Funny how all the media in the world focused on us letting Matic go to ManU and failed to remember we bought Baka to improve our team and to replace him. For me this was pretty obvious as it happened.

Baka still has ways to go even to be as important as Matic was to us but I sincerely feel he is much more suited to Conte than Matic was.

He will shut a few people off as the season progresses.

It's only a matter of time before they realise why we sold Matic. They're slowly turning against him already. 

For me easily the best singing this summer. Looks a beast and once fully up to speed will be a key player. 

These experts condemning the Matic sale, really have no idea and just jumped on the band wagon. He was very average last year and a pairing of him and Kante just didnt work. Baka has more dynamism, athleticism and technique.

 

Reserving judgement but I liked his game on Saturday. The dribbling in midfield in particular was a feature. 

One moment in particular highlighted that for me and that was Morata's goal:

We normally like to switch the ball from wingback to the nearest midfielder to the far midfielder to the advancing centre back. When we had the ball on the weekend Vardy was often standing between the two midfielders to break this chain.

In the build up to the goal, seeing Vardy in the way, Bakayoko drives the ball back into midfield himself and passes to Dave directly. This opens the space for the cross.

Simple but not something we would have seen from Matic.

1 hour ago, jamie#8 said:

For me easily the best singing this summer. Looks a beast and once fully up to speed will be a key player. 

These experts condemning the Matic sale, really have no idea and just jumped on the band wagon. He was very average last year and a pairing of him and Kante just didnt work. Baka has more dynamism, athleticism and technique.

 

Didn't see many people complaining about the Matic sale, more complaining about who we sold him to. Regardless of who we brought in we still strengthened our opponents. 

Just now, RIP Mourinho said:

Didn't see many people complaining about the Matic sale, more complaining about who we sold him to. Regardless of who we brought in we still strengthened our opponents. 

Every pundit going slammed the decision. 

He isn't a World Class player anymore so for me it didn't matter who we sold him to.

24 minutes ago, jamie#8 said:

Every pundit going slammed the decision. 

He isn't a World Class player anymore so for me it didn't matter who we sold him to.

every pundit slammed giving him to Utd, didn't see many (if any) slam us for selling him. Think everyone knew he wasn't good enough for our midfield two but would upgrade that Utd line up 10 fold. 

2 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

every pundit slammed giving him to Utd, didn't see many (if any) slam us for selling him. Think everyone knew he wasn't good enough for our midfield two but would upgrade that Utd line up 10 fold. 

I think it's just the initial shock factor for that Utd team. They haven't really strengthened their team, only improved the squad tbf. They replaced Zlatan with Lukaku and Herrera with Matic. 

Matic when motivated is great but when he's not...

People wanted to make a thing because of Chelsea-Jose-history. Simple thing, and to add to that pundits were in a choir singing about us being stupid. We wanted to improve and this was a move for that. Matic also was ready to experience something else.

11 hours ago, charierre said:

Saturday showed me for the first time why we invested in him. Physically imposing and should develop tactically under Conte. Clearly the games against Juve last year which left a lot of us(me included) underwhelmed at the prospect of signing him didn't project his best assets.

If anyone wrote him off based on the Juve game while carrying an injury then that's stupidity at it's finest. Like when Hazard was aparrently a snake and downing tools because he wasn't fully firing when playing with a hip injury.

9 hours ago, evissy said:

Funny how all the media in the world focused on us letting Matic go to ManU and failed to remember we bought Baka to improve our team and to replace him. For me this was pretty obvious as it happened.

Baka still has ways to go even to be as important as Matic was to us but I sincerely feel he is much more suited to Conte than Matic was.

He will shut a few people off as the season progresses.

2014 Matic granted, but compared to Matic 2015 onwards Baka is a huge upgrade and that's evident easily even this early.

3 minutes ago, Argo said:

If anyone wrote him off based on the Juve game while carrying an injury then that's stupidity at it's finest. Like when Hazard was aparrently a snake and downing tools because he wasn't fully firing when playing with a hip injury.

NO he was pony that game, positionally. 

11 hours ago, charierre said:

NO he was pony that game, positionally. 

I'd agree with that and he was still a bit lost positionally on Saturday I think. Rudiger was bellowing at him all game. That said we know Conte's key strength is building tactical nous in his players so we can expect that to improve.

 

35 minutes ago, Spiller86 said:

I'd agree with that and he was still a bit lost positionally on Saturday I think. Rudiger was bellowing at him all game. That said we know Conte's key strength is building tactical nous in his players so we can expect that to improve.

 

I do agree tactically Conte can make him a far better player and when you add his physical attributes his potential is immense.

 

Loved watching this guy. A real powerhouse who I think will only get better. Don't miss Matic one bit. Offers way more and hopefully there will be plenty of years left for him to develop. 

He was okay. Habit of giving away needless fouls though. Lucky Mustafi was offside

He was a bit better on the ball the few times he had it. One impressive run shortly after coming on. Looked more assured on the ball, than I've seen previously. 

Impressing so far.

11 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

He was okay. Habit of giving away needless fouls though. Lucky Mustafi was offside

lucky Mustafi was offside or clever not to follow him and play him on?

Needs to learn not give away stupid fouls in dangerous areas. Has done it a few times now and it be costly.

Reminds me so much of Yaya. Powerful and decent technique but can also look a bit sluggish defensively. A midfield 3 of him Kante and Fab on paper should really work to be honest. All bases are covered there.

1 hour ago, jamie#8 said:

Reminds me so much of Yaya. Powerful and decent technique but can also look a bit sluggish defensively. A midfield 3 of him Kante and Fab on paper should really work to be honest. All bases are covered there.

TRUE that about comparision with Yaya.

Shocked he wasn't playing, game was made for him to bully the Arsenal midfielders.

17 hours ago, Sun zhi said:

He was a bit better on the ball the few times he had it. One impressive run shortly after coming on. Looked more assured on the ball, than I've seen previously. 

Impressing so far.

That first run was outstanding

Thought we were a lot more imposing when he came on the pitch. He's still finding his fitness and getting acclimated, but it shouldn't be long before he strings together a solid run of 90 minute outings.