The Tykes Go Gaga Over Their New Keeper: Gabriel Slonina at Barnsley (olf Chelsea)

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by ChuckMe92, Dec 26, 2018.

  1. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
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    Manchester United FC
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    #751 The Irish Rover, Feb 8, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2025
    Long term career development-wise, definitely. Barca's U-21s play against grown-assed men in Spain's regionalized D3 system while still being part of a club's youth development process. With promotion to D2 not being an objective in the first place, falling short is not failure while relegation, although a crushing disappointment, just doesn't have the same dire consequences for the club, the coaches or even the players' careers.

    Kochen has the triple benefit of far fiercer competition on the pitch than Gaga will ever face in EPL League2 but without the fear factor, while still being shown more support and patience with bloopers and fluctuations in form than any loan club will show.

    12 months ago Slonina was a dark horse for 2026. He's out of the running now but Kochen might - might - have a shot if Barca break with policy and send a serious first-team prospect out on loan.
     
  2. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
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    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
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    Do you mean Premier League 2 or EFL League Two? Gaga has never played in EFL League Two.
     
  3. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
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    Premier League 2, Chelsea's U-21 side
     
  4. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

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    I'm not sure he'd get in. They already have 5 goalkeepers in their U21 squad. Since Merrick went out on loan they seem to be rotating starts.
     
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  5. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

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    #755 The Irish Rover, Feb 9, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2025
    Yet another reason why loan army deals are bad. MLS is a decent league, with salary levels equivalent to EL sides in the Eredivisie and he was a starter for Chicago.

    Now he has to "wait his turn" in a development league.

    I hope he's enjoying the $1m salary because he's effectively back where he was at the start of the 2021 MLS season
     
  6. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

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    I can't argue with that.
     
  7. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    I don't get why Chelsea didn't just try and loan him again to Belgium or even Eredivisie or heck Poland maybe? League One was such an odd place
     
  8. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

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    Chicago, IL
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    #758 ArsenalMetro, Feb 9, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2025
    Teams are limited to 6 international loans, with exceptions for U21 homegrowns.

    Chelsea sent out Petrovic (GK), Fofana, Wiley, Anselmino, and Penders (GK) in the summer. Slonina isn't important enough to Chelsea to burn that last spot.
     
  9. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
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    Manchester United FC
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    #759 The Irish Rover, Feb 9, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2025
    He's still listed as having a finger injury so that's one reason: who wants an injured GK?

    That aside, there's the question of finding a team - in January - that wants a loanee GK, plays at a level that's worth sending him to and where he has a shot at starting. All of those are difficult but him being a GK is the hardest - while a CB, say, could be deployed at RB or DM if needed, there's only one position he can play.

    If he's not going to be a starter, better keep him at home and let him train under your coaches and to your standards
     
  10. NYdog

    NYdog Member

    United States
    Nov 6, 2024
    United States


    appears he has recovered from his finger injury in the fall but he could have reinjured recently
     
  11. NYdog

    NYdog Member

    United States
    Nov 6, 2024
    United States
    Swiss League transfer window closes in a week and Poland in two weeks. MLS regular season starts soon.
     
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  12. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Solid points but I meant his loan to Barnsley in the first place.
     
  13. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

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    Dublin
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    #763 The Irish Rover, Feb 10, 2025
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2025
    Geographical proximity would be one reason: Belgium is close and easy to keep an eye on him but Poland is a long way away and English isn't that widely spoken.

    Another would be getting him used to the sui generis English game and its intensity, which would be especially high at the business end of League One.

    Without interest from the better-run Eredivisie or Jupiler sides, there wouldn't have been any point in sending him there. That's quite possible; relegation strugglers like Eupen are places to showcase your shot-stopping but not your defence organizing and well-run sides are reluctant to take young GKs on loan anyway.

    Most of all, they probably thought he was ready to stand out in a League One promotion race and, after a bright start, he showed he was a bit short of that. That's a major setback. It's far from terminal, but stepping back up is going to test his mental resilience.
     
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  14. bshredder

    bshredder BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 23, 1999
    Club:
    Millwall FC
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    I wouldn't discount Poland's Ekstraklassa.

    Gaga is fluent in Polish and has a lot of family there. He still remains eligible for their national teams (including the U-21 team) via a one-time switch. I think money would be the biggest hurdle. Chelsea would have to eat a lot of his salary.
     
  15. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
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    Manchester United FC
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    Would they have to eat more of it than they did with Barnsley?

    The top sides would have budgets similar to the Tykes' or maybe a little higher. The bottom sides are another matter.

    Didn't know he was fluent in Polish. That removes a barrier and offers an outright incentive - he'd probably find the opportunity to improve it attractive
     
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  16. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

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    Polish is easier to understand than Barnsley.
     
  17. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
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    Barnsley is not a suburb of Glasgow. It's fine. :D
     
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  18. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
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    Nat'l Team:
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    Barnsley is allegedly the only place in the English speaking world where they have familiar and formal pronouns. They use tha (familiar) and thee (formal) instead of you.
     
  19. justinkicks

    justinkicks Member

    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    Indianapolis, IN
    Nat'l Team:
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    FotMob just changed Gaga's expected injury return date from "mid-March" to "doubtful" (Dest, Pepi, and Tillman are also graded as "doubtful" right now).

    That would make it sound like instead of being back soon, he'll be out for the season; but I can't find any news articles or updates. Does anyone here know anything?
     
  20. The Irish Rover

    The Irish Rover Member+

    Aug 1, 2010
    Dublin
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    For a finger injury? Seriously?

    I don't like conspiracy theorizing but this seems very strange.

    Maybe @bshredder has some info?
     
  21. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    Poor luck but at least he's still pocketing that Chelsea $$$
     
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  22. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

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    He would've recovered more quickly from an amputation.
     
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  23. comoesa

    comoesa Member+

    Aug 13, 2010
    Christen Press's armpit
    Nat'l Team:
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    Slonina has a decent amount of games under his belt...how good is he.
     
  24. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
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    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
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    Well he is a goalkeeper.
     
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