SeB

I rather think that Wigan didn't want to loose the player without any decent replacement. They got Ryo and Arouna Koné who seems to replace Moses and Rodallega. I think that's what blocked the deal so far, maybe a conclusion this week I don't think we'll get Hulk anyway. I've never trusted all the stories, there's a lot of medias, player, agent's communication. But we're the 16th of august and still nothing concrete despite the Olympics...

You've completely misunderstood me. I think Moses is a step ahead of De Bruyne in his developpement as a player. I've never compared their ability or their style of play, they're two different players. My point is sending De Bruyne on loan and signing Moses makes sense at the moment. And for the record I like De Bruyne and his playing style

I don't agree with that. De Bruyne is an interesting prospect, he has good passing skills and a good menaltity (helps to defend, play with his team mates). But in my opinion Moses is a spet higher than him considering he just achieved a complete season (36+2 games) at 21. Of course he has to work on his finished product at the end of his actions. But I must admit I'm quite ok with the suggestion that makes Moses the Sturridge replacement in the squad. Sturridge definitely has to play centrally because that's where his speed* and his finishing potential can be used the best way. But this season Sturridge had also a tactical importance, something we didn't had for a long time: he played a very direct way, a lot of 1st intention shots. And he obtained a lot of fouls. Moses has the same state of mind: put under pressure the defenders and the GK. And I think that with Oscar, Mata, Hazard etc... able to fire a free kick into the net, with Ivanovic, Terry and Cahill and their positionning sense in the box ; it would be a way to create different goalscoring chances. In fact he's not a pure striker, he likes long balls on the wings (mostly left), he likes to go through space. But because his game is mostly provocation with the ball, that's rather suited for the wing zone where he likes to go. This season he always played with a striker able to pusk the defense back: Di Santo who challenges in the air or drops from his upfront position to carry the CB and create a space. Or Sammon who presses really hard. He's a support stiker but he's aware tactically, he can hold several roles very well

I hesitate between RyanDavidson and manpe. That's a tough choice but I chosed Ryan which whom I did chat on twitter

I do think 4-2-3-1 is not the system suited to put the foot on the ball and keeping enough possession to consider we're going to dominate the play rather than being dependent of what the other team does. My problem is that we haven't an attacking midfielder with enough volume and MF abilities to be regarded as a 3rd midfielder The consequence is that defensively we have two midfielders who'll always be in numerical inferiority against three most of the time, in the case I analysed, Mikel has to do the defensive work of two players. That's not possible. Lampard's positionning is proper in that case. In double pivot you have one player whose role is to go forward (but less than if he is a B2B) to provide support. The "Lampard"' player has also to launch the pressing, or in that case, carry his team mates to come a little higher on the pitch (in this very case it's just in order not to stay too deep and allow a measured pressure on Milan's distribution) Mikel has to cover Lampard anyway, his first role is always to position himself at the right distance on the line passing through Lampard and Cech's goal. The fact Lampard gets high in this situation is completely normal, the double pivot is a kind of swing (balançoire lol) because we need link between the lines. That's not Domenech's France with our two DM who never left their zone in front of the CBs (and then 3 minutes to carry the ball in the adverse half ) Lampard is a former box-to-box whereas Mikel is a very mindful player (who respects his manager's instructions) who used to play in a specific completely defensive role in another system. That's the reason he was dropped out for Essien when Ancelotti switched to 4-4-2 after Torres' arrival. And that's the reason why in this double pivot organisation, we have Lampard who is attacking minded and Mikel defensive minded, and the result is that it's almost everytime Lampard who instigates the pressing and provides support whereas Mikel stays behind. But that's not a fatality, Lampard is a clever player and very intelligent tactically, able to control the rythm of the play. He's not the one who can give 5 50 yard diagonal passes per game anymore but he knows when and where to give the ball. At the moment he's the only player in the squad who understand games's rythm so well. I do trust in Mikel otherwise but he's not likely to play in another role at the moment, because he's our only proper DM and the one who maintains a bit of balance even in systems we played where this concept seems completely out of consideration In fact if the defense had to stay organised until the end, it would be to the AM to ask the ball deep and dicting/orientating the play. Or we haven't that kind of player. So the players has to play in consequence, that's why we face inbalance situations My point is that 4-2-3-1 doesn't allow possession. Defensively to stay organised it requires the two midfielders to stay deep and then suffer because they cannot come out their position whereas they'll always face three players. It's the highway to a defensive minded system where the team is pushed back Due to the absence of a "third midfielder" in front of those two, providing the link between midfield and attack (here via Lampard) creates an inbalance. We havent this kind of player, Meireles can play there (it's his best position) but clearly (like we saw with Portugal) if he has the vision, the realisation of his creative passing game is awful and wasteful. In fact that's the reason why I'm not convinced by Di Matteo and his tactics since he took over. I'd have prefered him to leave on a high (or even come back as the assistant) whereas someone with a genuine tactical knowledge would took over. He made a proper assistant job after he took over, to be honest if Villas Boas wasn't so pretentious or idealistic he could have made the same proper tactical changes

