On 07/05/2025 at 09:28, Victor90 said:

Just waiting for the...

This

17 hours ago, The Boehly Babes said:

It’s just his availability is seriously hindering the team. Maybe having him not train/train as intensively is the solution?

Can't do that either. The PL's intensity doesn't allow for training of that nature.

He either needs a better circle of doctors, nutritionists, physios and chefs or prepare for 2-3 years of intense rehab periodically

Did anyone read or hear what the injury was? Wondering if it’s a reoccurrence or something new. If I recall he played 86 mins against benfica and didn’t appear to be struggling prior to the weather delay.

@Scott Harris Was that last photo above taken in the ambulance?

I love this player to death.

1 of 1 archetype, but if he goes through another season of inconsistent health, I'd be looking at a replacement, just because we've seen how dominant the Lavia + Caicedo dynamic can be.

Eyes on Adam Wharton or Carlos Baleba for the summer of 2026.

Just can't keep going into seasons relying on a cavalry of broken men.

1 hour ago, drool winner said:

I love this player to death.

1 of 1 archetype, but if he goes through another season of inconsistent health, I'd be looking at a replacement, just because we've seen how dominant the Lavia + Caicedo dynamic can be.

Eyes on Adam Wharton or Carlos Baleba for the summer of 2026.

Just can't keep going into seasons relying on a cavalry of broken men.

We have Santos and Essugo now as backups also, I would not sell Lavia. There is no way we recoup anything close to what we paid for him. Caicedo and Enzo are our starters so hopefully Lavias minutes can be better managed and he focuses on building up his durability with the physios. He should be running up and down the stairs nonstop to strengthen his skeletal muscles.

Also Brighton would easily want £100m for Baleba. I think Lavia and him are born on the same day, same year. No point on getting Baleba who is the least talented of the two. Just build up Lavia’s durability and we have a supreme midfielder for the next 10+ years.

We have a strong midfield core that can take us through the next 10 years.

34 minutes ago, Clown Lake said:

We have Santos and Essugo now as backups also, I would not sell Lavia. There is no way we recoup anything close to what we paid for him. Caicedo and Enzo are our starters so hopefully Lavias minutes can be better managed and he focuses on building up his durability with the physios. He should be running up and down the stairs nonstop to strengthen his skeletal muscles.

Also Brighton would easily want £100m for Baleba. I think Lavia and him are born on the same day, same year. No point on getting Baleba who is the least talented of the two. Just build up Lavia’s durability and we have a supreme midfielder for the next 10+ years.

We have a strong midfield core that can take us through the next 10 years.

Yea I think the project would actually fundamentally be against a big money signing for a player like Wharton or Baleba, more than likely they'd rather attempt to find their own version of that player and nurture them through Strasbourg hence Santos, Oyedele, Amougou etc.

On 01/08/2025 at 07:20, Clown Lake said:

We have Santos and Essugo now as backups also, I would not sell Lavia. There is no way we recoup anything close to what we paid for him. Caicedo and Enzo are our starters so hopefully Lavias minutes can be better managed and he focuses on building up his durability with the physios. He should be running up and down the stairs nonstop to strengthen his skeletal muscles.

Also Brighton would easily want £100m for Baleba. I think Lavia and him are born on the same day, same year. No point on getting Baleba who is the least talented of the two. Just build up Lavia’s durability and we have a supreme midfielder for the next 10+ years.

We have a strong midfield core that can take us through the next 10 years.

We also have Sam Rak-Sakhi who, if he is schooled and managed well through to the first team, is an absolute baller in the making

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

We also have Sam Rak-Sakhi who, if he is schooled and managed well through to the first team, is an absolute baller in the making

Sadly, I really can't see a pathway into the first team for Rak-Sakyi, Dyer, Walsh or any of the other Cobham midfielders.

They are basically the next generation of pure profit candidates

Be good to see if Lavia reports back to training, assuming one more week away. Need big things from him - staying fit first and foremost.

