Just been called up for the Brazil NT by Don Carlo.

He's got the Don Carlo seal of approval, all I needed to know he's the next Zidane.

Learning under Don Carlo is massive for him

Happy for him but f**k. Having 3 South Americans and injury prone Lavia during the international break going to give us all anxiety

9 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Happy for him but f**k. Having 3 South Americans and injury prone Lavia during the international break going to give us all anxiety

Big shift for KDH

PR machine has started to turn its wheels. Start to spin the story that Santos wasn't patient and forced a move.

Obviously just give him half an hour against Fluminese, his local rival, when we're losing. There was no logical reason to keep him on the bench last game.

37 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

PR machine has started to turn its wheels. Start to spin the story that Santos wasn't patient and forced a move.

Obviously just give him half an hour against Fluminese, his local rival, when we're losing. There was no logical reason to keep him on the bench last game.

I would have loved to see him play both our games but it was very logical. First being he's played zero minutes under Maresca in a game and trained with him a couple of weeks. Even Lavia's played only a handful of games under him despite being together for a full season.

If the game went to another direction I think he might have featured.

Reece playing in the midfield you could argue is less logical. But in general I feel Enzo got that game wrong starting with selections. Don't mind coaches try different things but against a top Brazilian side that went wrong. Jackson finished the job for him basically.

The papers all saying he is unhappy with no minutes and I don't really blame him . Maresca man management skills in question again,

hopefully he will get a run out in our next game ,

1 hour ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Obviously just give him half an hour against Fluminese, his local rival, when we're losing. There was no logical reason to keep him on the bench last game.

We needed a goal and he's the only midfielder we have who has just had a double digit goal season, who could come on and realistically help the attackers.

It was surely worth the gamble ...

Edited June 23, 20251 yr by Sexyfootball

16 minutes ago, evissy said:

I would have loved to see him play both our games but it was very logical. First being he's played zero minutes under Maresca in a game and trained with him a couple of weeks. Even Lavia's played only a handful of games under him despite being together for a full season.

If the game went to another direction I think he might have featured.

Reece playing in the midfield you could argue is less logical. But in general I feel Enzo got that game wrong starting with selections. Don't mind coaches try different things but against a top Brazilian side that went wrong. Jackson finished the job for him basically.

Delap had played zero minutes for Maresca and played in the first game and started the second game and had less time training.

Essugo has played zero minutes for Maresca and played in the first game and had less time training.

Please stop making excuses.

We were on the back foot since before half time and it took 64 minutes and for us to concede before he made any changes. Why is he always so late to make any changes when it is clear he's got it wrong?

There have been 2 games he could have featured in. Let's not go overboard on this. As much as I'd love to see him play we have time. Hopefully it is against this last game of group stage.

I feel if we started Santos and lost it would have been a bit harsh on the boy so I get why he hasn't played.

2 minutes ago, evissy said:

There have been 2 games he could have featured in. Let's not go overboard on this. As much as I'd love to see him play we have time. Hopefully it is against this last game of group stage.

I feel if we started Santos and lost it would have been a bit harsh on the boy so I get why he hasn't played.

Your argument would be fine if we weren't giving minutes to Delap and Essugo.

No one is saying he should start, but he should be at least featuring in the last 25 mins of each game.

Just now, Ukraine Bolt said:

Your argument would be fine if we weren't giving minutes to Delap and Essugo.

No one is saying he should start, but he should be at least featuring in the last 25 mins of each game.

Delap is the big buy for the season and I think he did well coming on from the bench. Bench which isn't blessed with number 9's.

Essugo was given minutes at a tail end of a game which was already in the bag. Essugo is also more like Caicedo in terms of his profile. Santos is a bit more like Enzo although their profiles don't match to me like for like.

And we have no idea what kind of impression Andrey has made in the team so far. Something we just don't know.

11 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Your argument would be fine if we weren't giving minutes to Delap and Essugo.

No one is saying he should start, but he should be at least featuring in the last 25 mins of each game.

Dortmund also brought Jobe Bellingham straight into the side the other day.....and he scored in his second game.

5 minutes ago, evissy said:

Delap is the big buy for the season and I think he did well coming on from the bench. Bench which isn't blessed with number 9's.

Essugo was given minutes at a tail end of a game which was already in the bag. Essugo is also more like Caicedo in terms of his profile. Santos is a bit more like Enzo although their profiles don't match to me like for like.

And we have no idea what kind of impression Andrey has made in the team so far. Something we just don't know.

