its frustrating to see that bloody 18yr old alex oxlade-chamberlain lead the comeback against villa for arsenal . . yet our 20yr olds need a couple of seasons to even get a chance. especially since i dont think chamberlain is any better than kdb

I share that frustration. How is Meireles better than Josh? Anyway, the reason KDB is not playing with us this season is because it's a condition Genk have put in the deal. They probably want to qualify for CL next year and need him. Probably the case anyways.

I share that frustration. How is Meireles better than Josh? Anyway, the reason KDB is not playing with us this season is because it's a condition Genk have put in the deal. They probably want to qualify for CL next year and need him. Probably the case anyways.

i realize that, but i feel a couple of millions more would bring him here now. this team needs some kind of change. since ive made peace with us not signing anyone till summer ive unjustifiably put my hopes on piazon on making that change.

i realize that, but i feel a couple of millions more would bring him here now. this team needs some kind of change. since ive made peace with us not signing anyone till summer ive unjustifiably put my hopes on piazon on making that change.

Chelsea is in a state of denial it seems. We have a stable of players we believe are good enough to win trophies when that is clearly not the case. We have young players waiting to start developing into stars but we won't give them a chance because we believe it will hurt our chances at this delusion of winning something now.

We seem to be content with sinking with the older players rather than sinking and developing at the same time. And who knows, maybe a combination of the older players with some younger ones would be the correct formula right now.

We'll never know.

Chelsea is in a state of denial it seems. We have a stable of players we believe are good enough to win trophies when that is clearly not the case. We have young players waiting to start developing into stars but we won't give them a chance because we believe it will hurt our chances at this delusion of winning something now.

We seem to be content with sinking with the older players rather than sinking and developing at the same time. And who knows, maybe a combination of the older players with some younger ones would be the correct formula right now.

We'll never know.

Your right, what we should have done is let elder players leave (ahem Anelka, Alex , more this summer) while bringing in young, hungry players to start integrating (Luiz, Ramires, Mata, Cahill, Sturridge)...Shame we didn`t do any of that though...

Your right, what we should have done is let elder players leave (ahem Anelka, Alex , more this summer) while bringing in young, hungry players to start integrating (Luiz, Ramires, Mata, Cahill, Sturridge)...Shame we didn`t do any of that though...

That's right. I mean hanging on to Ballack, Belletti, Carvalho, Deco and Joe Cole was our way of saying we have no intention of bringing down the average age of the squad.

EDIT: And how Romeu, Courtois, Piazon and de Bruyne are supposed to help rejuvenate the squad is anyone's guess.

Edited January 30, 201214 yr by Backbiter

That's right. I mean hanging on to Ballack, Belletti, Carvalho, Deco and Joe Cole was our way of saying we have no intention of bringing down the average age of the squad.

Didnt happen mate, we dreamt all that.

EDIT: And how Romeu, Courtois, Piazon and de Bruyne are supposed to help rejuvenate the squad is anyone's guess.

out of those 4 players only 1 has played for the 1st team

I seem to remember several people making similar negative comments when we signed Ramires and more derogatory comments followed for 6 months after (rather like those being levelled at Meireles). Several of those people are the same as those making negative comments here. I really hope KDB shoves your comments up your arses in much the same way as Ramires has done!

I don't think people here or most of them anyway are saying KDB is not good enough. Frankly, he is a 20 year old kid from Belgium that really nobody has seen much of so jury is still out. And if I am not mistaken I believe Genk last summer were looking for a lot more from him. I seem to remember 15M but could be completely wrong...

I think the point of criticism is that he is not improving our squad now, as in this season... Has nothing to do with KDB from what I am reading. But if everyone wants to throw around insults, so be it...

I think when AVB says that he is not HIS signing, all he is saying is that it was decided before he got there. He is also saying that KDB is not a player that will be part of his immediate plans. He did also say though that it was the right decision to buy him.

I think AVB is pretty clearly saying he doesn't rate Tintin and wouldn't have bought him. This is AVB playing semi-hardball politics. AVB has his own brand to worry about, and he doesn't want it smirched by what he thinks is a bad purchase.

I despair of the club's schizoid transfer policy. The boys in the back who make these decisions have repeatedly proven themselves incompetent. Yet Roman still trusts them.

I don't think people here or most of them anyway are saying KDB is not good enough.

I'll say it. Tintin is not good enough.

If he proves me wrong I'll admit it. Don't think that day is coming, though.

I seem to remember several people making similar negative comments when we signed Ramires and more derogatory comments followed for 6 months after (rather like those being levelled at Meireles). Several of those people are the same as those making negative comments here. I really hope KDB shoves your comments up your arses in much the same way as Ramires has done!

Count me out.

I've always seen the strenghts of Ramires' game. He was unpolished but even when raw he was very useful.

And I'll be delighted if Tintin shoves something up my arse. If you know what I mean.

I don't think people here or most of them anyway are saying KDB is not good enough. Frankly, he is a 20 year old kid from Belgium that really nobody has seen much of so jury is still out. And if I am not mistaken I believe Genk last summer were looking for a lot more from him. I seem to remember 15M but could be completely wrong...

I think the point of criticism is that he is not improving our squad now, as in this season... Has nothing to do with KDB from what I am reading. But if everyone wants to throw around insults, so be it...

Agreed. I think we're all just a bit worried about top 4, so it's difficult to get too excited about a future prospect. Also, our midfield will probably consist of malouda, meireles and romeu :S

I think AVB is pretty clearly saying he doesn't rate Tintin and wouldn't have bought him. This is AVB playing semi-hardball politics. AVB has his own brand to worry about, and he doesn't want it smirched by what he thinks is a bad purchase.

