14 minutes ago, DannyVblue said:

Reece James is also apparently having an outstanding season in the Championship - I'd rather him be backup for Azpi and save the £50 million for a forward or centre back.

Agreed, I think James is the one we should bring into the team, over Aina.  I have read reports, as well, that he is having a great season.  Something like 3 or 4 straight player of the month awards for Wigan.

Edited December 11, 20187 yr by mwblue10

Why not wait till the summer for this one and sign a striker in January instead?

Hate rumor like this, we just resigned our first choice right back for 4 years, how could spending 50M on another right back make us a better team? It's like having a sore knee, instead of treating it, just put more bandages on the right arm.

Agreed, would rather at least give a go to one of our young right backs, Look how well liverpool and spurs have done with their lads, Robertson is for me the best RB in the league on current form, Alexander-Arnold looks a real prospect, Trippier is top quality too even though he only really blossomed in the last couple of years. Better off saving that cash and going all out for a few players who will really improve us where we need it most. I'd be looking at Koulibaly, Icardi and a new winger, or two if Hazard does go in the summer.

Show me this a month ago and i would have been overjoyed, however Azpi is doing much better currently. At least wait until summer to buy him and invest more wisely elsewhere in January.

I disagree with people saying this fella isn't needed, and azpi has been great recently. 

 

Azpi had one amazing game against city and the whole struggle of the season for him is forgotten.. wrong, azpi played well and so did Kante and so did luiz because they emphasis on them wasn't to attack attack attack, it was back to counter attacking football which they are used to and suited to. So luiz wasn't wondering out of position and being left 1 v 1, azpi spent most of the game in slow block defending and Kante got to play his natural game more despite the goal. Kante right mid position is not the problem it's his role in this team (quick Tika taka, possession ) that he's struggling with same as azpi. 

 

The plan probably is to get Hysaj and move azpi back to centre back.. and save 100m on koulibaly get a solid as a rock centre back for free in azpi and give our attack another dimension with a rapid wing back tried and tested in the system. 

 

Everyone is talking about the need for a new winger when it's two new wing backs that would transform us to city's level.. when they got walker and mendy it transformed them far more than buying mahrez or Bernardo silva has. 

On ?12?/?12?/?2018 at 10:10, I Am Gay 4 Diegod said:

I disagree with people saying this fella isn't needed, and azpi has been great recently. 

 

Azpi had one amazing game against city and the whole struggle of the season for him is forgotten.. wrong, azpi played well and so did Kante and so did luiz because they emphasis on them wasn't to attack attack attack, it was back to counter attacking football which they are used to and suited to. So luiz wasn't wondering out of position and being left 1 v 1, azpi spent most of the game in slow block defending and Kante got to play his natural game more despite the goal. Kante right mid position is not the problem it's his role in this team (quick Tika taka, possession ) that he's struggling with same as azpi. 

 

The plan probably is to get Hysaj and move azpi back to centre back.. and save 100m on koulibaly get a solid as a rock centre back for free in azpi and give our attack another dimension with a rapid wing back tried and tested in the system. 

 

Everyone is talking about the need for a new winger when it's two new wing backs that would transform us to city's level.. when they got walker and mendy it transformed them far more than buying mahrez or Bernardo silva has. 

FB and WB are different positions so we need to keep remembering that Maurizo wants FBs.

I'll be disappointed if we go for Hysaj. He is, in my opinion, less good than Reece James and he's older too. If Reece isn't good enough, and it'll be hard to convince me of that, then this bloke isn't either.

A professional footballer with 250+ career club appearances, challenging for the league in Italy and performing in the Champions league isn't as good as a 19 year old lad with 21 appearances in professional football for a team that currently sits 16th in the Championship. 

Our fans amaze me at times.

1 hour ago, RIP Mourinho said:

A professional footballer with 250+ career club appearances, challenging for the league in Italy and performing in the Champions league isn't as good as a 19 year old lad with 21 appearances in professional football for a team that currently sits 16th in the Championship. 

