Willian stats for us -

Neto Stats -

pretty similar, slightly less output while at wolves if taken into account.

17 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

Willian stats for us -

Neto Stats -

pretty similar, slightly less output while at wolves if taken into account.

Goals and Assists are important for Wingers, but there is way more to the game than that.

Willian was an elite ball carrier, very press resistant and a better passer than Neto in general. He had great switches of play in his locker. On top of that - like Neto - he was great defensively.

So yes, if you take into account only goals and assists they might be similar, but Willian had a lot more to his game on top of that when compared to Neto.

2 minutes ago, True Blue23 said:

Goals and Assists are important for Wingers, but there is way more to the game than that.

Willian was an elite ball carrier, very press resistant and a better passer than Neto in general. He had great switches of play in his locker. On top of that - like Neto - he was great defensively.

So yes, if you take into account only goals and assists they might be similar, but Willian had a lot more to his game on top of that when compared to Neto.

Willian started a hell of a lot of our counters off in the opposition half because of the way he harassed defender/midfielders, he would often take the ball of them high up the pitch, causing them all kinds of trouble.

Its a shame he wasnt more careful with his final ball at times, but he was much more than "just a winger".

1 hour ago, True Blue23 said:

Goals and Assists are important for Wingers, but there is way more to the game than that.

Willian was an elite ball carrier, very press resistant and a better passer than Neto in general. He had great switches of play in his locker. On top of that - like Neto - he was great defensively.

So yes, if you take into account only goals and assists they might be similar, but Willian had a lot more to his game on top of that when compared to Neto.

For me it was his ability to carry the ball through the middle or wings at pace... He should have had better numbers and was frustrating because of this, but was brilliant at setting us up in the opposition half.

I think Neto is really good at what he does, but would really like to see him improve his output this season as that's what the team really needs, goals from other areas.

If we were in Liverpool situation when they had Diaz n Salah, neto will be absolutely perfect. Can play both wing, defensively discipline, can even play as emergency st.

But our situation on the wing is dire. Gittens looks like a kid. Estevao is 18. George is 19.

22 hours ago, dkw said:

Its a shame he wasnt more careful with his final ball at times, but he was much more than "just a winger".

Yeah biggest criticism of Willian is that his numbers nowhere near reflected what he was obviously capable of. The Bridge would audibly groan when he would blitz 2 players on the counter-attack only to send the cross into touch, or my personal least favourite, be played in for a 1v1 only for him to stop and pass the ball back to Ivanovic/Azpilicueta

Edited August 22, 2025Aug 22 by SydneyChelsea

I think he doesn't get credit enough for the work that he does. The workrate is insane, certified starter for me

1 hour ago, Deino said:

I think he doesn't get credit enough for the work that he does. The workrate is insane, certified starter for me

The new Willian then?

2 hours ago, Deino said:

I think he doesn't get credit enough for the work that he does. The workrate is insane, certified starter for me

Should have just kept Gallagher instead of spending £60M if we just wanted work rate, consistently makes the wrong choice in dangerous positions.

7 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Should have just kept Gallagher instead of spending £60M if we just wanted work rate, consistently makes the wrong choice in dangerous positions.

Gallagher not a winger tho

2 hours ago, Deino said:

Gallagher not a winger tho

Cucurella isn’t a number 10 but he spends half the match there. If all we wanted was work rate then we should have kept Gallagher. Neto needs to have better decision making to start over some of the talent we’re stockpiling.

2 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Cucurella isn’t a number 10 but he spends half the match there. If all we wanted was work rate then we should have kept Gallagher. Neto needs to have better decision making to start over some of the talent we’re stockpiling.

Gallagher doesn't offer the same skillset Neto has on top of the workrate, they don't even play the same type of role either.

By your logic, we should put Palmer at LB because he's going to spend a majority of the match at No.10.

If we start going by what ifs and who we should've kept, we'd be having Salah at RW/RF just after a decade of having KdB winning us like 5 PLs. Fact is, Pedro Neto's our current best option at the LW with the ability to switch to RW at a moment's notice. When Palmer is fit, Estevao is ready to play against the top 10 sides, then bench him. If suddenly Gittens or George puts in a breakout performance, sure bench him. Until then, I'm going by a performance by performance basis and based on the last performance, he starts.

41 minutes ago, Deino said:

Gallagher doesn't offer the same skillset Neto has on top of the workrate, they don't even play the same type of role either.

By your logic, we should put Palmer at LB because he's going to spend a majority of the match at No.10.

If we start going by what ifs and who we should've kept, we'd be having Salah at RW/RF just after a decade of having KdB winning us like 5 PLs. Fact is, Pedro Neto's our current best option at the LW with the ability to switch to RW at a moment's notice. When Palmer is fit, Estevao is ready to play against the top 10 sides, then bench him. If suddenly Gittens or George puts in a breakout performance, sure bench him. Until then, I'm going by a performance by performance basis and based on the last performance, he starts.

