Never once been impressed with Josh to be honest, while in comparison, Ake and Loftus Cheek both looked good in the last week.

 

Not Once?!!! Jesus, you can't have seen him play many times.

 

As much as I rate Ake, Loftus-Cheek doesn't look all that to be honest. With him I think the clues in the name - expect him to end up at QPR.....................!!

Well spotted G3.7 I wondered if anyone would remember !!

 

I actually think that Josh is the next Gael Kakuta

Not Once?!!! Jesus, you can't have seen him play many times.

 

As much as I rate Ake, Loftus-Cheek doesn't look all that to be honest. With him I think the clues in the name - expect him to end up at QPR.....................!!

 

 

Nibs you miss the point...... NOBODY has seen Josh play many times. Unless of course you live in Stockton on Tees.

Never once been impressed with Josh to be honest, while in comparison, Ake and Loftus Cheek both looked good in the last week.

 

 

Just Sayin'

Good spot G3.7 and although I very nearly took the bait, I managed to stay calm and rise above it.  

 

I’ve said more than enough on young Josh and I don’t want to go on again but I will!). I still stand by what I’ve always maintained. He is special and he is the best passer of a football we have at the entire club. But I do appreciate he hasn’t kicked on as we would have hoped and I think there are many reasons for that. AVB handled him terribly. After he was one of our best performers in pre-season and following on from his good showings under Ancelotti, AVB put him on the bench for just about every game from August until January and I think he might have got on the pitch once. That is demoralising for a youngster and a total waste of a season – especially when he was then sent to Swansea where Rodgers decided not to use him as he had such an established side by then.

 

He started brilliantly at Boro but has been playing through an ankle injury and it’s hard for any player to shine in a struggling side when not 100% fit. I’ll admit he doesn’t dominate games like I hoped he would do by now (like Wilshere does), but I think his confidence has been hit. Despite the celebrity girlfriend (which might also be a factor), he’s clearly a very shy and quiet lad and that won’t help his cause. I’ve seen it plenty of times at all levels of football – the quiet lads who by their very nature don’t cause a fuss and don’t speak up for themselves, it just makes it easier for coaches to not give them a fair crack.

 

He’s still only 20 with plenty of time on his side but that said, the clock is ticking, especially on his career at Chelsea. Not sure if Mourinho is the ideal appointment for Josh (or any of our youngsters for that matter) but all we can hope is that they are all assessed and he can see they are worth giving a fair chance to. At some point decisions have to be made on promising youngsters – you cannot just lose the problems by loaning them to other clubs. As Dermot Drummy said, it’s all very well sending youngsters out on loan – it’s an important part of their development, but at some point they have to get a chance as you will never get an answer unless you actually play them. In Josh’s case, he never looked out of place when he did play for the first team, in fact in a couple of those matches he was the best player on the pitch, despite the fact he was only 17.

 

It’s still my hope that we see both Nat & Josh feature for both Chelsea and England for many years to come.

 

 

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best passer at the club!

 

jesus nibs you do go overboard when we get english midfielders who play in a continental way. 

 

which by the way, is what chalobah is. I think his size has blinded you to his style.

I think his size has blinded you to his style.

 

That won't be the first time that's happened to Nibs.

Maybe someone who watches the Championship regularly can help me a little bit here. Obviously Chalobah is a very talented lad with a fearsome shot on him but how developed are the fundamentals of his game; passing, defensive positioning, tackling, awareness, those kinds of things? Have they improved since the start of last season?

I haven't seen that much of this season, but from what I have seen and from what Ive read his passing is very good, he can spray long passes all around the field. His positioning is pretty good and he's got a good footballing brain. Still plenty of room for improvement of course, but the signs are good so far. Hoping he has a stormer this afternoon in the playoff final and Watford get promoted

Need to go out on loan for another year after what I saw in the playoffs against Crystal Palace today.

Yeah he def needs to go out on another loan. Hopefully to a premiership club

A real shame Watford did not make it up as he would have got Premier League football next season. He was not at a good enough level in today's game and was rightly taken off by Franco.

 

He might not be ready for the Prem yet.

Judging by the way Loftus Cheek played against City in America, we have two great young midfield prospects.

looks like the occasion got to him today (and no wonder - Wembley, promotion at stake)...But - you reckon he knew Jose was there? I can think of no other reason why jose and his assistant Rui Faria took in the game other than to see Chalobah and see if he's ready to be part of plans next season...neither club have players worth signing (with Zaha already signed by Man U)...sadly, me thinks Chalobah didn't pass his audition...

