The on topic thread

[Shoei]

If Chelsea call it Stamford Bridge, everyone else will.

If they rename it for Sponsorship reasons, Chelsea fans will likely still call it Stamford Bridge and other will call it by the sponsors name.

Pretty sure Roman said that they won't change the name of the ground years ago....

Chelsea has an odd situation where the stadium ground and the name "Chelsea football club" aren't actually owned by Roman.

 

[jod23]

You guys realise you are arguing one of the oldest paradoxs in history right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

Interdasting.

 

[elhadjihenry]

You guys realise you are arguing one of the oldest paradoxs in history right?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus

lol remember this from a doing a couple of philosophy subjects at uni. Such a mind****

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Chelsea has an odd situation where the stadium ground and the name "Chelsea football club" aren't actually owned by Roman.

I'm sure a few $$$ here or there can sort it out.....or he could sort it out like he used in the old days.

 

[chef]

Chelsea has an odd situation where the stadium ground and the name "Chelsea football club" aren't actually owned by Roman.

Its a pretty unique situation with the Chelsea Pitch Owners and Roman, great for the club and fans.

 

[chef]

I'm sure a few $$$ here or there can sort it out.....or he could sort it out like he used in the old days.

He's already tried that and failed, he's happy working with them now.

 

[SM]

I thought Chelsea was going over the top with 33 loanees, Juve have 47

For some weird reason Boro have a huge amount out on loan too.

 

[Fryer Tuck]

For some weird reason Boro have a huge amount out on loan too.

Pfft, none of them compare to Parma back then:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/24/cash-...taggering-226-players-on-their-books-5076964/

Still, mind you, is it really all that weird? I know Leicester have plenty of loanees themselves, most of it youth players plying their trade at lower levels. I mean, the U21 and U18 leagues do provide some motivation, but truth be told, you don't really have a clear idea on where they actually stand (Just for reference, the U21 league was extremely even from 1st down to about 10th out of 12 teams, about... 6 points I think separated them?). Sometimes proper competition is what they need. What are clubs going to learn more about? Their players in the youth league, or their players performing for actual clubs with actual consequences? If those lower clubs come knocking on the door, wanting to give practical experience to those youth players, why would the club say no?

The reality is, as much as you want to believe that you're going to get champions in your academy, in reality, not everyone is going to make the grade. I think the sign of a good academy is not the one that produces the most serviceable players for the home club, but the one that produces the most serviceable players at the top level. I mean, are Drinkwater and James failures (Man United) in comparison to King and Schlupp (Leicester)? If they are regulars for top tier league clubs, I think the academy has made a good contribution, it's just United's standards for starting XI players are higher than Leicester's, and it would take something special to get in there (cue the other fans going LOL with their defence line, especially last year).

Smae case with Boro. If they feel their youth is better off playing for other clubs, getting pratical experience, then why not? (Should be noted Boro's U21 team is in the top division with Leicester and Man United, which is above Arsenal's!)

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Pfft, none of them compare to Parma back then:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/24/cash-...taggering-226-players-on-their-books-5076964/

Still, mind you, is it really all that weird? I know Leicester have plenty of loanees themselves, most of it youth players plying their trade at lower levels. I mean, the U21 and U18 leagues do provide some motivation, but truth be told, you don't really have a clear idea on where they actually stand (Just for reference, the U21 league was extremely even from 1st down to about 10th out of 12 teams, about... 6 points I think separated them?). Sometimes proper competition is what they need. What are clubs going to learn more about? Their players in the youth league, or their players performing for actual clubs with actual consequences? If those lower clubs come knocking on the door, wanting to give practical experience to those youth players, why would the club say no?

