Courtois has given people reason to question whether he'll reliably perform at the very best in the future. There is no way to know without a crystal ball. With Cech we're guaranteed, even if his form dips as he ages, someone whose heart is there and who would be a very positive influence on the rest of the players at Cobham.

It's the classic question of what upside potential you're willing to sacrifice in exchange for a sure thing.

How is cech guaranteed to play at a better level than courtois next season? Cech was pretty shaky himself at times in the last couple of seasons with us.

We don't have a crystal ball, but the safe bet is to assume a 23 year courtois will improve, and a 35 year old cech will decline.

We made our decision, maybe it would've been nice to put off that decision for a couple of seasons, but our hands were tied because of courtois's contract situation.

I can understand people questioning whether we should sell Courtois for a ridiculous fee, but I think it's bizarre to suggest selling him for 20 odd mill and buying cech back for 10m.

Cech has made a few errors himself this season, I don't even watch arsenal that regularly but off the top of my head he made mistakes at home to swansea and west ham that both ended in defeat.

After his comments about Jose, he can go to RM. He even admitted he could have done better. Talk about confirming they never put the full effort in!!

 

 "We needed a change of manager, i have no doubts about it"

 

The way that comes across doesn't sit well with me at all. Has Courtois forgotten how Mourinho's tactics made him a Premier League and League cup winner less than a season ago ? When things got tough, he wanted the manager gone, that doesn't bode well for future managers at the club if this is how our players are thinking.

 "We needed a change of manager, i have no doubts about it"

 

The way that comes across doesn't sit well with me at all. Has Courtois forgotten how Mourinho's tactics made him a Premier League and League cup winner less than a season ago ? When things got tough, he wanted the manager gone, that doesn't bode well for future managers at the club if this is how our players are thinking.

 

Sorry to repeat this, but he also said this:

 

"We know we are responsible as well. We had team meetings where we said the same, we said 'ok the manager has gone but we are responsible as well. We need to pick our level because we are not playing good enough for a Chelsea player'.

 

[...]

 

When results are not good the first one to get criticised is the manager, but it's not only the manager - the players have to take responsibility as well. We were the ones not playing as well.

 

[...]

 

It's something psychological. Sometimes it changes with little changes. Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know.

Sorry to repeat this, but he also said this:

 

So he's also blaming himself and the rest of the team, it still doesn't change anything though. He's still saying he wanted Mourinho to go, he wanted the club to change the manager, he gave up on Mourinho less than year after he helped him win titles. Will Courtois be doing the same if we go through a rough patch with the next manager too ? 

I dont want Coutois sold but if we get 30m for him, you gotta be kidding me if you think we cant get someone better here in the EPL for 20 or 30m.

That was my initial argument. If someone comes in for a record GK fee its hard to say no to. I still stick by rating Butland over him atm.

All rats need to be sold including Hazard.

I doubt he has thought that far ahead.

Well, I've never called for Tibo to be sold. I never said that at all. I just think he needs to look to himself before pointing any fingers at Jose.

Courtois is a very good keeper already though.

Well, he doesn't look like one at the moment.

Sorry to repeat this, but he also said this:

I know, I know. But I fail to see how these comments exonerate Courtois. He's basically saying that BOTH Jose and the players were to blame. This is (undeniably) true, but he never admits that his own poor form is his fault and his fault only. He even hints that Jose is solely to blame for it, when he says.

 

"Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know.'' 

 

This 'change' is obviously a change of manager. Well, that certainly hasn't helped Tibo. He's worse under Guus than he's ever been before.

I mean... exactly! Wow!

I know, I know. But I fail to see how these comments exonerate Courtois. He's basically saying that BOTH Jose and the players were to blame. This is (undeniably) true, but he never admits that his own poor form is his fault and his fault only. He even hints that Jose is solely to blame for it, when he says.

"Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know.''

This 'change' is obviously a change of manager. Well, that certainly hasn't helped Tibo. He's worse under Guus than he's ever been before.

Whoa whoa whoa. I've made it clear on this thread that I'm not a Courtois fan. Even so, I'm baffled by this post.

How did you draw the conclusion that he implies Jose is solely to blame? He's also said things that imply quite the contrary. Also I don't think you can conclude that his dip in form is solely his fault. Maybe it is maybe it isn't. There is no way any of us can say. In my experience downturns like this are rarely solely the fault of any one person.

When people are so hypercritical I don't blame football players for wanting to go elsewhere. (Though Real Madrid is the last place footballers should consider if they want to avoid a hypercritical environment.)

Edited March 24, 201610 yr by offside

Well, he doesn't look like one at the moment.

Let's just sell the squad then.

He's not in the best of form, but he has been a top keeper for the last 4 years.

If we are going to judge any of our own players on the ability they gave shown this season, then there's probably 10 players that aren't good enough to play for a top four team.

If someone comes in for £50m then we must consider it, at present Butland looks by far the best replacement and at present is in my opinion the better keeper. I use to rate cudicinni, but when big pete came in I had to admit he was a big step up, but with Tibo coming in, I  can't say I have the same feeling, but lets sort defence out and see how he performs next season. I have my doubts though whether he'll be in a year or to, reckon his hearts with all things spanish. 