I decided to have a close look on Emanuelson's goal against us. Even if it's pre-season, this is basically a situation we used to face in the past and that we'll be likely to face again next season. And I willingly chosed a catchy cliché title First of all I try to summarize what Villas Boas wanted to d, what he didn't manage to do. Then I spoke about D Matteo's approach at the end of the season. To end the 1st part I summarize the pre-season, the lineups and some of my concerns based of last season and this pre season. In the second part I cut the goal sequence in 15 images that I try to explain with a schematic representation. And in the third part I try to have a wider look on the 4-2-3-1 shape, the difference with 4-3-3 and then a short description of the players able to play in the CAM role and who can act as a 3rd midfielder when the ball is lost. My conclusion which is my own point of view puts on the table the fact that the 4-3-3 and the density that it allows in midfield may be made necessary by itself at one stage of the season. And also because it's the shape in which our most consistant performer for one and a half year is the most confortable. Here's the link (sorry, french) http://mypremierleag...-en-pre-saison/ And here's a spoiler lol ______________ I think we could discuss here the pros and cons of different shapes (mostly 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 we'll be likely to use next season) keeping in mind the idea of global balance, with a coherent defensive basis and with enough attacking link between the lines as well

He's paradoxal. If I'm far from convinced by his wasteful last touches/choices, he's better coming on and he's accurate in quick combinaisons in close spaces. We didn't produce many of combinaison, though Marin was involved in most. In fact he reminds me Nasri (withour being a dickhead). Good on the ball with space, accurate very short passing game, wasteful when too ambitious and frustrating with his last choices But beside that he's some interesting tactical basis defensively, he's not Antonio Valencia but he knows how to position himself defensively contrary to Mata or Sturridge, Kalou & co. And he has the will to do so (but let's be careful of the "I'll impress the manager" pre-seasons lol)

I exagerate as much as I can, of course things aren't that manichean. But as a goalkeeper and youth coach you may confirm me that you don't search the same ability we use to search in France (by example) when we form young goalkeepers ?

If true I'm even more excited about next season, really there's no reason to worry about anything. Plastic game plan and a striker situation that will become a classic at Chelsea: let's play a 55 game season with two strikers

We won't get better than Turnbull. British goalkeepers are poor technically, the only thing looked at during their formation is if they are brave to come out from their goal. That's the opposite from the continental way which precisely asks the opposite In fact that creates a "transfer barrier" that makes that few English goalkeepers play in Europe (Carson in Turkey is rather the best opportunity available after WBA didn't renew his contract, he wanted to escape from media pressure) and the opposite (I mean there's a time of adaptation... you can only get by playing) We can check lower leagues for a "world class backup" but just think about it: If he's good as an home grown goalkeepers, there're many club who would pay him to be 1st choice If he accepts the idea of concurrence it has consequences on his wages or his state of mind I assume Turnbull is not earning a lot, he's homegrown, he doesn't seem to have a lot of personnal ambition as everytime I read rare interviews from him he seems the kind son of mummy and daddy even at 27. Courtois is coming, to be honest Cech is going to play every game for at least 2 or 3 seasons. There's no need to splash the cash, I think the club will extend Turnbull's contract during the season

He's 1.86 meters, do the conversion by yourself lol

I was just trying to answer to the question "what Rondon offers that Sturridge doesn't" We just cannot say that we're going to play one style and that we'll have to strick some aspects or playing styles. We need several offensive solutions and different offensive approaches on a whole season I think we need one more striker and I'd go for a fox in the box able to play one touches relays in the box, be at the right place to end the actions. A kind of Mario Gomez discount

