The Chelsea Thread

[Chelski Shogun]

I am glad that he was professional considering he broke into the Chelsea team in very similar circumstances by benching Carlo Cudicini under Mourinho

Honestly I would rather try work something out with the likes of West Ham or Tottenham (If Lloris leaves) if Cech is adamant on remaining in London. Arsenal will be our biggest rivals next season and it's completely dumb to strengthen them unless we get the Ox in return

I really can't see him wanting to join Tottenham or West Ham, the only realistic club for him to join if he wants to stay in London is Arsenal and if not London then either United, PSG or Real. I completely agree that it's stupid of us to sell to a division rival but it seems clear that Abramovich is going to let Cech make the decision and we just have to deal with that. Like I said if we can get £10m-£15m for him I'd be happy with the price but disappointed to see him go, however if we can somehow get Ox in exchange I'd be delighted with it.

 

[Alcaraz]

Playing Devils Advocate, from an outside perspective (and one I'd also have if I were a Chelsea fan), it was pretty darn poor of both Chelsea and Mourinho to keep him last season on the bench. A player of Cech's standing deserved FAR better than that. I fully appreciate going with the younger guy for the long term in Coutois (after 2 years out on loan he needed to play); but if you make that choice you allow Cech to leave and start somewhere else. He deserved that and is now pushing for it himself. This isn't any old player we're talking about He's still one of the best 'keepers on the planet and after his professionalism and loyalty to Chelsea through the last 10 years he deserved FAR better than the treatment he got last year.

All that said, regardless of what Mourinho and the club say, I just can't see him selling to a domestic rival. If Cech leaves, I only see him going abroad.

Not sure how it was poor treatment mate. Cech chose to stay even when he knew Courtois was coming in. He chose to stay even when he could easily have left in January plus he got an EPL and League Cup medal to boot. I don't think we treated him unfairly at all last season. He could have easily asked for a move but chose not to

 

[Scouseinthehouse]

Not sure how it was poor treatment mate. Cech chose to stay even when he knew Courtois was coming in. He chose to stay even when he could easily have left in January plus he got an EPL and League Cup medal to boot. I don't think we treated him unfairly at all last season. He could have easily asked for a move but chose not to

Unless I'm mistaken, IIR Mourinho was pretty adamant that Cech was going nowhere last summer. Knowing full well he wasn't going to play.

Seemed on the face of it Cech was led to believe he was in an open competition that never was last pre-season and the club just wanted two top class 'keepers on their books.

But I may well be wrong just having a passing interest. Shrugs.

 

[Mike.]

I am glad that he was professional considering he broke into the Chelsea team in very similar circumstances by benching Carlo Cudicini under Mourinho

Honestly I would rather try work something out with the likes of West Ham or Tottenham (If Lloris leaves) if Cech is adamant on remaining in London. Arsenal will be our biggest rivals next season and it's completely dumb to strengthen them unless we get the Ox in return

What world do you live in if you think he is going to play for either of those teams? Cech is still an outstanding keeper. He could walk into most goals right now, and has 3 or 4 years in him. You think he is going to be a second rate keeper? if that was the case he would sit on the bench at Chelsea.

Tbf Cech was told he would be in open comp. I don't think he was lied to, but it's clear he lost, and he decided that he was going to leave. I have no doubt that if forced to he will force his way out than spend another year on the bench. Consider Jose has just spent the last year saying how he should be treated differently and that he is a special case, and its not even Jose's decision, to u-turn would reflect extremely badly on Chelsea, and Cech would not forget it. You cannot say one thing and do another, and pretend you don't owe him after promising him a move for a year. That's just an extremely poor way of treating a player.

 

[Alcaraz]

What world do you live in if you think he is going to play for either of those teams? Cech is still an outstanding keeper. He could walk into most goals right now, and has 3 or 4 years in him. You think he is going to be a second rate keeper? if that was the case he would sit on the bench at Chelsea.

Tbf Cech was told he would be in open comp. I don't think he was lied to, but it's clear he lost, and he decided that he was going to leave. I have no doubt that if forced to he will force his way out than spend another year on the bench. Consider Jose has just spent the last year saying how he should be treated differently and that he is a special case, and its not even Jose's decision, to u-turn would reflect extremely badly on Chelsea, and Cech would not forget it. You cannot say one thing and do another, and pretend you don't owe him after promising him a move for a year. That's just an extremely poor way of treating a player.

