Following Chelsea's loans

[Proud-Blue]

16 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said:

Colwill has a higher potential ceiling than Chalobah, but I don't think we can keep both. Let's hope we don't sell him and keep TC instead!

Agreed, though I think I'd rather move on Koulibaly. Chalobah is already good and has the potential to be a lot better, and Koulibaly has been average to poor other than a handful of games.  He's also old and I can't see him doing a Silva.

 

I'm not concerned about the Colwill reports. He's staying.

[paulw66]

17 minutes ago, Proud-Blue said:

Agreed, though I think I'd rather move on Koulibaly. Chalobah is already good and has the potential to be a lot better, and Koulibaly has been average to poor other than a handful of games.  He's also old and I can't see him doing a Silva.

 

I'm not concerned about the Colwill reports. He's staying.

Bearing in mind we are unlikely to be in Europe next season, we can probably offload KK and TC and replace with Colwill. 

KK and TC have played about the combined minutes of one player. playing every game, and that's in a season where Fofana has missed a lot, and Badiashile only joined half way through.

 

Colwill, Silva, Fofana, Badiashile is possibly enough if we are playing a flat 4, and with 1 game a week

[chara]

15 minutes ago, Proud-Blue said:

Agreed, though I think I'd rather move on Koulibaly. Chalobah is already good and has the potential to be a lot better, and Koulibaly has been average to poor other than a handful of games.  He's also old and I can't see him doing a Silva.

 

I'm not concerned about the Colwill reports. He's staying.

Agree apart from the Chalobah point. I think he is close to his ceiling (happy to be wrong) and is at the top level of good graduates who will go on to good careers without hitting the top level...a lot of those over the years..Ake probably the best of the recent years but no longer the young promising player and doing well relatively late on in his career( not old!) in a very good side.

[Bison]

I think extending Silva was the wrong move.

*ducks for cover*

[paulw66]

6 minutes ago, Bison said:

I think extending Silva was the wrong move.

*ducks for cover*

I can see where you are coming from. I think he is great in  the middle of a 3, but in a 4, there are pace issues. 

That said, I can see Fofana and BB as being the first choice pairing at CB anyway

[Bison]

11 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

I can see where you are coming from. I think he is great in  the middle of a 3, but in a 4, there are pace issues. 

That said, I can see Fofana and BB as being the first choice pairing at CB anyway

Just find it hard to sell a rebuild with Silva getting extended every season. There really is no reason for him to start for us next season considering we've spent 100m plus on Badiashille & Fofana and have our best academy prospect Colwill looking to feature.

If a back four is the plan moving forward and we have no European football next season, how many CBs do we actually need? 4? 5 maximum? 

[xceleryx]

10 hours ago, Bison said:

Just find it hard to sell a rebuild with Silva getting extended every season. There really is no reason for him to start for us next season considering we've spent 100m plus on Badiashille & Fofana and have our best academy prospect Colwill looking to feature.

If a back four is the plan moving forward and we have no European football next season, how many CBs do we actually need? 4? 5 maximum? 

Outside of Silva still being a better defender than any of the names listed, the big factor as to why it's easy to still sell a rebuild despite extending his contract is his experience and leadership. 

As promising as the likes of Fofana, Badiashile and Colwill are, they are all still considerably young and inexperienced in the grand scheme of things. In aside that already is devoid of useful experience and leadership, having someone like Thiago Silva still playing a part offers substantial upside. 

[McCreadie]

7 hours ago, xceleryx said:

Outside of Silva still being a better defender than any of the names listed, the big factor as to why it's easy to still sell a rebuild despite extending his contract is his experience and leadership. 

As promising as the likes of Fofana, Badiashile and Colwill are, they are all still considerably young and inexperienced in the grand scheme of things. In aside that already is devoid of useful experience and leadership, having someone like Thiago Silva still playing a part offers substantial upside. 

Agree. Colwill stands to gain a lot more from being here with Silva for a season, than he would lose by being here with Silva for a season.

[paulw66]

[Miguelito07]

29 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

I still don’t understand the Badiashile signing if Levi is returning next season 

Edited April 15, 2023 by Miguelito07

[Bison]

8 hours ago, xceleryx said:

The u Outside of Silva still being a better defender than any of the names listed, the big factor as to why it's easy to still sell a rebuild despieer person r te extending his contract is his experience and leadership. 

As promising as the likes of cc

, Badiashile and Colwill are, they are all still considerably young and inexperienced in the grand schmeme eme of things. In aside that already is devoid of useful experience and leadership, having someone like Thiago Silva still playing a part offers substantial upside. 

I agree, his experience will be useful.  That's why he should have been offered a coaching role instead.

Badiashile has played over 130 games for Monaco. Has also played for the senior French national team.

Fofana has been around for a while, has played in the Premier League and was recently called up to the French team as well (before pulling out with a hamstring injury).

Colwill is our best prospect in a while and reportedly doesn't want another loan. There are clubs interested so he needs to be presented with a clear pathway to minutes. 

Those three should be eating the bulk of minutes next season depending on form, fitness etc.