I hope I'll get the same warm reception with this thread than with the Morrison one So here I go: You can download the PDF there: http://mypremierleague.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/lets-discover-steven-fletcher/ I made it last month, little translation: Top left: "An eye on the game" : Just look at the figures, no need for a translation there Centre left: "A science of control" : I couldn't find a figure but it's about his terrific controlling ability. Even if most of Chelsea fans shall remind he controls well with his arm, trust me his controls in extension are really great. Especially because he's 6.10ft Bottom left: "A disconcerting duo": The Jarvis-Fletcher understanding, one is the best crosser in the league according to figures (and to his technique as well, that's delicious) and the other is the most efficient striker with his head. Jarvis gave 4 assists to Fletcher, Wolverhampton is the 4th team to use the most crosses per game with 26. 6th to score goals in the box (51%) and 6th too for the 6 yard box (8%). What's interesting in there is that we got some genuine great crossers in the squad, Mata* of course but Meireles, Malouda, Bertrand... Next season we really have to find alternative offensive situations because that's too risky to rely just on one attacking style. Torres is not a heading striker (when he's alone in the box yes he is, but he's not the kind to topple a massive CB) and Sturridge is just awful (so is Lukaku). We need some heading players, Rondon and Fletcher are two of those Top right: "A devastating heading play" : Fletcher is the 2nd best heading goalscorer in Europe with Ronaldo, Mandzukic, Bas Dost, Falcao and Daly. Llorente has 10 head goals, all the other mentionned have 7. Fletcher wins 2.1 aerial challenge per game, he's the 9th best striker Center up right: "proud to be Scottish": Just some stuff about him, he's born in Shrewsbury but he plays for Scotland where he moved after his father's death. The * tries to explain the little amount of caps he has, he has fallen out with Craig Levein who Benitezed him (I play you today, the next 3 games you're benched and you won't know why) Center down right: "being crucial for his team": He scored 12 goals this season, he's the 12th best goalscorer. But when we link the amount of goals Fletcher scored with his team's (40) he becomes the 5th best striker with 30% of his team's goals He's 18 goals in his 41 last Premier League games with ridiculous service Bottom right: "An efficient striker" : The service, here we go. Because I haven't a pro OPTA account I didn't manage to get the touches per game and ratios such as touches in the box/goals. But what I managed to find (on EPLindex) is his conversion rate: He scores 19% of his goalscoring chances, he's the 11th on the table not far behind Rooney or RVP but far from the winter signings Pog and Cissé. The most interesting figure is that he converts 70% of his clear cut chances, it's regarded as a clear cut chance when the finishing is expected to rely only on the striker, when he's alone in the box. Logic or not, penaltys are considered as CCC. But Fletcher doesn't take its but he still has the best in the league (considering Lampard scored 4 penaltys). I think he'd be a decent signing considering he's young and is a clinical finisher. Wolves asks half of what Malaga asks for Rondon (£10m for Fletcher). Not that he's particulary gifted on the ball but he's elegant on the ball, he looks in front of him and not at his shoes when he runs on the ball, his controls are terrific and he's a good on ground relay (what Romelu can achieve with a lot of work) If we can buy Belgiums by packages of 2 or 3, I think we can avoid Fletcher to go to Sunderland. And I would like some clubs to avoid Jarvis to go to QPR or Stoke ___________ *Mata's 61/238, that's the 6th best accurate total, the 5th biggest overral total, the 7th ratio per game (1.8) and the 12th conversion rate with 26%

Torres "admitted without doing so" in his first interviews that he went to Chelsea to find a team where he could be a part of the team, a striker among other, an offensive option among others... and not being the one with a whole club on his shoulders. Moaning on Torres wasting the incredible good service he got week and week out last season already makes sense, there's no point to invent such clueless presumptions about his confidence too Heading play (winning challenges and offensive heading play), direct play on him. But on the other hand it's true that he offers similar abilities, what we can expect from a striker habile with the ball: he shoots a lot, he dribbles and gets fouled quite often. And he can create chances for his team mates as well, he'll end up his runs at the right place in the box... Sturridge is clearly a striker that has to be searched through space thanks to his explosivity and his incredible speed on short/long distances ; Rondon would be a striker suited for crosses and aerial balls He played behind Derek Riordan at Hibs in Scotland, I must admit I've been surprised when I saw him playing like a trequarista. But since he's at Wolves McCarthy used mostly a 4-5-1 (except at the start of the 2010/2011 season where he played 4-4-2 but Ebanks Blake was on a scoring run), Doyle played mainly until he got injured. Then Fletcher ended the season with 7 in 10 games (or something like that) alone upfront I don't think for all that he became a real fox in the box, it's just a matter of roles. I think I'm going to make a transfer thread for him

RyanDavidson for me

I think I've been misunderstood. My point wasn't that you cannot have two good goalkeepers (though I've never been convinced by signings in order to create a concurrence btw but that's not the subject). My point is that you cannot ask a quite good goalkeeper to sit on the bench 60 games a season considering Cech is one of the best in the world and even if he has two or three bad games in a row, nobody would habe the idea to replace Cech for a little while. We're in the particular situation where we need homegrown players, so then we have to pick british players. We know that GK is a specific role in english football (compared to the french or continental way to produce young GK) and that the decent/good british goalkeepers don't hesitate to look lower on the table in order to sign in "smaller" clubs where they would play week and week. Your list is right, but in fact you can see that there are no world class goalkeeper as starters in there and so then the concurrence notion isn't killed in the egg.