I despair of the club's schizoid transfer policy. The boys in the back who make these decisions have repeatedly proven themselves incompetent. Yet Roman still trusts them.

Well all of that is very wrong. theres nothing at all to show avb clearly doesnt rate him, he actually had high praise for him when he played against his porto side. I'm not sure where you get her clearly doesn't rated him from.

1.So you dont want us to sign Hazard then? Or anyone from any league other than Spain, Italy or England? De Bruyne wasnt an AVB signing but I would expect he was given a run down on young players we are following before he arrived at the club, and as he had previously praised De Bruyne when he played against AVB`s Porto I except he was quite happy with it.

2.Stoch wasnt good enough for Chelsea,

3.Tore maybe but wasnt willing to stay and fight his way into the first team and decided to leave, what should we have done, held him against his will? the spoiled thing is aimed at people who maon we never sign young up and coming players, then when we do moan they don`t look good enough on youtube, or football manager or whatever and write him off before weve even bloody signed him because they havent really heard of him.

4. As for our youth development, its no different to any other top team now, you have to be exceptional to break through and unfortunately none of ours have been better than the players ahead of them, simple as that.

1. I meant the Belgian League, not Belgians in general, and actually I don't really want to sign Hazard, he is overhyped and overpriced.

2. I seem to remember Miro only having one match here, I also remember him putting in a ripper of a cross that played a part in Frank Lampard getting us a winner after being 1-0 down to Stoke at home.

3. There is no suggestion Tore asked to leave.

4. I think it is quite different. List the players at United, Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich who have gotten a chance recently. Now list the players at Chelsea. You shouldn't have to be better than Frank Lampard to get 15 minutes of first team off the bench regularly to integrate yourself.

A big part of why youth players don't end up working out here is manager tenure, but another big part is because we spend silly sums on 20 year olds who put further obstacles in the way, and reduce the incentives to actually get ahead at youth level. The best you can do in the Chelsea youth system right now is go on loan and if that works out score a transfer somewhere else. Why would you come here, if you can go to Arsenal or United and know if you do well, you'll get a chance in the first team to show your wares. Why would you go the extra mile when Kevin De Bruyne is coming in, with no virtues other than the fact he has shined in an ordinary league (I don't for a second buy that he was anywhere near quality when he played us) because he got an opportunity.

If we're going to wean ourself off spending and become a self-sufficient club, we would do well to actually start giving our own players a go, rather than spending money (33 million this year by the way on Davilla, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Piazon) on players who will similarly need a lot of work to become solid first teamers. If we're spending money it should be on players who can contribute right away and let our own young players have the chances to fill in the gaps.

_{I hope he works out and gets a chance in 18 months time if he is to be loaned out or 1 & 1/2 seasons. He was by far one of Genk's better players in the CL matches, but overall they were a championship level side at best.}

_{The worrying issue to me is not whether he is good, bad or average or a good fit at Chelsea but is that the current manager didnt choose him. Can you see any player being brought in at Scum Utd., Dippers, Gooners, City or even Spuds without the manager's selection involvement & approval ?}

_{Think its a unwise way for a TOP football club board to run a transfer policy. Looks like each of the managers since Mourinho have got to pick some players and have had others picked for them, obviously we will never know for sure which fall under which category and in all fairness a lot of the players have worked out. I just think it undermines the manager and makes his position weaker in the set up and ulimatley harms his standing in the eyes of a bunch of top players on silly wages with massive egos to boot.}

Well all of that is very wrong. theres nothing at all to show avb clearly doesnt rate him, he actually had high praise for him when he played against his porto side. I'm not sure where you get her clearly doesn't rated him from.

If AVB distanced himself any further from the deal, he'd have to stop training with the senior team and lose his parking spot. Here's his roaring endorsement:

"You have to speak to the people from the club about that."

"It's club policy. It's not within my immediate projects. He's a player the club has scouted for some time. I'm a manager who respects club policy."

I mean, how much more blatant does he need to be?

Why don't you put what else he said about looking forward too working with him in the future.

On the whole Stoch and Klose dea, remember we were with a squad that won the double at that time when they could either move on or stay and fight. WE didn't need them back then so they moved on. Again our Academy produced a couple of good kids that have gone on to other teams and done well.

No harm I say. Also, in the grand scheme of things, 8 million for a promising young kid isn't the end of the world.

I don't think we had a right winger beyond Kalou in that team even then though; then again I'm not sure Carlo Ancelotti ever played anyone on the wing at any point of his time in charge of us...

Glad to hear we have another tricky young forward on the books - I look forward to seeing him and Sturridge flanking Lukaku in our 'XI of the future'.

By the way, how do you pronounce his name? My best guess is De Broo-een.

By the way, how do you pronounce his name? My best guess is De Broo-een.

I think its Ke-vin......

I don't think we had a right winger beyond Kalou in that team even then though; then again I'm not sure Carlo Ancelotti ever played anyone on the wing at any point of his time in charge of us...

Glad to hear we have another tricky young forward on the books - I look forward to seeing him and Sturridge flanking Lukaku in our 'XI of the future'.

By the way, how do you pronounce his name? My best guess is De Broo-een.

Yeah it was more that Carlo was manager then and even the youth team were training in a diamond formation. they must have seen that wasn't their game and left.

I think they say it like Scot's folk say Brown. Broo-en

It will be Keveeeeen de Brueeeeene ! (with a sharp u sound)

its something like de broineh

Why don't you put what else he said about looking forward too working with him in the future.

I could. But then I'd also have to post that he "hopes" he can get him up to the required standard.

Perhaps I'm wrong. But it's odd for a manager to distance himself like this from a player he wants to buy.