Excited for the game when Caicedo and Enzo are rested, with Lavia and Santos owning it!

4 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Sadly, I really can't see a pathway into the first team for Rak-Sakyi, Dyer, Walsh or any of the other Cobham midfielders.

They are basically the next generation of pure profit candidates

This, we have 100 first team player, 100 kids on the pipeline

7 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Sadly, I really can't see a pathway into the first team for Rak-Sakyi, Dyer, Walsh or any of the other Cobham midfielders.

They are basically the next generation of pure profit candidates

I've always viewed that as a good thing. Won't parents and agents be happy that they'd earn money even if the player doesn't work out at Chelsea? It's still a very good escalator program

57 minutes ago, Deino said:

I've always viewed that as a good thing. Won't parents and agents be happy that they'd earn money even if the player doesn't work out at Chelsea? It's still a very good escalator program

Oh absolutely

Assuming BlueCo are continuing (and hopefully even improving!) what Roman started with the academy program, the footballing education will be second to none.

3 hours ago, Deino said:

I've always viewed that as a good thing. Won't parents and agents be happy that they'd earn money even if the player doesn't work out at Chelsea? It's still a very good escalator program

I remember FFP first being brought in loads of football brains were telling us it will see clubs having to rely on academy players for first teams, we would see loads of young players in the top clubs getting a chance. Turns out as usual they were wrong, and the whole thing is a shambles, clubs re now using youth players as cash cows. FFP and PSR were brought in to stop upstart clubs daring to compete with the big boys, thats it.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

I remember FFP first being brought in loads of football brains were telling us it will see clubs having to rely on academy players for first teams, we would see loads of young players in the top clubs getting a chance. Turns out as usual they were wrong, and the whole thing is a shambles, clubs re now using youth players as cash cows. FFP and PSR were brought in to stop upstart clubs daring to compete with the big boys, thats it.

Always thought it was a systemic solution to stop clubs like Chelsea or City from getting massive injections from new owners(billionaires) with a side effect of stopping smaller(millionaires) from putting their clubs under massive debt that leads to administration.

All it really accomplished is turning small clubs into feeder/seller clubs like Brighton, Soton and locked clubs like Newcastle/Palace/Villa from pushing on

15 minutes ago, Deino said:

Always thought it was a systemic solution to stop clubs like Chelsea or City from getting massive injections from new owners(billionaires) with a side effect of stopping smaller(millionaires) from putting their clubs under massive debt that leads to administration.

All it really accomplished is turning small clubs into feeder/seller clubs like Brighton, Soton and locked clubs like Newcastle/Palace/Villa from pushing on

Not sure why Palace are put into the same category as Newcastle/Villa... Yes they won the FA cup but their best ever league finish is 10th.

1 hour ago, Shweaves said:

Not sure why Palace are put into the same category as Newcastle/Villa... Yes they won the FA cup but their best ever league finish is 10th.

Because imo there was a time where Palace could have significantly pushed for the CL.

13 minutes ago, Deino said:

Because imo there was a time where Palace could have significantly pushed for the CL.

Surely not! I would understand Brighton to a certain extent but Palace have never threatened a higher position than 10th in the PL...

Any word on when he’ll be involved again? Saw he wasn’t on the bench, and unsure if he is even training.

Such a shame how much football he has missed. Can see Santos and Essugo surpassing him

Is he injured again ?

55 minutes ago, Andy2461 said:

Is he injured again ?

again. Still. always.

This is so disappointing. All evidence to date suggests when he plays we play better. Essugo and especially Santos have shown good signs of promise, but my instinct is that Lavia would absolutely be the pick of them if he could be fit for more than five minutes a season.

Quickly becoming a forgotten man - didn't even reconcile he was missing until after the game yesterday. Where on earth is he? Any indication if he is even training.

42 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Quickly becoming a forgotten man - didn't even reconcile he was missing until after the game yesterday. Where on earth is he? Any indication if he is even training.

Don't worry, we can still get 5 games out of him before the season ends.