09 May 2019 02:25:37
Ed001 do you see any of Reece James, Zouma, Bakayoko or Morata getting a chance at Chelsea next year and do you think any of them will make the cut? Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - it depends on the transfer ban. There is also Aina (I think it is him, I have literally just woken up so apologies if I am thinking of the wrong person) who is in the mix to become a regular. Personally I really like James and would have him as the rotation/back up option on the right and offload Zappacosta. I think he will defo make it. I believe the plan was, before the ban was enforced anyway, that Aina would be the cover as he could play left and right, if I remember correctly, while James had one more year on loan.

Under normal circumstances I would have expected Zouma to be sold, but I think he will have to be held onto this summer and will get his chance. A good player but he is a long way short of the player he was before his injuries. Not sure he can catch up to where he was.

Gattuso is unsettling a lot of players at Milan, he is far too confrontational with them and I really do not see Bakayoko ending up there in the summer. While I think there is a player there and he would make it, I am not convinced he will get (or want) the chance and is likely to go somewhere else. However the transfer ban may well mean he is forced to stay. In my opinion that would be a good thing, as he is a step up on Barkley and Kovacic.

Again Morata looks likely to be stuck whether he or the club really want him. Giroud wants out to play regularly. No one else can sign if the ban is in place and the options are youngsters and no coach ever wants to rely on youngsters.}

1.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 07:27:08
I think loaning Reece another season would be far from wise. His loan went as well as you could've possibly hoped for.

If you now loan him again, then that's just deflating for all loanees. It basically means that no matter how well you do, you still won't get a chance.

While getting Aina back would be smart, the smartest thing would probably be to get Aina back to have him rotate on the left side, with James rotating on the right with Azpi.

{Ed002's Note - That is not going to happen.}

2.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 08:23:54
Could I ask why, Ed? Too much inexperience?

I think it must be deflating for a guy like Reece who's done more than you could ask for on loan, to then just be sent on loan again.
He could quite easily end up with a coach that decides loanees are good for cover but no more. Or maybe the coach at his loan club is sacked after 2 months and the new guy decides to only trust the veterans and he ends up in the stands.

Then he'd probably need another loan to get back on track. I think it'd be dangerous to send him away again. He's shown his quality abundantly, so why not use it?

{Ed002's Note - The club are not going to start rotating younger players just for the hell of it.}

3.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 08:53:31
I wouldn't do it for of it. But if they've shown the talent and work ethic that James has shown, then I think it's for the better of the team, and not just for an irrelevant reason.

{Ed002's Note - I have no idea what you are talking about. It is certainly not how football teams are picked.}

4.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 09:08:23
All I'm thinking is that it would make sense to replace Zappacosta this summer as Sarri hasn't used him this season. Azpi's had to play almost every match, and I'm guessing that's because Sarri doesn't think Zappacosta is good enough.

So I would try to replace him. And then I just think it would be smart for the club to use a standout loan player (Reece James) to replace Zappacosta, cost free. James has had an amazing season and has shown himself to be a terrific talent.

So to me it would make sense, for the better of the team and the club (as it wouldn't cost anything) to integrate James in the first team.

{Ed002's Note - Zappacosta has not played because there has been no need, not because he is "not good enough" - demonstrating that the cluub don't rotate players just for the hell of it.}

5.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 09:31:56
Well then Azpi appears to be a superhuman if he's not getting tired after all those matches this season :-)

He's seemed a bit leggy to me in matches at times, which I thought to be normal seeing as he's playing 2 every week now.

{Ed002's Note - Well maybe they can kick him the hell out?}

6.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 09:58:24
Kick Azpi out? I'd never support that idea. Guy's a warrior and very good defender.

Think it's very important to keep him around if we're already losing Cahill's experience and possibly Luiz' as well.

{Ed002's Note - So you won't be playing James then? And where is Luiz going?}

7.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 11:10:00
I would be rotating James in the side to allow Azpi to rest and be fully fit for CL matches and big PL clashes etc. James could rotate in the side for early round cup matches and in PL matches surrounding CL games. No need to run Azpi into the ground I'd say.

Luiz hasn't agreed a new deal yet, so I assume it's a possibility that he'll leave. Of course he could still stay, but I just think there's the possibility of him leaving.

8.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 11:40:06
ED, have a look how you’ve replied to that thread. Jackson has been nothing short of respectful and you’re still being confrontational. I understand some of the posters here are rude but come on. Jackson has a good point and it’s entirely possible to happen.

{Ed002's Note - No problem.}

9.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 15:08:46
Ed with zappacosta likely leaving who will be the second rb then? Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - nobody said he was leaving, I just said if it was me I would let him go and give James the role he had in the squad to ease him in.}

10.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 16:33:44
Guys if Alonso and Emerson are playing the left full back position without quarrel why can't Reece James (which I prefer to Aina) be a quality back up to Azpilicueta? I get the feeling that this has Sarri written all over it. Didn't we learn anything from CHO's situation?

{Ed001's Note - perhaps he feels James would benefit more from regular starts rather than being a rotation option?}

11.) 09 May 2019
09 May 2019 17:08:33
Ed I appreciate your point, so who does Sarri think will play back up to Azpilicueta as we have the ban? cos if we weren't banned, I know Hysaj will be a no brainer.

{Ed001's Note - Zappacosta.}

12.) 10 May 2019
09 May 2019 23:15:49
Can I just say I like zappa Costa I think he was never recieved well at Stamford Bridge but I like him.

13.) 11 May 2019
11 May 2019 00:52:06
Who says Reece James is going to be rotating? I think you might just see a natural progression and takeover of James at RB, pretty much exactly how Azpi took Cole’s position. If you play James I think he’ll be RB for England in a year or twos time. Now the issue really is whether Sarri will give him a chance. Sarri dragged his heels over CHO and RLC all season. Now my personal preference would be Sarri leaves, regardless of the Europa League outcome. I want Frank Lampard in charge personally. I just look at tonight’s game and I can see why Sarri has never won anything. It’s alright having these amazing youngsters coming through, but Sarri isn’t going to play them. Time for change throughout the club, if we want to include the youngsters which we will have to now then Sarri isn’t the man to lead this club. Bring back Frank to his rightful home.