Other than the moment where Falcao slipped through, Zouma was excellent. That team yesterday had a lot of physicality. No getting bullied. Cahill, Terry, Iva, Matic, Zouma, Drogba, Hazard. Azpi and Oscar both very tenacious. Was more like the previous Chelsea under Mourinho.

Totally agree with you, but I genuinely don't think it would have hurt to bring on Solanke for the last 10-15 minutes yesterday, Drogba was out on his feet!

I hope if we do wrap the league up in the next 2 games, the young guys get a chance when the pressures off, but I'm not convinced they will, we'll soon find out I suppose!

I actually thought ramires was coming on for drogba, and fabregas would play up top, cause drogba was looking dead on his feet.

I don't think we will see any youth player til the league is sewn up.

Zouma is 20 year old while RLC is 18 year old

 

Although Zouma is not coming through Chelsea academy, he should be considered as a YOUTH player.

 

We should be happy to see Zouma playing couple of (important) games this year. 

 

I will be happy if each year, we have ONE youth player breaking through like Zouma, either he is from the academy or we paying millions for him

^ A thing of beauty.

As close as you'd get to seeing a player eaten up on a football pitch (fairly, of course, I mean).

Edited April 19, 201511 yr by GhostOfDembaPast

If we beat Arsenal next weekend you have to hope Jose will give some of our youth players so game time in our remaining fixtures.

 

We should not change the entire team of course, but you would expect Zouma would be first choice at the back alongside JT or Cahill. RLC to get some game time alongside Matic or Mikel, and Solanke could alternate with Remy. If/when we seal the league, we should seriously consider giving Hazard an early end of season break. The extra rest could do wonders for him next season.

 

Some minutes for Luis, Cech and Cuadrado as well would be nice. 

 

Something like:

 

Cech

 

Brana/Azpi

Zouma

JT

Luis

 

Mikel/Matic

RLC

 

Cuadrado

Cesc/Oscar

Hazard/Willian

 

Remy/Solanke

 

Still a strong team and respectful to the Premier League. Giving squad players and some youth players game time.

Edited April 19, 201511 yr by axman2526

He still learning his trade, Jose trust him sufficiently well enough to give him these holding roles to play. Yes he gets out of position from time to time but he refocuses and get's back in there. Shows he has the right temperament to be a top player - hope he will become a regular sometime in the future.

I still think we will buy a CB in the summer and he will go out on loan.

He's one of the few 20 year olds Jose trust. He started against City, Jose rarely take risks like that, i remember one year he played Essien at CB instead of a young CB. I think we could afford to let go the fans favourite Mikel, so Zouma could get more games in both defence and midfield.

Has he made that second defensive midfield spot his own now?

 

If JT and Cahill manage another year, or we bring in someone else, then could Zouma get as many minutes playing the role he did against United as he does at centre-half? The guy is already a crowd favourite and he's never failed to impress every time he's been used there. The most amazing thing is how there's such noticeable improvement every time he plays.

 

And the crowd response...amazing. I've never taken to Mikel and I think it's clear to see why now, for me at least.

 

Zouma is everything Mikel isn't. Harsh but I don't think I'm alone in taking to this young man in the space of a few months in a way few people took to Mikel.

Guys a rock.

He is fast, strong and dominating.

His passing stat for the United game was fantastic for a young central defender playing further up the park.

I see something special in Zouma, it just makes it all the better the boys comes across as a humble gent.

ZOUUUU ZOUUU ZOUUU ZOUUUMMMMMAA

Has he made that second defensive midfield spot his own now?

 

If JT and Cahill manage another year, or we bring in someone else, then could Zouma get as many minutes playing the role he did against United as he does at centre-half? The guy is already a crowd favourite and he's never failed to impress every time he's been used there. The most amazing thing is how there's such noticeable improvement every time he plays.

 

And the crowd response...amazing. I've never taken to Mikel and I think it's clear to see why now, for me at least.

