Just now, just said:

Cannot for the life of me see how Casadei, Dewsbury-Hall or Felix are getting minutes ahead of Carney.

Not saying they are particularly bad players, they're not. But Carney has such an incredibly high ceiling and on the whole has done really well whenever he has been given time on the pitch. Not sure what more he could do.

I can't see Chukwuemeka not being played being a footballing decision.

Club's obviously decided he's being sold, so the manager is following instructions to "encourage the move" ... similar to what is happening with Chilwell ... 

Can only think it is something to do with ongoing fitness concerns. Wasn't there some noise around his biomechanics and needing to change his running style as a result last season ?

Change of running style clearly hasn’t hampered him, he’s looked brilliant every time he played. Even against Barrow he created more chances than everybody else despite playing what, 15 minutes?

I would have him as second choice behind Palmer. He offers more than Felix imo, even though I really like him.

23 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Yeah I don’t think he’s anywhere near good enough to be considered for first team just yet.

Personally I don’t really see what he offers, last night was his chance to really show the world what he is all about but he played really conservative and safe.

I think he needs a loan.

Agreed. We already have better here.

4 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Agreed. We already have better here.

Essentially he is playing a new position. I thought he did ok and you can see that his instincts were to come forward. However, I do think that eventually we will sell him, as well as Carney, Madueke, Mudryk, and potentially Reece. 

Didn't even realise he got sent off, must have stopped paying attention by then.

Don't think he's up to much and not sure how he's getting starts over Chukwuemeka. Constantly passing backwards and slow on the ball. Physicality is his main attribute but doesn't seem to know how to use it. 

Hopefully someone throws a bit of money at him in January. 

10 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn't even realise he got sent off, must have stopped paying attention by then.

Don't think he's up to much and not sure how he's getting starts over Chukwuemeka. Constantly passing backwards and slow on the ball. Physicality is his main attribute but doesn't seem to know how to use it. 

Hopefully someone throws a bit of money at him in January. 

In short, sadly, he's soft. He struggled physically at Leicester last season in midfield. More effective forward using his skills in and around the box. Shame, really. Outstanding junior who doesn't seem equipped for senior footy at least in the PL. Would cope better back in Italy.

You know if we let him go the guy will return to Italy and go on and become the next Luca Toni. 

On 29/11/2024 at 10:58, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn't even realise he got sent off, must have stopped paying attention by then.

Don't think he's up to much and not sure how he's getting starts over Chukwuemeka. Constantly passing backwards and slow on the ball. Physicality is his main attribute but doesn't seem to know how to use it. 

Hopefully someone throws a bit of money at him in January. 

It's mad that we are freezing Chukwuemeka out, he should be playing ahead of Dewsbury-Hall every chance we get. As for Casadei, I think he's an okay player, doesn't do much beyond the simple stuff, but I don't see much beyond that. Santos should be taking his spot next season.

He’s a kid.

Again far too many writing him off. We could do that with the established players we signed in the previous era but we need to give these guys extra time due to their inexperience and age or it’s almost pointless.

Just now, 19seventyone said:

He’s a kid.

Again far too many writing him off. We could do that with the established players we signed in the previous era but we need to give these guys extra time due to their inexperience and age or it’s almost pointless.

The thing is that we have a lot of kids at the club and on loan. We can only fit so many in.

20 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

The thing is that we have a lot of kids at the club and on loan. We can only fit so many in.

I get that bud.

But lots of fans are a bit too quick to criticise the young ones. Cucu whilst not being the youngest was torn apart on here for a season at least and now he’s a mainstay and playing well.

Being critical is fine and is needed but some players are immune it would appear whilst others kop double. 
 

I’ve been guilty of it myself but am trying to reign it in as it’s a different Chelsea today.

39 minutes ago, 19seventyone said:

He’s a kid.

Again far too many writing him off. We could do that with the established players we signed in the previous era but we need to give these guys extra time due to their inexperience and age or it’s almost pointless.

But frankly Chukwuemeka,  Santos and even Ugochukwu have shown more potential both at the club or on loan. That's what happens when you hoard multiple young talents.  You have to be absolutely brutal to ensure you keep the cream of the crop.

