Josh McEachran

[Santiago. 1,500]

So how has Josh played in his last few games? I really want to see him score goals now, he might never be a Lampard-esque scorer but adding goals to his game would make him freakin' deadly.

He will never be like Lampard. Not in the current way he has been developing which in all honesty it appears he has the potential to be a class deep lying playmaker. Something this club has been missing for 3 years.

Hazard-----------------Mata

-------------Oscar-----------

Chalobah---------McEachran

[Blue Gino 377]

He will never be like Lampard. Not in the current way he has been developing which in all honesty it appears he has the potential to be a class deep lying playmaker. Something this club has been missing for 3 years.

Hazard-----------------Mata

-------------Oscar-----------

Chalobah---------McEachran

Exactly. He's got the makings of an English Xavi. Amazing vision and beautiful passes. If Chelsea don't want him he'd fit right in at Barcelona. He doesn't have to tackle the shit out of everyone as a DLP, for god's sake Pirlo isn't a tackling machine! So I don't see why Josh has to HARDEN the fuck up as one person says. Josh is finally getting minutes on loan just like fucking Lukaku but since we got Torres everyone creams their fucking pants for Lukaku to come back right away. But Josh they don't seem to have that desperate need for because Lampard is on a roll right now but he will shine for Chelsea in the future. Oscar is not a DLP, he is a number 10 like Mata but in all honesty shouldn't be here in the first fucking place! It's a CLUSTERFUCK with CAM's trying to fill a 3 band in a 4-2-3-1 especially with De Bruyne due back next season after playing CAM at Bremen FFS! Josh is not hyped up BECAUSE he's ENGLISH, because he is an amazing fucking wizard passing the ball!

[The only place to be 11,313]

Exactly. He's got the makings of an English Xavi. Amazing vision and beautiful passes. If Chelsea don't want him he'd fit right in at Barcelona. He doesn't have to tackle the shit out of everyone as a DLP, for god's sake Pirlo isn't a tackling machine! So I don't see why Josh has to HARDEN the fuck up as one person says. Josh is finally getting minutes on loan just like fucking Lukaku but since we got Torres everyone creams their fucking pants for Lukaku to come back right away. But Josh they don't seem to have that desperate need for because Lampard is on a roll right now but he will shine for Chelsea in the future. Oscar is not a DLP, he is a number 10 like Mata but in all honesty shouldn't be here in the first fucking place! It's a CLUSTERFUCK with CAM's trying to fill a 3 band in a 4-2-3-1 especially with De Bruyne due back next season after playing CAM at Bremen FFS! Josh is not hyped up BECAUSE he's ENGLISH, because he is an amazing fucking wizard passing the ball!

I don't disagree that he has the makings of and English Xavi, but he simply doesn't impose himself on games at the moment and he has a tendency to drift out of them especially around the 60 minute mark.

We're desperate for a DLP but as much as I want Josh to be that guy everytime I see him, there's always question marks there which is why I think he's about two years away from being where someone like Wilshere was last year. Also, if we're going to compare him to Xavi then let's at least be honest and admit that Xavi is a tough little barstard too. Josh needs to harden the fuck up, man up and realise that he's got amazing talent so doesn't have to look like a deer in the headlights every time he steps out on the pitch.

He's got to be more of a cunt.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Are you kidding? He's been hyped up precisely because he is English.

I love the kid but he ain't Wilshere, and it's not just their bodies that are different. Wilshere has some bite and aggression that Josh simply doesn't have. He drifts out of games far too easily and let's the opposition walk over him at times, rather than imposing himself on games like he should. He's got phenomenal technique but he really needs to harden the fuck up.

Also, comparing him to Oscar is unfair. Oscar has shown he has some bite in his game and he's also got a far higher workrate than Josh. He's young so he still has time to develop his game and his body but I'm nowhere near as convinced as I was two years ago.

This is definitely a good point. Everyone sees Josh's potential, even non-CFC fans, Jordan Henderson even once said Josh is technically better than Jack Wilshere. But if Josh is to flourish in the role he plays, he has to be a bit of a bastard. I like Jonjo Shelvey of Liverpool, not for his abilities as a technical player, but because he's got that no nonsense 'I'm a cunt' approach to the way he plays - That's the English way.

