blue out west

Not sure what game you watched as we generally bossed possession and moved the ball around anywhere we wanted, creating chances at the pace we chose to. Blackburn just did well in their last ditch defending, the only time they asked any questions were on a few random counters.

He'll start and score Lots of pace and he'll get good service.. glad we might get to see him play more as well

Well Mikel does do a better job than Romeu, its not really my opinion. Valencia was one game where he could've been better but he didn't exactly get a lot of help either. He still probably made less mistakes in that first half then Romeu did in stoppage time vs Blackburn. Where is his pace anyway? If Romeu is faster than Mikel the difference is quite small. How many better players than Mikel @ DM? @ CHOULO19 ...and I'm not saying Romeu is shit because Mikel is a better player. I wonder what "great performances" you're referring too... I thought he had a mature and very effective game vs a weak visiting Genk side... Romeu is and will continue to get time in PL games but when you come on @ 90' in a 1-0 game and immediately concede a dangerous FK its not the greatest way to make your case. Concerning the whole tempo issue people have with Mikel, they'd be well served to rewatch his games this season and compare that to the role he played for CA and JM. Also, I'm sure AVB is asking the same of Romeu and Mikel tactically and he's simply playing who's best for the role. If there's chalkboards to compare their passing I'm sure they look pretty similar in terms of horizontal vs vertical.

Romeu isn't better in any way though, thats the thing. He has about the same amount of pace but is smaller and not as strong. Also a good passer of the ball and quite composed but those are Mikel's best qualities. I see Romeu as being a bit more of a natural defender than the converted attacking mid Mikel and for his age is the better tackler (and defender overall). The point is I don't see a situation where Romeu should be played instead of Mikel. I think the reason why AVB plays the formation he does with defense and midfield is because we have such a good box to box in Ramires and a versatile centre/left mid in Lamps. WIth Mikel playing the centre space between and behind those 2, they can move freely and link with the fullbacks in attack. AVB is also having Mikel circulate the ball around to start attacking moves and retain possession if a more advanced player gets too much pressure. In possession it looks like he's playing a Pique type role with the 2 CBs behind and to the side w/ both fullbacks advancing, so it ends up with like a 2-1-4-3. I like that the way we're playing provides a lot of width and every game it seems are spacing is getting much better.

Romeu, the guy who coming on in just for stoppage time made more mistakes than Mikel did through 90. So sick and tired of the Mikel bashing. There is nothing Romeu does better, people are just on his nuts because he's from La Masia.

Stuff like this completely mystifies me. Mikel is an attacking mid/centre mid who was converted to DM. Also, when he plays DM people should expect him to play the position, its not the DM role to make forward runs off the ball and be aggressive with movement. A DM is supposed to move into space left behind and cover for players going forward. Mikel is always the only mid that doesn't have the license to pretty much pass and move as he pleases or make runs into the box. Romeu would've gotten out of position vs Valencia as he doesn't have as good ability to read moves and wouldn't done as well under pressure. I like Romeu but he has a lot to grow, and Essien is more like Ramires than Mikel (box to box not DM). If he passed forward more he wouldn't be a DM, he'd be a totally unnecessary deep lying playmaker. If Mikel wasn't primarily played in a holding position then it would put undue workload and make a waste of players like Lamps and Mata. I think he's clearly the best DM we have and for good reason, maybe there's Xabi Alonso ahead of him in the world but he is pretty damn good at the position. Not to say that he couldn't be quality played further up the pitch, but we need him more back at DM.

You said you can't remember seeing him send in a cross but he does it all the time. maybe you haven't noticed but our opponents always load the defenses up on the left, or do you really think bosingwa and ramires are better passers and shooters than ashley and lamps??? Before mata came, almost every ball delivered into the area was from malouda. I guess you'd rather see players give away possession with stupid forward passes into areas with 3 or 4 defenders. glad you aren't managing.

Why do we even have defenders??? Why don't we just start 5 forwards and 5 attacking mids? Mikel plays the way he's instructed to play, just like all the players. His job isn't to give possession away, period. Alonso and Busquets play in a really weak league which barely pressures any DMs ever and also the games have a very slow pace compared to the EPL. So its fine for them to ping balls up field because there is space and if possession is lost no one is going to threaten on the counter. I mean, this stuff goes without saying...

