wj818

Carefree, wherever we may be, We're the famous C.F.C ( More so since we're the champions of Europe) thanxs for the post mate!!

Lol don't worry, "MAZACAR" was just one time thing anyways, talking about them and completely agreeing on ronney-Persie headache, I won't be surprised if RDM gives Bertrand the nod to play as to ease the defesive pressure (playing him in the Cl might be a sign), which will surely mean omitting one of our attacking trio. This leads to the question of who will be sacrificed? Oscar must be the most likely one but in doing so we will miss his willingness to close down players high up the pitch. Im pretty much convinced that they will play the diamond formation. Narrowing down the play and packing the midfield to stop our attacking players, while Ronney pops up everywhere, RVP drops wide and Hernandez (or anyone) plays as the central striker. Contradicting myself, if United do choose the diamond formation, wouldnt playing Bertrand just to cover cole be redundant???

If you were Fergie, would you play a diamond formation and try to stop our attacking MAZACAR ( I hope i said it correctly ) , keeping in mind that by doing so it would free our fullbacks?? Or would you play the usual 4-4-2 and attack from the wings, leaving some space for our MAZACAR??? IMO Fergie wouldnt dare to give our attackers free space, so as he shudders by the very thought of MAZACAR running lose, he would choose the diamond formation. Your thoughts???

Bertrand might have made his debut but it can't be compared to Sturridge situation. Ryan had a very specific/ disciplined role, cover A.cole in the left wing and try attacking if opportunity arises. Sturridge on the other hand will be playing as our no.9 so his role is much more vital than Bertrand's cl final role and can affect the whole game if he fails to perform.( and quite frankly, though he was wonderful in Bolton, but he still needs to prove here and also I can't recollect him playing a Cf role in this club.) Lol, Im dumbfounded to learn Sturridge is taller than Torres, are you kidding me? But he looks so small So is he any good in air?? Cause I've never seen him. Anyway though Sturridge might be taller, I guess his physique won't let him win aerial challenge, so basically eventhough you made a fool out of me (lol, still finding it hard to swallow) the facts remains that Torres is still better in air than him. And according to posts I came across in this very thread, Torres has won the most aerial duals, even more than our center halves this season. (posted by tricky) Which if true, perfectly supports my view. Sturridge has been here for a while and would Obvsly train with the team, but he hasnt got any proper real matches under his belt atleast this season. Gonna end this by saying, Even I wanna see Sturridge play, and challenge Torres for the no9 position. I do believe he will bring something to the table, but having said that, sadly not this match!!! KTBFFH!!

Ok I kinda understand your fustration, but First and foremost, we have to understand that Sturridge has never started a game this season, and even though he has played a handful of minutes here and there as a sub, it's hasn't been enough time for him to familiarize with our new attacking player. Whereas Torres who has started almost every match, has already showed us, he can link up with our attacking playmakers. (well atleast when he wants to) So it's not about Sturridge is in a better form than torres, hell!! Most of the strikers in pl must be better than him currently, (so comparing with our rivals is not even a question, Obvsly dey are better) but out of all the strikers, we only have Torres who is familiar to our system and players. This is the sole reason why he will be picked. Have you thought without Torres, our attacking players (hazard, Oscar and Mata) have an average height of a midget, and would provide no threat whatsoever in any kind of aerial duel (Sturridge being the same). Imagine out of all the 5 attackers upfront, non of them having atleast the capability to challenge for a duel, that is just ridiculous. And your statement that if we End up playing long ball, we wil concede possession is sound, but in a 90 min game we will have to throw long ball ocassionally, you think Sir Af won't try to capitalize on this weakness?? What if the United players put pressure high up the pitch, and Cech has the ball, he can't keep holding it can he?? He will be forced to throw a long ball, even if we don't wanna, and when this happens we would need a target man,and that role is better suited for Torres than Sturridge. Same in set pieces (defending or attacking) Torres height will be key as it would add another threat/marker. And it doesn't matter if his good at defending or not, cause the reason he is there is not because he is good, but because we don't have any option as we lack players with height, so torres is simply there out of necessity, a necessity that Sturridge can't help us with! And Agreed!! Torres might be bad, as he seems to have lost his pace so he can no longer beat defenders like he used to, and he looks too scared to shoot and miss. But one thing Torres does is stretch the back line, he will pull them left, right and center, not to mention he leads the line really well (well not really true), and most important thing is he creates space for our playmaker , that you cant deny!!! Ps: I wonder why Torres never got any rest specially in Cl this week, because it would've been the perfect time to check out Sturridge, and how he would fare. Plus Torres would get some rest too. Maybe RDM has a secretive plan to play Sturridge afterall