Our fans amaze me at times.

You have correctly understood my opinion. An opinion, right or wrong, formed from watching the two players concerned.  It now remains to be seen whether or not you join the ranks of the people who have criticised my player assessments only later to pretend that they agreed with me all along.

Edited December 14, 20187 yr by OhForAGreavsie

And now i wait to see if you join the ranks of morons on this forum. (only other member is Youlots)

1 hour ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

You have correctly understood my opinion. An opinion, right or wrong, formed from watching the two players concerned.  It now remains to be seen whether or not you join the ranks of the people who have criticised my player assessments only later to pretend that they agreed with me all along.

Youve watched one play against Championship level teams and one against the top teams in europe, and you came to that conclusion? I dont think football is for you.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

Youve watched one play against Championship level teams and one against the top teams in europe, and you came to that conclusion? I dont think football is for you.

In fact I'd have reached the same conclusion even if I had only seen Reece play youth football, which I did many times.

Your attempt to belittle the football judgement of someone you know next to nothing about reminds me of someone on this site (I'm pretty sure it wasn't you) who criticised me when I said that Renanto Sanchez was a very ordinary player. I further said that although Sanchez had won young player of the competition in the Euros, he had not in fact played particularly well in that tournament. My critic said I made myself sound like a fool when I offered an opinion which disagreed with the people who voted for the award and with Bayern who had spent a fortune on Sanchez just before those euros. Who do you suppose is more likely to have changed their mind/s now, that poster and the decision makers at Bayern, or me?

P.S. Reece is a very good player. Last May I described him as our best development level prospect currently and in fact since JT. I stick to that assessment.

Edited December 14, 20187 yr by OhForAGreavsie

2 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

And now i wait to see if you join the ranks of morons on this forum. (only other member is Youlots)

OK, we shall see.

Come on, I like Reece and think he will go on to be a hell of a player but there simply is no way you can compare a young prospect who has played a couple of dozen times in the championship to a player who has several accomplished seasons in Serie A, its just ridiculous. 

Seen a hysaj a few times, decent player, obviously would fit the system, but is he worth such a high fee? Azpiliucueta has just signed a new deal, hopefully he will grow into the role more over the season. 

Reece James is a fantastic crosser of the ball, probably the best at the club. I'd have him instead of Zappacosta in a heartbeat, it would open up a foreign squad place, and let us use the funds in other areas. 

Left back is more of an issue for me, Emerson just doesn't seem to be trusted, and Alonso isn't the right fit for the system in my opinion. Maybe it will change next year.

Jay da silva and Castillo are the options in the youth ranks, but neither seems particularly close to getting an opportunity.

I would be all for Alex Telles from Porto, he has spoken about interest from us in the past, Porto are a fairly easy club to deal with, and he is a really good player, at the perfect age.

 

1 hour ago, big blue said:

Reece James is a fantastic crosser of the ball, probably the best at the club.

Definitely the best I'd say.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

Come on, I like Reece and think he will go on to be a hell of a player but there simply is no way you can compare a young prospect who has played a couple of dozen times in the championship to a player who has several accomplished seasons in Serie A, its just ridiculous. 

Obviously you can always compare any two players. You mean it's premature to conclude that the younger one is the better player when he hasn't yet competed at an equivalently high standard. Well, to me, that's just judging by rule rather than by observation; X is older, or X is playing at a higher level, so X must be better. I don't think that follows at all. You judge players by what you see of their attributes and by how they use them. Well, I've watched the two players and made a judgement which I think is based on those attributes. Naturally I may be wrong but I can't pretend to believe something when in fact I do not believe it. For me, Hysaj is not the better player.   

Edited December 14, 20187 yr by OhForAGreavsie

44 minutes ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Obviously you can always compare any two players. You mean it's premature to conclude that the younger one is the better player when he hasn't yet competed at an equivalently high standard. Well, to me, that's just judging by rule rather than by observation; X is older, or X is playing at a higher level, so X must be better. I don't think that follows at all. You judge players by what you see of their attributes and by how they use them. Well, I've watched the two players and made a judgement which I think is based on those attributes. Naturally I may be wrong but I can't pretend to believe something when in fact I do not believe it. For me, Hysaj is not the better player.   

