Our 'team'

[manpe 10,861]

I like Mikel, I really do... and I've had my eyes open for the last few months on what people had to say about him, almost over half don't think he's needed anymore while the other half disagrees. I've been patient in forming my opinion, because he plays a delicate position which is hard to spot during games... But I have more or less made up my mind on him. I think he doesn't fit the new system.. He was a solid and good player under Jose and there on until now. I at least think he shouldn't be a starter, which I think he wouldn't be if Essien wasn't injured... But long story short, I am starting to agree with those who want a quicker player to replace him.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Mikel should be sold, Essien needs to hurry his ass back but be played only in a limited capacity of a game a week at most.

[Madmax 9,219]

Mikel should be sold, Essien needs to hurry his ass back but be played only in a limited capacity of a game a week at most.

Essien is the one that needs to be sold.

The £30m offer from Milan looks so tempting now.

[manpe 10,861]

Mikel should be sold, Essien needs to hurry his ass back but be played only in a limited capacity of a game a week at most.

Both of them should be sold, especially Essien.. Both are Jose era players, one isn't good enough, the other is old and extremely injury prone.. If we want an overhaul, then imo both need to go.

[Krypt 241]

Both of them should be sold, especially Essien.. Both are Jose era players, one isn't good enough, the other is old and extremely injury prone.. If we want an overhaul, then imo both need to go.

I agree with Mikel he has had his time to show what he can do and hasn't as for Essien i think he needs to come back into the team first because if he can shake off these injurys and return to some form he is a great asset.

[True_Blue 469]

Our team only lacks passion and determination to do well.The players we have won shit loads of trophies earned enough to last them a life time.AVB should just drop all the players that don't give a shit and play the youngsters at least that way if we lose i can see a lot of passion and young players wanting to do well for them self's and the club.

Fuck the mercenaries.

[Kojo 4,676]

Our team only lacks passion and determination to do well.The players we have won shit loads of trophies earned enough to last them a life time.AVB should just drop all the players that don't give a shit and play the youngsters at least that way if we lose i can see a lot of passion and young players wanting to do well for them self's and the club.

Fuck the mercenaries.

It's not just mentality, it's quality most of all, we don't have good players, we lack key players. We lack a world class player in midfield, a highline centre back, a very talented winger, our team is poor, and if we do not change it in January we will not finish top 4, we won't be good enough.

[Ollie 4,400]

Essien will never be the same again unfortunately, he was one of our worst players last season when fit. Romeu should be the number one guy next season for the holding role next to Ramires. These 2 are key. Who plays with them is anyones guess. Lampard will be there more than most but he should only be playing 2/3 of games. Maybe Luiz needs to advance or Meireles. Josh will be good for maybe 2 years time but would this work?

Ramires - Romeu - McEachran

Mata - Torres - Sturridge

I'd like to see it

[Iced 34]

I agree, we should try Mikel in a more attacking role. He did have an extremely impressive assist record before we converted him to CDM, maybe he'd turn out to be the creative midfielder we've all been whining about not having.

Im cool with it as long as he doesn't shoot... i honestly can't remember the last time one of his shots hasn't gone horribly off target.

[Madmax 9,219]

Im cool with it as long as he doesn't shoot... i honestly can't remember the last time one of his shots hasn't gone horribly off target.

Not that he should be judged on shots attempted, but for factual accuracy's sake, he did hit the crossbar 7 times last season.

[True_Blue 469]

It's not just mentality, it's quality most of all, we don't have good players, we lack key players. We lack a world class player in midfield, a highline centre back, a very talented winger, our team is poor, and if we do not change it in January we will not finish top 4, we won't be good enough.

We don't have good players? you can't be serious.Modric is the world class you want in our midfield?first of all he is not world class.Our defense is full of world class player.Talented winger? Mata and Sturridge even though not a natural one.

You managed to make us look like we have a relegation team.

[Kieran. 6,317]

We don't have good players? you can't be serious.Modric is the world class you want in our midfield?first of all he is not world class.Our defense is full of world class player.Talented winger? Mata and Sturridge even though not a natural one.

You managed to make us look like we have a relegation team.

