Gary Cahill

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't deem it harsh at all. He was good last year for sure but lets not ignore the fact that the way we set up last year aided our defense immensely. If we are moving towards a more attacking/possession game I really think Terry and Cahill will be exposed.

God forbid it but if Terry has a serious injury do you really trust Gary Cahill to be our no.1 CB with Brana and Zouma fighting for no.2? Really?

What if Terry starts to play to his age? Are you comfortable with a backline of Cahill, Brana and Zouma? Lets be real here, put aside your personal bias of him being British, he's just not that good.

Give it a rest with the personal bias shit.

He had a great season last year, he made John Terry look a lot better and I see no reason not to trust him. I've said before that he's the guy who plays next to that 'rock' and I think in time we'll need to replace JT but the lack of respect for Cahill is bewildering.

Here's a tip....stop watching Pogba youtube videos and watch our performances from last season and see just how much work this guy did.

[Barbara 15,149]

Give it a rest with the personal bias shit.

He had a great season last year, he made John Terry look a lot better and I see no reason not to trust him. I've said before that he's the guy who plays next to that 'rock' and I think in time we'll need to replace JT but the lack of respect for Cahill is bewildering.

Here's a tip....stop watching Pogba youtube videos and watch our performances from last season and see just how much work this guy did.

I feel the opposite. I feel Terry made Cahill look good, JT was the key in our defense and it actually propped Cahill to improve his game.

And he's flustered and insecure with the ball. He always gets rid of it as fast as he can as if he doesn't have the confidence to walk/run with it for 2 meters. If our coverage isn't as close and populated as it was last year, this may cause him a problem, sometimes there won't be someone near him for him to pass and he'll either roof or shoot it to the sidelines, giving possession away right away... if someone gets the throw in quickly, we're once again in danger. He needs to work his confidence to do at least the basic with possession, he seems a tad too scared and sometimes the way he gets rid of the ball or his lack of technicality is nearly embarrassing for someone that was just a contender for being the captain of his NT and who's part of the #1 CB partnership in a club like Chelsea. He needs to look more composed...

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Fuck off with the personal bias shit.

He had a great season last year, he made John Terry look a lot better and I see no reason not to trust him. I've said before that he's the guy who plays next to that 'rock' and I think in time we'll need to replace JT but the lack of respect for Cahill is bewildering.

Here's a tip....stop watching Pogba youtube videos and watch our performances from last season and see just how much work this guy did.

Calm down... Why are you going off the rails over nothing? I already acknowledged he had a fantastic year in the system we played last year, do you think he's the type of CB that can lead a line if JT breaks down? I don't and judging by your 'rock' comment neither do you. So where are we then? We need a JT replacement because the pieces we've assembled at the club don't really fit the mould. (rock in the back, anchor, stopper type) I think this is an important year for JT and the club and its shaping up like Cahill in the next in line to be our JT figure, I don't feel comfortable with him in that light. He's great when we play a low block and is well supported with the two holding mids but pretty poor at holding a line let alone a high line like it looks like we're doing.

I watched every game we played last year twice at the very least, I don't need anymore Cahill footage to know what type of player he is. Pogba, on the other hand, is a guy I really enjoy watching youtube clips of because he's an exciting player.

[Madmax 9,219]

Agree with the larger point of us needing a genuine top class defender to take over from JT as the undisputed first choice, but if anything, the other day it was the captain looking out of sorts and not Cahill.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I feel the opposite. I feel Terry made Cahill look good, JT was the key in our defense and it actually propped Cahill to improve his game.

And he's flustered and insecure with the ball. He always gets rid of it as fast as he can as if he doesn't have the confidence to walk/run with it for 2 meters. If our coverage isn't as close and populated as it was last year, this may cause him a problem, sometimes there won't be someone near him for him to pass and he'll either roof or shoot it to the sidelines, giving possession away right away... if someone gets the throw in quickly, we're once again in danger. He needs to work his confidence to do at least the basic with possession, he seems a tad too scared and sometimes the way he gets rid of the ball or his lack of technicality is nearly embarrassing for someone that was just a contender for being the captain of his NT and who's part of the #1 CB partnership in a club like Chelsea. He needs to look more composed...

