Closed Juventus 3-0 Chelsea

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Incorrect. The 65% of Mikel's passes this season have gone forward.Proves your backwards/sideways theories wrong. Hes also created 5 chances this season (which for Mikel this far into the season is good) so again your theory he doesn't create chances is incorrect The way he protects the ball is brilliant, hes really good at using his body to shield the ball. Last night I thought he didn't do too bad supposing he was always up against 3 CMs all of a very very high quality (Pirlo, Vidal and Marchisio) along with Ramires.

He had his usual stats last night 50 passes, 94 % completion rate. 1 key pass, 4 successful dribbles, fouled once. 1 interception, 2 effective clearances and gave away 1 foul.

People always seem to criticize Mikel when we loose despite it not being his fault... its odd but I guess hes the "scapegoat" now that Kalou's gone lol.

I'm not making him the scape goat.

I'm saying chelsea can never be a complete possesion team till we get a proper playmaker.

The passes I'm looking for from mikel are defence splitting passes or overhead passes to the strikers. Not just ground passes to mata to create the chances.

I'm not blaming mikel in particular, we don't hav the kind of player I'm talking about in chelsea. Mikel is just like carrick, we need a scholes, pirlo, xabi aonso, modric in our pivot along him or ramires. It will be perfect for our team.

[OneMoSalah 8,776]

I'm not making him the scape goat.

I'm saying chelsea can never be a complete possesion team till we get a proper playmaker.

The passes I'm looking for from mikel are defence splitting passes or overhead passes to the strikers. Not just ground passes to mata to create the chances.

I'm not blaming mikel in particular, we don't hav the kind of player I'm talking about in chelsea. Mikel is just like carrick, we need a scholes, pirlo, xabi aonso, modric in our pivot along him or ramires. It will be perfect for our team.

Mikel's job isn't to provide defence splitting passes. Hes a holding player whatever way you look at it, hes there to make tackles, interceptions, cover gaps etc. Hes not a regista, we need one yes but Mikel would defos have to play beside him which means no Ramires (which would suck as Rami is a key player for us now). We don't exactly need a regista with Juan and Oscar dropping deeper to get the ball plus who actually makes runs upfront for us? Not that infamous number 9 guy anyway...

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Mikel's job isn't to provide defence splitting passes. Hes a holding player whatever way you look at it, hes there to make tackles, interceptions, cover gaps etc. Hes not a regista, we need one yes but Mikel would defos have to play beside him which means no Ramires (which would suck as Rami is a key player for us now). We don't exactly need a regista with Juan and Oscar dropping deeper to get the ball plus who actually makes runs upfront for us? Not that infamous number 9 guy anyway...

I know he's not a regista, and that's what we need in chelsea to really play more possesion football. If oscar and mata have to drop deeper everytime so that cech doesn't punt balls everytime, then they will tire easily.

Glad we agree about the regista

But its required if we want to move on from "defend and counter" style of play.

[Owizzy 19]

I'm not making him the scape goat.

I'm saying chelsea can never be a complete possesion team till we get a proper playmaker.

The passes I'm looking for from mikel are defence splitting passes or overhead passes to the strikers. Not just ground passes to mata to create the chances.

I'm not blaming mikel in particular, we don't hav the kind of player I'm talking about in chelsea. Mikel is just like carrick, we need a scholes, pirlo, xabi aonso, modric in our pivot along him or ramires. It will be perfect for our team.

I totally disagree with anyone who is blaming Mikel, for any poor result. If you count top 5 performers on the team this season Mikel must be one of them. Our bane is the lack of scoring ability. I had suggested that our 10 players on the pitch should be selected only after they have attained an 80% striking result at shot-on-target while in practice. Name it!, virtually all our players are goal shy and cannot even shoot direct at goal (Mikel is guilty of this - proof that I am not biaised in my analyses). Maybe just David Luiz, Cahill and Ivanovic are the guys we have that can shoot at target from a distance which is a big shame out of 10 guys. Then look at Ramires, I have always said Football is not all about energy but wits and wisdom, Ramires can run all over the pitch without getting tired but how much good does he do, principally incurring yellow cards. He, Ramires as a professional as he is still hasn't learnt how to run with the ball close to his feet, each time he has the ball he pushes it at least 2.5mts ahead of him, what does he expect?, the opponents will watch him go? - he had better have another think coming, that's the only reason he looses possession and is forced to make late lounges (ie yellow cards). He pushes the ball too far ahead of him and that costs us in every game at least 15minutes of negative poor performance. Now in the wake of the sacking of RDM please go read my post there as I don't blame RDM one bit, the boys are not living up to their billing. And as a final word, Petr Chech had a wonderful game yesterday in the midst of 10 other sorry players.

[Stingray 9,441]

I know he's not a regista, and that's what we need in chelsea to really play more possesion football. If oscar and mata have to drop deeper everytime so that cech doesn't punt balls everytime, then they will tire easily.

Glad we agree about the regista

But its required if we want to move on from "defend and counter" style of play.