[Spike 12,049]

This is definitely a good point. Everyone sees Josh's potential, even non-CFC fans, Jordan Henderson even once said Josh is technically better than Jack Wilshere. But if Josh is to flourish in the role he plays, he has to be a bit of a bastard. I like Jonjo Shelvey of Liverpool, not for his abilities as a technical player, but because he's got that no nonsense 'I'm a cunt' approach to the way he plays - That's the English way.

I wonder if that is inclusive to England's failings internationaly. It was all well and good in 1964, but the game has changed just a wee bit. Maybe it's that most English players don't seem to like eachother...but that's just me...

Not that I"m criticising the rough and rumble approach to football as Australia is pretty similar in that regard...

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I wonder if that is inclusive to England's failings internationaly. It was all well and good in 1964, but the game has changed just a wee bit. Maybe it's that most English players don't seem to like eachother...but that's just me...

Not that I"m criticising the rough and rumble approach to football as Australia is pretty similar in that regard...

*1966

But I suppose so. The culture of English football is still stuck within that approach and sometimes it is quite effective but with the culture of international football more focused on movement and speed England have, indeed, stagnated.

Unfortunately the problem remains in development, at grass root levels. There needs to be better coaching education now, more emphasis on possession football.

[Spike 12,049]

*1966

But I suppose so. The culture of English football is still stuck within that approach and sometimes it is quite effective but with the culture of international football more focused on movement and speed England have, indeed, stagnated.

Unfortunately the problem remains in development, at grass root levels. There needs to be better coaching education now, more emphasis on possession football.

How does a country with such a huge population and love for football routinely produce only average footballers. Aaaron Lennon and Theo Walcott for example are sprinters that play football...

[LDN Blue 7,903]

How does a country with such a huge population and love for football routinely produce only average footballers. Aaaron Lennon and Theo Walcott for example are sprinters that play football...

Oh where do I begin?!

Lack of effective coaching, the enormous gap between youth football and the next level up, inadequate structuring of youth and reserve leagues & poor allocation of resources. Brazil produce great no10's, Portugal produce great wingers, Spain produce great midfield players. England produces.. Rooney.

[Spike 12,049]

Oh where do I begin?!

Lack of effective coaching, the enormous gap between youth football and the next level up, inadequate structuring of youth and reserve leagues & poor allocation of resources. Brazil produce great no10's, Portugal produce great wingers, Spain produce great midfield players. England produces.. Rooney.

Nah, don't count Rooney. He has been shite for England ever since cap number 1.

[The only place to be 11,313]

How does a country with such a huge population and love for football routinely produce only average footballers. Aaaron Lennon and Theo Walcott for example are sprinters that play football...

That's an interesting debate for another thread. What I will say is that a guy at the gym said something similar about rugby. We have the largest number of registered players in the world, but seem to struggle producing players.

But I've also heard the same thing about cricket, athletics (although that's changed a fair bit) and many other sports and I think that's part of the issue - we try to compete at a large number of sports which means people who might've become great footballers instead go into other sports where they have decent but not world-class careers.

Of course there are a myriad other socio-economic factors as well as well as governing issues (the gap between academies and first-teams is absurdly large and there's no B teams in this country like there are in Spain).

[Spike 12,049]

That's an interesting debate for another thread. What I will say is that a guy at the gym said something similar about rugby. We have the largest number of registered players in the world, but seem to struggle producing players.

But I've also heard the same thing about cricket, athletics (although that's changed a fair bit) and many other sports and I think that's part of the issue - we try to compete at a large number of sports which means people who might've become great footballers instead go into other sports where they have decent but not world-class careers.

Of course there are a myriad other socio-economic factors as well as well as governing issues (the gap between academies and first-teams is absurdly large and there's no B teams in this country like there are in Spain).

The second point is a fair statement to make but look at Australia. We have less than half population of England and everything is further apart (this makes a huge difference trust me, it's harder for teams to travel etc,). We have AFL, Rugby League, football, Rugby Union, cricket and individual sports like tennis and swimming. Yet we Aussies have done very well in all those catergories over the years. Two Ruby Union World Cups, Nine Rugby league world cups, dominating world cricket for over two decades (more Ashes victories and four World cups), several very successful swimmers (Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Geoff Huegill) and tennis players (Rod Laver, Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt). Our football team has been averaged (highest ranking about 16th) but on the whole Australia does incredibly well given it's disadvantages. And now I'm not turning this into a Australia v England debate. It just so happen to be Aussie and I'm using my home country as a comparison against England.

