4 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

A fair few reports have him joining Mount, Chalobah, Maatsen, RLC and CHO in the sales bin.

Watching a few analysis on Pochettino's football and it's clear he wants players that are comfortable on the ball. 

Gallagher just isn't it and not something I think he'll develop over time. He's got good attacking impetus in the box, but the technical ability needed at this level isn't there. At his age, ship has sailed on that one, because first touch can only be refined, not learned. 

12 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Watching a few analysis on Pochettino's football and it's clear he wants players that are comfortable on the ball. 

Gallagher just isn't it and not something I think he'll develop over time. He's got good attacking impetus in the box, but the technical ability needed at this level isn't there. At his age, ship has sailed on that one, because first touch can only be refined, not learned. 

That's not true at all, in fact there is no bigger example of that at this club than Didier Drogba who on this very forum was once declared as having a first touch akin to a farmer instead of a footballer.

The reverse is often the case because at youth football level (14-18 yo) players spend very little specific training time on first touch as it is a skill that coaches expect to naturally improve with exposure to ball work. At professional level, it's something that you practice in virtually every training drill.

At this level, first touch and technique is not about raw skill but the ability to exercise it under pressure and with useful effect. The same critcisms apply to players like Mudryk and Havertz who frequently perform clumsily despite being feted for their technical ability. Improvment takes practice and coaching, the latter of which has obviously been sorely lacking. I am critical of Pochettino's ability to create a winning mentality but even I do not doubt his ability to improve any player's ball control and confidence in possession because he's developed some absolute plodders like Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama into comfortable ball-players

Edited May 31, 20233 yr by SydneyChelsea

3 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

That's not true at all, in fact there is no bigger example of that at this club than Didier Drogba who on this very forum was once declared as having a first touch akin to a farmer instead of a footballer.

The reverse is often the case because at youth football level (14-18 yo) players spend very little specific training time on first touch as it is a skill that coaches expect to naturally improve with exposure to ball work. At professional level, it's something that you practice in virtually every training drill.

At this level, first touch and technique is not about raw skill but the ability to exercise it under pressure and with useful effect. The same critcisms apply to players like Mudryk and Havertz who frequently perform clumsily despite being feted for their technical ability. Improvment takes practice and coaching, the latter of which has obviously been sorely lacking. I am critical of Pochettino's ability to create a winning mentality but even I do not doubt his ability to improve any player's ball control and confidence in possession because he's developed some absolute plodders like Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama into comfortable ball-players

Imo in the end of the day it is combination of your overall skill-set and what is demanded from your role that really count.

If you compare cancelo to ake, from on ball pov, It is night and day in favor of cancelo but if you look at from defending pov it is the other way around. 

 

 

Edited May 31, 20233 yr by Bob stark

11 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

That's not true at all, in fact there is no bigger example of that at this club than Didier Drogba who on this very forum was once declared as having a first touch akin to a farmer instead of a footballer.

The reverse is often the case because at youth football level (14-18 yo) players spend very little specific training time on first touch as it is a skill that coaches expect to naturally improve with exposure to ball work. At professional level, it's something that you practice in virtually every training drill.

At this level, first touch and technique is not about raw skill but the ability to exercise it under pressure and with useful effect. The same critcisms apply to players like Mudryk and Havertz who frequently perform clumsily despite being feted for their technical ability. Improvment takes practice and coaching, the latter of which has obviously been sorely lacking. I am critical of Pochettino's ability to create a winning mentality but even I do not doubt his ability to improve any player's ball control and confidence in possession because he's developed some absolute plodders like Eric Dier and Victor Wanyama into comfortable ball-players

The best player we have (or had), for first touch and ball control was Felix. Miles better than anyone else just sublime. The worst this season IMO have probably been Mudryk and Sterling. 

33 minutes ago, just said:

The best player we have (or had), for first touch and ball control was Felix. Miles better than anyone else just sublime. The worst this season IMO have probably been Mudryk and Sterling. 

