How are our CBs "nowhere near top 4 material" when they've finished top 4 in the past 2 seasons? You think signing Silva has made our defence worse?
Chelsea 2020/21 - General discussion
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How are our CBs "nowhere near top 4 material" when they've finished top 4 in the past 2 seasons? You think signing Silva has made our defence worse?
What do you class as top tier?
I'd say anything less than top 4 would be a huge failure. Not expecting to finish top 2 though, but do expect to be competing with them for a decent chunk of the season overall. Will be games where we win 5/6/7-0 I think but will also be ones where we struggle as the new players adapt. I think the gap to City is too big to bridge over a season, Liverpool could be caught though if their luck runs out/motivation isn't as high this season. Comfortably top 4 and a decent run in Europe would be my aims for this season. I do have my doubts as to whether Lampard has the tactical nous to get us near City's level in terms of points. Can sign the best players in the world but Pep has a great system for beating the smaller teams and racking up huge points totals, not sure Lampard can do the same.
Would agree with this for the same reasons the recent Bruno over Muller shouts surprised me.
Not sure why anyone would think Werner is the signing that will struggle. He's got the exact characteristics that PL defenses hate playing against. Look at Vardy, Son, Salah, Rashford as examples. Forward players with rapid pace who love sprinting through the channels and latching onto a through-ball or long diagonal. Havertz and Ziyech are two of the best around at those passes. They'll be feeding him like mad.
You know that other teams actually improved their back 4 since last year, right? And to finish 4 points clear is nothing to brag about. I don’t think a 35 year old Silva will improve your defence, I think it might give your fans some false hope actually. Rudiger and 35 year old Silva is probably the worst CB pairing in top 6 tbh.
I am little bit optimistic.Ziyech and Werner trained with team for months. Silva played match just two weeks before so not needed to be physically fit because he is already match fit.
Ok it's too greedy to expect 85+ but it's not totally unrealistic in my opinion.We will see.
Absolutely, like Chelsea fans are with Pulisic we're excited about Bruno but he needs to do it over a full season for us now
One thing is for certain, expectations will be sky high this season and anything other than significant progress will be seen as a failure. I think it’s hard to look at their business as anything other than ambitious and they deserve immense credit for that and they will no doubt be a better team for it. However, I stand by my earlier assessment, it’s very hard to bed in a couple of new players, let alone a full new attack. I expect like any transfers they will have successes and flops.
This is purely my expectations and opinions
Werner = Flop
- Ziyech = success
- Havertz = Big Success (especially long term)
- Chillwell = Meh (he’s bang average)
- Silva = not sure tbh. Was a class act but he’s really old to be adjusting to the league.
Overall that would be a good hit rate but if they all hit expectations then there’s big potential there.
This is purely my expectations and opinions
Werner = Flop
- Ziyech = success
- Havertz = Big Success (especially long term)
- Chillwell = Meh (he’s bang average)
- Silva = not sure tbh. Was a class act but he’s really old to be adjusting to the league.
Overall that would be a good hit rate but if they all hit expectations then there’s big potential there.
Which teams outside the top 4 has improved their central defenders to the point that Chelsea's options are "nowhere near"?
What specifically about Werner makes you think he'll flop as opposed to the others? He scored 20 goals a couple of years ago and 35 goals this past season. He has been one of the most lethal strikers in Europe recently and will now be playing with significantly better teammates.
If Tammy Abraham can score 15 PL goals in a season I can't imagine Timo will find it too difficult.
Apologies. I seem to have missed the many seasons of world-class Rashford performances...
I agree but I think apart from the adjustment phase, I also think you guys may not have as steady a season as may seem possible at the moment.
I think the newcomers will find the PL season very challenging and tough, specially in the latter half when teams get tighter and less adventurous depending on situations.
That is when Chelsea’s and Lampard's true grit will be tested.
It’s actually Silva I have my doubts about but mostly all your CBs in general. All top 6 teams are better equipped then last year and offensively all these teams will be much more unpredictable and faster this season so defenders will really have to step it up this season. Goes for all top teams but with you guys, it’s like you can’t just pick any 2 CBs that already unofficially own first call on a starter position. All your CBs have an opportunity to make the position there own. Could entirely be possible that Silva may only see a handful of games this season.
Agreed
Really hope they flop hard after spunking all this cash would be hilarious but unlikely to happen is it? 
The fact that throwing too many new players into a team at once can be disruptive gives me a bit of hope. Their business wouldn’t bother me as much if we get Sancho and a CB in but as it stands I see nothing other then them finishing above us next season.
The fact that throwing too many new players into a team at once can be disruptive gives me a bit of hope. Their business wouldn’t bother me as much if we get Sancho and a CB in but as it stands I see nothing other then them finishing above us next season.I think they will finish second behind Pool. City third but can even see them fourth if United sign Sancho and a decent cb.
I think we have a clear Top 3 CB pairing + GK in the PL for next season.
Laporte / Aké - Ederson
Van Dijk / Gomez - Allisson
Maguire / Lindelöf - De Gea
The other ’top 4’ contenders have pretty much same (or less) CB / GK quality imo.
Rudiger / Silva - Kepa
Evans / Söyuncu - Schmeicel
Luiz / Sokratis - Leno
Alderwierld / Dier - Lloris
So the defensive setup Chelsea have for next season have a few question marks. But as I said before, the attack looks like it can make up for the bad defence (hopefully)
I really do hope if we get to a couple of summers time and it gets to the point where it's becoming clear Lampard probably won't make the next step that we let our heads rule our hearts and take the tough decision.
