Even more players have been brought in by both clubs in the January transfer window. Over the last two windows Chelsea brought in 16 new players and Forest dwarfed even that large number with no less than 30 new players. Many have questioned: ‘how on earth can they have the space in their squad registrations?’
For the reasons why they both did it, please read my other articles:
Both teams as well have had deadline day controversy with Ziyech not signing for PSG and O’Brien not making it to Blackburn. Has that caused further registration strain?
Chelsea’s Premier League Squad
Chelsea only registered 23 players post the summer transfer window. So there was always some room for further recruitment. In addition, players born after 1st January 2001 can be put on the B-list for registration, which do not count towards the 25 player limit.
Of the 8 players brought in during the January window, only 3 (Fernandez, Mudryk and Felix) need to be on the primary A-list. They already had 2 spots from the summer registration, so only needed to make 1 space.
As Jorginho was sold to Arsenal, much to the delight of most Chelsa fans that sit around me at The Bridge, the very large mess up with Ziyech did not impact Premiership squad registration.
Chelsea’s Champions League squad
The trickier registration for Chelsea is for the Champions League. The B-list for this registration allows players to be 1 year older than under Premiership rules, but there are two factors that work against Chelsea:
They can only make 3 changes to the registration for the group stages during the first half of the season
To qualify for the B-list players need to have been eligible to play for Chelsea for two uninterrupted years since their 15th birthday (or 3 consecutive years if they have been out on loan for maximum 12 months to another English club during that 3 year period)
As such Badiashile, Madueke and David Fofana are all in excess of the 3 that are being registered on the Premiership A lists and Potter would add them if he had the space.
I would say Mudryk and Fernandez were no brainers, and Felix would be picked over the two 20 year old forwards. But then it is a tough call between Felix and Badiashile.
Given the lack of focal cutting edge as seen again last night vs Fulham (Havertz simply is not a No.9), I can see why Felix should be added in. Aubameyang seems to be very out of favour and a shade of the Arsenal version of him.
But I have already highlighted how light they are in central defence in other articles. The triangle of Silva, Badiashile and Fernandez is already looking rock solid. Koulibaly is pretty much back from injury, but even then that really only leaves young Chalobah and Azpilicueta as backup (Wesley Fofana is still out injured and there is no guarantee how he will come back from such a serious injury). Neither of the backup options are ideal at that last 16 level of the Champions League.
So the decision is on a knife edge for which one gets the chop. But the kicker for me is Felix is on loan and although there is some sort of cause that gives a possibility of a permanent move, Atletico Madrid very much still see him as their player (and I was them I would only want to sell him if he was a flop at Chelsea, but they why would Chelsea want him). Badiashile on the other hand is a permanent signing, and at 21 years old, he is showing massive potential and I think he keeps Koulibaly out of the starting line-up. Last 16 Champions League will turbo charge his development.
My decision: Leave out Felix Potter’s decision: Left out Badiashile
Let’s see how the Champions League pans out and who was right, or if it ended up being immaterial.
Ziyech issue
Late into the night as the transfer window closed there was a trading of non-matching accounts from PSG and Chelsea over why the Ziyech deal did not go through. Sifting through the accounts, the most plausible explanation is simply Chelea were focusing their top legal team on getting the Fernandez deal over the line as the deadline loomed, and messed up the Ziyech paperwork no less that 3 times and missed the deadline.
Ziyech started against Fulham (a lack of options to be honest up front) but he put in a proper shift, just like the uptick in yards run and effort so far this season compared to seasons before. So it looks like amazingly he has come back and just got stuck in. He is in both registered squads, so no real issues.
What might be an issue is PSG are enraged. Now the upside shows how much PSG thought of Ziyech, so keeping him was no bad thing. But the downside is PSG have said they will not do business with Chelsea again. Could that come to bite Chelsea in any audacious effort to lure Mbappe (or any star youngsters) to Stamford Bridge in the future and be the final piece of the puzzle up front?
