The Rotation

[Term-X 7,891]

Oscar settling in deeper.

Nothing to suggest that will be happening. Mourinho had plenty of time to experiment in pre-season.

If Lampard is favoured over him in the pivot, that tells you all you need to know. Mourinho won't be restricting Oscar in a deeper role like what happened with 'former' CAM Mikel. He's Brazil's number 10 for a reason..

It's been posted before, but this is the single greatest article ever posted on a Chelsea player. 'Zonal Markings' Michael Cox on Oscar..

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1713?cc=5739

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Nothing to suggest that will be happening. Mourinho had plenty of time to experiment in pre-season.

If Lampard is favoured over him in the pivot, that tells you all you need to know. Mourinho won't be restricting Oscar in a deeper role like what happened with 'former' CAM Mikel. He's Brazil's number 10 for a reason..

It's been posted before, but this is the single greatest article ever posted on a Chelsea player. 'Zonal Markings' Michael Cox on Oscar..

http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/tacticsandanalysis/id/1713?cc=5739

I barely think so. Even though on paper he starts in the #10 role, he's always fallen deep. I see him slowly making the transition. have read that long ago.

[Term-X 7,891]

I barely think so. Even though on paper he starts in the #10 role, he's always fallen deep. I see him slowly making the transition. have read that long ago.

Unlike Mata he works harder for the team, tracks back and uses his physicality, and offers a lot more to our overall game. Once Hazard/Schurrle & Willian get into their stride, the wings will be 'CHELSEA' personified, just like in the Robben/Duff days. Thus, less emphasis and over reliance on the CAM. If Mata went missing last season and before... we lost.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

Unlike Mata he works harder for the team, tracks back and uses his physicality, and offers a lot more to our overall game. Once Hazard/Schurrle & Willian get into their stride, the wings will be 'CHELSEA' personified, just like in the Robben/Duff days. Thus, less emphasis and over reliance on the CAM. If Mata went missing last season and before... we lost.

Agreed, hopefully everything works out, still got a bad feeling that despite the potential, Willian will have a problem, but that's problem the negative me thinking.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Why are Madrid the reference point though? i know it was Mou's last team, but it's not like they won anything with the fewer options they had.

If anything, our squad right now is built to last a whole season - something we couldn't have said last season. We had to play Bertrand or Ramires on the wings more than a few times, and that hurt us due to how restricted both are in the position. Not to mention Yossi and Marin who never did anything of note while coming off the bench.

Now we can still field good teams when we have games every 3 days, or an away trip in Europe and not lose a tremendous amount of quality.

Finally like Mourinho said - I'd rather have a team with too much options and quality than one with few like last season or even worse, the season with Carlo when all we had on the bench were youth team players.

It's not about Real Madrid. Every team is about the same. For example, in 38 Premier League games last season, 16 outfield players started at least 10 games for Man City and that's with a bunch of injuries. They had a total of 5 players start more than 10 games at the 4 most attacking positions they only had 2 more who started a single game (including Scott Sinclair's 2 starts). We have NINE players for those spots that other teams use 5, 6 players for ad that's not including Ramires who is capable of playing there. That's way beyond the depth we need..

[Strike 7,251]

Essien

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Essien

I think Essien is probably out, Ba won't play much but there's almost certainly an attacking midfielder who won't play much as well.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I think you actually just proved his point because, last season, some of those players barely got a few minutes for Bayern all season.

The point im trying to make is i dont really care if people dont get games, thats the down side of having such a great team.

Barcelona had people like bojan, villa, thiago, fabregas(in his first season), ibrahimovic, and many others angry on the bench. And this was during their time as the best ever footballing team.

The best ever footballing team is what i want chelsea to be, and it needs a big squad to get there. Sure people will not be happy, but thats the price you pay for full glory...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The point im trying to make is i dont really care if people dont get games, thats the down side of having such a great team.

Barcelona had people like bojan, villa, thiago, fabregas(in his first season), ibrahimovic, and many others angry on the bench. And this was during their time as the best ever footballing team.

The best ever footballing team is what i want chelsea to be, and it needs a big squad to get there. Sure people will not be happy, but thats the price you pay for full glory...

Those players were left out of the Barcelona team because their performances were not good enough for the manager. Barca's squad was not a big one, in fact it was one of the smallest in La Liga. They often had to play players out of position because of the lack of cover they had. Does that mean, in order to be a top team like Barcelona you need a thin squad with no back up for players? Of course not. But similarly, just because Bayern had a squad bigger than they needed last season it does not imply that in order to win the treble like them your squad needs to be too big.

