CHELSEA SIGN LACROIX! 🚨

another wonderful signing by Chelsea Football Club.Chelsea Football Club feel like we are moving in the right direction.We have been making great decision after great decision, and the good times feel like they are coming back.Helping me now dissect exactly what is going on at Stamford Bridge.It is the wonderful Matisse.

Thank you so much for joining me, mate.It's a pleasure, man.

It's a joy to talk Chelsea with you, and it feels like things are moving in the right direction.Maxime Lacroix is a Chelsea player.

Yeah, like we've actually signed a centre -back of age that can drink and drive and has been playing in the Premier League for a couple of seasons.That's actually got some sort of reputation behind him.We don't have to Google to the nth degree who this man is.This is a dream.If you were to ask me, the most basic person, most basic football mind, what would you like your club to do?

I would say the strategy I would like us to employ is really obvious.It's Premier League proven, experience, leadership qualities, in a dream world, international experience.That's what Chelsea is so lacking.International experience, international captains, somebody with Premier League proven ability.

And he's won some trophies as well.Conference League FA Cup, Crystal Palace.He was a huge part of a huge part of Crystal Palace's best ever.

Crystal Palace, I think it's fair to say, the last decade for Crystal Palace is the best they've ever had.I know they had good times, Ian Wright and Mark Bright and whatever else, but the past 10 years, they've never threatened a relegation, ever.They've won silverware for the first time in their history and they followed it up with European glory.Did they win the Community Shield as well?Yeah, they did.So three trophies.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, they did.Well, give them that.They did.And they're always twop.And they're always twop.No, it's an amazing time at Palace.

And I think Lacroix, you know, there's a lot of very good players, but he's a stalwart of that team.And signing him, an international, French international, played at the World Cup, this is just ideal.

Do you think this is now, do you think we can use this Lacroix signing as being almost like aa new Chelsea approach?I'd like to think so.I think this is a nice brom of, like, we've now signed someone above 25 who, there is still resale value and whatnot, but it is a player that is more experienced than most.We usually go for your 20 to 23 -year -olds.They maybe haven't clocked up the amount of seasons and minutes they need to.

This guy certainly hasn't.And I remember, I don't know if you remember when he was at Wolfsburg, he was highly regarded, highly rated.He was, like, 18, 19, breaking through.And ever since maybe 20 years old, been racking up 30 appearances a season at top five league level.So this is a player that's experienced.My thing with him as well is the fact that he kind of like has a good blend of what we have, but the better attributes of each one.

So like with Fafana, he's quick.So Lacroix's quick, but De Sassi wasn't quick.De Sassi's good in the air.Lacroix's good in the air.So we kind of like get a little bit of everything that we need from all the guys that we've already got, but haven't worked out for a multitude of reasons.Yeah, it's fantastic.

And do you know what you said there?Like you mentioned sell on value, which I find quite poisonous.

I understand that it has to be considered.And I also understand that people with more think about it, but what I would always think about is just a football quality.You improve the football team.So is there a sale on value?I guess I should consider it.I guess that people will always kind of factor that in.

But for me, it's do you elevate the first team?Does your arrival make Chelsea a better First Eleven?And that's why, when that Jose Feliciano at Chelsea was talking about, you know, for those who don't know, Jose Feliciano is a co -owner of Bluco, therefore a co -owner of Chelsea.When he was talking about improving the brand, almost irrespective of what happened on the pitch.Doesn't make sense.That's why it was so painful to me, because I was like, no, no.

When you sign footballers, you sign them because they are going to make your first team better.That's like the least controversial thing that's ever been said on this channel.

Sign him because you will be a better football team.And it's also absolutely impossible to improve the brand andthe team get worse.Like, no way are you going to get better sponsorship deals, better commercial deals, entice more fans from overseas to watch the games.You may be on TV less if you're not playing Champions League, which means there's going to be less opportunity for them to watch, be inspired, and then support.So it just doesn't make sense on any level.

But this signing, even if there is sell -on value, that's great, because the people that want that can be very happy.But more importantly, and certainly more importantly to me, because it's me, I can be happy because Chelsea are now a better 1st XI.Whatever you thought Chelsea's ambitions were at the...Whatever you thought Chelsea's ambitions were prior to the Lacroix signing, they're now slightly elevated.

We've got better.We've got better.I think he's a good, like, 7 .5 out of 10 centre -back in most areas, and hopefully at 26.I remember when we signed Gary Cahill from Bolton, we signed Rudiger from Roma.He's not world -class yet, Lacroix.He's not elite, but...

