17 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I'm still willing to wager that Alonso will be asking for an established central midfielder. Makes sense why there's mummers of us inquiring about Tonali and Bruno.

Problem is Arteta wants to add Tonali to his midfield.

55 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

I'm not sure that is true.

If we are comparing the midfield pair based on roles, there's not much between them. And this is with our midfield being incredibly disjointed for going on 2 seasons now.

If anything, it just highlights how much of a luxury player Enzo Fernandez is.

Rice scores a lot though and I'd not use Zubimendi or Partey in the comparison; Odegaard always starts when fit.

For me it's,
Rice -> Caicedo
Odegaard -> Enzo
Arsenal also has more options to mix it up depending on the context (e.g. Merino).

Their midfield is a lot better in my book. I also agreed that our midfield is disjointed and I think it's about role/characteristics which are unbalanced.

Edited May 26May 26 by acaeus

3 hours ago, acaeus said:

Arsenal’s midfield is significantly more skillful and creative than ours overall. Declan Rice is more technically complete than Caicedo, for example — though who’s better overall is subjective, and I personally prefer Rice. And Odegaard is far more creative and technically influential in advanced midfield areas than any midfielder we’ve got, Enzo included.

Declan Rice is a CB and Odegaard doesn’t even play anymore.

2 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Declan Rice is a CB and Odegaard doesn’t even play anymore.

Reckon that's where Caicedo would play for City and Arsenal.

The way some people speak about Enzo on here you'd think Man City, PSG and Real Madrid would also be interested in Sean Longstaff

Edited May 27May 27 by timetowaste

4 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

The way some people speak about Enzo on here you'd think Man City, PSG and Real Madrid would also be interested in Sean Longstaff

I'm just thankful that Man City, PSG and Real Madrid clearly don't watch our games too closely LOL.

Surprised Maresca wants him. to be honest.

29 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'm just thankful that Man City, PSG and Real Madrid clearly don't watch our games too closely LOL.

Surprised Maresca wants him. to be honest.

Almost as if someone who's managed him knows he's actually a top player 😉

20 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

Almost as if someone who's managed him knows he's actually a top player 😉

Same manager that said Jackson was his ideal number 9

Just get this bitch out the door... Dont care what happens to him after he leaves, dont care what club he goes to. The biggest overrated Unsinkable turd we've ever signed. If that non manager twat Maresca wants half our squad, he and city are very welcome to have them for 500 million.

We weakened our squad last season and sold our best players, expect more of the same this summer even with Alonso in charge. Can see him walking next season when Liverpool sack Sloth and approach us to buy him out.

Edited May 27May 27 by bluelightening

7 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Same manager that said Jackson was his ideal number 9

Well we did get rid of him in the end so he can't have even that ideal. Backing one of your players mid season is one thing, buying one of your old players for your new team is another.

58 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

I'm just thankful that Man City, PSG and Real Madrid clearly don't watch our games too closely LOL.

Surprised Maresca wants him. to be honest.

I don’t buy the PSG and Real Madrid links. Any club buying him presently isn’t doing it to play him deeper, it’s to play him as a box crasher. PSG have a superior player in the deeper role, and don’t have a need for a box crasher. Madrid under Mourinho will revert to a mid 3, and Bellingham is a better box crasher if he needs one.

The article is right about City not having a player of his profile, a box crasher but what happens to Cherki if you sign him? What they need is a replacement for Bernardo Silva, a player who controls the tempo. Enzo isn’t that player.

44 minutes ago, markpitts said:

I don’t buy the PSG and Real Madrid links. Any club buying him presently isn’t doing it to play him deeper, it’s to play him as a box crasher. PSG have a superior player in the deeper role, and don’t have a need for a box crasher. Madrid under Mourinho will revert to a mid 3, and Bellingham is a better box crasher if he needs one.

The article is right about City not having a player of his profile, a box crasher but what happens to Cherki if you sign him? What they need is a replacement for Bernardo Silva, a player who controls the tempo. Enzo isn’t that player.

Yup, and can play virtually anywhere on the pitch.