Ok I understand the fustration beh

In the boards defense, beside bringing him when we already had a striker, I don't see much fault in them. Though his form now is dreadful compared to his past, Torres was a world class striker then and was the best solution/option we had that would fit the style of play we wanted to achieve, in his case he wouldve been the perfect no.9 for our system. I can't see any other options that would've been better than him, and the club buying him actually proves my logic. He was a clinical finisher, had a burst of pace that would let him pass one v one situation, could hold the ball, could provide the focal point for his team by holding the line alone, was capable of intelligen runs, was really good in dribbling in tight spaces, he could even head, and had enough physical to fight for long balls, he was nothing but a complete striker and he was young too, and he showed/proved all of his characteristics by playin in the same league as us, and by terrorizing the best defenders like jt and vidic in the league. He used to be so good that he could play against two defenders, ( vidic and Ferdinand or jt and carvy) and still come on top. Now, here's the deal, how can sumone ( the board in this case) ever even imagine that a player like him would be a gamble?? Everything that has happened to him, could've never been predicted and it could've happen to anyone. We can all moan and blame the board on wasting the money but back then it was the best decision. Period. And you can't compare him to carroll, not the past torres atleast. And about buying while injured, we still don't knw if he lost that extra pace because of that injury or after he joined Chelsea. In the end no one can be blamed, since no one could've predicted it, not even Torres (sadly), he just doesn't have that pace like he used to, and i bet it hurts him the most than anyone. All we can do is hope he comes out good, if not we buy a new striker in jan, till then we support him not only because his our player but also because we don't have any option beside not to!!

First let me make it clear, I only compared RDM and AVB on their substitute tactics, not the overall tactics. I personally think AVB and the special one are similar when they have to change the game, they both are not shy to make early/drastic subs if needed, whereas RDM has a more reserved take on subsitutions. And if you meant Napoli as in last year qualifiers, I don't think RDM can be given full credit atleast in that game, it has more to do with the new enthusiasm/belief that the players got from a starting of a new regime and an ending of a disastrous one. So it's unfair to compare then from last year, atleast one Napoli game. And Yes, we did win against spurs, but this is largely due to the superiority of quality Chelsea have, plus spurs missed important players that day which made them really weak, specially in attack and midfield, not to mention changing of tactics do late. I'm not saying AVB is better but I feel it's unfair to compare him with RDM, AVB had ten times more pressure on him during his stay than RDM.

Ohh!! Sorry, my bad!! Then we more or less agree

Ohh!! Sorry, my bad!! Then we more or less agree

But realistically speaking, you can't seriously think of putting sturridge over torres? Right?? 1st: Although not at his best (and highly unlikely to replicate his old form), still, he has played more matches and has gelled with our other 3 attackers more than sturridge, who not only has never started the game, but also we really cant know if the same level of understanding will be there, chances are they would need some game time. 2nd: Torres might not be the best header, but his height still plays a part (example mikel) so eventhough he isn't half as good as drogba, he can atleast mark someone whereas Sturridge cannot even mark. But more than defending, we might need his height or physical presence (though it ait much) in attack too, as we might have to play long balls, even if we prefer it in the ground, in circumstances like these Sturridge will be beaten everytime whereas Torres might win one or two, or atleast put pressure on defenders. 3rd: Torres has more experience against big teams than Sturridge, and has also proven that he can play as a lone striker, Sturridge still hasn't, (or never had the opportunity too) Considering Sturridge without even seeing him play one game under his belt would be worse than blind faith. atleast with Torres we know what we will get!!!

Totally agree, IMO the only drawback RDM has is using his subs, as you said he generally makes a late change plus I really don't feel he is as good as either the special one or AVB ( I honestly think he was a good tactician) when changes need to be made during the game. But Beside that he is awesome!!!!!