Couldn't disagree with that more. Cahill is underrated on the ball (much as JT was for a lot of his career) and he did so much running, marking and heading for JT. Go look at the stats or watch some of the matches.

Not gonna discuss this any further because I see no value to it.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Agree with the larger point of us needing a genuine top class defender to take over from JT as the undisputed first choice, but if anything, the other day it was the captain looking out of sorts and not Cahill.

JT didn't look great but Cahill was equally poor. Awful clearances and panicky defending.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I feel the opposite. I feel Terry made Cahill look good, JT was the key in our defense and it actually propped Cahill to improve his game.

And he's flustered and insecure with the ball. He always gets rid of it as fast as he can as if he doesn't have the confidence to walk/run with it for 2 meters. If our coverage isn't as close and populated as it was last year, this may cause him a problem, sometimes there won't be someone near him for him to pass and he'll either roof or shoot it to the sidelines, giving possession away right away... if someone gets the throw in quickly, we're once again in danger. He needs to work his confidence to do at least the basic with possession, he seems a tad too scared and sometimes the way he gets rid of the ball or his lack of technicality is nearly embarrassing for someone that was just a contender for being the captain of his NT and who's part of the #1 CB partnership in a club like Chelsea. He needs to look more composed...

100%

[Barbara 15,149]

Agree with the larger point of us needing a genuine top class defender to take over from JT as the undisputed first choice, but if anything, the other day it was the captain looking out of sorts and not Cahill.

exactly why having this guy is important... the moment JT doesn't have a good season - and let's remember he is simply carrying on his end of season, where he also looked out of sorts and made mistakes in important matches for us, then we have to trust Cahill to lead the defense? I trust Iva more as the focal point and that's coming from someone that actually prefers Iva as a FB... anyway, I've always felt that Cahill played so well because he felt confident with Terry by his side and learned from him. It's one thing to have Terry make a mistake, it's another thing to have someone else playing by his side. I'm slightly worried, but nothing that I think is compromising.

Couldn't disagree with that more. Cahill is underrated on the ball (much as JT was for a lot of his career) and he did so much running, marking and heading for JT. Go look at the stats or watch some of the matches.

Not gonna discuss this any further because I see no value to it.

I'm not talking in that way. I'm talking about confidence... a guy confident on his partner can be more confident on himself. We saw Cahill take his game to a new level. He wasn't the same playing in the WC, for example, although he wasn't as bad as I saw many making him out to be.

And do you really think he looks comfortable on the ball with the slightest pressure? If he's all by himself, he looks okay, an opponent closing in and he seems to almost panic and has to get rid of the ball the quickest and easiest way he can think about.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I'm not talking in that way. I'm talking about confidence... a guy confident on his partner can be more confident on himself. We saw Cahill take his game to a new level. He wasn't the same playing in the WC, for example, although he wasn't as bad as I saw many making him out to be.

And do you really think he looks comfortable on the ball with the slightest pressure? If he's all by himself, he looks okay, an opponent closing in and he seems to almost panic and has to get rid of the ball the quickest and easiest way he can think about.

He's a safety first defender. I'd rather have that than someone who tries to be clever with it. On the ball he's actually quite a smart operator.

[Barbara 15,149]

He's a safety first defender. I'd rather have that than someone who tries to be clever with it. On the ball he's actually quite a smart operator.

I don't want someone clever with it, just more comfortable on the ball. For a defender of his caliber he can definitely look better without looking 'clever'. Also I don't know if he won't miss having Terry as the reference and the rock as you guys called by his side. Do you think if JT has a bad season (as I said he's carrying on his form for the end of the last season, a few mistakes are starting to show) or has an injury and is actually dropped from the first team, a partnership between Iva and Cahill, Cahill can be the rock himself? That's my main concern. Is he the guy that compliments the rock well or can he be the rock?

[DYC. 7,542]

Agree with the larger point of us needing a genuine top class defender to take over from JT as the undisputed first choice, but if anything, the other day it was the captain looking out of sorts and not Cahill.

