Squad Status: 2024/25 Season

[paulw66]

36 minutes ago, Sleeping Dave said:

Yep. It’s not the strategy to buy young talents that are the mistake. It’s the sheer volume of players that is the problem.

It will certainly be very interesting to see what happens between now and end of August. 

Players like Kepa and Lukaku need to be permanently moved on. 

How many can we "sell" to Strasbourg?

[Sleeping Dave]

19 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

It will certainly be very interesting to see what happens between now and end of August. 

Players like Kepa and Lukaku need to be permanently moved on. 

How many can we "sell" to Strasbourg?

I suppose we can sell as many as we want. But we can only loan them three players if I’m not mistaken. Santos is already a done deal, presumably Wiley as well. Wouldn’t be surprised if Gabriel/Washington is the third. 

After that we have what, 22 other players to move on? Can’t be bothered to count the exact number, but it’s an awful lot of players who need a new club. Not sure if domestic loans need to be sorted before the deadline on 30 august? If so, we are in a bloody hurry. 

Worryingly, the pace of outgoings seems too slow. I hope we are not making the same mistake as we did under Potter. Leaving Maresca with a bloated squad of +35 players. 

[chiswickblue]

So far Santos and Anselmino are taking up 2 of the overseas loan spots. It seems like the new Belgian keeper may take up spot 3.

That means we need to find homes for the following (not including U21 club-trained):

Petrovic (?), Bergström, Arrizabalaga, Slonina,

Veiga, Sturge, Wiley

Ugochukwa (?), Casadei, Matos

Angelo, Anjorin, Moreira

Guiu (?), Broja, Lukaku, D Fofana, Burstow, Washington

That makes 19 players. Not including Dujuan Richards as apparently he's done his ACL.

A small number of these players may get PL/EFL loans, but we'll still need to sell about 10 players or have them hanging around Cobham.

[Bison]

14 hours ago, chiswickblue said:

So far Santos and Anselmino are taking up 2 of the overseas loan spots. It seems like the new Belgian keeper may take up spot 3.

That means we need to find homes for the following (not including U21 club-trained):

Petrovic (?), Bergström, Arrizabalaga, Slonina,

Veiga, Sturge, Wiley

Ugochukwa (?), Casadei, Matos

Angelo, Anjorin, Moreira

Guiu (?), Broja, Lukaku, D Fofana, Burstow, Washington

That makes 19 players. Not including Dujuan Richards as apparently he's done his ACL.

A small number of these players may get PL/EFL loans, but we'll still need to sell about 10 players or have them hanging around Cobham.

Latest is Slolina may be heading to Barnsley on loan so that's likely another spot gone.

Sad to hear about Dujuan Richards, hadn't seen that news anywhere. 

[Sleeping Dave]

3 hours ago, Bison said:

Latest is Slolina may be heading to Barnsley on loan so that's likely another spot gone.

Sad to hear about Dujuan Richards, hadn't seen that news anywhere. 

I think it is only loans to foreign clubs that counts towards the 6 loan spots. 

But still, we won’t be able to shift the majority of those players out on loan. Not only that, any club who are in the market for one of our players will be in a prime position to get the player under very good conditions. The pressure is on us to shift as many as possible. So that will most likely mean we’ll pay their salaries etc. 

[Sleeping Dave]

17 hours ago, chiswickblue said:

So far Santos and Anselmino are taking up 2 of the overseas loan spots. It seems like the new Belgian keeper may take up spot 3.

That means we need to find homes for the following (not including U21 club-trained):

Petrovic (?), Bergström, Arrizabalaga, Slonina,

Veiga, Sturge, Wiley

Ugochukwa (?), Casadei, Matos

Angelo, Anjorin, Moreira

Guiu (?), Broja, Lukaku, D Fofana, Burstow, Washington

That makes 19 players. Not including Dujuan Richards as apparently he's done his ACL.

A small number of these players may get PL/EFL loans, but we'll still need to sell about 10 players or have them hanging around Cobham.

The talk is that Wiley is more or less done for Strasbourg. I imagine it will be made official when he’s back from his break. 