30M with one season in the prem is our big buy pmsl we are finished. I agree he did well coming off the bench, imagine if Santos came on too!

Santos can play any midfield role. He's just as good defensively.

Please stop with all these excuses, there's no justifiable reason why he wasn't given minutes.

22 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

30M with one season in the prem is our big buy pmsl we are finished. I agree he did well coming off the bench, imagine if Santos came on too!

Santos can play any midfield role. He's just as good defensively.

Please stop with all these excuses, there's no justifiable reason why he wasn't given minutes.

We did well with Delaps deal, no? Prefer it was 100m so you could slate him for every small mistake?'

I felt I wrote no excuses. I call them reasons. I see you hate Maresca with passion. It might cloud your judgement on things. Not saying it does just a feeling...

2 hours ago, evissy said:

We did well with Delaps deal, no? Prefer it was 100m so you could slate him for every small mistake?'

I felt I wrote no excuses. I call them reasons. I see you hate Maresca with passion. It might cloud your judgement on things. Not saying it does just a feeling...

We did well paying his release clause but by no means should that be the marquee signing for a CL club.

I see you fancy Maresca with passion. It might cloud your judgement on things. Not saying it does just a feeling...

4 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

We needed a goal and he's the only midfielder we have who has just had a double digit goal season, who could come on and realistically help the attackers.

It was surely worth the gamble ...

Playing against a team and style of football that he would have been familiar and comfortable with.

2 hours ago, evissy said:

We did well with Delaps deal, no? Prefer it was 100m so you could slate him for every small mistake?'

I felt I wrote no excuses. I call them reasons. I see you hate Maresca with passion. It might cloud your judgement on things. Not saying it does just a feeling...

Here you go again. Where did he scorn the deal for Delap. He was merely pointing out the hilarity in your post that the 30m release clause player (I.e. no negotiation to balls up) is our big signing.

7 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

A) We did well paying his release clause but by no means should that be the marquee signing for a CL club.

B) I see you fancy Maresca with passion. It might cloud your judgement on things. Not saying it does just a feeling...

A) Yet Delap might be a perfect signing for us. I think we won't buy experience if it is the wrong kind so to say. Maignan's personality was seen a positive one.

My reason (read: excuse) for this is if we bring a bad apple who is a bit older to the group let's say Osimhen, things could go sideways. I personally don't know Vic although I call him by his probable calling name (just to be absolutely clear) he naturally gains the elder/leader of the group status such as Tosin has done being only a couple of years older than most players. At those 18-25 years I remember every year mattered.

This is why we need to be very careful with the personalities of the players as well. Osimhen and Gyokeres would automatically be leaders by age. Do they fit that leadership mould? Don't know. Again doesn't apply to all players and personalities but a consideration.

So this idea in mind (which is my own idea and opinion) I think we will either find the right type of young player/players for the marquee-bracket or a good leader type like Maignan clearly is. I think those defensive roles in that regard fits better for that leadership role.

B) I see what you did there. Clever trick. Points to you, mate.

I read it as questioning another young player with potential to become a top player (hence the pretty low fee) being our ‘big’ signing.

To be honest, you can make the case that it is OUR big signing. Are we likely to buy a more mature player that has proven their ability consistently at a high level?

Maresca must see him as a big signing as he’s even gone as far as to let him have a kick!

17 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Here you go again. Where did he scorn the deal for Delap. He was merely pointing out the hilarity in your post that the 30m release clause player (I.e. no negotiation to balls up) is our big signing.

He isn't a big signing? The lad is supposed to lead the line for us? A ton of trust is put into him.

1 hour ago, evissy said:

He isn't a big signing? The lad is supposed to lead the line for us? A ton of trust is put into him.

But surely you've seen the club briefings as well. Kolo Muani now. You think Delap would be a bigger signing than Kolo Muani?

I haven't watched a single Strasbourg game, so I have no idea how good Santos was. I think it's definitely easier to look good in a team without pressure like Chelsea has, and therefore it's hard to judge how he'll do at Chelsea. It's obvious Enzo is rightly trusted more at the moment because he's been with us for two seasons and shown his worth. But he must have good talent if he's won young player of the season in Ligue 1, given PSG play in that league as well. It would definitely raise eyebrows if we don't see Santos feature at all in the next game, considering who we are playing against.

Edited June 23, 20251 yr by Sunspear_88

I said in a post the other day I felt for santos when essougo came on. Unless he had a knock or something we don’t know about I thought it was quite bad management and sent a bad signal to santos.