In the Championship he's decent, the PL is a different matter though. Often caught the wrong side of his man, finds himself under the flight of the ball, always has a stupid tackle in him and is a liability on the ball. Lovely bloke and probably passable squad filler to play a few games throughout the season. But he shouldn't be anything like a regular starter for us.
Looks like we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one, as I think he should be our 1st choice CB alongside Sierralta, unless of course we bring in someone better from outside over the Summer.
Troost is a fair bit better than Kabasele IMO. WTE issue is his passing, which Xisco keeps insisting we use him for - apart from that he’s been a solid signing. Kabasele is just quick, dodgy passer of the ball, over-commits, gives away pens and his positional play is erm odd at times. I think WTE has helped Sierralta look even better than he actually is, because we still don’t actually know his level
Are we all in agreement that we need to get rid of this total waste of space next season? I can't think of a Premier League CB with fewer defensive instincts that Kabasele.
Having him in the squad would be fine if he wasn't surrounded by other players who look like they won't be competent defenders in the PL - WTE, Cathcart and Wilmot. Ideally we would sell Kabasele, loan out Wilmot (or sell and sign a better young CB to replace him) and then sign someone to start for us alongside Sierralta.
He has all the tools to be brilliant but between the ears is what seems to let him down. I always feel like he’s going to switch off and cost us a goal or even go full Kaba and get himself sent off while conceding a penalty.
Kabasele currently is the best CB we have to play alongside Sierralta at present. I would not say no to us bringing in someone better, but I do not think that will happen, and I also think he will do a better job than many of you lot on here give him credit for.
I took your advice on the other thread, but I disagree with you on this, so we shall have to agree to differ on this subject
Would like to see him replaces by someone of genuine Prem pedigree. Seriously, how hard can it be? Good strikers are expensive, CBs not so much.
Has a higher peak than WTE for sure, but is more than capable of the odd brainfart, but then again, if WTE is producing brainfart after brainfart, well, what's the harm in bringing in Kabasele?
But he does require the oppo attackers to DO something to create a chance, unlike certain others of our CBs.
Kabs is not a great centre back by any stretch of the definition, and he's certainly not starting Premier League level, but even taking into account his past foibles and brainfarts, I believe that it's pretty unavoidable at this point to draw the conclusion that he's better at this level than WTE - I would struggle to name a worse, less capable centre back I have seen in the Premier League than him. I'd rather have Mariappa back (at the level he was when he played in the Prem with us, not now as a 50 year old, obviously) to start over him, and I say that entirely earnestly. That's not said with any particular intent to praise Kabs, or suggest that he's the answer to any kind of question other than 'who should start our next games until Sierralta becomes available again given the hideous defensive context of this club'. It's all just levels of unacceptably bad - which degree below 'competent' are they, and WTE has proven himself, with the considerable amount of rope he's been afforded, to be the worst centre back we possess at this level. He is a further echelon below competent than Kabasele is, according to the evidence we now have, so Kabs must start ahead of him. It's that black and white, really.
Kabbs will generally make one catastrophic error per game, the difference is it’s generally through something like giving away a needless penalty, whereas with WTE it’s normally through a ridiculous misplaced pass, or Sunday’s shambles of a decision to duck under the ball. The question really is how will you prefer your error served up? I can kind of get the logic that giving a penalty away is slightly more palatable than something as brain dead as just not heading a ball away, so if it makes it slightly more palatable to get your errors through slightly less comical circumstances then Kabbs is indeed your man.
Don't forget that he started as a striker so he's still learning about being a centre back. When he's comfortable in that position, he'll be excellent.
One thing I would say in 'praise' is that Kabs generally owes the footballing gods one catastrophic error per game, and occasionally he even manages to duck that, whereas at this point we have to say that WTE is in a far worse debt, to the tune of several each and every match.
I don’t recall kabbs making a mistake every match . That’s just made up . He certainly has mistakes in him and he will ha e a brain fart every now and again , but I also remember him having a fairly consistent patch during 2019 and Some strong performances, often against the better sides . Watching Troost Ekomg I think he is far superior in the premier league .