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In Off The Post: Sam Matterface's say on transfer deadline day

:Headline: In Off The Post: Sam Matterface's say on transfer deadline day: ID:243535: from db_amp
Sports Mole columnist and talkSPORT commentator Sam Matterface airs his views on how some of the Premier League clubs fared on transfer deadline day.

Jose doesn't believe the Kids are alright.

What is the point of the Chelsea academy? The question I was asked most yesterday was "who is Papy Djilobodji?" The answer was simple - "I'm not really sure". It turns out that Bournemouth had a sniff but thought better of it. Watford had a look and took er... Chelsea's Nathan Ake.

When Michael Hector signed for Chelsea four minutes before the deadline, and then found himself loaned back out to Reading, I was bombarded by tweets asking "what is the point?" and simply "why?" The answer was simple - "again, I'm not really sure."

I'll let you guess the questions and answers surrounding the new contract and subsequent loan spell at West Ham United for Victor Moses.

Chelsea have a total of between 27 and 33 players out on loan depending on who you consult, I think they must have lost count. I have.

The academy and development teams have won the UEFA Youth League and the FA Youth Cup four times over the last six seasons.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has an aura and attitude that gives him the look of a Premier League player, but he's not the only one who can clamber to the dizzy heights of first-team fringe player.

I like the defenders Andreas Christensen (£20,000 per week, on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach), Kenneth Omeruo (won the AFCON with Nigeria, on loan in Turkey) and Ake. Jake Clarke-Salter is young but will emerge as a player for someone and Jay De Silva is a pocket rocket of a left back. These players should be pushing for a first team place when there are holes.

Let's be clear - there are holes. At left-back (De Silva or Ake), at centre-back (Omeruo) and at right-back (Christensen). All have trained with the club's established stars, and you would like to think they were being honed to graduate.

Surely after all the investment and hours of coaching this is where Jose Mourinho should be looking for reinforcements, instead of scrambling around Europe after Aymen Abendennour and the Nantes vice-captain. Otherwise, seriously, what is the point of the Chelsea academy?

North London Trash

It's the title of a not very famous Razorlight album track, from when things had started to go pear-shaped for the band. It is, though, a suitable soundtrack to the business conducted by Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the forward areas.

There is no back-up for Olivier Giroud or Harry Kane.

Both strikers have started the season without looking sharp, and although they may go on to rekindle their best form, there is always going to be a risk that injury will strike.

Then what? A flaming load of karma and a mobile phone.

The Little Ones hold out to strike it big

Congratulations to Southampton, West Bromwich Albion and Everton. They have held off the circling vultures, despite constant attempts at plucking their prized assets.

Don't get me wrong, Tottenham and Chelsea have done nothing wrong. Those esteemed football clubs wanted their players and were prepared to spend big to acquire them. However, such is the financial might of the entire Premier League, the days when clubs needed to sell to stay in business are long gone.

All three clubs have strong characters at the top of their organisations, and although it remains unclear exactly the financial state of Everton, Victor Wanyama, Saido Berahino and John Stones will all be staying put until at least January.

Lets hope Ronald Koeman, Tony Pulis and Roberto Martinez can repair any damage to relationships and get the best out of them between now and then.

Oh, and I suppose Manchester United and a certain goalkeeper fall into this category too.

Championship manager

Two players I expect to be hits in the Championship. Derby County boss Paul Clement has picked up Bradley Johnson from Norwich City and Hull City's Steve Bruce has pulled in Adama Diomande from Stabaek (second in Norway), who scored 15 goals in 20 games this season.

Football Manager Stats

Talking of stats, I noticed the debate over Sky Sports News using "Football Manager stats" to help with their transfer coverage.

Unaware of their source and thinking he might find it gimmicky, I asked Stuart Pearce how he felt about using them to analyse players when on set on Monday.

He explained that 300 club scouts employed by top European clubs rate player attributes out of 20 and then a mean average is taken from those assessments to provide final values for speed, passing and many others.

Pearce, who heavily leaned on stats as a manager, believed them to be useful, and I thought they added something too.

Transfer Fees

The Spanish, says Phil Neville, who is now coaching at Valencia, "can't stop laughing at the fees we pay" for transfers. He's right, it's become ludicrous but it's here to stay and it's the foreign clubs that are chuckling all the way to the bank.

Sam Matterface will be hosting talkSPORT's mid-morning show from 10am until 1pm every morning this week, before commentating on Germany vs. Poland on Friday night, which is live on ITV4 at 7.30pm.

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