 

still he's a great prospect and another season on loan elsewhere will do him the world of good...I still think he can step up and be a Chelsea player

looks like the occasion got to him today (and no wonder - Wembley, promotion at stake)...But - you reckon he knew Jose was there? I can think of no other reason why jose and his assistant Rui Faria took in the game other than to see Chalobah and see if he's ready to be part of plans next season...neither club have players worth signing (with Zaha already signed by Man U)...sadly, me thinks Chalobah didn't pass his audition...

 

still he's a great prospect and another season on loan elsewhere will do him the world of good...I still think he can step up and be a Chelsea player

 

There to ask Franco to be his assistant next season (wishful thinking). 

 

I can't really get my head around Jose being at Wembley in truth, why would he need to go there to watch Chalobah? That's what the scouts are for to report in and also he would have plenty of time in pre-season to see what he is like as a player.

 

I just think Jose is on a wind up with Madrid in truth. 

There to ask Franco to be his assistant next season (wishful thinking). 

 

I can't really get my head around Jose being at Wembley in truth, why would he need to go there to watch Chalobah? That's what the scouts are for to report in and also he would have plenty of time in pre-season to see what he is like as a player.

 

I just think Jose is on a wind up with Madrid in truth. 

 

Why Not? He's probably heard the rave reviews about him and wanted to check him out first hand. Hopefully he will be off to watch the under 21 Euros as well where he can get to see both Nat & Josh!

Why Not? He's probably heard the rave reviews about him and wanted to check him out first hand. Hopefully he will be off to watch the under 21 Euros as well where he can get to see both Nat & Josh!

 

Do you not find it a slightly "odd" thing to do given that he is still Real Madrid's manager? 

Do you not find it a slightly "odd" thing to do given that he is still Real Madrid's manager? 

 

Well as Madrid have already announced they are parting compnay and as it seems 99% certain that he is coming back to Chelsea then I guess it looks good him watching a match involving one of our highly rated youngsters and one of the sides we will be playing next season.

Edited May 28, 201313 yr by Nibs

Well as Madrid have already announced they are parting compnay and as it seems 99% certain that he is coming back to Chelsea then I guess it looks good him watching a match involving one of our highly rated youngsters and one of the sides we will be playing next season.

 

Maybe, just seemed a very random game for him to be seen at to me. 

Maybe, just seemed a very random game for him to be seen at to me. 

What's so random about it? Like Nibs said, Chalobah was playing and he could scout on a future opponent.

What's so random about it? Like Nibs said, Chalobah was playing and he could scout on a future opponent.

 

Just because he hasn't even left Madrid yet and it's not official that he is coming back to Chelsea yet.

 

And there he was back in London watching two lower league teams playing to get promoted into the Premier League when he has his final Real game in 6 days time.

...there he was back in London watching two lower league teams playing to get promoted into the Premier League when he has his final Real game in 6 days time.

Jose still has an apartment in London and there's six whole days until his next match. It's not like he needs to meditate at Santiago Bernabeu for six days to get ready for the last match. He can take a day off.

Jose still has an apartment in London and there's six whole days until his next match. It's not like he needs to meditate at Santiago Bernabeu for six days to get ready for the last match. He can take a day off.

 

Just me then... I just thought it an odd game to go out of your way to watch.

 

Maybe he is getting end of season football withdrawal symptom like me, normally I wouldn't watch Palace Vs Watford but having no footie to watch for 2 months meant I did. 

Maybe someone who watches the Championship regularly can help me a little bit here. Obviously Chalobah is a very talented lad with a fearsome shot on him but how developed are the fundamentals of his game; passing, defensive positioning, tackling, awareness, those kinds of things? Have they improved since the start of last season?

 

If fundamentals you missed the one at the top of the tree - touch.  I've seen him play a couple of times and think technically he is very good.  Against Crystal Palace (which poses us with another derby) he wasn't great.  If anything I think he lacks stamina to make it to the end of games, tires and Zola has replaced him towards the end of matches  in the past.  Albeit lack of stamina may be because he's still developing physically.  Zola may have hit the nail on the head re mentality and the ability to prepare and approach games in a good physcological state, especially finals, could be an area for development imo, and it seems, Zola's. ;-)

He's doing a video diary for the FA while he's on tour with England

 

 

 

Top man.