Out for several weeks according to the manager in todays press conference.

Didn't sound good at all. Leaves us in a tough spot in midfield already this.

3 hours ago, Sindre said:

Out for several weeks according to the manager in todays press conference.

Didn't sound good at all. Leaves us in a tough spot in midfield already this.

Maybe our young Italian bloke will step up right away.

9 hours ago, Sindre said:

Out for several weeks according to the manager in todays press conference.

Didn't sound good at all. Leaves us in a tough spot in midfield already this.

Yep, we should be worried. Hope Tuchel has a plan to protect Jorginho now in games where Kante and Kova are both out. Can't let him be isolated 1 on 1, or be caught in and around our box with players around him. We know what will happen.

On 19/08/2022 at 23:28, just said:

Yep, we should be worried. Hope Tuchel has a plan to protect Jorginho now in games where Kante and Kova are both out. Can't let him be isolated 1 on 1, or be caught in and around our box with players around him. We know what will happen.

Clearly out for quite some time still. In move positive news Kovacic is back and ready to play a littlebit tomorrow if needed.

We desperately need him to stay fit now so that he and Jorginho can be our midfield duo. They usually play very well together so we should be alright if Kovacic can actually stay fit.

10 minutes ago, Sindre said:

Clearly out for quite some time still. In move positive news Kovacic is back and ready to play a littlebit tomorrow if needed.

We desperately need him to stay fit now so that he and Jorginho can be our midfield duo. They usually play very well together so we should be alright if Kovacic can actually stay fit.

We're actually very lucky that Jorginho has been consistently available, Kovacic came back a few times after an injury and he looked quite shaky in his performances and before you know it he's injured again. I still don't understand why is Tuchel ready to let Gilmour go, we clearly lack consistency as a team and throwing in players that just came back from injury isn't going to help.

It's clear that Gallagher isn't supposed to be a DM player, but somehow it seems that Ampadu and Gilmour aren't good enough... Not sure what our coaches see during training sessions either.  

"He gives something to our team that no other player in the world can give to any other team. That makes him a key player" 

This is the most important quote and he is absolutely right. 

 

immense player for us, but we cant build a team around a player that is constantly picking up knocks. I'd extend his contract but on reduced wages heavily based on performance bonuses. We badly need another quality midfielder, I'm not going to clamour for a specific player, because in all honesty, I have no idea what Tuchel wants to do. 

Personally I think when you have Mount, Gallagher, Kovacic, Casadei, Chukwuemeka, it makes sense to look to implement a system where we use a midfield 3. So I would be looking at a holding midfielder, rather than someone else to play in the pivot. 

Not sure who that leaves at this stage if the window, would we sacrifice a Broja or Gallagher for Rice? Is Rice even a holding midfielder? Would Tuchel prefer a playmaker at the base like De Jong? 

Midfield looks pretty stale whenever Kante is not at his best now, and those games are getting few and far between with his injuries and form only getting worse. 

50 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

"He gives something to our team that no other player in the world can give to any other team. That makes him a key player" 

This is the most important quote and he is absolutely right. 

 

It's the truth, but how much of the season do we see that Kante now? A month at best. Every time he returns from these injuries, he needs more and more time to get back to his best, which disrupts our form and momentum. Once he is fit again, he will get back in and look half the player he was against Tottenham. Everything a split second too late, passes not as crisp, movement not quite as sharp, it becomes a handicap. It happened everytime he got back into the team after injury last season and the season before, so I don't see how it will be any different this time.

Along with Silva our best player, our key driving force. But made of glass now.

Time to start thinking seriously about replacing him. When he's fully fit, still a great player, but it's so rare to have him fully fit for more than a few games in a row now.

TT also talked about how well Kante was doing. A personalized, individual preseason plan to strengthen and look after him. He was feeling great in the Spurs game and bang down he goes from a 1 game a week fixture. 

We need a replacement and to save Kante for 8 to 10 big games a season.

11 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

It's the truth, but how much of the season do we see that Kante now? A month at best. Every time he returns from these injuries, he needs more and more time to get back to his best, which disrupts our form and momentum. Once he is fit again, he will get back in and look half the player he was against Tottenham. Everything a split second too late, passes not as crisp, movement not quite as sharp, it becomes a handicap. It happened everytime he got back into the team after injury last season and the season before, so I don't see how it will be any different this time.

I completely agree we need a replacement. 

