Transfer Talk Topic

[Chelsea_Matt]

37 minutes ago, chara said:

I have yet to see Broja show that he is a long term employee...giving a slight benefit of the doubt due to coming back of injury and International appearances... maybe third back up at best as it stands although not that much in front of him is there.

I suspect he is in the Solanke, Carlton Cole type bracket....just about good enough for a small'ish club or lower league but not good enough for a high flying side, a not unusual final analysis of many graduates.

I don't see enough or have enough knowledge of lower divisions but are the days of lower league purchases, particularily strikers, long gone?

Too big a gap ? just not the talent or what?....genuine question.

When will we see the "new" keeper on show ?

Years ago I was told by a "terrier man" up North.."Folks don't sell good dogs,"..so Toney?

Agree totally. Broja looks hopelessly limited to me. 

[Dwmh]

1 hour ago, chara said:

I don't see enough or have enough knowledge of lower divisions but are the days of lower league purchases, particularily strikers, long gone?

It feels like all the promising 16 yos transfer to PL or upper championship Academies, while the lower divisions do very well with PL Academy cast offs who arrive with better preparation conditioning and habits than anyone they can hang on to.

Given the gap between what a promising 16 yo might be offered to jump from Charlton to Chelsea and what a 21 yo CF at Charlton might get, it is no surprise players follow that route up to big clubs at 16 and back down again at 21.

I'm thinking Mason Burstow who joined us from Charlton at 18 just 3 weeks after his first start, then loaned back and on to Sunderland in Championship on loan.  6'2" CF.  
There is no chance he would have hung around at Charlton for 3 or 4 years and be taken as a 22 yo.  
Championship is chock a block with Academy loanees from Chelsea, City, United and half a dozen more.
I dread to imagine what happens in the car park when the club captain's Hyundai SEV scratches the loanee's Jag.

[Max Fowler]

I keep hearing we are looking strongly at a new centre back.

I honestly don't know why we are - okay to replace T. Silva but I think we should be looking strongly at other areas (at least one CF, at least one winger / creative player, GK perhaps).

I would persuade Silva to stay another season - even without him Fofana, Badiashille, Colwill and Disasi sounds absolutely fine, especially if we are going to miss out on Europe this season.

Seems like poor prioritising for me AGAIN - we need to strengthen in key areas outside of centre back. Why are we dropping 50 million on Guehi or someone similar?

And again Droy might say these rumours are nonsense, but rumour after rumour is pointing to us going after a new centre-back. I really don't think we need one and this is more bad transfer strategy and squad planning. 

 

 

[chara]

15 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

I keep hearing we are looking strongly at a new centre back.

I honestly don't know why we are - okay to replace T. Silva but I think we should be looking strongly at other areas (at least one CF, at least one winger / creative player, GK perhaps).

I would persuade Silva to stay another season - even without him Fofana, Badiashille, Colwill and Disasi sounds absolutely fine, especially if we are going to miss out on Europe this season.

Seems like poor prioritising for me AGAIN - we need to strengthen in key areas outside of centre back. Why are we dropping 50 million on Guehi or someone similar?

And again Droy might say these rumours are nonsense, but rumour after rumour is pointing to us going after a new centre-back. I really don't think we need one and this is more bad transfer strategy and squad planning. 

 

 

POSSIBLY !!!!,,the "get out"...🦨👅

[Dwmh]

40 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

And again Droy might say these rumours are nonsense, but rumour after rumour is pointing to us going after a new centre-back. I really don't think we need one and this is more bad transfer strategy and squad planning. 

Yeah anyone would think these guys have no imagination and just end up repeating each other.  Or running a theme that just mocks Chelsea so will be willingly read.

I take it we are no longer buying Tomori then.

An ounce of common:  if you were a hack would you run this story if you 100% knew it was false?
                                               :  if you understood Bayesian probability what would the printing of that story imply about it being true?

[Max Fowler]

Just now, Dwmh said:

Yeah anyone would think these guys have no imagination and just end up repeating each other.  Or running a theme that just mocks Chelsea so will be willingly read.

I take it we are no longer buying Tomori then.

