Our best players are our problems

[eldo 868]

sorry eldo but if Luiz was our biggest problem we would we well ahead of City now

I didn't say that.

We have other problems. But how is Mata being our best player a problem?

[Joker10 946]

Who would have sturridge started instead in man city ? Aguero , Balotelli , Dzeko , Silva , Nasri ?! Mancini is either bluffing their , playing mind games before our match or he is a worse manager than Grant.

Mata is a great player but he is still not as good as those players who consistently make the difference and win games for their teams .

Sturridge would start over Nasri and Dzeko first of all. Him and Balotelli are on the same level. He would probably not start every game then again even Aguero rotates in City attack.

I think you are underrating him and our rivals would love to have him.

Mata has to do a lot for our lack of midfield because no one in our midfield can connect more then two passes in row so he has to drop back a lot , he would naturally perform better and be more consistent when our midfield is resolved. Same goes for Sturridge.

btw no way is Luiz world class, i think he has been unfairly criticized and i am a huge fan but just no.

[zolayes 14,489]

I didn't say that.

We have other problems. But how is Mata being our best player a problem?

Mata isnt the problem . The problem is our midfield and front 3 play as if they had never met before. There is no cohesion or understanding

between them . We rely on an individual doing something ,

as I wrote this I just watched Barca score a great team goal

[zolayes 14,489]

watching Barca ,,,messi gets 2 more individual goals to make his hat trick

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

There was a general consensus on this forum at the start of this season that it was one of transition, and a CL place was the best hoped for, to allow AVB to settle in. Just sayin'

[Tomo 21,681]

Lmao I'm not media muppet, I ignore them.

Yes David has the potential to be great player, but he needs to get rid of those silly mistakes and he should concentrate more. Yesterday he was great, but sometimes you can see him being lost there in the box leaving players unmarked.

I know it takes time to get used to new league, but he's soon going to be 25. He needs to fulfil that potential soon.

Most of Luiz's "silly mistakes" have came when playing with Bosingwa to his right, even Alex looked shite when Bosingwa was next to him infact every time Ivanovic is in the centre with Bosingwa next to him he doesnt look good either.

For example the error he made against Pompey which led to JT clearing off the line he was in the RB position, where was Bosingwa? The yellow he picked up against Sunderland was for covering Bosingwa's lost ground. He's not a miracle worker whenever he plays with Bosingwa he is as good as up against 2 players and most of the time he deals with that fine, whenever we have Ivanovic at right back next to Luiz meaning he only has to worry about one man he is virtually unplayable.

Luiz gets scapegoated far too much for me, you only need to look at the difference in reaction to when Luiz gave away a pen at QPR (his first bad moment after being solid all season before then) and Alex doing the same against Fulham.

Alex and Ivanovic have made more errors this season, do you remember Alex putting Zola in the shade with his touch that put Shane Long through on goal? Has Luiz done anything nearly as bad at that?

Ok occasionaly he can be a bit reckless and might cost us a goal every now and again (no more than any other defender) but i am sure a lot of the goals we have conceded this season when he hasnt played (especially against Arsenal) would have been prevented had he been on the pitch.

We have a fantastic defender who is only going to get better and deep down the media and clueless opposition fans know it (PS Spurs fans think Kaboul and Dawson are better than him )

[Chelsea? 892]

exactly what I've been thinking OP. Our best players are great, but are not really good enough to beat the Barca's of the world. I think maybe the high line should slowly come back, or atleast the "Mid-line" since our orfense was much better playing the high line. United are similar to use but they have Fergie and Rooney. Maybe we should hope Torress hits form or put Danny in the middle; bring in a RW and sign another CAM.Ramirez should probably play DM. If we can't find a CAM we can play Mata in the mid similar to Iniesta. but I ultimately think we are 2-3 players short of top 5 teams in the world.

[zolayes 14,489]

exactly what I've been thinking OP. Our best players are great, but are not really good enough to beat the Barca's of the world. I think maybe the high line should slowly come back, or atleast the "Mid-line" since our orfense was much better playing the high line. United are similar to use but they have Fergie and Rooney. Maybe we should hope Torress hits form or put Danny in the middle; bring in a RW and sign another CAM.Ramirez should probably play DM. If we can't find a CAM we can play Mata in the mid similar to Iniesta. but I ultimately think we are 2-3 players short of top 5 teams in the world.

we are a team and a million miles away from Barcelona ,,,our task now is to get back to where we can win the PL again ,,,,and THAT is not

going to be easy.

[Chelsea? 892]

There was a general consensus on this forum at the start of this season that it was one of transition, and a CL place was the best hoped for, to allow AVB to settle in. Just sayin'

The problem is since we moved from the high line we've looked no different from last year. And during the high line our defense was pretty bad. we also didn't expect to be behind Spurs.

