boratsbrother Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 18 minutes ago, Bert19 said: His injury record to this point really has an ominous feel to it. Hope i'm wrong, must be terrible for the lad. I have the same feeling and go further and say I think he's probably already finished as a player for a top club.🙁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morgs Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 At times last season it felt a bit like there was a coven of witches in a freezing, slimy cave somewhere north of the Watford Gap huddled around a bubbling cauldron, sticking pins in Chelsea voodoo dolls and casting all sorts of spells for all manner of misfortunes and frankly, at times bizarre happenstance to afflict us as a club. We were almost freakishly unlucky at times - you sort of felt like there was a dark curse on the club and everything that involved it. At times it was almost laughable. I mean, it wasn't funny. But it beggared belief at times - how could one club have such an injury crisis? How many times did we hit the woodwork when it was easier to score, how many times did we get robbed by mystifying VAR and ref decisions that made no rational sense? I really hoped that Poch had banished the witches' curse and brought about a change of our fortunes. I hope to Christ it isn't going to be another season like last season where everything that could possibly go wrong, goes wrong. I literally don't have enough bourbon whisky in the house to cope with that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 6 minutes ago, DannyLB said: Why not? We see right footed CB's being paired all the time without issue. Logic would dictate left footed pairings would work just as well. Besides, at this level, players should be comfortable with both feet. Right footed CB's are more common so they tend to learn to play on the left more regularly and therefore are more comfortable. Whenever a rarer left footed CB comes along they virtually always end up in that LCB spot, as such they don't have the exposure of playing on the right. Not to say it wouldn't work, but it's worth keeping in mind. And yes, it does actually make a difference believe it or not. As someone that has played both when I used to play, it can impact your body positioning and the way you move about, not to mention the on ball aspects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 12 minutes ago, Morgs said: Got to. In my half asleep state I've realised that Gvardiol is left-footed anyway, probably isn't the ideal replacement come to think of it. My other ideal option in Gonçalo Inåcio is also left footed. *cries* 15 minutes ago, Morgs said: The worry is that he's already come back from one and if this is the same ACL then he may well not play again. God I hope not. I really like him, such appalling luck. Come back from one? The only serious injury he had was his leg break at Leicester from that scissor tackle he copped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 13 minutes ago, boratsbrother said: It was always a ridiculous price to pay for a player coming back from a very serious injury and with just one good season behind him. He clearly has a very fragile body and I'll be amazed if that huge problem does not severly limit the chances of him reaching his potential.🙁 While I do agree we paid a bit too much, based on talent and the nature of last summer, I can understand why we did. But yes, his injury history is a concern and that's only going to increase with this current situation. It's a shame, I am a big fan of Wes myself and he was genuinely brilliant for Leicester in his first season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDCW Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 It's an appalling piece of luck for Wesley and us, but a ruptured ACL is no longer a career ending injury and as xcelery says, the other major injury was a leg break, which should have no bearing at all on his future vulnerability. I think he is an exceptional talent and could still be a great player for us; we just won't have him in the coming season. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDCW Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 We seem catastrophically short in midfield and still haven't bought a decent No9, so I am losing a bit of optimism for the coming season, unless there are several secret irons in clandestine fires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 27 minutes ago, RDCW said: It's an appalling piece of luck for Wesley and us, but a ruptured ACL is no longer a career ending injury and as xcelery says, the other major injury was a leg break, which should have no bearing at all on his future vulnerability. I think he is an exceptional talent and could still be a great player for us; we just won't have him in the coming season. Clear headed comments Mr Williams..Thank you.... a bit out of touch here but how "absolute" is the reported injury? No smoke etc but any official or semi official word? (Maybe clutching at straws.) FWIW..one of my dogs tore his ACL somehow.. back to normal in three months....not comparing the two but as you say...not the career ending injury it once was and common surgery now..even for pets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original 21 Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 29 minutes ago, RDCW said: We seem catastrophically short in midfield and still haven't bought a decent No9, so I am losing a bit of optimism for the coming season, unless there are several secret irons in clandestine fires. Yep. We’ve been in negotiations over Caicedo for several weeks with no end in sight and that’s with us as the only bidders. From now on, any striker or midfield player (and potentially a new centre back) we’re after is going to have several other bidders with Champions League football on offer. I’m not optimistic this is going to end well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelsea_Matt Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 It’s official - ACL reconstruction surgery done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDCW Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 1 minute ago, Original 21 said: Yep. We’ve been in negotiations over Caicedo for several weeks with no end in sight and that’s with us as the only bidders. From now on, any striker or midfield player (and potentially a new centre back) we’re after is going to have several other bidders with Champions League football on offer. I’m not optimistic this is going to end well. I'm not sure why we would be fannying about with a bid 30% down on the expectations of the seller. Given our obvious need they have us over a barrel and frankly we should just stump up. We are going to need another 2 midfielders, a winger and a striker, so we need to get our fingers out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lump Of Celery Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Goretzka is available for £40m-ish. Seems like a decent all round defensive midfielder, obviously wary of judging players on their stats from the Bundesliga or playing for Bayern. 