Rumoured Marouane Fellaini

[Hutcho 8,443]

just turned my comp on, go to tc as always and there were 61 people viewing it... I was like OMG we have signed him, but alas no, though i suppose we seem much closer than we have previously. 27 mil seems a bt high i think, but not extortionate for him. Also, his versatility would be very useful as well as another tall powerhouse, and another belgium which fits in nicely. I hope it happens.

[The only place to be 11,313]

His stats were similar when he was playing as a DM, he's not creative, he's not a good passer, he's a destroyer type who is out to win the ball and then lay it off asap.

I actually think that he's gotten worse this year but everyone is so focused on his scoring that they neglect to see how his general play is suffering.

Playing alongside Mikel is impossible unless you're going to play against Barcelona, his pass percentage wouldn't leap 10 points with someone creative next to him though because it's THAT bad, even shocking currently.

I do believe he brings more to the table than Mikel but you need the right player next to him to bring that out, the right player Chelsea currently do not have.

This is the weird thing about him. People say he's 'not creative', yet he creates opportunities for other players because of his presence. It's this weird mental block people have where players can only be deemed creative if they are like Mata or Pirlo, putting the perfect pass in. Yes that's one way players create opportunities for others but it's not the only way.

My opinion is that if he comes to Chelsea, he plays a much simpler game where he's not asked to find a pass in the final third but looks to lay the ball off around the halfway line, laying it off to defenders and simply pulling the opposition around the pitch. It might not be the final ball but it creates opportunities for that ball to be made.

And I think we have players who can play alongside him and make those passes. One option is Oscar. Next season we might look at McEachran or De Bruyne. We have options to try n that position, whereas we don't have a 'destroyer-type' of Fellaini's calibre.

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Fellani positives

Premier league experience

Height

Wins a lot of knock downs for team mates (could lead to assists)

has a knack for scoring crucial goals

Physically present to score a lot of corners

Nice hair

Another belgium team mate for hazard

Versatile, can play DM, CM, AM, and second striker roles

Negatives

Makes a few misplaced passes, similar to luiz

could collect a few cards with that aggressiveness

A good signing. At least we wont be bullied like against westham again.

[Stingray 9,441]

If anything, he will have an impact - good or bad - on our team. He is a lot of things, but 'neutral' doesn't seem to apply.

My worry more than the passing and the creativity lies in him not tracking back sometimes when the team looses the ball. He often seems to stroll around in the Belgian National team when we go into defence or even when he himself loses the ball. annoyed the fuck out of me when watching the national team. On the other hand - any time he is on the pitch - you seem to feel his presence. subjective as hell of course.

Anyways: I'd love him here for the warrior that he is. With our lightweight trio (or quattro if you count Marin) we can use a beast. I see him fitting in here. I used to watch a lot of Standard Liege matches and he will do just fine as a midfielder in a pivot. No worries there. Tactical discipline, however, to go to the next level as a DM/CM.... ouch.

ps: all the positive stuff is generated by a genuinely Belgian Bias :-)

[Eggman 118]

I agree that his strength is something that the current squad is lacking. It should be used in the pivot role, but then you need someone who is better at distributing the game to play alongside him. Someone like Pirlo, indeed, or Gerard or (closer to home and better for the future) Oscar and Kevin De Bruyne.

De Bruyne is the man who is needed to link up the defense with the attack. He plays simple, always vertically. He speeds up the game when necessary, and his passing range and vision are spectacular. Even in the Belgian national team squad, when playing with Felaini - Witsel - Dembele, who are all 3 of them excellent midfielders, the game tends to slow down; 70% possession but no infiltration or tempo to the play. This immediately changes with Kevin in the team. He is like a metronome, always dictating the pace.

Perhaps Oscar can develop into this role too. He certainly has the skill and the vision, the speed of execution. Ramires, I think, is more of an infiltrating player and less of an architect. And perhaps even David Luiz can improve in this new position for him.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

FFS NOOO

We're going to play possesion based football meaning we're going to have to play out from the back.

Nr 6 is extremely important in this part as he's the one that needs to create the space by drawing the opponents towards him and giving quick 1 touch passes to free a player.

So why on earth would we want someone playing there who's crap at passing the ball ?!

[Stingray 9,441]

FFS NOOO

We're going to play possesion based football meaning we're going to have to play out from the back.

Nr 6 is extremely important in this part as he's the one that needs to create the space by drawing the opponents towards him and giving quick 1 touch passes to free a player.

So why on earth would we want someone playing there who's crap at passing the ball ?!

because he has such a nice fro? You don't see that fro- quality a lot these days :-) Can you just imagine the wig-sale augmentation?

On a serious not: even in a possesion based team we could use a powerhouse like him - this is EPL not la liga. But then again: he is less quality in build up and tends to be sloppy tactically/positionally. So I will postpone a definite verdict on him. It could go both ways like I sais: good or really bad.

[Muzchap 8,963]

This is the weird thing about him. People say he's 'not creative', yet he creates opportunities for other players because of his presence. It's this weird mental block people have where players can only be deemed creative if they are like Mata or Pirlo, putting the perfect pass in. Yes that's one way players create opportunities for others but it's not the only way.

