Eddie Newton on Premiere League Today

[The Skipper 20,593]

Conveniently missing out the part about Ramires I see..

Ivanovic has had 'shocker after shocker', and regardless of how integrated Azpi is, he couldn't do much worse.

Even the Ramires thing. Doesn't mean that Ramires is seen as a winger, he just plays there because he's capable to provide a nice balance to the side due to the fact that the front three of Mata, Hazard and Torres do not track back a lot. It's the same with Bertrand. Is he a winger now he's played there for the majority of the (short) season? Of course he isn't. Granted both Ramires and Ivanovic haven't exactly had stellar starts to the season but that doesn't mean they should be shoved aside after a handful of games.

I don't have a problem with them starting. It's the start of the season. If it's 10-15 games into the season and still they aren't performing up to scratch then by all means yeah, drop them. There's no need to do that just yet though.

[Ollie 4,400]

Gotta trust them i guess. Eddie see's them in training and probably knows them more than we do. I personally would like to see Ramires in CM but so do the rest of us so obviously us fans see different things to what they see. Rami got his goals against Barca and Liverpool from the RW position. If this is our 'best team' let's just hope they justify it. Lampard being 'someone you should hold back' is in his best XI too therefore not being held back. He is right though actually, TODAY this is our XI, it doesn't necessarily mean it will stay it.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Even the Ramires thing. Doesn't mean that Ramires is seen as a winger, he just plays there because he's capable to provide a nice balance to the side due to the fact that the front three of Mata, Hazard and Torres do not track back a lot. It's the same with Bertrand. Is he a winger now he's played there for the majority of the (short) season? Of course he isn't. Granted both Ramires and Ivanovic haven't exactly had stellar starts to the season but that doesn't mean they should be shoved aside after a handful of games.

I don't have a problem with them starting. It's the start of the season. If it's 10-15 games into the season and still they aren't performing up to scratch then by all means yeah, drop them. There's no need to do that just yet though.

This is exactly it. In the real world, you don't yank players in and out of the lineup because of a bad match or two. You need to know that you have to play well in order to keep your job, but you also have to know that a few bad games are not going to cost you your job. Ivanovic hasn't played well so far this season, but he's been a solid RB for years it's only 3 games into the season, we are 3-0-0 and he has 2 goals. Are you really going to drop him for someone who has never played a game in the Premier league? Managing is not just managing the tactics, it's about managing people as well.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

I agree that there have been some frankly, ridiculous remarks about Newton's interview (not only on here I should add). I'll repeat, he's said nothing that we didn't already know or suspect anyway. I'd say it's quite refreshing to see some honesty.

1) Pretty simple. Malouda gets his contract from the board/has to agree with their terms. Nothing to do with RDM/Newton, they just work with what they are given. Pretty much a given. Nobody's questioning this, so we can move on.

2) It's always better to underestimate than overestimate. Obviously (as has been previously stated by the man himself) Hazard's contributions in training are not up to his match day standards. Whilst this isn't a problem for a £32M player who is pretty much guaranteed a starting place, he should be working harder. Complacency could be an issue, publicly stating it could give Eden a kick up the backside, who knows.

3) Frank is an intelligent man, he knows he won't be playing every game. When he (Eddie) says Frank 'is not someone you criticise', he means (I assume) that Frank already knows the situation therefore telling him would be redundant. He's a true professional when it comes to his performances, it'd be pretty insulting to assume he is demanding to play every game.

4) Pretty much as expected, we've seen that lineup on countless occasions. Agree with Hazard and Mata interchanging, which is why Ramires is in that team, to cover those two switching about.

5) As above. I'd imagine if we were to play only either Hazard or Mata in the number 10 position and two natural (hardworking) wingers either side, Ramires wouldn't be needed on the wing. He's relatively untested in the midfield pivot and we do not play a formation that suits his natural position, it's no surprise that the management see him as a winger. While I don't particularly like seeing him there, I can appreciate the argument for him for the sake of team balance.

6) Ivanovic is obviously going to be picked ahead of Cesar at first. Azpilicueta is new to the team, the league, and is pretty inexperienced. Everything Ivanovic isn't. Whilst Azpilicueta is there to provide competition and cover, it's foolish to think that he's going to be picked over Ivanovic anytime soon. Perhaps there's a better chance of him being 1st choice in a season or two.

7) Obviously the club's targets for strikers were not available this summer. Perhaps having only Torres and Sturridge isn't ideal, but RDM and Eddie have to work with what they're given. The chases for another striker were well documented. January is the next window, so we can assume the interest from this summer will still remain.

8) This is the only one i'm surprised about. Obviously there have been a lot of calls from fans for Luiz to play in midfield, but I wasn't expecting it to be a realistic possibility. Perhaps it makes sense given the manager's love of versatile players. I'm actually quite interested to see it, although I have my doubts.

[warnie_666 1,081]

The phrase "You are only as good as your last game" is so true when it comes to fans. Ivanovic has been a beast of a player for 3 seasons straight. 2 bad games against Reading and Atl. Madrid and we already want him replaced by Cesar? What the fucking hell is wrong with you guys.

I agree with the Ramirez bit but Hell no on Ivanovic. He still is our primary RB and Cesar is brought in to push him. He will challenge Ivanovic for that position.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

I like that Ivanovic will stay. He is a good RB. Ramires still on the wing....I give up. Also it's cool that Luiz could play in midfield.

[Tomo 21,733]

The only positive that Luiz finally getting tried out in midfield will bring, is that we can finally put this tedious myth to bed once and for all.

Other than that im dreading the day because i can't see it working.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

The only positive that Luiz finally getting tried out in midfield will bring, is that we can finally put this tedious myth to bed once and for all.

Other than that im dreading the day because i can't see it working.

I don't get it. I assume it would be at defensive midfield but Chelsea have Mikel and Romeu there anyway. Anyway, positioning is perhaps the single most important thing for a defensive midfielder and probably Luiz's worst attribute.Also, I think putting him in the midfield is the worst possible message to give him. He's easily at his best when he plays a simple defensive game. When he fancies himself a midfielder, he makes awful choices. I just want our coaches to sit him down and say "you are a defender. You're not a free kick specialist, you're not a midfielder, you're not a forward. Stay back, defend, and make simple passes". When he does that, he's great, when he doesn't, I want to yell at him.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

@Slam Dunk, Although I agree with pretty much everything in your post, what did surprise me the most is that Eddie was saying all this on live tv. I mean the last thing we need to be revealing to the media is that the club went over Robbie's head in Malouda's situation especially that Roman is mostly pictured as a dictator. And if I'm Azpilicuetta, I really wouldn't enjoy hearing that I don't have a chance at a starting spot anytime soon even if I know it's true.

[Jase 43,479]

@Slam Dunk, Although I agree with pretty much everything in your post, what did surprise me the most is that Eddie was saying all this on live tv. I mean the last thing we need to be revealing to the media is that the club went over Robbie's head in Malouda's situation especially that Roman is mostly pictured as a dictator. And if I'm Azpilicuetta, I really wouldn't enjoy hearing that I don't have a chance at a starting spot anytime soon even if I know it's true.

We always seem to have a tendency to shoot ourselves in the foot by making comments like that.

[blueblood22 50]

well i want all of you to think like this ED is our assistant manager like RDM was the assistant manager and look what AVB did with the team and what RDM did with the the team it's dosen't mean that the manager and his assistant think the same or even close to that

[underdrog 18]

maybe Eddie is influencing RDM's decisions ??