Nkunku is the player to watch.
Chelsea 2023/24 season thread.
- Thread starter duffer
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We almost have a really good squad.
We badly need Caicedo and a goalkeeper.
I’d also look for another centre back As Badiashile and Fofana won’t be back any time soon, Silva is getting on and as we seen against Brighton, Cucurella is never a centre back and Chalobah gets beaten far too easily.
Caicedo should come in as expected. Keeper and centre back needed.
We badly need Caicedo and a goalkeeper.
I’d also look for another centre back As Badiashile and Fofana won’t be back any time soon, Silva is getting on and as we seen against Brighton, Cucurella is never a centre back and Chalobah gets beaten far too easily.
Caicedo should come in as expected. Keeper and centre back needed.
Angelo gabriel needed his own thread. Fairly unexpected the level of performance he put in these two games though he was joined the squad just five days before only. I thought he was going straight into loan army. But look like he will stay with us.
His touch, able to move the ball in tight spaces, vision and accuracy in passes. He started his professional debut at age of 15 and had more than 150 senior appearances.Look like we made a great signing.
His touch, able to move the ball in tight spaces, vision and accuracy in passes. He started his professional debut at age of 15 and had more than 150 senior appearances.Look like we made a great signing.
absolutely..After the season we just had I’d get excited about counting goals in training.
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I really wonder what happens if his tenure is anything like the Spurs one.
The team was incredibly inconsistent in his first year, but from the second year on things really started to go. Will they have the same amount of patience if it starts the same though?
The team was incredibly inconsistent in his first year, but from the second year on things really started to go. Will they have the same amount of patience if it starts the same though?
yes we will, not much expected this season..
I'm waiting for the team news v Newcastle. this is going to be a tricky one
That Jackson guy looks class!
Can we just give Cucurella back to Brighton free of charge?
We were finished lower midtable position last season. Indeed a midtable team as of now. Saying last season reality just not troll though.
He will make us cl placed team. His works with us so far not bad. Team get the intensity and competitiveness. We are not exactly a wait for years to get going type club. He will be judged by what he do now. And look like he will be alright.
I think what may help us skip/speed up the first bit you went through is he seems to be getting most of the ruthless axing out of the way now whereas at Spurs he had to/decided to wait a year until he got rid of the likes of Lennon, Adebayor, Kaboul etc.
"Well done, he's 13." - GNev to Owen
Imagine a club bragging about beating a bunch of academy kids in a friendly.
Lots of hype around Jackson, that’s deserved but honestly the likes Maatsen, Gusto, Casadei, Santos, even Bashir Humphreys have all shown excellent levels this preseason. Gallagher and Chalobah have been good too. I like what I see from Poch so far.
Biggest negatives by far have been Cucurella and Sterling.
Biggest negatives by far have been Cucurella and Sterling.
Youngsters often do, and it rarely translates to the actual season.
I hear you, but I think that only applies to Casadei and Santos.
Gusto and Maatsen are different. One has been a mainstay in Lyon's team for 2 years and Maatsen has over 100 pro games under his belt through various loans. They can definitely translate this into the season.
On paper Chelsea have the second best squad in the league so no excuses for Poch.
Yeah Gusto for sure, I think he'll be a success for you guys. Maatsen I don't know anything about, so I'll trust your judgment.
It's just that as nice as it its to see youngsters thriving in pre-season, it often doesn't lead to much, year after year.
Maatsen was a mainstay in Burnley's resurgence under Kompany.
I agree with you though. Tempering expectations is the sensible thing to do but after last season, it’s just hard not to get excited about what I’m watching this preseason .
Oh I get it. It's the same with us with Mainoo, who's looking great. He might be the real deal, but there's been so many pre-seasons with youngsters looking like they're ready to make the step up, and then when the real season comes around, they're just not. But I understand the excitement!
Apparently Maatsen was part of the line up against us last December, but I really don't remember enough about that game apart from the fact Burnley had been hyped up and in the end were rather underwhelming.
@Amadaeus are you planning on dropping or shipping out Cucurella? You'd be an instant hit if you did that.
Many Chelsea fans wants him sold or dropped and based of his preseason form, I understand that perspective. But, I see Cucurella as an excellent squad players. He is good friend with multiple players in the squad, which is great for morale. Pochettino wants a 23, 24 or 25 man squad, so if they can not meet those requirements with the players they looking to get and with the current squad, it may be best to sell him. At the moments, the ideal 25 squad is listed below:
Diogo costa
Kepa
Reece James
Gusto
Fofana
Thiago Silva/chalobah
Badiashile
Colwell
Chilwell
Hall/Cucurella
Caicedo
Lavia/Santos
Enzo
Casadei
Kudus
Madueke
Nkunku
Cherki
Mudryk
Maatsen
Jackson
Borja
Perhaps loan out hall, angelo, that Portuguese kid, santos, wahi, and carney chucameka.
Sell Gallagher and sterling if right price comes in. Cucurella and sterling are ok to stay and I poch keeping then but they have underperformed so far in preseason. I also know that they won't get a new keeper like costa, but that will be a mistake. I do not believe they should go after another centerback, unless they are selling chalobah.
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I'll have some of what you are drinking.