[My Blood Is Blue]

If the stories about Chalobah and Broja are true and they’re banned from the first team buildings, training etc then that is awful. Regardless of what you think of either players ability, they have both been at Chelsea from a young age and especially Chalobah, has always put in full effort for the shirt he loves and worked hard for our club. They’re essentially receiving the same treatment as Lukaku and that’s really sad to hear, IMO.

[Sleeping Dave]

At the moment it seems we are going into the new season with;

GK: Sanchez, Jorgensen, Bettinelli

RB: James, Gusto, Acheampong

LB: Cucurella, Chilwell

CB: Disasi, Colwill, Badiashile, Adarabioyo, Fofana

CM: Fernandez, Caicedo, Lavia, Dewsbury-Hall, Ugochukwu

AM: Palmer, Nkunku, Sterling, Madueke, Chukwuemeka, Mudryk, George

S: Jackson, Omorodion, Guiu

In: Neto

Out: Arrizabalaga, Chalobah, Anjorin, Broja, Lukaku

Loans: Bergström, Petrovic, Humphreys, Veiga, Wiley, Casadei, Matos, Angelo, Kellyman, Morerira, Washington, Fofana

So, 17 “first team players” left to sort out. 29 players in the squad. 

Also question marks surrounding both Ugochukwu and Chilwell. What I don’t understand, is what we will do with so many central midfielders. Given Marescas system, we are likely to see;

                       Sanchez

James Disasi Colwill Cucurella

          Fernandez Caicedo

       Palmer Nkunku Sterling

                      Jackson

Being a 3241 in attack;

                     Sanchez

      Disasi Colwill Cucurella

              James Caicedo

Palmer Fernandez Nkunku Sterling

                     Jackson

If this is how we will play, it seems we are quite well-stocked with DMs. Leading me to believe Ugochukwu will also go out on loan. Can’t find a role for Chilwell at all in this. 
 

                        Jørgensen 

      Fofana Adarabioyo Badiashile

                        Gusto Lavia

Madueke KDH Chukwuemeka Mudryk

                           Omorodion

[exiledblue]

Instead of a back 4 seems we are going to play 5 keepers together. Perhaps we can play rush goalie and whoever is nearest can try and save the ball

[Holymoly]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-c4BSatR3R/?igsh=MzE5NWM5b2FibXJu

[chiswickblue]

17 days left until the window shuts and lots of players' futures to sort out:

First team: Petrovic (loan?), Chilwell/Veiga (one leaves?), Chalobah, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Sterling/Madueke/Mudryk (one leaves?)

Loan army: Lukaku, Kepa, Broja, Anjorin, D Fofana, Casadei, Burstow, Moreira, Matos, Angelo, Washington

Academy: Humphreys, Vale, Sturge

[Sleeping Dave]

8 minutes ago, chiswickblue said:

17 days left until the window shuts and lots of players' futures to sort out:

First team: Petrovic (loan?), Chilwell/Veiga (one leaves?), Chalobah, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Sterling/Madueke/Mudryk (one leaves?)

Loan army: Lukaku, Kepa, Broja, Anjorin, D Fofana, Casadei, Burstow, Moreira, Matos, Angelo, Washington

Academy: Humphreys, Vale, Sturge

There will be a lot of disgruntled faces around Cobham. 

[chrisb]

4 hours ago, Sleeping Dave said:

There will be a lot of faces around Cobham. 

Fixed it for you!

[My Blood Is Blue]

Just so I’m clear, the owners/sporting directors are sending us into the season with a massively bloated squad with a long list of players we want to move on, they haven’t strengthened the squad with the top quality CB, GK and STK everyone could see we needed (even if it was just one of those positions had been covered I’d feel more confident) and have sent two of our highest and consistent performing academy graduates to train alone as they try and force them out the club?

*All that whilst hiring a coach with minimal experience to try and manage it all. 

Exciting!

*I have nothing against Maresca and I want him to succeed, I just think they’re giving him so many issues to try and deal with.

[chiswickblue]

Judging by Maresca's comments, the departure lounge training group has grown, despite some departures:

Kepa, Bergström, Petrovic

Chalobah, Chilwell, Sturge

Anjorin, Casadei, Matos

Angelo, Sterling, Vale

Broja, DDF, Lukaku, Washington

Casadei might actually be training with the first team squad, as he was behind the bench on Sunday, but I don't see him getting a look-in. It sounded like Broja will be announced as an Ipswich player today.

