Squad Status: 2023/24 Season

[Bison]

4 minutes ago, Ham said:

Absolute tosh.  Recent injury problems don't take away from his ability as a football and he's a very good footballer.

I've noticed that you make your mind up very quickly on a player for one reason or another, take a position and then make stuff up to support that position. 

Injuries aren't the issue, it's ability. Good luck to him bit I've seen enough.

Badiashile and Colwill are comfortably better. Feel free to disagree but you'd be wrong.

[ROTG]

9 minutes ago, Ham said:

Absolute tosh.  Recent injury problems don't take away from his ability as a football and he's a very good footballer.

To be honest 

16 - 20 Games a Season is not a very good player. 

[ROTG]

2 minutes ago, Bison said:

Badiashile and Colwill are comfortably better. Feel free to disagree but you'd be wrong.

Both villa and the arse targeted particular CB. For less than Bad and Forfana combined.  It going interesting to see which players have the most productive season. 

[Mark Kelly]

9 hours ago, ROTG said:

Both villa and the arse targeted particular CB. For less than Bad and Forfana combined.  It going interesting to see which players have the most productive season. 

What Centre backs do Villa and Arsenal have that are better than Badiashille and Forfana then?  Pau Torres is probably the best of an appalling bunch and he's resolutely mediocre .  Mings is awful and Arsenal just bought another Ajax dud.

[ROTG]

5 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

What Centre backs do Villa and Arsenal have that are better than Badiashille and Forfana then?  Pau Torres is probably the best of an appalling bunch and he's resolutely mediocre .  Mings is awful and Arsenal just bought another Ajax dud.

As I said MK, let’s see how they perform and how many matches they play. 
Last season both of those teams finish higher than Badiashile and Fofana without the new recruits. 

Edited July 18, 2023 by ROTG

[Ham]

3 minutes ago, ROTG said:

As I said MK, let’s see how they perform and how many matches they play. 
Last season both of those teams finish higher than Badiashile and Fofana without the new recruits. 

Blame our attackers, not our defenders. 

 

[Mark Kelly]

27 minutes ago, ROTG said:

As I said MK, let’s see how they perform and how many matches they play. 
Last season both of those teams finish higher than Badiashile and Fofana without the new recruits. 

We didn't suffer because of our defence last season , we suffered because none of our midfielders or attackers had a goal in them , thankfully they have been moved on now and we with a few key appointments should be in a better place.

Arsenal with a cup competition Arteta dare not throw like he did with all three they were in last season will be playing twice a week and in doing so  I believe he will struggle to replicate the form of last year.

Villa are still Villa , they lack quality everywhere and punched above their weight last season when Chelsea and Liverpool both underperformed , they're well organised but eminently beatable.

[ROTG]

4 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

We didn't suffer because of our defence last season , we suffered because none of our midfielders or attackers had a goal in them , thankfully they have been moved on now and we with a few key appointments should be in a better place.

Arsenal with a cup competition Arteta dare not throw like he did with all three they were in last season will be playing twice a week and in doing so  I believe he will struggle to replicate the form of last year.

Villa are still Villa , they lack quality everywhere and punched above their weight last season when Chelsea and Liverpool both underperformed , they're well organised but eminently beatable.

Deep breath MK

we conceded more goals than any of the top 4. So striking was not our only problem. 

[Chelsea_Matt]

7 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

We didn't suffer because of our defence last season , we suffered because none of our midfielders or attackers had a goal in them , thankfully they have been moved on now and we with a few key appointments should be in a better place.

Arsenal with a cup competition Arteta dare not throw like he did with all three they were in last season will be playing twice a week and in doing so  I believe he will struggle to replicate the form of last year.

Villa are still Villa , they lack quality everywhere and punched above their weight last season when Chelsea and Liverpool both underperformed , they're well organised but eminently beatable.

Agreed espesh about Arsenal. They’ve spent £200m+ on three players. If you call Havertz a player but anyway.

[Sleeping Dave]

14 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Chelsea's 29-man squad to the United States of America for pre-season :

Goalkeepers:
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Gabriel Slonina
Lucas Bergstrom
Eddie Beach
Jamie Cumming

Defenders:
Thiago Silva
Trevoh Chalobah
Ben Chilwell
Marc Cucurella
Malo Gusto
Bashir Humphreys
Levi Colwill
lan Maatsen
Alfie Gilchrist

Midfielders:
Enzo Fernandez
Conor Gallagher
Carney Chukwuemeka
Andrey Santos
Cesare Casadei
Lewis Hall

Forwards:
Mykhailo Mudryk
Raheem Sterling
Noni Madueke
Angelo Gabriel
Diego Moreira
Nicolas Jackson
Christopher Nkunku
Mason Burstow
Dujuan Richards (training only)

Reece James reported feeling unwell this morning so is not travelling as a precaution. He will join up with the squad as soon as he's better.