An ounce of common:  if you were a hack would you run this story if you 100% knew it was false?
                                               :  if you understood Bayesian probability what would the printing of that story imply about it being true?

I am sorry Droy, we are 100% guaranteed looking at getting a centre back. Signed, sealed, delivered.

Whether that's Guehi or not - not guaranteed.

The interesting question is - WHY? Not "Is every single thing ever written made up?".

Again - Fabrizio Romano - incredibly reliable and well-informed on transfer matters:

(Please someone defend why in god's name we are after another centre-back).

(Especially unless it's an absolute - 100 milllion Van Dijk rolls royce of a first choice centre-back)

THESE GUYS IN CHARGE ARE F'IN CLUELESS!!!

 

 

[Max Fowler]

CENTRE BACK??!! WTF.

[Ham]

13 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

I am sorry Droy, we are 100% guaranteed looking at getting a centre back. Signed, sealed, delivered.

Whether that's Guehi or not - not guaranteed.

The interesting question is - WHY? Not "Is every single thing ever written made up?".

Again - Fabrizio Romano - incredibly reliable and well-informed on transfer matters:

(Please someone defend why in god's name we are after another centre-back).

(Especially unless it's an absolute - 100 milllion Van Dijk rolls royce of a first choice centre-back)

THESE GUYS IN CHARGE ARE F'IN CLUELESS!!!

 

 

"I always said that a striker and a CB were the priorities" 

That sounds like his opinion on what we need, not the club's.

[Max Fowler]

3 minutes ago, Ham said:

"I always said that a striker and a CB were the priorities" 

That sounds like his opinion on what we need, not the club's.

Don’t think so - he is saying it’s been clear for a while from his sources that we are prioritising those positions.

[Dwmh]

19 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

The interesting question is - WHY? Not "Is every single thing ever written made up?".

Mostly.  How many years have you been reading this stuff?  6 months?

21 minutes ago, Max Fowler said:

Again - Fabrizio Romano - incredibly reliable and well-informed on transfer matters:

Listen it is end November.  Anyone we are buying has been talked to, offers made and deals pencilled in. 

If he doesn't know who we are buying now, he just doesn't know.  And why the hell would he.

The carrot is in the box.   Sean has got a Lock on it.  Fabrizio Romano has got the Jon Richardson role.

 

[Max Fowler]

10 minutes ago, Dwmh said:

Listen it is end November.  Anyone we are buying has been talked to, offers made and deals pencilled in.

I don’t think anyone on this forum or in world football agrees with you Droy.

I love your contributions in general so please keep going!!! 

I have been told off for throwing insults so please take this lightly as it is meant.

On this topic - not only is your hat made of tin foil, your room is covered in strange maps and newspaper clippings and I am pretty sure you are writing from a basement full of cans of never-expiring food. 

[Dwmh]

1 hour ago, Max Fowler said:

I don’t think anyone on this forum or in world football agrees with you Droy.

🙂
Says the believer in football hacks.  Time to worry is when you agree with me.

[chara]

2 hours ago, Dwmh said:

Mostly.  How many years have you been reading this stuff?  6 months?

Listen it is end November.  Anyone we are buying has been talked to, offers made and deals pencilled in. 

If he doesn't know who we are buying now, he just doesn't know.  And why the hell would he.

The carrot is in the box.   Sean has got a Lock on it.  Fabrizio Romano has got the Jon Richardson role.

 

Actually I agree with Droy,,,,,I find it hard to believe that targets have not been at least decided upon,,or not...and in the pure clean way of things in the game whispers have been made in the appropriate ears!

 

[xceleryx]

3 hours ago, Max Fowler said:

I keep hearing we are looking strongly at a new centre back.

I honestly don't know why we are - okay to replace T. Silva but I think we should be looking strongly at other areas (at least one CF, at least one winger / creative player, GK perhaps).

I would persuade Silva to stay another season - even without him Fofana, Badiashille, Colwill and Disasi sounds absolutely fine, especially if we are going to miss out on Europe this season.

Seems like poor prioritising for me AGAIN - we need to strengthen in key areas outside of centre back. Why are we dropping 50 million on Guehi or someone similar?

