00:00Chapman, good to see you. The transfer window is finally closed. How would you reflect on what Chelsea has done
00:05this summer?
00:06Good afternoon, everyone. I think that we can be very happy with the whole transfer window.
00:14I think that what we started talking about in late May, early June, many things we have accomplished.
00:22I think that it's a very balanced, structured phase one that we have made in this transfer window with all
00:30that we had and where we are now.
00:34It's a good first one. Phase one is completed. It's a good one for now and for the future.
00:40Was there a disappointment that you weren't able to bring in Lamine Kamara on deadline day?
00:45I think that we are prepared and happy with the squad, with the depth, with the healthy competition we have
00:51in different positions.
00:53As well, I've mentioned that there is a good balance between players of different stage, mature players, young players,
01:02players already that they are in a good maturity moment as well.
01:06And we need to build that energy during the week to perform in the weekends.
01:13So far, just two games, but it has been a good start and now we know who's going to be
01:19in the building and that's good to have this certainty.
01:21The club allowed Enzo Fernandes to still depart on deadline day despite the fact that you were unable to sign
01:28another midfielder.
01:30Is that a decision that you supported or is it something which you could potentially regret?
01:34No, we take all the decisions together. We are responsible for them. We have worked together with every decision.
01:43Big ones, small ones, because we knew that ultimately the last goal is to have the best for the team,
01:51the best for the squad, the best for daily work here.
01:55We want to build a good spirit, a good team and we have always taken decisions thinking that we wanted
02:03to reach that.
02:04Was there always an expectation all summer from your behalf that Enzo Fernandes would leave the club this summer?
02:11And is there any disappointment that you didn't fully get the opportunity to work with him?
02:16Well, in football many things happen and you need to be prepared for everything and with Enzo we have had
02:22conversations but with respect as well what he has done for the club.
02:28It has been great, thankful but now it's time to move forward. We have the squad that we have. We
02:36have a lot of big personalities, players with a lot of quality in all the different positions, different lines and
02:43now we are ready to go.
02:46How has Moises Caicedo been since Sunday? Has he been able to train? Could he be in line to play?
02:51We will check tomorrow. Tomorrow is the last decision for the squad on Sunday.
02:56And finally for me, how pleased are you that Morgan Rodgers will be wearing the blue of Chelsea on Sunday
03:02rather than the red of Arsenal?
03:04Well, talking about the squad planning and taking big decisions, for sure Morgan's one was a big, big one to
03:14get a player of his stature in present, in future.
03:18He will be a key player for the next six, seven years. Right now he has had a great impact.
03:26His chemistry with the whole team is great.
03:29The chemistry with his striker partners is fantastic and that's happening in short time. It gives us a lot of
03:37hope for the future.
03:39And he looks really happy as well, so that's important.
03:42Thanks James.
03:43Sariah?
03:43Hi.
03:44I want to talk about Lacroix. He seems to have come in, hit the ground running in defence. He's playing
03:49quite centrally.
03:50Now we know Levi Cobal, we've seen him centrally, progressively pass the ball, be really helpful to the attack.
03:57But it seems like when he's on that left centre-back position, he has to defend a bit wider and
04:02support the team that way.
04:03How do you actually help Levi in this different position so he doesn't get caught out as much and progress
04:09as the season goes on?
04:11No, we need to have good balance and for sure we know the best qualities of Levi when he's important
04:16on the build-up,
04:18more on this left channel, not so on the wing, when he has different diagonals that he's able to see
04:25not just what is on his flank,
04:28that he's able to find the pocket and to the other one. But we need to have good partnership in
04:35defence.
04:36Max Sens is very consistent, he's strong, he's very connected to the game in terms of personality, in terms of
04:45awareness,
04:46and that we have players that they want to have that impact. This is very good.
04:52We have talked about Morgan, but Max Sens as well, he's been just for three, four weeks here, but he's
04:59really settled into the team.
05:00And you touched on it after Bayern, but I'll bring it up again. The 26% possession, but it didn't
05:06feel like that.
05:07And all the possession that Chelsea had was productive.
05:10Well, after a game you have so many stats and depends what you look, you can have a different read.
05:18If you see the possession, it tells you something. If you see the XG, for example, takes you another thing.
05:24If you see the number of shots, it takes you another thing. What we want is we are able to
05:31adapt.
05:32And for sure there will be games that we have a lot of possession, but we are struggling to score
05:36against teams that are defending low block.
05:39To have different tools, to have different ideas how to do it and to different approaches is good.
05:45But we are in early days. We have had two games, two wins, but we are aware that we can
05:52do better.
05:53We want to do better. Some things that we need to keep doing well, all the things that we will
05:57improve for sure.
05:58And lastly, just about Emmerga, I know he's been injured, but he seems to be that type of player that
06:03thrives in like a two-striker set-up,
06:05likes to be fluid, a master-front free, you've got a great front-free at the moment.
06:08When you think of your future plans at Chelsea, what sort of role do you see him playing as well?
06:12No, I see him playing on the last line. When he has space, he's such a big threat. He's been
06:18here for a few months.
06:20He had the injury that he missed some part of the position. Sorry for him, but he's young.
06:25He has very special qualities and we hope that he feels better and he takes those steps that he's going
06:34to be more involved.
06:36Players are young, they need to be patient, but knowing that for sure they will have their opportunity.
06:43Tell me a bit about your midfield, what you do have with the five, I think you have five, including
06:48Rees, so what do you have with those guys?
06:51Different qualities, personalities, players like Valentin, he's young but he has come with great energy.
06:58We have Hendo, he has the composure, the mentality, he knows what's going on in the game, so he's getting
07:08closer and closer to playing time.
07:11With Rom, Rhys as well, even Malo can play, Watson as well, Maddy from the academy.
07:20We have options and we need to have the right balance and we think that we have quality, competitiveness for
07:29all the season and to face each opponent.
07:33When it comes to Moy, should we worry about his fitness?
07:43No, we need to not worry about these things that happen and we need to check. Tomorrow we'll take the
07:51final decision.
07:52And then in terms of the overall five, do you think they will be fitting up in general throughout the
07:56season?
07:58I think that this year, knowing that we won't have that many games, that we will be able to manage
08:05more minutes to spread and to have a proper distribution, depends on the games, depends on the momentum of each
08:13player.
08:16They hopefully touch the boot, they don't have that many setbacks because that's what you want from players and especially
08:25from Rom, that he's feeling better, that we need to push him to have this consistency in his fitness level.
08:31Thank you very much.
08:32Thank you very much.