[The only place to be 11,313]

The second point is a fair statement to make but look at Australia. We have less than half population of England and everything is further apart (this makes a huge difference trust me, it's harder for teams to travel etc,). We have AFL, Rugby League, football, Rugby Union, cricket and individual sports like tennis and swimming. Yet we Aussies have done very well in all those catergories over the years. Two Ruby Union World Cups, Nine Rugby league world cups, dominating world cricket for over two decades (more Ashes victories and four World cups), several very successful swimmers (Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Geoff Huegill) and tennis players (Rod Laver, Pat Rafter, Lleyton Hewitt). Our football team has been averaged (highest ranking about 16th) but on the whole Australia does incredibly well given it's disadvantages. And now I'm not turning this into a Australia v England debate. It just so happen to be Aussie and I'm using my home country as a comparison against England.

True, but you're shit at darts.

Australia is exceptional when it comes to sport though.

[DDA 9,570]

Are you kidding? He's been hyped up precisely because he is English.

I love the kid but he ain't Wilshere, and it's not just their bodies that are different. Wilshere has some bite and aggression that Josh simply doesn't have. He drifts out of games far too easily and let's the opposition walk over him at times, rather than imposing himself on games like he should. He's got phenomenal technique but he really needs to harden the fuck up.

Also, comparing him to Oscar is unfair. Oscar has shown he has some bite in his game and he's also got a far higher workrate than Josh. He's young so he still has time to develop his game and his body but I'm nowhere near as convinced as I was two years ago.

You don't really need bite in your game to play attacking midfield. Look at Mata, he really doesn't have any tackling game at all but yey he is our most effective and important player at the moment. Josh is an attacking midfielder not a defensive midfielder. I think a lot of you get this fundemental factor confused. Just because Josh has incredible passing range and featured for us alongside Mikel and Essien in pre-season and various games prior, doesn't mean that is his position. He was only ever considered to play that role because originally when he got a chance in the senior squad, we were overloaded with pre madonna superstars who wouldn't dare be left out the squad or position. Then this summer it was quite obvious with the addition of Oscar, Eden and Marin that Josh wouldn't get a chance to play attacking mid as big money signings take obvious importance over yourh developments. My point is that you don't need bite in your game to be a top playmaker. You need to track certain zones or man to man marking yes but comon if you can't see that Josh is still passing wise one of the best players on our books then I am genuinely dumbfounded.

[bushman 2,043]

To compare Josh to Wilshere is just one funny comparison to say the least.

Josh will be one very lucky footballer if he makes Chelsea squad next year, I feel.

[Santiago. 1,500]

Some talents just need the right manager to blossom.

[The only place to be 11,313]

You don't really need bite in your game to play attacking midfield. Look at Mata, he really doesn't have any tackling game at all but yey he is our most effective and important player at the moment. Josh is an attacking midfielder not a defensive midfielder. I think a lot of you get this fundemental factor confused. Just because Josh has incredible passing range and featured for us alongside Mikel and Essien in pre-season and various games prior, doesn't mean that is his position. He was only ever considered to play that role because originally when he got a chance in the senior squad, we were overloaded with pre madonna superstars who wouldn't dare be left out the squad or position. Then this summer it was quite obvious with the addition of Oscar, Eden and Marin that Josh wouldn't get a chance to play attacking mid as big money signings take obvious importance over yourh developments. My point is that you don't need bite in your game to be a top playmaker. You need to track certain zones or man to man marking yes but comon if you can't see that Josh is still passing wise one of the best players on our books then I am genuinely dumbfounded.

He hasn't been considered an attacking midfielder for about 3 years now. Carlo saw him as the next Pirlo and if we're suddenly deciding he's an attacking midfielder then he's pretty much fucked at this club.

And he absolutely does need some aggression in his game. He's been such a lightweight in every game I've seen him play for Boro that he struggles to impose himself on games which is a problem when he's supposed to be the one who sets the tempo. He needs a bit of aggression and a bit of arrogance because he's going to be playing in a league that is physical.