Forest’s Premier League squad
Unlike Chelsea, Forest had used all 25 registration spots at the start of the season, and of the 7 players brought in, only Danilo is able to be registered on the B-list. 6 spaces needed freeing up.
Bade’s loan was cancelled, Biancone is out until next season and Navas will just take Smith’s place on the list. So that leaves trying to find room for 3 of the new players, less Danilo and Navas.
Now, O’Brien should have signed for Huddersfield, Toffolo should have signed for Anderlecht and Cook turned down 3 loan offers in January.
Awoniyi and Kouyate are likely to be back before the end of the season, and Richards was due to be fit to battle Lodi for a start soon, so unlike Biancone, they would keep their registration places.
So where are the 3 player spaces coming from that are need to chop down the Forest squad?
Emmanuel Dennis
Although Dennis was effectively listed for transfer and seems not to be giving Cooper what he wants, he might keep his place in the 25 person list. Against ManU in the cup, he was given a start when Lingard pulled his achilles tendon warming up (a collective sigh by all Forest fans). Although he looked uncomposed, ragged and ran with his head down, he did put in a real shift, tried to beat players, closed down the back line, and would have had a goal if Surridge was not in the way.
But three things are counting against him. 1) he did not looked connected with the rest of the players on the pitch 2) Ayew signed after the window closed (as he was a free transfer) 3) Mighten who qualifies for the B-list had his loan cut short and can’t play for a 3rd club for the rest of the season.
In his favour, up front for the 3 berths, Gibbs-White, Lingard and Awoniyi are out injured. That leaves only Johnson, Wood, Ayew and Surridge as current options for key games coming up, but Mighten as a youth option can give bench level cover. Also leaving out a £20m purchase from registration would be very poor PR for the business side of the club.
My decision: 3rd in line to get the chop Cooper’s decision: Keep him in (see Toffolo for why mine matches Cooper’s)
Lewis O’Brien
Sadly for O’Brien: Scarpa, Danilo and Shelvey came in to add to midfield options, and when Kouyate is back fit, that gives 8 options for 3 starting places, even without O’Brien. He will miss out, and it really is not his or Forest’s fault (Blackburn lawyers were trying to fine tune the conditions for a obligation to buy him at the end of the season for £10m).
My decision: 2rd in line to get the chop, sadly Cooper’s decision: Not registered
Harry Toffolo
Given Richards is still making his way back from a long term injury and he has not been available for a competitive match yet for Forest. There is no other understudy for Lodi at left back than Toffolo. Williams can play on the left, but there is only him and Aurier that are options at right back. Colback has played as a makeshift left back last year, but that was Championship level, so really not advisable at Premiership level. I was very surprised that Cooper was ok with Toffolo being allowed to go out on loan to Anderlecht.
News broke just around the registration deadline that Richards has had a recovery setback that is not minor. So the reports it was Forest that did not get the paperwork done on the deal, so maybe they had the same thoughts as me last minute given the Richards update and decided to stick with Toffolo.
My decision: Keep him in Cooper’s decision: Registered
Steve Cook
There were 3 options for Cook to go out on loan this window, but he wanted to stay and fight for a place. Filipe has come in, Niakhate is coming back from injury and during the times of limited options at the back, McKenna and Worrell have been picked ahead of him. That makes him 6th choice at centre back, after Cooper as settled on a back 4. Cook should have taken one of the offers for him to go and find playing time, and now finds himself in a real stew.
Sadly here, I think there should have been more transparency between the transfer team at Forest and Cook, enough that would have convinced him to go out on loan.
My decision: 1st in line to be chopped Cooper’s decision: Not registered
Overall, the issues facing Chelsea and Forest are not a huge as people might think when they have seen the sheer volume of players that have been signed, even in the January window. They do though have the odd issue to manage, but it should not destabilise the clubs dynamics too much. What can be said as well is that both clubs signed players in January that improved their starting XIs.
very interesting