quickpassnmove

interesting player. Do you think Eremenko would be better in a 4-3-3 or in a club that have openings among the attacking midfielder positions?

fixed it for you.

it's a response to the national conversation about the state of football in England.

IMO, the top priorities in transfers should be CM and fullback. there's nothing wrong with using Torres, Eto'o, and Ba (or whoever comes to replace to BA?) until summertime. better to spend on TWO CMs and a fullback. Shaw is right up there on the list, for sure.

IDK what the rules are, but it seems to me that an English club would be better-served by loaning a young U.K. player out to a Dutch, Spanish, or Brazilian club in order for them to develop some mentality and skills they would otherwise not likely ever develop in the U.K. All this talk about "changing" and adapting to the times in England and I just don't see how. Are English people going to suddenly change within their own country? even start eating yogurt, fresh fruit, pasta, veggies, seafood, less fried food and snacks? laughing.

Considering it's WC year, I would not go to Chelsea if I were Jackson unless there were some assurance that Chelsea are getting new center midfielders now who will be used in the starting XI --nevermind the thought of getting a chance to start myself.

As for today's headlines topics, definitely a good time for Lampard to be dumped out of England before WC, but will Hodgson make the correct choice? Ravel Morrison and Fabian Delph would be better than Frank for England in Brazil.

Jack Cork is mentioned therein and I feel it's a reminder (Cork being a regular with Southampton) that something has not been right at Chelsea Football Club regarding who gets a chance in center midfield, on the 1st team. Sorry, but I'm willing to say that some players (Mikel and Lampard) should have been given less time on the pitch long before just the current season or last season.

I posited months ago, on another online Chelsea forum that Schneiderlin (along with players like Diame, James McCarthy, and possibly Wanyama, Capoue (Capoue has not impressed me on the national team and elsewhere however) give Chelsea some viable, cheaper midfield solutions to ongoing problems. Schneiderlin and Diame have been perfect candidates, Diame being a more established player in the Premier League (who, again, in case some of you didn't know, went to West Ham on a FREE TRANSFER in summer 2012 at a time when Chelsea badly needed to improve their center midfield). Of course, my suggestions were derided by more than a few, going back to summer 2012 and forward to the beginning of this calendar year when I began talking-up Schneiderlin (or sometime last Fall or Winter). A little more on Southampton: I don't think that ANY Premier League side has a stronger core in their two centre backs and two center midfielders (Lovren, Fonte, Wanyama, Schneiderlin). ManCity SHOULD, but haven't quite gotten it done yet. And I also have to say that these 4 players are solid in playing old-fashioned football while the centre backs are adequately comfortable playing with the ball at their feet. I like that Pochettino has kept this core intact most minutes of this season while experimenting with the other players in the formation (of course Shaw and Clyne are in if healthy). Southampton's only shortcoming this season has been setting up quality chances and finishing while it's been a bit of a luxury having the defensive core healthy. It still seems like Southampton need at least one top wide attacking player, but their core is good along with how Pochettino is managing the team. When that core is injured or compromised, they will need more scoring or more of an edge with their attacking wide players IMO.

I doubt there's one person here who doesn't like Axel Witsel. The silly part of the Chelsea story for two or three seasons now is that CFC would have been served well by getting a bargain player like M. Diame--a perfect upgrade for what Chelsea have been trying to do with the 4231 formation, but have so far completely failed to do. how much longer are we going to watch the Chelsea attack get mired in center midfield and the fullback areas? Schuerrle, Willian, and Eto'o are READY to make something HAPPEN with this squad's attack, but they don't have the support and passing required from deeper in the formation.

The future looks to bring outgoing for: Lampard, Mata, deBruyne, Ba, maybe Cole. Chelsea needed more center midfielders last summer and the summer before (and the summer before that); they've gotten just one, who is now injured. Should buy one, and either buy a 2nd or promote someone like Loftus-Cheek. I am curious who is better or has more potential: Shaw or vanAanholt? I feel confident that Wallace will be good enough to contend for the starting XI ITF. As for striker, I hardly care. The relevant question for the present is whether Chelsea have enough ability at striker to make the top 4 in the League; everything else this season should be geared toward moving on, not dwelling on the past--including ousting old players who can't keep up the tempo of play and possibly changing the formation.

anyone want a new right back and another center midfielder from transfer?

good choice--or, just use oscar deeper in a 4-3-3.

