Official Chelsea FC Thread

[MountainDrew]

So according to Dutch media Chelsea is buying Andrej Kramaric from NK Rijeka For 9 million euros, and placing him at Vitesse immediatly for the rest of the season. We can definitely use a good striker, this guy should do very well! Traore is going to play Africa cup I think so we'll be without him for a while, hope he can adjust to the wings again when he comes back.

[fatlever]

How would you rank the following youth prospects and guys on loan based on their future potential and chances to break into the first team (or be sold for a tidy profit)?

Strikers

Patrick Bamford
Dominic Solanke
Islam Feruz

Attackers

Lucas Piazon
Thorgan Hazard
Jeremie Boga
Izzy Brown
Christian Atsu
Bertrand Traore
Lewis Baker
Alex Kiwomya

Midfielders

Nathaniel Chalobah
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Nathan Ake
Josh Mceachran
Marco Van Ginkle
Oriol Romeu
Mario Pasalic

Defenders

Thomas Kalas
Wallace
Kenneth Omeru
Todd Kane
Andreas Christensen


Here are similar rankings from a site (only includes the guys on loan)
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2015/01/09 ... am-future/

[5DOM]

How would you rank the following youth prospects and guys on loan based on their future potential and chances to break into the first team (or be sold for a tidy profit)?

.....

Here are similar rankings from a site (only includes the guys on loan)
http://www.caughtoffside.com/2015/01/09 ... am-future/

All in order,

Potential to play for Chelsea:
Loftus-Cheek
Boga
Christensen
Solanke
Dasilva

Solid career elsewhere:
Bamford
Brown
Traore
Van Ginkel
Hazard
Baker
Ake
Piazon
Kalas
Omeruo
Romeu
Wallace
Atsu
Kane

Meh:
McEachran
Kiwomya
Feruz

Never seen Pasalic play. If Loftus-Cheek can maintain his consistency and Dasilva can grow a few inches, they are probably our best bet. As much as I love Boga, he doesn't play at a premium position. I imagine that 13 year old French keeper is another good shout lol

[fatlever]

In that link I posted, they ranked Pasalic as the most likely to break into the 1st team, based on what, I am not sure. I would have probably said that Kalas was the most likely. I think he could work as the 4th center back in a few years (the same role held by Zouma this year). Need to see more of the youth guys. WAGNH usually does something like this every January, but so far this year, nothing. Its always one of my favorite posts of the year. Nothing like getting excited about a bunch of dudes we'll probably never see.

[Foye]

In that link I posted, they ranked Pasalic as the most likely to break into the 1st team, based on what, I am not sure. I would have probably said that Kalas was the most likely. I think he could work as the 4th center back in a few years (the same role held by Zouma this year). Need to see more of the youth guys. WAGNH usually does something like this every January, but so far this year, nothing. Its always one of my favorite posts of the year. Nothing like getting excited about a bunch of dudes we'll probably never see.

Kalas? The same guy who couldn't get a single minute of Bundesliga action in Cologne? I don't think he'll make it at Chelsea lol.

[treiz]

Pretty much what 5DOM posted, but I can see Ake being a useful utility guy for us down the line in the same vein as Mikel.

Think everybody expects RLC and Christensen to lead this group

[fatlever]

In that link I posted, they ranked Pasalic as the most likely to break into the 1st team, based on what, I am not sure. I would have probably said that Kalas was the most likely. I think he could work as the 4th center back in a few years (the same role held by Zouma this year). Need to see more of the youth guys. WAGNH usually does something like this every January, but so far this year, nothing. Its always one of my favorite posts of the year. Nothing like getting excited about a bunch of dudes we'll probably never see.

Kalas? The same guy who couldn't get a single minute of Bundesliga action in Cologne? I don't think he'll make it at Chelsea lol.

i'm not sure what happened to kalas this season on loan, but in his two spot appearances for chelsea last year he was very solid and he appeared in 60+ games for vitese the two years prior. he is only 21 as well, certainly not a finished product.

if salah goes out on loan as being reported, surely JM will look to bring back another attacking loanee or add one of the youth guys to the first team. some speculation that thorgan hazard might join the team.

[fatlever]

Today's loss in the FA cup creates an interesting debate. Should the bench players be rotated more often so that are in form and playing with confidence OR is today's result proof they bench players don't deserve more minutes?

[J-Mezzy]

Today's loss in the FA cup creates an interesting debate. Should the bench players be rotated more often so that are in form and playing with confidence OR is today's result proof they bench players don't deserve more minutes?

It's obvious lack of playing time results in poor form and lack of chemistry, but this is a title race and you can only rotate a little, especially in the EPL. I think we are doing the right thing.

[Foye]

The great Mourinho thrown out by Bradford lol.

Sent from my GT-I9001 using RealGM Forums mobile app

[5DOM]

No trolling

[DD12]

The great Mainzer thrown out by mid table Greek team from UEFA and amateur league team in German Cup.

Pick which one is worse.

[fatlever]

Today's loss in the FA cup creates an interesting debate. Should the bench players be rotated more often so that are in form and playing with confidence OR is today's result proof they bench players don't deserve more minutes?

It's obvious lack of playing time results in poor form and lack of chemistry, but this is a title race and you can only rotate a little, especially in the EPL. I think we are doing the right thing.

Sure, but can you reasonably expect the same 10 outfield guys to play every important match for the rest of the season when we are competing for several trophies?

