My Blood Is Blue Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 Really good video and good analysis. I've been really impressed with Cucurella recently, even before Enzo had the operation, but he has taken another step up since then and this video really helps explain why. It also shows how much it helps all the other players as well (Caicedo, Gallagher, Palmer and Madueke). The big questions the switch to this approach raises for me are... 1. What do you do with Enzo when he's fit again? 2. Can Chilwell play this role? If not, what do we do with him in the summer, especially given his injury record? 3. What happens when James and/or Gusto are fit? I think someone else posted it recently, but I think this is something Poch has wanted to do all season, but has struggled to implement it for various reasons, it would explain why Colwill was playing LB for so long, so act as that 3rd CB when the RB inverted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert19 Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 I genuinely think it'll be new left-back + Cucurella next season. Chilwell's a terrific player and clearly a good bloke, but it's more than enough having Reece missing all of the time through injury, persisting with two full-backs that seem to be chronically injured not only costs a fortune, but means we need to bloat the squad with deputies. It can't be sustainable. It really makes me sad, but I think Chilwell will likely be sold unless there's some clear sign that his fitness can be relied consistently on in the very near future. Cucurella's been underwhelming until quite recently, but he is playing well now and is actually available for selection. I suppose the longer-term question is whether he can be the first choice LB or if we need to sign someone to be that first-choice option? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulw66 Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 12 minutes ago, Bert19 said: I genuinely think it'll be new left-back + Cucurella next season. Do you even need a new one? At the moment, for 2024/25 we have Gusto, James, Disasi, Fofana, Chalobah, Colwill, Badiashile, Cucurella, Chiwell (assuming Maatsen is sold) That is 9 defenders, which is a lot, and doesn't a Humphreys or a Gilchrist, or the lad who came on the other night. I guess it will come down to the fitness of James and Fofana, but let's for a second imagine a mad world where they are both fully fit at the start of the season, or close of the window, then you can afford to sell at least one of those 9 I think. If Chilwell went, you have Cucurella, with Colwill as back up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 4 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said: Really good video and good analysis. I've been really impressed with Cucurella recently, even before Enzo had the operation, but he has taken another step up since then and this video really helps explain why. It also shows how much it helps all the other players as well (Caicedo, Gallagher, Palmer and Madueke). The big questions the switch to this approach raises for me are... 1. What do you do with Enzo when he's fit again? 2. Can Chilwell play this role? If not, what do we do with him in the summer, especially given his injury record? 3. What happens when James and/or Gusto are fit? I think someone else posted it recently, but I think this is something Poch has wanted to do all season, but has struggled to implement it for various reasons, it would explain why Colwill was playing LB for so long, so act as that 3rd CB when the RB inverted. Very good questions. Interesting observation about Colwil and Chilly too. Maybe Poch isnt so much out of depth as we thought (when he was playing these 2 out of position) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 4 hours ago, Bert19 said: I genuinely think it'll be new left-back + Cucurella next season. Chilwell's a terrific player and clearly a good bloke, but it's more than enough having Reece missing all of the time through injury, persisting with two full-backs that seem to be chronically injured not only costs a fortune, but means we need to bloat the squad with deputies. It can't be sustainable. It really makes me sad, but I think Chilwell will likely be sold unless there's some clear sign that his fitness can be relied consistently on in the very near future. Cucurella's been underwhelming until quite recently, but he is playing well now and is actually available for selection. I suppose the longer-term question is whether he can be the first choice LB or if we need to sign someone to be that first-choice option? Love Chilly, but yeah, I get what you are saying. Also, I’d rather he goes than Gallagher or Chalobah… 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted May 7 Share Posted May 7 4 hours ago, paulw66 said: Do you even need a new one? At the moment, for 2024/25 we have Gusto, James, Disasi, Fofana, Chalobah, Colwill, Badiashile, Cucurella, Chiwell (assuming Maatsen is sold) That is 9 defenders, which is a lot, and doesn't a Humphreys or a Gilchrist, or the lad who came on the other night. I guess it will come down to the fitness of James and Fofana, but let's for a second imagine a mad world where they are both fully fit at the start of the season, or close of the window, then you can afford to sell at least one of those 9 I think. If Chilwell went, you have Cucurella, with Colwill as back up. Also, can we afford new signings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post xceleryx Posted July 15 Popular Post Share Posted July 15 Not a bad tournament for an overpriced mid-table dud... I'm actually chuffed to see Cucurella get his flowers finally, as one of the rare few that've backed him from the beginning it's nice to see him playing the sort of football that originally drew Man City and our attention again. