OneMoSalah

Perhaps Carlo can use the 4-3-2-1 he used at Milan, with Carjaval and Marcelo/Coentrao providing width. Modric-Khedira/New DM-Alonso --------------------------------------- ------Isco/Ozil-----Ronaldo------ --------------------------------------- --------------Benzema-------------

I don't think Lampard and Essien will be regulars next season. Maybe get 15-20 appearances each.

Little technique? They are the one team that has given Spain a good game in this competition they were confident, getting on the ball and passing it around quite well. I wouldn't say they lack technique but just some of their decision making was awful, they are actually a good side Nigeria. They could have done a bit better in the second half maybe but hey who has played as well as they have in the first half against Spain in recent times?

Totally agree about Chelsea needing MF players. Lampard makes a decent option for rotation but hes very much harder to fit into a 4-2-3-1 as he isn't really an energetic box to box player like Ramires. He likes to attack but often forgets his defensive duties which leaves either Mikel/Ramires/Luiz exposed. I'd like to see Chelsea look at the likes of Gundogan/Illarramendi/Pjanic/or someone else in that mould to play next to either Mikel/Romeu/De Rossi (if we sign him, which I reckon would be a quality signing) but I'm not sure now with the incoming transfer of Van Ginkel who is very much capable of playing as a 6, 8 or 10. I am certain he won't play as a 10 so perhaps hes going to be our 8 or maybe even our 6 as he done for the Dutch u21s a few times in the u21s championship. I'd personally love to see a pivot of De Rossi - Gundogan but obtaining both players looks very very very difficult. Also I think we could use a left footer on the left side of our pivot just as we could do with the left side of our CBs to give the team more balance but thats just me.

Really? I thought Jose played him there a lot. I know under Carlo he played a much more there too, he became a key player under Carlo imo.

He always makes runs on the shoulder of the last defender, attacks crosses, shoots regularly etc for Spain in comparison to with us.....

Lol doesn't rate Mikel but he signed him in the first place and basically converted him to a defensive midfielder.....

Kind of yeah.

He looks... err.... slightly different for Spain tbh.

Na think hes been ok this half, still Nigeria's most influential player. Hes had a few decent runs and passes so I think its tough to criticize him, especially against the best team in the world.

Oscar is our best option as #10 as he roams about, drops deep and links the play, just Mata has a better final ball than him right now. Oscar's work rate is superb, must be the most hard working #10 in the EPL imo. The only thing is about Mata playing out wide is he isn't really pacey and he doesn't work back on the wing as was proven under AVB in 2011-12. I'd say Chelsea have got their ball playing center back in the shape of David Luiz so Hummels wouldn't be needed, hes also similar to Luiz as he likes to come out and intercept a lot. We need a CB who reads the game well and sits a bit further back to compliment Luiz. Also playing two DMs, I think as Johan Cryuff pointed out with Holland is it basically limits your team when they are in possession in that part of the pitch. You need to have someone like Ramires who can cover the ground to get up and support the attack or a Alonso/Verratti/Illarramendi player who can pass the ball and make things happens from deeper..... or ultimately try Oscar there or even Kevin De Bruyne but I feel its too soon for any of them to be re positioned there. Benitez managed to get the likes of Hazard and Mata to work back more often so I feel Jose could get it from them too and also we have Moses/De Bruyne who both do adequate defensive work in my eyes so as a unit under Jose we could be very very good defensively as well as offensively.

Great run and great header from Nando. 2-0 Spain.

Will be a decent signing for us I reckon, not seen anything other than the U21s games he played with Holland though but he looked good for them in a deeper position than what he usually plays. Can score goals from MF as well as set them up looking at his stats from last season. Also from what I've read hes able to play as a 6, 8 or 10. Extremely versatile it seems, anything under 10m could be a steal.

Get him here as Jose's number 2.

Poor defending for Alba's goal. Made a great challenge on Cesc when Xavi played him through. Ended up injured though, hope its nothing serious.

Mikel the best player on the pitch in my eyes right now apart from Pedro.

I'm sure Gustavo would suit us better. Plus he'd be cheaper.

Wish Dani Alves would shut up, would honestly just fly out to Spain to cut his tongue off so he couldn't basically tap up players. Utter wanker he is.

If we want a striker push the boat out and get Cavani/Lewandowski. Soldado should be behind them in our list.

Holtby and Tom Carroll will be used at points too. They are capable of producing chances.

I hardly doubt Romeu would have started if he was fit, hes not even better than Malaga's Camacho who never even started at DM. The fact the U21s played without a natural DM player just shows that they obviously rate Illaramendi better than Camacho (who is a better player than Romeu). How can you even say Romeu was a wall for the U21s? hes played 10 times and I'm pretty sure he was used as a center back as opposed to a holding MF a few times. He didn't even start a lot of those games either, Javi Martinez played ahead of him when he was eligible for the U21s.

No. Romeu has played like 5 times for the Spanish u21s. Romeu is an actual holding MF player as well in comparison to Illaramendi who is not. I watched the Spanish u21s games he participated in the Under 21s European Championship.

Anyway Leif, your post you put up there...... Well that is odd because I'd say he was the glue in that Spanish U21's team, he was always making himself available and playing passes at the right time, dribbling at the right time, timing when to pass and when not to pass well etc. I'm pretty sure thats using his brain isn't it? What the fuck? No offence but that is a ridiculous statement on its own. When you tackle someone you don't think about the technique, you think about trying to get the ball.... not where is the ball going to go or will they get the ball back... you just try and get the ball... sure some players tackle someone and the ball goes to their team mate but I have serious doubts they do the tackle knowing their team mate will get the ball. Name me one player who intentionally tackles someone so their team mate gets the ball from the tackle?

Well anyway. Lets just say that Illaramendi is a quality player and if he moves on this summer big clubs will want him. (Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, etc.)

Linked with him. Alonso's father has also said he'd be a good fit at Real and hes similar to his son IIRC.