Official: Chelsea sign Joao Felix on loan for the remainder of the season

[FrankLampard8]

2 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

Perhaps we'll use more than 11 players next season?

In 2004/05 we had Duff, Robben, Cole

In 2005/06 those 3 plus SWP

In 2009/10 we had Cole, Anelka, Kalou, Malouda

In 2014/15 we had Hazard, Willian, Schurrle, Oscar, KdB (repalced by Cuadrado in Jan!)

In 2016/17 we had Hazard, William, Pedro

Amazes me how people still talk about an XI. If you have European football, you need at least 2 players per position, especially in forward areas

Problem is, we probably won't have any European football next season. Also in all but one of your examples we only have 3 or 4 wingers/attacking midfielders listed where as we look likely to go in to next season with 7 in Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Havertz, Nkunku, Felix, Gallagher and 8 if Mount stays. So less games than usual and two or three times the amount of players to share those minutes.

[paulw66]

35 minutes ago, FrankLampard8 said:

Problem is, we probably won't have any European football next season. Also in all but one of your examples we only have 3 or 4 wingers/attacking midfielders listed where as we look likely to go in to next season with 7 in Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Havertz, Nkunku, Felix, Gallagher and 8 if Mount stays. So less games than usual and two or three times the amount of players to share those minutes.

I don't see Gallagher as a long term answer in the attacking slots. He will end up in the deeper 2 (going by the 4231 suggested) 

The 4231 also means you have 4 attacking slots to fill, as opposed to 3. 

Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Havertz, Nkunku, Felix, Mount, and a new 9........that's 8 players for 4 slots. Sounds about right to me, especially now you can make 5 subs. 

Question then what you do with Chuk, Broja and Fofana II........all on loan I expect 

[boratsbrother]

3 hours ago, xceleryx said:

I have a feeling Champions League won't matter too much, he seems more like someone that want's to enjoy his football again and that's not looking like it'll be at Atletico. 

Not sure the whole no European football thing will hinder us too much with signing players IF it's only a solitary season out of the competition. Should we follow it up however and spend the next 2-3 years out then we might be in some strife, especially if Newcastle improve and Man Utd end up backed by a state. 

That was the impression the commentators got from listening to Felix talking to the press during the week 

[exiledblue]

On 17/03/2023 at 03:44, Michael Tucker said:

I agree, but will we stop, Kev? And as for getting rid of the deadwood, who'll take them?

Whats more expensive to us? Keep paying them and still not find a buyer/lose them on a free or cut the price and sell them this summer. Seems a hit now is the best idea.

[ROTG]

2 hours ago, paulw66 said:

Question then what you do with Chuk, Broja and Fofana II........all on loan I expect 

You can also put Madueke on the loan list. 

[xceleryx]

10 hours ago, paulw66 said:

I don't see Gallagher as a long term answer in the attacking slots. He will end up in the deeper 2 (going by the 4231 suggested) 

The 4231 also means you have 4 attacking slots to fill, as opposed to 3. 

Sterling, Mudryk, Madueke, Havertz, Nkunku, Felix, Mount, and a new 9........that's 8 players for 4 slots. Sounds about right to me, especially now you can make 5 subs. 

Question then what you do with Chuk, Broja and Fofana II........all on loan I expect 

I find it hard to see Gallagher playing, much less be effective, as part of a double pivot. Nothing about his play style lends itself to such a role. The only way he plays as a midfielder is if we're playing a midfield three, and even then there's really only going to be one available CM spot if you factor in that Enzo is an automatic starter, and we're likely to sign a first choice holding player. We're going to have Kovacic, Kante, Mount and Gallagher all fighting for that remaining spot. 

The number of attacking midfielders/wingers we have, along with the CM options on hand and their profiles, is going to create tactical problems for us. I broke this down more in depth in the squad status thread, but there's plenty that's going to need sorting here. It's quite unbalanced overall. 

