robsblubot

Fair enough. Just feel there are far better options out there, even as a sub. Guys with more energy, urgency, quality, and yes pace.

There is no meltdown as some of us just don't expect wc performances from Cahill. However, I also remember a few of us warning that cahill would be more exposed if we changed our style of play, which we did with fabregas in cm. Unsurprisingly tbh, John terry looks less bothered by the additional exposure this season.

Once again people will say correlation does not determine causation. However, at some point one, perhaps the manager, is bound to start asking whether there is causation between our results and whether Mikel plays or not. Like I wrote on the other thread, he did his things well enough, but I just don't think much of the things he can do. When he plays we lack, tremendously, the stuff Matic can, and mikel cannot do. Mikel is never tight market because he's not a threat. They will only going to challenge him if they think they can regain possession. He doesn't contribute in the build up play and lacks movement (not enough pace); our AMs will certainly get less service with Mikel on the pitch. And because Mikel is never tight marked, that leaves more defenders to mark them. We already have a CB (Cahill) who cannot hit a long ball to save his life, and with Mikel our attackers will always struggle. Let me exemplify my point: we were chasing the game down by a goal. Mikel receives a pass from Fabregas in the center of the pitch. He has no opponent near him and instead of turning and making a run to join the attack, which is what Matic would've done, he quickly and needlessly squares it right back to Fabregas (pass completion check! ). Even the announcer was saying, "way too many touches - too slow." He plays like Cahill in possession, but Mikel is a midfielder. If you cannot see the enormous difference in quality between Mikel and Matic, then I guess we should just agree to disagree.

Mikel had a good game and that wasn't nearly enough for a team like Chelsea. It's not really about the stuff he can do - we know what they are- but the stuff he doesn't/can't do. When in possession he simply does not partipiate in The build up play like Matic does. His lack of movement makes it harder on other players. Not a player for us. Not all about mikel ,though the attack lacks help w him on the pitch, or Cahill's poor form (don't think he's that good tbh), but we've just had too many underperformers. Newcastle are powerful, intense, and play with lots of pace. They are not that great on the ball, but our energy wasn't there to match theirs. Time to regroup and rest.

right, because he is the one who is trying to find the attackers with a through ball and they are difficult to pull off. Mikel never loses possession because he never attempts through balls. Willian has been pretty bad on assists in the past few games - his job is certainly not keeping possession.

He had a good game - easy match actually - and I didn't think he was good enough. Don't mean he cannot/shouldn't play for us, but reckon we need better from a starter. What he does right now, including the much appreciated hard work, Oscar does better. Plus oscar is better at link up play. So. That right wing position is pretty much available. Esp considering salah hasn't really delivered thus far.

Drogba, Oscar, and Eden are on fire - poor spurs.... Terrible defending in both goals though.

Not a big fan of Remy, but why doesn't he start ahead of Didier?

I can see him giving a big boost to any mid table side in the PL. He needs to play.

Both our defenders have pace, or the lack thereof, as their main deficiency. That's why, yes, we always play with a low block/deep defense line regardless of which players sit in front of them. This is less of a problem in the EPL where teams play deeper, but in Europe it can indeed become a problem. The strange bit about that article is that it pinpoints John Terry who's been playing very well. I thought he was MoTM against Sunderland as I Courtois wasn't tested enough. Another excellent CB who can't play in a high defense line: Diego Godin. BTW, David Luiz is doing very well at PSG, and in defense - the team plays to his strengths. The same way our current setup play to Terry and Cahill's strengths. David Luiz is a bad example though, because he's the most unorthodox of all good defenders out there. You can find more conventional defenders who also can play in a high line - like Kompany for example - but they are expensive.

Barkley looking like the promise he is... football glued at his feet even at speed. Harry Kane also another one to keep an eye on. Was just wondering how much better Arsenal would've been had they signed Victor Wanyama; wenger used to value this type of player, like Viera, Gilberto Silva. He's lost it.

I have my restrictions to Iva as a right back, but I consider him to be very good in defending, especially when he doesn't make too many runs forward like today. So, I really can't take anything away from Connor, as I have to assume he has merit in making Iva have a defensively poor performance. What really concerns me from today is that Sunderland showed how to play against us: stick (real) wingers on both sides, blocking our fullbacks and our width is gone. Better teams with better finishers wouldn't let us walk away with a point today.