I do agree he is absolutely one of the best passers we have, and I think he has tremendous vision but he struggles to actually show that in most games because of his attitude and his physique. How many times has he been pulled off in the 60th minute this season? Also, look at the way he carries himself around the pitch. He needs to puff that little chest out a little bit and just have a bit more about him if he wants to lead this team because he certainly has the talent in his feet but I have serious doubts about everything else.

[Leif 6,006]

Whenever I see him play I just see a player who doesn't care. I rarely see him run back to make a tackle, or run anywhere in fact. He just has a stupid casual jog which isn't good enough for a top team. It's not his body, his weight, his skills etc. that are the problem. It's his mindset which only he is in control of. You can influence someone's mindset but not teach it. We've got a player here who technically is good enough, but mentally far from it in my opinion. That is where Wilshere shines. Wilshere knows that he's good and doesn't hide in a little shell, but instead steps onto the field with pride, determination and a winning mindset every single game. McEachran knows that he's good to a degree but instead of embracing that to make himself even better, he seems to think that he's good enough as he is and that he doesn't have to put in the same amount of effort as the other players around him. This is probably because of the delusional "HE'Z DA NEXT BIG TING" label that so many of our fans have given him.

When I take those points into consideration it makes the notion that he's "the next Lampard" like so many deluded (no offence) people claim even more laughable. A team doesn't just have 2 leaders; the captain and vice captain; a team has (or is supposed to have anyway) leaders in every area of the pitch. McEachran isn't a leader. From the looks of things, he doesn't want to be a leader. In his position and at this level of football, you have to be leader. Ambition to better yourself as a player shows on the pitch regardless of circumstances or which club you play for. Sturridge had always shown very well how much he wanted to improve. McEachran just doesn't seem to give a shit though.

When he was loaned to Swansea City, their main objective was to survive in the Premier League. He clearly didn't have the mindset for that though like the rest of the players, did he? So he was dropped. He wouldn't fight for the badge he was wearing on the pitch. He should have worn their crest like it was embedded into his skin and given his all, but he just wore it like some random football top.

While it's true that if he was from Brazil many more people would likely call for him to be in our main squad already, at the same time, if he was from Brazil the very same people wouldn't have trouble admitting that he's not as good as he's made out to be once they start looking at actual facts and likely scenarios. He's only made out to be some "English Xavi" because, well, he's English.. and he came from our youth system. People are looking more towards sentiment with Josh than what would actually be good for our team. Many factors have lead to him having some sort of 'prestige' when compared to our other younger players around the same age as him, but really, I'd say Chalobah, Saville, Lalkovic, Loftus-Cheek, Musonda even, are all ahead of him mentally. Maybe he's retarded, I honestly don't know.

His passing skills shouts "FUTURE ENGLAND AND CHELSEA MIDFIELDER!". His (from what I can see) mindset shouts "FUTURE MID-TABLE PLAYER AT FULHAM!". But with that said, despite his skill-set seemingly only being suited to being the playmaker of a team, he never seems to even want the ball! He doesn't look comfortable in possession at all. He looks incredibly nervous and often uses his small frame to quickly dodge away from a player before getting the ball away from him ASAP and then looks upset when the ball is passed right back to him. He'd likely suit La Liga or Ligue 1 but I honestly can't see him ever coping well with the quick tempo and pressing game of the Premier League.

I have never seen him take anything by the neck in a game and just push himself. Never. And when he missed that penalty not long ago for the England U21's (I think) and another player converted from the rebound, he didn't seem to give a shit that his team had just scored. He just sobbed into his hands because personal glory would have fit well with his well-masked feeling of self-entitlement.

Chalobah is our boy. He is the one who is working hard, improving game by game, and deserves to be our holy grail of youth players.

It sounds like I'm being harsh on Josh as I'm pretty much just listing negatives, but really, outside of his passing/vision, what is there to praise? There's no work rate to comment on, no visible determination or want to better himself, tackling ability, pace, stamina, tactical awareness etc. You gotta take the blue tinted glasses off sometimes.

He can and will improve technically, but I just don't see it happening for him mentally. If Carlo came back I'm positive he'd be shocked that Josh still acts like a young boy and would forget the whole "He could be our Pirlo" tag.

[Leif 6,006]

Subbed off. Again.