And there is no reason why a 23 year old Chalobah should be sitting on the sidelines next season watching a 39 year old Silva playing ahead of him during a rebuild. Either play him when there are opportunities to do so or sell him. 

[Blue Moon]

Always rated Chalobah, despite some on here - badly needs to get consistant playing time though, if he’s to improve his self-confidence. Shame we’re out of the cups - they’d have offered a useful opportunity.

[xceleryx]

1 hour ago, Bison said:

I agree, his experience will be useful.  That's why he should have been offered a coaching role instead.

Badiashile has played over 130 games for Monaco. Has also played for the senior French national team.

Fofana has been around for a while, has played in the Premier League and was recently called up to the French team as well (before pulling out with a hamstring injury).

Colwill is our best prospect in a while and reportedly doesn't want another loan. There are clubs interested so he needs to be presented with a clear pathway to minutes. 

Those three should be eating the bulk of minutes next season depending on form, fitness etc.

And there is no reason why a 23 year old Chalobah should be sitting on the sidelines next season watching a 39 year old Silva playing ahead of him during a rebuild. Either play him when there are opportunities to do so or sell him. 

Why would we offer TS a coaching role when he has no desire to retire just yet?  That's not how it works.

Yes, all the options we've currently got have their own varied degree of experience to go along with their potential, none of it compares to what Thiago Silva offers and that's the underlying point. Even rebuilding sides require senior figures that can guide and teach on the pitch, not just behind the scenes on the training track. He's still a fantastic defender and walks into our side based on his performances alone. Maybe if he was in the sort of position Azpilicueta was in your approach would make more sense, but that's not the environment on hand. While he continues to perform at a level that exceeds any other defensive option in the side he should continue to play decent minutes on merit.

With the way you want to push the rebuild why stop at Thiago Silva? We may as well get the likes of Kante, Kova and anyone else who doesn't fit the timeline out the door on top. No point in retaining any of those guys either because of their age profiles. Then we can field a team that are of a specific age profile, that have limited experience, no senior guidance, and a lack of leadership.

[paulw66]

2 hours ago, Miguelito07 said:

I still don’t understand the Badiashile signing if Levi is returning next season 

Perhaps we need more than one defender.. 

[Bob Singleton]

2 hours ago, Miguelito07 said:

I still don’t understand the Badiashile signing if Levi is returning next season 

Two left sided centre backs to go with the two right-sided centre backs (W Fofana & Chalobah) plus Silva to mentor them all. Quite simple, really.

[Bob Singleton]

@xceleryx Indeed. One only has to read what JT had to say about learning alongside Desailly to understand why keeping Silva is vital during this transition phase.

[Holymoly]

On 14/04/2023 at 16:28, paulw66 said:

I can see where you are coming from. I think he is great in  the middle of a 3, but in a 4, there are pace issues. 

I think we're too quick to climb on the "his legs are gone" bus. I've seen times when he's the fastest defender back to cover a break from the opposition and I can't actually remember an instance where he has been done for pace the way Ivanovic was towards the end. He may feel it the next day and have to miss the next game to stretch out his hamstrings but  I think he's entirely capable to sit in a four.

[Holymoly]

On 15/04/2023 at 13:44, xceleryx said:

Why would we offer TS a coaching role when he has no desire to retire just yet?  That's not how it works.

From what I hear is very quiet in the dressing room notwithstanding his leadership on the pitch. He is one that leads by example rather than shouting at people. I'm not sure he would be a "great" coach, certainly at an English club.

[chiswickblue]

On 17/04/2023 at 13:46, Holymoly said:

From what I hear is very quiet in the dressing room notwithstanding his leadership on the pitch. He is one that leads by example rather than shouting at people. I'm not sure he would be a "great" coach, certainly at an English club.

Why is shouting a lot considered a mark of great coaching in England? I don't imagine Don Carlo having much need to raise his voice, or anything other than his eyebrow. 

[Holymoly]

35 minutes ago, chiswickblue said:

Why is shouting a lot considered a mark of great coaching in England? I don't imagine Don Carlo having much need to raise his voice, or anything other than his eyebrow. 

There's a difference between a head coach and a defensive specialist.

[xceleryx]

8 hours ago, chiswickblue said:

Why is shouting a lot considered a mark of great coaching in England? I don't imagine Don Carlo having much need to raise his voice, or anything other than his eyebrow. 

Don't let Ancelotti's calm demeanour fool you, he's quite capable of giving out a verbal bollocking when required. A recent example being a spray he gave one of his players (can't remember who) earlier this season in the dugout after subbing him off. 

[ROTG]

2 goals and one assist. Not a bad days work from Lukaku. 

[xceleryx]

Maatsen named in the Championship Team of the Season. 

[Bison]

High praise from a top manager. 

[My Blood Is Blue]

14 hours ago, Bison said:

High praise from a top manager. 

Interested to see what happens with him next season, will he be happy with another loan and if not will he be happy starting as backup and having to fight his way into the team?

Personally, I think a loan at a team abroad playing either CL or EL football for a season, would be a great move for him, if he isn’t going to get a good amount of playing time with us, which with no European football, is quite likely.