Pat Nevin suggest Chelsea have found the perfect Midfield Partnership

[NishC300 1,865]

Pat Nevin suggested on Radio 5 Live that Chelsea have found the perfect midfield partnership something he says we have struggled to find in the past few years........ David Luiz and Frank Lampard he claims is the perfect partnership. He says after watching the Villa game he has come to this conclusion. It can be heard on Kicking Off with Colin Murray 5 Live Sport..... Listen to it on BBC Podcasts

[NishC300 1,865]

*suggests (typo)

[spidy 33]

well I think he's right

luiz with lampard/rambo

actually don't like mikel cuz he doesn't participate in attacking

[Spike 12,049]

I'll agree with him just because he is Pat Nevin. I like reading his articles.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Hate to sound arrogant and like I think I know it all but I think hes wrong because both players like to push up more than stay back and protect the back 4 which they both can't do in the double pivot so its not the perfect midfield partnership.

Lampards not really a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder and David Luiz isn't a playmaker, he is capable of being a defensive midfielder but still how is that the perfect partnership? Its Ramires - Mikel all over again. One player suits the pivot where as the other one not so much. Sure Lampard can play a few accurate long passes but hes not noted for being a playmaker in the same way Pirlo or Alonso is, is he? Luiz has all the characteristics to be a decent DM but his positional and tactical awareness is pathetic, he still dives in to foolish challenges that if he just reads the situation he doesn't pick up a booking/give away a foul. He still does unnecessary things as well when he needs to keep it simple and eventually we will get punished for it. To say after 1 or 2 games we have found the perfect MF partnership with Luiz and Lamps is very stupid on Pat Nevins part, hes a football man, he should know that you shouldn't judge 2 players playing together on one game. He should also realize we played Aston Villa, who were always likely to struggle against us.

Anyway in my opinion a perfect partnership in the pivot is like Busquets - Alonso for Spain. Busquets breaks up play keeps it simple (like Mikel) where as Alonso is a regista and can play big 50-60 yard passes to split defenses/help his team exploit spaces in wide areas. Another similar partnership is like Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Claudio Marchisio for Italy, not exactly a double pivot but you know, they compliment each other very well. Pirlo (playmaker), De Rossi (defensive midfielder), Marchisio (box to box MF player).

[Henrique 9,133]

Hes wrong because both players like to attack more than defend which they both can't do in the double pivot so its not the perfect midfield partnership.

Lampards not really a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder and David Luiz isn't a playmaker, he is capable of being a defensive midfielder but still how is that the perfect partnership? Its Ramires - Mikel all over again. One player suits the pivot where as the other one not so much.

A perfect partnership in the pivot is like Busquets - Alonso for Spain. Busquets breaks up play keeps it simple (like Mikel) where as Alonso is a regista and can play big 50-60 yard passes to split defenses/help his team exploit spaces in wide areas. Another similar partnership is like Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Claudio Marchisio for Italy, not exactly a double pivot but you know, they compliment each other very well. Pirlo (playmaker), De Rossi (defensive midfielder), Marchisio (goalscoring MF player).

You are also wrong, Moses-Marin is the perfect partnership.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

You are also wrong, Moses-Marin is the perfect partnership.

Moses and Marin is the perfect partnership for what

[Spike 12,049]

Hate to sound arrogant and like I think I know it all but I think hes wrong because both players like to push up more than stay back and protect the back 4 which they both can't do in the double pivot so its not the perfect midfield partnership.

Lampards not really a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder and David Luiz isn't a playmaker, he is capable of being a defensive midfielder but still how is that the perfect partnership? Its Ramires - Mikel all over again. One player suits the pivot where as the other one not so much. Sure Lampard can play a few accurate long passes but hes not noted for being a playmaker in the same way Pirlo or Alonso is, is he? Luiz has all the characteristics to be a decent DM but his positional and tactical awareness is pathetic, he still dives in to foolish challenges that if he just reads the situation he doesn't pick up a booking/give away a foul. He still does unnecessary things as well when he needs to keep it simple and eventually we will get punished for it. To say after 1 game we have found the perfect MF partnership with Luiz and Lamps is very stupid on Pat Nevins part, hes a football man, he should know that you shouldn't 2 players together on one game. He should also realize we played Aston Villa, who were always likely to struggle against us.

Anyway in my opinion a perfect partnership in the pivot is like Busquets - Alonso for Spain. Busquets breaks up play keeps it simple (like Mikel) where as Alonso is a regista and can play big 50-60 yard passes to split defenses/help his team exploit spaces in wide areas. Another similar partnership is like Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Claudio Marchisio for Italy, not exactly a double pivot but you know, they compliment each other very well. Pirlo (playmaker), De Rossi (defensive midfielder), Marchisio (box to box MF player).

Well considering that it was on the radio and no quotes have been given you are taking a lot of liberties. How do we know that he didn't say that this is the perfect partnership that the team can put out at this current moment in time? He could have stated it's the perfect attacking partnership for all I know.

