4 hours ago, Barrettinator said:

very good teams like Sevilla (who'll beat pretty much all PL teams outside the top 6 ...)

I'm really disappointed, never mind the romanticism of bringing in youth, I always felt Ake was ready for Chelsea since 2013 and can develop into a starter. 

Well we can't accuse the club or Conte of... "Jose'ing" him cause Moses is in and playing, unfortunately they just feel Ake is legitimately not suitable for us I guess.

I'm really starting to lose hope in ever seeing some academy players becoming first XI players. Is it going to be this way for Abraham, Chalobah, etc?

i really doubt utd or city will be playing youth players next season in their first team. it is the way it is in england. there isn't one dominant team where we can afford to give plenty of first team chances to a youth player unless absolutely necessary. with the formation we play, we can just about afford playing time to fabregas and other senior players. maybe it will change after conte sees baker and musonda in pre-season. 

14 minutes ago, MissouriBlue said:

I'm really starting to lose hope in ever seeing some academy players becoming first XI players. Is it going to be this way for Abraham, Chalobah, etc?

Yup. 

5 hours ago, Barrettinator said:

Except Madrid have to compete with a certain Barcelona. Did you forget about them? Madrid STILL consistently go for the best players, sh*t league or not. There's also Atletico and very good teams like Sevilla (who'll beat pretty much all PL teams outside the top 6 and can even beat any of the top 6 teams on a good day). Let's not also forget Madrid have just won 3 CLs in 4 years, including 2 back to back. Is the CL made of sh*t teams too? And they won the CL with youth players like Casemiro (whom they decided to place trust in, getting rid of Khedira) and Carvajal starting, as well as others like Vasquez and Asensio playing a part. There's no excuse for Chelsea.

We CAN buy quality AND promote youth at the same time. We have an opportunity now to integrate Baker into our midfield in addition to Bakayoko, Cesc, Kante and Chalobah. The lad has everything in his locker to one day be a top all round midfielder. But I'd bet we send him on loan again and buy another CM. We just never learn.

asensio wasn't a real madrid youth player and also went on loan. he's only had a handful of appearances for real though. he won't get ahead of bale, isco etc even if possible. real madrid can afford to give younger players a few chances though because they tend to dominate a lot of smaller teams and are generally up by 2 or 3 goals by half time. casemiro also went on loan to porto and was bought back by real madrid on buy back clause. the same for vasquez too. also, the thing is, spain just generally have better players. however, it's much easier to get a chance for the best club in world football when you are so dominant in your own league and can buy the best players. also, young players in spain will always dream of playing for real so they can go on loan for years and if real madrid want the player back, the player will likely say yes. 

Must say I find it quite odd seing all this disappointment regarding Aké. Some post on here make him out to be the next big thing, I just cant see it. Lacking physicality without the pace or positioning to make up for it. Decent with the ball but not someone we will ever miss. With us likely to sign another CB theres no way he should be any higher then 5th or 6th choice at best. Sure he can play several positions but besides LCB hes not good at any of them. He would have been a handy squad llayer for the odd FA/league cup game or against some lower level CL side but thats about it.  Good for him going to a club were he can be a starter and good for us getting 20 mill in return

I don't think it's necessarily Ake himself leaving that's a disappointment, it's just yet another youngster who wasn't even given much of a chance and just more proof that the academy and loan system is there to make money, not footballers for the first team.

10 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I don't think it's necessarily Ake himself leaving that's a disappointment, it's just yet another youngster who wasn't even given much of a chance and just more proof that the academy and loan system is there to make money, not footballers for the first team.

Fair enough. I just cant see how you can drop superior players already at the club just to give youngsters a shot. The best players should always play imo and now we even have Andreas coning in who is a better player then Aké. I think the club was happy to have him around, but he wanted to start and Chelsea very happy to facilitate a move 

Edited June 30, 20179 yr by Xfaxtor

8 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I don't think it's necessarily Ake himself leaving that's a disappointment, it's just yet another youngster who wasn't even given much of a chance and just more proof that the academy and loan system is there to make money, not footballers for the first team.

But how may in all honesty have been good enough to even earn a place in our first team squad, let alone first team? I cant remember any academy graduates that have gone on to prove us wrong, and I dont see Ake being the one to change that. Christensen on the other hand is the player I do see as able to break into our first team, if he goes then I will be massively disappointed. 

21 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I don't think it's necessarily Ake himself leaving that's a disappointment, it's just yet another youngster who wasn't even given much of a chance and just more proof that the academy and loan system is there to make money, not footballers for the first team.

+1, that's pretty much my angle too. I get that the system is there to make money but I assumed that if we uncover some very good talent we will find a way to integrate it into our first XI eventually. Maybe I was mistaken... but we haven't found one such player since Roman took over?