Agree that Sunderland deserved the 3 points as they had all opportunities really. We had nothing going forward. I really like Connor Wickham - he's got pace, power, and skill, which makes him one to keep an eye on. For a change, I agree with the commentators in that our fullbacks were too defensive today. Which led our wingers all alone against defenders with cover. So, we had no wing play to speak of and Sunderland contained us in the center. Well, that's the fullbacks we've got - great defensively not so much going forward. I understand the point some here are making about more rotation, but you can only rotate when the subs are (almost) as good as the starter. Every substitution we made today brought in a weaker playing to the pitch. Perhaps with the exception of Andre - actually like his style better than willian who is too much of a one trick pony for me. Good undeserved point.

translation: Messi wants another pay raise.

Yup, that's another player who would do very well in our system... not talking of Koscielny (who is indeed very good), but Mertesacker. His lack of pace wouldn't be much of a problem in our low block, though he does lack a bit of upper body strength to become truly dominant in the air. Incidentally, while I also agree that Cahill lacks in the technique (especially) and pace departments, he is a powerful player (upper body strength too) which we all know, is very important in the EPL - though not so much in Europe.

that he can no longer run... though to be honest, he already could not run when we acquired him. Now "the other" unloaded player is doing very well for both club and country.

Just one more point: The reason why Mikel does not play isn't because Jose does not rotate players; Mikel does not play because of the difference in quality between him and Matic, which prevents Jose from rotating in that position. Doesn't Jose rotate in other positions where the quality is similar? Jose does not rotate: Matic, Fabregas, and Costa. Whenever fit, they play. Many top teams have better options sitting on the bench.... even if not a lot better or as experienced as Mikel is, certainly hungrier.

Fair enough, I just can't see Mikel replacing Matic against, like you say, strong teams like City anyway. It hasn't worked before and it won't work now if we lose Matic. We needed either or both Matic and Luiz in midfield to beat them. Without at least one, Yaya was just too much to handle. In those tough matches, Luiz played, not Mikel. Again, Mikel hardly ever plays with Jose. He plays less with Jose than with previous managers. I honestly thought that with Luiz gone Mikel was going to play more, which hasn’t happened. Let me make my point clear here: Mikel cannot possibly substitute Matic because he is not in the same ballpark as quality goes; and when I say quality I’m referring to strength, work rate, mental, and skill. That Jose does not rotate players we know very well, which actually worries me. Why not replace Matic in easy games esp at home after we build a solid lead? That’s also not done. Say Matic breaks a leg… Now we are talking about starting Mikel in every match and that was not enough in the past – the reason why Matic was acquired.

only slight problem with this idea is that Mikel hardly ever actually replaces Matic! Mikel hardly actually plays. It appears that playing more minutes wouldn't make him happier, which showcases his lack of ambition. My personal take is that that's just not good enough for a club like Chelsea. You gotta have guys who are hungry to come on the pitch and fight for their chance. Mikel is certainly not that player, not a player who is trying to impress the manager - become a regular in the starting XI. We are one injury away from losing the PL title in certain positions. Yes, Matic is one one them. BTW, whenever Matic can't play, Ramires will play in his place - just think that despite the official talk, that's how Jose will go.

History and legend status will be his forever, but the team needs performances right now and he has been showing he still got it! It's probably time to start considering offering him a new deal - keep him motivated and physically fit (older guys need to work harder to remain fit - I would know )

Adebayor is incapable of passing the football - sideways or not.

Kompany (to play alongside Terry) and that's pretty much it. Ah any other holding mid/DLP to replace Mikel, like Wanyama, Barry, McCarthy, etc.

He can only leave if we sign another pacey player to replace him. Our wingers aren't that quick. Andre has speed, but not much acceleration, while Willian and Oscar (who can play on the wing) are not that pacey. Hazard is the only one with both speed and acceleration and he really shouldn't be playing every freaking game. Salah may still not be the final product as his delivery is not there, but his pace makes him a very interesting sub, esp when defending a lead. This is right now, regardless of his development from now on.

His Resume: attacking coach?! Specialty: Arsenal. Seriously though, hope he gets a coaching position at Chelsea - he's a fantastic character and if he can share 1% of what he know on set pieces it's already worth it.

^^ don't touch the CL win... If we altered any variable from that very tight win, the outcome would've been undoubtedly different. --- A more disciplined, professional, and correct Yaya Toure. Not to mention Matic can actually defend! Had we bought Yaya back then, as good as he has been in the PL, we wouldn't have it as good as we have it right now with Matic. Matic also performs equally well in the CL - same can't be said of Yaya.