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

But frankly Chukwuemeka,  Santos and even Ugochukwu have shown more potential both at the club or on loan. That's what happens when you hoard multiple young talents.  You have to be absolutely brutal to ensure you keep the cream of the crop.

Like Salah? Or KDB?

We don’t have a great record of keeping our best youngsters because it was so difficult to break into an established (under Roman). The new model  means all of our players are young but we seem to ask that they perform week in week out like our successful teams of the past. 
I’m not saying criticism is all bad but I think we need to be mindful of who we are criticising 

Lesley has spat the dummy at Southampton and deleted all mention of them due to lack of game time. This is the difficulty for the loan players. Santos found the same scenario last season at Forest. 
 

Of course not all will make it at Chelsea but the fans can be a bit better encouraging them instead of ripping them a new arsehole or the trope of “he’s simply not good enough” when we have actual evidence of that not being the case re Salah, KDB, Cucu etc.

Some of these young players need more time to get there.
 

Edited November 30, 20241 yr by 19seventyone

He’s fine. Playing a role he clearly never has done before. Need to be smart with his next loan move. 

18 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

He’s a kid.

Again far too many writing him off. We could do that with the established players we signed in the previous era but we need to give these guys extra time due to their inexperience and age or it’s almost pointless.

He's a year older than Lavia. 

The difference is head and shoulders, there's no shame not being up to the level of Chelsea. 

18 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

Like Salah? Or KDB?

We don’t have a great record of keeping our best youngsters because it was so difficult to break into an established (under Roman). The new model  means all of our players are young but we seem to ask that they perform week in week out like our successful teams of the past. 
I’m not saying criticism is all bad but I think we need to be mindful of who we are criticising 

Lesley has spat the dummy at Southampton and deleted all mention of them due to lack of game time. This is the difficulty for the loan players. Santos found the same scenario last season at Forest. 
 

Of course not all will make it at Chelsea but the fans can be a bit better encouraging them instead of ripping them a new arsehole or the trope of “he’s simply not good enough” when we have actual evidence of that not being the case re Salah, KDB, Cucu etc.

Some of these young players need more time to get there.
 

Nobody is criticising anything. These are all young men trying to build their careers. This is a two way street, these players owe as much to the club as vice versa, they are perfectly entitledto try and build the best carrers tgat they can, regardless of where it is.

If you have six or seven similar aged players all competing for 2 or 3 places then it stands to reason that some will move on. Therefore we have no option but to play the very best of the group.

Football has never changed, its as cutthroat and brutal now as it ever was. There are at least a dozen lads released every season. Any one of them could be a Salah or a KDB, neither of which came through the ranks here anyway. Its unpleasant, its tough and now and again the wrong ones leave. But not often. 

I like him not played enough, but it looks like he is on his bike

https://www.football.london/chelsea-fc/news/breaking-enzo-maresca-confirms-huge-30703032

wont be that cheap

 

6 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

 

Barely breaking even with those numbers. Just a waste of 2yrs on both sides.

9 minutes ago, ducavis said:

Barely breaking even with those numbers. Just a waste of 2yrs on both sides.

Financially speaking, this isn’t a waste for Clearlake. Book value profit and a % of future sale. 
 

 

 

20 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

 

Explains why he wasn't on the bench then. Shame as I personally think he's a good player.

I would much rather we have a buy back clause than % on future sale.

I don’t really see him becoming one of the better midfielders in premier league tbh.
 

It’s probably best for him to go back to Italy, the premier league seem far too fast paced for him.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t really see him becoming one of the better midfielders in premier league tbh.
 

It’s probably best for him to go back to Italy, the premier league seem far too fast paced for him.

He'll do very well here. Slower tempo, less physical. Shame really. Dominated the U20 WC but such is the gap between youth and the PL.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t really see him becoming one of the better midfielders in premier league tbh.
 

It’s probably best for him to go back to Italy, the premier league seem far too fast paced for him.

I don't believe it's a league issue at all. He's been misused since he got here. 

4 minutes ago, Remodez said:

I don't believe it's a league issue at all. He's been misused since he got here. 

How? He's a midfielder, played in midfield. His issues were evident on loan at Leicester. Frequently outmuscled in midfield, he looked better in the box with his height but that's not enough.