It was all about the money. They had a choice of accepting a lower bid for Enzo and selling him earlier in the window, in which case they would have had time to bring one or two midfielders in, or playing hardball and holding out till the last minute in order to get the maximum price for him. If they held out to get the maximum price, it was always going to be difficult to sign anyone at the last minute.
Rogers is the Enzo replacement. For one game a week we'll be absolutely fine in central midfield. Of course it would have been ideal to have added Camara or Kone, but bear in mind Henderson played 2000 minutes last season for a team that finished above us. Lavia and Reece are currently fit. Watson and MNJ can eat some minutes. Barco looks promising. And Moi is Moi. Looks fine to me: keep the money in our pocket and if we really need to in January we go to the market - but really it allows us to focus for next summer and progress whoever Xabi has a preference for.
Gross neglect and heartbreaking. We really had a chance to rival arsenal for the title. Now not so sure. All we can do now is pray the current available midfielders are healthy atleast until january
I agree with you Si and the fans that are saying it was a brilliant and complete window are wrong. It was nearly a great window but to neglect the midfield is a massive mistake and to leave it to the last day is incompetent. We all knew Fernandez was leaving months ago. Playing your back up right back in midfield just isn’t a solution. Reece and Lavia have serious injury issues. It puts far too much pressure on Caicedo and a couple of injuries and we are in trouble.
It was clear to everyone that Enzo was leaving and the reality was that they would have had to pay over the odds for Wharton or Scott to replace him. To end up with NOBODY is quite simply embarrassing.
And just to be clear, we weakened our own midfield this summer while simultaneously strengthening United and City.
It’s unacceptable, but hopefully this will be the final act of the chuckle brothers.
You have to laugh but only because is healthier than crying at the the way Chelsea team building continues to provide text book examples of two steps forward one step back. Planning with successful execution is the hallmark of good management in any business but Chelsea ownership continues the proud tradition of the muddled 1960’s and 70’s team building- sigh.
How about looking at it this way, rather than being so pessimistic. We have three hugely impressive young kids waiting in the wings. Ben Watson and Nicoll Jazhuli can play in the lesser games or come on as subs later on in games where we are winning and give Reece and Lavia a rest. We also have Josh, who as I have been banging on for almost a season is a midfielder not a defender. Just imagine how much they can learn playing alongside Moi. We are not in Europe this year so the chances of Reece and Lavia getting injured are reduced. Although with hindsight it was a mistake to let Essugo go, it is also a bit unfair to fully blame the hierachy for once when Monaco shit on us from a truly great height. I have four words to the Monaco owner after he got screwed over by Balaguon and now has two unhappy players who want away on his hands. KARMA IS A BITCH.
I love Josh M8ke but he has a big brain fart in him every time he plays, probably through over confidence. I just love the way he can get himself out of trouble in tight conditions and the way he goes on those lung busting runs. His indiscretions will be less dangerous further forward in front of a back three. If he doesn't get more game time he will be pushing to leave and with a Fofana-Levi-Maxene starting trio at Centre half, how much game time is he going to get this season if we don't use him as a DM? If Fofana gets injured he is cover at centre half, if Lavia or James gets injured he is cover as a DM or box to box midfielder and we have a happier potentially excellent talent. I do remember the cup final, I think it was 2009 and the one we lost unfortunately.
Sorry but think there is far too much over reaction here.
Of course the expectation was that Enzo was off but that deal didn’t get announced till after 11.00pm and yes no doubt as the day progressed it was becoming clearer he was going but the certainty was very late into the window. It’s not just about the finances it’s also about squad numbers and quite possibly it had to be one out first.
Enzo gone is the plus . For all the positives about him there are just as many negatives( and them some). He refused, it is said, to play
Of course both Reece and Lavia are likely to suffer an injury but before now and the next window there are 16 league games and potentially 3LC games. Hardly that challenging.
There would be no guarantee any of the players being looked at would be any better than the options we have in the likes of Barco or Henderson indeed they could have been far worse.
Add to that had we kept Enzo we could easily have had a sulkier and petulant player on outr hands
I still give the club close to a 10/10 for the window.
We are fine re: squad numbers, so we absolutely could have dealt with it earlier in the window. We did bid for Scott earlier in the window as well after all.
My only reasonable guess for why leaving it to the last minute is posturing with Manchester City / trying to avoid an overpay for his midfield replacement.
The only, very small, saving grace, is that we don't have European football to stretch the squad even further. If we can get to January and be in touch at the top end we might scrape into the CL. Those running the club just show us more every window how poor they are at managing a football club. It's just not acceptable.