I think hysaj does still does a lot of things better than James does at the moment though. His defensive positioning is better, he keeps the ball better under pressure, tactically he knows when to time his runs, when he needs to cover. 

These are all attributes that generally come with experience, and playing at high level. 

So out of the two, I think hysaj has the edge right now, but Reece James is only 18/19, and he has the potential to be a world class right back.

21 hours ago, big blue said:

Seen a hysaj a few times, decent player, obviously would fit the system, but is he worth such a high fee? Azpiliucueta has just signed a new deal, hopefully he will grow into the role more over the season. 

Reece James is a fantastic crosser of the ball, probably the best at the club. I'd have him instead of Zappacosta in a heartbeat, it would open up a foreign squad place, and let us use the funds in other areas. 

Left back is more of an issue for me, Emerson just doesn't seem to be trusted, and Alonso isn't the right fit for the system in my opinion. Maybe it will change next year.

Jay da silva and Castillo are the options in the youth ranks, but neither seems particularly close to getting an opportunity.

I would be all for Alex Telles from Porto, he has spoken about interest from us in the past, Porto are a fairly easy club to deal with, and he is a really good player, at the perfect age.

 

Or try and buy Ake back from Bournemouth and play him left back. Will also help the home grown situation with Cahill, Fabregas, Drinkwater Moses likely leaving.

34 minutes ago, jack_super_class said:

Or try and buy Ake back from Bournemouth and play him left back. Will also help the home grown situation with Cahill, Fabregas, Drinkwater Moses likely leaving.

I've never been impressed with Ake at left back, I don't think he offers enough going forward.

In terms of homegrown left backs, I like Ben chilwell from Leicester. 

1 hour ago, big blue said:

I've never been impressed with Ake at left back, I don't think he offers enough going forward.

In terms of homegrown left backs, I like Ben chilwell from Leicester. 

Same i like Chilwell too just felt Ake would be easier to get if we have a buyback or first option as reported.

With the rumour that we've accepted a loan offer from Lazio to take Zappacosta until the end of the season and then a likely purchase don't rule out us making a move for Hysaj before the end of the month. 

Apparently he's growing increasingly frustrated at his lack of playing time under Ancelotti. 

Some seemingly poorly translated quotes from his agent can be found here: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1067365/Chelsea-transfer-news-Elseid-Hysaj-Napoli

Gist of it, he says “If he (Hysaj) is seen as an alternative (not first choice for Napoli) we will ask for a sale in January."

Apparently has a £45m release clause but if he's deemed surplus we might get him for less. 

22 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

With the rumour that we've accepted a loan offer from Lazio to take Zappacosta until the end of the season and then a likely purchase don't rule out us making a move for Hysaj before the end of the month. 

Apparently he's growing increasingly frustrated at his lack of playing time under Ancelotti. 

Some seemingly poorly translated quotes from his agent can be found here: https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1067365/Chelsea-transfer-news-Elseid-Hysaj-Napoli

Gist of it, he says “If he (Hysaj) is seen as an alternative (not first choice for Napoli) we will ask for a sale in January."

Apparently has a £45m release clause but if he's deemed surplus we might get him for less. 

His market value according to transfermarkt is £20.7m, I don't think he's worth anywhere near £45m.

The values of Trasfermarket are ridiculous. Every transfer depends from who buys and from who sells. Napoli is a very solid club economically that has no need to sell. It's possible to buy the Napoli players only overpriced and not in Jenuary. Well with that said, Hysaj has wood feet and with Diawara is the worst Napoli player. Please buy him. 

 

Unless we bought an absolutely world class RB, I can't see any new signing ousting Dave within the next year or 2, so we should save the money and have Aina as the backup, as he can play RB and LB and as far as I know, has been impressing in Italy.