Wasted talent?

[Scooby Blue]

Does anybody agree or disagree with any players mentioned in this article?

http://www.imscouting.com/global-news-article/West-Hams-Scott-Parker-heads-top-five-wasted-talents-at-Chelsea/10721/

I don't feel any player has been exactly wasted by the club. We've had an extremely competitive squad since Roman came along and if you don't take your chances/cut it, then it's easy to be considered a failure.

Veron never discovered his form in this country with either Manure or ouselves. SWP showed in dribs and drabs that he had the quality but consistancy let him down.

Think they must have been struggling to name five with the inclusions of Duff and Robben.

[The Moos]

I disagree with most players, if not all.

Parker wasn't good enough for us then and I don't think he's good enough now. He's the kind of player that can lift a minor team or possibly even a mid-table team, but he's only a reserve for us.

Sweepy is a bit like Walcott - all he's got is speed. I think that he might have been able to do a bit more in Carlos Chelsea compared to Josés team, but I'd still not replace anyone in our current team with him.

Not really wasted if you ask me.

Veron was wasted, yes, but not by Chelsea. He was brilliant when he signed for ManU but there he was kinda crap. The mere fact that we actually paid money to get him is more shameful than our signing of Shevchenko (which incidentaly would be more appropriate to have on the list than most of these players).

Duff and Robben were good players who helped us alot. Hardly wasted.

Duff was very useful for us and even though he didn't score loads of goals he contributed in other aspects.

Robben might be considered wasted seeing as he was injured all the time, but can you really blame Chelsea for that? It wasn't our players who injured Robben.

[dkw]

Duff and Robben? f**king idiots.

[Mikstaw]

Robben is a wasted talent?? BULLsh*t!!!

Edited September 22, 2010 by Mikstaw

[TheWestwayWonder]

Ridiculous list, and a very silly and shortsighted take on things. Qualification seems to be "If you once played for Chelsea, and are now regarded as halfway decent."

Good lord, talk about oversimplifcations! Veron, SWP and Parker are fair game. Veron was out of his depth, and Chelsae bailed MUFC out by buying him. SWP and Parker were promising talents the club took a shot on, and in the case of SWP egregiously overpaid, but yes, they were wastes of money, and went nowhere in West London. Parker and SWP's main problem was not being good enough to make it at a club fighting for major honors. I would say that is still absolutely true.

But the other two you have mentioned were integral to 5 major honors, namely 2 league titles, in 3 years. Duff played and scored in some of the biggest games Chelsea played during that time, and this was when he had to push his way into the first team past Joe Cole at his absolute apex, and Robben who was the club's best winger. He was sold to give him the benefit of first team play, not because the club wanted rid, and the fact that he is performing for a team like Fulham does not mean he would break into Chelsea's first 11. Look at his time at Newcastle! He looked like a shadow of his former self. Same goes for Parker (is he really in the England reckoning? Or has he just found his level?) in that regard. The fact that he is the talisman for a team sure to be relegated has no relevance to him being able to make it at Chelsea. If that were the case, why isnt Carlton Cole on the list?

Robben has to be the worst inclusion. For three years, this guy set the Premier League on fire when he was fit. Dont let the fact that he is now Bayern's offensive focal point make you believe that he has somehow evolved into a far greater talent. He was a fabulous player for Chelsea, when fit. In his pomp he could not be stopped (think back to 2005/6 @ Highbury). His terrible attitude and constant injuries (both of which are sadly still problems he faces) forced the club into selling him, and I would say Chelsea did pretty well there. His talent mustve been pretty clear to make Real Madrid move for him and pay almost 30 million GBP for him. Both he and Duff are talents that were, perhaps, allowed to leave too soon. Not at all wasted, or some undiscovered gem that Chelsea were too stupid to notice.

As far as truly wasted talent at Chelsea during the Abramovich era, the name MUTU stands out above all.

That was my reply

[Scooby Blue]

Nicely put

I think we're all singing from the same hymn sheet as far as Robben and Duff are concerned.

Mutu is an interesting one to add. His own self indulgence spelt the end for him.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Scooby Blue

[PloKoon13]

Having Robben and Duff on the list is entirely ludicrous considering they played [arguably] the best football of their careers with us and helped us towards two richly-deserved league titles.

Veron is hardly 'wasted talent' considering he was complete sh*te at both Man Utd and Chelsea. It's not as if he was up-and-coming either.

SWP doesn't have any talent to waste. The fact that Kalou at his worst was kept over him says a lot.

[Spiller86]

Wow, the wing play of Duff and Robben (also Joey to a lesser extent) was one of the great things about our first season under Jose. The goal that Duff scored against Barca that famous night still sends chills down my spine. They were excellent servants and when injuries had robbed them of their best we sold them off. Doesn't sound like a waste to me.

Parker circa 2010 might have been useful against Newcastle in the holding role last night. His raw energy, leadership and determination are great assets in a footballer. Reminds me a little of Dennis Wise nowadays. But I'm not sure he ever would have become that player had he stayed with us, so wasted talent? Only in the fact that he plays for the spammers.

SWP and Veron I can go along and I agree with Mutu as well, might I add Lassana Diarra to the list. Not sure if we sold him at a profit (I remember we didn't buy him for much), but he's a damn good player these days, if only he could have had a better attitude and dealt with the realities of the squad he might have been a useful asset.

[mbh]

Parker = big fish, little pond, not big fish in big pond.

SWP = the same as Parker, can not cut it with other big players.

Veron = just could not cut the EPL, simples.

Duff

........ = both where assets to Chelsea, contributed so much to our title winning teams, the author is a joker.

Robben

[Mikstaw]

I agree. Duff and Robben gave us much help to win two league titles.

[bluegraham]

duff and robben when they both played chelsea were awesome, duff will never win what he won at chelsea we made damien duff not our fault he was,nt happy being being a squad player. ou this list is shocking t of the list robben is the only one to go on and win a major throphy.

[superdan]

When it comes to failed transfers these are my 3 criteria

1. bought for lots of money and did nothing as a player

2. sold for a (large?) loss

3. peaked after they were sold

To be a real failure they would have to meet 2 of those criteria

There are a few players I can think of that fit in category number 1 but I think our managers have been reasonably shrewd.

There are a few that fit into category 2 but some because we paid too much for them originally, some because they were old, some because Chelsea often let olders players move on amicably (such as Hasselbaink and Duff) rather than trying to cash in.

I can't think of many recently who fit into category 3.

Oh and that original list isn't even worth discussion