Advantage united: -An open end to end game would suit man utd more, specially when the game stretches to the point where it's our defenders (6) vs utd attackers (likely to be 4). (fact: we are new to this open attacking style, but united arent and an open game is pretty much what they thrive on) -United wingers or wingbacks would be waiting to attack our fullbacks ESP Ivanovic due to his lack of pace and with the likes of Valencia's pace, they won't be afraid to test Ashley too. -With Rooney and Rvp, they not only have quality strikers but because both of them are equally capable of playing as a 9 and a 1/5 ( dropping deep to play as playmakers) this might create all sorts of confusion between our centerbacks and holding midfielders -Our 3 attack minded players (Oscar, Mata and Hazard) are not good at their defensive duties / tracking back. Though Oscar seems to be disciplined enough to mark one of their defensive midfielders, ( an example being against juventus, and how he closed down Pirlo) but since utd are most likely to attack from the wings most of the time, the other 2 wide players have to track back and provide some cover. - our lack of height (or players who can head) has resulted in us conceding more goals from set pieces, (though minus drogba, we are basically the same side, so still not sure why) but the fact remains we are poor, whereas utd are very strong, so we can expect alot of crosses and set pieces coming. - one sole reason that makes me want to play Lampard is because of his ability to dictate and control the pace of the game, ESP when periods of anxiety sets in (mostly near the end, united will keep knocking) we would need a cool headed player to keep possession. But without him someone has to step up, which till now I haven't seen ( Mikel and Oscar are most likely to do so IMO) -our wingbacks might never get the chance to bombard if we can't have proper possession, leaving our attack too narrow and congested. Advantage Chelsea: -Although an open game with a lot of spaces all over the pitch would suit united more, with the new players we have and thankxs to Man u's defensive frailty, we have an equal if not more chance to take advantage of such a scenario. -Not only we are playing at home, we are in a better form than them if the recent PL results are anything to go by, and the timing couldn't have been more perfect for us. - United's midfield isn't the best, and we have faced more intimidating midfield than them, so although not necessarily a proper advantage, it still is a positive news. -our defense is in much better shape than theirs, not only that, our attackers are equally capable of matching their attackers. (hoping Torres to rise up, agreed no signs have been seen, but I still believe he is a big game player) -Pete is in the form of his life, and in an open game like this, surely a world class save or two would matter. - Rafael if played should be tested ( in general their right backs) looks to be the weakest plus his forward runs leave space that Hazard can exploit ( but also must be weary of his attacking threat) - as much as we want to control possession, with the likes of Scholes and Giggs they have players who are likely to end up controlling the match, This is why Oscar's role in closing them down is important. Luckily Oscar has already proved he can do that. Manchester united formation United have always played 4-4-2 and i don't see any reason why they won't. But having said that with the likes of kagaawa, Rvp, they can now play in a diamond formation ( Sir AF himself suggesting it.) so as well as from the wings, they might be more narrow and direct from the center. Chelsea formation: 4-2-3-1 as always, and 4-1-4-1 is a must while not in possession. Chelsea squad: pete Iva-Cahill-___-ash Mikel-____ ____-mata-hazard Torres The 3 empty spaces are for players I'm not sure of: Terry or Luiz: JT will be helpful in dealing with crosses and blocking everything in general plus he has his experience (not to forget he has a point to prove against ferdinand) but his lack of pace is something to think about. Luiz on the other hand, well ure just not sure, he might be his best or worse, but him and Cahill have looked reall good while paired up and they give our back line some pace. Lamps or Ramires: not that I'm a fan of frank playing that role, but playing him (if he is fit ie) will help us in controlling possession and dictate the play. Whereas playing Ramires in the middle of the park would provide us with a bundle of energy but our midfield might suffer in keeping the ball. Oscar or Ramires: leaving out Oscar would be hard, ESP if we need someone up top to chase and close down, but having said that Ramires on the flank would provide us with the cover for Iva. Other players: Sturridge might get a chance but only as a sub, though he might have the speed to ask one or two question and has to be better than Torres in one v one, he completely lacks in aerial abilities and he hasn't started any of our games this year, so unless RDM thinks his desperate desire to prove might lead him to a world class performance, he has little chance of being in the starting lineup. Moses: might needed if we need some width and covering for Iva but only as a sub. Ryan: can see him coming on if we are ahead and want to end that way, Would provide the cover for cole. Final words: This must be our biggest test yet, specially for our defense. With the likes of Rvp and Rooney, United will surely test our CB's, and will be a constant headache not only to our centerbacks but also to our DMF's as they would certainly try to drift in "the hole". At the same time, players like nani, Valencia and their wingbacks (try to double up) will surely want to isolate our wingback and have a go at them, our wide attacking players have to help out in this case. The worry in midfield is, on paper atleast, United looks like they have the upper hand, and might dominate that area. To counter this we might need our playmakers to help out. As long as we can play as a unit and not get too stretched out that our attackers and defenders separate into two groups of 6 and 4 and our attackers track back, we have more than enough quality in attack to score goals ESP against a weakened defense as theirs. Hence, IMO the game wont be decided on which team scores the most, but which team will concede less.

