Chelsea are attempting to sign another very young player who has around 50 appearances in senior football. And once again, it begs the question, why the hell do we keep ignoring the need to add proven experience? It completely baffles me and angers me.
We would not be fighting desperately for that 5th spot place to get Champions League football this season if we had added two or three more senior players into our young squad – that is an opinion of course, but it translates as a fact in my mind. I know it’s not a fact, but you get what I mean. I have that much belief in that opinion.
But here we are again, looking at a core central position that we need and want to add to our squad, but looking at throwing a 20-year-old with very little experience in to that role. Make it make sense.
Look, I have no issues with us signing Jacquet in isolation. Believe me, I’ve watched him quite a lot in the last few weeks after first hearing of our serious interest and having reason to believe that it’s very likely we will see him wearing Chelsea blue sometime soon, and he is top. He ticks all the boxes that we need to add at the back, literally all of them. He’s dominant, carries the ball out, is progressive, good in the air, good physicality, and really does have all the tools and ability to become one of the best in the world down the line. If we sign him, I wont complain. I really rate the player.
If we signed him alongside another senior centre back who knows how to control a back line and a team, has leadership skills and is a true warrior, then I’d run to the top of a hill and chant for Behdad Eghbali! But we wont be doing that. Even if we had to sell Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Tosin Adarabioyo to do it, I wouldn’t care. I don’t really overly rate any of them at this time. Fofana has a lot about him but he’s injury prone and also, ball watches far too much and lacks concentration.
Jacquet, whilst having all the tools, is still a raw and developing player and represents higher risk factor as a result. Again, that’s just a fact to me.
I believe mid-season, it would be much smarter to be adding a Premier League proven centre back to our team to improve what we have. Again, we have enough recruitment guys in our setup to find a suitable option. Surely we could find one.
But Jacquet is very good. Interestingly, I see a lot of Josh Acheampong comparisons, which is another question and another subject that is causing a stir. But I wont go into that bit now. Let’s see what happens there.
If they think I’m going to stop preaching the fact this squad needs more new signings for the here and now and proven leaders and experience, then they’ve got another thing coming. I will not stop, because it’s just so damn obvious! I guess though, by the time I do stop, all our players will be in their late 20s/early 30s by then anyway and finally matured to the experienced level that is needed and we will finally have that good mix of balance between youth and experience by then 😂