We have a player like that: KDB

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I totally disagree with anyone who is blaming Mikel, for any poor result. If you count top 5 performers on the team this season Mikel must be one of them. Our bane is the lack of scoring ability. I had suggested that our 10 players on the pitch should be selected only after they have attained an 80% striking result at shot-on-target while in practice. Name it!, virtually all our players are goal shy and cannot even shoot direct at goal (Mikel is guilty of this - proof that I am not biaised in my analyses). Maybe just David Luiz, Cahill and Ivanovic are the guys we have that can shoot at target from a distance which is a big shame out of 10 guys. Then look at Ramires, I have always said Football is not all about energy but wits and wisdom, Ramires can run all over the pitch without getting tired but how much good does he do, principally incurring yellow cards. He, Ramires as a professional as he is still hasn't learnt how to run with the ball close to his feet, each time he has the ball he pushes it at least 2.5mts ahead of him, what does he expect?, the opponents will watch him go? - he had better have another think coming, that's the only reason he looses possession and is forced to make late lounges (ie yellow cards). He pushes the ball too far ahead of him and that costs us in every game at least 15minutes of negative poor performance. Now in the wake of the sacking of RDM please go read my post there as I don't blame RDM one bit, the boys are not living up to their billing. And as a final word, Petr Chech had a wonderful game yesterday in the midst of 10 other sorry players.

I didn't blame chelsea.

I said chelsea neeed a goal threat and a playmaker from the pivot.

We need that for possesion purposes. Or else we will still only create chances on the counter.

In the begining of season, people didn't know how to contain chelsea, now they just mark mata, hazard oscar and we can't create shit.

A playmaker like modric in the pivot will leave spaces for mata to exploit. And they can also give the second pass before the assist.(Usually over head passes from deep which chelsea DM/CM players cannot do)

We hold the possesion, but don't create any chances from it, just watch the juventus game.

We create MORE from the counter, so fewer chances will be created for sure.

Mikel and ramires can't thread a through ball that slices through the defence and can't shoot from distance. We need someone in that pivot to be doing this for us.

Imagine spain without xavi and alonso and they will be a totally different team.

[Kojo 4,676]

ROMAN, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DONT OVERREACT. I DONT WANT ANOTHER TORRES + LUIZ TRANSFER WINDOW OR RDM SACKED.

You called it!.

[Kojo 4,676]

Mikel's job isn't to provide defence splitting passes. Hes a holding player whatever way you look at it, hes there to make tackles, interceptions, cover gaps etc. Hes not a regista, we need one yes but Mikel would defos have to play beside him which means no Ramires (which would suck as Rami is a key player for us now). We don't exactly need a regista with Juan and Oscar dropping deeper to get the ball plus who actually makes runs upfront for us? Not that infamous number 9 guy anyway...

You wouldn't think that though, he's terrible and the sooner we get rid of him the better.

I never regretted the day once when Mikel was going to take over from Essien, mainly because i didn't think it was going to happen. But it has and damn i wish i had expected all this, it really has become a tragedy. You really don't notice how vital DM's are in your team, they make you win games and actually give you a chance, we looks so vulnerable with Mikel there.

[Rmpr 8,977]

You called it!.

I am not proud though. I just knew it after I saw RDM`s post match interview, he had the look of a sacked manager. I think he was given a warning before that match, it is pretty clear by his quotes...

[babeul 6]

IF and IT still is IF we go into the Europa league IT is NOT a disgrace ...FFS you sound like another spoilt child

No, I'm not a spoiled child and I probably overreacted... but you would not be at least in part, agree with me.

Our team, this year, was built to defend the beloved champions league but we have not been able to overcome even the group in a comfortable way .

[zolayes 14,489]

No, I'm not a spoiled child and I probably overreacted... but you would not be at least in part, agree with me.

Our team, this year, was built to defend the beloved champions league but we have not been able to overcome even the group in a comfortable way .

it was never the easiest group ,,,the trouble was letting Juve off the hook at the Bridge. A lot of people over reacted especially the Russian

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

I think Oscar can play as a deep lying playmaker. I think he has the vision and he's tactically/positionally sound. Move Mata over the the middle and start Moses or Marin on the right. I love Ramires, but he's not going to open anyone up. But, with his energy, I think he would be a fantastic impact sub. Considering our recent results, would be worth a shot, no?

[Jase 43,479]

Looks like Mata was in tears after the game..

[bluephoenix 1,126]

Looks like Mata was in tears after the game..

he was probably thinking how if DD was there we would have over turned this scoreline

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Looks like Mata was in tears after the game..

You think he knew Robbie will be sacked if we lost the match?

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Don't be so pessimistic. Donetsk will not roll over for Juventus. Just look at the goal they scored against fair play, it's that ego, that drive that make them want to win, not lose

[Jase 43,479]

You think he knew Robbie will be sacked if we lost the match?

Wouldn't think so but he definitely understand the magnitude of the game and consequences if we don't get a positive result. Furthermore given how attached he seem to have become with the club, it must have been a painful experience for him to take and just like for all of us really. He has only been here for over a year but really feels like one of us already.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Don't be so pessimistic. Donetsk will not roll over for Juventus. Just look at the goal they scored against fair play, it's that ego, that drive that make them want to win, not lose

They do need to win or draw to top the group I think, so maybe we could expect something. I think it's going to be a draw though.