Maatsen

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

Champions league quarter final goal for him tonight. Good few days for our former loanees.

[PremierLeagueClass]

Any big club looking to loan out their players, we should be top of their list.

[Vegas Claret]

good news for us, Chelsea more than happy to send them our way

[CaptJohn]

Cracking goal as well.

[Pickles]

A fair bit of criticism last season, considering how successful we were and how important he was to that success. A versatile, intelligent player who's showing he can play at the top level.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

A fair bit of criticism last season, considering how successful we were and how important he was to that success. A versatile, intelligent player who's showing he can play at the top level.

Yes some very strange criticism on here. Imagine the difference he’d have made at left back this season if we’d managed to sign him.

[helmclaret]

Some ridiculous comments about him last season. A big part of the team and good luck to him.

[Tricky Trevor]

I still don’t see him as a FB. Even his goal came from a wingers starting position.
I’ve watched Dortmund a lot this season and he has got away with murder at times.
In their recent win in Munich Harry Kane had a goal disallowed for offside and Ian was playing him on. He was so wide out that the review only concentrated on the 3 central defenders and he wasn’t shown.
Still a fine player with a good career ahead of him.

[helmclaret]

Left back, left wing, left wing back, whatever he is. He’s playing and scored in a Champions League QF which is a million miles away from where we are right now.

[burnleymik]

Great player, always good going forwards, but criticism of his defending at times was fair. He definitely improved as the season went on. Good luck to him.

[Quickenthetempo]

Glad he has scored as he made a bad error last week.

They're 3-2 up now

[Burnley1989]

Yes some very strange criticism on here. Imagine the difference he’d have made at left back this season if we’d managed to sign him.

We had the same with Trippier “he can’t defend”

[Super Teds]

I don’t think could defend that well last season. Caught out of position a lot and gave the ball away numerous times. Like others have said though he’s obviously improved a lot and technically he’s very good. Certainly better further up the pitch imo

[gawthorpe_view]

A fair bit of criticism last season, considering how successful we were and how important he was to that success. A versatile, intelligent player who's showing he can play at the top level.

He got some serious bo££ockings of Kompany last season.

[claretburns]

We had the same with Trippier “he can’t defend”

At the start with Eddie Howe's style he was a poor defender, he improved massively once Sean Dyche came in.

[blatherwickstattoos]

Just shows how better a team we were last season than this. I called it out at the start of the season and got shot down on here.

[CrosspoolClarets]

Congrats to Ian for a great achievement. I for one was very sad not to sign him.

The problem of course was not so much failing to sign him, but failing to sign any of our main targets (apart from Berge).

Imagine our league position now if we had Verbruggen, Maatsen, Palmer, Boey, Clarke and Gyokeres? Top half I reckon. Was too ambitious and unrealistic.

EDIT - my mistake, Palmer wasn’t a main target but should have been, we went after Bakayoko and Lukebakio first then failed to get Palmer, who as a raw kid who had never even left Manchester, would have happily loaned to us, and even needed persuading to join Chelsea. Same principle though whichever names we chuck in.

[FCBurnley]

Maatsen was MOM today based on BBC ratings. He was rated 7.92. If only …..

[Goliath]

We had the same with Trippier “he can’t defend”

He got ripped to pieces by Cameron Stewart at one point.

[KRBFC]

Just shows how little half the posters on here know, NewcastleClaret and his mob couldn’t wait to slag off Maatsen.

[Newcastleclaret93]

Just shows how little half the posters on here know, NewcastleClaret and his mob couldn’t wait to slag off Maatsen.

No I just slagged of the players you back.

Weghorst and Amdouni being premier league talent

[bumba]

Just shows how little half the posters on here know, NewcastleClaret and his mob couldn’t wait to slag off Maatsen.

I was critical of Maatsens defensive ability but can't say I've seen much of his action at Dortmund to see if much has changed.
His attacking ability was never in doubt.
Do I believe he'd have made us stronger this season defensively? Absolutely not.

[ClaretLoup]

I was critical of Maatsens defensive ability but can't say I've seen much of his action at Dortmund to see if much has changed.
His attacking ability was never in doubt.
Do I believe he'd have made us stronger this season defensively? Absolutely not.

Do you think Borussia Dortmund will be in for Charlie Taylor to replace Maatsen after he returns to Chelsea given that he is the stronger player?

[Darnhill Claret]

Doesn't matter where Maatsen lines up, he isn't a 'traditional' full back. The game is evolving continually and there is the four centre back, back fours and the let's try and get 11 footballers on the pitch. Maatsen fits into the latter group.
It probably needs a combination of those two ideas along with some more 'old fashioned' traditional ideas to help us at the moment because getting to a good place right now is difficult.
VK's ideas, and the pool of players he has assembled, haven't yet found the playing style to best suit them. So VK has either to persevere, or improve his system, his group of players, or both.

[bumba]

Do you think Borussia Dortmund will be in for Charlie Taylor to replace Maatsen after he returns to Chelsea given that he is the stronger player?

Where did I mention anything about Charlie Taylor??