But, outside of Luis and maybe Zouma, how many bench players do you really trust right now to start an important game and either hold their own or make a positive impact, while also playing 90 minutes? Ramires isn't in fit, nor in form. Schurrle has fallen off a cliff. Drobga is good in limited minutes, but he can't press they way we want to press, which is a problem against good teams. Salah is just as likely to be loaned as to play a meaningful game. Who knows why Remy can't get on the field. That leaves good old Mikel, who is fine for when you want to park the bus.

I worry about the core starters running out of steam down the stretch.

[Foye]

The great Mainzer thrown out by mid table Greek team from UEFA and amateur league team in German Cup.

Pick which one is worse.

At least I'm not a die-hard fan of a club who can't even pay his own players.

Semih Kaya one of the most talented CBs, Burak Yilmaz 40 goal scorer in the Bundesliga, Muslera top 5 keeper in the world. We've heard it all from you on this board and nobody takes your opinion serious anymore.

And for the record Bradford plays in the 3rd English league, too, just like Chemnitz in Germany. And this is in the middle of the season, not the start.
So the obvious pick is Bradford beating Chelsea.

[5DOM]

Think there would have been a smaller chance of an upset at the beginning of the season because we wouldn't have played our B side then. Either way Chelsea losing to Bradford is obviously a bigger embarrassment.

[treiz]

Today's loss in the FA cup creates an interesting debate. Should the bench players be rotated more often so that are in form and playing with confidence OR is today's result proof they bench players don't deserve more minutes?

It's obvious lack of playing time results in poor form and lack of chemistry, but this is a title race and you can only rotate a little, especially in the EPL. I think we are doing the right thing.

Sure, but can you reasonably expect the same 10 outfield guys to play every important match for the rest of the season when we are competing for several trophies?

But, outside of Luis and maybe Zouma, how many bench players do you really trust right now to start an important game and either hold their own or make a positive impact, while also playing 90 minutes? Ramires isn't in fit, nor in form. Schurrle has fallen off a cliff. Drobga is good in limited minutes, but he can't press they way we want to press, which is a problem against good teams. Salah is just as likely to be loaned as to play a meaningful game. Who knows why Remy can't get on the field. That leaves good old Mikel, who is fine for when you want to park the bus.

I worry about the core starters running out of steam down the stretch.

I'd include Cech in that list of who I would trust. But yeah your point still stands, apart from Luis, Zouma, and Cech I really have not got much faith with our bench guys. I like Ramires and Mikel, but Ramires' season only started a few weeks ago and Mikel is only good if we have to defend, which is surprising considering his role when he plays for Nigeria.

Remy needs some games, I'm not sure why Jose is more insistent on starting Drogba more as opposed to Remy. Blind loyalty?

I'm really hoping for Cuadrado to come, think a 3 of Hazard, Willian, Oscar, Cuadrado could be devastating. Could help out the bench a bit more if one of the other 3 except for Eden is there.

[J-Mezzy]

Based on what a have seen from Joao in the Colombia U20, I doubt he ever makes it at Chelsea, even on the bench. The dude has speed and dribbling, but no vision and is selfish as hell. Just your typical south American player that never makes it

[fatlever]

I'd include Cech in that list of who I would trust. But yeah your point still stands, apart from Luis, Zouma, and Cech I really have not got much faith with our bench guys. I like Ramires and Mikel, but Ramires' season only started a few weeks ago and Mikel is only good if we have to defend, which is surprising considering his role when he plays for Nigeria.

Remy needs some games, I'm not sure why Jose is more insistent on starting Drogba more as opposed to Remy. Blind loyalty?

I'm really hoping for Cuadrado to come, think a 3 of Hazard, Willian, Oscar, Cuadrado could be devastating. Could help out the bench a bit more if one of the other 3 except for Eden is there.

RE: Cech - Yeah, he is definitely one I feel comfortable with. I was only taking outfield players. Cech is top 5 in the world, in my opinion.

RE: Cuadrado - He sounds great in theory, but, I'll believe it when I see it. That is the stance I am taking with all Chelsea attacking mids from here on out. So many have been brought in during the past few years, yet only 3 have earned the sustained trust of Jose - Hazard, Oscar and Willian (and maybe Ramires playing out of position and Cesc when he isn't playing deeper). Mata, Schurrle, Salah, DeBrunye all failed - and to a lesser extent Moses, Marin (who obviously had lower expectations) - not to mention the boatload young attacking mids sitting in our youth teams or out on loan.

[treiz]

Don't think there's much debate about us having 2 of the top 5 GKs in the world

In regards to Cuadrado, that's fair but that's the case with every transfer. The thing I like about Cuadrado is that he can dominate the entire right side, he's so direct with an end product and is not only willing to track back, but is actually good at it (which can't be said about the guys you listed that have failed, either just not willing to do it, ala Mata & De Bruyne or just runs around like a headless chicken ala Schurrle & Salah).

He seems to suit what we've got going on, he can potentially be a better version of Willian considering he's a pure right sided player, one of our flaws right now is that sometimes all 3 of Hazard/Oscar/Willian likes to drift inside and let the FBs bomb forward, Cuadrado likes to stay wide and provide a bit of width and perhaps create some 2-on-1 opportunities down the flanks, or even allow Iva to go inside and get another big body in the box.

[fatlever]

could we have picked a worse time to play 120 minutes of pure energy/running/intensity, using all our core players? hopefully cesc is OK. i'm not sure how matic, willian, hazard and oscar will be able to walk for the rest of the week, let alone play the biggest game of the season so far.

assuming cesc is healthy this weekend, we might see the mikel, matic pivot with cesc in the #10 role and ramires on the right, hazard (of course) on the left, giving willian and oscar a chance to come on as impact subs. we shouldnt be surprised to see jose go very conservative and defensive this weekend.

feeling good about the future of zouma.