Radamel "the project" Falcao

[Hemel Blue]

He will get my support and i hope he hits the ground running.

[Blue Daze]

The question was would you suffer 2 years of winning nothing and finishing outside the top 4 whilst a team of young players was built - the resounding answer was yes ..........

.. the trouble is I doubt the board or sponsors would allow this to happen , and our internet worldwide fans would not accept it

 

A team of just young players? Would Azpi be too old? What about Eden? Diego?

 

Would there really be much difference between that one and a team containing Courtois (the best young keeper in the world), Zouma (one of the best young defenders in the world), Azpi (25), Matic (26), Hazard (arguably the best young keeper in the world, Loftus-Cheek and maybe one of Boga, Solanke, Christensen, Brown or Ake, all of whom made appearances this season.

 

In terms of youth, when was the last season we gave so many players under the age of 22 a debut?

 

 

Well said TBB

There is not one Chelsea fan I have come into contact with who thinks Falcao will last more than the year. And he won't.

Whilst I appreciate all the comments about no risk etc etc it still narks me a little. We all know how it's going to end.

 

Him not lasting more than a year is fine though. 

[Zeta]

Would be interesting to add a poll and see exactly how many of us actually want this transfer

[Stim]

The question was would you suffer 2 years of winning nothing and finishing outside the top 4 whilst a team of young players was built - the resounding answer was yes ..........

 

Ya right. If we are trailing at half time the match day thread wants half the team replaced.

[Jonty]

Still hoping it doesn't happen but will obviously support him it does.

[barak81]

Well said TBB

There is not one Chelsea fan I have come into contact with who thinks Falcao will last more than the year. And he won't.

Whilst I appreciate all the comments about no risk etc etc it still narks me a little. We all know how it's going to end.

 

 

So when this first got muted way back when, I personally didn't believe it could happen, another striker that looks a complete shadow of his former self, no way.  

 

Additionally If you asked me to put a bet on, will he be a success, wont he be a success all the cash is going on not. unfortunately there is just to much evidence to suggest he's done. By the way anything north of 10 premiership goals next season is a win in my view . 

 

However, as it looks pretty much done, I have to step back and try and consider it analytically. And I can genuinely see the positives (but I have worked hard at it) 

 

My first choice strike force next season was Costa, Remy, Solanki. Solnaki would still get games for the u21 and continue development but back up the other  two in cases of emergency. Bambford would go out on loan to a prem club to continue development. This is an opinion I have been ridiculed for on a here a number of times.  

 

So lets assume all those that ridicule me are right and that strike force above just doesn't work. We now agree we need to buy some one? We have a top top striker in Costa and very good one in Remy, but both have proved injury prone so we do need some one else. Ok so the names mentioned,Benteke, 26? decent striker and some one I wanted 2 years ago. Figures of about 35 million have been floated, the same people that want benteke seem to be worried about Falcao forcing remi out by the way, absolutely no logic there what so ever. Not only would Benteke be more likely to force Remi out but he wouldn't really be happy playing back up to costa either and 35 million is a lot to be spending on second choice. As for youth, Benteke is going to have a much bigger effect on the development of them then Falcao with 

 

Spin it on it's head, Bamford goes out on loan, performs brilliantly, end of the year we are back to two strikers and Bamfordinio slots in nice and easy. 

 

At the end of the day, he once was a world class striker, it seem's that the injury has robbed him of that special something he once had, but he the cost of a one season loan if it doesn't work out the loss is minimal. In the mean time we dont have a 35 million 27 year old striker preventing the the development of our youth prospects. 

 

 

I guess the obvious question is, if it where down to you, what would you do....

[Scott]

Edited June 18, 2015 by Scott

[Tea Bar Boy]

A team of just young players? Would Azpi be too old? What about Eden? Diego?

 

Would there really be much difference between that one and a team containing Courtois (the best young keeper in the world), Zouma (one of the best young defenders in the world), Azpi (25), Matic (26), Hazard (arguably the best young keeper in the world, Loftus-Cheek and maybe one of Boga, Solanke, Christensen, Brown or Ake, all of whom made appearances this season.

 

In terms of youth, when was the last season we gave so many players under the age of 22 a debut?

You have missed the point completely , a token game here and there when we have nothing to play for is not what a lot of us want. A consistent run of games with a large number of the youth players chalking up 20 -25 first team appearances is how we will develop the talented players and create a team of home grown players that will take and keep us at the top for a number of years

[Blue Daze]

You have missed the point completely , a token game here and there when we have nothing to play for is not what a lot of us want. A consistent run of games with a large number of the youth players chalking up 20 -25 first team appearances is how we will develop the talented players and create a team of home grown players that will take and keep us at the top for a number of years

I got your point but it's totally unrealistic. Look at the united team of the 90s, arguably the greatest day of youngsters in a generation. Yet they had Schmeichel, Stam, Pallister, Bruce, Cantona, Kanchelskis, Irwin, Hughes, Cole, Keane etc. etc.

