Josh McEachran

[lucio 5,418]

im not that big on josh anymore. it is all about big chalobah

[DH1988 1,348]

Never ever rated this kid, just never saw what the hype was about.. Still don't even when people say he has good games!

[Leif 6,006]

Just to add to this thread since it's getting some active users in it today:- I'm probably now known as the "Guy who hates McEachran and wants to burn his house down and steal his dog", but I just want to clear that up. It's not like that at all.

I just, with conviction, like to state my opinion that I can't see any way that he'll make it here. That's not to say I don't want him to though. When I critique his performances for Boro, that's all I see him as - A Boro player. I don't wear the blue tinted glasses and deal with what-if's to find positives about some of his performances which aren't even there to mask up his rather average playing time there.

He started as one of their best players in the opening part of the season. He should have had a few goals but his well documented poor finishing let him down. This would be a good time to make a comment regarding something by the way; He's often hailed as being "One of the most composed players in his age group", but I disagree, which his numerous failed penalties for England youth teams and crap shots in front of goal will testify to. He may look composed on the ball, but I think it's a lackadaisical style and not a composed one.

His best performances, in my opinion, actually came from being played out of position on the wide-right of a 4-man midfield. When put in what people consider his 'best position' (deep midfield), his performances began to drop, it was too costly to keep playing him there due to his lack of energy on the pitch (not chasing down lost balls; often leading to the opposition scoring) and thus he was eventually dropped. He no longer seems to be one of the first names on the sheet at Boro, so how do people expect him to be one here?

It's true what someone said about this loan move starting well, but in general, being an odd/bad move. He should have been loaned, yes, but to a passing-based team like Watford or Brighton. He'd have players thinking the same way he does there and he'd flourish there.

Now a note:- He is 20. There are players at the age of 17,18 and 19 performing head and shoulders better than him in the Championship - including our own Chalobah. McEachran has bloody Champions League experience yet is still out-performed by average players. Do you know why? Because he is an average player; just with above-average passing.

"If he's so average, why did Carlo pick him in the CL then!?!?" yeah, well, Kalou and Bosingwa played plenty CL games for us, didn't they?

Now here comes the sting for some - Why the fuck would any incoming manager put Josh into our team ahead of someone like (potentially) De Bruyne, one of the hottest Belgian talents ever? Why wouldn't they rather spend money on a proper deep-lying playmaker such as Benat or someone even more well-rounded than him? There is no reason to play Josh. I think people are clutching at straws because they/we have been following him for a long time and thus don't want it to feel like such a waste.

Well guess what?

Clifford, Matic, Sinclair, Sturridge, Kakuta, soooo many more didn't make it here, and neither will Josh.

[Stats 7,142]

Interesting tweet from Adrian Durham re Josh (and this is a man who

follows lower league football and is quite sensible when not on a wind up):

Josh McEachran COMPLETELY wasting his time at Middlesbro. Players not on same wavelength. Chelsea have let him down badly...and this is why I say long loans are of no benefit. We need to see what he can do among better players as we have at Chelsea. My view is we either play him at Chelsea, or get rid. If he goes out on another loan we'll be wasting our time and his.

I disagree with Durham. I think it was vital he got loan experience at a Championship club to develop him as he was not going to get first team starts at us or other Premier League teams. Why would Durham think going out on loan is wasting his time. Look at Bertrand for instance, the loan helped me, as it has helped a numerous amount of footballers. Josh, himself said that playing in week in week out at Boro has helped him to improve and while he has got benched recently he has played a lot of football and picked up a couple knocks.

Josh also said that the though nature of the Championship has helped him become a better player and getting regular football, (albeit the Championship) has helped him knuckle down. I think loans like this are good because we see how they cope in a different environment and most importantly we gain an indication if they are ready for the first team in the future. For eg, Chalobah, how can we underestimate the brilliance of his loans and how effective the loan has been in enhancing his potential and helping Chelsea fans realise how good he actually is.

[Joker10 946]

Now a note:- He is 20. There are players at the age of 17,18 and 19 performing head and shoulders better than him in the Championship - including our own Chalobah. McEachran has bloody Champions League experience yet is still out-performed by average players. Do you know why? Because he is an average player; just with above-average passing.