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Bert19 Posted July 15 Popular Post Share Posted July 15 (edited) Loved his response to the rent a gob Neville on social media last night too. He had a good tournament playing in what was clearly the best team. He's done well and i'm happy to see a Chelsea player win it. And his pass for the winning goal last night was inch-perfect. Edited July 15 by Bert19 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted July 15 Share Posted July 15 If anyone else it would be a "romance of the game" story. How anyone can resent the tournament he had is beyond me. Whatever his form has been he has always given 100%..I have,,rightly.. in the past questioned performances but I am so pleased that he has risen above the mealy mouthed, bitter, for some reason, ex pros who gleefully predicted a disaster,,,the ultimate FU from Cucu holding the trophy! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bones Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 Fair play to de la Fuente for picking him over Grimaldo who had an exceptional season at Bayer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 12 minutes ago, Bones said: Fair play to de la Fuente for picking him over Grimaldo who had an exceptional season at Bayer. Perhaps he noticed the excellent form he was in at Chelsea which is more than I can say for some on here. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chara Posted July 16 Share Posted July 16 24 minutes ago, Ham said: Perhaps he noticed the excellent form he was in at Chelsea which is more than I can say for some on here. Agree but perhaps there was a coach who knew what he wanted from individual players and positions and found the player he wanted at Chelsea?...just saying. The "eye" test works when a football brain is behind it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Proud-Blue Posted August 2 Popular Post Share Posted August 2 I am now a Cucurella superfan. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bert19 Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 @Proud-Blue I was just sending this round to my mates and congratulating him for monetising the chant. Fair play to him 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
My Blood Is Blue Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 3 hours ago, Proud-Blue said: I am now a Cucurella superfan. If I still got Chelsea shirts and if still got a players name on the back of them… I would 100% have Cucurella. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sciatika Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 I'll admit to not warming to him, to begin with, but I can now imagine him becoming a favourite. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kelly Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 33 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said: If I still got Chelsea shirts and if still got a players name on the back of them… I would 100% have Cucurella. 1 minute ago, Sciatika said: I'll admit to not warming to him, to begin with, but I can now imagine him becoming a favourite. He's fast becoming one of my favourites too. A very good player and game for a laugh what's not to like? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thevelourfog Posted August 2 Share Posted August 2 (edited) I am very curious to see how he plays this season. I think he had a few very good performances towards the end of last season, but that he was mostly just not terrible ... And relative to 18 months of being terrible, that looked brilliant! But he genuinely was very impressive for Spain. Hopefully a representation of his true level and not a purple patch. Edited August 2 by thevelourfog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xceleryx Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 As a day one Cucurella advocate I'm really pleased to see him back playing good football again. Hopefully that form carries across into the new season and he goes on to be a good player for us for years to come. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTG Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 Half a dozen good games under a coach the club fired, all of a sudden he's the dogs bolloxs. I guess one particularly poster will spend half the season defending him, by saying he needs to adjust to the new system implemented by the new coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ham Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 7 hours ago, ROTG said: Half a dozen good games under a coach the club fired, all of a sudden he's the dogs bolloxs. I guess one particularly poster will spend half the season defending him, by saying he needs to adjust to the new system implemented by the new coach. He's been very good since January. Excellent in the last month of the season and brilliant in the euros. Hardly half a dozen games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martin1905 Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 35 minutes ago, Ham said: He's been very good since January. Excellent in the last month of the season and brilliant in the euros. Hardly half a dozen games. Yep, I've said before I think you will do well to find a better left back in the world, this calendar year. And I've yet to hear anyone come up with one when I've said this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTG Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 (edited) 25 minutes ago, martin1905 said: Yep, I've said before I think you will do well to find a better left back in the world, this calendar year. And I've yet to hear anyone come up with one when I've said this. Let's see how many times he get caught up field out of position in the mascara system. Edited August 3 by ROTG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROTG Posted August 3 Share Posted August 3 1 hour ago, Ham said: Excellent in the last month of the season roughly half a dozen games. At the same time TC came back and Enzo went off for an operation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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