Squad Status: 2021/22 Season

[Bristol Blue]

I suggest you read this ;-)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28483243

Doh!!! Thanks Bob, I did know that, I blame our huge employee list making it difficult to remember - bound to be some I've missed too

[Karan]

If Courtois and Cech stay there's no way we'll register Schwarzer for the PL and CL. He'll spend 6 months training for the League Cup and then hope that someone leaves in January.

That's Schwarzer taking over the 'Hilario' role then.

[Willian Dollar Baby]

Just watched Jose's interview after the game and there was some interesting points. He said Courtois and Eden are back today with no mention of Lukaku to confirm that deal if we didn't know it already.

He then said the Brazilians and Schurrle are back on Monday but absolutely no mention of Mikel or Moses so I would expect both to leave in the near future.

[Bob Singleton]

Ryan Bertrand loaned to Southampton for the season

[Sea foot]

Ryan Bertrand loaned to Southampton for the season

Would be nice to see him outshine Shaw in that role.

[Kneel for 1]

Heard its a loan deal worth up to 10m if made perm.

Good for Ryan good for us. Well done Chels.

[Sleeping Dave]

Heard its a loan deal worth up to 10m if made perm.

Good for Ryan good for us. Well done Chels.

Very happy for Ryan.

[Droy was my hero]

Ryan Bertrand loaned to Southampton for the season

I wonder what would have happened if he had gone there 6 years ago.

[Holymoly]

I wonder what would have happened if he had gone there 6 years ago.

Some teams have this mystique built up about them that they are a hot bed of talent, back in the day it was Crewe. Now all of a suddent the media have cottoned on the idea that since Shearer was sold to Blackburn it was a seemingly endless conveoyor belt of talent. Personally I'd put it down to coincidence and the fact that teams like Southampton have to work it like they do. Blood the youth and sell on the successes. What isn't pointed out however is that it is highly unlikely any of the players in question would have reached the potential they ended up with staying at St Mary;s. I'd argue that overall our youth system is now far more successful in pumping out talent it is just that unfortunately being Chelsea we probably pay them far too much and then make them far too expensive for other teams to consider acquiring.

[Droy was my hero]

Some teams have this mystique built up about them that they are a hot bed of talent, back in the day it was Crewe. Now all of a suddent the media have cottoned on the idea that since Shearer was sold to Blackburn it was a seemingly endless conveoyor belt of talent. Personally I'd put it down to coincidence and the fact that teams like Southampton have to work it like they do. Blood the youth and sell on the successes. What isn't pointed out however is that it is highly unlikely any of the players in question would have reached the potential they ended up with staying at St Mary;s. I'd argue that overall our youth system is now far more successful in pumping out talent it is just that unfortunately being Chelsea we probably pay them far too much and then make them far too expensive for other teams to consider acquiring.

Really? I'd argue that we take much better product in than Southampton and produce much lesser quality. Irrespective of cost.

I do agree that Southampton are on a run now (coincidence). And there was a gap between the Shearer era and the current era that started with Bale.

But Southampton do seem to have big advances over us in bringing on kids - wage structure, a first team that can use them as they break through (esp as a Championship team not long ago). And somehow they manage to keep they players' feet on the ground.

The Southampton Academy has at least got a number of players into the Southampton team. All I can think of for the Chelsea Academy is getting (via a series of loans) Bridcutt and Bertrand into PL teams (Southampton's!!!)