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Personally, I think there is absolutely no comparison between the Italian and the Braizlian leagues. I'm a Gremio supporter and Gremio is tied with Atletico in the second place. Gremio stars include 36-year-old Gilberto Silva (playing as CB), 38-year-old Ze Roberto, and 31-year-old Elano. These players, with the exception of Elano (who was also an European flop) wouldn't get a game in Italy (or any other top league). There are many examples of old players, European flops, or pretty much just bad players starting for the top sides in Brazil. Not to mention refereeing, which is probably the worst in the world. Neymar and most other forwarders dive and are awarded with free kicks on the slightest contact. Neymar for example, has not been able to deliver internationally. Even in the olympics (playing against U23 sides), he was just another player in the squad. While people look for other reasons, I see refereeing as the main one; defending in Brazil is piss-poor. Concerning incomes, if you take Neymar out of the picture, as it should be because Santos does not pay him (only a small percentage of his income), the VERY top players make around R$500,000 a month. That's $250,000 a month, which is $115K weekly. While a very good income, that's average for Italian and especially English clubs (pretty sure Russian clubs pay far better as well). While I agree that the Brazilian league has improved, the improvements have been uneven at best. So, yes, moving from the Brazilian league to Europe would demand some adapting. Depending on the player, it can be more or less of an issue. Concerning Paulinho, I haven't seen much of him leaving abroad and all, but he seems like one fine box-to-box midfielder. People currently enamored with sideway passing would certainly prefer other type of players, but I do think players like Ramires and Paulinho can win you the midfield, and when that happens, you are very likely to win the game.

People in Brazil tend to strongly disagree with that. I know most people only see Romario, Ronaldo, and whatever creative players is on display wearing the brazilian shirt, but being able to pick up a pass and overall technique is a must with every single player in the squad including the defenders. The defenders begin the attacks, especially when they are the ones intercepting the plays. Brazilians joke: what's the point of taking the ball from your opponent just to give it right back to him. A more skilled defender will also possess a large repertoire or plays and variations, which will simply make him more efficient at stopping more skilled forwarders. At the same time, I have little respect to sideways passers. THe obvious safe passes have become "the correct way to play the game" when that's not what makes the most successful side of today tick. You take Messi off and Barca become much less. You remove Iniesta and Xavi and Barca become a dime a dozen. Barca are not strong because it can keep possession. Other sides can do that too (some even speak french). What makes Barca special is the final pass, the penetration, the assist and the attacking movement; that is quality to me and what differentiates the great from the good players. Again, it's fine if you prefer one style over another. However, David does get a lot of criticism due to the style (rather than the quality) of his play, which is especially wrong because that's what Chelsea was after when they signed him. I've seen defenders half as tall as hummels, but twice as skilled, humiliate fantastic forwarders. Maldini for example was a fantastic player who could play in pretty much every defensive position. Baresi was pretty much the same, but far more skillful and less physical (smaller too). Brazil had a defender called Mauro Galvao who was just fantastic on the ball (just unlucky to play in a shitty side 1990). @Bir CFC, it was not heroic; it was (defensive) quality. And not just Luiz, but the entire team.

As the the most skilled of chelsea's back line, he initiates the plays. Wether he kicks the ball 40 years down the pitch or not is a matter of options; most of the time, he's got no safe option and opponents are closing down. As Chelsea attempt to have more possession, the midfielders will have to constantly move and drop back to get the ball. Perhaps Chelsea thought that often times Arsenal push too many players up leaving their defense exposed to counters and long balls. Either way, it's all part of the team's strategy as defined by RDM. It's the same concerning freekicks; it's all predefined depending on freekick position. I do agree that a curling ball like Mata did is, in most cases, the better option though. Perhaps Chelsea thought Arsenal GK is not that great...

Most announcers & commentators are a joke. If the team have trouble scoring it's the FW's fault, if they concede, it's the defenders. Watching United was very telling: Scholes was a genius in the second half, but had nothing to do with the fact United lost the midfield in the first half. Scholes is a one trick pony nowadays. Announcers should praise his passing (it was fantastic), but they should have also mentioned he did nothing else, esp first half when Spurs won the midfield. Ferdinand will always always lose to Gareth on pace, but he shouldn't have to face him 1x1. Furthermore, if CBs never made mistakes, games would always end goalless.

prob not unnecessary... Clubs tend not to hand out cash for no reason. Wasn't he under contract (3 years or so)? pressure from another club perhaps?

There is nothing better than to win with a bad performance... Any team can win with a good performance, but it takes some real quality to do so when playing poorly...