Well if we are reading into the comments then Hazard needs to go too.

What do you think we will do with all the money? Sign world class replacements with no CL football while having less resources for big wages than City & United who also need world class players.

Name a keeper who is better than Tibo who would realistically come here? I did see Butland mentioned earlier, he's not even close to Tibo's level.

Every club needs a top class keeper, we have one of the worlds best young GK's on our books but because he has had a poor season (Where just about every player has had the same) he needs selling?

It's bonkers thinking and some really need to see the bigger picture here. Sell our best players and count the coins to be the new Arsenal or worse Liverpool.

Well if we are reading into the comments then Hazard needs to go too.

What do you think we will do with all the money? Sign world class replacements with no CL football while having less resources for big wages than City & United who also need world class players.

Name a keeper who is better than Tibo who would realistically come here? I did see Butland mentioned earlier, he's not even close to Tibo's level.

Every club needs a top class keeper, we have one of the worlds best young GK's on our books but because he has had a poor season (Where just about every player has had the same) he needs selling?

It's bonkers thinking and some really need to see the bigger picture here. Sell our best players and count the coins to be the new Arsenal or worse Liverpool.

Totally agree here!

Well if we are reading into the comments then Hazard needs to go too.

What do you think we will do with all the money? Sign world class replacements with no CL football while having less resources for big wages than City & United who also need world class players.

Name a keeper who is better than Tibo who would realistically come here? I did see Butland mentioned earlier, he's not even close to Tibo's level.

Every club needs a top class keeper, we have one of the worlds best young GK's on our books but because he has had a poor season (Where just about every player has had the same) he needs selling?

It's bonkers thinking and some really need to see the bigger picture here. Sell our best players and count the coins to be the new Arsenal or worse Liverpool.

 

Completely agree-PL is  going through a transitional phase and unfortunately we seem to be in danger of being left far behind especially if we start offloading our biggest assets.

 

Player prices are going to be going through the roof end of this season so what may seem like a decent price may in return not get you an improvement in terms of replacement. Retention of big players & shoring up the squad should be priority at the end of the season.

I think a lot depends on if tibo asks to leave or not.

Rumours have it we have set his price at 73mill.

Well if we are reading into the comments then Hazard needs to go too.

What do you think we will do with all the money? Sign world class replacements with no CL football while having less resources for big wages than City & United who also need world class players.

Name a keeper who is better than Tibo who would realistically come here? I did see Butland mentioned earlier, he's not even close to Tibo's level.

Every club needs a top class keeper, we have one of the worlds best young GK's on our books but because he has had a poor season (Where just about every player has had the same) he needs selling?

It's bonkers thinking and some really need to see the bigger picture here. Sell our best players and count the coins to be the new Arsenal or worse Liverpool.

Great post.

We may as well have stuck with Mourinho if we were willing to sell the under performing playing.

Whoa whoa whoa. I've made it clear on this thread that I'm not a Courtois fan. Even so, I'm baffled by this post.

How did you draw the conclusion that he implies Jose is solely to blame? He's also said things that imply quite the contrary. Also I don't think you can conclude that his dip in form is solely his fault. Maybe it is maybe it isn't. There is no way any of us can say. In my experience downturns like this are rarely solely the fault of any one person.

When people are so hypercritical I don't blame football players for wanting to go elsewhere. (Though Real Madrid is the last place footballers should consider if they want to avoid a hypercritical environment.)

"Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know."

 

This quote says it all. Read between the lines.

Edited March 24, 201610 yr by CFC-Forever

Let's just sell the squad then.

He's not in the best of form, but he has been a top keeper for the last 4 years.

If we are going to judge any of our own players on the ability they gave shown this season, then there's probably 10 players that aren't good enough to play for a top four team.

1. I never said we should sell him. That would be stupid. 

2. Not in the best of form? Yeah, that's putting it mildly.

3. I wouldn't say as many as ten. 

Edited March 24, 201610 yr by CFC-Forever

I wonder who's next?

 

 

After Kevin, Lukaku, Eden, Thibaut ....

 

 

 

 

Charly?

 

 

 

(There must be something wrong with us.)

I wonder who's next?

 

 

After Kevin, Lukaku, Eden, Thibaut ....

 

 

 

 

Charly?

 

 

 

(There must be something wrong with us.)

 

It seem's like the high profile Belgian players like to talk a lot. Hazard, Lukaku, Courtois, Kompany, they seem to have a habit of talking crap at times.

"Maybe we needed a change to pick up our level again, I don't know."

This quote says it all. Read between the lines.

How on earth does that imply Jose is solely to blame? I can't think of a much more equivocal quote.

Edited March 24, 201610 yr by offside

How on earth does that imply Jose is solely to blame? I can't think of a much more equivocal quote.

Look, the change evidently means a change of manager, that much is clear. He doesn't say this change could help them improve slightly, he says it would help them get back to their normal level. Ergo, a change of manger would solve everything performance wise... But it hasn't. 

surely it all comes down to one question, why has his form been poor? if it comes down to him not being happy at chelsea, the next manager gets him happy or he goes.