If he isn't willing to play for those teams then he might consider a move abroad to a team like PSG who would be more than happy to have him. Also I am not sure he would walk into most major clubs. He has no chance of getting a shot at Juventus, Bayern, Barecelona, City and Madrid (assuming they get De Gea). Only major clubs where he can legitimately stake a claim for the No.1 spot would be United and Arsenal

I am not asking for a u-turn though. I am resigned to the fact that Cech will probably head to Arsenal. I am questioning whether we should even have made such promises to him in the first place. He lost out to Courtois in a fair competition. He had similarly displaced our No.1 keeper Cudicini 11 years ago

 

[Alcaraz]

Unless I'm mistaken, IIR Mourinho was pretty adamant that Cech was going nowhere last summer. Knowing full well he wasn't going to play.

Seemed on the face of it Cech was led to believe he was in an open competition that never was last pre-season and the club just wanted two top class 'keepers on their books.

But I may well be wrong just having a passing interest. Shrugs.

Nah he was given a fair shot to retain his place. He could have left in January but he decided to stay and help the team

 

[Mike.]

If he isn't willing to play for those teams then he might consider a move abroad to a team like PSG who would be more than happy to have him. Also I am not sure he would walk into most major clubs. He has no chance of getting a shot at Juventus, Bayern, Barecelona, City and Madrid (assuming they get De Gea). Only major clubs where he can legitimately stake a claim for the No.1 spot would be United and Arsenal

I am not asking for a u-turn though. I am resigned to the fact that Cech will probably head to Arsenal. I am questioning whether we should even have made such promises to him in the first place. He lost out to Courtois in a fair competition. He had similarly displaced our No.1 keeper Cudicini 11 years ago

Why would he move abroad when he is already keen to stay in London, at best he would move to Manchester?

If you hadn't made such promises he probably would have handed in a transfer request last season. He stuck around based on promises made.

 

[Alcaraz]

Why would he move abroad when he is already keen to stay in London, at best he would move to Manchester?

If you hadn't made such promises he probably would have handed in a transfer request last season. He stuck around based on promises made.

I feel his wishes also have to be balanced with that of the clubs interest. Selling him to Arsenal would only strengthen our closest rivals for the title next season. If he is that keen to remain in London the move to one of the lesser clubs or else move abroad to a major club. Also West Ham might be a good club for him to wind down his career, they certainly seem to have a lot of ambition this summer with the move to the Olympic Stadium looming. Tottenham are a good club that will do well

Maybe it would have been better for him to have handed in a transfer request then. At least then we wouldn't have to honor an absurd promise that will most definitely hurt our chances of retaining the title next season

 

[Alcaraz]

Radamel Falcao looks less of a gamble for Chelsea the more you look at it | Dominic Fifield | Football | The Guardian

Decent Article, the main takeaway is that Falcao is not a player foisted upon Mourinho but one that Mourinho actively wants and convinced the board to sign

 

[Mike.]

I feel his wishes also have to be balanced with that of the clubs interest. Selling him to Arsenal would only strengthen our closest rivals for the title next season. If he is that keen to remain in London the move to one of the lesser clubs or else move abroad to a major club. Also West Ham might be a good club for him to wind down his career, they certainly seem to have a lot of ambition this summer with the move to the Olympic Stadium looming. Tottenham are a good club that will do well

Maybe it would have been better for him to have handed in a transfer request then. At least then we wouldn't have to honor an absurd promise that will most definitely hurt our chances of retaining the title next season

They have been balanced. He choses to stay at the clubs request, balanced by the fact a year later he would be free to go.

At no point are West Ham or Spurs good clubs for him unless you are trying to insult him.

He wants to play elite football

He wants to do it regularly

Ideally he wants to do it in London

That's Arsenal, or maybe United.

 

[Mike.]

Radamel Falcao looks less of a gamble for Chelsea the more you look at it | Dominic Fifield | Football | The Guardian

Decent Article, the main takeaway is that Falcao is not a player foisted upon Mourinho but one that Mourinho actively wants and convinced the board to sign

It's a gamble, only slightly less of one than United took.

 

[Alcaraz]

They have been balanced. He choses to stay at the clubs request, balanced by the fact a year later he would be free to go.

At no point are West Ham or Spurs good clubs for him unless you are trying to insult him.

He wants to play elite football

He wants to do it regularly

Ideally he wants to do it in London

That's Arsenal, or maybe United.

More than happy to accommodate 2 out of 3 requests. He can play elite football regularly just not at London. That adequately would balance clubs interest with players wishes. But since we made stupid promises to him last summer, we have to rightly honor them and let him go to Arsenal if he wishes. I just wish we didn't make those promises in the first place and if he decided to leave in January then let him go

 

[Alcaraz]

It's a gamble, only slightly less of one than United took.

No one said it was a gamble when United took him on loan

 

[CJACKO11]

Where do you guys stand on this whole Cech to Arsenal saga? I am really not sure why Chelsea 'owe' Cech anything. Yes he gave us great years of service but in return he made a lot of money, won every trophy and played with the best players. I don't understand why we have to sell him to Arsenal who imo will be our biggest rivals next season

I'd be annoyed if he did go to Arsenal because he's a world class keeper and he would strengthen them massively. However sometimes football is irrelevant and his kids are settled in schools in London and although he will strengthen Arsenal alone will not sort all their problems out.


