2010- Champions 2010- lost Deco, Ballack, Joe Cole, Carvalho and Belletti. Signed Benayoun and Ramires. Squad = weaker 2015- Champions 2015- lost Cech, Drogba, Luis, Ramires. Signed Baba and Pedro Squad= weaker (marginally) 2017- Champions 2017- lost Matic, Begovic, Terry, Zouma, Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Costa, Solanke. Signed Caballero, Rudiger, Bakayoko and Morata. Squad= weaker. Conte stated that he needs a larger/stronger squad for the new season. It's got smaller and weaker. I agree with the Costa sale (should it happen) but I would feel far happier if Abraham/Solanke, RLC and Chalobah were still part of the squad...
I must admit that I'm concerned that our squad is smaller and weaker atm, especially with CL football this season. I agree with the Costa decision but we seem to have more leaving than coming in. The decision to sell Matic baffles me.
Not so much the decision to sell him, but the decision to sell him to Man Utd, especially when Juve were also interested. This Boga kid from Pre season also plays in midfield though right? Could we see the unthinkable and actually have a youth player become a regular player?
It's not really fair to list fringe/youth players who have been sold/loaned but disregard the players who have been on the pre season tour. Boga has played a fair bit and then there is Christensen and Musunda as well. I don't think the youth players being let go is an issue as they will be replaced. Zouma out, Christensen in for instance. In terms of the main players. Begovic out and replaced by Willy. Willy is average but I think Begovic was equally average for us when called upon. Hopefully neither would figure much anyway. Balances out. Terry out Rudiger in. Tough one as Terry a legend who never played last year and Rudiger more a signing with potential. Certainly doesn't weaken the first team. Matic out Bakayoko in. Time will tell but I think we have a younger, more mobile player that I believe will improve our midfield. Matic was one of the weaker players in our 11 last year hence the heavy rotation with Fab. I think this is an upgrade. Costa out, Morata in. Probably weaker here but only in the context of having a fit and hungry Costa. Morata looks like about the best we could have done in the circumstances. Therefore, all in all, I think our 11 is there or thereabouts and we have brought in younger replacements as well. We probably need 2-3 more to pack out the squad; which I'm sure will happen. Our season will probably come down to how well Morata and Bayakoko do.
Forgot about Christensen. He has to figure after the awesome spell he had in Germany. We really need to start utilising these decent youth players and actually taking a chance on some of them ffs!
Our youth policy is all sadly about making profit and nothing to do with finding players. We buy players we dont make them. finally the kids have woken up and are leaving and running down contracts. why would any kid sign for Chelsea? Tammy will be the next to go, he should be played now.
To an extent but plenty signed new deals before going out on loan this season including Zouma and Tammy. They wont be able to run down their contracts for 4-5 years. Solanke was disappointing as we didn't make much on a very promising player. But was he realistically going to get in ahead of Costa (now Morata) or Bats?
For me, this is it with Tammy. He now has the chance to step up and prove himself at PL level. If he does the business this season, he HAS to be called back and used at the Bridge next season, it's that simple. Christensen needs to be used this season imo, seeing as he already looks better than any of the other CB's we have on our books!
I agree this season if very important for him but he is ultimately only 19. Not many top clubs will have a 19/20 leading their line and I don't suppose we will in a year's time either - regardless of how well he does. If he does well and is happy to fight it out with 1 or 2 others if and when he comes back, good luck to him. I expect it's going to be 2-3 years before he is really ready to be a first choice player though - unless he does a micheal owen in the meantime and is amazing at p.l level.
He'll be 20 by then, and I am not saying he should be our first choice striker, but get him back to the club as second choice. He can grab 15-20 league appearances as sub, play in the cups and cover if Morata is injured. Get him home and playing for the club. Rather than loan him out to maximise his value then flog him to the highest bidder, which is what will happen.
Guess depends on what happens with Bats as well. He looks a very decent back up but may not want to play that role too long.
I'm with you on this, and understand 100 years as well. Not trying to compare, but Neymar was young and Harry Kane still is.Conte says Chalobah might be the same age as the Monaco kid, but the Monaco kid has experience! Well of course he does because he was trusted, and played when he was even younger !! Our kids don't play. Tammy will surely become a top notch striker with our squad quicker than wherever he's going? With Morata and hopefully Bats ahead of him, still plenty of games with both cups, CL and PL. And Conte is apparently still looking at bringing in a 32 year old striker ( whose name eludes me) so where does that leave Bats?? I think because of the success we have had for some years now simply buying top players, Roman is just not up for changing. Hard to argue with, but disappointing nevertheless.
I get what you are saying but Neymar and Mbappe are exceptional talents. I'm sure if we had players that good in the youth team they would get in. I can only assume that they aren't as good as the players in our first team so don't get picked; based on watching them in training, practice matches etc. If we were a mid table side, many of these players would have been given a chance. But with the money now in the game and the instant success that is expected, I can see why we go after the finished article more often than not. I'd be disappointed if Christensen didn't get a look in though as we've bought in Rudiger. Can't imagine there is much between them to justify spending 35 million and hampering the development of a very promising youngster. .
It's bittersweet the signings we have made and our team being "weaker". Its great winning trophies and obviously i hope we do it. I'm more than happy with not padding our team with loads and loads of squad players though as if we do that the youth players are definitely not going to get a chance. I'm hoping that by having the same sized squad (loaning out the likes of zouma etc doesn't count as players going) that we'll actually put some of our youth players in the team even if it's a detriment to our title challenges. The only big disappointment for me this offseason was chalobah going as i thought he was going to make a breakthrough
Not surprised that Solanke refused a new deal tbh. Youth don't get a chance at Chelsea. He's been excellent in pre-season btw... Nice doing business with you
Like he's going to get a chance at Pool . He's just gone there because you were dolling out even bigger readies
True, but we fight for titles. You can risk him and finish 4th, Tony C can't. Tammy Abraham is the real prospect but I can't see him getting a go unless Roman relaxes things a bit.
