more experienced left-back Ben Chilwell was operating.

Gusto has six assists in all competitions, a fine return. The inch-perfect cross he provided for Nicolas Jackson in the 3-1 FA Cup victory at Aston Villa last week was worthy of James himself.

Inevitably for one so young and new to English football, Gusto will make mistakes and have games where he is not at his best. His display in the 4-2 loss at home to Wolves this month, where he conceded a penalty for a rash tackle on Matheus Cunha, was an example.

Still, Mauricio Pochettino is delighted with his contribution, even if he understandably still laments James’ absence. When asked by The Athletic whether the speed of Gusto’s development is negating the need to accelerate the captain’s return, he replied: “When we assess Malo Gusto, we brought him in to try to compete with Reece James. He’s really, really young, but now with the injury of Reece James, he needs to play a lot and compete every single game.

“We can see some good things and things he needs to improve because he is so young and in the first season in the Premier League, but yes, we are so happy. He is going to improve.”

Gusto will need some protection from the intense workload himself. Pochettino revealed he had to be substituted in the 84th minute at Selhurst Park due to fatigue rather than an injury. Backup is available, albeit none of them are ideal for various reasons. There is Axel Disasi, but he normally plays at centre-back. The same could be said for fit-again Trevoh Chalobah, while academy graduate Alfie Gilchrist, 20, is only just getting his first minutes as a senior player, so is very raw.

But Gusto is now a trusted member of the starting line-up and will continue to feature regularly for the rest of the season. That should also mean James will not have to take any risks. His competition with Gusto can wait until he is good and ready.

[NikkiCFC 8,041]

He is eligible to play for France at Olympics.  Ugo and Badi as well. Tournament at home... They probably wont miss it.

Slonina, Mydryk and even Enzo for their NTs also. This could affect our pre season and start of the season. This is problem when you have so many young players...

[DDA 9,689]

BALLER 🔥 

[Strike 7,249]

On 16/02/2024 at 21:43, NikkiCFC said:

He is eligible to play for France at Olympics.  Ugo and Badi as well. Tournament at home... They probably wont miss it.

Slonina, Mydryk and even Enzo for their NTs also. This could affect our pre season and start of the season. This is problem when you have so many young players...

The top players will play international football. Can't help it 

[Vytis33 1,163]

No call up for Gusto?

 

 

[NikkiCFC 8,041]

8 assists already. Plus very solid defender. He surplus even goals + assists output Reece had here in 4 of 5 seasons. Cant see him getting place back on merit.

[chelsea_4_eva 1,159]

He's surely growing into his role and getting used to the league. His chemistry with Palmer is also improving. And only 20 years old too, great competition for the RB spot when Reece comes back.

Edited March 17 by chelsea_4_eva

[bluesman2610 1,344]

Reece might need a position change if he wants to play week in and week out barring him staying healthy of course. We used to say Reece attacking output nailed him as a starter but Gusto has shown he’s capable. 

[Special Juan 27,439]

Reece's injuries will not get any better, sell him

[Blue Armour 4,300]

19 hours ago, bluesman2610 said:

Reece might need a position change if he wants to play week in and week out barring him staying healthy of course. We used to say Reece attacking output nailed him as a starter but Gusto has shown he’s capable. 

I think Reece when fully fit and in form is a superior defender. 

I'll never forget his games against Madrid in the CL.

I haven't seen anything of that level from Gusto yet.