That's a right concern considering the weird things we could have heard sometimes about Cech's fitness, I remember when we signed Courtois I read someone who said Cech would have back problems and would struggle to play until his 40s... I don't mean that we've to trust anyone but let's not be blind either. I wanted us to sign Begovic who is a great goalkeeper, very complete. But it would have been completely selfish considering we would have stopped his evolution. Plus he's not the kind to be part of a turnover, Sorensen managed to regain his place. Cudicini was great but he wasn't focused anymore at the end of his spell. In fact I think it's not possible to have a talented goalkeeper at Chelsea, I mean Cech plays 60 games a season and no goalkeeper with little ability would accept a backup role. Look at Foster, he could have stayed at ManU but he chosed to go at Birmingham then West Brom and he's currently arguably the best english Goalkeeper. Victor Valdes is a mediocre goalkeeper but he deserve credit to be ready even with just one or two interventions to make in a game. It's the same with a backup goalkeeper of someone like Cech. Paulo Ferreira, Hilario, Turnbull cannot afford to make themselves sick about their rare appearance during the month (or more) separating their games played. They're average now but they're consistent, they havent their mind elsewhere when they're asked to play

Yes, to hold the ball but on ground. Converting aerial long balls into proper pass backs like Zamora (or others....) does requires a better use of his weight, body balance in order to protect the ball. I don't see thay in Lukaku's play at the moment even if on ground he's interesting, his controls are good, he makes the pass back the cleanest way possible. I think it's a difficult one to imagine him on loan in a PL club because he's not reliable on long balls and direct play, he's good on ground and can finish. But for me it requires a specific animation and his playing time really would rely on the goals he scores

I don't regard him as a target man at all. He can pass the ball back on ground but he's rather a striker who goes into space thanks to his speed. What he has to improve at the moment is his speed of execution and more variety in his calls. When he calls the ball, his movements are ok but they really lack the thing to make the difference. He has a huge potential in front of goal as well. But in fact he's poor back to goal, he's not a heading player. I definitely don't regard him as a target man

In fact Lille are the biggest challengers behind PSG next season. Considering the lack of depth in RB position everywhere in Europe or France that's why they're reluctant to let go their player. I read that Debuchy said recently he wants to leave, Garcia said he'll chat with him when he'll come back at training. He said he could leave if Lille manage to find the right replacement without losing in quality...

I don't think Moses and Cahill could be compared. Cahill was a decent and commited defender who came as a 3rd choice whereas Moses is clearly the same kind of transfer as Sturridge: a young player signed for the first team but with a potential to improve. One is a squad player, the other one has an incredible potential. Both investments are understandable, I'm not shocked by a £10m fee for Moses It has always been the case. Wigan has to pay 20% of the fee to Crystal Palace. Whelan and Martinez feels honest to me, Whelan said if another(the 4th then) offer Martinez judges right, Chelsea and Wigan could still discuss the transfer

I don't remember if I posted the link of an interview he made at the end of the season, he said that he would stay at Chelsea or leave permanently, he don't want to be loaned again http://www.football.fr/cmc/football/201222/dijon-gael-kakuta-ne-jouera-pas-en-ligue-1_459060.html?featureshome-page

It's not against you at all, sorry if you though so. I just take what you said to react in a general way on the opinion according to which Kakuta would deserve a chance in pre-season For me it's unconceivable.

I completely agree with TorontoChelsea... who at the end of the day is just pointing to facts. How on earth Kakuta can deserve a chance, even in pre-season ? You can have a difficult loan, I think the Fulham one was complicated due to the amount of player in his position (Gera, Dempsey, Dembele, A.Johnson) and the fact I think Hughes only accepted the loan not to be in bad terms with Chelsea. But you cannot have a bad behaviour on loan when you pretend deserving a chance at Chelsea. Kakuta's commitment wasn't sufficient at Bolton and Dijon I completely agree with TC, it's exactly what I think: why a team who struggles with relegation, who didn't expect to be promoted, who is back to the wall and has to try everything to aviod the drop, would let Kakuta at home (not even in the group !) for the last games of the season ? With France U20 he was awful in Colombia whereas he was expected to be the playmaker. And in fact he had a good game at Villa with Bolton in League Cup, he scored a goal ; he had 6 decent games with Dijon. But it's when things got bad that he decided that he did show enough not to prove himself anymore, after the win at Marseille he must have though he's earned a role at Chelsea. Not just for him, I must admit I don't care about him, I'll just laugh to his future career choices (the only clubs who would want him). But it's for the other loaned youth that I'm concerned: I wouldn't understand why Kakuta would be at the same level in the hierarchy than Ryan Bertrand and his 100 decent games on loan. It's just unfair

Exactly my thoughs... on Benayoun