No. I would rather that he got injured a few seconds later than he did, after scoring his second and the winning goal for Chelsea in the FA Cup.
To me the Havertz signing would mean they would have to play 4-2-3-1 most of the season. And they lack the midfield and the defense to play 4-2-3-1 now. It would be another season where they concede a ton of goals.
This is looking like it is going to be Frank's MO. Derby shipped the same amount of goals. If they sign Havertz or if they don't, they still have more business to do. They cannot be successful (trophy type success) playing like Frank wants to play unless they get some speed and a bit more quality in the defense. The thinking might be the added quality in attack might mean he doesn't need as many bodies committed so far forward. You cannot play a high line when you have almost no speed in the back. I do not think they are particularly limited in funds, so they can buy Havertz and still get a GK, a DM, and a couple of fullbacks.
Is there a firmer tenet in team sports than the importance of central defense? It’s a truism —some version of it — in almost every team sport. Can’t believe Frank doesn’t see that.
I don't think Havertz or not-Havertz is why they'll concede goals. They need to sign upgrades at keeper and at least 1 if not 2 spots on the back line. One or two potential stud center backs and a new left back would bring a whole no feel to this team. Havertz has a chance to be damn good and he's very versatile - I don't see the problem that sigining him presents other than that's money you can't use to improve your area of greatest weakness.
Bingo. Seems to me that the team's easiest-to-fix problem is leaking goals. Look at their total goals allowed vs. the rest of the Top 6. One of those is not like the others.
It looks like we agree. I think others' posts were premised on the fact that none of the transfer buzz addresses these needs. Even the transfer buzz about backs is about offensive oriented backs. It is nice that Zouma looked better down the stretch. And perhaps Tomori will be reliable. I don't know what the Kante situation is for next year. I trust Kova, but I don't see the value of Jorgi. I must be missing something. Possession the ball by way of always passing back is not the same thing as defense, or gaining possession in the first place.
They need at least one CB (Zouma is OK but Rudinger and Tomori are not) and at least one FB as well, probably two as Azpi is getting up there in age. They obviously need a new keeper and they also need to replace Jorginho with someone that can turn in the midfield instead of just square passing. They aren't a club that can afford to just have him sit at the top of the box making little passes as they dominate 70% possession. Not sure why they are "all in" on Havertz frankly. The money on him could be much better spent bolstering the defense and defensive midfield.
They have stated that they do not like the value for the defensive options. It's not the most insane idea in the world. How often do we see clubs go on mini splurges and end up just as bad or worse? Chelsea is clearly assembling a front attack that has the potential to be dominant for years. Pulisic obviously has some durability issues, which is why the flexibility of all the guys they have bought becomes important. When it comes to squad selection, generally speaking it's more important to have a set back line than it is to have a set front line. Having options up front is generally more important than having options in the back IMO. They definitely need to spend on their back line, but I see their logic. Havertz is really, really good. As is every other player they have brought in so far.
I can't remember where I read it now (probably ESPN or 538.com), but I saw kind of a cynical stats-based argument for Chelsea not upgrading on Kepa. Basically, his save percentage or negative variation from expected goals (I forget which stat exactly) this year was so bad that you had to go back to a GK on some middling La Liga team from 2015 to find an equally bad performance in the top 4 leagues. The argument was that it's reasonable to expect that he regresses to the mean and turns in a normal, below-average performance next season rather than the raging dumpster fire that was this season.
If they don't fix the backline (CB and LB) and answer questions at CDM then it is going to be more of the same. The offense will score more... especially if they sign Havertz... but they will give up too many goals to really threaten for an EPL or CL trophy. I guess if they are looking at this as a longer-term build this makes some sense. Furthermore, this is the 1st season that the organization has given a chance to young home-grown players... perhaps they have a CB in mind? I am not really aware of one but I don't follow the youth team all that much.
Their analysis ignores real life things like he has no confidence and the team and manager have no confidence in him. Yes, he may be better next year, but there's no reason for Chelsea to run that experiment. Better to give anyone else a shot and wish Kepa well elsewhere.
Who is going to pay his wages? I agree he was very bad, I just wonder what realistic approaches exist here... because of that I'd almost guarantee he's there next season.
If he is that is a very rigid to adherence to sunk cost fallacy. Seems very foolish to me. He needs some coaching and probably some psychological help to get back to even being serviceable. That last cross through the six that he didn't even move for would have had me struggling to maintain my composure on my middle school keeper. He has to come for that ball and once it is secured he has to get his head up looking for the break. whatever he does standing there frozen is not a good look at any level not starting with a U and even then it is still badddddd.
i think the best hope is a loan in which CFC covers a substantial percent of the wages and tacking on a option to buy
I wonder if a rich Spanish club will be pressured to pony up to save national honor, and rehabilitate a possible national team goalkeeper?
Well... that's possible, I just think this isn't a situation in which there are many options. So what do they do, sell him for 10M pounds? Could they even get that, in this market? Who's paying that for him, literally anyone? Even if they were, that's only the first hurdle... then he has to agree to cut his wages by more than half. No question this is the best possible situation, at least in terms of him not being around at Chelsea anymore... maybe that's what y-lee meant by saying he shouldn't be there next season. But my thing would be, even though this may be completely unsalvageable, the best chance to rescue it is probably to attempt rehabilitation if only to increase the amount you get back at a future date. They're never get what they paid, but because he is still young if you install him as 2nd backup, give him time to get confidence back, allow him to show his skill in moments... I think you can make a more credible argument in the future market that he's got value. In the case of a loan, if you're footing the same bill anyways, and need a new number 1 anyways... I think you might as well keep him around and work with him as the backup, maybe, since I'd be surprised if anyone else is signing up for this guy at this point, even with a real sweetheart loan situation. This is a Karius at LFC situation... except worse, since Karius was a fraction of the cost and also wasn't on anywhere near 150k a week.
Yes CFC has to pay him. I think he needs some time away, and let the side evolve some without him.he can get rehabbed somewhere in the interim. After (if?) he finds his form and regains some confidence he could return to Chelsea with a few new defenders (we all know they need them) and a "clean" slate so to speak. If not squeaky clean at least as a guy who had a bad stretch and now has the form that made him the most expensive GK evah ? I just don't like him having to find his way back while at CFC. when the whole defensive line turns and yells at the GK almost in unison it is clear you no longer have their respect. I don't see how he can really have any command over the area or learn to have that when he has already lost the trust and confidence of the defense in front of him. I guess they are all grown ups and pros and would be willing to forgive and move forward, but you can't mandate trust and confidence. I think if a defender does not have confidence in his keeper he might make errors trying to "take up the slack" that he would not have been made if he was confident in the keeper. I know if I push the attacker to the outside my keeper has the post covered. I don't have to make a block or be rash my GK has that post covered all day every day. OTOH a lack of confidence could even make me push him inside since I have help there, and I am pretty sure if he does get a shot on target it will be a goal because the keeper isn't stopping anything, near post, far post goal mouth, free kicks form thirty yards out, etc. . I am glad this is not going to be the usual long summer window, I am very anxious to see what CFC ends up doing at keeper and elsewhere in defense. The offense could be pretty potent with or without Havertz. I think Ngolo is a big ????
Alexis still represented value in the right situation, which it took some time to find but is reflected in his production this season. Maybe someone will feel the same way about Kepa, but I think it's going to take some more time. Inter also paid half of Sanchez's wages... is anyone going to do that with Kepa?