Be hard to make sales in this market.

RB Leipzig may need a replacement for Upamecano?

I'd take a modest offer of around half what we paid for him. Should be a lot easier to move him on than our sh*tshow of a so called goal keeper.

17 hours ago, the special one said:

RB Leipzig may need a replacement for Upamecano?

Straight swap? 

Was somehow a whisker away from making Garth Crooks team of the season. He chose Maguire instead. 

An awful pundit.

 

Maguire: This was a difficult decision for me. Harry Maguire and Antonio Rudiger have featured in my team of the week on various occasions and both have played prominent roles in their teams securing top-four finishes.

Rudiger returned to the Chelsea defence in September after suffering a groin injury. Since his return Chelsea haven't looked back and would have struggled without the German.

Maguire, on the other hand, actually carried Manchester United until Bruno Fernandes burst onto the scene. Not to acknowledge Maguire's contribution to United's top-four achievement would have been an outrage. That is why I have selected the England centre-back in my team of the season.

We struggled "with" the German as well. Awful defender most of the time.

15 minutes ago, bisright1 said:

Was somehow a whisker away from making Garth Crooks team of the season. He chose Maguire instead. 

An awful pundit.

 

Maguire: This was a difficult decision for me. Harry Maguire and Antonio Rudiger have featured in my team of the week on various occasions and both have played prominent roles in their teams securing top-four finishes.

Rudiger returned to the Chelsea defence in September after suffering a groin injury. Since his return Chelsea haven't looked back and would have struggled without the German.

Maguire, on the other hand, actually carried Manchester United until Bruno Fernandes burst onto the scene. Not to acknowledge Maguire's contribution to United's top-four achievement would have been an outrage. That is why I have selected the England centre-back in my team of the season.

Garth Crooks sounds like the most retarded man alive.

What games was he watching? Maguire and Rudiger have looked terrible in most

1 hour ago, bisright1 said:

Was somehow a whisker away from making Garth Crooks team of the season. He chose Maguire instead. 

An awful pundit.

 

Maguire: This was a difficult decision for me. Harry Maguire and Antonio Rudiger have featured in my team of the week on various occasions and both have played prominent roles in their teams securing top-four finishes.

Rudiger returned to the Chelsea defence in September after suffering a groin injury. Since his return Chelsea haven't looked back and would have struggled without the German.

Maguire, on the other hand, actually carried Manchester United until Bruno Fernandes burst onto the scene. Not to acknowledge Maguire's contribution to United's top-four achievement would have been an outrage. That is why I have selected the England centre-back in my team of the season.

Wow ! Garth Crooks really is clueless.

1 hour ago, bisright1 said:

Was somehow a whisker away from making Garth Crooks team of the season. He chose Maguire instead. 

An awful pundit.

 

Maguire: This was a difficult decision for me. Harry Maguire and Antonio Rudiger have featured in my team of the week on various occasions and both have played prominent roles in their teams securing top-four finishes.

Rudiger returned to the Chelsea defence in September after suffering a groin injury. Since his return Chelsea haven't looked back and would have struggled without the German.

Maguire, on the other hand, actually carried Manchester United until Bruno Fernandes burst onto the scene. Not to acknowledge Maguire's contribution to United's top-four achievement would have been an outrage. That is why I have selected the England centre-back in my team of the season.

Who was the other CB he went with? David Luiz?

It's hard to judge a defender fairly when they're playing in our defence. I doubt there are many defenders who would look great in this defence. People's opinions on here are always strongly influenced by recency-bias, and Rüdiger's made a few glaring mistakes recent that are fresh in the mind. However, he was excellent under Conte in his first season here playing in a proper defence, and was clear man of the match in the FA Cup final win over Man Utd. 

I'd rate him currently on a similar level to peak Gary Cahill. He could be (and has been, for us) part of a good defence. His 'crime' is that he's not the talismanic defensive rock that people hoped he might be.

Peak Cahill was much better than Rudiger.

2 hours ago, Zeta said:

Peak Cahill was much better than Rudiger.

There’s an argument that a Non-Peak Cahill was much better than Rudiger. 

3 hours ago, bluedave said:

However, he was excellent under Conte in his first season here playing in a proper defence, and was clear man of the match in the FA Cup final win over Man Utd. 

and he blew out his knee again since then. He hasn't been the same player since the days you reference. For an athlete who relies on quick bursts of movement, an ACL injury can be a full 18 months of recovery. And this isn't the first serious knee injury Rudiger has had.

I'm hoping he gets back to his best, but this season wasn't it, and I put a lot of that on the injury(ies)

 

Rudiger is concentrating on other things than football. He is the agent but he should be the defender. Channeling his inner Luiz all the time.

4 hours ago, bluedave said:

It's hard to judge a defender fairly when they're playing in our defence. I doubt there are many defenders who would look great in this defence. People's opinions on here are always strongly influenced by recency-bias, and Rüdiger's made a few glaring mistakes recent that are fresh in the mind. However, he was excellent under Conte in his first season here playing in a proper defence, and was clear man of the match in the FA Cup final win over Man Utd. 

I'd rate him currently on a similar level to peak Gary Cahill. He could be (and has been, for us) part of a good defence. His 'crime' is that he's not the talismanic defensive rock that people hoped he might be.