Leaving us with a current first team squad of 25

Bettinelli, Sanchez, Jorgensen

Adarabioyo, Disasi, Cucurella, James, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Gusto, Veiga

KDH, Fernandez, Caicedo, Chukwuemeka, Lavia

Nkunku, Felix, Neto, Mudryk, Madueke, Palmer

Jackson, Guiu

I'd say we almost have a good XI, but the overall squad strength isn't top 4 level.

[Leo]

Is Veiga our 2nd left back then 

[Ham]

17 minutes ago, chiswickblue said:

 

Leaving us with a current first team squad of 25

Bettinelli, Sanchez, Jorgensen

Adarabioyo, Disasi, Cucurella, James, Fofana, Badiashile, Colwill, Gusto, Veiga

KDH, Fernandez, Caicedo, Chukwuemeka, Lavia

Nkunku, Felix, Neto, Mudryk, Madueke, Palmer

Jackson, Guiu

I'd say we almost have a good XI, but the overall squad strength isn't top 4 level.

Really? Arsenal and City are ahead of us but who, of the others, has better squad strength and depth? 

 

[east lower]

On 13/08/2024 at 14:06, chrisb said:

Fixed it for you!

Might be a shed load of faeces also to sort out too!!

[chiswickblue]

48 minutes ago, Ham said:

Really? Arsenal and City are ahead of us but who, of the others, has better squad strength and depth? 

 

This is the only point to pick up on? I'd say at least Liverpool, possible also Villa and Spurs.

[Ham]

1 hour ago, chiswickblue said:

This is the only point to pick up on? I'd say at least Liverpool, possible also Villa and Spurs.

Yes this was the only point I wanted to discuss. 

I've looked at the Spurs, Liverpool and Villa squads and I don't agree but then it's all about opinions. 

I think we're top 3 or 4.  

[My Blood Is Blue]

16 minutes ago, Ham said:

Yes this was the only point I wanted to discuss. 

I've looked at the Spurs, Liverpool and Villa squads and I don't agree but then it's all about opinions. 

I think we're top 3 or 4.  

I think we are on paper, but I do have concerns about a lack of leadership in our squad and feel that will cost us points. When you’re in a tricky game and need some experience to help manage the game to get through it, we have nobody to turn to.

I said the same last season and nothing has changed in that regard and I know and accept that’s the case (I just don’t like or agree with it).

However, that said, with the talent we do have, if they get up a head of stem and on a good run, they could be hard to stop.

[Ham]

1 hour ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

I think we are on paper, but I do have concerns about a lack of leadership in our squad and feel that will cost us points. When you’re in a tricky game and need some experience to help manage the game to get through it, we have nobody to turn to.

I said the same last season and nothing has changed in that regard and I know and accept that’s the case (I just don’t like or agree with it).

However, that said, with the talent we do have, if they get up a head of stem and on a good run, they could be hard to stop.

Yeah one of the variables is the leadership but I'm hoping that with a whole squad available, we get better and leaders emerge. 

 

[Mark Kelly]

2 hours ago, Ham said:

Yeah one of the variables is the leadership but I'm hoping that with a whole squad available, we get better and leaders emerge. 

 

I think leaders can be made, as the squad comes together I'm certain some will emerge one league game does not a campaign make. 

[chrisb]

1 hour ago, Mark Kelly said:

I think leaders can be made, as the squad comes together I'm certain some will emerge one league game does not a campaign make. 

I disagree. Leadership is something you either have or you don’t. You can’t “make” a leader as if that person doesn’t have the character, the charisma and the respect of those they’re leading then it is set up to fail. All the leadership training in the world doesn’t change that.

[Mark Kelly]

1 minute ago, chrisb said:

I disagree. Leadership is something you either have or you don’t. You can’t “make” a leader as if that person doesn’t have the character, the charisma and the respect of those they’re leading then it is set up to fail. All the leadership training in the world doesn’t change that.

Maybe made was the wrong choice , maybe there are leaders in the side who will emerge when the chips are down that aren't immediately apparent now would be more near to what I meant .