Kovacic or James imo

1 hour ago, just said:

The best player we have (or had), for first touch and ball control was Felix. 

Shame he would do absolutely f**k all with it though.

4 hours ago, RIP Mourinho said:

Kovacic or James imo

I can understand why you might criticise his finishing RIP, but his first touch and ball control is in a different class to every player we have. 

 

2 minutes ago, just said:

I can understand why you might criticise his finishing RIP, but his first touch and ball control is in a different class to every player we have. 

 

I'm not too critical of his finishing, we knew the score when he arrived.

What has disappointed me was his lack of creativity, he created one big chance in half a season which came minutes into his debut. 

7 minutes ago, Argo said:

I'm not too critical of his finishing, we knew the score when he arrived.

What has disappointed me was his lack of creativity, he created one big chance in half a season which came minutes into his debut. 

The video that was posted also showed clips of Felix's flicks and tricks yet the clips conveniently end just moments before Felix messed up a passing attempt. 

9 minutes ago, Argo said:

I'm not too critical of his finishing, we knew the score when he arrived.

What has disappointed me was his lack of creativity, he created one big chance in half a season which came minutes into his debut. 

I've always wondered what constitutes a "big chance created" and nobody has ever been able to clearly define it Argo.

Even in the highlights clips above there are 3 good passes Felix has made to team mates who are then through on goal, or in a great position to shoot. Not one of them finished.

1 hour ago, just said:

I've always wondered what constitutes a "big chance created" and nobody has ever been able to clearly define it Argo.

Even in the highlights clips above there are 3 good passes Felix has made to team mates who are then through on goal, or in a great position to shoot. Not one of them finished.

OPTA define it as "A situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter. Penalties are always considered big chances."

Maybe a bit harsh on Felix then, in the context of who he's creating for!

He's got 7 key passes, or chances created, according to Sqauwka who utilize Opta data. 

Quote

The final pass or pass-cum-shot leading to the recipient of the ball having an attempt at goal without scoring.

If we take per 90 for this season, he still ranks the lowest among our attackers. Even Gallagher....

Ziyech 2.1

Madueke 1.9

Sterling 1.7

Mount 1.7

Havertz 1.4

Pulisic 1.4

Mudryk 1.4

Gallagher 1.2

 

Felix 0.7

 

I'm shocked that some fans cannot see how good Felix can become. There isn't a single player in the squad with the technical ability of Felix. If he doesn't end up here, he's going to spend his whole career playing for the Barcelona's, Real Madrid's and Bayern's of the game. So how can 12th place Chelsea say he isn't good enough?

3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I'm shocked that some fans cannot see how good Felix can become. There isn't a single player in the squad with the technical ability of Felix. If he doesn't end up here, he's going to spend his whole career playing for the Barcelona's, Real Madrid's and Bayern's of the game. So how can 12th place Chelsea say he isn't good enough?

I agree I think he's a great player but it's down to Pooch... if Felix is not going to fit in to the way he wants us to play then that's it.

I suspect he wants 11 players working together, pressing the opposition etc. no room for the lone star, at the moment, however technically accomplished he may be.

13 hours ago, just said:

I can understand why you might criticise his finishing RIP, but his first touch and ball control is in a different class to every player we have. 

 

Reece James has balls sprayed out wide to him about 10 times a game and he plucks them out the air with his toe or chest and kills it instantly, hence why i said i thought James has the best first touch and control. Same when Kovacic has balls fired in to him, he's been a bit off it this season though. 

3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I'm shocked that some fans cannot see how good Felix can become. There isn't a single player in the squad with the technical ability of Felix. If he doesn't end up here, he's going to spend his whole career playing for the Barcelona's, Real Madrid's and Bayern's of the game. So how can 12th place Chelsea say he isn't good enough?

We've used this excuse for Havertz for the past 3 seasons. 