This is too ambiguous to have a proper debate.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Well considering that it was on the radio and no quotes have been given you are taking a lot of liberties. How do we know that he didn't say that this is the perfect partnership that the team can put out at this current moment in time? He could have stated it's the perfect attacking partnership for all I know.

This is too ambiguous to have a proper debate.

I'd hope he was saying it was the perfect partnership at the moment because saying that in the best partnership in the long term is daft because next we know it will be 2015 and Lamps will be 55 or whatever, even though I think Luiz and Mikel would be better in the pivot with Luiz venturing forward more.

[NishC300 1,865]

Hate to sound arrogant and like I think I know it all but I think hes wrong because both players like to push up more than stay back and protect the back 4 which they both can't do in the double pivot so its not the perfect midfield partnership.

Lampards not really a deep lying playmaker or a defensive midfielder and David Luiz isn't a playmaker, he is capable of being a defensive midfielder but still how is that the perfect partnership? Its Ramires - Mikel all over again. One player suits the pivot where as the other one not so much. Sure Lampard can play a few accurate long passes but hes not noted for being a playmaker in the same way Pirlo or Alonso is, is he? Luiz has all the characteristics to be a decent DM but his positional and tactical awareness is pathetic, he still dives in to foolish challenges that if he just reads the situation he doesn't pick up a booking/give away a foul. He still does unnecessary things as well when he needs to keep it simple and eventually we will get punished for it. To say after 1 or 2 games we have found the perfect MF partnership with Luiz and Lamps is very stupid on Pat Nevins part, hes a football man, he should know that you shouldn't judge 2 players playing together on one game. He should also realize we played Aston Villa, who were always likely to struggle against us.

Anyway in my opinion a perfect partnership in the pivot is like Busquets - Alonso for Spain. Busquets breaks up play keeps it simple (like Mikel) where as Alonso is a regista and can play big 50-60 yard passes to split defenses/help his team exploit spaces in wide areas. Another similar partnership is like Andrea Pirlo, Daniele De Rossi and Claudio Marchisio for Italy, not exactly a double pivot but you know, they compliment each other very well. Pirlo (playmaker), De Rossi (defensive midfielder), Marchisio (box to box MF player).

Luiz sat back deep in the Villa game and was patient and responsible.

[Jase 43,479]

Think one could just pick 2 spectators from the crowd to play in the pivot and will look world class against Villa that day. Great win it was then but it cannot be used as an indication or benchmark that the pivot of Luiz and Lampard can work. Until they are both tested against high quality oppositions, we can't say that pivot will work!

[SeB 1,281]

Think one could just pick 2 spectators from the crowd to play in the pivot and will look world class against Villa that day. Great win it was then but it cannot be used as an indication or benchmark that the pivot of Luiz and Lampard can work. Until they are both tested against high quality oppositions, we can't say that pivot will work!

Today is a potential massive benchmark as Osman may be playing in the hole for Everton... I don't know if Moyes will stick again with Anichebe upfront though (so 4-4-2).

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Today is a potential massive benchmark as Osman may be playing in the hole for Everton... I don't know if Moyes will stick again with Anichebe upfront though (so 4-4-2).

I reckon Anichebe will start upfront, play as a focal point so they've got something to aim for with long balls/crosses. Reckon Branna and Cahill or whoevers in CB should be able to cope with Anichebe. I mean yeah hes a big lad but Luiz, Branna and Cahill are all excellent in the air.

[SeB 1,281]

I reckon Anichebe will start upfront, play as a focal point so they've got something to aim for with long balls/crosses. Reckon Branna and Cahill or whoevers in CB should be able to cope with Anichebe. I mean yeah hes a big lad but Luiz, Branna and Cahill are all excellent in the air.

Anichebe is a kind of Benteke/Heskey: wins most of his aerial challenges but can't direct it, that's often given back to the opposition

[Styles 9,790]

I'd love to respect the opinions of some of our ex players but Pat some ludicrously stupid things sometimes and this being one of them.

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

Anichebe is a kind of Benteke/Heskey: wins most of his aerial challenges but can't direct it, that's often given back to the opposition

Well that is alright then haha, as long as he keeps heading the ball to Cole/Azpi/one of our players I don't mind

[OneMoSalah 8,614]

I'd love to respect the opinions of some of our ex players but Pat some ludicrously stupid things sometimes and this being one of them.

Exactly. He didn't take the fact that we were playing a Villa side that put no pressure on the ball at all. Every time Luiz/Lamps had the ball they had about 15 yards free space to do whatever they wanted.

Lampard and Luiz doesn't work because Luiz's positioning is constantly poor and he dives into simple tackles, loses them and a team of better quality would start exposing Lampard or where he should be as he usually marauding forward as if hes the CM version of Cafu (or he was in pre-season anyway). One of them needs to sit back the whole time, both were usually high up the pitch vs VIlla, if Villa pressed us and won the ball they would of easily then bypassed our midfield because both of them would have been in a more attacking position, then boom they could have a whatever v 2 or v 1 or whatever. Thank fuck Paul Lambert wasn't born with a brain.

[The only place to be 11,313]

18 posts before someone points out that Luiz has played less than half-a-dozen games in that position, and that he's been asked to do different things in each of them.