Firstly, VAR. Don't blame the technology, it's the muppets behind it who are the problem, and at West Ham we saw the most incompetent operators this season. As for the game, some really good attacking passing and running, yes actual running, showed we can play that way. Then for some reason, we drifted back to periods of slow, mogodon passing around the back 4, returned to backward passing, and in the midst of all that had 2 goals disallowed for marginal offside, plus a few chances any half decent striker might have scored. Potter needs to give Aubangamang a chance behind our more attacking midfield, or that other kid we bought who's name escapes me. Havertz is not the answer, and is wasting his career with Potter trying to make him one. Some really good progress, but Potters influence difficult to see. Hopefully we will be even better next game.
Mason Mount has become a problem. As his input has fallen off considerably, his wages claims have ridden considerably. I think he's peaked as a player, and we should sell him for the best price we can get. There comes a point when enthusiasm and effort alone does not contribute to the improvement of the team. England reached that point with him in the World Cup, and Chelsea have probably reached it now as well. No goals, little impact on results, lots of running around to little effect. As a midfielder he's now just another energetic Chelsea runner like Pulisic and Ziyech. I think he just doesn't have the class to match that of our new midfielders, and so, let him go. I'm confident he won't become another de Bruyne, he just doesn't have the quality to make the next step up and justify the 300 gs a week he's asking.
Agree with this. When he came into the senior squad under Frank in 2019 after his loan at Derby, as a 20 year old I thought, "This kid looks promising, good movement, good vision, a decent shot on him, hopefully in a couple years he will kick on and become a great midfielder" And I have been waiting for him to kick on ever since. He has some decent games now and then, but all too often he is invisible and offers nothing, and certainly nothing that makes me think he is worth 300k plus a week! If we can get more than £50m for him, then I would be more than happy to let him go. We are inundated with midfielders and he is one that we could make some decent money on, if we can flog him abroad, even better.
The only thing I can say in his defence is something I read by Glenn Hoddle, that Mount has been very overplayed by Chelsea for 2 years, and has gone stale so he needs a decent spell on the sidelines. Could be something in that, but still, he is pricing himself out of the picture whatever the reason..
I’d keep Mount. Out of form recently but aside from Thiago Silva everyone has been. He’d benefit from playing in the same position. Sometimes he’s on the wing, next game behind the striker and the game after that he’ll be deeper in midfield. Not a 300k a week player but they need to find a compromise. Already proven at this level and if he went to another side in this division we’d absolutely regret it. I know home grown players are seen as “profit” but I’d maybe get rid of Loftus Cheek and Hudson Odoi. Both will fetch reasonable money imo and plenty of teams in the prem would take them.
Interesting how many of the home grown players never quite reach the peak you think they will. RLC and CHO are 2 great examples, both good players but neither able to get to the next level like Rice has. Seeing Mount on the benches last couple of games might mean Potter read Hoddles article too??