Thanks for the reply, and sorry, I couldn't answer back earlier. but here is my reply, Coach I believe you had me wrong, When I mentioned Mikel being slow, I didnt ask of him to be fast as a winger, and I do know that as a defending midfielder, you have to slowdown the on coming opponents attack, i didnt mean that either. I was rather stating the general pace, and I disagree with you when you said defenders dont need pace, because you do feel more comfortable playing a high line with luiz and cahill as centerbacks rather than having their slower teammates like terry and ivanovic, thats simply because of the pace thats in offer. Although not a priority, but having pace certainly helps defenders in recovering back among many other things, all im saying is, being a little faster wouldnt hurt. I could have chosen a more discriptive word than 'tackle' maybe like 'a sliding tackle', but i didnt, cause I meant tackle as in whole, not him sliding his ass, (BTW Im not English either) I just want him to improve more defensively, though as you pointed out his positioning is near perfection, and I agree with you, but its 'getting the ball back', 'being more dominant and aggressive', that he needs to work on. Before you stereotype me with people who have signed up for 'Anti Mikel Plan', Do understand that I speak out of frustration, not hatred like them. Reading back, I might have been excessively harsh to prove my point, but I stand by the need for him to improve defensively, being more consistent. Mikel has potential to become a great player, and has already gained so much experience for a young player, he just need to work on here and there. IMO Pairing up with Frank Lampard, in the double pivot hasnt really helped Mikel either. Although due to their individual class, they manage to get by, their weakness never shown by the lower teams. But against tougher opponents, the lack of pace, energy and defensive capabilities is clearly seen and overrunned by the other team. But, keeping all the other options in mind, frank-mikel is the only proven and realistic option yet. Anyway, I was wondering about frank- mikel not being able to synchronize the pressing phase. Is that like the diagram you had of one pressing higher while the other covered? And if so, dont you think not being able to cover grounds (lack of pace, energy) might be a reason? plz do reply, ps: Could you give me a link where I can download matches? and if its not too much to ask for, can you make a page of Chelsea vs Atl Madrid like the Ac Milan one? (missed the game, sadly)

As you mentioned, Rafa was the first one to find a defect in our till then flying system, not only they won that game, if im not confused, they won at the bridge breaking our 64 or so unbeaten run, btw it was a deflected goal, sigh!!! but anyway, It seem ages ago, but if i have to quiz myself, i guess his timeline would be like: - Scolari started out with a 4-1-4-1 formation and used other variations (like 4-2-2-2) in his short reign, but basically, he tried to pack the midfield (why not? since we had loads of talented midfielders, and players like ballack and deco were just bought.) that's why he chose to make the midfield really narrow and leave the space out wide for our full backs to attack, and again we had players like cole, balleti and bosingwa, players who could play like a wingback, and provide the attacking width to our narrow system. (We didnt have decent wingers either). - And we quickly adapted to the system didn't we?, with the quality of our midfielders, we controlled possession and dominated in midfield, at least against weaker teams. As we forced the opponent to play narrow to match our strength in midfield, eg: the other teams fullback would be sucked in the center to help his teammates out, leaving spaces out wide for our fullbacks like cole to bombard forward, and they did that with amazing efficiency, creating goals, if not scoring them, and started playing a vital role in the system, not just defending but attacking too. - When liverpool came at the bridge, Rafa knew he couldn't let us dominate possession and give time for our fullbacks to make runs, so he played 4-4-1-1 to get an equal footing in midfield (4 vs 4), and used doubleup to pin our fullbacks at the back. The midfield being packed, we couldnt really dominate the midfield as we wouldve liked too, with the like of gerrard, alonso, mashcerano in the center, giving our players no time to rest, and specially i remmember, keane and kuyt taking turns to put pressure on mikel from distributing the ball, while our fullbacks were neutralized by their wingers who tightly marked, Our dominant midfield was matched as our midfielders fail to hold the ball long enough for our fullbacks to get into decent attacking positions, the two attacking strength, we had relied so much under Scolari, was subdued by rafas tactics. (the first domino fell) -Usually a plan B, wouldve been in place, for times like these, but Due to drogbas injury at first and later a rift between drogba and scolari, he never got to use a system with a target man like drogba (well not as much as he wanted to). Eventually, unable to change the tactical weakness exposed by rafa (stop the fullbacks, stop chelsea's attack), and the lack of plan b, turned out to be the main reason Scolari got sacked. -Lack of European club experience, unable to speak English, losing control of senior players (as always), unable to show tactical versatility, might be other reasons...