And again Droy might say these rumours are nonsense, but rumour after rumour is pointing to us going after a new centre-back. I really don't think we need one and this is more bad transfer strategy and squad planning. 

 

 

Don't think it's that outlandish in all honesty, and it's been known going back to last summer that we still felt a CB was needed. The important part for me with respects to this isn't necessarily about replacing Thiago Silva from a numbers perspective, but more about adding a profile of player that adds what we're missing - command and leadership. 

Let's say Thiago Silva leaves in the summer this would leave us with Badiashile, W.Fofana, Colwill, Disasi and young inexperienced Bashir Humphreys. While there's certainly talent there, it's not what I'd consider a complete unit either. 

• W. Fofana - There's likely concerns over just how much football he's capable of playing moving forward due to the nature of his injuries. As it stands he's not necessarily a reliable piece, even though I do like Wes and think he's talented. On the plus side, he throws himself about and adds both speed and a physical presence. 
• Badiashile - Again, talented and someone I was big on us signing. However, he's also had two fairly substantial injuries that've kept him out long-term since arriving. Like with Wes, there are likely concerns over his availability moving forward. 
• Colwill - Academy talent we've done the utmost to keep around. Clearly has a bright future but isn't quite there yet either, we also don't know just how much football he's going to play as a fullback moving forward. 
• Disasi - A more mature head in what is a pretty young group, not a world beater by any means but gives us some much needed physical presence, particularly in the air. Probably isn't going to be a regular starter in a perfect world, but an ideal 3rd or 4th choice option. 
• Humphreys - Looks talented from the small sample size, but probably still a few years away and needs to gain more senior experience elsewhere first. 

If the plan is to bring in another young central defender that needs developing, then I'd be having some serious questions about who is making this decision. If we sign a more established CB option that fills in some of the gaps we have, particularly from leadership perspective that Thiago Silva currently provides, then I can see the sense in it given what we've got left. 

Striker is obviously the first priority, then there's the need for another attacker/winger, and a first choice keeper, but some of that is more practical to amend in the summer. Another CB though isn't such a far-fetched idea though to me. 

[ROTG]

1 hour ago, xceleryx said:

Colwill - Academy talent we've done the utmost to keep around. Clearly has a bright future but isn't quite there yet either, we also don't know just how much football he's going to play as a fullback moving forward. 

Colwill at LB 4 goals conceded 

Cucurella at  LB 17 goals conceded 

[kev61]

4 hours ago, Max Fowler said:

 

On this topic - not only is your hat made of tin foil, your room is covered in strange maps and newspaper clippings and I am pretty sure you are writing from a basement full of cans of never-expiring food. 

Now that is funny - a bit cruel but accurate.

[xceleryx]

45 minutes ago, ROTG said:

Colwill at LB 4 goals conceded 

Cucurella at  LB 17 goals conceded 

The team has conceded 13 goals with Cucurella on the pitch this season in all comps. He wasn't on the pitch when we conceded the 2nd vs Brentford, nor the goal against Tottenham. Not sure where you're plucking 17 from? On the other hand, the team has conceded 14 goals in all comps with Colwill on the pitch, whether he's played LB or CB is neither here nor there. 

A completely redundant argument nonetheless. 

[kev61]

I would like Poch to make sense and stop this tinkering that makes him look like a fool.

He has crossed the Rubicon of being a fool imo and there is no way back.

[Rob B]

7 hours ago, Dwmh said:

Mostly.  How many years have you been reading this stuff?  6 months?

Listen it is end November.  Anyone we are buying has been talked to, offers made and deals pencilled in. 

If he doesn't know who we are buying now, he just doesn't know.  And why the hell would he.

The carrot is in the box.   Sean has got a Lock on it.  Fabrizio Romano has got the Jon Richardson role.

 

For most clubs, Man City, Liverpool, Brighton etc I’d totally agree with you.

For 2023 Chelsea with this ownership and these Sporting Directors I’d say not a chance in hell.   I suspect they are talking to a lot of agents and have a lot of options, but change their mind like the wind. 

[Mark Kelly]

5 hours ago, chara said:

Actually I agree with Droy,,,,,I find it hard to believe that targets have not been at least decided upon,,or not...and in the pure clean way of things in the game whispers have been made in the appropriate ears!