I am just through the 1st half of this match today and this is what I've seen so far: The team began playing better after the opening 10-14 minutes, as some here have already said. 1. Mikel (or Essien) should be given starts alongside Ramires. Chelsea don't have other options, but Lampard is a certain non-starter. And, I say this as someone who has not liked Mikel in the past, but thinks he should be given a chance to move around, be more progressive, alternating with Ramires. 2. Willian, Schuerrle, and Eto'o all work well together; 3. the hang-up is likely Oscar, who I have always doubted as a central attacking midfielder behind the CF. I would rather see Oscar's starting position pushed back to the left of center, where Lampard has preferred to begin his play. I could never understand why Oscar is expected to start almost directly up against the defensive midfielder or the centerbacks. 4. Ivanovic is utterly out of ideas at right back. Please change this, Chelsea. 5. Azpi looked very strong, sharp, confident for a guy who hasn't had regular playing time. congratulations to him. I would say Benitez should not be allowed to take him, but we'll see how he performs if given more starts in the league. 6. Mourinho should consider using a normal 4-3-3 with Eto'o, Willian, Schuerrle in the lineup. Eto'o is accustomed to 4-3-3, so is Schuerrle. Oscar has never looked like an attacking midfielder to me since I watched him in Porto Alegre.

Imbula, Banega, Jorginho.... sounds like a story (or television drama). BTW, I don't rule-out the possibility of Luiz leaving. If someone wants him, Chelsea would be smart to seize the opportunity and use the funds for an expensive centre midfielder who can run and excels technically.

Because Basel played quick; Chelsea did not.

I think the word you're looking for is "Gerrard," "Vieira," "Schweini," "Xavi," or "Alonso." Pogba has the skills and physique to be a great player. Definitely worth buying, but Chelsea really need to dump Lampard from the starting XI ASAP and get a good RB into the lineup. I think Pirlo is a complete center midfielder, but also incomplete if you require BOTH men in CM to be physically imposing. Then there's deRossi, who I also regard as a complete center midfielder. Chelsea need another physically imposing CM, a deep playmaker, to dump Lampard, decide on Mikel (sell or keep), and fix the right full-back problem.

I don't understand why Cundy says he's "stunned" in that call-in show. Mata and Oscar both want to play behind the striker and add no width, both are not fast, right back typically never adds much to any Chelsea attack, and both Ramires and Cole are babysitting Lampard. Meanwhile Torres gets no action. What exactly is stunning about what happens when all this comes together? It's the same inept Chelsea from months and years gone by. Instead of having Drogba, now it's as though 'give the ball to Hazard' is the only outlet going forward. after 15 or 20 minutes, I guess Newcastle could figure it out and wouldn't be scared anymore. Seems as though apparent "success" blinds Chelsea fans and the pundits to glaring deficiencies that Chelsea have had for a long time.

Might as well say it now: Chelsea aren't getting a Premier League pass to the Champions League this season, so if CL next season is a priority despite the suggestions over the summer of "Mourinho's long-term project here," I think it's time to hit the January transfer market early for something in CM. And, BTW, I'm NOT going to throw Ashley Cole under the bus yet because not only is Ramires babysitting Lampard, but I would say Cole must also. Still think we need much more from a RB though. I don't think Azpi crosses well with his right foot either, but maybe we'll see a little more of that soon enough (?).

No matter if Chelsea win or lose on any given week, my reaction changes only by degrees but the conclusion is always the same: I'd like to see the players who slow Chelsea down OUT OF THE LINEUP in the future due to buying players or promoting young Chelsea players. I think Mourinho can see the obvious deficiency in center midfield within this squad and it's good to see Terry playing well again. Just hoping that transfers and lineup changes in the 2nd half of this season give us some optimism for the future. Don't know what Chelsea might do with the two fullbacks positions but I would be looking to get Lampard out and a different RB into the lineup ASAP.

As someone said above, Chelsea wasted a lot of time with Lampard in the lineup. Neither Lampard nor the fullbacks offer enough IMO. Same old Chelsea... except that Willian and Eto'o are not yet infected by Chelsea's constipation.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/440171/Barcelona-hoping-to-make-Man-Utd-and-Arsenal-target-Ilkay-Gundogan-next-Xavi

let's just underline the fact that Chelsea are the underdog in this match. how does anyone here dispute this fact? ManCity's weakness is at the CB pair and the fact that this group have not been playing together very long. Still, they are better the way they normally line up. Chelsea's weakness is Lampard and possibly lack of attacking prowess from the fullbacks. Oscar can do just as much from a deeper role as he can from just behind the striker. An experiment involving an all-Brazil center midfield: Oscar, Ramires, Luiz could tip the balance in our favor. If it must be a 4231 again, I understand; it seems that Chelsea play this way because the primary striker (Torres) is proven too weak up against Premier League center backs alone and because Chelsea have played with Mata behind him for awhile up until this season. I would still like a 433 as a plan B or plan C, but maybe Chelsea don't have the right striker for this now(?).

If Chelsea start ponderously (as per usual for the last 5 years), the result is likely decided by whether ManCity pounce on Chelsea early in the match. Should start a flat 4-3-3, use Mikel or Oscar in CM with Lamps and Ramires. Put Hazard Left, Willian Right, Torrres/Eto'o in the middle.

fullbacks, CM... watching Roma yesterday, I am reminded why Italy are far superior to England: players like deRossi, Pirlo, Ambrosini, etc. have been far better than anyone from England--except Gerrard for over a decade. Scholes and Lampard? laughing. point being, you want a good all-around CM, look elsewhere; not the U.K.