1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

You simply cannot compare CB of current era compare to the past. The way team especially big team defend is very different.

I think you can, they just don't rate very favourably. Not many defenders are very good 1v1 defenders anymore, and the ones that are stand out like a sore thumb. With full-team presses and defensive double-pivots in midfield, this is a much more defensively-favourable era than 15-20 years ago.

I think Fofana is the best defending 1v1s we have but I agree with @GarnachoCheese that his aggressive style means that when it works it looks spectactular, when it doesn't he overcommits. Chalobah is similar but not as good. That said, I would much rather a defender like that over a Badiashile or Tosin who keep backing off attackers until it's too late.

5 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

I think you can, they just don't rate very favourably. Not many defenders are very good 1v1 defenders anymore, and the ones that are stand out like a sore thumb. With full-team presses and defensive double-pivots in midfield, this is a much more defensively-favourable era than 15-20 years ago.

I think Fofana is the best defending 1v1s we have but I agree with @GarnachoCheese that his aggressive style means that when it works it looks spectactular, when it doesn't he overcommits. Chalobah is similar but not as good. That said, I would much rather a defender like that over a Badiashile or Tosin who keep backing off attackers until it's too late.

I actually think both of you have a point. Defending today is basically the ‘total football’ version of it—pressing starts up front, possession acts as your breather, and the whole team compresses space. With that shift, CBs aren’t asked to win endless 1v1 duels like 15–20 years ago. Instead, they need to cover big areas, clean up transitions, and be good enough on the ball to keep the system functioning.
So yeah, naturally the modern CB profile leans more toward pace and technical quality rather than pure 1v1 defending.

Regarding Fofana in particular, I think he's a good defender, but unfortunately not physical enough for this level, especially the PL.

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

You simply cannot compare CB of current era compare to the past. The way team especially big team defend is very different.

Indeed. In our case now, not very well.

20 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

I think you can, they just don't rate very favourably. Not many defenders are very good 1v1 defenders anymore, and the ones that are stand out like a sore thumb. With full-team presses and defensive double-pivots in midfield, this is a much more defensively-favourable era than 15-20 years ago.

I think Fofana is the best defending 1v1s we have but I agree with @GarnachoCheese that his aggressive style means that when it works it looks spectactular, when it doesn't he overcommits. Chalobah is similar but not as good. That said, I would much rather a defender like that over a Badiashile or Tosin who keep backing off attackers until it's too late.

Big disagree.

Rather than me explaining. I'll just use this interview that I watched a while ago.

Chalobah actually exemplify this new trend of CB. 20 years ago, I will pick Disasi over Chalobah. From box defending pov, Disasi is far superior. But that is not what defending is all about. 1v1 and dueling quality is more important.

Trying to dribble out before the goal, total bozo moment

Not his finest today - partly responsible for both Newcastle goals.

6 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Not his finest today - partly responsible for both Newcastle goals.

Agreed.

#JustForAcheampong

3 hours ago, Nibs said:

Not his finest today - partly responsible for both Newcastle goals.

The entire 11+ the coaching were responsible for that sh*t show we saw today.

A liability masked my athleticism.

11 hours ago, The Boehly Babes said:

A liability masked my athleticism.

Your athleticism has never been in doubt.

48 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

I can't believe that a professional sportsman with a history of bad injuries would be dumb enough to go bloody skiing in mid-season LOL. Actually, it's Wesley Fofana, so yes I can ...

He hit 50 penalty points today in court for another speeding charge.

He needs indefinitely banned from the roads.

Fine player but a bit of a dick.

13 minutes ago, 19seventyone said:

He hit 50 penalty points today in court for another speeding charge.

He needs indefinitely banned from the roads.

Fine player but a bit of a dick.

He was at my local magistrates court recently to do with his motoring offence.

5 minutes ago, Bluesince66 said:

He was at my local magistrates court recently to do with his motoring offence.

No wonder there is a backlog.

On 04/01/2026 at 20:25, Sexyfootball said:

I can't believe that a professional sportsman with a history of bad injuries would be dumb enough to go bloody skiing in mid-season LOL. Actually, it's Wesley Fofana, so yes I can ...

I genuinely thought professional footballers were contractually forbidden to go skiing.

Edit:

Are footballers banned from skiing?

It's a similar story in the English Premier League, where players are not permitted to ski in any conditions and risk injury. In 2017, Chelsea were forced to remind their playing staff that skiing was not permitted during mid-season breaks.

My boss mentioned to me a few weeks ago that his 9 year old son had come from school with details of a school skiing trip next year that he'd like to go on, especially as all his mates were going.

Now said son is a whizz bang soccer player & plays for the Nottingham Forest Academy. He also excels at any other sport he tries.

When I asked my boss what's the latest with the trip he told me that Forest have said that he can't go due to the risk of injury.

https://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=7216

Of course, repeatedly breaking the speed limit is also not allowed, but that's obviously not a restriction Fofana pays any attention to.

Edited January 9Jan 9 by Backbiter

How do you even get to 50 points - it makes a license a bit of a laughing stock. But even more so, where are his morals. Everyone makes mistakes, but to get to 50 points, well....

Wesley Fofana, points on his licence, 50.

Wesley Fofana, appearances for Chelsea over three and half seasons, 48.

😐

If he's already banned from driving, and he's driving.. why the f**k is he not in jail?

That's some headline, more points on his license than we're gonna get this season. How the hell so you still have a license when you've got 50 points?

Blokes a twat

The running over of Dean Gaffney needs expanding upon…

3 hours ago, Zeta said:

If he's already banned from driving, and he's driving.. why the f**k is he not in jail?

You obviously have zero grasp of crime and proportinate punishment under the current English legal system.

2 hours ago, The Boehly Babes said:

The running over of Dean Gaffney needs expanding upon…

The magistrates reduced his driving suspension when they found out it was Dean Gaffney.