I'm hoping he goes from, like, very good to elite to world -class.Now he's coming into his prime, and he's shown some consistency over the last couple of years.And I think this position was probably maybe the most important out of all the positions we needed to sign based on the last couple of seasons, the way we have been defensively.

Especially if Alonso's gonna play three at the back.

This is the thing.So I don't know what he's gonna do, because I thought three at the back as well.And we've signed a lot of players that make sense for a three at the back.We signed a wingback from Serie A, we signed Rodgers, who's more of an inside 10, and we signed a centre -back.who's been playing the middle of a back three from Crystal Palace, Gohe to the left and Richards to the right.But then in the friendlies that are not being televised, the Bromley win and the Crawley win, we've been playing back fours.

I don't know if that's because he's not got everybody available to him yet, and he's just doing it just kind of... because he wants to look at it, or if it's because he's actually going to do it.I would feel a lot more comfortable with Reese James in the back three on the right side.Atom pong in the back three.La Croix in the back three.A lot of our center backs or weak fullback centerback options.I would want to see them in a back three, and I'm not sure, especially with the lack of wingers that we have out of a hundred

and Hatto, a left back.it doesn't really get slightly, but obviously just doesn't really leave it.Yeah, just doesn't really make sense to me.

Yeah.

So what do you think it will be?

Do you think it will be a back three?

I hope it is.Yeah, and I still believe it will be just because of the silence we're making that they've all played apart from Rogers.They've all played in back threes in back three systems, and I think Rogers suits a back three really well with him playing close to call in a twin tent.So I hope it's a back three.I think it might be a blend of both.

So what do you think it would be?It would be the core.Achiampong.Do you think Achiampong is now starting?Not as a starter.

I think our strongest back three is Rhys James.I think Rhys James is better than Fafana for me, for sure.As a right -side centre -back to the three, yeah.His passing is clearer for Fafana's as well.I think right -side centre -back Rhys James, Lacroix in the middle and Cole on the left.Yeah, solid.

And then who are the two wing -backs?It could be the new signing.Right, Palestra.Yeah, Palestra could be him.Left -side, it couldn't be Hatto.I think Neto is a wing -back.

I think Neto's a wingback.Like, Neto, all he does is run in straight lines and put the ball in the box.Okay, I've got a better idea.

Yeah.Well, in my opinion, I've got a better idea.

You tell me if it's a better idea.

Go on.Rhys James goes to right back.No.Well, wingback.Wingback.No.

Rhys James goes to wingback.You'll break.One game a week.Less arduous, less pressure.I still think he'll break.Rhys James goes to wingback.

Who's going on the left?We bring in Jon Stones.That's what needs to happen.

Jon Stones can't play wing back.No, no.We bring in Jon Stones as a - Oh yeah, as a next piece.Listen, I think we've been linked to Jon Stones.Yes, I know.And I'm just thinking, please God, this is a tapping signing.

When we sign 30 plus, especially on a free, Tiago Silva, Michael Ballack, we do pretty well for ourselves in this department.I wouldn't mind.

Yeah, there's absolutely no reason to not sign Jon Stones.Yeah, I agree.The other thing that I think he would bring, which which I think is so necessary at Chelsea.For us to have any genuine hope, I think this is so important.There was a lack... of discipline lack of leadership.Yeah, like and I mean, this like this this discipline.

It actually was more rest like Mariska was getting sent off like Farner is getting like we had from dry.

We had a start in 11 off of red cards.I did one.Yeah, you know, I mean, like all of that.

I feel like a player like John Stones.John Stones has been at the epicenter of probably the greatest Premier League team, certainly the most dominant Premier League team in an era where they want to travel.They got 100 points.John Stones.Yeah.Johnstone's at the heart of that.

You bring in Johnstone's now, whatever you think of, you know I didn't like Liam Rossignol, and you know I didn't like Graham Potter, but I also didn't like the players calling Graham Potter Harry Potter.Calling Liam Rossignol a substitute teacher.I might do that, and people would be now saying this is really hypocritical.Yeah, but you're not playing.I'm not an employee of Chelsea.

He's not my manager.

He's not your manager.

He's not your gaffer.No, if he was my manager, I'd play with respect.Yeah, exactly.

Whereas I feel like somebody like Johnstone's, You can't do that.He played for Pep Guardiola, he played alongside Kevin De Bruyne, he's just not gonna...He's gonna be like, lads, are you professional footballers and what do you want out of this?

Or are you just jokers earning a lot of money?Yeah, and he's really good on the ball, which we're gonna be playing off in the back quite a lot.