As for Chukwuemeka, Broja and DD Fofana  - loans for all three make the most sense. Although if someone wants to buy Broja upon return from injury I'd be selling personally. 

[ROTG]

19 hours ago, xceleryx said:

As for Chukwuemeka, Broja and DD Fofana  - loans for all three make the most sense.

You can also throw Mudryk and Madueke into the loan mix. 

[xceleryx]

3 hours ago, ROTG said:

You can also throw Mudryk and Madueke into the loan mix. 

Only in your universe. 

[ROTG]

5 hours ago, xceleryx said:

Only in your universe. 

In the real world, neither are elite players and would not get into any of the top PL teams line ups now or in the foreseeable future. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by ROTG

[xceleryx]

1 hour ago, ROTG said:

In the real world, neither are elite players and would not get into any of the top PL teams line ups now or in the foreseeable future. 

Of course they're not elite players at present, they were never signed as such either. This doesn't mean they aren't capable of being good squad/rotational level players for the time being once they're properly up and running and not joining mid-way through a season with little to no prior football or fitness behind them.

We're a club in transition, much less a top PL side right now anyway. 

Mudryk will definitely be in the squad next season, I'd expect likewise with Madueke - although I could maybe see a slim possibility of him getting a loan, but it's very slim.

[ROTG]

34 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

We're a club in transition, much less a top PL side right now anyway. 

Even before the January top up, the squad is a top 4 team with an identity unfortunately the squad has not been coached and lost its identity since 7th September 2022. 
 

As for this words transition/project?

I can’t remember those words being used when the club was lifting trophies season after season. This is another GP media hype to save face 

[Mark Kelly]

53 minutes ago, ROTG said:

 

As for this words transition/project?

I can’t remember those words being used when the club was lifting trophies season after season. This is another GP media hype to save face 

That's because the club wasn't in a period of transition then . That's why nobody used the term . 

Did you miss the big where we almost went out of business because the government rife with Russian money decided our Russian money was worse than theirs and almost shut us down?

[boratsbrother]

1 hour ago, xceleryx said:

Of course they're not elite players at present, they were never signed as such either. This doesn't mean they aren't capable of being good squad/rotational level players for the time being once they're properly up and running and not joining mid-way through a season with little to no prior football or fitness behind them.

We're a club in transition, much less a top PL side right now anyway. 

Mudryk will definitely be in the squad next season, I'd expect likewise with Madueke - although I could maybe see a slim possibility of him getting a loan, but it's very slim.

I'm very much in favour of us buying young players who might mature into quality players a few years down the line. However, when we sign a player for £80m that player should be ready to go from the off, but Mudryk looks nowhere rear ready.

[boratsbrother]

11 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

That's because the club wasn't in a period of transition then . That's why nobody used the term . 

 

There were some  on here who were saying there needed to be a significant rebuild if we were to get back to challenging for the title 

[paulw66]

19 minutes ago, boratsbrother said:

I'm very much in favour of us buying young players who might mature into quality players a few years down the line. However, when we sign a player for £80m that player should be ready to go from the off, but Mudryk looks nowhere rear ready.

When we bought him, he was in his "off season". Of course he isn't ready. It is actual sensible to manage this, rather than throw him in, and he disappoints due to lack of sharpness.

In January 2008 we signed a young defender from Lokomotiv Moscow. he made his debut 9 months later on the 24th September, in the league cup at Portsmouth. What was his name????? 

Remember United buying Vidic in the January window and he was shocking. Year later, one of the league's best defenders. 

Of all the signings we have made, I am not worried about him, one bit. 

[ROTG]

6 hours ago, Mark Kelly said:

That's because the club wasn't in a period of transition then . That's why nobody used the term . 

Did you miss the big where we almost went out of business because the government rife with Russian money decided our Russian money was worse than theirs and almost shut us down?

