🇪🇸 Pedro Rodríguez

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Pedro probably looks around himself on the pitch and feels like he is playing school playground football. Except from Hazard nobody and I mean not one player in our team has the quality on the ball anywhere near Pedro's level. It's quite bad for a top English club if you ask me.

Even watching hazard recent performances, he'll be wondering what all the fuss is all about

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Didn't play well yesterday it must be said.

Really anxious to see him hit his stride along with Hazard, should be a treat to watch.

[Henrique 9,133]

Pedro probably looks around himself on the pitch and feels like he is playing school playground football. Except from Hazard nobody and I mean not one player in our team has the quality on the ball anywhere near Pedro's level. It's quite bad for a top English club if you ask me.

Not sure what you are talking about. For me Pedro has always been an average striker. What is bad for English clubs as a whole is losing Suarez and getting Pedro. To be honest he left Barcelona because you just don't need Pedro when you have Suarez, Neymar and Messi in the front.

[DDA 9,938]

Not sure what you are talking about. For me Pedro has always been an average striker. What is bad for English clubs as a whole is losing Suarez and getting Pedro. To be honest he left Barcelona because you just don't need Pedro when you have Suarez, Neymar and Messi in the front.

But you say it's bad for English clubs as a whole to lose Suarez whereas I think it was marvelous how Liverpool lost one of the best strikers in the world and not to another English club too. That was a win, win for us. As long as the other teams are weaker than us. Then I am happy.

P.s I personally think Pedro is an above average striker.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Meh can't see him becoming anything more than a better Kalou, his stats at Barca was a bit deceiving because he played alongside some of the best assist playmakers in football history, anyone half decent(which he is) can get at least double figure every season. In fact apart from 09-10 and 10-11 seasons where he consistently scored in big games and finals since then he has been nothing more than a bit part player, scoring against small teams mostly.

He is similar to Fabregas in this sense that he will help us against smaller oppositions, but don't expect him to light it up when we play PSG in Feb because he is not that sort of player anymore, if he was Barcelona would have never sold him any pay shady money for Neymar in the 1st place. I mean in fact his form has gone down so much since 10-11 season that I can hardly remember anything meaningful he contributes since then apart from Youtube videos about him.

Overall I think he will be a fine player for us in the next couple of years but after that will quickly turn into a Malouda, eventually cast off into oblivion and our search for the RW Hazard keeps going.

[Stats 7,142]

Didn't play well yesterday it must be said.

Really anxious to see him hit his stride along with Hazard, should be a treat to watch.

I thought he had a good game. Not spectacular but looked very lively when he was on the ball. It was his great footwork that caused Cazorla to get 1 of the 2 yellow cards and he really looked lively when running with the ball. Early stages so far but so far I am impressed and think he will continue to add so much more to our team.

[Reddish-Blue 2,505]

I thought he had a good game. Not spectacular but looked very lively when he was on the ball. It was his great footwork that caused Cazorla to get 1 of the 2 yellow cards and he really looked lively when running with the ball. Early stages so far but so far I am impressed and think he will continue to add so much more to our team.

I thought he went missing in the second half and as the commentators on the stream we're saying, 'Pedro left his shooting boots at home today'

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

I thought he had a good game. Not spectacular but looked very lively when he was on the ball. It was his great footwork that caused Cazorla to get 1 of the 2 yellow cards and he really looked lively when running with the ball. Early stages so far but so far I am impressed and think he will continue to add so much more to our team.

He's capable of more, and he fluffed a lot of our attacks...

But I'm not overly concerned, right now.

The focus has to be on JM and our core players in Hazard, Cesc, Oscar, Costa, Ivan etc.

[Henrique 9,133]

But you say it's bad for English clubs as a whole to lose Suarez whereas I think it was marvelous how Liverpool lost one of the best strikers in the world and not to another English club too. That was a win, win for us. As long as the other teams are weaker than us. Then I am happy.

P.s I personally think Pedro is an above average striker.

I don't think so. If you have the best in your league, your team must get stronger to stay on top.Just think about Arsenal game, a great effort wasn't required to beat them, to be honest.

[DDA 9,938]

I don't think so. If you have the best in your league, your team must get stronger to stay on top.Just think about Arsenal game, a great effort wasn't required to beat them, to be honest.

Yea but we are talking about Arsenal here. Let's not consider Arsenal a top team now.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I actually think he is crucial for our attacks in the past few games. Especially against Arsenal. Simply because he is the only attacker with a direct approach.

How many times did we get into the final third and play a needless extra pass or complicated things more than they should be? He's the only player who actually puts in the ball the first time he gets the chance, shoots at the first sight of goal, and we've been really missing that. Yes, his shooting was off on Saturday but he's been crucial at creating chances, something I feel we are still struggling at.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

I actually think he is crucial for our attacks in the past few games. Especially against Arsenal. Simply because he is the only attacker with a direct approach.

How many times did we get into the final third and play a needless extra pass or complicated things more than they should be? He's the only player who actually puts in the ball the first time he gets the chance, shoots at the first sight of goal, and we've been really missing that. Yes, his shooting was off on Saturday but he's been crucial at creating chances, something I feel we are still struggling at.