I fear we actually won't this time though so hopefully he builds on his managerial promise as there has been some all be it with growing pains.
Will be interesting to see if all these new players click. More often than not, these major first XI changes don't work out at all.
I just don’t really rate him, I think he struggles when he doesn’t have open space to play into and I think the pace of the Premier League will catch him out. Don’t think he’s as technically strong as the others and again that could catch him out.
Oh and I'm sure you've extensively scouted all of Pulisic's while he was sat on the bench or treatment room at Dortmund?
You said that Chelsea's CB's were "nowhere near top 4 quality". That's demonstrably (look at a league table from the past few years) wrong.
Luiz and Sokratis finished 8th FFS!
What the feck is Sokratis doing there?
Much better than Thiago Silva according to some!
They’re going to finish 6th Lampard gone in January. Flops here, there and everywhere. Youngsters who did well last season gone backwards.
Liverpool won the league with 99 points and not a single one of their forwards had 25+ goals. I don't expect our team to just focus on one player getting us all the goals, like Leicester with Vardy and Arsenal with Auba. I think it would be spread out amongst the front 4 or 5 and we've gotten the players capable of that.
That transfer ban showed to be a blessing in disguise for Chelsea. Saved their money for this summer and were able to get their main targets due to Covid as it made it difficult for other top clubs, like Liverpool, to compete for players. Fantastic window even if they don't add GK, and they probably are going to with links to Mendy and Onana.
There is some talk of them stil going for Rice this month. Is he necessary atm though, with Kante as first choice at DM and Jorginho a back up? They could wait till next summer as Chelsea seems to be his first choice anyways?
There is some talk of them stil going for Rice this month. Is he necessary atm though, with Kante as first choice at DM and Jorginho a back up? They could wait till next summer as Chelsea seems to be his first choice anyways?
Kante's not a natural sitting DM but I think we may have to bite the bullet this season, getting Rice in aswell will be one change too many in one go I fear.
Although I would still probably play Jorginho there in the lesser games.
Chelsea's defence was actually not as bad last season.We conceded the 3rd least shots per game behind city and liverpool. Kepa was the main problem, he let in 56% of shots he faced, so a better keeper will drastically improve our defence.
I also lost count of how many times we dominated a team for majority of game{60.7% avg possession), get the first goal and proceed to miss chance after chance, only to eventually get punished in the last minutes of the game via a set piece or a long ball.
Adding good goal scorers like Werner and Havertz will definitely help us put teams away when on top.
I keep reading this, what years budget did Kovacic and Ziyech come out of if not last years?
tbh Im not sure I even buy into clubs like Chelsea having transfer budgets for each window, it's not like pocket money or a monthly salary it's money that's in the bank
We bought Kovacic in Summer 2019 so he goes into the 2019/20 budget. We bought Ziyech in Feb 2020 (after the Jan window had closed) so I guess he goes into 2020/21?
I don't really care either way but I think that's how it's being reported.
Lampard has zero excuses now. I have always maintained poor start and I wouldn't be surprised roman sacks Lampard. He has been backed to pep level so he must deliver.
No more excuses for Lampard beyond this point.
Well yes but they did sell Hazard for a lot of money, plus bar Kovačić didn't spend last summer.
Honest question, Van Dijk aside, can someone name a CB in the PL who is definitively better than Thiago Silva even at age 36? Because I'm struggling. I could be forgetting someone obvious.
Yes there is the added bonus they've been training for weeks. But having been a footballer myself till about Uni (bear with me, I know it's not the same!), I know that no matter how hard you train with your mates, it's in a real match the opposition will kick your legs in and push you down till you get frustrated.
The physicality of the league has a toll not only physically but mentally as well. The speed is also a big change. A friendly at the end of the day is a friendly with players trying to regain their stamina and not wanting to injure themselves. Pre-season is everything but it's harder in these times for Frank.
Laporte
That's 15 PL non penalty goals. Tammy with a distinct lack of pace, average dribbling ability, poor in the air, average first touch, average holdup play. Tammy really did well for himself last season but its quiet hard to imagine that Werner who is a far better striker and footballer would struggle to hit those heights especially with the support cast being built behind him. Of course a period of adjustment is expected.
I think Werner is a victim of ‘post-built narrative’ (I just created that, don't bother google with this). People are failing to give him credit for the giant strides he's made to improve his game since his ‘pace merchant winger’ days at Stuttgart. The goal he scored against Spain is exactly the type of goal most critics think he'll struggle with in the PL.
He's not here to holdup play and challenge for aerial balls with 6ft + defenders. If anyone is expecting that then you'll be sorely disappointed. As lots of strikers have shown in the PL, you don't necessarily need those abilities to be successful.
We arent gonna be the only team with a broken pre season and these ridiculously placed internationals to deal with. Its gonna be just as hard for the prem proven teams to get up to standard too.
True, but very few teams have 3 of their starting front 4 joining over the summer. This pandemic riddled one. That's the difference. Three of them haven't played in England long term either. Tougher for Frank that way.
Maybe. But isn't he injured constantly?
My point is, I think there is a distinct lack of top quality CB's in the league. People are underrating how big a difference Silva could make if he settles. He's instantly one of the best CB's in the league.
Keeper still a glaring hole, though. Getting anxious about that.