Hasnt really had an extended run of matches over the course of a whole season though has he? Could get that at Chelsea, be a mainstay of the three man midfield with Jorginho and Kante.
Chelsea 2018/19 - 3rd and European Champions. Sarri, not sorry
- Thread starter duffer
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Hasnt really had an extended run of matches over the course of a whole season though has he? Could get that at Chelsea, be a mainstay of the three man midfield with Jorginho and Kante.
Whenever Kovacic has played for Real Madrid he has done an excellent job. Impossible to be a starter in a Modric-Kroos-Casemiro midfield. He is still rated here, that's why it's a loan.
World class? Not yet. Elite proven player? Hell yeah.
World class? Not yet. Elite proven player? Hell yeah.
7 years deal for Kepa? Wow! Never seen it before.
He has some special attribute/ability but his overall game ain't all that yet. It's not just Madrid. He couldn't force himself into Croatia starting XI. Rakitic ain't always great nowadays and there for taking. Even if Rakitic and Madrid to keep their place, the third midfielder spot was up to grab until Brozovic nailed it down during this WC. Then Rebic position. He had a good WC using his ability to cause havoc, but very little end product. Kovacic has ability to match Rebic's good, and should overtake Rebic where he lacks, yet Kovacic couldn't force the head coach hand.
Didn't Saul sign a similarly mental 7yr odd extension?
Great we've got two important signings. Kovacic will surely go straight in to the team, he's used to playing a 3 man midfield in similar tactical systems. I'm sure that is the point of us signing him, as we've got so many midfielders.
Wondering if Fekir will be coming today? It looks like Giroud is happy to stay and be a super sub for us now the WC is out of the way. That is a boost and I can see him being a very good option late in games if we need a goal.
Does anyone know when the Premier League squad registration date is this year? Today or when the window for selling shuts at the end of the month?
Wondering if Fekir will be coming today? It looks like Giroud is happy to stay and be a super sub for us now the WC is out of the way. That is a boost and I can see him being a very good option late in games if we need a goal.
Does anyone know when the Premier League squad registration date is this year? Today or when the window for selling shuts at the end of the month?
Both, I would imagine. Players need to be registered before the first round of matches, so that would be today. But because players can leave between tomorrow and the end of the month, the final registration can only take place once the European window closes.
Previously, wasn't there a preliminary registration prior to the season and a final one at the end of the transfer window? I think the same logic applies now.
Jorginho, Kante and Kovacic look good on paper. Also, Liverpool have improved their midfield with Fabinho and Keita.
Which midfield do you consider the best of the top 6 teams? Still City?
Which midfield do you consider the best of the top 6 teams? Still City?
Of course
great signing for Chelsea, top goalkeeper. not sure why Madrid never just bought him in Jan for the 18m or whatever the fee was to be honest, looks a pretty good window for Chelsea now, new manager, 2 quality midfielders and a top keeper. also managed to keep hold of Hazard. does Sarri usually play with a 4 at the back ?
Never seen him play and I doubt any Chelsea fans calling him great/high potential have ever seen him make a single save in his life.
Smacks of a panic but to me to be honest. If you’re paying a world record for a keeper then you’d expect something world class already. Imo Courtois was that level. Is that really the case here?
Smacks of a panic but to me to be honest. If you’re paying a world record for a keeper then you’d expect something world class already. Imo Courtois was that level. Is that really the case here?
For all the moaning we do this has to ultimately be a very good window, kept the players we wanted to.
Hazard stays despite everyone saying he wouldn't.
Sarri has got a keeper who should fit his style and somebody he wanted.
2 excellent CM's to add to the squad.
Ampadu, Hudson Odoi, Barkley & RLC to be involved in the squad this season.
Very good window
Hazard stays despite everyone saying he wouldn't.
Sarri has got a keeper who should fit his style and somebody he wanted.
2 excellent CM's to add to the squad.
Ampadu, Hudson Odoi, Barkley & RLC to be involved in the squad this season.
Very good window
Even though Fernandinho and Silva are getting old I still rate them as having the best midfield. Despite all that they need to get in a good defensive and creative central midfielder over the next one or two transfer windows.
A poll in Spain during the world cup had him ahead of De Gea. While this may be more about De Gea's catastrophic cock up he is rated very highly. Madrid were after him but Zidane dithered.
Panic buy is a bit strong. The board did get caught napping though. Sometimes you just have to pay top price if you really want a player.