What skill set? The only thing you said was he has good work rate, therefore should be a certified starter.

Palmer has outstanding attacking traits and minimal defensive traits, why would we put him LB?

Estevao LW. Pedro 10. Palmer RW. If we want to be serious, this is how we should be lining up long term.

6 hours ago, Deino said:

Gallagher not a winger tho

He's actually played there for Atletico. 😅

12 minutes ago, Remodez said:

He's actually played there for Atletico. 😅

Neto in the PL for Chelsea:

LW: 14 apps . 3 goals. 2 assists.

Gallagher in La Liga and CL for A.Madrid:

LM: 16 apps: 2 goals. 2 assists.

Not even that much of a trade off to say he plays in an attacking system, rather than Simeone's ultra defensive system.

2 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Neto in the PL for Chelsea:

LW: 14 apps . 3 goals. 2 assists.

Gallagher in La Liga and CL for A.Madrid:

LM: 16 apps: 2 goals. 2 assists.

Not even that much of a trade off to say he plays in an attacking system, rather than Simeone's ultra defensive system.

Pedro Neto is a better footballer than Connor Gallagher.

I dont understand how a winger is being compared to a central midfielder? Did Gallagher ever play for us on the wing?

TBF, both have a terrific work rate, IMO would compliment each other in our side. But the powers that be decided to sell one and sign Felix who is no longer at the club. ho hum.

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Pedro Neto is a better footballer than Connor Gallagher.

Two footballers better suited to the grand national.

5 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

What skill set? The only thing you said was he has good work rate, therefore should be a certified starter.

Palmer has outstanding attacking traits and minimal defensive traits, why would we put him LB?

Estevao LW. Pedro 10. Palmer RW. If we want to be serious, this is how we should be lining up long term.

Do I have to spell out every good trait he has to show why he deserves to be starting right now? I'm only highlighting the current best trait in his performance that edges him out to be the better winger in our current setup.

Because in your example, you used Cucurella isn't a 10 but he ends up at the 10 position as if to point out that any player can play anywhere as long as they have the right characteristics. By your own logic, it doesn't matter if we have Palmer at LB since half the time he'll be playing in the 10 spot anyway because that's what happens with Cucurella.

Yeah, but Palmer is out. So on current lineup Pedro Neto is the best of what we have that's not Estevao. Just because I said Pedro Neto is a certified starter now doesn't mean he's going to be our certified starter for the whole league campaign. Things change all the time

4 hours ago, Remodez said:

He's actually played there for Atletico. 😅

It's really a moot point honestly. It doesn't matter because he plays in a different system designed to do similar but not exactly the same thing.

16 minutes ago, Deino said:

Do I have to spell out every good trait he has to show why he deserves to be starting right now? I'm only highlighting the current best trait in his performance that edges him out to be the better winger in our current setup.

Because in your example, you used Cucurella isn't a 10 but he ends up at the 10 position as if to point out that any player can play anywhere as long as they have the right characteristics. By your own logic, it doesn't matter if we have Palmer at LB since half the time he'll be playing in the 10 spot anyway because that's what happens with Cucurella.

Yeah, but Palmer is out. So on current lineup Pedro Neto is the best of what we have that's not Estevao. Just because I said Pedro Neto is a certified starter now doesn't mean he's going to be our certified starter for the whole league campaign. Things change all the time

yes, please list the traits that make him a better option than Estevao.

You didn't say 'certified starter in Palmer's absence', i read it as certified for the season. Which for a title push, i'd be disappointed if he was a certified starter.

20 hours ago, axman2526 said:

The new Willian then?

Not for me because Willian transitions from the midfield to attack. Neto's more of a winger that receives the ball wide and attacks the LB. Willian barely beats anyone off a dribble

4 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

yes, please list the traits that make him a better option than Estevao.

You didn't say 'certified starter in Palmer's absence', i read it as certified for the season. Which for a title push, i'd be disappointed if he was a certified starter.

Why would he be a better option than Estevao when they should start together?

24 minutes ago, Deino said:

Why would he be a better option than Estevao when they should start together?

Delap, Estevao, JP, Palmer.

Neto first off the bench but shouldn’t start ahead of any of those.

4 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Delap, Estevao, JP, Palmer.

Neto first off the bench but shouldn’t start ahead of any of those.

In my POV

JP

Neto Palmer Estevao

Solely because I'd like to see Estevao, JP and Palmer to combine with Neto pushing wide. I don't mind Neto being isolated out wide because he's not ball hungry. Opponents won't double up on marking Neto because the threat is primarily on the right.

---

My worry with

Delap

Estevao, JP, Palmer

Is both wingers want the ball at feet and we won't see enough combinations between the two when opponents are going to probably squeeze the middle.

Could be wrong on this