Cash was available in the summer and between TB and TT they replaced the departed with quality replacements to ensure continuity on the first team front so again where was the transition.?

only when TT got the boot and the media’s darling  GP came in it all of a sudden became a project/transition.

[martin1905]

I think Mudryk is going to be an absolute superstar.

[Mark Kelly]

2 hours ago, ROTG said:

Cash was available in the summer and between TB and TT they replaced the departed with quality replacements to ensure continuity on the first team front so again where was the transition.?

only when TT got the boot and the media’s darling  GP came in it all of a sudden became a project/transition.

So, when Tuchel was sacked, Potter came in and the club immediately signed ten players but Potter isn't allowed to call it a transition because "you". 

Got it. 

[boratsbrother]

6 hours ago, martin1905 said:

I think Mudryk is going to be an absolute superstar.

I sincerely hope you are right! He will be a lot of fun to watch if he makes it big at the club. 

[xceleryx]

18 hours ago, boratsbrother said:

I'm very much in favour of us buying young players who might mature into quality players a few years down the line. However, when we sign a player for £80m that player should be ready to go from the off, but Mudryk looks nowhere rear ready.

The thing here is that potential also costs. A transfer fee isn't always a direct relation to a players present day quality or impact, especially for younger players you're very much paying for the possibility of them being great. 

And as also touched on by @paulw66, Mudryk was arriving on the back of his off-season and not having kicked a ball since November. He was very much one for next season and beyond, not so much to be making an impact now. Madueke being another in the same boat. 

[Ham]

15 hours ago, xceleryx said:

The thing here is that potential also costs. A transfer fee isn't always a direct relation to a players present day quality or impact, especially for younger players you're very much paying for the possibility of them being great. 

And as also touched on by @paulw66, Mudryk was arriving on the back of his off-season and not having kicked a ball since November. He was very much one for next season and beyond, not so much to be making an impact now. Madueke being another in the same boat. 

Makes no sense that he threw him straight into Liverpool away 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Mark Kelly]

1 hour ago, Ham said:

Makes no sense that he threw him straight into Liverpool away 🤷🏻‍♂️

I think this is the "thing" with Potter that keeps us all confused over whether he's a dud or not. 

Changes the formation back to one the players favour and gets three wins on the spin and then ruins the chances of a fourth with stupid substitutions. 

Buys a player rustier than Terry Waites bike and throws him straight in. 

Trys to offload Ziyech to the point he's got one leg in his PSG tracksuit bottoms and then plays him every chance he gets. 

It's just a mish-mash of philosophies. 

[chara]

20 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

I think this is the "thing" with Potter that keeps us all confused over whether he's a dud or not. 

Changes the formation back to one the players favour and gets three wins on the spin and then ruins the chances of a fourth with stupid substitutions. 

Buys a player rustier than Terry Waites bike and throws him straight in. 

Trys to offload Ziyech to the point he's got one leg in his PSG tracksuit bottoms and then plays him every chance he gets. 

It's just a mish-mash of philosophies. 

Like Calvera...he doesn't take everything from us...leaves just enough hope to kill us.

[xceleryx]

8 hours ago, Ham said:

Makes no sense that he threw him straight into Liverpool away 🤷🏻‍♂️

I think it was a bit more out of need than anything else due to injuries in the position. 

We've now seen that since some of these guys have returned Mudryk has disappeared. 

[ROTG]

On 23/03/2023 at 22:32, Mark Kelly said:

So, when Tuchel was sacked, Potter came in and the club immediately signed ten players but Potter isn't allowed to call it a transition because "you". 

Got it. 

Missed this one FWIW

Potter to over an established team which lying 6th 5 points off the top spot. 

MW 14 (WC Break) 16 points off to spot.

MW 22 (Jan Window Closed) 20 points off top spot.

MW 27 (Everton) 31 Points of the top spot, The stats speak for themselves, no transition or project, just a club falling off a cliff under team GP.