I have never seen him play so naturally i will hope for his failure
He's the new Jack Wilshere. Does a few croquetas and dribbles and people think he's amazing. Look at the difference between Pogba and Kovacic's contributions to their teams in their careers. If Kovacic is potential world class, then Pogba is potentially the next Messi.
We will find out this season if this proves true
Hopefully we don't have to sign multiple players just to "release" him though that would be nice
He does have 3 CL medals, and a La Liga title, he played quite a lot in the title season as well. Not so much last year hence the loan. He needs to play more minutes, hopefully we'll be able to buy if it works out. Wilshere went to Bournemouth ffs. Hardly the same!
If it was Manchester United that signed him I guarantee the headlines would all include words like “panic” “desperation” “overpaid” and they’d include the 7 year contract worth of wages to inflate the figure to 100million.
I can see why he didn’t go to
Madrid, being basque and all, but they’ve spent crazy money. The limited transfer window and nobody wanting to lose their #1 in August meant that the only way they’d sign anyone was via a release clause, which I suppose necessitates the desperation but surely they knew he was out the door a YEAR ago.
Wouldn't bother entertaining such stupidity.
If we signed Butland it would've been no ambition, sign Kepa its a panic buy.
At first were getting to excited Kovacic wont happen then when he does he's overated anyway.
Will be happy if we finish 5th and win Europa. I think we may end up focusing on EL towards latter end of the season anyway and taper off in the league. It would make sense to be fair.
A solid strategy, aka the Mourinho 16/17
We should be aiming for top 4 to get back in the champions league, and give Sarri a good base to build on for next year and shape the squad.
For me personally I would actually say top 4 is more important that us getting one of the cups this year unless we get into the champions league via Europa obviously.
Jose, lo de Kovacic es ‘sin opción de compra’, verdad? - Correcto
https://mobile.twitter.com/JLSanchez78/status/1027273104727396352?s=19
Well, according to José Luis Sánchez it's only a loan. No buy-option.
https://mobile.twitter.com/JLSanchez78/status/1027273104727396352?s=19
Well, according to José Luis Sánchez it's only a loan. No buy-option.
Fair play to Chelsea for making the best of a bad situation. Getting Kovacic on loan is a great move for both club & player.
Kepa said he's known of Chelsea Interest in him for a while and that its been ongoing.
Really excited we have actually backed a manager with the style of player he wants, hopefully it can have a similar effect on our team that Ederson has for City.
Really excited we have actually backed a manager with the style of player he wants, hopefully it can have a similar effect on our team that Ederson has for City.
Imagine what Conte must be thinking now watching us sign actual quality in midfield when he was given Bakayoko, Drinkwater, and had Matic sold against his wish.
Is it with an option to buy?
Not sure we will know until it comes to it.
Reputable sources are saying conflicting info on both sides
and how much role has he played in that wins? Was John O'Shea world class too?
If he had played any substantial role, then he wouldn't have been so keen on leaving Madrid. Judging a player by his trophy count isn't the smartest.
Re: Kepa, ofcourse it's a panic buy but also a good buy.
I completely agree, not sure what it is tbh.
Our board have done well and we've got in a decent manager and are heading in the right direction, but the board has still been to blame the last few years just as much as Jose/Conte
I think maybe it has something to do with our style of play and something Roman is buying into more? Maybe its due to the wake up call we got last year
Not sure but either way Chelsea are exciting at the moment and we need to be patient and trust Sarri
I think we have better squad then Arsenal, Tottenham and Utd.
Winning EL, one of the two domestic cups and top3 in PL is I guess good transition season with Sarri.
I was hoping now three summers in a row for upgrade on that RW position where we are stuck with Willian and Pedro, especially considering Bailey, Pulisic, Zaha, Fekir are all available for right price.
Starting 11: Kepa, Emerson, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Hazard, Willian, Morata.
Second team (EL team): Caballero, Alonso, Cahill(Ampadu), Luiz, Zappacosta, Fabregas(Drinkwater), RLC, Barkley, CHO, Pedro, Michy(Giroud).
One more season with Willian argh...
Winning EL, one of the two domestic cups and top3 in PL is I guess good transition season with Sarri.
I was hoping now three summers in a row for upgrade on that RW position where we are stuck with Willian and Pedro, especially considering Bailey, Pulisic, Zaha, Fekir are all available for right price.
Starting 11: Kepa, Emerson, Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Kovacic, Hazard, Willian, Morata.
Second team (EL team): Caballero, Alonso, Cahill(Ampadu), Luiz, Zappacosta, Fabregas(Drinkwater), RLC, Barkley, CHO, Pedro, Michy(Giroud).
