Franck Kessie

[ButchCassidy]

Genuine question. are they similar players?

Ndombele and Kessie? Not the most similar. Kessie is a true box-to-box type. Never stops running, good no-nonsense defender, always wants the ball, loves a dribble. But I don’t think he has the same range of passing as peak Ndombele, though few players do.

 

[SCUMmucs]

So I think I mentioned here how I also follow Ac Milan fan and kessie is a different beast!

I actually saw him live in his first season at AC Milan and he was a right winger in the game, strong dribbling average end product. Reminded me of sissoko but having better attributes in every regards.

Then there was the season after where he just reminded me of sissoko (I will ignore this season he was horrendous)

The transformation came when bakayoko joined on loan. I don’t know what this guy did to kessie but he learnt a lot and became the animal we see today.

Firstly, kessie is strong. Really strong people do not bull him off the ball. Unfortunately I don’t believe kessie is anything special on the ball. He needs time to pick and attacking pass, otherwise it’s mainly sensible passing. He is good at defending, strong in the tackle and good positioning. He can attack and his shooting makes me wonder why he doesnt score more in open play. Also, he is never injured!

I don’t know how much he would improve our midfield in helping us add creativity in midfield. He would just be a better skipp kessie always has bennecer to move the ball as the midfield masetro.

I want the el presidente!

 

[Wig]

So I think I mentioned here how I also follow Ac Milan fan and kessie is a different beast!

I actually saw him live in his first season at AC Milan and he was a right winger in the game, strong dribbling average end product. Reminded me of sissoko but having better attributes in every regards.

Then there was the season after where he just reminded me of sissoko (I will ignore this season he was horrendous)

The transformation came when bakayoko joined on loan. I don’t know what this guy did to kessie but he learnt a lot and became the animal we see today.

Firstly, kessie is strong. Really strong people do not bull him off the ball. Unfortunately I don’t believe kessie is anything special on the ball. He needs time to pick and attacking pass, otherwise it’s mainly sensible passing. He is good at defending, strong in the tackle and good positioning. He can attack and his shooting makes me wonder why he doesnt score more in open play. Also, he is never injured!

I don’t know how much he would improve our midfield in helping us add creativity in midfield. He would just be a better skipp kessie always has bennecer to move the ball as the midfield masetro.

I want the el presidente!

Sounds like more of a Wanyama in terms of attributes?

 

[punkisback]

Yeah I mean if we had no combative midfielders he would be fine. But it seems again that we are going for an aesthetic where work rate and tenacity trump technique and that makes me sad.

 

[spids]

I don’t think Wanyama, Sissoko or Skipp (to use three comparisons made by previous posters) ever scored 13 goals and made 4 assists from CM in 37 games.

 

[ButchCassidy]

I don’t think Wanyama, Sissoko or Skipp (to use three comparisons made by previous posters) ever scored 13 goals and made 4 assists from CM in 37 games.

To be fair 11 of those were penalties.

 

[SCUMmucs]

Sounds like more of a Wanyama in terms of attributes?

Haha I forgot about him, also good comparison but I think kessie would be more inclined to be found further up the pitch than wanyma when given the chance like sissoko did

I don’t think Wanyama, Sissoko or Skipp (to use three comparisons made by previous posters) ever scored 13 goals and made 4 assists from CM in 37 games.

This is true! Although, 11 of those goals were from penalties don’t forget.
It’s similar to when you see Kante got 4 goals in a season. It’s not really what his game is about.
I just don’t want people thinking we are signing a goal scoring midfielder in that way.

 

[Montalbano]

Kessie is world class. Signing him on a free transfer would be an unbelievable coup.

 

[crazyguitarman]

Yeah I mean if we had no combative midfielders he would be fine. But it seems again that we are going for an aesthetic where work rate and tenacity trump technique and that makes me sad.

He has technique though. Not on the level of Ndombele but moreso than Winks, Sissoko, Skipp and maybe even Hojbjerg. He's not the "creative" player that many are crying out for but I honestly don't think we are going to see any movement there until at least one of Dele, GLC or Ndombele leave the club.

