Halfway through the season and I think it is fair to ask

Has Madueke actually contributed anything on that right side that we dont think Nwaneri could have done?

A few of us questioned the signing, and the cost, in the summer. And he isnt a bad player. But we have him producing some fairly ordinary performances while Nwaneri has had to go on loan to get games.

I thought that right hand side was a good place for an 18 year old to adjust to senior football rather than slinging him into the central role when he isnt really ready.

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Originally Posted by Peter

Has Madueke actually contributed anything on that right side that we dont think Nwaneri could have done?

A few of us questioned the signing, and the cost, in the summer. And he isnt a bad player. But we have him producing some fairly ordinary performances while Nwaneri has had to go on loan to get games.

I thought that right hand side was a good place for an 18 year old to adjust to senior football rather than slinging him into the central role when he isnt really ready.

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3 goals in 4 Champions League appearances this season. More than Nwaneri and in less than half the number of games. Has also done very well for the senior England team.

in the PL he's not had much game time really. But seems to posses that quality where he can unlock something from absolutely nothing. And still a very young player himself.

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Originally Posted by Peter

Has Madueke actually contributed anything on that right side that we dont think Nwaneri could have done?

A few of us questioned the signing, and the cost, in the summer. And he isnt a bad player. But we have him producing some fairly ordinary performances while Nwaneri has had to go on loan to get games.

I thought that right hand side was a good place for an 18 year old to adjust to senior football rather than slinging him into the central role when he isnt really ready.

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Has great potential, good dribbling skills and a turn of pace that worries defenders. Always hard to judge these signings when they?re not getting a long run of games. He deputised brilliantly for Saka in an England shirt. I like him. His finishing?s a bit off but if he got that right, he?d be seriously running Saka close.
Question is, will he stick around when he could be starting week in week out elsewhere ?

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Originally Posted by Rich

3 goals in 4 Champions League appearances this season. More than Nwaneri and in less than half the number of games. Has also done very well for the senior England team.

in the PL he's not had much game time really. But seems to posses that quality where he can unlock something from absolutely nothing. And still a very young player himself.

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He's 24 in 5 weeks' time. Incidentally, has the same birthday as me :-)

Not exactly young, but not at his prime yet either.

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Originally Posted by 7sisters

Has great potential, good dribbling skills and a turn of pace that worries defenders. Always hard to judge these signings when they?re not getting a long run of games. He deputised brilliantly for Saka in an England shirt. I like him. His finishing?s a bit off but if he got that right, he?d be seriously running Saka close.
Question is, will he stick around when he could be starting week in week out elsewhere ?

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That's what we were told; looks good but you'll soon begin to wonder about his end product.

He'll be fine, decent signing.

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Originally Posted by redgunamo

That's what we were told; looks good but you'll soon begin to wonder about his end product.

He'll be fine, decent signing.

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Question: if Madueke was a good finisher and played the right final ball, would still be at Chelsea? Answer: Yes

Question: can Arteta teach him to finish and play the right final ball? Answer: TBD

Question: was it therefore worth 50mil to see if he can teach him and at the same time provide some additional depth? Answer: Yes

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Originally Posted by WES

Question: if Madueke was a good finisher and played the right final ball, would still be at Chelsea? Answer: Yes

Question: can Arteta teach him to finish and play the right final ball? Answer: TBD

Question: was it therefore worth 50mil to see if he can teach him and at the same time provide some additional depth? Answer: Yes

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Havertz hasn?t done a bad job of answering a few of those points since his move.
Plenty of players who turned a corner away from their home clubs. Chelsea have a terrible record in allowing their players to thrive elsewhere.

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Originally Posted by WES

Question: if Madueke was a good finisher and played the right final ball, would still be at Chelsea? Answer: Yes

Question: can Arteta teach him to finish and play the right final ball? Answer: TBD

Question: was it therefore worth 50mil to see if he can teach him and at the same time provide some additional depth? Answer: Yes

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I'd agree with all those answers. It's just.... well, that wasnt the question i asked :-)

Was it worth spending 50 million on this when we could have used Nwaneri instead, and spent the money elsewhere.

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Originally Posted by Peter

I'd agree with all those answers. It's just.... well, that wasnt the question i asked :-)

Was it worth spending 50 million on this when we could have used Nwaneri instead, and spent the money elsewhere.

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Fair, but I'm not convinced at all that we would have seen the best of Nwaneri on the right, or that he would have progressed as a player playing there.

I think a better question would be whether or not we should have bought Eze and given Nwaneri a chance there.

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Originally Posted by WES

Fair, but I'm not convinced at all that we would have seen the best of Nwaneri on the right, or that he would have progressed as a player playing there.

I think a better question would be whether or not we should have bought Eze and given Nwaneri a chance there.

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Another fair question. I didn't think Nwaneri was ready for that role. It's too much responsibility for a guy who has spent his life being head and shoulders above everyone else on the pitch and hasn't had to think too much about tactics and match situation.

The loan move is perfect in a way, assuming he plays regularly in that position. The only trouble is that every time he plays well and Odegaard or Eze dont, the arseholes on twitter will rage about it. But I guess they have to rage about something.

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Originally Posted by Peter

Has Madueke actually contributed anything on that right side that we dont think Nwaneri could have done?

A few of us questioned the signing, and the cost, in the summer. And he isnt a bad player. But we have him producing some fairly ordinary performances while Nwaneri has had to go on loan to get games.

I thought that right hand side was a good place for an 18 year old to adjust to senior football rather than slinging him into the central role when he isnt really ready.

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He was, largely, ****ing awful last night.

All energy. No product.

A ****e Eboue, if you will.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by WES

Fair, but I'm not convinced at all that we would have seen the best of Nwaneri on the right, or that he would have progressed as a player playing there.

I think a better question would be whether or not we should have bought Eze and given Nwaneri a chance there.

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That?s a good point but I think it?s easy to overlook Nwaneri?s age. I suspect Dezerbi will use him sparingly too over in Marseille?s.
It?s a good loan because it?ll give him a great chance to do what Balogun and Biereth have struggled to do at Monaco so far, prove themselves.

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Originally Posted by IUFG

He was, largely, ****ing awful last night.

All energy. No product.

A ****e Eboue, if you will.

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****ing harsh:-)

But agree. I thought he was ****e.

A long time ago, I went to a friendly at Barnet. Perry Groves, a young, functional player with a bit of pace and little else at that time, was giving it step overs and back heels ahainst the non league players. I didn't think much of it.

I had a similar feeling last night watching Madueke