The reluctance to shoot is almost like a habit that;s been growing for years now. Almost like the boys do it everyday in training. We play so well to bring the ball to the final third, then get cold feet and pass it around again. The no nonsense direct approach is imbibed in Pedro's play and hopefully he doesn't end up losing it.

[coolhead23 1,147]

I actually think he is crucial for our attacks in the past few games. Especially against Arsenal. Simply because he is the only attacker with a direct approach.

How many times did we get into the final third and play a needless extra pass or complicated things more than they should be? He's the only player who actually puts in the ball the first time he gets the chance, shoots at the first sight of goal, and we've been really missing that. Yes, his shooting was off on Saturday but he's been crucial at creating chances, something I feel we are still struggling at.

Wasnt very sure when he came in ... was like 28yr, ... more of a techincal player wouldnt last in the PL, wouldnt cross in the box ... Willian wouldnt be benched ... blab blab ...

But the first touch, run and delivery in that first 5 mins on debut ... was like WTF, we dont play this kind of game and the first 5 mins just cleared out every assumption I had/made ...

Hazard and Willian takes too much time on the ball which at times settles down the tempo and momentum ... whereas Pedro is quick while releasing the ball into the box (guess that is part of the Barca DNA)

I have always maintained that we too slow in distributing the ball ... we just like to keep the ball to ourselves and that becomes so distinct with Pedro is around. As you pointed, the only direct player we have right now.

If we cut down our possession time in the final third by even 1 sec, feel that we will maintain the pacy tempo ... And with more shooting on the target we move up a level ... (Ifs and Buts)

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

I don't think so. If you have the best in your league, your team must get stronger to stay on top.Just think about Arsenal game, a great effort wasn't required to beat them, to be honest.

Agree whole-heartedly.

That's how Fergie built a team that would go on to win the PL 3x on the trot, and get to 3 UCL Finals in 4 years! JM swooped in and set a new standard, better tactics and higher point totals and Fergie responded brilliantly.

Great teams raise the standard that everybody else adheres to. If City win the league by 8+ points like we did last season, and City did the year before. One of the main rivals WILL respond (prob Man U or Us) by buying big in the summer.

It doesn't look good for the EPL when LvG's point total last year wouldn't have been good enough to finish in the top 4 the year Moyes got fired in 13/14.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

Still doesn't feel like a chelsea player to me.

I honestly don't know what to really make of him.

[robsblubot 3,595]

Less worried about his performances - which have been poor.

Far more worried about the imbalance that his constant presence in the starting XI has created.

[Jase 43,479]

Less worried about his performances - which have been poor.

Far more worried about the imbalance that his constant presence in the starting XI has created.

Our starting XI is already not balanced even before his arrival. It doesn't change much really.

[robsblubot 3,595]

Our starting XI is already not balanced even before his arrival. It doesn't change much really.

worsens the problem IMO.

Before Pedro we already had 3 poor markers (guys who can't tackle to save their lives): Hazard, Diego, and Fabregas. Then we have OK tacklers, like Oscar and William.

Pedro who doesn't even know what a tackle is (he will foul on every attempt) has lowered the number of defensive minded players in our starting XI. That in addition to Hazard poor fitness, Oscar Injuries, and William's poor form IMO exacerbated the problem you mentioned.

To make things worse, we are no longer employing a low block so we need to press more up front, not less.

I am not surprised the defenders, esp the slower ones are suffering. Cahill will suffer too (because he's not that quick) if things don't improve soon.

[Jase 43,479]

worsens the problem IMO.

Before Pedro we already had 3 poor markers (guys who can't tackle to save their lives): Hazard, Diego, and Fabregas. Then we have OK tacklers, like Oscar and William.

Pedro who doesn't even know what a tackle is (he will foul on every attempt) has lowered the number of defensive minded players in our starting XI. That in addition to Hazard poor fitness, Oscar Injuries, and William's poor form IMO exacerbated the problem you mentioned.

To make things worse, we are no longer employing a low block so we need to press more up front, not less.

I am not surprised the defenders, esp the slower ones are suffering. Cahill will suffer too (because he's not that quick) if things don't improve soon.

I take your point but don't think it's fair to attribute that problem to Pedro's inclusion. Fix the other issues and we probably wouldn't even be talking about him. Let's not also forget that Pedro is in a new league and playing a whole different football. Not finding excuses but he clearly needs some time to fully adapt.

[robsblubot 3,595]

I take your point but don't think it's fair to attribute that problem to Pedro's inclusion. Fix the other issues and we probably wouldn't even be talking about him. Let's not also forget that Pedro is in a new league and playing a whole different football. Not finding excuses but he clearly needs some time to fully adapt.

ah I did not mean to say taking pedro off would do it... just that the manage must be cognizant of the fact he's got another attacker on the pitch.

If Pedro deserves his starting positon ( so far he hasn't) then adapt in other areas - formation for example.

I was shocked by our starting XI today. Too open too attacking for an away fixture.