Barco IMO is never CM player. Unless we play with a 3. Barco is not big or athletic enough to play as a two. Prem teams will just steam roller him.
Enzo simply HAD to be replaced, we signed no -one and simply cried about other players being priced too high. Yet the WHOLE football world knew we were getting £120 mill plus for Enzo!!!
As tough as it was to take, we were always going to have to pay slightly over the odds for the player we needed.
As people have said on here, we now hold our breath when Caceido, Reece & Lavia play.
I feel we have just missed a massive chance to secure Top 4 by completing our squad, by not getting the perfect midfielder in, to complement Caciedo.
Now we are in the dog fight for CL places.
Arsenal & City are way ahead of us IMO.
Yes, we have won our opening two games, but DEEP down, we all know we needed that proper CM player.
A big missed opportunity I feel.
Si could you please ask your sources when Caceido will be back please.
every window gives us a huge evidence of the incompetence of the squad builders at the top... yet they are still here. When will this ownership wake up and see where the real issue is? Eghbali is still running around and conducting contract talks. What are Jewell, Winstanley and Stewart for then? They need to be kicked out ASAP. Last 2 summer windows it was signing poor quality players which they had to sell in this and fair play to them they did sell them. This window they have left us short in a key area. Seems like there is no cohesion in decision making. Everyone has their own targets / profiles. How will the team get better unless there is one leading voice spearheading the squad build with input from coach, data team and scouts
Disappointing that we didn't learn from how Newcastle left it so late to sell Isak last year. Equally, not getting in a midfielder feels a bit like Liverpool did at the end of last summer's transfer window; it was great up until the last day but they blew it when they didn't get Guehi.
Have we got enough until January? Maybe. But it's reliant on some very unreliable players staying fit. And then will we even spend in January? Hasn't normally happened under Blueco as they feel everyone is too expensive at that time of year. So I'm a little resigned to this being our midfield options for the season ahead
It was all about the money. They had a choice of accepting a lower bid for Enzo and selling him earlier in the window, in which case they would have had time to bring one or two midfielders in, or playing hardball and holding out till the last minute in order to get the maximum price for him. If they held out to get the maximum price, it was always going to be difficult to sign anyone at the last minute.
Rogers is the Enzo replacement. For one game a week we'll be absolutely fine in central midfield. Of course it would have been ideal to have added Camara or Kone, but bear in mind Henderson played 2000 minutes last season for a team that finished above us. Lavia and Reece are currently fit. Watson and MNJ can eat some minutes. Barco looks promising. And Moi is Moi. Looks fine to me: keep the money in our pocket and if we really need to in January we go to the market - but really it allows us to focus for next summer and progress whoever Xabi has a preference for.
Gross neglect and heartbreaking. We really had a chance to rival arsenal for the title. Now not so sure. All we can do now is pray the current available midfielders are healthy atleast until january
I agree with you Si and the fans that are saying it was a brilliant and complete window are wrong. It was nearly a great window but to neglect the midfield is a massive mistake and to leave it to the last day is incompetent. We all knew Fernandez was leaving months ago. Playing your back up right back in midfield just isn’t a solution. Reece and Lavia have serious injury issues. It puts far too much pressure on Caicedo and a couple of injuries and we are in trouble.
Not hearing any excuses from the club.
It was clear to everyone that Enzo was leaving and the reality was that they would have had to pay over the odds for Wharton or Scott to replace him. To end up with NOBODY is quite simply embarrassing.
And just to be clear, we weakened our own midfield this summer while simultaneously strengthening United and City.
It’s unacceptable, but hopefully this will be the final act of the chuckle brothers.
You have to laugh but only because is healthier than crying at the the way Chelsea team building continues to provide text book examples of two steps forward one step back. Planning with successful execution is the hallmark of good management in any business but Chelsea ownership continues the proud tradition of the muddled 1960’s and 70’s team building- sigh.
How about looking at it this way, rather than being so pessimistic. We have three hugely impressive young kids waiting in the wings. Ben Watson and Nicoll Jazhuli can play in the lesser games or come on as subs later on in games where we are winning and give Reece and Lavia a rest. We also have Josh, who as I have been banging on for almost a season is a midfielder not a defender. Just imagine how much they can learn playing alongside Moi. We are not in Europe this year so the chances of Reece and Lavia getting injured are reduced. Although with hindsight it was a mistake to let Essugo go, it is also a bit unfair to fully blame the hierachy for once when Monaco shit on us from a truly great height. I have four words to the Monaco owner after he got screwed over by Balaguon and now has two unhappy players who want away on his hands. KARMA IS A BITCH.
