TrippingStep

Ok but the team without Robben was much less dangerous and I've read a stat on the matches with or without Robben and that was a huge difference in the wins, goals scored of the dutch side during the qualification and world cup matches.

I disagree on the "he could destroy team on his own". At Inter, Cambiasso, Motta, Pandeev, Milito, Zanetti were immense that year. Sneijder was great on free-kicks, corners, some good passes on counter-attack with great runs from the three forwards but it was not exceptionnal either. Even at the world cup, the goals he scored flattered him, there was a penalty, a deflection and a mistake by a goalkeeper on his 5 goals. Robben was more influential.

The big problem was our system and lack of options in the midfield. On the right side, it was quite ok as Ramires with his mobility would offer a passing solution to the right back and right wing but on the left, there was often no midfielder to link the left back and left midfield even with Benitez approach. I think that's why Mikel Lampard was awful as there were not moving enough to be linking the back four and the three behind the striker. Lampard was ok when we played counter attack whith his quick passes but when we had to build up the play, he didn't offer many passing solution. Otherwise, I'm not a great fan of Wigan, against us, we closed the space inside by packing many players on one side and they were inept at moving the ball to the other side of the pitch, they were always trying quick penetrating moves on the side althought there were no space there. Remind me of Lille with Garcia as their coach.

I hope he doesn't play. And unlike Hkibou, I don't buy he's made of steel. Ok he didn't miss matches with Lille but it was more because I think Eden wanted to play every matches even with small injuries, there were some matches where you could see he was not at his best physically but he was still playing anyway.

Are you serious with Torres, on the ball he's more like Gervinho, ok he can fool some defenders with their pace and the fact that temselves don't know what they will do and are not really in full control when they drive with the ball at their feet. Against Everton, Torres made me smile when he was on the left edge of the box with the ball at the outside of his foot, he was trying to go towards the box but he had to come backwards three times because the ball was moving sideways and not forward Mata is exceptionnal with his trapping technique for corners, free-kicks near the box and floating pass upside the defense but he lacks on his right foot. Hazard is world-class on his lay-off play with outside his foot (like Oscar goal against Prague), backheels lay-off aerial or not, lay-off with foot behind his stance leg ( his rabonas that look so easy, another play where it seems easy play behind his stance leg). But he must work on striker finish and shooting technique. In close space, his technique to put the ball on the ouside of his foot the further apart with his body between the defender and the ball is a good way to keep the ball from the defenders. Lampard is world class on first touch finish. If I resume, I would say Mata is world class on little floating pass, corner and freeckicks near the box, Hazard on his lay-off in nearly all positions with Oscar quite good as well on this, and Lampard on first touch finish in the box.

I don't know but the reason Benitez didn't like him must be because in the Benitez system, the dm must help the fullback in the trap triangle on the side and harass the opponent to make him lose the ball. The winger is there to close the passing lanes, inviting the player in a trap zone were the fullback and dm crowd him, Mikel was too lethargic to his liking I guess and that's why he was putting Luiz in midfield.

ancelotti to Real, Mourinho to Chelsea, Benitez to PSG.

Manchester united seems the club against whom the belgians seems to have a lot of fun For this match, I gave motm to Oscar. About time the season ended, many players were on their knees and two three more matches and a lot of injuries could have happened.

Saloon door defense

Luiz in midfield I think.

Good. If we don't fuck it, we should be third. Oscar and Torres defending deeper and closer to Ake and Lampard was the key for the second half.

Too bad Hazard is injured. With all the actions we had on the left, Lampard would have had many shooting opportunities with him on the pitch.

It's better with Torres dropping deeper to close the wider area and cutting this channel.

I don't know if it's just me but Cech seems to have difficulties when he has to dive to the left for quite some time.

Ok but Luiz Ramires even in this situation would do better.

Ramires Azpilicueta are really missed on the right side. Ba or Torres when they are on the wing are awful defending and it's like there's nobody that can hold the ball to bring the team back when we are on the ball. Ake Lampard is not good and Mata runs a lot but not where he should to close the passing lanes.

Moses is not fit I think.

Torres for runs behind Baines I guess.

You look at the champion's league final this year, at the Ancelotti team that won the champion's league and they have "modern" fullbacks but you must have a good midfield, covering system, lots of practice for the timing of their runs, build-up play to open up the space for them.

On some matches, I was not keen on some of his selections. But I must say I'm quite pleased by what he has achieved. The team was defending better, with Di Matteo, we were conceding too many crosses and shots on goals, whith too little pressing in the wide areas. And with Eden, I'm very pleased of what he has done, it's like the first proper coach he has had, his overall game has so much improved. The fact that Benitez is a "teacher" (Materazzi) was good for him, as Eden wants to enjoy the game and I think reacts better with this kind of approach than theatrics or motivationnal speech with no substance behind like the former national coach used to do (Leekens).

Disagree. Verthongen is good on the ball but I'm not a fan of his defensive qualities.

Well, we can have better in the next transfer window I think.

Lol, it reminds me of a twitter account that because he was right on a thing, was trying to fake that he had connections with football agents.

Maybe he works for a betting company, that wouldn't surprise me. easy cash for the betting company lol.

Yeah, it would be too espensive and at every transfers window, they are twitter account, posters that tried to steal the show and I suspect with multi-accounts to make them more believable (and with the trick that he was right in a pm that is not public lol).