Take them both with our thanks, is my opinion, if the price is right. Hazard needs to go for so many reasons and, good as he is, at 28 is not likely to be getting better ,while admiteddly not playing to the best of his abilities with the imbecile Sarri in the seat. Thanks Eden and best of luck at Real, which may well be the biggest mistake you ever make. I don't care too much for money, money can't buy you love. Kepa is no more than a very good player, no way is he a great one, but with a hugely inflated sense of his own importance and abilities. Plenty of young keepers to be had, if he feels the need to go as Courtois ' replacement. I'd buy back Courtois for a proper price, he'd be ripe for a resurrection, and he's better than Kepa in every way except self confidence.
A lot depends on the transfer ban I guess. Even then, I imagine the only way Kepa goes is if Courtois and money comes in the opposite direction. Kepa is still young and already a very good keeper. His distribution is far better than Courtois' as well which is crucial for Sarri. I think Hazard will go either way. But if the ban is lifted, we could do worse than taking a player or 2 from Madrid in return. Isco for instance.
Getting tired of all the Sarri bashing on here. I think we all get most people’s thoughts and some of it I can’t disagree with at all but let’s not make every thread a Stanesque feature please.
Hazard can go if he isnt going to sign a new contract. Better to take the money than him leaving on a free to whoever he wants next year and potentially being unhappy and not trying so hard, plus it will pave the way for Hudson to become a regular (If he signs a new contract). Wouldn't be too upset if Kepa left but it has to be for the record fee we paid or more even if courtois came the other way. I wouldn't be totally enamoured with courtois coming back though, he's really dropped off a cliff in terms of goalkeeping imo compared to when he first arrived and he's also upset half the fanbase by being a slimy merc and going AWOL. I think Kepa has plenty of potential to be brilliant like De Gea and he's far better than Courtois with his feet. He just needs to be a bit more commanding in the box and react a bit more
if we get hazard to sign then we should keep him. Never happening and it would be stupid for him to do it. P.S. what a goal he scored for the first tonight
I’m not sure that Sarri has really made much of a change. Chelsea just seem to be getting on with it and largely ignoring sarriball. That said, Hazard should sign an extension so that we can get the full fee that he’s worth. He seems like the kind of player who would be happy to do so. Never in a million years would I want that snake Courtois back. Never wanted to come back from Atletico and always wanted to play for Real. That tells you everything you need to about what kind of a player he is.
I appreciate the jury is out on Sarri and his so called Italian style of play but let’s have a little perspective here. Managers like players need time to bed in and the premier league is not an easy place to manage in. After a great start we faltered and it very much seemed like we had been sussed out. For my money we just wasn’t playing with enough width, speed or movement. I understand Sarris fears of playing our good young players too soon or to much but both Odoi and RLC have proved they are worthy of inclusion through league cup and Europa cup games. Things now appear to be coming together now after some very frustrating games. And I’m very upbeat for next season,we just need a little more pace to go with our new found width.
No way. The style is different 100%. Conte had is doing deep and we didn't hold possession like we do now. We hardly pressed teams in their half and it was all about keeping shape and keeping enough men behind the ball. With sarri, there's a bit too much passing and not enough directness but hopefully he is changing with rlc and hudson. Lastly we press much higher up the pitch so can look exposed when our press gets beaten. I'm not fully happy with our press though as i think that's the job of the front 3 but he normally gets the striker or more often the case the lcm/rcm pressing highest which i think is odd and not enough of the team to (well its one or twos rather than having 3 on the first 3 men)
Looks as if Sarris' style is changing bit by bit as the team is playing with more attacking intent and using RLC and CHO to much better effect. That is hopefully a sign of less stubbornness and a more pragmatic approach, and some optimism for next season. The problem will be the FIFA ban, especially if Hazard does go. Still think we desperately need a long hard look at Jorghino and Kante in midfield and what they might offer if Sarri can bring himself to try and put Kante in his best position and adapt Jorghino accordingly. In RLC and possibly Mason Mount there is loads of talent. Bit early for Mount, but him and Reece James and Zouma might be useful squad members, along with Christensen and the underused Ampadu. Interesting times .
I don’t want Eden Hazard to leave at any price. Football is an entertainment business and Eden Hazard certainly is our best entertainer at present.
......I’ve heard it all before about Eden Hazard leaving us, like when we finished mid table a few years ago after the Mourinho debacle. The pundits were saying he’d leave because we hadn’t qualified for the Champions’ League. With a young family, perhaps he didn’t want all the extra days away from his family to travel to European away games at that time. It might also be that he’s actually totally loyal to the club.
You only need to look at the contract situation I'm afraid. I think if he wanted to stay he would have signed by now
......he’s on the pre match surfer flag in the Matthew Harding Stand doing a celebratory knee slide - what more could any footballer want?
What a player when Sarri gets the team playing the right way !!! All he ever needed was more attack from midfield. Hope he stays, but Real calls and that usually works for them. However, don't think Zinadan will re invigorate Real, as the saying goes, "you can't heat up old coffee". Hazard to Real is 2 years too late for both.
