Excellent result at Southampton, no second half fade out and set piece defending better. Actually defending was vastly better , Zouma was excellent, Tomori as well, though again a couple of dangerous moments, but well recovered. Southampton put it to us for much of the game, they were quick and direct, and pretty aggressive in the tackle. Pleased to see Pulisic and Michy combine brilliantly for the last goal. Alonso was again pretty damned good, and Willian especially 2nd half, was a dynamo. Everyone else did a great job, so top marks and another improvement all round.
C.P. Kudos Lad. Let's call a spade a spade. From years back you've been advocatin to give the young lads (academy) a chance. You've been vindicated with what's been happenin so far this season.Take a bow. I've said already i love what Frank Is doin. Long may it continue.
Well, I always ranted about NO kids getting a run. Obviously a core of experience is vital, and a blend of young and experience is best. I don't buy "you"ll never win anything with kids" as a reason to play none. This group will, I think, change not just Chelsea but maybe other clubs as well. Ajax last season showed what the most talented kids can do. We've had bucket loads of them running round the place for years and never used them because of the pressure on Managers to win at all cost. This ban is the best thing to ever happen, and Lampard just the bloke to bring out the best in them. And we've still got at least 4 more almost ready. Such a shame we let so many go in the past, especially Bertram . Oh well that was then. Now Frank needs to finish stage 1 of what should be a 2 to 3 season development. Just pray we don't go back to "buy and try" and ignore the talent on our doorstep.
Garth Crooks gets on my nerves! In his latest team of the week he rightly added Tammy. He then proceeded to say that Chelsea will have a challenge keeping him in the near future. Why? He’s a Chelsea youth academy product and is a starter for the first team! Why would he go anywhere else? He will be part of the team that WILL go on to win things and at 22 he has his entire career to do it. These old ex pros really aren’t that professional when it comes to hiding their bias.
It’s like people talking about Harry Kane needing to go somewhere else to win trophies. He probably won’t as he loves spurs. Shearer could have gone anywhere and won loads of trophies but he went to the club he loved and remained there for the rest of his career.
They have to say something to keep them in employment. Garths' "team of the week " is usually hilarious, talk about playing to the crowd. Garth was an OK footballer, no more, but he's a useless pundit, no less. Tammy Abraham is Chelsea to his bootlaces and just signed a new contract to be part of, potentially, the most exciting PL team experiment of the last 10 years. Of course everyone will be after him , as we used to chase anyone who scored or defended well. Garth needs to understand what's happening at Chelsea and why the young players are so behind it. It's a whole new world for kids at Chelsea now Garth, don't show your age mate, it's embarrassing.
What's mad, is that not only will we clearly keep these kids for years (as proven by getting CHO to sign a contract), we may well become the place to come to if you're an exciting youth prospect. I bet Phil Foden is looking on at Mason and thinking he'd be getting games with us but City won't play him most weeks. Effectively the exact same situation we had last year with CHO looking to Sancho at Dortmund. If young players have the chance to sign for us or City in near future, we'll probably get them! What a difference 6 months makes.
Another great effort for me,thought we were good throughout the team,magnificent finish from Tammy. As long as we score more than we concede i don't care how long they take to sort the defence out.
Foden must be thinking if he doesn’t leave city soon he won’t ever get his shot at an England place. He’s played with Mount, CHO, Abraham and Tomori at England youth level and is now seeing them as first teamers for club and soon to be country. He can only think he’s being passed by and other up and coming talent will be trying to force moves or get game time.
It's a problem alright, but for now, not one that we have. That might change as the "win at all costs" brigade fire up when we hit a flat run of games. I mentioned Bertrand before as one who got away, completely forgot Nathan Ake. Then there's De Bruyne, Salah..........slightly different. Finally of course ,we've all forgotten Ethan Ampadu !!!!!
I always cite Bertrand as one of our biggest failings. I really rated him. I think he really had the potential to be Ashley Cole's replacement, and I think our ill handling of him both cost us a great player and also harmed Bertrand's career. He hasnt achieved the standard I feel he was potentially capable of. This is a kid, who was thrown in to a starting XI for his European debut in a Champions League final, against Bayern Munich, out of position! And bear in mind he had made like only a handful of PL appearances at this point, and he frikkin bossed it! Going up against Arjen Robben and holding his own. He was handled horribly!
Just watched the highlights of Wales first half tonight, Fuzzy Ampadu is having a good game, that's another youngster you have ready to play when needed.
Just talking about "Fuzzy ", we might recall him from loan due to total lack of game time. Liepzig have not played him once apparently, so pointless leaving him there, he is one who has already played our first team with some distinction.
Yep, we spoke about him last season. I didn't know he was on loan and wondered why he wasn't getting pitch time this season.
Fuzzy played very well tonight and stopped a definite goal, with a last ditch lunge, to stop a shot that almost definitely would have hit the back of the net, but for it. He got booked for taking down an opponent from behind when he lost the ball in midfield seemed like he felt aggrieved for not having a free kick awarded to him moments earlier and kind of took out his own retribution on the opposing player. All of his good work sometimes is undone by his backwards sideways passing habit that he seemed to have picked up under the tenure of previous coaches. Get him back, give him a couple of weeks or months under El Lampard and we may have a very rounded and reliable defensive midfielder that can play at the back when needed. But mark my words he is not as big of a prospect as some of the guys that we already have. He may not make the grade in the current high standards being set.
Well if he's not getting enough game time at lowly Leipzig he wouldn't be ready for the first team would he.
