I think Mourinho would have been happy to play Mata there if Oscar was out injured ot out of form but Oscar is clearly his chosen one in that position and you cannot keep a £37m player like Mata on the bench waiting for that eventuality.

So an option like Josh, IMO would be ideal.

 

If Oscar got injured he would likely played Willian there.

If Oscar got injured he would likely played Willian there.

 

But it's all about having alternatives. Of course Willian could play there and I'm sure others could too but if we want to start giving some of the products of our academy a chance, it would be good to see the likes of McEachran, Piazon, Swift......whoever, given a go. Not starting big matches but coming on for 30 minutes or so against the likes of Norwich & Cardiff etc. If they at least get some game time now and again and they don't step up at least we then know and can move them on.

Totally forgot he was playing today against man city

He's been playing well too.

just came on here as i'm not watching the game so i was hoping a few people would comment on how he's playing. good to hear he's doing well!

McEachran was totally anonymous today. The facile thing to add would be that he was playing against Toure, but to be quite honest he wasn't in the game either.

 

I know this was just one game, but is the penny ever going to drop with this kid?

Edited March 9, 201412 yr by Celery1989

Wasn't totally anonymous otherwise he wouldn't have lasted 65 mins. He had some good moments and some bad moments, which is perfectly fine for a young player facing Yaya Toure. 

Heard he dispossessed Aguerro at one point which drove twitter into near melt down stages.

no matter how well he plays in the Championship he's got a nice car

and is going out with the bird from Coronation Street. Thats how we measure footballers these days

I have been disappointed by his progress whenever he got a run out in the cups he played really well and everyone seemed to have a high opinion of his, I just can't see how he'll break into our squad let alone get minutes, don't really see him as a number ten especially with out wealth of attacking players. I think the other young players are a lot closer to having a Chelsea career (piazon, romeu,chalobah,van ginkel)

I can't see many youth players coming up and playing for Chelsea, even when they do well On loan they're not guaranteed to kick on

I think the other young players are a lot closer to having a Chelsea career (piazon, romeu,chalobah,van ginkel)

I can't see many youth players coming up and playing for Chelsea, even when they do well On loan they're not guaranteed to kick on

 

That's just it. We have Matic, Lampard, Ramires, Mikel, Luiz and Van Ginkel in the first team squad. Then you've got the likes of Chalobah and Romeu on loan who are definitely ahead of McEachran in the pecking order. Even Ake is further than McEachran in his Chelsea development. 

 

If I was McEachran I'd stop wasting my time and look for a permanent move to a midtable Premier League club, it's painfully obvious that he's not going to make it here I'm afraid. That said, I've wanted a Pirlo/Alonso/Xavi-esque 'Quarterback' in our midfield for some time and McEachran's got the perfect skillset for that role. Unfortunately, I don't think he's strong enough mentally to break into the Chelsea squad. 

 

Sorry, I know I'm rather blunt here, but I just get a bit fed up of having these young prospects hanging around on the books when they've been here for 4/5 years and clearly have no future. Kakuta immediately springs to mind.

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by Celery1989

That's just it. We have Matic, Lampard, Ramires, Mikel, Luiz and Van Ginkel in the first team squad. Then you've got the likes of Chalobah and Romeu on loan who are definitely ahead of McEachran in the pecking order. Even Ake is further than McEachran in his Chelsea development. 

 

If I was McEachran I'd stop wasting my time and look for a permanent move to a midtable Premier League club, it's painfully obvious that he's not going to make it here I'm afraid. That said, I've wanted a Pirlo/Alonso/Xavi-esque 'Quarterback' in our midfield for some time and McEachran's got the perfect skillset for that role. Unfortunately, I don't think he's strong enough mentally to break into the Chelsea squad. 

 

Sorry, I know I'm rather blunt here, but I just get a bit fed up of having these young prospects hanging around on the books when they've been here for 4/5 years and clearly have no future. Kakuta immediately springs to mind.

 

 

Agreed, but at some point the player has to make a decision for themselves.  If they truly believe that they are good enough to not be out on loan all the time, they should position themselves for a move somewhere permanent 

Never been a huge fan of Josh anyway, don't think hes good enough and i prefer Chalobah.

Never been a huge fan of Josh anyway, don't think hes good enough and i prefer Chalobah.

 

Same, I think Chalobah could be a star.

 

Another thing that annoys me about McEachran is that he appears to fit in perfectly with the new age of footballers who spend half their time on Twitter broadcasting their flashy lives. He'd be much better served hitting the gym in his spare time, look at how skinny he still is!

Same, I think Chalobah could be a star.

 

Another thing that annoys me about McEachran is that he appears to fit in perfectly with the new age of footballers who spend half their time on Twitter broadcasting their flashy lives. He'd be much better served hitting the gym in his spare time, look at how skinny he still is!