Wesley Fofana has also not travelled due to a knee injury, which is currently being assessed. Marcus Bettinelli, Benoit Badiashile and Armando Broja will too remain at Cobham as they continue their respective recoveries from injury.

This highlights a few things for me. 

Still a few to get rid of, still a few to get through the door. 

Badly need a GK or that Slonina is kept around and allowed to challenge Kepa. 

This highlights why we need to keep Chalobah. Both Fofana and James are too fragile.

Midfield is a worry, we badly need Caicedo but even so, one more viable option. Let’s say 3 top options, one established option and two youngsters. 

I’m counting 12 players out of 29 who are unlikely to be part of the final squad - Bergström, Beach, Cumming, Cucurella, Humphreys, Gilchrist, two out of - Chukwuemeka, Santos, Casadei-, Gabriel, Moreira, Burstow, Richards

So very obvious what we need to focus on. Get Lukaku, Auba, Ziyech and Cucurella sorted. Then focus on GK, Caideco, CM, RW/AMR, S. 

[ROTG]

5 minutes ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

Agreed espesh about Arsenal. They’ve spent £200m+ on three players. If you call Havertz a player but anyway.

Absolutely Mr Door. 
is not the Chelsea Model based on the Arse model?

Always 

ROTG 

[Chelsea_Matt]

11 minutes ago, ROTG said:

Absolutely Mr Door. 
is not the Chelsea Model based on the Arse model?

Always 

ROTG 

My dear Mr Gizmo,

Thank you for your message. It is always good to hear from you. 

Who knows? All I do know is the trophy haul. 

As ever 

C_M

[Sleeping Dave]

GK: Arrizabalaga, Slonina, Bettinelli

RB: James, Gusto

CB: Silva, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Chalobah 

LB: Chilwell, Maatsen

CM: Enzo, Caicedo, CM, Gallagher, Santos, Hall

AM: Sterling, Mudryk, Nkunku, Madueke, AMR/RW

S: S1, Jackson, Richards/Broja/Burstow

So;

GK: new GK or keep Slonina

CB: keep Chalobah

LB: sell Cucurella and let Maatsen take over LB2

CM: Get Caicedo over the line plus add another CM (or expect Gallagher, Santos and Hall to have big seasons)

AM: Gallagher is Nkunkus back-up. We are one right sided attacker short. Go out and get one or let Angelo Gabriel stay on. Sell Ziyech. 

S: Sell both Auba and Lukaku. Get one too goalscorer through the doors. Let one of Broja, Richards, Burstow stay on as S3. 

[martin1905]

I think Fofana is absolute class and at times was outstanding last season. He had a couple of shaky games but that it. His potential and ceiling are ridiculously high, just look at his career trajectory he's only 22, went from France to Leicester for £30m+, at the age of 20, then even after a serious injury went to one of the biggest teams in  the world for £70m and has recently made his full international debut, for a team absolutely stacked with players in his position . It's funny how so often these sub par players do so well, almost like the actual experts know a little more than random internet fans.

It's a real shame he's missed so much football and appears to have a real problem, something that could well ruin his career.

What a sad state of affairs it is when he has to shut down his social media because of the grief he has received from his own fans, due to an injury.

As I've said, many a time, Chelsea fans are the worst of the lot, my most hated fan base, by a million miles.

Edited July 18, 2023 by martin1905

[Sleeping Dave]

1 hour ago, martin1905 said:

I think Fofana is absolute class and at times was outstanding last season. He had a couple of shaky games but that it. His potential and ceiling are ridiculously high, just look at his career trajectory he's only 22, went from France to Leicester for £30m+, at the age of 20, then even after a serious injury went to one of the biggest teams in  the world for £70m and has recently made his full international debut, for a team absolutely stacked with players in his position . It's funny how so often these sub par players do so well, almost like the actual experts know a little more than random internet fans.

It's a real shame he's missed so much football and appears to have a real problem, something that could well ruin his career.