Okay, so I've been talking there about the things that aren't even football related.He'd actually become the best centre -half of the club.

From a technical level, he would be the guy that would be leading that backline.Because Colwell, as much as I do like him from a leadership standpoint, he's still very young.And it would be so beneficial to someone like Colwell to continue his development, having someone like Jon Stones around the place, as it was when Tiago Silva was around the place, before Rudiger's, Christensen's, etc.So it's just a win -win on all fronts.The only thing is, what wages would he demand?But I think he'd take probably quite a bit off anyway, considering he's a free agent and no one's coming for him.

But I feel like we have so much...Yeah, it's a great...

It's quite embarrassing for us really, but to say...kind of a great flourish to his career to have the sign off a Chelsea.Yeah, you know, in the way Ruud Gullit, Ruud Gullit was part of an AC Milan team that beat Barcelona 4 -0 in a European Cup final when he wins the Ballon d 'Or.Then he has his final hurrah at Chelsea.Mark Hughes is winning league after league doubles at Manchester United, came to Chelsea as one of our best ever centre forwards.I genuinely believe that.

It's horrible to be back in 1995.That's where we are.But maybe that's where we are.

John Stones can kind of have his final flourish, win an FA Cup.Have a great time in London and have two years playing for Chelsea.

People worry about like, what's the motivation to win for Chelsea?But I think you just have to do a character assessment.I think sometimes when you get like an Aubameyang who already had like disciplinary issues at Arsenal already as a captain, that's probably not wise.John Stones is not going to be like that in my opinion.Do you know what I mean?

I completely agree.Are you happy overall with our business?

I am very happy because I didn't expect it.I didn't know we had the capital.Obviously we sold Santos, we sold Coquera, which is probably about 100 million.So we've now just...There's loads of money to make.Yeah, yeah.

There's like, bro, there's so many players to sell.

My mate keeps going, look, I don't like Enzo Fernandez at all.

I saw your video.I don't really like him.But, like, I'd like him to leave Chelsea.

But you know if they decide that he is a very good player, which he is...Do you know what?

Nobody's in for him.

That's the problem.But equally, we don't have to...I want him out of the club.But if they decide that he is the best we have and we should build a midfield around him...We don't have to sell him.I feel like I could very easily make Chelsea 200 million quid.

Same.Without any effort.I could name about 15 players we need to sell.Yeah.And I think a lot of them, you go, okay, there's quite a lot of money there.

Like, I don't rate Liam Delap, but Liam Delap is obviously worth 30 million quid.Yeah.Right.So there's 30.Yeah.Like Nicholas Jackson, if they decide he's not necessarily part of the squad, Nicholas Jackson would be worth 70?

Yeah, minimum 60 in this market.

Mark you, slap on another 10 there.There's another 10.I feel like withoutyou know, if you just went to me, right, bro, make Chelsea 200 million quid.Yeah, I don't think I have to mention Enzo Fernandez.

I don't think I have to mention anyone.

That's a start.

No, no, absolutely not.I mean, I was going for our centre backs.Now that we have La Croix, we've got a lot of centre backs.So we've got obviously Kowal, La Croix, Achenpong, Fafana, Tosin, Badia Schill, De Sassi, Mamadou Sarr, who came in from Strasbourg in January.Then we've also got the Argentine guy as well, Hato.We've got so many tossing.

We've got so many centre backs, Rory.We've got, like, 12 centre backs.And that's before I even bring in Rhys James that can play there as well.

And now we've bought in Lacroix.Expectations are up.We don't need...Yeah.Benoit Badia -Chillet never needs to play for Chelsea.

Never needs to play for Chelsea.

Axel de Asi never needs to play for Chelsea ever again.Toshinada -Rubaiyo never needs to play for Chelsea ever again.Because we've signed a proven Premier League Premier League winning footballer.He's a footballer that wins in the Premier League, wins silverware whilst being at a Premier League club.An international, I think it's ideal.Six foot four.

Six foot four.Tall, strong, quick.

That's what we love to see.Absolutely, absolutely.

More to say, mate.Hopefully, yeah.Keep it going.Fingers crossed, mate.Thank you so much.Always a joy to talk football with you, Matisse.

And obviously, make sure that you subscribe to Matisse's YouTube channel.The link is in the description below and we've partnered on this video.So make sure that you drop a sub over there.Fantastic content waiting for you.Huge news.Huge, huge news.

Lacroix is a Chelsea player.The expectation at Stamford Bridge just went up.Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.Drop us a sub over here as well, and I look forward to seeing what you have to say down below.

Ta -ra!