This has maybe been my biggest worry. Terry is old and could decline (rapidly) at any point. I personally don't think Cahill has the capabilities to lead the defence, to be that top defender. That's why I would support the club buying Benatia.

The CBs have one great advantage though. Ivan, Azpi and Luis are all strong defenders which is of great help to the CBs.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He's been written off again and again and again... Write off JT at your own peril guys.

[DYC. 7,542]

Couldn't disagree with that more. Cahill is underrated on the ball (much as JT was for a lot of his career) and he did so much running, marking and heading for JT. Go look at the stats or watch some of the matches.

Not gonna discuss this any further because I see no value to it.

Cahill doesn't compare to JT on the ball. Terry's not a reference point for ball-playing CBs but he's pretty strong in that department. Cahill really is poor on the ball. The slightest bit of pressure and I can feel his nerves.

Matic would often drop very deep to pick up the ball against Burnley and I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of his main jobs this season.

[Barbara 15,149]

He's been written off again and again and again... Write off JT at your own peril guys.

I'm not writing him off, I'm saying if things go south, is Cahill the man to lead our defense? It's a possibility. as I said a few times a slight concern I have, but nothing I think will compromise exactly because I don't see JT missing a great deal of the season whether for injury or technically...

Still only @DYC., @Madmax shared their opinions if needed for a long stretch, Cahill can lead our defense line. They're as doubtful as I am.

edit: also I just pointed out that he's carrying on the same mistakes he's made at the end of the season. I think in both occasions they happened due to physical conditions. Then because he was already really tired, having played nearly all games for us that season. Now because it was still pre-season and too early for him to already be on top. But at his age, the thing is we'll never know when a physical problem will present itself and just because he's been reborn technically many times it doesn't mean the final time he won't recover won't happen. JT won't go the rest of his life playing at high level. At some point he'll start declining, it happens to all players. He may choose to stop before that happens, or to continue and try to reborn again, we don't know, but at some point it'll be too much for him.

[Madmax 9,219]

JT's on-the-ball play is pretty fucking fantastic; his background as a midfielder in his youth really shows through.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I'm not writing him off, I'm saying if things go south, is Cahill the man to lead our defense? It's a possibility. as I said a few times a slight concern I have, but nothing I think will compromise exactly because I don't see JT missing a great deal of the season whether for injury or technically...

Still only @DYC., @Madmax shared their opinions if needed for a long stretch, Cahill can lead our defense line. They're as doubtful as I am.

Yeah it wasn't a comment aimed at you, just seems the general notion around the forum that a new CB is suddenly a must because we didn't look solidly defensively on Monday, with a few saying JT must be replaced which I find ridiculous, hence my comment.

JT - Cahill, JT - Iva or Cahill - Iva as our 3 main CB partnerships this season is fine IMO. We can start pursuing a new CB next year where we can adjust the squad from the start of the season, it's too late to start shuffling around the squad now to bring in a non HG player.

[Barbara 15,149]

Yeah it wasn't a comment aimed at you, just seems the general notion around the forum that a new CB is suddenly a must because we didn't look solidly defensively on Monday, with a few saying JT must be replaced which I find ridiculous, hence my comment.

JT - Cahill, JT - Iva or Cahill - Iva as our 3 main CB partnerships this season is fine IMO. We can start pursuing a new CB next year where we can adjust the squad from the start of the season, it's too late to start shuffling around the squad now to bring in a non HG player.

and who's the reference, the rock as people called, in a partnership between Iva and Cahill?

JT's on-the-ball play is pretty fucking fantastic; his background as a midfielder in his youth really shows through.

and that's without being clever as TOPTB calls it. It's no nonsense but with a lot of quality. You don't see him doing clever, flashy things. He's always no nonsense, but also pretty fantastic as well. Top quality on the ball.

[The Skipper 20,593]

and who's the reference, the rock as people called, in a partnership between Iva and Cahill?

Ivanovic can lead from the back, more so than Cahill. Remember Liverpool away last season, when Ivanovic had Kalas next to him?