The reason I want him is because a midfield of Hojbjerg and Kessie would see our ball retention go through the roof. If Dembele + Wanyama is our comparison then Kessie is our less skillful Dembele and Hojbjerg is our more adventurous Wanyama, with both of them being perhaps more rounded footballers in other areas. It would be a very combative midfield, both dominant in winning possession and resistant to the press, with both players covering every blade of grass on the pitch. They would provide a lot of protection for our defense, and you have to think that whoever the third midfielder is in that system will have plenty of time and opportunities on the ball to help make chances for the more attacking players. What I'm saying is I think Dele / GLC / Ndombele could thrive in that role with less overall defensive responsibility, and we could potentially help solve our creativity issue that way?

At the very least he would be an excellent option to provide cover for Hojbjerg against teams who sit back and where we are expected to win possession in midfield anyway. It would allow us to rest Hojbjerg and play two more attacking CMs, or even play them both together as a double pivot in a 343, each providing cover for our more attacking wing backs in Reguilon and Emerson. Skippy would still get game time as cover for both of them. I think it would give us plenty of new options that we are somewhat lacking the personnel for at the moment.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Fair play to Paratici if he can pull it off but if he is as good as people say surely someone like Juve or Bayern will snap him up on a pre contract?

 

[DiVaio]

Milan sites last week were reporting he’s asking them for €7m/yr (135k/wk) and we offered him 8m. Which is high, but within our structure and totally reasonable if you consider half that sum a “transfer fee”. Milan refusing to go above 5-6m.

This is net. So would be our highest earner

 

[homesweetlane]

I love his style of taking penalties! I've just been watching them on loop...

 

[cookiemonster]

The little goblin vs the lovely Marina Granovskaia eh

No doubt who my money is on

 

[Ribble]

He signed a few of them. Ramsey, Rabiot, Khedira, & Pirlo off the top of my head.

He started at Juve in 2010 so he'll have got them Pogba on a free, too.

 

[jpascavitz]

He's similar to Ndombele in how he can somehow dribble out of tight spaces. He's way better defensively than Tanguy and has been a captain on/off for some matches for Milan.

To me it seems we're trying to replace Tanguy with him (shame they'd be great together), but he has more of the desire and proven leadership qualities compared to TN.

There's been lots of reports that he wants to stay in Milan for life, but this might be the time to swoop since many club's financials are still crocked and he hasn't gotten offered what him and his reps were thinking they were. It's reported we can offer more..

 

[cider spurs]

I must've selected some right shit games to see Kessie play then.

Every time I've seen him he's done plenty of running and produced the square root of feck all. I've said as much a few times on here.

Plenty of tracking back opposition attackers, but frequently running in the vicinity without actually making a challenge. Not even shepherding players into places they don't want to be.

Didn't see anything all too special down the other end either.

I'll concede that this was before last season, so not really able to offer any input as to how he's faired in recent times.

On a closing note. How many Midfielders do feckin Chelsea want.

 

[ButchCassidy]

I must've selected some right shit games to see Kessie play then.

Every time I've seen him he's done plenty of running and produced the square root of feck all. I've said as much a few times on here.

Plenty of tracking back opposition attackers, but frequently running in the vicinity without actually making a challenge. Not even shepherding players into places they don't want to be.

Didn't see anything all too special down the other end either.

I'll concede that this was before last season, so not really able to offer any input as to how he's faired in recent times.

On a closing note. How many Midfielders do feckin Chelsea want.

Last season he was Milan’s player of the year - he’s definitely kicked it up a gear.

 

[Freddie]

I actually think the best comparison to him is Hojbjerg, but amped up a level or two. His passing range is limited but he'll get the odd goal by arriving late or having a pop from distance. Seems to fit into modern systems in which playmakers aren't as commonplace, but more emphasis is placed on winning the ball higher up the pitch and letting your front three do the damage

 

[pffft]

I love his style of taking penalties! I've just been watching them on loop...

This intrigued me so I visited youtube. Not sure what I was expecting tbh, but I did watch a man score some penalties.

That's not the reason I'm posting though, cos that would be a bit shit. What isn't a bit shit is the piece of skill at 50 seconds of this video:



which isn't something you see every day. In fact, the whole video is worth a watch. Aside from the penalties, he's scored a few absolute beauties.

I've never watched him play at all except for this video, but he's certainly no clogger!

 

[Aphex]

We have got next to zero chance of getting this guy next year don't let yourselves believe it will happen.

I see Liverpool and PSG getting linked with him in Italy. We aren't a club who can hoover up top players on free transfers. I'd give us a slightly better chance if we got CL this season. Otherwise, nah. Paratici managed it because he was at Juventus and win titles. We don't have the same pull.