Do they feck
Straight swap with Harry Muguire? they could both have a fresh start
Out of curiosity do you still rate Maguire and Wan Bissaka over Silva and James?Do they feck
Yeah I thought about that as well especially with someone like Kane and Adebayor where he really needed some time to figure out who fit and who didn’t. The Europa league played heavily into it as it was Kane’s one opportunity to do something (and obviously he took that opportunity fully) and you’re right you are in the literal trenches of this tear down and rebuild so it’s going to be interesting for sure.
Curious who else gets added too as it feels like at least 2 (especially if Gallagher leaves) midfielders are needed, a CB, and a GK are required at minimum for a shot at top 5.
Where are the goals coming from for Chelsea this year? I've haven't payed attention to their signings but i imagine that's a priority to sort out (as it is for us)
What's amazing is they've already shipped out 25 players and Poch still thinks the squad is far too big and they're still planning to buy players. With no European football. Cannot be real.
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We added nkunku, jackson in our squad. Need mudryk,sterling to find form to add few more goals. Hopefully reece and chilwell both fit enough for entire season will add few more goals.
Irrelevant to the point and we never debated over Wan Bissaka.Out of curiosity do you still rate Maguire and Wan Bissaka over Silva and James?
No they don't.
They can challenge for top 4 IF they start well but beyond that it's trying to avoid Man. City in the cups again.
Do you really think Chelsea are going to buy Caicedo, Kudus and Lavia this window?
Our squad full of youngsters other than silva, sterling, chilwell and kepa every one below 23.Nkunku new comer aged 25. Most in preseason are academy graduates or newly bought kids. Most of them will go on loan. Maatsen and Humphrey most likely will stay with us.
From Chukwuemeka, santos,casedai, hall and gallagher only one or two will stay depends on arrivals. Gallagher has lot of suitors.
Pochettino already talked about need to reduce the squad.Also talked about unbalanced squad at present. High volume in some area but not much in other areas.
Also wonder Reece might play in midfield as DM with gusto playing well it will be wise to use Reece in a bit reserve role with recurring knee problem he have.
I'm not Amadaeus (thank feck for that) so I can't speak for him but I think the first two are quite possible, even probable.
For Caicedo we just need to stump up the money if he's really as good as the club/Poch clearly think he is. And then Kudus would seem like a pretty straightforward deal if we want to do it, personal terms are already pretty much agreed according to Ornstein and the price tag set by Ajax doesn't seem too unreasonable either.
Lavia is Liverpool bound I think, which is more than okay if we do actually land Caicedo. I for one wouldn't mind Santos being given a go this season as primary backup for the starting DM.
Hudson-Odoi going to Fulham.
Did the achilles injury destroy his top level chances as can remember Sarri getting so much stick for not playing him during 18/19. Bayern Munich were very keen on signing him in that time.
Still only 22 so could be good move to get his career going.
Did the achilles injury destroy his top level chances as can remember Sarri getting so much stick for not playing him during 18/19. Bayern Munich were very keen on signing him in that time.
Still only 22 so could be good move to get his career going.
The squad is only 'far too big' for Poch in context of pre-season because there are a bunch of kids along for the tour, many of whom won't be staying with the first team this season and will go on loan or stay with the U21 squad instead (Humphreys, Gilchrist, Angelo, Moreira, Burstow + some of the goalies).
That's just a normal pre-season procedure, I haven't checked but I'm pretty sure every PL club that have gone on a pre-season tour abroad will have a training squad of around 30 players which will be trimmed down in time for the season starting. I would imagine Poch will make those decisions after the squad return from the USA.
Kepa
Bettinelli
Badiashile
Silva
Colwill
Fofana
Chalobah
Chilwell
Cucurella
Maatsen
James
Gusto
Enzo
Gallagher
Santos
Chukwuemeka
Hall
Casadei
Mudryk
Sterling
Madueke
Nkunku
Jackson
Broja
That's basically where we're at right now for potential first team players so 24 names. Count out Wes Fofana who's likely out for the season with an injury and it's 23 players. Of the teenager group Casadei/Hall/Chukwuemeka/Santos I would think a minimum of two lads will be heading on loan so leaves us with around 21 players which is by no means a lot. There's also been talk of Chalobah and/or Gallagher being sold but I'm not sure if those will happen, if they do then they'll need replacements.
There are some areas where our squad is a bit more stacked (ie. full-backs) but also some areas where some reinforcements are still needed. A deep playing midfielder being the area of most urgent need and hence our pursuit for Caicedo.
I didn't really watch him that much at Leverkusen last season but it seems like he didn't pull up any trees there, and was often coming off the bench. At Chelsea the season before, after he returned from the injury, he seemed so hesitant to take players on. They say it takes time to trust your body to do certain actions again. I'd hoped a season in Germany would help him rediscover his earlier promise but seems like he just needs more time, away from the spotlight, to rebuild his confidence and career.
Fulham is a good choice for him. It's local, he doesn't have to move away from his family, he knows Willian really well. I wish him all the best. But yeah, it's a sad tale.
No. That squad is what chelsea needs. They may only just buy Caicedo/lavia and kudus. Pochettino seems to be putting a lot of trust in youth and also players that hasn't really performed up to the appropriate standards. It may bite him later on, if they don't make such needed inclusion into the squad