Mark you raise an incredibly valid point re Josh.
I had forgotten that he played in midfield on a couple of occasions and sometimes circumstances have a habit of throwing up solutions.
Can you remember in a LC final against Spurs Jose was forced to play Zouma in midfield and he did a fabulous job?
I love Josh M8ke but he has a big brain fart in him every time he plays, probably through over confidence. I just love the way he can get himself out of trouble in tight conditions and the way he goes on those lung busting runs. His indiscretions will be less dangerous further forward in front of a back three. If he doesn't get more game time he will be pushing to leave and with a Fofana-Levi-Maxene starting trio at Centre half, how much game time is he going to get this season if we don't use him as a DM? If Fofana gets injured he is cover at centre half, if Lavia or James gets injured he is cover as a DM or box to box midfielder and we have a happier potentially excellent talent. I do remember the cup final, I think it was 2009 and the one we lost unfortunately.
Sorry but think there is far too much over reaction here.
Of course the expectation was that Enzo was off but that deal didn’t get announced till after 11.00pm and yes no doubt as the day progressed it was becoming clearer he was going but the certainty was very late into the window. It’s not just about the finances it’s also about squad numbers and quite possibly it had to be one out first.
Enzo gone is the plus . For all the positives about him there are just as many negatives( and them some). He refused, it is said, to play
Of course both Reece and Lavia are likely to suffer an injury but before now and the next window there are 16 league games and potentially 3LC games. Hardly that challenging.
There would be no guarantee any of the players being looked at would be any better than the options we have in the likes of Barco or Henderson indeed they could have been far worse.
Add to that had we kept Enzo we could easily have had a sulkier and petulant player on outr hands
I still give the club close to a 10/10 for the window.
We are fine re: squad numbers, so we absolutely could have dealt with it earlier in the window. We did bid for Scott earlier in the window as well after all.
My only reasonable guess for why leaving it to the last minute is posturing with Manchester City / trying to avoid an overpay for his midfield replacement.
The only, very small, saving grace, is that we don't have European football to stretch the squad even further. If we can get to January and be in touch at the top end we might scrape into the CL. Those running the club just show us more every window how poor they are at managing a football club. It's just not acceptable.
I am with you 100% Si.
Everything you have said was spot on.
This is gross neglect.
Our best midfield player injured.
Reece & Lavia made of glass.
Henderson & Barco.
Barco IMO is never CM player. Unless we play with a 3. Barco is not big or athletic enough to play as a two. Prem teams will just steam roller him.
Enzo simply HAD to be replaced, we signed no -one and simply cried about other players being priced too high. Yet the WHOLE football world knew we were getting £120 mill plus for Enzo!!!
As tough as it was to take, we were always going to have to pay slightly over the odds for the player we needed.
As people have said on here, we now hold our breath when Caceido, Reece & Lavia play.
I feel we have just missed a massive chance to secure Top 4 by completing our squad, by not getting the perfect midfielder in, to complement Caciedo.
Now we are in the dog fight for CL places.
Arsenal & City are way ahead of us IMO.
Yes, we have won our opening two games, but DEEP down, we all know we needed that proper CM player.
A big missed opportunity I feel.
Si could you please ask your sources when Caceido will be back please.
I might feel a bit better then!
Spot on Darren, agree with every word you say here and couldn’t articulate it better myself.
every window gives us a huge evidence of the incompetence of the squad builders at the top... yet they are still here. When will this ownership wake up and see where the real issue is? Eghbali is still running around and conducting contract talks. What are Jewell, Winstanley and Stewart for then? They need to be kicked out ASAP. Last 2 summer windows it was signing poor quality players which they had to sell in this and fair play to them they did sell them. This window they have left us short in a key area. Seems like there is no cohesion in decision making. Everyone has their own targets / profiles. How will the team get better unless there is one leading voice spearheading the squad build with input from coach, data team and scouts
Disappointing that we didn't learn from how Newcastle left it so late to sell Isak last year. Equally, not getting in a midfielder feels a bit like Liverpool did at the end of last summer's transfer window; it was great up until the last day but they blew it when they didn't get Guehi.
Have we got enough until January? Maybe. But it's reliant on some very unreliable players staying fit. And then will we even spend in January? Hasn't normally happened under Blueco as they feel everyone is too expensive at that time of year. So I'm a little resigned to this being our midfield options for the season ahead