Squad depth certainly helps you get results over the season; we learned that the tough way last season. But that does not mean that having unhappy players rotting on the bench is synonymous with being a top team. Balance is everything in football.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Those players were left out of the Barcelona team because their performances were not good enough for the manager. Barca's squad was not a big one, in fact it was one of the smallest in La Liga. They often had to play players out of position because of the lack of cover they had. Does that mean, in order to be a top team like Barcelona you need a thin squad with no back up for players? Of course not. But similarly, just because Bayern had a squad bigger than they needed last season it does not imply that in order to win the treble like them your squad needs to be too big.

Squad depth certainly helps you get results over the season; we learned that the tough way last season. But that does not mean that having unhappy players rotting on the bench is synonymous with being a top team. Balance is everything in football.

Either your not quite understanding me, or you severely underestimate the impact of a big squad mixed with a good manager.

Yes balance is important, but sacrificing titles is not the way foward. We've gone through too many transitional seasons since ancelloti left, its time we take matters into our hands and pose a serious threat in the EPL. The best way to start doing that is getting a strong squad, a competitive manager, then we take it from there.

We have won the premier league 3 times, in the last 11 years. Check the difference between the winning squads and the rest and you will get what i mean

[CHOULO19 24,332]

okay. We have won the premier league 3 times, in the last 11 years. Check the difference between the winning squads and the rest and you will get what i mean

I really wasn't trying to debate with you the importance of squad depth because it's something that can't be quantized and measured and thus the gravity of its importance will always be a matter of opinion. You can't compare two teams and say this one lost the tittle solely because they had less depth than the other. It certainly can play a factor, but there are so many more variables involved between two teams or even between the same team from one season to another.

All I was trying to do was answer a couple of specific points in your post. It started with Toronto saying that having this much players as we currently have means that some will inevitably be unhappily rotting on the bench. You tried to disprove that by giving an example about Bayern's squad and I didn't think that it was very logical since Bayern did indeed have players last season unhappily rotting on the bench. Then you pointed to Barcelona and I replied that they didn't have a big squad but on the contrary their squad was too small.

So, again, I'm not trying to change your mind about the importance of squad depth; I'm just saying that you can't logically draw that conclusion from the examples you've given above.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I really wasn't trying to debate with you the importance of squad depth because it's something that can't be quantized and measured and thus the gravity of its importance will always be a matter of opinion. You can't compare two teams and say this one lost the tittle solely because they had less depth than the other. It certainly can play a factor, but there are so many more variables involved between two teams or even between the same team from one season to another.

All I was trying to do was answer a couple of specific points in your post. It started with Toronto saying that having this much players as we currently have means that some will inevitably be unhappily rotting on the bench. You tried to disprove that by giving an example about Bayern's squad and I didn't think that it was very logical since Bayern did indeed have players last season unhappily rotting on the bench. Then you pointed to Barcelona and I replied that they didn't have a big squad but on the contrary their squad was too small.

So, again, I'm not trying to change your mind about the importance of squad depth; I'm just saying that you can't logically draw that conclusion from the examples you've given above.

i edited my post.

I was just trying to emphasize that the strongest squads always come 1st or 2nd in the league and its been too long since weve gotten near these positions.

But my problem is that you guys seem more interested in keeping the players happy than winning titles. And me i want more titles for us even at the cost of unhappy players thats where our opinions differ though.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

i edited my post.

I was just trying to emphasize that the strongest squads always come 1st or 2nd in the league and its been too long since weve gotten near these positions.

But my problem is that you guys seem more interested in keeping the players happy than winning titles. And me i want more titles for us even at the cost of unhappy players thats where our opinions differ though.

I haven't even expressed an opinion about squad depth in this thread other than that I think it's importance is very subjective and I certainly haven't said anything yet about our current squad, so if you are including me in the bold part I have no idea how you have come to that conclusion.

My opinion is that having squad depth is crucial to any team competing for several trophies, but there has to be some balance. There are countless factors that affect any teams search for silverware. Having depth and options to rest players and replace injured ones with little change in quality helps you a lot, but having unhappy players which inevitably affects the mood in the dressing rooms hinders you. So it's all about balance for me.

[zolayes 14,489]

going to wander back in time ..Clubs didnt have squads , They had a first team and a reserve team some had third team called an A team.

The top reserve league had 22 teams the same number as the First Division.