You Sir!! seem to have read my mind, fantastic article, very detailed and a complete one too. However, we seem to slightly vary when it comes to our striker (just Torres). Basically I have more faith in him than you, i guess. And I know it is more of a blind faith since he hasn't shown us anything in terms of goals, (maybe 12 assists counts for his attitude and that he is a team player ). But beside that its mainly because I've been following Torres since he was in Atletico Madrid and its a dream come true to see him in a Chelsea shirt, I admit. Maybe that's why I'm biased and I keep overlooking our lack of depth in that section, or maybe not, since I am a firm believer of "Form is temporary, class is permanent" ideology and I have seen him giving 'world class' performances season after season (minus the last season). This is my sole reason not wanting another big name strikers like Cavani (BTW i highly rate him) who will not only demotivate Torres but also would want a straight place in the starting 11, not to mention the millions needed for the transfer, rather I would go for Hulk (ironically I don't highly rate him) or someone like him, who can be a back up for Torres. Having said that, I wanted to point out that we haven't fully used his potential, specially when it comes to capitalizing on his clever movements off the ball, by passing the ball early so that he can use his pace and dribbling skills to have a go at the defense before they organize themselves. Evidence of this can be clearly seen while he was in Liverpool and is the main reason why Torres and Gerrard's partnership was so devastating and feared. IMO,the cause lies in our midfielders simply not having the capability like Gerrard does. This delay in releasing the ball from our midfielders has not only hindered in linking with our attackers and slowing down our play but has failed to exploit Torres's asset also. Hence, this is why, I'm more worried about our midfielders, and i wanted to discuss it. As you mentioned above, though looking at the number of our midfielders, it looks like we are alright. But if you look closer at each one of them, they lack one attribute or the other. If only we could tie two players and make them one . The lack of a complete defensive midfielder or a deep lying midfielder is clearly seen when we play 4-2-3-1 but can be omitted if we choose 4-3-3. Now here, it gets tricky, do we revert back to 4-3-3 to balance our midfielders while sacrificing an attacker? Or do we choose to play 4-2-3-1 and hope someone or two would step-up? Taking from the likes of players we have bought and from the recent games, it looks like RDM wants the latter one, badly, since its more attacking minded. Another reason and I wonder about it is, why we haven't invested in or even rumored with any midfilders, beside Oscar. Personally I agree with you in going back to 4-3-3. It is the perfect formation for now as it would balance our midfielders and it would bring back Ramires into the right midfield, his best position yet. And unless and until our midfielders step up (My wild cards are Oscar and Mikel/Essien ) or we buy midfielders that can play in 4-2-3-1, I don't think we have any choice. One formation that did pop in my mind is 4-3-2-1, Carlo's Christmas tree, and I do think it can work for now (or maybe as an alternate). It would not only bring Ramires to the left and with balance our midfield, but would also let hazard in a more central role who wants to be there and we wouldn't have to sacrifice Mata and place him in the wings. The only problem I see in this formation is, its kinda narrow, and would be hard to fit in Marin, another would be finding a place for Oscar. P.S: I do understand the lack of proper strikers, and how important strikers are (BTW You forgot to mention Van Persie for Arsenal last season), So I wouldn't mind us buying one more striker. Anyway, Would love to hear your opinion on 4-3-2-1, or any other formation.