[Chelsea? 892]

we are a team and a million miles away from Barcelona ,,,our task now is to get back to where we can win the PL again ,,,,and THAT is not

going to be easy.

we are a long way from barca but since we play the same formation as them, trying to play like them is the best we can do. i would like a diff formation but i dnt want a coach that is too soft on his ideals. That's why I hope we slowly implement the high line again

[BLionheart 516]

I don't understand.

Forwards are more rated than midfielders so a great forward should easily claim a place in the top 20 players but midfielders are more under-rated so there are actually many great midfielders who might not feature in the top 20 list.

The point is you can hardly name 10 players that you would rather have in midfield than Modric , But i can name at least 10 forwards who i would rather have than Mata not because Mata is bad but he is certainly not the man to lead our front line to glory a la (Messi-Ronaldo-Robben).

[BLionheart 516]

Sturridge would start over Nasri and Dzeko first of all. Him and Balotelli are on the same level. He would probably not start every game then again even Aguero rotates in City attack.

I think you are underrating him and our rivals would love to have him.

Mata has to do a lot for our lack of midfield because no one in our midfield can connect more then two passes in row so he has to drop back a lot , he would naturally perform better and be more consistent when our midfield is resolved. Same goes for Sturridge.

btw no way is Luiz world class, i think he has been unfairly criticized and i am a huge fan but just no.

Although i don't agree with you but at least I can understand your claims regarding the Helpless Mata and David Luiz , but to claim that sturridge is better than Nasri !! and on the same level as Balotelli then you are either blinded by your love for the blue shirt or you don't watch Man city games often enough.

Balotelli is an extremely good player who is definitely better than sturridge , he more gifted , skillful , better technically and stronger than our daniel , better in the air and is a natural goalscorer .

[eldo 868]

Forwards are more rated than midfielders so a great forward should easily claim a place in the top 20 players but midfielders are more under-rated so there are actually many great midfielders who might not feature in the top 20 list.

The point is you can hardly name 10 players that you would rather have in midfield than Modric , But i can name at least 10 forwards who i would rather have than Mata not because Mata is bad but he is certainly not the man to lead our front line to glory a la (Messi-Ronaldo-Robben).

Name 10. Messi and Ronaldo are excluded.

[Naked Mole Rat 437]

Can't believe this. I know that we don't have many great players, but don't be ungrateful we could be Liverpool with their garbage.

Well put. He's been constantly and unnecessarily bashing some of our better and more determined players, namely Ramires, and I can't see what the point of this following line is:

IF CFC IS EVER TO GET BACK TO IT'S GLORY DAYS THEN STURRIDGE AND RAMIRES SHOULD BE THE WORST PLAYERS IN OUR STARTING ELEVEN NOT THE BEST AND JUAN MATA SHOULDN'T BE THE STAR OF THE TEAM.

Even if you consider the context, it's a pretty unnecessary and ridiculous thing to say. In bold, too.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Theres not a lot thats changed in terms of its the same old nailed on chances that go begging. A common complaint of Chelsea FC.

One thing that is apparent and has been getting steadily worse post Mourinho, is the lack of closing opposition players down and pressing -giving them an inordinate amount of room. Seriously, its costly..

[BLionheart 516]

Name 10. Messi and Ronaldo are excluded.

Hazard - Neymar - Gotze - Silva - Aguero - Sanchez - Ibrahimovic - Messi - Ronaldo - Rooney - Cavani - Di Maria - Bale - Gomez - Hulk

But gotta love the Messi and Ronaldo excluded bit , now it's time for you to argue that you would rather have Mata than any of those players .

[BLionheart 516]

Well put. He's been constantly and unnecessarily bashing some of our better and more determined players, namely Ramires, and I can't see what the point of this following line is:

Even if you consider the context, it's a pretty unnecessary and ridiculous thing to say. In bold, too.

The fans keep praising Ramires and Sturridge waiting for them make the spine of the team while they shouldn't be there !! we need a better spine and i am hoping that AVB won't let Ramires and Sturridge be the main men in our starting 11 , i am not saying they are not good enough to be here but they should be rotated or in the starting 11 but not as the stars of chelsea FC.

Unnecessary !! That is the whole point of the thread !!! ohh i am sorry that's bold , is it hurting your eyes ?!

[Tomo 21,681]

Id rather have Mata than Bale or Ibrahimovic, those 2 are so over-rated its untrue.

Mata is having a better first season than Silva, whats to say he can't progress into a world class player in the next 2 years,

But then having said that i'd rather we entered next season like 04/05 with a bunch of borderline world class players that will grow.