Players werent rotated and many played in every game. Injuries were much fewer and for example in one of their title winning years I believe Liverpool

only used about 15 players. The need to rest puzzles me a little. The pitches are much better ,,,diet is better ,,,medical facilities are much better.

I sometimes wonder if it is excessive training which is leading to an increase in injuries.

International teams called up about 14 players for a game ,,and it was a rarity for anyone to drop out.

I am not saying it was better in the old days but it can be interesting to look back .

[hjperdeath 2,226]

going to wander back in time ..Clubs didnt have squads , They had a first team and a reserve team some had third team called an A team.

The top reserve league had 22 teams the same number as the First Division.

Players werent rotated and many played in every game. Injuries were much fewer and for example in one of their title winning years I believe Liverpool

only used about 15 players. The need to rest puzzles me a little. The pitches are much better ,,,diet is better ,,,medical facilities are much better.

I sometimes wonder if it is excessive training which is leading to an increase in injuries.

International teams called up about 14 players for a game ,,and it was a rarity for anyone to drop out.

I am not saying it was better in the old days but it can be interesting to look back .

that part is true. Sir Bobby Charlton did recently say that he never picked up an injury in his 21 years, and it was because he was lazy.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

I haven't even expressed an opinion about squad depth in this thread other than that I think it's importance is very subjective and I certainly haven't said anything yet about our current squad, so if you are including me in the bold part I have no idea how you have come to that conclusion.

My opinion is that having squad depth is crucial to any team competing for several trophies, but there has to be some balance. There are countless factors that affect any teams search for silverware. Having depth and options to rest players and replace injured ones with little change in quality helps you a lot, but having unhappy players which inevitably affects the mood in the dressing rooms hinders you. So it's all about balance for me.

Youre right about balance though. But look at the top 6 teams this season and their players behind the main striker.

Manchester utd (young, rooney, kagawa, valencia, zaha, nani)

manchester city(navas, silva, jovetic, nasri, milner,) i didnt even mention aguero behind Dzeko(the striker up top)

Arsenal (ozil, carzola, walcot, podolski, ox, rosicky)

Liverpool (aspas, coutinho, moses, henderson, sterling, ibe)

Tottenham (chadli, erickson, lamela, townsend, sirgudson, lennon)

Now look at ours

Chelsea (hazard, mata, willian, schurrle, oscar, KDB)

All we did was try to make sure ours was the best of the lot, both starting and on the bench so that we have a clear advantage in the title race.

I honestly dont see anything wrong with this.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Youre right about balance though. But look at the top 6 teams this season and their players behind the main striker.

Manchester utd (young, rooney, kagawa, valencia, zaha, nani)

manchester city(navas, silva, jovetic, nasri, milner,) i didnt even mention aguero behind Dzeko(the striker up top)

Arsenal (ozil, carzola, walcot, podolski, ox, rosicky)

Liverpool (aspas, coutinho, moses, henderson, sterling, ibe)

Tottenham (chadli, erickson, lamela, townsend, sirgudson, lennon)

Now look at ours

Chelsea (hazard, mata, willian, schurrle, oscar, KDB)

All we did was try to make sure ours was the best of the lot, both starting and on the bench so that we have a clear advantage in the title race.

I honestly dont see anything wrong with this.

It's not about the number but rather the quality. Everyone of those teams has players that will have very little role in the season. For Arsenal Ox and Rosicky will likely have small roles, for United Young Kagawa and Zaha, for Liverpool Sterling and ibe, for Tottenham Townsend and Lennon. City are not really over-loaded as Milner often plays deeper in a 3-man midfield.

The problem for us is that all of our players are too good to be playing a very small role for any team, even Chelsea. Had we not signed Willian and kept Moses I would have said that we had excellent balanced depth.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

I haven't even expressed an opinion about squad depth in this thread other than that I think it's importance is very subjective and I certainly haven't said anything yet about our current squad, so if you are including me in the bold part I have no idea how you have come to that conclusion.

My opinion is that having squad depth is crucial to any team competing for several trophies, but there has to be some balance. There are countless factors that affect any teams search for silverware. Having depth and options to rest players and replace injured ones with little change in quality helps you a lot, but having unhappy players which inevitably affects the mood in the dressing rooms hinders you. So it's all about balance for me.

Also, Its gonna be interesting to see how Pellegrini's is gonna manage his side with all the squad depth at the Etihad.

I cannot possibly comprehend how he's gonna fit all those players in the squad, especially in the forward department.