"If he's so average, why did Carlo pick him in the CL then!?!?" yeah, well, Kalou and Bosingwa played plenty CL games for us, didn't they?

Let me tell you something you might or might not know. Life is a marathon not a race, it also applies to footballers. It doesn't matter who was better at the age 18,19, or 20 because every single players progresses differently. So based on your logic it should have been slam dunk that Marin would be the better player between him and Ozil. Everyone was talking about Marin years back, while Ozil was rotting at Schalke bench. How about we also look at Quaresma and Ronaldo, who was generating the entire buzz at Sporting Lisbon academy? Certainly it was Quaresma.

The point is i have seen enough of football to know that players just progress differently, i could have named many more examples.

Here is another thing to note when comparing McEachran and Chalobah, one athletically is on a different level. It is quite usual and quite often players who are athletic freaks like Chalobah tend to shine very bright, while Mceachran type players tend to do much better at later stage of their career. The English game is much more friendlier to Chalobah type players anyway. McEachran needs to work on his stamina and develop his body. But for me Mcechran scores very high on two criteria that weigh heavily for me when rating a young player; intelligence and technique.

Kevin De Bruyne and Mceahcran players different position they have nothing to do with each other btw.

[Blue Armour 4,436]

Interesting tweet from Adrian Durham re Josh (and this is a man who

follows lower league football and is quite sensible when not on a wind up):

Josh McEachran COMPLETELY wasting his time at Middlesbro. Players not on same wavelength. Chelsea have let him down badly...and this is why I say long loans are of no benefit. We need to see what he can do among better players as we have at Chelsea. My view is we either play him at Chelsea, or get rid. If he goes out on another loan we'll be wasting our time and his.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...

That's just an assumption...there's no evidence that the championship will actually be a step down in physicality, although I suppose the game will be slower.

I agree that sending players like Bertrand, or even strikers like Lukaku to the championship is a good move as it can help improve your technical attributes. But in Josh's case, I don't think its the same. I feel that he thrives on the attacking runs/positioning of other players so that he can influence the play with his passes. I doubt he will encounter too many of such players in the championship.

I had my reservations against him being loaned out to a championship side before this season began. And my opinion hasn't changed.

I feel he's a player who thrives on attacking runs made by intelligent players around him. Which is why I feel his best performances have come when he played with the first 11 at Chelsea.

[laeth 527]

He isn't good enough. Nathanial bosses Watford's midfield and is one of the standout players in a team full of Seria A players.

Josh hasn't bossed anything playing in a mediocre Middlesborough team...

[Term-X 7,891]

"He can pass. He has no work rate, cant (and wont) shoot from any distance, cant defend cant beat a player 1 on 1 and has no presence at all. He is the most sadly limited player I have ever seen and that includes players like crouch and even probably goalkeepers."

- Middlesbrough fan

[Leif 6,006]

Fucking boom ^^^

[bushman 2,043]

As I read the above posting I may ask.

Was Josh overrated badly ?

Does he really have a chance to come & play for Chelsea soon ?

Somehow, I get the feeling we won´t see him at Chelsea that soon.

[Leif 6,006]

Just read that apparently Turnbull had something to do with Josh choosing Boro over other teams............

[Ortiv 42]

I weep for the day the club will actually listen to some fans here and dump McEachran. I'm shocked to my bones that a someone can call him average when apart from mazacar, none in our team can bring the ball our of tight spaces which is why usually send the ball to Cech to lump it forward when any decent team decides to press up from the back.

I agree he probably isn't the next Messi but he has something which our current team lacks and we should be seeking to help him develop it, not trying to burn his house and steal his dog..........

[Blue Armour 4,436]

Fucking boom ^^^

Mata apparently had a different opinion regarding McEachran...

You would take the view of some random fan over Mata's?

[Leif 6,006]

Mata apparently had a different opinion regarding McEachran... You would take the view of some random fan over Mata's?

You would take the view of a player who more than likely doesn't even watch McEachran over 'some random fan' who supports the club McEachran plays for and watches him every time he plays?

[Blue Armour 4,436]

You would take the view of a player who more than likely doesn't even watch McEachran over 'some random fan' who supports the club McEachran plays for and watches him every time he plays?

Meh...I've seen McEachran play for us, and I have a different opinion from that of the fan myself.

So yeah.