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Xabi Alonso - New Chelsea Manager

axman2526 said:
Quenda will be more of a concern next season. This is his first season in the PL so less minutes as he adapts to the league is understandable.
Estevao has had a year already and is a star for his national team already to boot. Alonso has to figure it out soon or I fear he will leave. He can get game time elsewhere.
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Needs to figure it out before the Jan market, or he will most likely demand a move. Game was already over at the 70th min, but he didn’t bring him on till the 84th min. It also isn’t the first time this has happened.
 
True Blue23 said:
I disagree with the notion that you can either handle the PL physicality from day one or will struggle...
Basically every youngster struggles with the physicality in the beginning and then there are prominent examples who came to the PL and struggled big time with the physicality, but then turned out to be amazing like eg Salah.

Also Quenda has played 20 odds minutes in the PL so far. Way too early to judge him on how he'll handle the physicality. Whereas Estevao deals with the physicality just fine imo.

Now I still agree with you that the likelihood they don't make it is higher than that they will, but that's just because it's hard to break through and Palmer and Rogers are not exactly easy to displace.
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Im all in favour of giving youth a chance, certainly want stevo to make his mark. Quenda is 12 months behind him imo...
but, you have outlined the age old problem of players ahead of them in the pecking order, as seen with KDB/ Salah. Will they get enough minutes to keep them happy? (think Alonso is a decent manager and will give them time, but will the players give Chelsea enough time.
 
Sconnie Blue said:
Gusto coming on for Palmer instead of Quenda really did a number on my mood.
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I know he gets a lot of stick, but think its not a bad move tbh. I see these decisions and think its part of a longer term process, ie getting players used to closing out games, and tweaks to the on field formation. For many of his sins, and being adaptable is one of them, he isnt bad at being an overlapping fullback and getting crosses in. just dont stick him in the centre of the pitch in midfield or defence and I think hes a different player. Anyhow, with us until January or beyond, but he has a battle with Palestra to deal with.
 
bluelightening said:
Will be amazed if either become regular first team players for us.
simply put, you can either cut the premier league physicality from day one, or you struggle. The other option/ type of player is that you are so good in other areas of the game you dont need to worry about the physicality/ pace of the league... Not seeing enough on either end of the spectrum and will be amazed if either become regular first team players for us. Having said that, Pedro looks like he's finding another level to his game so still hope and time for Stevo and Quenda
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This make no sense. Forget estevao who is a kid, it is quite known that PL is the most physical league in the world. Unless you are a physical specimen most foreign player need to time to adapt.
 
Bob stark said:
This make no sense. Forget estevao who is a kid, it is quite known that PL is the most physical league in the world. Unless you are a physical specimen most foreign player need to time to adapt.
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Most dont adapt to the physicality. There are more players who fail to adapt to the league than make it both as youngsters and as senior pros. See Pedro Poro at Tottenham, Latin American player who looks gash every time he steps on the field yet Barcelona are after him. Veron was another, our Own Crespo couldnt settle here, the list is long. Remember Di Santo, a player signed as a promising teen like most of our purchases, the next Crespo, ended up in lower leagues in UK and europe.

If you cant do the physicality of the league, then you need to be able to rise above it. ie, you have to have skills that mean you dont require to be imposing or strong, folk on here name dropped Le tissier the other day. A guy who couldnt run, wasnt that fit yet had skills to turn and win games all on his own.

now, Do Quendea and stevo have that level of ability? Not shown anything like enough for me yet. They may well get there but they're not Rooney levels of ability and physicality, he was 16 and looked like a tank, broke through 3 years younger than the "next Neymar" Estevao. Micheal owen had more pace than anyone else so didnt need physicality or stregnth etc etc etc...
 
bluelightening said:
Most dont adapt to the physicality. There are more players who fail to adapt to the league than make it both as youngsters and as senior pros. See Pedro Poro at Tottenham, Latin American player who looks gash every time he steps on the field yet Barcelona are after him. Veron was another, our Own Crespo couldnt settle here, the list is long. Remember Di Santo, a player signed as a promising teen like most of our purchases, the next Crespo, ended up in lower leagues in UK and europe.

If you cant do the physicality of the league, then you need to be able to rise above it. ie, you have to have skills that mean you dont require to be imposing or strong, folk on here name dropped Le tissier the other day. A guy who couldnt run, wasnt that fit yet had skills to turn and win games all on his own.

now, Do Quendea and stevo have that level of ability? Not shown anything like enough for me yet. They may well get there but they're not Rooney levels of ability and physicality, he was 16 and looked like a tank, broke through 3 years younger than the "next Neymar" Estevao. Micheal owen had more pace than anyone else so didnt need physicality or stregnth etc etc etc...
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Crespo does not belong in this list. Absolute gem of a striker who showed it in spades on the pitch in the PL. His settling issues were off field ...
 
I think too much is made of the PL physicality. Yes, it is a big factor and many modern day coaches are obsessed with physical specimen type players. But if you're good enough, you will make it. But there is so much more than just being a talented player. So much of the game is mental and being able to overcome nerves. We have all played with players who run rings round team mates in training, but put them in a big game and they freeze. A player like Cole Palmer sums it up for me. He isn't that physical. Not that quick. But he has the skill & ability and just as important, the mind-set to just go out there and do his stuff and not be effected by the occasion.
 
Sexyfootball said:
Crespo does not belong in this list. Absolute gem of a striker who showed it in spades on the pitch in the PL. His settling issues were off field ...
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He absolutely does. Wasnt with us long enough, he was class, but was his wife who couldnt handle london? Either way, he nor his wife settled in UK.
 
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30 games, 10 goals, 2 assists, one season. Great player on his day but nothign special and only scored one goal against 1 top 4 side at home V Liverpool, the rest of his goals came against lower half/relegation teams. Couldnt handle the physicality of being under his partners thumb... couldnt handle life in UK and left.
 
Gritty win today. Everton were very aggressive and withstood the challenge well.

Finally a clean sheet that I'm sure will please the gaffer. The additions of Caicedo and Henderson since the international break have made a huge difference to us in defence.
 
I started to question the faith when we lost against Brentford but the past 2 wins were reassuring.

The problem that I see now is the club may relax and not look for CBs and CMs. Does Xabi let Colwell develop further or does he immediately want a CB to chase trophies? Henderson has a max 1.5 years at this level but benching him immediately once we get a good CM will take out some possible goalscoring avenues from the midfield
 
Had the team well prepared and read the moments in the game well. Confidence inspiring win for all today with a solid team performance. Likely thrilled with clean sheet also.

Want to see the gap between our good performances, like Bournemouth, and poor games like Brentford, close. Today was a good step in that direction, raising our bar and expectations. Keep building.
 
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