Modric is world-class.

[manpe 10,861]

Im cool with it as long as he doesn't shoot... i honestly can't remember the last time one of his shots hasn't gone horribly off target.

Short memory... I believe against Stoke, when his father was abducted, he had a pretty decent shot saved by the goalie from far out. And against Liverpool (or Leverkusen?) he had a good long shot.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Modric is world-class.

That's a matter of opinion, and mine is that you need two things to be world-class: great talent and achievements; modric falls short of the latter.

[francozola 2,040]

We don't have good players? you can't be serious.Modric is the world class you want in our midfield?first of all he is not world class.Our defense is full of world class player.Talented winger? Mata and Sturridge even though not a natural one.

You managed to make us look like we have a relegation team.

If you've seen Modric play this season then you'd be sure that he is world-class

[termninja 5,290]

That's a matter of opinion, and mine is that you need two things to be world-class: great talent and achievements; modric falls short of the latter.

Kinda hard to do it when ya playing for Spuds?

[Term-X 7,891]

That's a matter of opinion, and mine is that you need two things to be world-class: great talent and achievements; modric falls short of the latter.

Achievements?.. You can still be a world class player and play in a poor/average squad, it makes no sense to judge a players abilities on club achievements.

Remember, Modric was AVB's number 1 transfer target. We pursued him vigorously because of this, losing out on him was disastrous.

[zolayes 14,489]

That's a matter of opinion, and mine is that you need two things to be world-class: great talent and achievements; modric falls short of the latter.

surely it is easier to perform well in a top class team rather than with mediocre team mates.

It is certainly easier to pick up medals and international caps

[Kojo 4,676]

We don't have good players? you can't be serious.Modric is the world class you want in our midfield?first of all he is not world class.Our defense is full of world class player.Talented winger? Mata and Sturridge even though not a natural one.

You managed to make us look like we have a relegation team.

Did you read my post what I made this thread with?, it's my explanation on the players at the moment.

And what makes you think Modric isn't world class?, he gives the team so much drive. Why becaues he only got 6 assists last season?, playmakers shouldn't be based on assists in my opinion, they make play, and play can involve about 4 players, and the 2nd from last gets the assist, and the playmaker starts it. This is why playmakers usually don't get that much credit, also with Tottenhams poor strike force last season who the fuck could get an assist. You take modric out of that team, you take confidence, reliability and creative spine out of team.

Lampard at the moment is playing as the engine and heart in our midfield, Lampard doesn't play like that, Lampard has always had freedom and we have had reliable players behind him in the midfield. Lampard gets himself in very good positions and helps the team out as he goes forward, he scores a lot of goals with his off the ball movement as he comes into the box, very sneaky player. Lampard is not a world class player anymore, and he certainly cannot drive our team forward, we are desperately lacking key player in his position. As i explained unless we got ourselves another Makalele, perhaps Lampard could still be played a lot. And look at our wingers, Sturridge had a good game against Wolves yes, but he did what he did against Bolton, there both poor teams, i still have my doubts if he can adapt to that position. Don't get me started about Malouda, Mata is a world class player and our only one. But he needs assistance from the deep, in the Liverpool match he couldn't even get on the fucking ball no player could pass to him or get him in a position he wanted the ball.

We could do with a talented winger, especially on the right who has pace and offers something, even against big teams and has consistency. Sturridge has still not proven himself there yet, i have faith because he's a young lad with big determination. Our defence is full of world class players?, okay but is our defence full of highline world class players?, i doubt it. Terry has had a bad season so far, Cole has, however he has been picking it up, Ivanovic has struggled down the centre, been good right back though, and David Luiz is still picking himself up, but he's doing well. If Modric isn't world class then who the hell is a world class midfielder?, are you saying there's only about 5 world class midfielders in the world?.

No one in our midfield can be relied on to spark something, Ramires is good at doing what he does, he sometimes does pull something out of the hat when he runs forward, Lampard loses the ball too much, and big concern with Mikel in that area, because he can't do his job as DM.

[True_Blue 469]

Modric is world-class.

Right so he is the same basket with like Iniesta?,Sneijder? etc? Of course not.