4 minutes ago, RIP Mourinho said:

We've used this excuse for Havertz for the past 3 seasons. 

Yep, and Havertz was by far the better player before arriving. His stats in Leverkusen was insane. 

Off topic, but signing a real striker and getting Havertz playing in his natural position should be one of the main priorities of Pochettino. 

Edited June 1, 20233 yr by Cfc91

4 minutes ago, Cfc91 said:

Yep, and Havertz was by far the better player before arriving. His stats in Leverkusen was insane. 

Off topic, but signing a real striker and getting Havertz playing in his natural position should be one of the main priorities of Pochettino. 

TBF i don't think Havertz will ever be close to his Bundesliga days in the Prem. Games too fast and physical for him, but if he can't make it Felix certainly won't.

3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I'm shocked that some fans cannot see how good Felix can become. There isn't a single player in the squad with the technical ability of Felix. If he doesn't end up here, he's going to spend his whole career playing for the Barcelona's, Real Madrid's and Bayern's of the game. So how can 12th place Chelsea say he isn't good enough?

“Can become”.. he has been around for the last 6yrs. There is a zero chance he will ever play for Madrid or Barca, he plays in La Liga and they are not interested in him. I don’t understand what some fans are seeing when they watch him. There are no interest in signing him permanently after his loan move here, Atletico Madrid are now offering him out on loan to Newcastle and PSG.

IMO he needs to take a step down and look for a permanent move to a Sevilla/Villarreal type team, he will need to take a drastic wage cut to around £80k/w. He is just turning 24 so still has time on his side, if he spends 3 seasons there and he tears it up he can earn a move back to a top team. 

5 hours ago, ducavis said:

“Can become”.. he has been around for the last 6yrs. There is a zero chance he will ever play for Madrid or Barca, he plays in La Liga and they are not interested in him. I don’t understand what some fans are seeing when they watch him. There are no interest in signing him permanently after his loan move here, Atletico Madrid are now offering him out on loan to Newcastle and PSG.

IMO he needs to take a step down and look for a permanent move to a Sevilla/Villarreal type team, he will need to take a drastic wage cut to around £80k/w. He is just turning 24 so still has time on his side, if he spends 3 seasons there and he tears it up he can earn a move back to a top team. 

Yeah but don't forget ducavis the really important thing here is that I like him. That should be enough.

What do I see? I see a little bit of this in him.

 

7 minutes ago, just said:

Yeah but don't forget ducavis the really important thing here is that I like him. That should be enough.

What do I see? I see a little bit of this in him.

 

That's just sacrilegious, wee Pat cannot be compared to this foppish nonsense.

10 minutes ago, dkw said:

That's just sacrilegious, wee Pat cannot be compared to this foppish nonsense.

I asked the question in the Felix thread dkw, if wee Pat had been playing without Dixon / Speedie to aim for would he have been as effective a player for us? 

8 hours ago, ducavis said:

“Can become”.. he has been around for the last 6yrs. There is a zero chance he will ever play for Madrid or Barca, he plays in La Liga and they are not interested in him. I don’t understand what some fans are seeing when they watch him. There are no interest in signing him permanently after his loan move here, Atletico Madrid are now offering him out on loan to Newcastle and PSG.

IMO he needs to take a step down and look for a permanent move to a Sevilla/Villarreal type team, he will need to take a drastic wage cut to around £80k/w. He is just turning 24 so still has time on his side, if he spends 3 seasons there and he tears it up he can earn a move back to a top team. 

Barcelona were very interested in him when we were, but they couldn't afford him.

Now Mount's leaving (didn't believe both could coexist in the same squad long term) I would keep Conor unless we get a stupid offer.

I think he will be a valuable squad player in a Pochettino system.

15 minutes ago, Argo said:

Now Mount's leaving (didn't believe both could coexist in the same squad long term) I would keep Conor unless we get a stupid offer.

I think he will be a valuable squad player in a Pochettino system.

Rather Carney.