2023-2024 EPL Season

[Peen]

Can't think of any high-level players who got this injured this young and fulfilled their potential afterwards.

He needed to play too.

His tackling, progression were strong. His anticipation and physicality weren’t. Sometimes, he was a second too slow and looked frail pretty consistently. Needed to be playing and in the gym.

But he had “it”. Good mentality, team didn’t concede a lot last season even with the swiss cheese midfield and fullbacks injured.

Well. Now your faith in Chalobah is tested. Thiago’s not here much longer.

Realistically, you can’t plan your future with Wes as a key cog anymore. If he comes back from it, great. He’ll have beat all odds and precedent. But there’s a long term hole at starting RCB now.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Chalobah is bad so this doesn't make me happy.

Selling Guehi and Tomori continues to be stupid.

 

[Peen]

Chalobah is bad so this doesn't make me happy.

Selling Guehi and Tomori continues to be stupid.

I don’t think either of those guys is very good. At least, neither of them are starting level guys for a top four side.

I think Wes is/was a better player, but these knee injuries likely kill that.

 

[luiginb]

I don’t think either of those guys is very good. At least, neither of them are starting level guys for a top four side.

I think Wes is/was a better player, but these knee injuries likely kill that.

Tomori would immediately become your second best central defender. Take it from someone who's watched more than half of his games the last couple of years.

 

[Jussi]

Not related to the upcoming season but Ryan Giggs has apparently been cleared of charges:

 

[bluesfan94]

He needed to play too.

His tackling, progression were strong. His anticipation and physicality weren’t. Sometimes, he was a second too slow and looked frail pretty consistently. Needed to be playing and in the gym.

But he had “it”. Good mentality, team didn’t concede a lot last season even with the swiss cheese midfield and fullbacks injured.

Well. Now your faith in Chalobah is tested. Thiago’s not here much longer.

Realistically, you can’t plan your future with Wes as a key cog anymore. If he comes back from it, great. He’ll have beat all odds and precedent. But there’s a long term hole at starting RCB now.

Wonder if James takes over at RCB and Gusto is RB

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I don’t think either of those guys is very good. At least, neither of them are starting level guys for a top four side.

I think Wes is/was a better player, but these knee injuries likely kill that.

Disagree. They're both starting caliber for a top four side IMO.

Wes is better, but he's in the ward.

Tomori would immediately become your second best central defender. Take it from someone who's watched more than half of his games the last couple of years.

He's more seasoned than Colwill and is healthier than Fofana, so it's hard to clean compare with them, but Tomori would definitely be in a cluster with Badiashile/Fofana/Colwill behind Thiago. I think all those guys are roughly even in quality, although Colwill (and Badiashile, honestly) remains pretty raw.

Wonder if James takes over at RCB and Gusto is RB

James at RCB in a back five is a waste of his talents, but James at RCB in a back four (which Poch will almost definitely play) would be a full blown abomination. I'd be shocked if that happened.

 

[bluesfan94]

James at RCB in a back five is a waste of his talents, but James at RCB in a back four (which Poch will almost definitely play) would be a full blown abomination. I'd be shocked if that happened.

I more meant in the short term. I guess this would be a better comment if we weren't in the open window.

 

[King Makar19]

Chelsea are a shamble.

Yikes they have a weak roster for amount spent

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Chelsea are a shamble.

Yikes they have a weak roster for amount spent

Yeah, I'm very interested to see what place they come in. I'm not entirely sure a well-managed season by Poch ends up in a top 4 finish. People can say their prior group of players wasn't good and they needed changes, and that's entirely fair. However, the players they brought in to replace them are a bunch of unproven kids that typically aren't the types of players you'd associate with being immediate important players for Premier League top 4 sides.

We might have to reorient what Chelsea is once we see this season from them. They might end up what Arsenal had been before the last few years where their proper level was actually more in the 5-7 level of Premier League clubs as opposed to a top 4 club.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Anything between 4-8 for Chelsea would not surprise me. New and raw squad, but a very good coach and no Europe. Defense last year was actually amongst the best in the league.

 

[Jussi]

 

[S E P H]

What a move...making the biggest, cringest, and most whining baby in probably the entire league freakin' captain. FA Refs all shiver with goosebumps and not the good kind of goosebumps, but nails on chalkboard type of goosebumps.

 

[bluesfan94]

This was probably only done so that Fernandes doesn't get carded for all his whining.

 

[Jussi]

This was probably only done so that Fernandes doesn't get carded for all his whining.

Or perhaps because he's a much better captain than microwave head Barry?

 

[bleedblue1223]

Anything between 4-8 for Chelsea would not surprise me. New and raw squad, but a very good coach and no Europe. Defense last year was actually amongst the best in the league.

Being able to simply run around the pitch will bump us up a few spots in the table. I'm glad one of the things about our pre-season is that Poch has gotten the boys in much better shape, but holy shit that is an indictment on Tuchel/Potter.

 

[Brunkmeister]

Or perhaps because he's a much better captain than microwave head Barry?

That doesn’t say much. I don’t think there are much leadership in this United squad, but for sure i can see a couple of guys who would be a better fit than Fernandes. I would probably give the armband to someone like Shaw. Even Casemiro and Varane would make more sense despite only being there for a short time. Or Eriksen.

 

[Jussi]

I assume you're basing this opinion on all the time you've spent in the locker room?

No, on all the times I've seen both on the pitch.

That doesn’t say much. I don’t think there are much leadership in this United squad, but for sure i can see a couple of guys who would be a better fit than Fernandes. I would probably give the armband to someone like Shaw. Even Casemiro and Varane would make more sense despite only being there for a short time. Or Eriksen.

Ever heard of Varane and Casemiro?

 

[Brunkmeister]

No, on all the times I've seen both on the pitch.


Ever heard of Varane and Casemiro?

Did you even read the rest of it? But yeah two players out of like 25-30 isn’t that much of a leadership really.

 

[luiginb]

I assume you're basing this opinion on all the time you've spent in the locker room?

Don't think Bruno is a good choice but at least he's never fought the Greek police.

 

[Blender]

Pochettino impressed by Andrey Santos and leaning towards Chelsea role

Brazilian midfielder shone against Wrexham alongside the likes of Cesare Casadei and Ian Maatsen, who are also hoping to stay

www.standard.co.uk

Interesting that Pochettino is high on both Gallagher and Santos.

 

[luiginb]

Casemiro looks like he's been on a steady diet of Rodizio on his holidays

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Pochettino impressed by Andrey Santos and leaning towards Chelsea role

Brazilian midfielder shone against Wrexham alongside the likes of Cesare Casadei and Ian Maatsen, who are also hoping to stay

www.standard.co.uk

Interesting that Pochettino is high on both Gallagher and Santos.

As he should be because they both rock

 

[Blender]

As he should be because they both rock

Well I agree it just seems that he's happy to go into the season with them both playing first team roles. With how young our midfield is I just assumed he'd be pushing for more transfers.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Well I agree it just seems that he's happy to go into the season with them both playing first team roles. With how young our midfield is I just assumed he'd be pushing for more transfers.

I’d rather we spend 15m on a decent vet to play babysitter than 100m on Caicedo. We have the talent, they just need guidance and support.

Ironically, Jorg would’ve been a perfect fit for such a task.