[Albion] Marc Cucurella *Signed For Chelsea 05/08/2022*

[Nobby Cybergoat]

Spot on. There’s a knock-on effect for the player as well as not getting minutes - for players like Trossard for example, whilst he could probably have got a move to a ‘big’ club, there’s every chance his world cup prospects would have been impacted through lack of game time (or at least not shining in a team of superstars). Do wonder if the experience of Cucurella and Biss (so far at least) will actually help us retain players for longer in the long term. Biss hasn’t played much at all and Cucu is stuck in what is a bit of a shitshow all round at Chelsea at the moment.

In theory we should be quite an attractive place for a prospective international to play. I've sort of got a theory that we give the players quite a bit of latitude in choosing their position with a view to getting in their national sides.

So Trossard, his in for Belgium is more likely LWB than up front, that's where he's been popping up for us
Mac. It's much easier to stake a claim for an Argentina place as a defensive midfielder than an attacking one. Oh look that's where he's popped up.

It's not a one way street of course, we're getting players highly motivated to stake a claim in that position which benefits us

 

[JBizzle]

I appreciate that he'll be on loads of money, and that may cushion the blow of not playing regularly, but I doubt whether sitting on the bench would have been his vision when he signed for £62m.
He won't play every match anyway due to Chelsea playing in Europe and the Premier League but I expect he will have viewed himself as being a regular starter, as would have Yves at Spurs.
I wonder how much of this is down to their ability or the showcasing of their talent that an expansive style at Brighton backed by Potter's faith in them elevated them to?
In Yves's case I really hope that he breaks through to be a Spurs regular. In Cucu's case maybe less so due to his handing in of a transfer request.

Weirdly (considering how much I enjoyed watching White, Biss and Cucurella), I've always almost completely lost interest in them once they go. When I see them play, I always think, "oh cool, hope they have a decent game" but other than that I'm not that fussed at all. I do think Cucurella poisoned the well a bit with the transfer request so him not starting for a badly out of form Chelsea side is quite funny, but I don't wish him ill.

I hadn't realised until recently that once a player takes off the Albion shirt and puts on the shirt of someone else I switch off to them entirely. No interest. I wish them well if they leave on good terms, but with these three I'm immediately more focused on Veltman, Estupiñán and Caicedo (not forgetting Mac Allister too)

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Hasn't it always been the case that clubs are taking a risk in paying big money and hoping that a player's performances will immediately translate to his new surroundings?

In some cases, the coaching, training ground environment and support and understanding of teammates are key factors for a player and if they are different at a new club, it doesn't work. Look at Ali J - success in Holland, didn't happen for him here. Muzza did well here and at Palace but flopped at Bournemouth. So many imponderables and intangibles to consider. As GP always says, we're dealing with human beings here, not robots.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I would just throw in that Biss and Cucu might have been stars for us partly because of the way they were coached and managed.

There are many players who are happy to be benchwarmers and bank the £100K+ a week. The Tariq's are few and far between.

Biss and Cucu have made their beds; they jumped aboard the gravy train and I'm not particularly fussed whether their gravy train runs on time or gets cancelled due to over-running engineering works.

I would suggest that Cucu is definitely not a Tommy Tootle type player. I can see Tommy giving him hell over some small digression from a plan, and Cucu responding badly.

And how much love will Biss get at Spuds?

Anyway....my feelings about my own club and its business are all good.

 

[atomised]

I would suggest that Cucu is definitely not a Tommy Tootle type player. I can see Tommy giving him hell over some small digression from a plan, and Cucu responding badly.

And how much love will Biss get at Spuds?

Anyway....my feelings about my own club and its business are all good.

well Tuchels gone now so see what impact that has

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Hasn't it always been the case that clubs are taking a risk in paying big money and hoping that a player's performances will immediately translate to his new surroundings?

In some cases, the coaching, training ground environment and support and understanding of teammates are key factors for a player and if they are different at a new club, it doesn't work. Look at Ali J - success in Holland, didn't happen for him here. Muzza did well here and at Palace but flopped at Bournemouth. So many imponderables and intangibles to consider. As GP always says, we're dealing with human beings here, not robots.

Torres another classic Chelsea-related example...

 

[oldboyroy]

Bet Cuca will be happy when Potter arrives. It was mentioned today that he has gone downhill since arriving at Chelsea and probably down to Tuchel

 

[Mustafa II]

Clip of the Cucurella blunder today : https://dubz.co/video/1cde5d

Not saying Cucurella is a shite player, but my word has he been shite for Chelsea.

He was good for us, hard working and decent enough technically, but I genuinely don't think he's a fraction of player Estupinan is.

We absolutely MUGGED Chelsea - for both Cucurella and Potter.

 

[JamesAndTheGiantHead]

Wasn’t he booed off again by his own fans?

 

[Wozza]

Wasn’t he booed off again by his own fans?

Dunno.

But I've been watching this on loop for several minutes...

 

[Algernon]

Wasn’t he booed off again by his own fans?

At the moment I think his fans consist only of his close friends and family and I'm not sure you could count all of his close friends.

 

[El Turi]

He sprinted off as fast as he could when he got subbed but was loudly booed again.

 

[Simster]

Dunno.

But I've been watching this on loop for several minutes...

That is spectacularly shit defending and very very amusing now that we've rinsed them of £55m for a massive upgrade.

If he lets it go and turns back towards his own goal, his centre back would deal with it comfortably and even if he didn't, Cucurella is still between Watkins and the keeper.

In fact, the only way that is a goal is if Cucurella cluelessly headers and diverts the ball into the attacker's path, leaving his fellow defender wrong footed and out of position. It's therefore marvellous comedy to see that is exactly what he did

"I remember thinking how great it would be to play at that magnificent stadium every week"
**6 months later**
"Boooo! Fck off Cucurella you useless Spanish cnt"

I believe the words I'm looking for are "lovely stuff".

 

[Pevenseagull]

At the moment I think his fans consist only of his close friends and family and I'm not sure you could count all of his close friends.

I appreciate that there are many agendas behind the BBC player ratings, but Cucurella got 2.48/10 today.

 

[Farehamseagull]

He was awful, again, and that mistake for the first goal was laughable.

I still struggle to believe my eyes that it is the same player I was so regularly blown away by last season. Unreal decline.

 

[A1X]

You’d need a heart of stone not to laugh

 

[Weststander]

Clip of the Cucurella blunder today : https://dubz.co/video/1cde5d

Not saying Cucurella is a shite player, but my word has he been shite for Chelsea.

He was good for us, hard working and decent enough technically, but I genuinely don't think he's a fraction of player Estupinan is.

We absolutely MUGGED Chelsea - for both Cucurella and Potter.

Harsh …. that was an assist.

 

[Weststander]

£56m with add ons to £63m.

Sigh ….. we won’t be getting the £7m.

 

[Dibdab]

The strangest thing about this thread is that there were no new posts in it after Solly tore poor Marc a new orifice during our four one win in October.

Im really struggling to believe he really was our player of the season. He is actually very shit. Did Lewis just make him look good?

 

[amexer]

Has to go down to Potter. Cucurella helped us out a few times as one of 3 CBs because of injuries but he is not a CB. He is an outstanding attacking FB. Chelsea should not need to play him out of position after spending £600m