robsblubot

He did play and played well in my view. He created lots of problems and opportunities, such as when he tackled Mikel. Saying he did not play well is taking away from a great defensive performance when we had our CBs and FBs playing well and well-protected by all other players, even Willian tracking back often. Opposition was quality aside from the last 15min or so when their 16yo (smith?) was clearly not in the match.

The question is, was the clip enough to cause Suarez a problem, to make him fall to the ground the way he did? The answer is clearly no to me! It was a brain-dead idea by Eto'o, but still not a PK for me.

Difficult to vote for MotM today - too many players had great performances. We missed Lampard in the second half and that's why our performance wasn't as good. Mikel had a terrible, really terrible start, but then slowly got better and I thought he was pretty good in the final 20 minutes or so. Hopefully injuries are not too bad, because we are short (cover) in certain positions.

This (against pool) was the best I ever seen from Cahill; not only great tackles, but good anticipation and distribution. A bit of warning concerning that tackle on Suarez: many European or WC referees would have shown a straight red.

Dislike Webb's refereeing style - giving too many fouls (both sides) and showing too many yellows to our players only.

great interception by luiz which created a scoring opportunity. It was a good shot by Eto'o and a good stop by the GK - lucky one too.

Great half! Thats football! We are playing very well. Best half I've seen from Cahill, like ever! Not only doing his usual blocks, but also anticipating and passing well. Lamps and David are doing very well there in the center of the pitch. Luiz little chip to Azpi for the second was great. Though reckon David won't be able to play 90m running like that - don't think his training routine involves running 10 miles... with sprints in between. Impressed with Willian also as I didn't know he could be so good defensively. Hazard is in great form and this is just about the same we've been seeing from him lately. It's a very difficult match - liverpool are a quality side and they need the result (at least a point) real bad. What a game!

conveniently ignored the CL bit didn't you?! You clearly don't have a clue about the technical aspects of the game and I won't bother either... kinda childish isn't it?

such a cheap goal to concede... fucks up any strategy

Yeah maybe because they now have a fit Coutinho too, so it's not just Suarez. The 343 wouldn't be by preferred formation, especially at home. I'd still stick DL in the midfield just to break things up. Curious to see what Jose will come up with... deep defense line for example? #1 Iva/Azpi Chill/Iva JT Cole Luiz Mikel Mata Oscar Hazard Shirley Luiz would be replacing Ramires and doing all thew running, with Mikel sitting. Mata and Oscar would exchange positions at will.

has anyone posted a 343 lineup yet? You know we've used it in the past and we don't have ramires... wouldn't surprise me.

Nope, I did not miss the point at all. I completely agree all these attributes are important. I completely disagree that Luiz lacks them; it's a matter of style... you cannot be assertive and use technique without incurring into some risk. Some here call it careless, I just call it playing his natural game. His performances for Brazil at conf cup and for Chelsea when he played injured and won the CL prove just that. I also completely disagree with the importance you put in the mental aspects when the game is essentially how one handles the football. It doesn't matter how strong mentally one is if he cannot execute the fantastic ideas his great mentality comes up with. Lucio's poor first touch creating a scoring opportunity - well taken by Owen. Technique failed Lucio... happens all the time in football. Brazil have won a WC with Ronaldinho (not to mention Barcelona), mentally the weakest player I've ever seen. I know, not a CB, but so ridiculously weak for top level competition that he should've been a failure. His fantastic technique kept him going and became an asset for Brazil and Barca. Rivaldo was another player who could only work in very specific circunstances. Lucio from the video above, won just one World Cup and a Champions League (with Jose) as a ball-playing defender making constant forward runs just like David Luiz does. Then we get into systems and how they can shield the deficiencies a particular player may have. So that his assets can be used. Now I look at the defenders you and others list here and they are all the same. The same type. Slow. Good in the air, tall and strong. I am the one who wants to mix and match; I always want to pair a composed/great in the air defender who covers, with a pacier more aggressive defender who chases. So they don't play in line! You guys are the ones who like playing the exactly same player in both CB positions - makes no sense to me. Look at England and then look at how Spain and Germany play and understand what a deep defense line does to a team. I grew up watching Frank DeBoer play for Ajax in a VERY high defense line. Fantastic team and fantastic defender. Would Frank DeBoer work in every system? Of course not! At least not as a defender (being 5"11' and very pacey). So my point is that we DO KNOW David Luiz CAN work in certain systems. If that's not the way we want to go as a club (still think Roman and Jose are not on the same page here), then yes we should go a different direction. So, is the point here that David Luiz is a bad player and he cannot work in ANY system? In any team or footballing school? Or is he not good in England because you play differently? Perhaps Chelsea's current system? If the former is your opinion, we should just pin this discussion for the WC and/or the time he is sold. Then we will see who is/was right.

