Closed Chelsea v Swansea

[DYC. 7,542]

Surprisingly good going forward. The energy of the team is really exciting to watch. Excellent pressing as well. It does make play quite chaotic though.

Terry caught slipping a few times. Ivanovic having a mare. Hazard has been really poor. Fabregas is a ghost. Again, high tempo games are his cryptonite. Yes, he's slow but so is Matic and he's fine.

Costa looks fit, looks good too. Oscar FK goal #1. He'll score at least one more this season, I'm sure. That 2nd goal was so fortunate, right after conceding as well. Very thankful for that.

Come out, score a third and slow the game down. Again, loving the energy. Never expected that today.

[yuvala 2,167]

Man Iva's getting raped

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Ivanovic is getting worse and worse in that right back position. Montero has him in his backpocket and it's incredibly frustrating. Their equaliser came from his side of the play and it continues to do so.

Mou once said "If I had a team of 11 Azpilicueta's I'd win the CL", well he only needs on at right-back and buy an able left-back!

[RhesusReus 219]

Should've been phased out last season instead he was made VC. Only reason he's in the team is because of his timely goals.

he has a place in the squad. whenever we play deep, counter-attacking, where doesn't have to cover space behind him, he's beastly.

But when we play expansively, he's the biggest weakness in the squad.

I just want to see Jose drop him for games where there are tricky, pacey wingers out wide and play Azpi there and Baba (when we sign him) as a LB,

[CMS 382]

Fullbacks get pulled wide all the time, it's their job to defend against that when they're facing their opposite number. He's not being passed around, he's getting beaten one on one by his opposite number.

No. absolutely not. Its a tactic to flatten out defenses. Whenever you level up with the defense out wide, you flatten out defense and makes it very difficult to defend. You defend as a group. You have the first defender, in this case Ivan, second defender, Cahill, and a balancing defender, who should be JT. If the second defender who should be Cahill, is occupied by Bafe, then Willian should pick up Montero, Ivan on Bafe, so Cahill can be the balancing defender. Its always in triangles. Its tactics 101. Small group defending.

[Pizy 18,368]

Ivanovic will have to cost us numerous goals in order for José to drop him. Only way. He's one of José's "generals" and is nearly undroppable because of that.

[Polo7 3,496]

I swear I read on here somewhere that there is no way we would play well today as we played shit 3 days ago. "Fans" ay!

[RhesusReus 219]

Montero gives every defender he comes up to a hard time tbh. Super quick and great dribbling + balance.

Zaha also owned Ivanovic last year.

It would be blind to not see that he's a weakness against good wingers that have pace. He can still battle it out against the physical wingers like Alexis Sanchez, but against smaller, quicker players, he's toast.

[DYC. 7,542]

We've looked dangerous going forward but at the same time defensively very susceptible.

Cesc and Ivanovic are big defensive liabilities but at least Cesc contributes to the attack. Ivanovic has been useless all round.

Struggling in the backline a bit, but the pressing has been excellent though. The amount of times the ball has been won high up is really impressive. Swansea barely breathing for most of the game.

It's just that Chelsea have been sloppy themselves.

[Barbara 15,149]

someone send this to Mou in case he missed the note with his tinted glass

[zolayes 14,489]

How is Costa's performance?

I would say its better than OK

[Polo7 3,496]

Ivanovic will have to cost us numerous goals in order for José to drop him. Only way. He's one of José's "generals" and is nearly undroppable because of that.

I also think that its to do with him scoring important goals when we need em most. But his defending is shocking today.

[CMS 382]

WE NEED MIKEL NOW :yay:

Are you for real? Plulllleeease

[The Skipper 20,593]

No. absolutely not. Its a tactic to flatten out defenses. Whenever you level up with the defense out wide, you flatten out defense and makes it very difficult to defend. You defend as a group. You have the first defender, in this case Ivan, second defender, Cahill, and a balancing defender, who should be JT. If the second defender who should be Cahill, is occupied by Bafe, then Willian should pick up Montero, Ivan on Bafe, so Cahill can be the balancing defender. Its always in triangles. Its tactics 101. Small group defending.

We are defending as a group though. For the Ayew goal, there was plenty of support inside for Ivanovic to pass off Montero to, but Ivanovic showed him the outside flank and that's when it turns into a 1-on-1 game and he got beaten.

Let's not act like Ivanovic isn't prone to doing this either, he's well known for struggling against quick, nippy wingers, or just 1 on 1 duels in general. He isn't great at it.

[nachikethas 1,149]

Just like the last season we have plenty of unwanted short passes in the penalty box instead of shooting. Hope hazard find his shooting boots soon.

[Essien19 1,415]

Imagine Ivan going against Sanchez whenever we play the Goons.

Remember last season?

CMS knows best!

[chrismada9 1,948]

How is Costa's performance?

He's not had his best game, but he's working hard out there!

[zolayes 14,489]

Are you for real? Plulllleeease

I am joking but seems from your posts you are a bigger than me