 

Zouma is everything Mikel isn't. Harsh but I don't think I'm alone in taking to this young man in the space of a few months in a way few people took to Mikel.

 

It's going to be interesting to see if Mikel is still at the club next season given Zouma's emergence as an option in the holding role. 

Mikel knows his role at the club now, though. I think he's earning a decent salary (probably better than he would earn anywhere else) and he is loyal enough to come in and do a job when needed without much fuss. I would keep him at the club as he's still useful to have available in case of injuries and we wouldn't get any better for the same salary anywhere else. I think i read he's on something like 60k a week, but not sure if true. If someone like Khedira came on a free, then he would demand about 100k a week, so mikel seems a perfectly viable option. 

 

I would love for Zouma to fit that central midfield, holding role, but i would rather see him in defence to be honest. I think we will next season if jose is true to his word and brings through RLC into the first team. I really hope so anyway, RLC has been waiting in the wings for a long while now and he's got the talent to succeed. 

Edited April 20, 201511 yr by enigma

Mikel knows his role at the club now, though. I think he's earning a decent salary (probably better than he would earn anywhere else) and he is loyal enough to come in and do a job when needed without much fuss. I would keep him at the club as he's still useful to have available in case of injuries and we wouldn't get any better for the same salary anywhere else. I think i read he's on something like 60k a week, but not sure if true. If someone like Khedira came on a free, then he would demand about 100k a week, so mikel seems a perfectly viable option. 

 

I would love for Zouma to fit that central midfield, holding role, but i would rather see him in defence to be honest. I think we will next season if jose is true to his word and brings through RLC into the first team. I really hope so anyway, RLC has been waiting in the wings for a long while now and he's got the talent to succeed. 

 

I think Mikel earns somewhere in the region of £80k a week which, I believe, is more than Matic earns.

 

Mikel is a decent option to have but he only plays one role for the side which is to sit in that deeping holding role. 

 

Most of our players are quite versatile in that they can play more than one position and those who are more specialist tend to be regular starters (Matic, Cahill, Terry, Costa). 

 

So with Mikel unless he is filling in for Matic or we're doubling up in midfield he's kind of a spare part right. So what you have to ask is, why have a player on the fringes who can only do one role when you could have Zouma for example capable of fulfilling a role where he covers both the denfence and the defensive midfield. This would then possibly free up a squad space for another player who could offer versatility to the team.

 

But that's not to say that you don't need specialist players as cover but it just one way of looking at our squad depth.  

Came on and did what you'd expect Mikel to normally do against our closest rivals.

 

Interesting.

Haha, well ultimately he had as many touches as Mikel did.

 

Thought his timewasting could use work, could have jogged onto the pitch far more slowly. Luckily Drogba is around to give him a few lessons.

He's an auxiliary centreback played in midfield on the rare occasion. Nothing more. Having him on the bench doesn't make Mikel useless. That would be like saying having any centreback on the bench negates the need for a specialist defensive midfielder. 

 

I don't mind seeing him there on the odd occasion, but if Matic was to get injured for a significant period, I don't want us to be left with Zouma as his only backup.

Does anyone else think this lad has got it?

of course he has it

Crazy eh? He's been in the Prem one season and he has more League winners medals than Steven Gerrard

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/roma-launch-25m-bid-chelsea-6259645

 

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/report-roma-eye-gbp25m-rated-kurt-zouma_239697.html

 

Please no. I hope these are fake rumours.

Edited August 16, 201510 yr by IliyaKrostin

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/roma-launch-25m-bid-chelsea-6259645

http://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/chelsea/transfer-talk/news/report-roma-eye-gbp25m-rated-kurt-zouma_239697.html

Please no. I hope these are fake rumours.

Settle for loan deal! No chance this is happening.

We have 5 players for 4 spots. Yes, lets sell him.

£25 mil when stones is rated over £30m, f**k right off with that!

Just as much nonsense as Kane for 22m

Edited August 16, 201510 yr by TheChelseaBlues