 

I actually think Droy's assumption that the targets have been decided upon actually promotes Max's assertion that we are buying a centre back because Romani says we are, this is a club who can't keep the side from being leaked every week , if we are buying a centre back you can be absolutely certain that someone has blabbed to someone.

[ROTG]

2 hours ago, xceleryx said:

The team has conceded 13 goals with Cucurella on the pitch this season in all comps. He wasn't on the pitch when we conceded the 2nd vs Brentford, nor the goal against Tottenham. Not sure where you're plucking 17 from? On the other hand, the team has conceded 14 goals in all comps with Colwill on the pitch, whether he's played LB or CB is neither here nor there. 

A completely redundant argument nonetheless. 

13 vs 2 playing at LB - Nice Strawman

[xceleryx]

36 minutes ago, ROTG said:

13 vs 2 playing at LB - Nice Strawman

You're like that child that learns a new word then has to use it at every given opportunity.

First it was "TBSD", then "Toodles", and now you've just discovered "Strawman". 

It's cute. 

[ROTG]

19 minutes ago, xceleryx said:

You're like that child that learns a new word then has to use it at every given opportunity.

First it was "TBSD", then "Toodles", and now you've just discovered "Strawman". 

It's cute. 

Which I had registered the copyrights to "TBSD" seeing as it has become such a popular acronym.

[Chelsea_Matt]

A centre-back. Maybe Fofana really is broken. Even then we have enough, no? Colwill, Axel, Trev, Badashile, and Silva (though I don’t think he should be starting). 

Wesley was £70,000,000m and when he’s played hasn’t impressed me tbh. Maybe Trev is going. 

But also I don’t think it’s the players per se that’s the problem. It’s the mentality. We’ve signed some good players (some not so good) but it’s on Poch to toughen them up and themselves to do the same. We do look a bit more robust but maybe we really are the selfish, preening, weak, entitled, stupid Instabrats that we seem to be - with a very few exceptions. Can’t see any manager changing that. Maybe Tommy. Maybe Jose. Maybe Antonio Conte.

I think also it’s more a case of too much too soon but that’s in the past. 😬

Last thing: I’ve never seen this Osmihen play. Never heard of him. Who here REALLY knows how good he is beyond a) he’s a striker and possibly available and b) he’s a shiny new toy and looks great on FIFA/YouTube? 🧐 

[Max Fowler]

6 hours ago, xceleryx said:

Don't think it's that outlandish in all honesty, and it's been known going back to last summer that we still felt a CB was needed. The important part for me with respects to this isn't necessarily about replacing Thiago Silva from a numbers perspective, but more about adding a profile of player that adds what we're missing - command and leadership. 

If the plan is to bring in another young central defender that needs developing, then I'd be having some serious questions about who is making this decision. If we sign a more established CB option that fills in some of the gaps we have, particularly from leadership perspective that Thiago Silva currently provides, then I can see the sense in it given what we've got left. 

Striker is obviously the first priority, then there's the need for another attacker/winger, and a first choice keeper, but some of that is more practical to amend in the summer. Another CB though isn't such a far-fetched idea though to me. 

So is Guehi that for you? I confess I have not followed him that closely, but I don't think he is any kind of upgrade on what we already have. For £50+ million (could be 60-70) and especially given we have to pick our targets now due to FFP, it would be a terrible bit of business.

If we could find a rolls royce of a centre back for even more money, I'd be right behind it. Let's see what emerges but I fear that's not what we are looking at. For me this comes back to squad balance and transfer planning. We spent all that money on defensive midfielders and our first choice trio is obviously extremely small. We seem to be making similar mistakes again.

Our biggest problem IMO (despite our defensive mistakes at the weekend) is up front. We not only need a striker - we would benefit from at least another forward player / winger / creative midfielder (I would say two) 

As mentioned, I would at least be looking at getting Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia from Napoli but that's the best part of 200 million.

If we can't afford that fair enough - but don't go mucking around with Mark Guehi or another 50 million pound defender. We don't need them. Reeks or more terrible transfer planning from our football experts.