There's a compromise that can happen where you don't sacrifice short term success for long term gain and that's what we need to do. Develop youngsters alongside experienced, world class players.

Your way would lead to the manager being sacked and top class players either leaving or not joining. I live our academy but I don't think you can win the title with just homegrown players.

[Tea Bar Boy]

I got your point but it's totally unrealistic. Look at the united team of the 90s, arguably the greatest day of youngsters in a generation. Yet they had Schmeichel, Stam, Pallister, Bruce, Cantona, Kanchelskis, Irwin, Hughes, Cole, Keane etc. etc.

There's a compromise that can happen where you don't sacrifice short term success for long term gain and that's what we need to do. Develop youngsters alongside experienced, world class players.

Your way would lead to the manager being sacked and top class players either leaving or not joining. I live our academy but I don't think you can win the title with just homegrown players.

Depends how good the manager is ?? This would be a real challenge for JM and defining career moment and create the legacy / dynasty he "seems " to crave .

The talent is there and not unrealistic to expect they can become the best in England , we are not developing youngsters against world class talent as they are not given the chance in the first team . We wouldn't need a host of world class players just one or two as we had created our own.

Again a vast majority of us would accept a couple of years of mediocrity whilst the crown jewels are being built

[dkw]

I don't see the point of putting a large number of youth players into the first team, its an unrealistic scenario for them. They need to be a couple integrated in amongst the first team players to get used to playing alongside them, a team full of youth players will be beaten comprehensively and will gain them very little.

[Blue Daze]

Depends how good the manager is ?? This would be a real challenge for JM and defining career moment and create the legacy / dynasty he "seems " to crave .

The talent is there and not unrealistic to expect they can become the best in England , we are not developing youngsters against world class talent as they are not given the chance in the first team . We wouldn't need a host of world class players just one or two as we had created our own.

Again a vast majority of us would accept a couple of years of mediocrity whilst the crown jewels are being built

We had a couple of years of mediocrity before Jose came back. We finished outside of the CL places and ended up with Rafa.

Now we have some of the best young talent in the world throughout the spine of the team and a whole crop of youngsters on the cusp. That's the right way to do it isn't it?

[bjd]

But only if the youngsters 'on the cusp' actually play. Which they won't. Certainly not with Mourinho in charge anyway.

[Blue Daze]

But only if the youngsters 'on the cusp' actually play. Which they won't. Certainly not with Mourinho in charge anyway.

How many young players made a debut last season?

Which manager in the last 20 years gave more?

[bjd]

We've been through it all before!

It's all down to the pressure of winning, which is why blending in youngsters isn't risked by Chelsea managers. Mourinho isn't the only one of course but with him in charge it's even less likely.

There is a difference between playing a youngster for a one off in a Cup game and bringing someone on for 5 mins at the end of a match and calling that breaking through into the first team anyway.

It's just not going to happen. Not with Mourinho - never has and never will. It's part of the deal, along with trophies and controversy and cautious football. There is no evidence in his career to suggest he nurtures young talent, we did this before on another thread and someone came up with 3 names over a 13 year period as if it was proof!

I'd love to be wrong of course but it's just not going to happen, kid yourself all you want.

Edited June 19, 2015 by bjd

[Tea Bar Boy]

How many young players made a debut last season?

Which manager in the last 20 years gave more?

How many players played over 8 first team games in competitive matches with over 60 minutes on the pitch ? That is the question ...not 10/2 min cameos for a debut in games that mean f**k all .To use this as an accolade of blooding the youth is pathetic and clutching at straws.

[romfordblue]

Would be interesting to add a poll and see exactly how many of us actually want this transfer

If you do i am down as a non-starter. However should he join he gets my full backing as would any player pulling on the blue shirt. I supported Torres to the end. Never turn on your own players unless they ask for it. Only manager i ever turned on was the FSW. Loyalty!!

[bjd]

How many players played over 8 first team games in competitive matches with over 60 minutes on the pitch ? That is the question ...not 10/2 min cameos for a debut in games that mean f**k all .To use this as an accolade of blooding the youth is pathetic and clutching at straws.

 

Its revisonism at best!

 

I mean how many young players were debuted last season ? 4 ? Christensen, Solanke, Brown and RLC - have i missed anyone ?