What a sad state of affairs it is when he has to shut down his social media because of the grief he has received from his own fans, due to an injury.

As I've said, many a time, Chelsea fans are the worst of the lot, my most hated fan base, by a million miles.

I think the jury is still very much out for me Martin. Never mind his talent, let’s put that aside for a minute, but given his injury problems over the last two seasons alone how can one not be very worried? The club should have taken his initial knee injury more serious it seem… 

As for his ceiling, I remember us saying Michael Duberry had a high ceiling. Of course, the yard stick has moved a lot over the years. But for me Fofana is present day Duberry. I really hope this will come back and make me look very stupid. 

[Chelsea_Matt]

1 hour ago, Sleeping Dave said:

I think the jury is still very much out for me Martin. Never mind his talent, let’s put that aside for a minute, but given his injury problems over the last two seasons alone how can one not be very worried? The club should have taken his initial knee injury more serious it seem… 

As for his ceiling, I remember us saying Michael Duberry had a high ceiling. Of course, the yard stick has moved a lot over the years. But for me Fofana is present day Duberry. I really hope this will come back and make me look very stupid. 

Agreed. He has much to prove. 

[Miguelito07]

Forfana could be out for the entire season

[Holymoly]

5 hours ago, Sleeping Dave said:

So very obvious what we need to focus on. Get Lukaku, Auba, Ziyech and Cucurella sorted. Then focus on GK, Caideco, CM, RW/AMR, S. 

Put GK at the bottom of the list

[Ham]

7 hours ago, ROTG said:

Deep breath MK

we conceded more goals than any of the top 4. So striking was not our only problem. 

Clearly trolling with this line of thought.  

[ROTG]

1 minute ago, Ham said:

Clearly trolling with this line of thought.  

No trolling just facts. 

[Holymoly]

I see the BetVictor "supercomputer" is predicting us to finish 10th as we stand. Progress then.

[Sciatika]

Their 2022-3 table had us at 5th. We may have gone backwards!

[ROTG]

On 18/07/2023 at 13:07, Sleeping Dave said:

GK: Arrizabalaga, Slonina, Bettinelli

RB: James, Gusto

CB: Silva, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Chalobah 

LB: Chilwell, Maatsen

CM: Enzo, Caicedo, CM, Gallagher, Santos, Hall

AM: Sterling, Mudryk, Nkunku, Madueke, AMR/RW

S: S1, Jackson, Richards/Broja/Burstow

So;

GK: new GK or keep Slonina

CB: keep Chalobah

LB: sell Cucurella and let Maatsen take over LB2

CM: Get Caicedo over the line plus add another CM (or expect Gallagher, Santos and Hall to have big seasons)

AM: Gallagher is Nkunkus back-up. We are one right sided attacker short. Go out and get one or let Angelo Gabriel stay on. Sell Ziyech. 

S: Sell both Auba and Lukaku. Get one too goalscorer through the doors. Let one of Broja, Richards, Burstow stay on as S3. 

You need to trim your squad to 22, that Poch's magic number

[xceleryx]

7 minutes ago, ROTG said:

You need to trim your squad to 22, that Poch's magic number

Poch has said he's looking at a squad size of 23, 24 or 25. 

[Sleeping Dave]

On 28/07/2023 at 04:16, xceleryx said:

Poch has said he's looking at a squad size of 23, 24 or 25. 

Let’s assume we will land on something like 23 including 3 goalkeepers. Players in bold should be part of the final squad, the rest are up for discussion. I’m not even listing Fofana. 

GK: Arrizabalaga, Sanchez, Bettinelli

RB: James, Gusto

LB: Chilwell, Cucurella, Maatsen

CB: Silva, Colwill, Badiashile, Disasi, Chalobah, Humphreys, Gilchrist 

CM: Enzo, Gallagher, Santos, Casadei, Ugochukwu, Hall

AM: Nkunku, Chukwuemeka

W: Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Angelo Gabriel

S: Jackson, Broja, Burstow

That’s 20 players who will guaranteed be part of the squad. Lots of talk of Olise. If we sign him that’s 21. The last two will hopefully be a serious DM and perhaps Chukwuemeka..? 

Arrizabalaga, Sanchez, Bettinelli, James, Gusto, Chilwell, Cucurella, Maatsen, Silva, Colwill, Badiashile, Disasi, Enzo, DM, Gallagher, Santos, Nkunku, Chukwuemeka, Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Olise, Jackson