The reality is, as much as you want to believe that you're going to get champions in your academy, in reality, not everyone is going to make the grade. I think the sign of a good academy is not the one that produces the most serviceable players for the home club, but the one that produces the most serviceable players at the top level. I mean, are Drinkwater and James failures (Man United) in comparison to King and Schlupp (Leicester)? If they are regulars for top tier league clubs, I think the academy has made a good contribution, it's just United's standards for starting XI players are higher than Leicester's, and it would take something special to get in there (cue the other fans going LOL with their defence line, especially last year).

Smae case with Boro. If they feel their youth is better off playing for other clubs, getting pratical experience, then why not? (Should be noted Boro's U21 team is in the top division with Leicester and Man United, which is above Arsenal's!)

Good post Fryer, No TLDR from me

One thing i'd add is that some of Uniteds youth players who we've sold go on to be capable of playing for United. They often don't reach a top 4 level until their mid-late 20's though and it's in the players best interest to leave for first team football. Matty James is a good player, was rated as highly as Pogba and Ravel before his knee injury and subsequent injury struggles. Would have never been given an opportunity at United and the move to Leicester has worked out really well for him. Same with Chester, Drinkwater, Josh King, Brady, Chester, Shawcross, etc. Interestingly, Shawcross was the only one who requested a move away for first team football.

Fergie used to look after the kids by calling up clubs and recommending the youth players be given a go and we never demanded too much in the way of $$$ for them.

 

[jd2010]

Pfft, none of them compare to Parma back then:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/24/cash-...taggering-226-players-on-their-books-5076964/

Still, mind you, is it really all that weird? I know Leicester have plenty of loanees themselves, most of it youth players plying their trade at lower levels. I mean, the U21 and U18 leagues do provide some motivation, but truth be told, you don't really have a clear idea on where they actually stand (Just for reference, the U21 league was extremely even from 1st down to about 10th out of 12 teams, about... 6 points I think separated them?). Sometimes proper competition is what they need. What are clubs going to learn more about? Their players in the youth league, or their players performing for actual clubs with actual consequences? If those lower clubs come knocking on the door, wanting to give practical experience to those youth players, why would the club say no?

The reality is, as much as you want to believe that you're going to get champions in your academy, in reality, not everyone is going to make the grade. I think the sign of a good academy is not the one that produces the most serviceable players for the home club, but the one that produces the most serviceable players at the top level. I mean, are Drinkwater and James failures (Man United) in comparison to King and Schlupp (Leicester)? If they are regulars for top tier league clubs, I think the academy has made a good contribution, it's just United's standards for starting XI players are higher than Leicester's, and it would take something special to get in there (cue the other fans going LOL with their defence line, especially last year).

Smae case with Boro. If they feel their youth is better off playing for other clubs, getting pratical experience, then why not? (Should be noted Boro's U21 team is in the top division with Leicester and Man United, which is above Arsenal's!)

For all their weaknesses it's one of the best things 'Arry, Sherwood & Sir Les helped orchestrate with our academy. Loans and eventually selling to clubs at the players level (Luongo, Livermore, Caulker) + bringing through some gems like Kane, Bentaleb, Rose, Mason & too a lesser extent Townsend is how a good academy operates. All of those players had plenty of loans, some good and some bad that helped get them to where they are now.

 

[jd2010]

Best XI you're side could have had if rumoured close signings did eventuate (based off say the last 3-5 years).

Lloris
Walker - Alderweireld - JV - Coentrao
Moutinho - Wanyama - Eriksen
Son - Kane - Berahino

 

[elhadjihenry]

Cech
Bellerin - Romagnoli - Koscielny - Monreal
Bender
Vidal - Ozil
Cavani - Benzema - Sanchez

Surprising how few defenders we were linked to.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

lol

Neuer
Darmian Ramos Varane Lahm
Schweinsteiger Vidal
Bale Neymar Ronaldo
Muller

 

[SM]

Pfft, none of them compare to Parma back then:
http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/24/cash-...taggering-226-players-on-their-books-5076964/

Still, mind you, is it really all that weird? I know Leicester have plenty of loanees themselves, most of it youth players plying their trade at lower levels. I mean, the U21 and U18 leagues do provide some motivation, but truth be told, you don't really have a clear idea on where they actually stand (Just for reference, the U21 league was extremely even from 1st down to about 10th out of 12 teams, about... 6 points I think separated them?). Sometimes proper competition is what they need. What are clubs going to learn more about? Their players in the youth league, or their players performing for actual clubs with actual consequences? If those lower clubs come knocking on the door, wanting to give practical experience to those youth players, why would the club say no?