I totally agree with the double pivot between Mikel and Lampard is par below standard, both of them can neither defend properly and are too slow, nor can they or want to pass the ball forward quickly from a deep position (well Mikel shouldnt even try if you ask me) but rather they seem quite happy to slow down the game (though Lamps does try to fit in the deep lying role,but his occasional long passes aren't accurate enough) , And most of the times, I keep seeing them chasing the game, you can actually feel/see Lamps trying and sadly failing to cope up with the to and fro of the game, once he joins the attack he cant comeback to help in the defense (But he does give his all though and in his defense, he is just not used to defending, i guess), AND I do admit they aren't fully fit, but if You guys saw the 3rd MLS all stars goal, you would be shocked to see how exposed our backline was, and BTW the midfielder who scored, ran all the way from the center field to the box whereas Mr Mikel instead of tracking back, just stood still while the guy next to him ran and scored. As our primary DMF, I don't see any excuses for him not to track back, even though it was the last second,. but this just shows how poor (or lazy not sure) Mikel is in his defensive duties. Having said that we do need Mikel, since he seems to be the most proven DMF currently and as long as he improves defensively and gets some pace, he seems quite good in possession and he does seem to be improving under RDM. But the player that would challenge Mikel for sure is Romeu and i hope he does but also, I wouldn't mind if Essien fought for that position too and try make his return. One of the hardest decisions we would have to make, i think, is to put Lamps in the bench, I just cant see him in the double pivot role, I cant see Lamps defending nor can I see him being our deep lying midfielder and opening defenses with quick and accurate passing. And As an Old Chelsea Senior from the Mourinho-era , he dictates the midfield without a sweat but his tendency to slow down the game really breaks up our attacking play and this contrasting style doesn't suit our new players like Hazard/Torres/Marin as they don't receive the ball early enough to release themselves. We now have Oscar (not sure if he can play there but I think he can)/ Meireles/ Mceachran who can all fight for Lamps place, and FYI all of them have better passing accuracy/technique and tendency to release the ball forward quickly, Specially if Oscar/Mceachran can improve physically, and get a little bit better defensibly. And although Meireles is really underrated, he is nonetheless a versatile box to box midfielder and would be perfect to fill Franky's spot. The thing with Ramires is, though he is a bundle of energy and he makes those jet pack powered runs, beside that he really doesn't have much to offer, more like an all-rounder utility player that we have been blessed with. Hence when we play 4-2-3-1, even though he plays as a right wing, he basically just balances the team out. But only when we play 4-3-3 , Ramires might get a chance to compete in the midfield, otherwise he has to improve on his defense and maybe start competing for a DMF position because I cant see him playing as deep lying midfielder in the the double pivot midfield, his passing is simply not good enough. And I think its too early to criticize RDM, and you seriously cant expect him to change us into 'Barcelona/Arsenal' style of attacking, not this soon at least. So first lets see what he does ...

What if we put oscar instead of lampard (for futures sake) , and let him dictate the play, while Ramires becomes our box to box midfielder and then mikel does the defending, our midfield might be faster. And although Hazard and Mata might start on the wing, I bet RDM would give them the freedom to interchange and drift in the middle too.

Does anybody here dread the resemblance between Marin and Lennon/Walcott/SWP ? Small built, Speedy players, good dribblers, erratic decision making, and surprisingly easy to predict since they all tend to cut inside and shoot/pass almost always, and if forced wide, very weak crosses, actually awful crosses. I hope Marin turns out much much better than them, and since we didn't pay a load full of cash for him, the pressure wont be that much so he can take his time, maybe like Iva. #FingersCrossed