My opinion is that if he comes to Chelsea, he plays a much simpler game where he's not asked to find a pass in the final third but looks to lay the ball off around the halfway line, laying it off to defenders and simply pulling the opposition around the pitch. It might not be the final ball but it creates opportunities for that ball to be made.

And I think we have players who can play alongside him and make those passes. One option is Oscar. Next season we might look at McEachran or De Bruyne. We have options to try n that position, whereas we don't have a 'destroyer-type' of Fellaini's calibre.

That's what I've been arguing about Luiz!!!

Luiz putting himself about has forced the opposition to fuck up - but stats don't record that...

Yes he tries long balls that don't work, yes he gives the ball away sometimes - but he's been a breath of fresh air.

I think Luiz can do the Fellani role if given more time - so not 'that' bothered about Fellani, but if we get him, GREAT

Would prefer ISCO this window though

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

I myself think Luiz is not much better at DM than he is at CB. Started out good but he has failed to impress me the last few games. Play De Bruyne next to Fellaini.

-----Fellaini-----KDB----

--Oscar---Mata---Hazard-

--------------Ba----------------

[DanishBlue 426]

I myself think Luiz is not much better at DM than he is at CB. Started out good but he has failed to impress me the last few games. Play De Bruyne next to Fellaini.

-----Fellaini-----KDB----

--Oscar---Mata---Hazard-

--------------Ba----------------

Brilliant, that's what I would like to see. Seriously, that should work!

Lamps will leave in the summer, but then we would still have Ramires and Luiz for one of the two spots, and Luiz can still fight for the CB position. Oscar would also be able to fit in if needed (instead of KDB maybe) but he would also be in competition for the positions behind Ba/Torres (obviously). Beside that we would have Mikel who could rotate with Fellaini for the muscle presence

And I've not even mentioned all of our players.

With KDB and Fellaini the squad would finally make sense imo and we would have very good depth. .

[gary gordon 1,777]

I think most people here just want to see two afros in midfield...

[Stingray 9,441]

I think most people here just want to see two afros in midfield...

Correct!

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Brilliant, that's what I would like to see. Seriously, that should work!

Lamps will leave in the summer, but then we would still have Ramires and Luiz for one of the two spots, and Luiz can still fight for the CB position. Oscar would also be able to fit in if needed (instead of KDB maybe) but he would also be in competition for the positions behind Ba/Torres (obviously). Beside that we would have Mikel who could rotate with Fellaini for the muscle presence

And I've not even mentioned all of our players.

With KDB and Fellaini the squad would finally make sense imo and we would have very good depth. .

You forgot Romeu.

Next Year, for CM: Fellaini, Ramires, Mikel, Romeu, KDB and ocassionally Luiz. That's the sort of depth a club of our level should have.

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

because he has such a nice fro? You don't see that fro- quality a lot these days :-) Can you just imagine the wig-sale augmentation?

On a serious not: even in a possesion based team we could use a powerhouse like him - this is EPL not la liga. But then again: he is less quality in build up and tends to be sloppy tactically/positionally. So I will postpone a definite verdict on him. It could go both ways like I sais: good or really bad.

We already have Luiz for that .

The thing is buying Fellaini will solve nothing. Fellaini + a DLP will leave us far to exposed as Fellaini isn't disciplined enough to play as a holding midfielder and Fellaini + DM doesn't give us a creative outlet. So we're going to have the same problems we've had this season.

I see him as an upgraded Ramires.

[The only place to be 11,313]

You forgot Romeu.

Next Year, for CM: Fellaini, Ramires, Mikel, Romeu, KDB and ocassionally Luiz. That's the sort of depth a club of our level should have.

Mikel, Romeu, Fellaini - 'destroyer'

Oscar, McEachran, KDB - playmaker

Ramires - floater.

I think Fellaini could be our Busquets. The guy who just picks the ball up from the keeper or centre-half, brings it forward and lays it off to Oscar or Mata. He'd be the out ball, but in games where we're dominating (like QPR) he'd be an excellent presence in the opposition box. He'd be another target at set-pieces and he also offers a threat from long-range (unlike Mikel).

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Unfortubately I sense KDB will be sent on another loan and won't be used as a CM for us.

[nadavTKL 1,787]

If he's coming as a CDM, especially for this price, i dont agree with this move but whatever.... but if he comes as our new CM- i would stop watching our games for some time... at least thats what i would want to do.

[Zola kinda blue 89]

You forgot Romeu.

Next Year, for CM: Fellaini, Ramires, Mikel, Romeu, KDB and ocassionally Luiz. That's the sort of depth a club of our level should have.

I'll post this now so you can book mark it. KDB will NEVER play for us and Mikel will leave, probably next season, as he will get less game time and be down the pecking order.

Same goes for Josh and a number of other bright young things, Gael K etc etc

Our CM will be Fellaini, Ramires and at least 1 young brazillian no ones ever heard of