I'd like to ask chelsea's fitness coaches whether that's it or he is still improving physically. I mean, it's obvious that his acceleration from l'pool time is gone; that's why he struggles to much to beat defenders. He got a bit quicker by the end of CL last season, and I was expecting him to carry that into this season. So, the real question is whether he is going to get some of his pace back, how much of it and when. It's still early though and I hope he improves physically (IMO that's all there is to it) as the season unfolds.

Sorry a bit off-topic: Lescott isn't remotely good enough for England IMO (don't think he's good enough for city either). Jagielka prob deserves a call, but there are better options to start. Cahill is better than both.

Terry and Luiz are prob my favorite CB pairing in the world right now... Composed + creative, slow + pacey, better in the air + better on the ball, cover + make forward runs. A team cannot be successful in a single-elimination competition without a good solid back line, especially when such team use a low defensive line and don't keep possession. Chelsea won the CL being constantly harassed during long stretches of time by high quality attackers (the very best in the world). Chelsea's defense (Terry, Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic, and Cole) were simply the best in the world in the last CL; otherwise, Chelsea wouldn't have won it. The difference between last season and today is in the middle. The middle isn't as tight and the mechanics are still off. That's RDM problem to solve though. I think people here are just not used to David's style of play. Teams like Brazil have been employing these type of ball-playing defenders, with great success, for a very long time. Inter have done the same with Lucio also winning CL in the process. I just can't understand how someone can point to a forward run as a problem. It's about mechanics... Either the manager allows the player to make forward runs and has cover prepared for such occasion, or he doesn't allow them. Whether Luiz "likes" to make them is irrelevant as he will do as the manager says. Obviously though, both RDM and before him AVB, see value in them, especially since Chelsea are trying to employ a more possession style with higher defense line. David is great playing in high defense line because of his quickness.

I'm sorry, but concerning Lampard, my standards appear to be much higher than yours. I expect far more from him than what he did today. I expect far more from him than connecting sideway passes. He's a CM. He needs to defend well also attack. He needs to assist and shoot at goal, which he hasn't been doing. He certainly did not do any of that today. BTW, I'm far more concerned about Mikel's positioning, or lack thereof, than his occasional erratic passing.

Fair enough he ran a lot, but did his runs work? Did his tackles connect or were they a bit late? Was he always in position? He's 34 yo and it is the beginning of the season, so I just think he's not 100% yet. That was my point. His fitness levels will drop eventually though, but the coaches at chelsea will spot that before we do.

need a poll to determine what was more genius: the curling shot or that sublime one-touch dribble.

On the same page here... I want Mikel to improve and still believe he can. Lampard shows worrying signs because of his lack of moment, but then again, beginning of the season is specially tough on older players (lack natural fitness). Juve midfield is very strong (physical strength as well). Let's agree to disagree then. Defense is the responsibility of the entire team, starting with Torres. Also, team mechanics are always a bit off in the beginning of the season. Right on! That's probably the main reason he plays Ramires on the wing, so he can/should join in the middle. It's not working though. It's a new system with more attacking-minded players. It's gonna take some time. And yes, Juve are a good side. Concerning the second goal, something was off, perhaps they tried the offside trap? Luiz was playing stopper and chased someone up the field, Terry was marking someone else and then Quagliarella got all alone behind the defense line. I don't blame Mikel for the bad pass though; they had plenty of time to reorganize. Difficult to know who's fault it was since we don't know how RDM organized the defense; who should be covering or following Quagliarella. Were they man marking?

Yeah Chelsea defenders are really awful! Only Cahill is a genius who sits on the bench because every chelsea manager thinks Terry and Luiz are better... So, these guys won the CL last season, but you no longer think they are good because super-f*-cup game?

Disagree completely. Player market value sometimes speak the truth. The best defenders are Luiz (Brazil starter) and Terry (England starter). Besides, you've got take characteristics into account: Terry is slow, but great in the air and cover (composure) while Luiz is very pacey and skillful. There is a reason Cahill doesn't do forward runs like Luiz and it's not because he doesn't want to. The point being Cahill is a fine defender, but more like Terry than Luiz. So, I don't think Terry + Cahill is actually that great of a pair, especially if Chelsea want to play higher defense line and keep possession (which appears to be the case). Now, with all said and done, I cannot understand how people can question chelsea's back line, especially when attackers come pushing through the middle. The defense is fine as they were (all three) in CL last season. What needs adjusting still is the midfield--it's all in the midfield always unless your defense is allowing free headers etc. BTW, when you play more attacking minded players, your defense will naturally be more exposed (by math alone). Ins't it what chelsea fans wanted anyway? It was a tough game even at home.