Nice article and really informative too. I do question whose gonna play in those double pivot role and would wanna know who would you guys choose? IMO Mikel and Lampard neither have the legs to cover or tackle, and their defensive positioning is in doubt too. Also, they tend to delay the release of our attackers, by passing sideways and that natural instinct of securing the possession first and star building the attack from the defense (Post-Mourhino-syndrome) , sometimes does leave those runs upfront wasted. (one example is : Torres pace and intelligent runs were fully capitalized (some might say exploited) by Gerrard (even Alonso) whose long and direct passes that usually originated from deep in their own half, whereas since joining Chelsea, Torres receives the ball pretty late, that combined with the added pressure to prove himself, he tries to be direct and goes for a one on one, but since the opponents defense is pretty set by then, he succumbs to other players even though he manages to go past one. Even Anelka changed his style of play, and started to drift low to receive the ball, while sacrificing one his biggest asset running behind defenders with those intelligent runs. Surely We cant let that happen to Torres can we?) I know I'm being Harsh to lamps but you guys have to agree Lamps was never renowned for his long passing, rather for being a box to box scoring midfielder which still can be used in a three man midfield when we have a extra man, but not in 4-2-3-1. And as you all know about Mikel's forward passing skill, keeping that in mind, Isnt it logical to at least put one midfielder who has the vision and the tendency to release the ball forward quickly and accurately? Let me remind you that our transition from being in possession deep in our own half to attacking the other end usually breaks up or slows down due to the lack of holding players with vision and passing technique, like Schweinsteiger, Alonso, Modric, or even Xavi, all of them have that natural attacking mindset while the other is more defensive. Although Frank did prove he can adapt to that position, but all the odds are against him, not only his legs a wearing off, but the style of play we are aiming for "the sexy football' is much fast pace than the Mourhino era style of play ( which frankly speaking is very slow compared to our new vision) and im afraid it will be too much for him plus the position (holding midfielder) really doesn't suit his game since it will demand so much more of chasing, running and closing down from our two midfielders, not to forget positioning and tackling, And we need those two midfielders to get as much time as they can get and make a solid foundation since communication between them will be key. So I would rather use Lamps experience like Sir Alex did with Giggs instead of making him the starting first 11. Personally, I always saw Mikel's potential, and hoped he would one day, fullfill his destiny. But as each season passes, my faith in him dies a little, as we witness just a glimpse of his talent, but it never seems to reach the pinnacle. He comes second to none when it comes to shielding the ball, twisting and turning away from pressure or distributing the ball in midfield ( Sadly, mostly sideways), and sadly thats all the good things i can think about him. As a player who is fighting for a position as a defensive midfielder, he hardly has any defensive attributes, or has shown us yet. He doesnt have pace (Remember against Inter milan in the UCL), his tackles for a defensive midfielder is horrible, although he does show good positioning and reading of the game sometimes, he still is very inconsistent and sometimes downright lazy, which is shown time and time again by our back four getting no protection from him, as his timed tackle fails to break yet another attack. Yes! the potential is there, and yes!! we haven't given him the series of games he might need, (might turn out to be like Lucas Levi, who knows?) but that said he has to improve too at least defensively and get a little more pace, forget the offensive weakness, it would be too much to ask for. Luckily, for him due to the lack of proper DMF, this might be the year he will get chances, But failing to impress this time around, will be costly, and i bet he would end up like Kalou if we dont sell him that is. Trying to wrap it up, Lamps and Mikel can still prove themselves and fight for their respective positions, like every other player, since we are still in "The Transition Season 2" But Im looking forward to see if Oscar (though he plays a more attacking role) can adjust to one of the holding midfielder role, I knw his dubbed 'The next Kaka" but his passing skills reminds me of 'Xavi' And if all fails we can always revert back to 4-3-3, not bad at all!!

Hey, there fellow Blues, really happy and excited to join the forum and I hope to give you guys, my share of knowledge of football and Chelsea and specially looking forward to discuss with you guys. I really found this site informative and up to date, so I decided to give it a try, though its kinda confusing or maybe cause its my first time. hmm maybe!! . I would like to share a personal story with you guys, hope you like it. So my granddad is a Chelsea fan (The real pensioners lol), and he used to watch and talk about Chelsea F.C. all the time with us, when we were kids. And without even realizing me and 4 of my cousins became True Blues (starting sort of a tradition of our own) all due credit to Granddad :blue scalf: . One of the stories I remember the most was when he told us about how the club got so broke trying to build the new stands in 70s or was it 80s ( FYI he said they only had stands in one side then) that they had to sell the club for 1 pound to save it, here is an emoticon to illustrate our reactions then lol . Anyway, on 2004/5, my granddad's wish was fulfilled as Chelsea won the PL after 50 years, and as the referee blew the final whistle, all of us cousins roared in celebration, but as I turned to face my granddad, I was surprised to see a look of pure disbelief instead of excitement, and as i walked near him, i realized drops of tears were rolling down my granddad's eyes. His eyes fixed on the TV set refusing to believe. I sorta did understand what he was going through though, having witness the bleak and dying state of our beloved club, I personally think he couldn't dare to dream that high after that incident. And this year of what feels like last month but it was on May, we won the UCL as you guys all know, and since I wasn't with my granddad this time around, I called to celebrate and congratulate him. YUP!!! same old modest granddad, he never changes he was speechless yet again!!! After a long silence, he picked up the phone and we congratulated each other and talked about the game, one thing we both agreed was you need a strong heart to be a Chelsea fan , . as I ended the call, his last words still ringing in my ears...... " Never be afraid to dream "