On 05/11/2024 at 16:36, Backbiter said:

Fabregas had even less mobility and physicality than Fernandez. His creativity, vision and passing ability were on a different planet, though.

Yes and there were scary moments in midfiled yet we had Costa on the same wavelength as Fabregas and let's not forget Hazard too. 

11 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

Yes and there were scary moments in midfiled yet we had Costa on the same wavelength as Fabregas and let's not forget Hazard too. 

Worth also bearing in mind that Fabregas in 14/15 was supported in midfield by Matic, Oscar, Ramires and Mikel, and the midfield had Courtois/Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry and Azpilicueta behind them. There was oodles of cover everywhere ! Willian RW as well (probably the best defensive winger we've ever had).  Different levels to where we are now, which is why it is so hard to accommodate Fernandez.

I thought he did well last night, always available and linked the defence and attack well at times. Hes much better than our other midfielders at making a sneaky foul, breaking up play without being booked.

Took some very odd positions attacking wise but overall he was just fine, nice workrate on him to get up and down.

Did okay last night. Handy squad player who has the energy of Gallagher, but not quite as good.

 

Edited January 21, 20251 yr by Nibs

I thought he was awful last night.  He was a passenger.  We paid 30 million quid for a 5 million pound player and he really doesn't belong in our squad. He is probably a nice bloke.  But we need to move the lad on.  He's got Danny Drinkwater vibes and Steve Sidwell vibes. . . Ross Barkley was much better. etc.  I'm sorry, but we should never have bought him.

31 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

I thought he was awful last night.  He was a passenger.  We paid 30 million quid for a 5 million pound player and he really doesn't belong in our squad. He is probably a nice bloke.  But we need to move the lad on.  He's got Danny Drinkwater vibes and Steve Sidwell vibes. . . Ross Barkley was much better. etc.  I'm sorry, but we should never have bought him.

No we should not have, has been a waste of his time and career when he could have been getting good PL minutes at Leicester or Brighton, who almost signed him.

There is a long list of players we should not have signed under this ownership and especially by the two SDs.

I don’t know, sometimes a top team need a workhorse who’s abit average to make the team tick.

James Milner for City / Liverpool, Park Ji Sung for Man Utd, he can be our version of that.

He’s not good enough to be starting but I would like to keep him, purely for depth. Hes one of them players who will always give you a 6/10 performance at the very least, unlike bigger names like Enzo who could have absolute stinkers.

18 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t know, sometimes a top team need a workhorse who’s abit average to make the team tick.

Agreed. But KDH is BELOW average and he doesn't have a particularly hard working sensibility.

20 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t know, sometimes a top team need a workhorse

He is NOT a workhorse he is a freaking donkey.

Edited January 21, 20251 yr by TheCeleryKing

45 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t know, sometimes a top team need a workhorse who’s abit average to make the team tick.

There's a certain midfielder who plays in Madrid, can't really remember his name but from what I've seen he'd fit right into that description. Shame we can't produce players like that.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

I don’t know, sometimes a top team need a workhorse who’s abit average to make the team tick.

James Milner for City / Liverpool, Park Ji Sung for Man Utd, he can be our version of that.

He’s not good enough to be starting but I would like to keep him, purely for depth. Hes one of them players who will always give you a 6/10 performance at the very least, unlike bigger names like Enzo who could have absolute stinkers.

If we needed a workhorse we should have kept Gallagher

I can’t remember one thing he did last night at all.

1 hour ago, El regreso said:

I can’t remember one thing he did last night at all.

Not even the lovely back header to assist Cucurella to score what proved to be our winning goal ?

4 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Not even the lovely back header to assist Cucurella to score what proved to be our winning goal ?

I honestly I forgot he was there.

4 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Hes one of them players who will always give you a 6/10 performance at the very least

This is just patently untrue. He's looked dogsh*t poor on occasions.

He wasn't sh*t last night though, just average.

18 hours ago, Deino said:

If we needed a workhorse we should have kept Gallagher

Of course yet that is down to trying to comply with FFS rules which now seem up in the air with the failure to hit City with any charges yet you know they will be back in some way or another,

Was often one of the worst players o the pitch in the conference league, which is saying something. Take any money Leceister will give us for him and let's once again forget this ever happened, like Drinkwater.

Can't see us getting rid of him this window until we know what is up with Lavia and Fernandes.

18 hours ago, El regreso said:

I can’t remember one thing he did last night at all.

 

16 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Not even the lovely back header to assist Cucurella to score what proved to be our winning goal ?

He was also the one who occupied the attention of two defenders for Chalobah to get the header on the 3rd goal. Seems to have a knack for crosses/set pieces, worth starting him alone just for that as we never score them. 

12 minutes ago, Remodez said:

 

He was also the one who occupied the attention of two defenders for Chalobah to get the header on the 3rd goal. Seems to have a knack for crosses/set pieces, worth starting him alone just for that as we never score them. 

The double-barrelled successor to James Ward-Prowse. Who would have guessed?

From BBC Footy Gossip, if it is reputable its a damning indictment of Clearfake's transfer strategy, meanwhile Connor has improved Atleti just like he would of if he hadn't been replaced with KDH who has done absolutely nothing to write home about since arriving 

"Chelsea are expected to lower their asking price for 26-year-old English midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, after transfer talks failed in January. (Football Insider, external)"

 

I think we need to knock another £3 million off the asking price after tonight's performance.

He's a Championship player. This is Gallagher's replacement...

Never understood the logic behind his signing, apart from been a good will to Maresca and Leicester. I mean, Maresca barely played him, even after full season at Leicester. Just prove he's not up to the standard, even in Maresca's view.