My Blood Is Blue Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 What's the current squad looking like? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 I got carried away in the Fulham thread, but this is what we currently have, or are currently borrowing: GKs (4) - Kepa, Mendy, Bettinelli, Slonina Defs (10) - Silva, KK, Azpi, Fofana, Badiashile, Cucu, James, Chilwell, Chalobah, Humphreys Midfield (9) - Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Chuk, Gallagher, Mount, Hall, RLC, Zakaria Att (11) - Havertz, Ziyech, Pulisic, Mudryk, Madueke, Sterling, Broja, PEA, Fofana, Hutchinson, Felix That's 34 players, and I haven't counted Andrey Santos or Casadei. Nkunku joins in the summer, then, out on loan who may be first team options, Lukaku, Maatsen, CHO, Sarr, Ampadu, Colwill. In way or another, we are going to have to jetison a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 Come the summer I'd like the basis of our squad to look like this given what we currently have, or have arriving. GK: Kepa, Bettinelli, Slonina** LB: Chilwell, Cucurella CB: Thiago Silva, W.Fofana, Badiashile, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Colwill** RB: James, Azpilicueta DM: Jorginho* CM: Kovacic, Gallagher, Mount, Chukuemeka, Hall**, Casadei**, A.Santos*** W/AM: Havertz, Mudryk, Sterling, Nkunku, Madueke ST: Broja**, D.Fofana** * = Keep Jorginho if we're not able to secure two new DM's. ** = Loan out for the season. Release: Kante, Jorginho* Sell: Pulisic, Ziyech, Loftus-Cheek, Mendy, Hudson-Odoi, Sarr, Lukaku** Loan return: Zakaria and Felix (should this clause to buy not be true/price too high). ** = Sell or loan, whatever has to be done. Already a far more dynamic looking side, especially in attack. We sort the midfield with two or three good quality additions, plus find ourselves a backup RB (which we appear to be doing already), and a CF, all of a sudden we're looking a far more equipped side to push up the table and return to the pointy end of things. May not be immediately given the ages of some of these guys but it's hard to see us no trending upwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted January 27, 2023 Share Posted January 27, 2023 On 24/01/2023 at 00:07, xceleryx said: Come the summer I'd like the basis of our squad to look like this given what we currently have, or have arriving. GK: Kepa, Bettinelli, Slonina** LB: Chilwell, Cucurella CB: Thiago Silva, W.Fofana, Badiashile, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Colwill** RB: James, Azpilicueta DM: Jorginho* CM: Kovacic, Gallagher, Mount, Chukuemeka, Hall**, Casadei**, A.Santos*** W/AM: Havertz, Mudryk, Sterling, Nkunku, Madueke ST: Broja**, D.Fofana** * = Keep Jorginho if we're not able to secure two new DM's. ** = Loan out for the season. Release: Kante, Jorginho* Sell: Pulisic, Ziyech, Loftus-Cheek, Mendy, Hudson-Odoi, Sarr, Lukaku** Loan return: Zakaria and Felix (should this clause to buy not be true/price too high). ** = Sell or loan, whatever has to be done. Already a far more dynamic looking side, especially in attack. We sort the midfield with two or three good quality additions, plus find ourselves a backup RB (which we appear to be doing already), and a CF, all of a sudden we're looking a far more equipped side to push up the table and return to the pointy end of things. May not be immediately given the ages of some of these guys but it's hard to see us no trending upwards. Largely agree with this, although Azpi may be toast. Kante might get 2 months to prove his worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted January 28, 2023 Share Posted January 28, 2023 13 hours ago, paulw66 said: Largely agree with this, although Azpi may be toast. Kante might get 2 months to prove his worth. I'd more or less let Azpilicueta decide on what he wants to do in the summer. I'd be happy to keep him for the final 12 months of his contract as he isn't a hinderance to have in the squad as a whole, but he would need to acknowledge he'd be restricted for playing time. Re Kante - I do hope we aren't making a judgement call on whatever games he manages to play between now and seasons end. We need to move on for the good of both parties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Looking ahead, this is the current core of the squad: GK (4): Kepa, Mendy, Bettinelli, Slonina Full Backs (7): Chilwell, Cucurella, Hall, Maatsen*, James, Azpilicueta, Gusto Centre Backs: (6) Thiago Silva, W.Fofana, Badiashile, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Colwill* Midfield (9): Jorginho, Kovacic, Kante, Gallagher, Mount, RLC, Chukuemeka, Casadei*, A.Santos Forwards: (13) Havertz, Mudryk, Sterling, Nkunku, Madueke, Broja, D.Fofana, Ziyech, Pulisic, Hutchinson, CHO*, PEA, Lukaku* 35 outfield players, ignoring what the club do with Felix and Zakaria, and the potential signing of Enzo. I haven't included players out on loan who have no chance of being part of the first team squad. Those currently on loan have an asterix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singleton Posted January 30, 2023 Share Posted January 30, 2023 Seeing a few stories saying we're trying to get a work permit for Santos as the club want to use him for the remainder of the season. At 18, fresh from Brazil, he doesn't have the required points from games played, but captaining Brazil U-20s might count toward the "exceptional talent" dispensation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holymoly Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Notwithstanding our huge spend this year the league is becoming ever more competitive. Twenty years ago it was the Big 4, laterly it became the Big 6 when Spuds and City joined ourselves, United, Scum and Arsenal at the top table. Now with Newcastle getting the backing of the Middle East it is the Magnificent 7. Top managment will become ever more important in order to produce success which has been shown by Pep and Klopp. Hopefully Potter will be able to make the step up otherwise he may end up just holding us back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 On 30/01/2023 at 02:10, paulw66 said: Looking ahead, this is the current core of the squad: GK (4): Kepa, Mendy, Bettinelli, Slonina Full Backs (7): Chilwell, Cucurella, Hall, Maatsen*, James, Azpilicueta, Gusto Centre Backs: (6) Thiago Silva, W.Fofana, Badiashile, Chalobah, Koulibaly, Colwill* Midfield (9): Jorginho, Kovacic, Kante, Gallagher, Mount, RLC, Chukuemeka, Casadei*, A.Santos Forwards: (13) Havertz, Mudryk, Sterling, Nkunku, Madueke, Broja, D.Fofana, Ziyech, Pulisic, Hutchinson, CHO*, PEA, Lukaku* 35 outfield players, ignoring what the club do with Felix and Zakaria, and the potential signing of Enzo. I haven't included players out on loan who have no chance of being part of the first team squad. Those currently on loan have an asterix. Thanks for the listing...with a bit of flexibility ....I, and probably most of us, could easily "take out" 14/15 players from that list and I have not included the Keepers. I doubt that every player I consider on my list will move on but it doesn't take too much insight to identify the "surp[us" and not every player would be on my list for negative reasons...Lukaku at one extreme and for example Conor at the other. An interesting time indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Given we can only make three (3) changes to the Champions Leagues squad it will be interesting which three signings we pick. You'd have to imagine it'll be Enzo, Mudryk and Felix. With Badiashile missing out as we've got the options to work around that, even if he has been good since coming into the side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singleton Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Found this. Looks insane when viewed like this, though a few 'holes' in midfield still. Roll on the summer! 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kelly Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 3 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said: Found this. Looks insane when viewed like this, though a few 'holes' in midfield still. Roll on the summer! 🤣 Bit light on the left wing but I suppose Mount can help out there , or Hall for that matter . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holymoly Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 Pat Nevin on Sky giving a very interesting opinion on the transfer window and the squad in general as well as his reason for backing the manager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singleton Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 Looks like we'll be able to get a work permit for Santos. Missed out by one point, but his recent performances captaining Brazil U-20s should see him get "special talent" status.https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-fc-andrey-santos-work-permit-b1057393.html He looks like quite a player for an 18 year old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singleton Posted February 2, 2023 Share Posted February 2, 2023 @Holymoly Nice to hear someone talking sense about our winter business specifically and the long-term vision in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 01/02/2023 at 11:17, Mark Kelly said: Bit light on the left wing but I suppose Mount can help out there , or Hall for that matter . And Sterling. He's more of a left winger, than right. I'd argue the right side is a lot lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 On 31/01/2023 at 23:07, xceleryx said: Given we can only make three (3) changes to the Champions Leagues squad it will be interesting which three signings we pick. You'd have to imagine it'll be Enzo, Mudryk and Felix. With Badiashile missing out as we've got the options to work around that, even if he has been good since coming into the side. Has to be those 3. You don't pay 11m loan fee to leave Felix out of the CL squad. With Fofana nearly back, Badisashile will miss out, but will make sense if he plays the majority of PL games Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspeze Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 Not sure if you've got instragram but this is funny (not sure how to share the video outside of Instragram as hardly ever on there!) .. got sent the link by a good friend (who happens to be an arsenal fan 😞 ) Chelsea's squad turning up for training! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoHoCkfIZXO/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 Surely there are a few missing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Singleton Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 CL Squad Update: In: Mudryk, Felix, Fernandez Out: Jorginho (sold to Arsenal), Aubameyang (de-listed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 6 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said: CL Squad Update: In: Mudryk, Felix, Fernandez Out: Jorginho (sold to Arsenal), Aubameyang (de-listed) PEA being delisted when Kante, Zakaria and Pulisic are all out injured is just remarkable. I'm not saying it is wrong, it shows where he sits in the pecking order. Behind 3 injured players, some of whom may not be fit by the team we have completed the next round, and could already be out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 17 minutes ago, paulw66 said: PEA being delisted when Kante, Zakaria and Pulisic are all out injured is just remarkable. I'm not saying it is wrong, it shows where he sits in the pecking order. Behind 3 injured players, some of whom may not be fit by the team we have completed the next round, and could already be out Turkey beckons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kelly Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 Daily Mail reporting that Badiashille (sp) has been left out of the Champions League squad too . Seems a bad decision to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 3 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said: Daily Mail reporting that Badiashille (sp) has been left out of the Champions League squad too . Seems a bad decision to me. So who do you not pick? Mudryk, Felix or Enzo? With Silva, Chalobah, KK and Fofana back, that is 4 CBs for 2 spots. I think the need in attack was greater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 8 minutes ago, Ham said: Turkey beckons Where can we chip in for the fare? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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