Retention tactics? He's originally an attacking midfielder, do you know what instruction is? Its something a manager gives players.... Do you know of any successful high level squad that plays 4-3-3 without a DM? Hell, how about any successful squad regardless of formation? We've looked so impenetrable on set pieces so far this season though so I understand why you'd rather have a small light player in the mid instead of a big strong one.

If he was the man to do the job he would've been selected. Ramires and Meireles ARE NOT TALL. They are shorter and lighter players. Meireles especially is probably the least strong or physical midfielder we have. I've been making points and comments about football, you've been taking cute little personal jabs so you really shouldn't say anything about childishness.

AVB is so dumb selecting Mikel over Meireles against Everton, a team who's only advantages are height strength and physicality.. and have a lot of threats from set pieces. Yes, he should have selected the shorter far less athletic man. How are you not a manager.

???????????? what??????????? surely you aren't serious

He's got a reallyyyyyyy long way to come anywhere close to Lampard's technical quality but if he gets on that level of passing and finishing he'll be the top box to box in the world

he's great at the slimy and corrupt back door dealings and pressuring the FA as well as refs. Also he's been lucky to have big transfer budgets and big money to spend on deep scouting networks which have given him pick of the top young players for decades.

So basically you expect Mikel to play as a box to box mid and DMF at the same time without anyone to bail him out if he gets caught forward... No one has the combination of speed stamina and strength to play that role which is why no one in the world does. You're being asinine. Do you know why Mikel was selected by AVB?? its very easy to see i just went back and saw you were honestly comparing Xavi to Mikel when they don't play remotely the same role.. what sport are you watching?? Mikel is like biscuits would be if he was masculine.

Are you serious? Raul is defensively and physically waif-like compared to Mikel and while Raul maybe a bit more direct he isn't a better passer of the ball. Oriol on the other hand is not even close to the class of Mikel, he could get there but right now he's inferior to Mikel in every way. We're trying to play Barca or Porto style possession football and in such a system you must have a quality DMF. its just fact.

Xavi also plays the way he's been schooled to since a teenager, in the same system completely based around him and his style, and his team gets totally protected. I for one didn't enjoy watching that game very much, the whole tiki taka style I find reallyyyyyyy boring and I don't think I was alone going by how silent the bridge was for stretches at a time.

Messi still the most overrated sportsman in the world... I love it when people who hero worship (especially managers) pay the price. they build the argentina side around a big name and they suck. maybe they should think about football as something involving 11 a side not 1 + 10 bystanders

Balotelli Aguero Silva and to a lesser extent Milner. The rest are overrated or total cunts imo

The injury he had is common in the sport I grew up watching-- Hockey. It typically takes 18 months to recover fully from it and its been like 8 months since Lamps came back. I'm sure a lot of it is to do with fitness.

Last season his injuries made him fatigued and affected his mentality in my opinion. Now he's healthy and also has the Portuguese manager, his confidence is high which is great... I just don't think he's really evolving as a player though nor will he.

I don't agree at all. As a player he's already in his peak years, for me he's a finished product and won't get any better really. Also, his knees improved, not so much his talent or thinking. The injuries he had abt a year ago really hampered his game, but even at 100% condition he's not the type of RB we need. We need a Ramos or VDW type that is intelligent and strong but not afraid to take risks, and has technical quality. Someone that offers a bit of what Brane does and a bit of what Bos does... If we could get someone like that, and a top shelf center mid that can play a bit over to the right and is decent in the hole, we could take out any club in the world.

It was as tough on Mathieu as it was on Bosingwa though, that tactic. Which is the point I'm making, there's 2 sides to the coin. Top footballers are not made victims, they find the spaces, timing and rhythm in order to exploit the opponents moves. Bosingwa doesn't possess such a tactical mind for the game. What he is is an extremely explosive athlete who plays with a lot of courage and determination, plus has a nice complement of skills... for me he is like the Joe Cole of the right touchline. What we need in a RB is not someone with those characteristics as much as we need someone that can analyze and exploit the opposition, as well as use their wits to know when to take risks and when to be more conservative. For all his assets, Bosingwa doesn't possess those qualities.

If Terry was a red (any one really) he'd be touted as best CB in the world. If Vidic was a CFC product he'd get even more stick, wouldn't even be considered in the conversation of best in the world.

When defenses get sick of Ramires and others on the right scoring on them they'll stop doubleteaming Malouda all the time... and he is one of the most consistent performers in the squad over the last year or more. Scored a late game winner in limited time already this season and can play up front or in the mid. For me he's a very important player for the squad. Who else do we have for left mid, much less cover for Mata?