Edited June 30, 20179 yr by MissouriBlue

35 minutes ago, Xfaxtor said:

Must say I find it quite odd seing all this disappointment regarding Aké. Some post on here make him out to be the next big thing, I just cant see it. Lacking physicality without the pace or positioning to make up for it. Decent with the ball but not someone we will ever miss. With us likely to sign another CB theres no way he should be any higher then 5th or 6th choice at best. Sure he can play several positions but besides LCB hes not good at any of them. He would have been a handy squad llayer for the odd FA/league cup game or against some lower level CL side but thats about it.  Good for him going to a club were he can be a starter and good for us getting 20 mill in return

What was wrong with his positioning? I think that's one of his best attributes when playing CB.

26 minutes ago, dkw said:

But how may in all honesty have been good enough to even earn a place in our first team squad, let alone first team? I cant remember any academy graduates that have gone on to prove us wrong, and I dont see Ake being the one to change that. Christensen on the other hand is the player I do see as able to break into our first team, if he goes then I will be massively disappointed. 

Agree with your Christensen comments. I did see some articles in the rags online, showing his tweet to M. Gladbach. It felt like a shot across the bow of Chelsea regarding regular playing time. Time will tell.

8 minutes ago, Remodez said:

What was wrong with his positioning? I think that's one of his best attributes when playing CB.

 

33 minutes ago, dkw said:

But how may in all honesty have been good enough to even earn a place in our first team squad, let alone first team? I cant remember any academy graduates that have gone on to prove us wrong, and I dont see Ake being the one to change that. Christensen on the other hand is the player I do see as able to break into our first team, if he goes then I will be massively disappointed. 

Depends which way you look at it. If you think that a young payer has to show he is already better than the senior players in his position, like it seems Chelsea do, then none. But that is not realistic. How many times are you going to get a Messi or a Ronaldo who is better than the senior players, at 18 years old? Young players need chances to actually show what they can do, to be allowed to make mistakes, to be allowed to have poor games sometimes and not be hooked off at HT and not seen for 6 months, it's not like the senior players never have sh*t games. Season before last was the ideal opportunity to give players like RLC 10-15 starts in the PL, when all the senior players were horrendous, but still nothing. How can they earn a place, without the opportunity? And what hope is there, when players do everything they can to earn that opportunity, like Lukaku, Ake, etc... out on loan, and yet they are still sold.

4 minutes ago, the special one said:

 

His position there is perfectly fine, where else do you expect him to be? It was just a poorly timed tackle. 

2 minutes ago, Remodez said:

His position there is perfectly fine, where else do you expect him to be? It was just a poorly timed tackle. 

I disagree, I think he showed too much for Janmaat in the first place and subsequently over committed during the second phase. It was just poor all round for me. He needs to become more assertive in those situations for me, something that will hopefully come with experience at Bournemouth.

He showed him inside onto his stronger right foot instead of guiding him to the by- line.

Where does this leave us in terms of squad depth? Surely now Christensen stays, Zouma could leave on loan, so we bring in two new centre backs? Twenty million for Ake is good business, but only if we buy a significant upgrade on him, otherwise this has been a pointless sale and we look like idiots, which wouldn't be the first time.

probably in the minority here, but I think he is best suited as a holding midfielder in 3, although I do think he could be quality in the left side of the 3. 

Disappointed to see him go, as he was one of the stars from the youth team era I watched regularly, when I still had time to spare. 

I wouldn't be surprised if we end up trying to bring him back, as he is a model professional and I'm sure he will do everything in his power to reach his potential. 

Anyways let's use the cash wisely and improve the team, plenty more yoof in the sea!

Well this is just sad. I had high hopes for Aké. If we sell Chalobah too this summer then I'll be outright depressed...

I thought Nathan had the ability and professionalism to be another azpi...someone who could play in a few roles and always give you a 7/10 at least...azpi happened to be in right place at right time when the wheels fell off Ashley's game and he got to be a regular starter, albeit initially out of position at left back...Nathan didn't get that lucky and at 22, pushed for a move in order to play. Can't blame him. He's too good to waste away on the bench. Expect him to impress at Bournemouth and quickly increase in value, especially if he becomes a regular for Holland too

Go on son.

 

Not happy with this, but the fee is decent...and the reality is this was a necessary move for him.

 

He will go to Bournemouth, play under a good manager, as a first team player. I wish him the best.

I'm disappointed to see him go. What I've seen of Ake he has always looked decent and tons of potential as a ball playing cb. A couple of potential reasons behind Contes thinking.

1. Dave is a rusted on 1st choice. AC may not be comfortable with 2 out of 3 cbs not being tall.

2. Whilst he may be willing to introduce academy players presumably spots are limited. He wants world class proven stars alongside. In the end it may have been a straight decision Ake or Christensen as best long term prospect, one has already had European experience.

3. Conte's system means he wants to spend money in a couple of key positions and $20m is good money in to help fund that.

4. He's decided Chalobah a better dm prospect and that Ake hasn't got a wing back in him. Therefore his chances will be limited to cb only and given the strength and depth conte is planning to build there he cant see Ake getting enough time to keep him happy. Better to let him go now will the value is still there than in a year when disgruntled.

like many others I really want to see these boys break through, im just trying to rationalise the decision to cover my disappointment. Good luck Nathan.