Re-watch the penalty shoot-out against Bayern on 19/05; for me that says it all.

We would be mad to replace Cech with that arrogant upstart Courtois, no matter how amazing he is.

Arrogant is exactly what he appears to be.

The debate is all about whether Courtois should replace Cech. The one factor we don't actually know is how Cech feels about his own career and more importantly his health. He is the one who is now having to wear a head guard permanently during matches, he may have already let the club know how long he intends to continue before retirement. The rest may be press speculation, doing what journalists do best, making a story out of nothing. Whatever the outcome we will have a top class keeper.  

Yes he has and he's still quality...but we had same decision with cudicini as we have now...that worked out rather well...as I said earlier in this thread, it's a tough decision and very harsh on cech, but courtois is the future

 

Petr is at another level to Carlo though. If they played any other position on the park you would be desperately trying to fit them into another spot. Sadly you can't do that with keepers.

Petr is at another level to Carlo though. If they played any other position on the park you would be desperately trying to fit them into another spot. Sadly you can't do that with keepers.

 

Maybe, but only in retrospect can we make that conclusion. Cech was a promising yet relative unknown who had only "proven" himself at Rennes in the poor French League. Cudicini was arguably the best keeper in the EPL at the time. It would essentially be like Courtois coming straight from Genk to replace Cech. We've had the added benefit of watching him mature on loan as a crucial part of one of the greatest managerial success stories in recent years. 

 

The only issue I have with losing Cech is that, in Lampard, Mata and Cech, we are likely to have lost three of the most dignified people to ever grace the blue shirt. Probably doesn't mean a lot to most fans but for me club culture and sportsmanship are just as important as winning and losing Cech would feel like another shift towards a faceless winning machine.

not sure what you mean by the 'faceless winning machine' comment...we have to move on at some point...new favourites will always emerge, that's the nature of the game...cech, like mata and lamps, is a great ambassador for the club, very intelligent and given his all...don't want my views to come across as a lack of respect, but if courtois did become no.1, I'm sure he'd be loved soon enough

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by The Brit

Courtis does seem rather arrogant.

 losing Cech would feel like another shift towards a faceless winning machine.

What do you mean by that?

Out of all the threads we have on this board this one drives me the most mad. The Torres one doesnt bother me, the Mikel one doesnt bother me, even the stupid rumours that people make up dont bother me (that much) but this one drives me mental.

 

I actually like this thread. I think some good points have been made on both sides. The Torres and Mikel threads are horrible, if either of them have a good or bad game those 2 threads get another 50 pointless posts.

Not having a go, but Did you think this scott when cudicini was first choice and cech turned up

 

At the time i was annoyed because i really liked Cudicini, but i think the circumstances are different to what they are now. Players were coming in left, right and centre, any Chelsea player that was around before Roman Abramovich was lucky to survive at the club. I don't think a decision like that would have been made if Abramovic wasn't here. So because i don't feel the circumstances are the same, i can't view it the same way as the Cech and Courtois situation

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Scott Harris

Carlo was a good keeper, I'll even go as far to say very good.. but chec is a world class keeper and it's a very easy argument to make in terms of him being the best in the world.. he is easily top 3 in Prem history and he doesn't look less a player now then at any time he has been with us

ha ha, well dodged scott ...I remember when cech came and I was on cudicini's side...felt very sorry for him, but cech proved by his performances that it was right to move on...that's one of the reasons why I'm backing courtois on this issue...given the chance, I reckon he will do the same...

 

I believe Courtois, given his three years at atletico, is a better keeper at 21 than cech was

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by The Brit

not sure what you mean by the 'faceless winning machine' comment...we have IIIto move on at some point...new favourites will always emerge, that's the nature of the game...cech, like mata and lamps, is a great ambassador for the club, very intelligent and given his all...don't want my views to come across as a lack of respect, but if courtois did become no.1, I'm sure he'd be loved soon enough

Brit, not relevant to this quote but you mentioned the awards he won in Spain..I'm not sure it's always the beat argument.. let's take degea for example, Prem keeper of the year last season

True barak...but it's a good indication of where he is right now...plus watching the champions league game last night, he kept atletico in it on his own in the first half...shows he can perform in the big games

So what are going to do in 2 or 3 years time when eventually cech won't be good enough anymore? Go out and spend another sh*t load of money on a keeper? We all love cech but if he isn't willing to be a back up to courtois ( and why should he) then it is time to say thanks for the memories and goodbye. We have one of the best young keepers in the business at our disposal and to not use him would be frankly embarassing. 

 thanks for the memories and goodbye.

 

Comments like this make me irrationally annoyed.

Comments like this make me irrationally annoyed.

Why?

It just sounds so crass. Like the faceless machine Sydney was talking about.