 

Of those only 2 started games - Christensen and RLC. Christensen against Shrewsbury and Braford in domestic cups and RLC in dead rubber matches when the League was won. All other appereance from them and the other pair were token 10 min jobs at the end of matches.

 

How many of these 4 players do we expect to see next season play often ? None.

 

Maybe at best we may see RLC for 6-8 games. Maybe, and even then that will be bucking the trend, which i guess is a start! Personally i think Mourinho has already got his excuses in for RLC anyway.

 

I know it sounds blunt but its just not going to happen, im done kidding myself. The youngsters are there for the club to loan and sell at a profit these days, and there is no evidence to suggest anything else, however much id like it to change.

Edited June 19, 2015 by bjd

[ForeverCarefree]

Ancelotti had a lot more faith in the youth players, looked pretty intent on bringing through Borini and McEachran. 

 

Even gave Matic his debut before the club used him as a makeweight in the Luiz deal. 

[Nibs]

Both TBB and BJD are spot on.

 

I'm really not sure of the chances of any of our Academy players breaking through to the first team, not with Jose in charge of things. As good as it was to see some of the youngsters get some minutes last season, when that didn't actually kick-on and they either again just got another 10 minutes or didn't get on at all, it kinda made it worse than if it hadn't happened at all. Looking back, it now seems like it was a token gesture. If any of these players actually start games next season then I will take that back, but I just can't see it. RLC is the one many picked out as the most likely but if he was that good, he would be an automatic starter for the U 21's and they would be building the team around him but maybe Southgate views him as a bit hit & miss too?

 

And until there is a Poll, I'm a definite NO to Falcao.

[Blue Daze]

How many players played over 8 first team games in competitive matches with over 60 minutes on the pitch ? That is the question ...not 10/2 min cameos for a debut in games that mean f**k all .To use this as an accolade of blooding the youth is pathetic and clutching at straws.

Last year was about winning the title. We have that foundation now so we can introduce youngsters like Zouma and RLC.

But I think you have to be realistic about what our academy, or any in fact, can churn out. Most youngsters simply won't be good enough for us but we have a class who are exceptionally gifted. My hope is that they will be integrated into the team whilst we contribute to challenge for trophies.

But to say we could go a few years without CL football at such a key tone for this club is naive in the extreme. José wouldn't survive and I want him here for the long haul as so many other supporters.

I absolutely understand what you and your friends were dreaming of, but I also understand the realities of modern football. Unfortunately the two aren't compatible.

[bjd]

Last year was about winning the title. We have that foundation now so we can introduce youngsters like Zouma and RLC.

But I think you have to be realistic about what our academy, or any in fact, can churn out. Most youngsters simply won't be good enough for us but we have a class who are exceptionally gifted. My hope is that they will be integrated into the team whilst we contribute to challenge for trophies.

Well let's wait-and-see but I can't help but think you're in for disappointment, certainly in regards to RLC.

It's interesting you bring up Zouma, as I think he is the perfect example to backup my argument. You see, we have all these heralded youth players, but yet the one young player who has broken into the squad to feature on a regular basis is a youth player from another clubs system! What does that say!?

[Zola]

The youth are virtually all pawns to train up, sell and buy bishops with. That's the reality.

Having an idea of missing out on trophies for a few years for the sake of playing youngsters is pie in the sky, a bit Arsene Wenger like I think haha.

If they are TRULY good enough they will force their way into the team, Just like Terry did............. simple.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Zola

[dkw]

Heres a question, how would people feel if the club made a statement along the lines of:-

"we have decided the academy will not be good enough to bring youth players through to the first team, we feel it would take an incredibly exceptional once in a lifetime talent to make our first team. So we now will use it to educate young players to sell, the money going towards buying players for the first team."

 

Basically admit we are not going to use youth players. Would people accept that?

[Nibs]

Heres a question, how would people feel if the club made a statement along the lines of:-

"we have decided the academy will not be good enough to bring youth players through to the first team, we feel it would take an incredibly exceptional once in a lifetime talent to make our first team. So we now will use it to educate young players to sell, the money going towards buying players for the first team."

 

Basically admit we are not going to use youth players. Would people accept that?

 

I guess they don't need to say it djw 'cos it is what they are actually doing (although no-one wants to admit it)!

 

It's a bit harsh at the end of the day and pisses on the youngsters hopes and dreams. We've all thought a certain youngster IS good enough to make it at CFC and been proved wrong. I made the mistake with McEachran. Others have made it with Chalobah and Kakuta. We are now onto the next batch (Baker, RLC, Boga, Musonda, Solanke, Brown..........etc) who although they look good, can anyone hand on heart be optimistic of them being a first team regular?