On the Falcao deal i'm very excited by it, he was my favourite striker in the game before he done his ACL and yes i can see why some would compare him to Torres but for me its not the same. ACL injuries tend to effect players who rely on their running and/or pace and that's something Falcao does not. He's a penalty box striker who just needs service in the right areas. I saw him sprint back in a game last season to the halfway line and put in what was a sensational slide tackle and everyone was praising him, but that's not what i want to see from him! I also think our medical team right now are miles ahead of anyone else's in the games so he's in the best place, and he's played with Costa before and could also help Cuadrado. It's a no risk deal which in this day and age is rare.

 

[Mike.]

I'd be annoyed if he did go to Arsenal because he's a world class keeper and he would strengthen them massively. However sometimes football is irrelevant and his kids are settled in schools in London and although he will strengthen Arsenal alone will not sort all their problems out.


On the Falcao deal i'm very excited by it, he was my favourite striker in the game before he done his ACL and yes i can see why some would compare him to Torres but for me its not the same. ACL injuries tend to effect players who rely on their running and/or pace and that's something Falcao does not. He's a penalty box striker who just needs service in the right areas. I saw him sprint back in a game last season to the halfway line and put in what was a sensational slide tackle and everyone was praising him, but that's not what i want to see from him! I also think our medical team right now are miles ahead of anyone else's in the games so he's in the best place, and he's played with Costa before and could also help Cuadrado. It's a no risk deal which in this day and age is rare.

Actually the ACL directly affected him because it was the turn of pace he was missing for us, time and again. His work ethic was outstanding, and there was a lot of affection for him, it just didnt work out. That said it takes 18 months to heal from and ACL so it was always against him at United.

At 5m fee and 190k its a gamble, especially if you lose Remy, but a better placed gamble than before.

 

[Mike.]

No one said it was a gamble when United took him on loan

Actually they did. The argument was why sell Welbeck just to loan Falcao. He was the gamble while RVP was the sure thing. Neither paid off last season. RVP could well follow Falcao out the club

 

[Mike.]

More than happy to accommodate 2 out of 3 requests. He can play elite football regularly just not at London. That adequately would balance clubs interest with players wishes. But since we made stupid promises to him last summer, we have to rightly honor them and let him go to Arsenal if he wishes. I just wish we didn't make those promises in the first place and if he decided to leave in January then let him go

Doesn't work, as he simply would have left earlier. Also if he had left earlier, where do you think he would have ended up? That's right, Arsenal.

 

[sunilvk7]

I'd be annoyed if he did go to Arsenal because he's a world class keeper and he would strengthen them massively. However sometimes football is irrelevant and his kids are settled in schools in London and although he will strengthen Arsenal alone will not sort all their problems out.


On the Falcao deal i'm very excited by it, he was my favourite striker in the game before he done his ACL and yes i can see why some would compare him to Torres but for me its not the same. ACL injuries tend to effect players who rely on their running and/or pace and that's something Falcao does not. He's a penalty box striker who just needs service in the right areas. I saw him sprint back in a game last season to the halfway line and put in what was a sensational slide tackle and everyone was praising him, but that's not what i want to see from him! I also think our medical team right now are miles ahead of anyone else's in the games so he's in the best place, and he's played with Costa before and could also help Cuadrado. It's a no risk deal which in this day and age is rare.

IIRC it's the third time he injured his knee and this time he looked shot. Absolutely no pace at all and his first touch was probably the worst in the league.

Also playing with Costa counts for nothing. It was completely different Costa and Falcao, one where Costa was sidekick to Falcao and one where Falcao was the best 9 in the world. Costa used to play on wings and only once Falcao moved, Costa was played as CF. Not not sure how both can play together.

Good for Chelsea if he is back to his best but IMO he won't.

 

[Tyton]

Where do you guys stand on this whole Cech to Arsenal saga? I am really not sure why Chelsea 'owe' Cech anything.

But somehow he owes you not going to direct rival? Loyality is a funny thing, man. It works both ways.

The best move for you was to offload him last summer when he still had 2 years in contract. At this point the club really doesn't have much say in the matter, Cech will go where he wants. Holding club legend hostage in reserves to block a transfer would be PR nightmare of epic proportions.

 

[Alcaraz]

Doesn't work, as he simply would have left earlier. Also if he had left earlier, where do you think he would have ended up? That's right, Arsenal.

Why? If he had left earlier then we wouldn't have any obligation to sell him to Arsenal and honor any absurd promises