One more season with Willian argh...
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You know at some stage Chelsea could have had Lukaku, KDB, Salah playing for them...
35m + Kovacic (on loan) is good deal, considering that Courtois was close to end his contract and he wanted to leave.
At the end Kepa cost 40m + (Courtois sale). Kepa was a good panic buy, he is only 23. I think Chelsea make the best of the situation, not only because they signed Jorginho, Kovacic, Kepa. The most important thing is that they were able to keep Hazard.
Being Basque isn't what stopped his move to Madrid. It was Zidane disagreeing with Perez's decision, especially because of Navas. In my opinion, that was just one more reason Zidane made up his mind to leave at the end of the season. For what it's worth, I think Navas has been highly disrespected by Madrid. He may not be a superstar GK but he's right there just below the tier of Neuer, De Gea and he has had better spells than Courtois sometimes.
Pessimist much? I think we'll get into the CL regardless of how our EL campaign plays out.
Apparently, Sarri scouted him while at Napoli to possibly replace Reina. Suits his style of football very well.
Let's not get into revisionist history and act like Bakayoko was forced on Conte. Conte personally went to watch Bakayoko at Monaco towards the end of the 16/17 season. I remember reading that in the Telegraph when he signed. Conte ASKED for Bakayoko. That one's on him. He also asked for Morata, and I don't believe Lukaku was his first choice. Seemed like Emenalo's first choice at the time. He also wanted Rudiger and we got him (coincidentally, we'd been scouting him for a year prior). Can't tell how Drinkwater came about so I'll let that one go. But Conte got quite a few of the players he asked for. He just asked for the wrong players.
There's only one man to blame for that. And he's about to repeat the same mistake with Martial
Oh, Baka was certainly a Conte signing but he made it abundantly clear that he wanted him to be something of an understudy to Matic.Being Basque isn't what stopped his move to Madrid. It was Zidane disagreeing with Perez's decision, especially because of Navas. In my opinion, that was just one more reason Zidane made up his mind to leave at the end of the season. For what it's worth, I think Navas has been highly disrespected by Madrid. He may not be a superstar GK but he's right there just below the tier of Neuer, De Gea and he has had better spells than Courtois sometimes.
Pessimist much? I think we'll get into the CL regardless of how our EL campaign plays out.
Apparently, Sarri scouted him while at Napoli to possibly replace Reina. Suits his style of football very well.
Let's not get into revisionist history and act like Bakayoko was forced on Conte. Conte personally went to watch Bakayoko at Monaco towards the end of the 16/17 season. I remember reading that in the Telegraph when he signed. Conte ASKED for Bakayoko. That one's on him. He also asked for Morata, and I don't believe Lukaku was his first choice. Seemed like Emenalo's first choice at the time. He also wanted Rudiger and we got him (coincidentally, we'd been scouting him for a year prior). Can't tell how Drinkwater came about so I'll let that one go. But Conte got quite a few of the players he asked for. He just asked for the wrong players.
There's only one man to blame for that. And he's about to repeat the same mistake with Martial
More realistically Conte was probably given a list of options for midfielders from his head scout. Probably was looking for more physicality and solidity in midfield with the players on the list considering who we were linked to last summer in Nainngolan, Witsel etc, and narrowed it down to Bakayoko even though he provides neither of those things.
If he's off to Milan, he'll probably end up dominating the Italian league.
Pretty sure Bakayoko was Conte choice, if he wasn't he would have dumped him deep on the bench like he did with Batshauyi.
Overall I'm happy with the window we've had. I'm particularly glad we managed to get Kovacic in so we have a 3rd midfielder with big club, big match experience in there with Jorginho and Kante. RLC isn't quite there yet and as we saw against City last week Barkley looked in over his head.
Still very, very nervous about the left back spot if Sarri decides to go with Alonso as first choice. If we can get Morata's confidence up early I think he can be fine, but there's nothing you can do to suddenly make Alonso faster or more athletic. He just is what he is. His weaknesses were less pronounced in a 3-4-3 but he has looked woeful in preseason with the new tactics and formation. Really hope Emerson quickly becomes our LB.
Still very, very nervous about the left back spot if Sarri decides to go with Alonso as first choice. If we can get Morata's confidence up early I think he can be fine, but there's nothing you can do to suddenly make Alonso faster or more athletic. He just is what he is. His weaknesses were less pronounced in a 3-4-3 but he has looked woeful in preseason with the new tactics and formation. Really hope Emerson quickly becomes our LB.