The problem finding a replacement is not easy. Other than Kante all of our midfielder are just trash defensively hence we need a dm who is elite defensively but we need the player more than elite defensively, he also need to help us offensively

Let's say we sign a sitting dm like Fabinho which will pair well with kova but we lost Kante ability to press and playing Jorgi next to sitting dm will turn our already slow boring offense even slower. 

The next solution is to sign a more box to box midfielder like Ramires. It will not suit kova. it will suit Jorgi more but we need a complete box to box. He can't just be box to box who is good off the ball he need to be able to cover lots of ground to cover Jorgi, he need to be able to bring the ball forward because Jorgi can't and he need to be comfortable receiving the ball deep from cb(we have seen what happen to Gallagher). 

 

 

 

 

I don’t think we should renew his contract. Unless somehow we can renew but look to sell him. Too unreliable now. 

9 hours ago, Bob stark said:

I completely agree we need a replacement. 

The problem finding a replacement is not easy. Other than Kante all of our midfielder are just trash defensively hence we need a dm who is elite defensively but we need the player more than elite defensively, he also need to help us offensively

Let's say we sign a sitting dm like Fabinho which will pair well with kova but we lost Kante ability to press and playing Jorgi next to sitting dm will turn our already slow boring offense even slower. 

The next solution is to sign a more box to box midfielder like Ramires. It will not suit kova. it will suit Jorgi more but we need a complete box to box. He can't just be box to box who is good off the ball he need to be able to cover lots of ground to cover Jorgi, he need to be able to bring the ball forward because Jorgi can't and he need to be comfortable receiving the ball deep from cb(we have seen what happen to Gallagher). 

 

 

 

 

Spot on Bob. Probably need two players to replace what Kante gives.

PSG are interested in Kante and would happily take him before the window closes or when his deal expires next season. Either way he will be offered a very big contract by them.

We're an absolute mess without him 

30 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

We're an absolute mess without him 

And we have known that for a long time and have made no effort, other than the pie in the sky move for De Jong, to do anything about it for this season.

 

He's hardly ever fit, and when he is, he takes a while to get back up to match sharpness. We should start thinking about letting him go soon.

Think its time to part ways I'm afraid. 

It is evident our midfield needs a complete rejuvenation. We should no longer be relying on either Jorginho or Kante. 

3 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Think its time to part ways I'm afraid. 

It is evident our midfield needs a complete rejuvenation. We should no longer be relying on either Jorginho or Kante. 

Yup, time to sell now while we can still get a reasonable return for him. It will be sad to see him go,  but it is for the best.

Edited September 12, 20223 yr by Phillip

I think it would be reasonable and fair for us to wait for talks till the last couple of months of the season. See where Kante is in terms of injuries and how many games he has played. 

If he spends most of it injured then we either part ways or his contract has a large portion based on "pay as you play" if he proves his fitness then we can look at a longer deal with a much small clause in it.

We cannot be having a top earner being injured most of the season.

We should also be letting Jorgi go and looking to move Kovacic on as well unless his injury record improves because it is simply awful as well.

Just now, axman2526 said:

I think it would be reasonable and fair for us to wait for talks till the last couple of months of the season. See where Kante is in terms of injuries and how many games he has played. 

If he spends most of it injured then we either part ways or his contract has a large portion based on "pay as you play" if he proves his fitness then we can look at a longer deal with a much small clause in it.

We cannot be having a top earner being injured most of the season.

We should also be letting Jorgi go and looking to move Kovacic on as well unless his injury record improves because it is simply awful as well.

Personally, Jorginho and Kante can leave next summer. We are at a point where they desperately need to be upgraded on. 

I'd keep Kovacic, integrate Carney, and bring in two quality central midfielders. One creative and one defensive. For the latter, we can maybe avoid that depending how Zakaria fairs. 

1 minute ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Personally, Jorginho and Kante can leave next summer. We are at a point where they desperately need to be upgraded on. 

I'd keep Kovacic, integrate Carney, and bring in two quality central midfielders. One creative and one defensive. For the latter, we can maybe avoid that depending how Zakaria fairs. 

Be interesting to see what Potter does with both Gallagher and Zakaria, I think the latter will fair quite well. Carney and Casadeis progress I am watching with interest.

Kova ability wise is a top player, so is kante, but you cannot ignore their bodies and breaking down far quicker than expected.