Wow! All I can say is good luck to you and England, because you are going to need it. Now, I have an idea based on your requirements: Chelsea should be recruiting players directly from the military! I mean they would have most if not all the qualities you demand. Of course the minor problem there is that they won't be able to play football, but like you said, technique is not at the top of your priorities. You know we are discussing football here don't you? Not warfare... no heroics required... just to be able to kick a football. BTW, that's a pretty shitty CB list you got there... It's just a game.

you are right... technical ability does not matter at all - kicking the football is overrated in football... And yes, CBs, like the GK, are completely different beasts as they don't have to kick the football all all. you really do play a different game in England. We Brazilians are simple people indeed, because we rate/measure all the players who have to kick the football exactly the same way (that's why we have mostly shitty GKs): either you are good enough or well, go ahead and find a different profession. The abilities you rate the most, composure and physicality, are really auxiliary. That's why passing and first touch are considered fundamental skills.

can play football.

Nonsense - David is the new Mikel... Well, shouldn't you guys be out there trying to find out what happened to Phil?! you know, the real one, not the person who's been posting under his name lately.

Lamps and cole are being measured against their younger versions. David is being measured against the player he never was, nor will be. Goals were never really part of his repertoire, technical ability spec passing is. If his assets are deemed unimportant then yeah he should be sold.

not talking about success or quality here, but styles, characteristics. It's like buying a Lamborghini and expecting the low upkeep of a honda. My point remains his characteristics have not changed one bit, and Brazil is absolutely fine with that. Just like others would be, hence his current valuation. That's why the comparison makes no sense - try and sell Torres for 50m right now... remember Matic was worth what 5m then? That has nothing to do with Luiz. Again, there are many systems in football. Jose's isn't the only one, nor is it the best one according to many, myself included. Consistency is relative to the system and how well the players and their characteristics work in that system. People talking about consistency ignore the atrocious games the duo Gary and Terry had, conceding 2-3 goals per game.

well what I think does not matter that much does it? I just think Luiz cannot win at Chelsea with too many things going against him. Yeah Matic leaving was a mistake, but don't worry about the money on Luiz; I feel we will make it all back as his style of play does suit other (than Jose's) systems just fine-some of them more than fine.

yeah I noticed that too, which is very ironic. He was clearly trying very hard to play simple, like a "proper" English CB - you know only the English know how to produce world class CBs according to this thread. Obviously having the "right mentality" - stoic and composed - entitle all Englishmen to play fantastic football. Do people actually believe Chelsea thought he was a different type of player when they bought him? 21M plus Matic for his potential at 24/25? WTF?! Chelsea knew exactly what they were getting. Agree he should leave though.

well I began my first post by saying Jose said he won't do it and as usual you chose to ignore that bit. Either way, I don't really care about what Jose said. I think it is an interesting variation, and Benitez was right to use it a few times. I wasn't clear enough I guess, because you completely missed the point, or you are just being difficult for no reason as usual. Regardless, let me try again... all Barcelona players are midfielders who occasionally have to play in their original positions (except the GK of course); these variations happen during a match. They practice "total football" to the letter. That's why they can play Mascherano as a CB. So, the fact they want DL, thought there was an actual offer last summer, indicates he must be capable of playing in midfield. That is at least my understanding and it matches what I see on the pitch.

because he already has - under benitez and for a few minutes against Arsenal recently. And I just see him do it... he can shield the ball, did it today beautifully, similar to Mikel (Swansea player bounced off of him and fell on the ground). He can keep possession because he's a good/great passer. And interceptions (aka ball-winning) happens to be his forte as a defender. His biggest deficiencies, lack of concentration and positional sense, are less important in the midfield with another line sitting behind him. That's exactly the reason Barcelona wants him: he is a CB/DM/CM in one player. All of their players (aside from the GK) are midfielders one way or another.

The only other player we've got who could do a similar job in the midfield as a ball-winning midfielder, is David Luiz. I know Jose said he wasn't going to do it, but he is the only player with that same restlessness that Ramires has; some say that's his problem as a CB, and a virtue as a holding mid (actually think Mikel lacks that very same thing for the position). I just can't see Essien or Mikel doing anything similar in terms or harassment, pace, and physical play.

heh true on Ramires, but what of Mikel?! Yes, we shouldn't expect much contribution from Mikel in the attack, but when we start him, a purely defensive player, at home against a team who aren't very strong in attack, but defend well, it is a bit puzzling. Or perhaps Jose thought we haven't been defending well enough to go without a holding mid. Mikel did miss a chance, I mean it wasn't a chance because he did not even try to score, but it could have been one. Regardless, as I watch City, they don't really play any holding mids. Both Fernandinho and Toure are B2B and amazing players at that. They can defend, hold the ball, or make runs all in the same game depending on the situation as the match progresses. We don't have that either. Ramires can either make runs or defend (seen him do both), but not hold the ball. As much as I like Willian, I thought we bought the wrong Brazilian. At least we don't have a player as poor as Lescott on our roster.

well, City do have amazing CMs, prob best in the league. Not to mention great players in every position - they have a stronger squad than Liverpool. Liverpool's Brendan plays good in possession, but they lack quality in certain positions, and heavily lack strength in depth. To me this is the very best lineup we've got, with the exception of Eto'o. Yes, I still believe Torres is the better striker we've got. We could certainly improve in certain positions, but until then this is it. We just can't play this well and be fighting to keep the score until the final whistle. Not to mention every time we won't be playing this well and we will need a striker to pull something special like Surez and Aguero do on a regular basis. Oh well. Liverpool will be the less fit side on Sunday. just realized Ramires is suspended.