ok, I also think RDM played an overly defensive starting lineup. I suspect that RDM is till looking for a balance for league games; unfortunately I think he hasn't realized yet that risk pays well in long championships. Math alone proves that: 1 win and a loss are always better than two draws (used to be the same when a win gave you 2 points). However, the starting line up would have been perfectly OK against a top club in an away from home match--that wasn't the case though! Common! he started with Ramires and Bertrand on the wings... it doesn't get any more defensive than that. I'd just warn that Moses and Sturridge came on in the second half once the defenders had been made tired by the players they replaced. Which by the way, is one reason a striker usually doesn't like to get subbed by the 70th minute of the game: he may feel it's unfair that he faced well fit defenders and just when defensive mistakes are more likely to happen another player comes on to rip the benefits. Starting games is far more difficult than coming on late when things have already settled one way or another. I don't think Chelsea were that terrible to be honest. I thought that aside from a brain dead Mikel backpass, Chelsea were pretty much in control. Finishing was nowhere to be found and ppl should really question Torres, because his movement was also terrible.

Agreed. However, with Luiz signing and the type of players they've got, Chelsea are signaling a drastic change in style. I am not that crazy about such a drastic shift from a *winning* style to a possession/flair considering only a single side in a very long while have been able to successfully play like that (hint: not arsenal). Why all that said, Luiz showed a lot of composure in the CL last season. Perhaps it is just a matter of coaching and young age? he is still 25 yo, which is very young for a defender. BTW, we did concede 2 goals and looked weak at the back without Luiz against reading.

I hear what you say about what you think is needed to win in England (solid back line), but Chelsea management (manager and coaches) doesn't seem to think the same: not only did Chelsea sign him, but he also starts whenever he is fit. No he did not have a great game, but defenders rarely do when theirs side loses the midfield esp when employing high defense line. Luiz is very quick, which adds a lot to the defense because terry is pretty slow (why he can only play with low defense live). Ivanovic is incredibly slow as well, esp for a FB. Anyway, my point remains if chelsea management did not want a player with Luiz characteristics they'd not have signed him, kept him, nor would they make him a starter.

If CHelsea wanted a boring side-passer defender, they shouldn't have signed Luiz. If the way he currently plays isn't what Chelsea want, they should unload him, and I think they shouldn't have much trouble finding a buyer. Now let's assume that Luiz's style *is* what Chelsea was looking for (I mean he plays like that everywhere including Brazil). BTW, Brazil have always employed fullbacks and CBs who make forward runs, like Lucio, with great success. It's all about team mechanics and who covers the runs-not rocket science. Pointing to individual players in a defeat by 4 goals is really a stretch. If you really want to find a scapegoat, try the midfield, because that's where games are won and lost. Last season the team was compact, and now there is a lot of space. Very difficult for defenders to constantly face FWs.

Personally, I think football does not get any more "beautiful" than that torpedo header that sunk Bayern.... Now, if people don't enjoy watching a good defense control great players, something other sides tried and failed, that's beyond me. There are always other sports to watch... simpler ones where numbers and stats are less subtle.

Newcastle appeared poor because of Chelsea marking and RDM tactics. Had Chelsea allowed them space, esp behind defense line, and newcastle would've done a lot better. I'm impressed with RDM tactics so far. It seems CL last season wasn't a fluke and he can certainly read the opponents' strengths and weaknesses. Bertrand is obviously poor on the ball (compared to other alternatives) but RDM obviously wanted to block that side. Fine alternative against tough opponents, but he can go even more defensive by doing the same on the other side with Ramires for example. That's for the next face off with Barca...

He has on occasion. Not only for Brazil but also for his former club Cruzeiro. He is certainly better as a box-to-box midfielder, but last season was the first time he has ever played on the wing. So much so that Mano Meneses justified snubbing Ramires by saying he was then playing as a winger, which was not a position he needed him to play in. I personally rate him very highly. I think he is currently the very best Brazilian midfielder as a CM.

wow gotta tell that to Mano Meneses currently Brazilian manager as well as Dunga, former one. Both played him as a centre mid and sometimes holding mid. In my view Ramires defends just fine when told to. BTW, Ramires was suspended when the dutch eliminated Brazil in the 2010 world cup.

Mickel is still fairly young... I think he is still a good prospect, but needs to work on (agree with poster above) his reaction and possession. Holding midfielders cannot be bad passers, and by bad I mean one bad pass is enough to determine a loss. As a holding mid he also needs to cover forward runs of other players, which also demands mobility. A forward run by someone like Luiz should NEVER leave the team exposed if the team mechanics are working and the holding mid ,along with CMs, are doing their job.

Box-to-box is how he's played during his entire career and for Brazil. He plays as winger on occasion, and does a good job esp when defending is important (barca), but he is certainly more of all rounder than a creative winger. People forget how young he is. I think Ramires is great player right now as well as a fantastic prospect for the future (of Chelsea and Brazil NT). Now, he is far better in the centre midfield. BTW, he can do what Meireles does with better quality.