16 Apr 2026 16:39:32
Great news. Moises Caicedo has agreed a new Chelsea deal.
Caicedo handed improved terms to further recognise his squad standing and now set to stay until 2033.
Levi playing for the 21's tomorrow night as well.
Just need a new head coach and we will be fine.
16 Apr 2026 18:58:31
Great news, Greenaway! Not so good was Quenda's performance against Arsenal, predictably panned by the Portuguese press. Also, he seems to be another injury-prone player, it seems.
16 Apr 2026 19:53:05
Surely you are not writing him off already, Jbs? Give the boy a chance.
16 Apr 2026 19:59:13
I'm not writing him off, Greenaway, just managing my own expectations of this young prospect.
16 Apr 2026 20:00:35
In other words, will hope he will do brilliantly, but is still in the great prospect category.
17 Apr 2026 08:12:50
Caicedo signing a contract extension is fantastic news. In my opinion, it was him who carried the team last season, and not the fan's favourite, Palmer.
The Caicedo drop in form over the last 6-10 games has coincided with the team's drop in form.
17 Apr 2026 08:21:57
I agree, Tom, and I put that down to fatigue.
The only way the poor guy gets a rest is when he is suspended, which shows how weak our midfield is due to many injuries.
17 Apr 2026 09:43:28
Bill, yes the fact that Lavia has been injured far too often and for far too long, PLUS Essugo getting injured, PLUS Santos lacking perhaps the physicality of Caicedo - and both Essugo and Santos still being young (both 21) and relatively inexperienced in EPL football - has prevented more rotation with Caicedo. So Caicedo's game time has been heavy, as has Enzo F's, and made more so by our participation in CWC.
Palmer has also carried an injury problem and been largely a shadow of his former self in most games he's played this season.
But midfield - even after the sale of Dewsbury-Hall, who had done increasingly well for us and is now shining at Everton - is probably still stronger in depth overall for us than our attack or defense.
My concern about Quenda is not that I write him off, but because of his very serious metatarsal fracture in December last year that kept him out for 4 months. He's only just back, and understandably had v poor game v Arsenal. Kendry Paez has of course also struggled with behavioural problems, then injury, and been getting little game time in Argentina.
Point being, the 'project' to date, focus on buying almost only young players who are still developing, have little or no experience of the EPL and already have a slightly worrying injury/health/unprofessional behaviour record, is a genuine reason for concern. We could add Gittens (injury - and largely underwhelmed when played but still very young and EPL inexperienced) and Mudryk (behaviour) and Garnacho (behaviour at United) and Delap (silly card collecting and lack of calm head?) to that list - and that's, in total, a heck of a lot of money spent on collectively very costly young attacking 'potential'.
Of course I would hope that some among this list will still come good. But we have needed them to play and perform consistently for us this season.
Reliably best of our attackers right now are surely Jaoa Pedro - and congrats to the club for signing him at least - and Pedro Neto, with Estevao also of course having been outstandingly brilliant at times, and someone who, if he can keep frustration/petulance under control and has teammates around him performing well, can become a huge star for us.