Can't believe he's been at Chelsea for 3 seasons already, it feels shorter, probably due to his injuries. I rated Rüdiger highly in his first season, he was one of my favourites. His impact on our defense seems to have diminished, but are his injuries to blame for that? It looks as if he doesn't read the game as well anymore, that can't be because of injuries.

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by Valerie

We've seen some great performances by him before the injury so I'm not counting him out so quickly. But one thing upsets me every single time - his terrible attempts to make diagonal passes. Just let it go, Antonio, you are not Luiz and will never be. Focus on yous strengths, you are quick, you can run through the midfield if you are confident, but for christ sake stop doing these diags.

5 hours ago, bluedave said:

It's hard to judge a defender fairly when they're playing in our defence. I doubt there are many defenders who would look great in this defence. People's opinions on here are always strongly influenced by recency-bias, and Rüdiger's made a few glaring mistakes recent that are fresh in the mind. However, he was excellent under Conte in his first season here playing in a proper defence, and was clear man of the match in the FA Cup final win over Man Utd. 

I'd rate him currently on a similar level to peak Gary Cahill. He could be (and has been, for us) part of a good defence. His 'crime' is that he's not the talismanic defensive rock that people hoped he might be.

That was in a back 3, the same formation David Luiz was truly world class in. playing a flat back 4, they're both pudding. 

3 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

That was in a back 3, the same formation David Luiz was truly world class in. playing a flat back 4, they're both pudding. 

Last year under Sarri he was fairly competent. Not as good but not inconsistent like this sesson. 

8 hours ago, bluedave said:

It's hard to judge a defender fairly when they're playing in our defence. I doubt there are many defenders who would look great in this defence. People's opinions on here are always strongly influenced by recency-bias, and Rüdiger's made a few glaring mistakes recent that are fresh in the mind. However, he was excellent under Conte in his first season here playing in a proper defence, and was clear man of the match in the FA Cup final win over Man Utd. 

I'd rate him currently on a similar level to peak Gary Cahill. He could be (and has been, for us) part of a good defence. His 'crime' is that he's not the talismanic defensive rock that people hoped he might be.

You're definitely not wrong on fickleness and our defensive organisation being bad. But he's making a ridiculous amount of individual errors, I just can't even believe that this guy was a good defender when I watch him this season. It's so hard for me to believe he's the man at the back.

I have to agree with others though, peak Cahill was much superior. 

Not taking anything away from what Cahill achieved here but for most of his time he played in systems that heavily protected our defense. When we reverted to those type of tactics against City recently Rudi looked excellent.

9 hours ago, Argo said:

Not taking anything away from what Cahill achieved here but for most of his time he played in systems that heavily protected our defense. When we reverted to those type of tactics against City recently Rudi looked excellent.

That's a good point actually, I don't think Cahill played under any attacking oriented manager while being here besides AVB? And he was only playing under AVB for like a month if that, I can't remember how he played when he first came. With AVB we had the highline where John Terry was looking like a finished player who needed selling, Alex looked awful and was sold, we started to truly see the dark side of David Luiz and Ivanovic was also badly struggling. 

But it's not just goals on the counter attack we're conceding, it's set pieces also, and remember how Rudiger just gave Maguire all the space in the world? Something just isn't right. I think it's fair to say Lampard needs help with organising that backline while also getting the right players he needs, Christensen is certainly not a player who is suited for Lampards style of play, not sure why he's played so much when Zouma has been available. 

4 hours ago, Slojo said:

That's a good point actually, I don't think Cahill played under any attacking oriented manager while being here besides AVB? And he was only playing under AVB for like a month if that, I can't remember how he played when he first came. With AVB we had the highline where John Terry was looking like a finished player who needed selling, Alex looked awful and was sold, we started to truly see the dark side of David Luiz and Ivanovic was also badly struggling. 

But it's not just goals on the counter attack we're conceding, it's set pieces also, and remember how Rudiger just gave Maguire all the space in the world? Something just isn't right. I think it's fair to say Lampard needs help with organising that backline while also getting the right players he needs, Christensen is certainly not a player who is suited for Lampards style of play, not sure why he's played so much when Zouma has been available. 

When we have a goalkeeper who can defend his 6 yard box from corners, we will look steadier. 

Its all good blaming the manager and keeper for their part in our defensive woes this season. But no way can Rudiger be excused, he's been awful this season, and I'm still to be convinced that he has the basics you need, i have never seen a more uncomfortable player on the ball at the club, he makes Zouma look like Desailly. I just wish he could deal with the ball better than he does, we cant have our most experienced defender panicking and fluffing the ball all the time like he does.

He's really just not good enough. I'm hoping that he can improve, but being 27 now I really doubt it. People have mentioned his on the ball ability and passing, which is awful, but what concerns me most is how easy he gets skipped by in a 1v1 and how he cant seem to man-mark a man at a corner or free-kick. Basics of defending. He also goes to ground way too easily to try and tackle when all the top defenders stay on their feet for as long as possible and marshal their opponents out of the danger area. Really hoping Rudi can prove me wrong and improve as he seems like a nice guy and good to have in the dressing room.

Well, for the little time he spent on the pitch Tomori probably made 10 times more mistakes with the ball than Rudiger made for the entire season but the double standard here for the academy players and the foreigners are not breaking news. 

Aaaand... 3, 2, 1... "but he is still young" whining begins ... as the picture in my head of Johhny Evans, Phil Jones, John Stones and some other "promising" "young" defenders.