2 hours ago, timetowaste said:

The way some people speak about Enzo on here you'd think Man City, PSG and Real Madrid would also be interested in Sean Longstaff

PSG wasn't interested, Enzo wants Madrid more than they want him and Man City's new manager is looking for his schoolboy pet. We're talking Fellaini to Man U.

Nothing surprising in the least.

If only getting rid of Enzo would solve all our problems. If only.

He is many things but he has at least contributed a goal or an assist from time to time.

Shouldnt we be looking to offload non contributing players as a priority, first.? He will contribute again when we get the fee in for his sale probably a little more than some of the wasters at this club. Oh and when he goes to another club and contributes on the pitch for them will he still be sh*t or will we think "oh thats another one who we couldnt get the best out of that others have"

The commentary on this forum about Enzo Fernandez is at odds with the general Chelsea community they think he is great. Just saying.

He wants to go, though. There is no point keeping unhappy players. We've seen through most of this season how much effort they are willing to put in when they don't feel like playing for a manager. If they are forced to stay, it'll be the same.

Apparently he has asked for a transfer and we have set the asking price at 120M.

Think it's better for him to go if Xabi Alonso sticks to his 3-4-2-1. Don't think he is suited for that kind of midfield pivot and certainly not a better fit as one of the two number 10s behind the striker. Probably those spots are already for Palmer, Joao Pedro and Estevao. My guess is Alonso will start the season with Jackson up front, with Joao Pedro and Palmer behind him.

Enzo could become a luxury player and we do not need that. Take the money and get a player that's a better fit next to Caicedo. There are plenty on the market. Anderson, Guimaraes, Tonali, Tchouameni, Stiller to start with.

So he wants out after not qualifying for Europe whilst he in all effect went on strike by simply not giving a toss against Brighton and Sunderland to name only two games where he did absolutely f all.

120m is fair enough to ask for. If we don’t get it he can have 6 years training with the youth team.

13 minutes ago, Snedger said:

So he wants out after not qualifying for Europe whilst he in all effect went on strike by simply not giving a toss against Brighton and Sunderland to name only two games where he did absolutely f all.

120m is fair enough to ask for. If we don’t get it he can have 6 years training with the youth team.

Enzo goes on strike in every game. As soon as the 60 minute mark arrives, he stops playing. You only get anything out of him again when he decides to box crash.

19 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

Apparently he has asked for a transfer and we have set the asking price at 120M.

Think it's better for him to go if Xabi Alonso sticks to his 3-4-2-1. Don't think he is suited for that kind of midfield pivot and certainly not a better fit as one of the two number 10s behind the striker. Probably those spots are already for Palmer, Joao Pedro and Estevao. My guess is Alonso will start the season with Jackson up front, with Joao Pedro and Palmer behind him.

Enzo could become a luxury player and we do not need that. Take the money and get a player that's a better fit next to Caicedo. There are plenty on the market. Anderson, Guimaraes, Tonali, Tchouameni, Stiller to start with.

Even in a standard 4231 or 442, Enzo doesn't fit. He's too slow and doesn't have the ball carrying capabilities to play in the pivot or at CAM. Especially in the Premier League.

Waiting to see Ornstein or Law follow up on this. Atletico always seemed more likely considering the Argentine influence and that Griezmann is gone.

So many good rumours of players leaving circling around that I can't help to be satisfied in how the season ended.

Would have liked to see him under a proper manager like Alonso first, not to mention whoever we buy to replace will most likely be worse.

Cant wait for this thread to be moved to the ether and we can put this sorry transfer saga behind us. People still think he's going to become a top player... dreadful dross player and moving him on and not replacing him with anyone will improve the squad.

Good. He’s a huge waste of talent and money.

Give me a Ramires midfielder over this clown any day.

12 minutes ago, Remodez said:

Would have liked to see him under a proper manager like Alonso first, not to mention whoever we buy to replace will most likely be worse.

Thoughts on Morten Hjulmand?

10 minutes ago, Chelsger said:

Good. He’s a huge waste of talent and money.

Give me a Ramires midfielder over this clown any day.

Rami would run circles around Enzo, not even close.