The reality is, as much as you want to believe that you're going to get champions in your academy, in reality, not everyone is going to make the grade. I think the sign of a good academy is not the one that produces the most serviceable players for the home club, but the one that produces the most serviceable players at the top level. I mean, are Drinkwater and James failures (Man United) in comparison to King and Schlupp (Leicester)? If they are regulars for top tier league clubs, I think the academy has made a good contribution, it's just United's standards for starting XI players are higher than Leicester's, and it would take something special to get in there (cue the other fans going LOL with their defence line, especially last year).

Smae case with Boro. If they feel their youth is better off playing for other clubs, getting pratical experience, then why not? (Should be noted Boro's U21 team is in the top division with Leicester and Man United, which is above Arsenal's!)

Should rephrase - weird because they're in the Championship and apart from Chelsea no one else really has loanees on the same scale.

I subscribe more to Everton/Southampton's theory that by and large it's better to train and sculpt players internally, sending them out on loan can be detrimental depending on the nature of the club they're being sent to.

For instance with Akpom with us, I've already seen Hull fans talking about needing to get him to stay higher up the ground, rather than dropping deep to gather the ball "As that's something he's accustomed to at Arsenal". So he goes back to Arsenal at the end of the season having gotten used to playing a high line, sitting off the shoulder of the defender, and Wenger looks at him and says "Well that doesn't fit with our style of play, you aren't going to earn a first team spot until you go back to our style of play". Yes he's got first team experience, but it's not the sort of first team experience Arsenal may want.

 

[jd2010]

lol

Neuer
Darmian Ramos Varane Lahm
Schweinsteiger Vidal
Bale Neymar Ronaldo
Muller

Could even replace Darmian with Coleman and it really would be just Bastian lining up in that XI

 

[Zidane98]

Could even replace Darmian with Coleman and it really would be just Bastian lining up in that XI

Replace the pig farmer with Pogba.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Replace the pig farmer with Pogba.

Pogba doesn't play DM

 

[Magma]

casillas
ramos pepe godin kurzawa
pogba isco
di maria hazard bale
messi

 

[Buckleys Jocks]

lol

Neuer
Darmian Ramos Varane Lahm
Schweinsteiger Vidal
Bale Neymar Ronaldo
Muller

Mate, how can you do a lineup like this and leave out Wesley Sneijder?

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Mate, how can you do a lineup like this and leave out Wesley Sneijder?

Damn! Forgot Gaitan too!

 

[jd2010]

If I was to go full transfer XI for us it would be:

Krul
Clyne van Dijk Musacchio Coentrao
Wanyama Moutinho
Martial Willian Ayew
Berahino

Struggled to come up with a 2nd CB, we've generally got who we wanted but there was some talk of van Djik before we signed Alderweireld this summer

 

[chef]

Ruddy
Rodriguez Varane Stones Coentrao
Pogba Gerrard
Hulk Rooney Neymar
Kun

 

[elhadjihenry]

Courtois
Rodriguez Varane Stones Coentrao
Pogba Gerrard
Hulk Rooney Neymar
Kun

You'd play Hulk and Gerrard over Hazard and Matic?

 

[chef]

Courtois
Rodriguez Varane Stones Coentrao
Pogba Gerrard
Hulk Rooney Neymar
Kun

No, I thought it was rumoured players that didn't happen.

 

[elhadjihenry]

Ah fair enough, Courtois in goals doesn't quite fit in with that though