28 year old German international, has experience winning titles, albeit not held down a regular starting place for Bayern - could actually be a plus for us if he doesn't expect to start every game. Seems like it would be an easy deal to wrap up, surely we should be looking at him? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTG Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 4 hours ago, Morgs said: I'd have Ward-Prowse at Chelsea all day. Class player. Wow - How the mighty have fallen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDCW Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 2 minutes ago, ROTG said: Wow - How the mighty have fallen. Well yes! But let's face it, we have won European trophies with worse midfielders than Ward-Prowse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gurj SS Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 1 hour ago, xceleryx said: Right footed CB's are more common so they tend to learn to play on the left more regularly and therefore are more comfortable. Whenever a rarer left footed CB comes along they virtually always end up in that LCB spot, as such they don't have the exposure of playing on the right. Not to say it wouldn't work, but it's worth keeping in mind. And yes, it does actually make a difference believe it or not. As someone that has played both when I used to play, it can impact your body positioning and the way you move about, not to mention the on ball aspects. I think like with any player it comes down to their ability to adjust and also their ability on the ball, I'm left footed and while not at the level professionals play, have played every position across the back 4; I had to adjust my game but that also goes for right footers who are required to play on the left. You have a point about familiarity but players like JT and Rudiger always looked more comfortable playing LCB than RCB; once a player has a few games in a new CB role they should be at home in it, I think the key to it all is the ability on the ball and both Colwill and Badashile seem fine on the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gurj SS Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 1 minute ago, RDCW said: Well yes! But let's face it, we have won European trophies with worse midfielders than Ward-Prowse. I don't think we have actually, Ward-Prowse can hit a mean set piece but a part from that he has little else; the guy has been at Southampton all his life and has never been able to cement a position as his own, he has always been moved around to a different position just so they don't lose his set piece qualities. I think it he was a young lad coming up in the game nowadays he'd probably end up being played like Trent Arnold; where there is a huge focus put on accomodating their negatives in order to let them showcase their positives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTG Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 (edited) 11 minutes ago, RDCW said: Well yes! But let's face it, we have won European trophies with worse midfielders than Ward-Prowse. Really? ward-prowse is 28 and probably doesn’t fit the club’s current ethos. You could also argue why Poch did take him to the spuds. Edited July 18, 2023 by ROTG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShedMiddle Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Let's put Enzo RCB. Just like Mascherano got moved 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciatika Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 The problem with Ward-Prowse is that you can't just bring him on for set pieces and then take him off again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boratsbrother Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 53 minutes ago, chara said: FWIW..one of my dogs tore his ACL somehow.. back to normal in three months....not comparing the two but as you say...not the career ending injury it once was and common surgery now..even for pets. Even of its not career ending, Its the cumulative effect of all his injuries which is going to take a serious toll on his body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Original 21 Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Here you go… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kelly Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Just now, Sciatika said: The problem with Ward-Prowse is that you can't just bring him on for set pieces and then take him off again. The biggest issue is he makes Jorginho look like Usain Bolt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Just now, boratsbrother said: Even of its not career ending, Its the cumulative effect of all his injuries which is going to take a serious toll on his body. Sorry..didn't intend to trivialise the injury....you are quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kelly Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 Just now, Original 21 said: Here you go… He was superb at Hull and good at Leicester , United not so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDCW Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 3 minutes ago, boratsbrother said: Even of its not career ending, Its the cumulative effect of all his injuries which is going to take a serious toll on his body. As has been explained, the nature of his injuries has been that they are not cumulative. A healed broken leg is as good as new and does not render him more vulnerable in the future. His knee reconstruction is not trivial, but is not career-ending, or injuriously cumulative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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