Gary Cahill

[TrueChelseaBlue 105]

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of Cahill but recent performances haven't quite been good enough.

Definitely time for Zouma to get his chance I feel.

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

I think we need two players with different defending styles compared to each other as centre-backs. I look at Terry and Cahill and I see two similar players in terms of defending but big difference in terms of quality.

One of the reasons the Terry-Carvalho pair was so successful was because not only the two were great at defending, but because each of them offered us a different platform in defence. With Terry, you had the classic English Centre-back who likes the security around him and is very experienced. Carvalho, however, was a good-ball player. He used to charge out, constantly making interceptions and tackles. Cahill can't do that, he offers you the exact same style as Terry, except he has much less quality.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOnIey_gsAE

Imagine if Carvalho was against Sterling today. He would have charged out and tackled him, not back off and let him have a shot. Had he have backed off, it wouldn't last forever. You NEED to make the challenge at some point.

This is why I like Varane a lot. Very confident, great on the ball, has pace, has the ability to make tackles and interceptions, unlike Cahill who seems to be only decent at blocking.

[iseah100 5,612]

Varane please...

[Despiadado.Maleante 1,046]

1 or even 2 CB must be top priority in the market with the way this clown is playing

[CHOULO19 24,332]

At some point you have to stop blaming the player but the guy who keeps picking him.

We have no established replacement. I think you have to blame the guy who sold Luiz and did not buy a replacement.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Mikel was far more at fault for their goal, he left a huge gap in the middle allowing Sterling to receive the ball on the half turn... although why the fuck does Cahill always back off? frustrating to say the least.

No that was Matic who was completely out of position and then too slow to stop Sterling from turning. Mikel was helping Iva on the right who was left against two players by Willian.

[Jase 43,479]

Can't help but to wish we still have Luiz sometimes when watching Cahill. Luiz's brainfart moments aside, his proactive defending can be extremely helpful and we have seen that in the past. Having 3 reactive defenders in the back 4 (and slow ones at that) is asking for trouble really.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Can't help but to wish we still have Luiz sometimes when watching Cahill. Luiz's brainfart moments aside, his proactive defending can be extremely helpful and we have seen that in the past. Having 3 reactive defenders in the back 4 (and slow ones at that) is asking for trouble really.

Having watched Cahill's performances this season I take back most of the things I ever said about Luiz. Though who else, apart from José, could have known we were switching to a higher defensive line this season? If I'd have known that I'd have advocated Cahill's sale rather than Luiz's.

[iseah100 5,612]

We have no established replacement. I think you have to blame the guy who sold Luiz and did not buy a replacement.

That's the same guy he said to blame.. lol

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That's the same guy he said to blame.. lol

For different reasons...

[The Chels 2,502]

Can't help but to wish we still have Luiz sometimes when watching Cahill. Luiz's brainfart moments aside, his proactive defending can be extremely helpful and we have seen that in the past. Having 3 reactive defenders in the back 4 (and slow ones at that) is asking for trouble really.

Azpi, Zouma, Terry, Luis. Three very proactive and fast defenders. If only.

[manpe 10,857]

Let me get one thing out of the way now when terms 'proactive' and 'reactive' have become trending.

Proactive = closes down early, plunges in?

Reactive = backs off, last ditch tackles?

[zolayes 14,489]

what we need most is a MORE creative Accountant ... Manure and City are smashing us on FFP

[The Skipper 20,593]

Having watched Cahill's performances this season I take back most of the things I ever said about Luiz. Though who else, apart from José, could have known we were switching to a higher defensive line this season? If I'd have known that I'd have advocated Cahill's sale rather than Luiz's.

This is why you're a top poster Alex.

[LAM09 6,572]

Having watched Cahill's performances this season I take back most of the things I ever said about Luiz. Though who else, apart from José, could have known we were switching to a higher defensive line this season? If I'd have known that I'd have advocated Cahill's sale rather than Luiz's.

HG quota.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

I think he's still backing off sterling.

[Jase 43,479]

Having watched Cahill's performances this season I take back most of the things I ever said about Luiz. Though who else, apart from José, could have known we were switching to a higher defensive line this season? If I'd have known that I'd have advocated Cahill's sale rather than Luiz's.

Our defensive line is hardly high. Still operating with a medium and deep line. Even with a deep line, Luiz would probably still do a lot better than Cahill.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Our defensive line is hardly high. Still operating with a medium and deep line. Even with a deep line, Luiz would probably still do a lot better than Cahill.

We're definitely playing a lot higher up the park, which explains why we struggle whenever Matic performs badly. The full-backs are pushing on much, much further this season, splitting the two centre backs who are also pushed much further up the pitch. And it doesn't help that Terry and Cahill are both reactive rather than proactive defenders.

True, Luiz often got sucked into challenges he didn't need to make and was on occasional capable of some epic brainfart moments, but his style of play complimented Terry's, much like Gallas' and Carvalho's did. Terry and Cahill are too similar, but even at 34 Terry is playing at a level Cahill can never even imagine reaching. Terry has the ability to read the game and get himself into good positions; his ability to sense danger is incredible, but that comes through experience. He's never been blessed for pace but makes up for it through his awareness, much like his mentor Desailly did.

Cahill is a brave, last-ditch defender, but expose him one-on-one and he's toast, and those flaws are being exposed even more by the higher line we're playing. Especially on the ball. Technically, John Terry is an outstanding footballer, easily one of the most underrated players I've ever seen in that regards, especially for a defender. He is comfortable on the ball and can use both feet to play football.

Cahill was born and bred a kick-and-go-run defender, lumping the ball 60 yards upfield and hoping a striker can hold it up. It might work with Drogba in the side, but Costa isn't prolific in the air and Willian at 5'8.5" is our next-tallest attacker. He isn't comfortable on the ball and the amount of attacks that break down when he's in possession, because he either a - passes back to the keeper or b - panics and lumps it upfield, is frankly ridiculous. He is suited to park-the-bus tactics and can be made to look like Superman when he has that extra defensive midfield coverage, but because José is finally playing a breed of all-out attacking football in 90% of our games, Cahill is exposed as being what he is - an average centre-back, who as LAM09 has said is only in this squad to meet homegrown quotas.