 

Chalobah is more of a Mourinho type player too, hope he gets a chance next season especially after what Mourinho said about him in pre season. I expect another loan though. I think Van Ginkel will go out on loan too.

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by jack_super_class

Chalobah is more of a Mourinho type player too, hope he gets a chance next season especially after what Mourinho said about him in pre season. I expect another loan though. I think Van Ginkel will go out on loan too.

 

I don't see Van Ginkel going on loan. I doubt Frank will still be around, Luiz may leave in the summer, which would leave us with 3 centremids. I don't think we have enough money to acquire any centre mids this summer given that we will need to spend £40million or so on a striker, and, if we're serious about him, £25million or so on Luke Shaw.

I had high, high hopes for Josh but ever since he went on loan to Swansea and failed to make a mark there I think the writing has been on the wall as far as his Chelsea career is concerned. 

 

I think it would be best for all parties to look for a permanent transfer, maybe a Spanish club if he's willing to make the move and I guess the club could look into the possibility of sticking a buy back clause in there.

 

Just for the record I mention selling to a Spanish club as a player of his skillset would thrive in that environment.

I think those with high hopes for Chalobah are going to be just as disappointed as some of us are re McEachran. Unfortunately his loans haven't really worked out this season and he too apears to have gone backwards.

 

We have to face it, unless our youngsters are absolutely exceptional, they have little chance of breaking into the first team.

We could always copy Juventus' approach with Pirlo, play a midfield three with McEachran at the base and stick two incredibly combative, energetic midfielders in front of him. Of course we'd have to drop Oscar to accommodate him...

 

-------------------McEachran

---------------Ramires----Matic

-----Hazard------------------------Schurrle

----------------------Lukaku

 

 

It's not looking good is it?

I think those with high hopes for Chalobah are going to be just as disappointed as some of us are re McEachran. Unfortunately his loans haven't really worked out this season and he too apears to have gone backwards.

 

We have to face it, unless our youngsters are absolutely exceptional, they have little chance of breaking into the first team.

Agreed. I took what Jose said about Chalobah with a pinch of salt really. It's one thing saying it and it's another actually doing it.

Realistically if these boys were as good as we make out on here or had that kind of ability they would have done something of note by now.

Josh has been talked about for years now but we all know he will end up sold and playing his trade at a championship side.

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by RFC_CFC

We could always copy Juventus' approach with Pirlo, play a midfield three with McEachran at the base and stick two incredibly combative, energetic midfielders in front of him. Of course we'd have to drop Oscar to accommodate him...

 

-------------------McEachran

---------------Ramires----Matic

-----Hazard------------------------Schurrle

----------------------Lukaku

 

 

It's not looking good is it?

 

McEachran ain't no Pirlo

McEachran has talent, really good vision and passing for his age.

 

But he lacks the mentality, if he was ever to develop into a player for us he would need really fortunate loans.

 

He got pushed off the ball a few times at Swansea and Rodgers didn't play him again, at Middlesbrough Mowbray played him on the wing and left midfield a lot of the time which was really pointless. Even though it wasn't as easy as Josh would have liked you still have to prove yourself and suck it up. Can't keep making excuses, it's getting pretty clear that he will not play for this club.

 

I don't know McEachran personally but it also seems like his personal life has affected him as well, he seems more concerned about spending his money and his girlfriend. I could be wrong and to be honest that's just a guess from his twitter feed and seeing him in the papers.

Edited March 10, 201412 yr by Slawth

Realistically if these boys were as good as we make out on here or had that kind of ability they would have done something of note by now.

Josh has been talked about for years now but we all know he will end up sold and playing his trade at a championship side.

I honestly thought he might of been one of the first to break through since JT, we just can't do it we like to spend to much, even Bertrand who played in the champions league final-admitidaly through limited options- is our 5th choice (azpilicueta, cole, buying shaw, buying someone else) Even if josh excelled on loan he would struggle to break in, Sturridge is testament to that, maybe a 12 year stint for Jose would see a change in our mindset but I put our poor record of youth players progression down to managerial change, one l will like a player one won't. Josh has got to give up soon, he's not even close.

I honestly thought he might of been one of the first to break through since JT, we just can't do it we like to spend to much, even Bertrand who played in the champions league final-admitidaly through limited options- is our 5th choice (azpilicueta, cole, buying shaw, buying someone else) Even if josh excelled on loan he would struggle to break in, Sturridge is testament to that, maybe a 12 year stint for Jose would see a change in our mindset but I put our poor record of youth players progression down to managerial change, one l will like a player one won't. Josh has got to give up soon, he's not even close.

 

Youth can be tricky, sometimes it works somewhere else completely. Just that pressure of the big club can really get to a player and they seem to flourish somewhere else. Matic was a strange one it's almost as if he changed completely and someone else took control of his brain. He was nothing like that at all when he was here, I do recall watching Matic in action a while ago and he never looked special. Now he looks on his way to be world class...