 

Yeah you helped us win 3 premier leagues, a couple Fa cups, a League Cup and 2 european trophies (one being the champions league) but there is some kid who has "potential" to be better so cheers and thanks for the memories.

 

Just sounds wrong. I'd keep Cech til he decided to hang up his gloves or ACTUALLY started losing it which he has shown no sign of doing. Legend of this club that doesn't deserve to get tossed out early like yesterdays newspaper for the next big thing.

 

Call me sentimental. But so many people point out Cech's good points then disregard it immediately in the same breath when talking about cortouis' "potential", a a player who has no connection to the club bar the club name on his contract.

 

I get it, people want to be logical and disregard all sentimentality but it's disheartening how quick and easy it has come to some people in this situation.

 

People say this choice is a win win but every outcome has a crap side.

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Stim

so many people point out Cech's good points then disregard it immediately in the same breath when talking about cortouis' "potential",

 

courtois is a lot more than "potential". he is one of the best goalkeepers in the world at 21. 

It just sounds so crass. Like the faceless machine Sydney was talking about.

 

Yeah you helped us win 3 premier leagues, a couple Fa cups, a League Cup and 2 european trophies (one being the champions league) but there is some kid who has "potential" to be better so cheers and thanks for the memories.

 

Just sounds wrong. I'd keep Cech til he decided to hang up his gloves or ACTUALLY started losing it which he has shown no sign of doing. Legend of this club that doesn't deserve to get tossed out early like yesterdays newspaper for the next big thing.

 

Call me sentimental. But so many people point out Cech's good points then disregard it immediately in the same breath when talking about cortouis' "potential", a a player who has no connection to the club bar the club name on his contract.

 

I get it, people want to be logical and disregard all sentimentality but it's disheartening how quick and easy it has come to some people in this situation.

 

People say this choice is a win win but every outcome has a crap side.

 

I actually agree with this. As much as I think Courtois is a better keeper now and will be better for a long, long time, I will be really sad to see Cech go. Hes been a vital cog in the most successful era of the club and a true legend of the club. Hope he we do right by him and he retires here.

I don't rate Cortouis higher than Cech. Cech's proven himself on all the biggest stages.

Courtis does seem rather arrogant.

Relevance?

It just sounds so crass. Like the faceless machine Sydney was talking about.

 

Yeah you helped us win 3 premier leagues, a couple Fa cups, a League Cup and 2 european trophies (one being the champions league) but there is some kid who has "potential" to be better so cheers and thanks for the memories.

 

Just sounds wrong. I'd keep Cech til he decided to hang up his gloves or ACTUALLY started losing it which he has shown no sign of doing. Legend of this club that doesn't deserve to get tossed out early like yesterdays newspaper for the next big thing.

 

Call me sentimental. But so many people point out Cech's good points then disregard it immediately in the same breath when talking about cortouis' "potential", a a player who has no connection to the club bar the club name on his contract.

 

I get it, people want to be logical and disregard all sentimentality but it's disheartening how quick and easy it has come to some people in this situation.

 

People say this choice is a win win but every outcome has a crap side.

Not going to win anything by being sentimental in football. I think he actually has showed signs of "losing it" so far this season. The west brom home game and away games stick out for me. I know all keepers are going to make mistakes and they get pointed out more because they are the last line of defence but there becoming more and more regular with cech. He is still one of if not the best keeper in the premier league but in my opinion from what I've seen of courtois he is just as good if not already better than cech and he's only 21.

 

Cech also had no connection to the club before he was given his chance to play here so I don't see your point there. He didn't come through the ranks or support chelsea.

 

I've always believed loyalty and sentimentality ( is that a word?) is a 2 way thing so if we were to say to cech will you be number 2 to courtois will he be sentimental and say yes? I doubt it!

Edited February 20, 201412 yr by Bluehatter

http://www.squawka.com/news/2014/02/19/cech-vs-courtois/2014021971352 

 

 

Interesting article on the comparisons of each.

Not going to win anything by being sentimental in football. 

This is what it comes down to. I don't think Roman really cares about sentimental feel in the long run and he seems to have made enough good business decisions over the past years to bring the club success.

Although, in my opinion, Courtois is marginally better than Cech at shot stopping, our way forward has to lie in Cech's hands. He has been an absolute legend for us and still plays at an incredibly high level. If he decides that it is time to potentially give Courtois a chance and take a back seat, then and only then, should it happen. I'm sure that he can see the merits and demerits of either outcome and seems to have the intelligence and love for the club to take a rational decision. We don't want to be a cutthroat business where only winning matters. Of course, if his levels drop dramatically, it is another story but that hasn't happened yet. I'm sure Jose will talk it out with him before coming to a decision.

 

I still think Courtois is marginally better and voted for him.