Styles

Haha I know exactly what you're talking about and that was hilarious. It was second half on the left side. Three times he tried to dribble but each time he couldn't get the ball to move in the direction he wanted. I think even the fans started laughing at that point. If I could sum it in a gif it would be this

Absolutely not the case. I was marvelling at players like Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Alaba, Gundogan, Martinez etc last night and they are far from flamboyant. They can do everything on the ball at a very good level. Torres' first touch is not mental. It's just not good enough consistently. And the same goes for Ramires. They are capable of getting it right occasionally but it's the consistency that makes the difference between a technically competent player and a poor to average one. There are plenty of games when Torres doesn't do a single thing right with the ball. His touch is poor, his control poor, his dribbling poor, his passing shocking... and that has happened more often than not in the 3 years he's been a Chelsea player. That isn't a mental issue, it's a technical one.

Maybe I wasn't specific enough in my opening post. I really meant technical ability in terms of passing, control, technique ON the ball under pressure etc.

Absolutely flabbergasted at that. He is one of, if not the, worst when it comes to technical ability in the squad. His first touch is embarrassing. Hazard is a very good passer. Maybe his final pass isn't what we want but generally he's one of our best at keeping the ball under pressure and keeping the ball moving. He plays on the half-turn which is very difficult to play against. Technically he's by far one of our best player.

Ivanovic? That's a very strange one. Personally wouldn't put him anywhere near that list. I think it's telling that from a full squad you can only name 6 or so players and no central midfielders! Football has evolved from having 7 or 8 hard workers and 3-4 good technical players. I was watching the Champions League final last night and marvelling at how almost every player on the pitch was technically competent and was able to pass the ball/recieve it under pressure. I look at our team and we're nowhere close to that level.

I understood mate, I was just adding to your point. Different positions require different levels of technical ability. What's weird is that arguably the most technicaly demanding position (striker) we have arguably the player with the worst technical ability in the squad in Torres.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA You cannot be serious.

There are anomalies and you will tend to find them more at bigger clubs who have a bigger collection of better players. So it's not weird that a CB like Luiz will have very good technical ability. What's weird is that a striker like Torres will have rubbish technical ability.

I was thinking he can get a triple-double with penalties won. 20-20-10

20 goals 20 assists. Not much to ask for is it?

In a perverse way the best thing that can happen to this football club is the implementation of FFP (despite it's crooked intentions of keeping the elite safe from new money taking over). Perhaps we'll be forced to use some of the very talented kids we have instead of picking up rubbish like Marin and Benayoun.

I can't get how people still make excuses for this guy. I watched the game last night and just burst out laughing several times at how bad his touch is. It's pathetic that a professional footballer, and a striker no less, has such a shit first touch. It's embarrassing.

So two questions: 1) How do you define technical ability? 2) How many of our players from the current squad would you say meet that criteria?

It's getting me angry

Benzema may not be the player he was when he burst on to the scene and he may not have lived up to his potential but to suggest that he is inferior to Torres is laughable.

Yeah he's huge. Looks like 6'3 or 6'4. Plus for a big guy he's mobile as well.

Terry in a position of influence? Heh. He's currently struggling to get the club to talk to him about a contract extension.

Really? We've played well no more than a handful of times and considering we played 69 games that isn't really saying much. We need to improve a lot and start being more proactive in games especially against the better teams. City have dominated us every time we've played them. The final against Benfica was absolutely rubbish football. Almost embarrassing how bad it was. We need to improve A LOT.

No it was the introduction of Luiz that didn't help him. Nothing at all to do with Blackman. Luiz is a free spirit and perhaps the worst partner for a young CB making his debut.

Heard he played well. Glad to see him get a game. Really like his style of play and potential is there for a very good player.

Nice finish last night http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6bTw82hd7Q Oscar

This is what I was afraid of regarding Mourinho's return. Jorge Mendes must be pissing himself laughing.

Thank you. :tophat:

Somebody translate what he says about Hazard. Come on Belgium posters, do something good for once

Just wait and see