Sunday 1 January 2017

Interesting fact or just food for thought…



I keep a squad list of players based on whether a player has kicked a ball in a competitive game for City or who was over 18-years of age when purchased by one of our last 4 managers.

 

In that list-scenario we have 45 players: 

 

-      3 keepers



-      13 in the defence department



-      22 in the midfield / wing section



-      7 advanced forwards / strikers


More out than we have available for selection!

It’s a criticism that I’ve heard levelled at Chelsea many-a-time and, in fact, quite recently; but we’ve got more than our fair share of players out on loan…and that doesn’t include EDS / Academy players who have been loaned out!

In fact, chuck season-long inured players into the mix from that 'list of 45' along with players who have made brief, first team competitive-game appearance that don’t now get a game; and we have just as many players not available to us as we have at our disposal!

Joe Hart (GK)                         -           Loaned out for the rest of the season (ROS).

Cameron Humphries (D)        -           In my list / not utilised in first team.
Vincent Kompany (D)             -           Continually injured.
Pablo Maffeo (D)                    -           Loaned out for ROS.
Eliaquim Mangala (D)             -           Loaned out for ROS.
Pablo Mari (D)                        -           Loaned out for ROS.
Jose Angel Tasende (D)          -           Loaned out for ROS.

Luke Bratton (M)                     -           Loaned out for ROS.
Anthony Caceres (M)             -           Loaned out for ROS.
Bersant Celina (M / W)           -           Loaned out for ROS.
Fabian Delph (M)                    -           Continually injured.
Brahim Diaz (M)                      -           In my list / not utilised in first team.
Manu Garcia Alonso (M)        -           Loaned out for ROS.
Ilkay Gundogan (M)                -           Injured for the ROS.
Aaron Mooy (M)                      -           Loaned out for ROS.
Samir Nasri (M / W)                -           Loaned out for ROS.
Patrick Roberts (W / F)           -           Loaned out for ROS.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (M / W / F) -     Loaned out for ROS.
Bruno Zuculini (M)                  -           Loaned out for ROS.

Wilfried Bony (S)                     -           Loaned out for ROS.
David Faupala (S)                   -           Loaned out for ROS.
Marlos Moreno (W / F)           -           Loaned out for ROS.
Enes Unal (S)                         -           Loaned out for ROS.


WOW! Now that team / squad would make a pretty decent one that would hold its own at LEAST in the Championship!

Of course, loaning out players can be a very good thing – it’s ensures that players don’t go too stale being in the reserve team too long; gives them valuable experience at a level you would HOPE improves the player and, in some cases, they do come back ‘into the fold’ better for it.

However, I can’t agree with some of these loanees going out:

1.     Joe Hart. Never…EVER should my 'player of the season' last season have gone! And I say that with confidence before we got his replacement in…

2.    Pablo Maffeo. I’ve said this very recently; that the young, Spanish right-back is needed here for the rest of the season…unless Pep is going to spring a new right-sided defender-signing on us in January? If not, Pablo Junior would have provided good cover for Pablo Senior & Bacary Sagna; both of which are prone to ‘niggles’ of late. Would have been useful to try in the F.A. Cup too…

3.    Samir Nasri. Our manager sorted out the icky situation out with Yaya and I think he could have easily sorted out Mr Le-Sulk…AND would have gotten the best out of him. What a waste…

4.    Enes Unal. Talented striker that could have given us a much-needed boost when we needed it most. With Kelechi Iheanacho blowing hot & cold whenever asked to step in and Sergio Aguero being similarly, uncharacteristically ‘in & out’ (when he’s not serving 7 games suspended that is); the 19-year old Turkish international striker who has scored 10 in 15 games for FC Twente could have proven to be a useful asset, as he gained valuable Premier League experience on the way.

As I say, I’ve not even included certain EDS players who weren’t purchased when they were 18 and / or have not played for our first team…and those include the likes of Angus Gunn, Karim Rekik, Jason Denayer and Brandon Barker!

Quite shocking when you look into it…

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