🇷🇸 Branislav Ivanovic

[Spike 12,049]

He wasn't spectacular today but you know what? He is a defender and defender's job is to make sure the team doesn't lose and a clean sheet is attained. Job done Ivanovic. Forwards win games, defender's don't lose games.

[hjperdeath 2,226]

This is really adorable.

[Azpinator 2,325]

I want a gif version of his close-up at the match today when he screamed and then made a weird face! Does anyone have that?

[Barbara 15,149]

I want a gif version of his close-up at the match today when he screamed and then made a weird face! Does anyone have that?

came here just to post it, and then I find you requested it

I'd be afraid if I were the guy he was screaming at. He looks like a psycho ready for the kill in the second - and I say this lightly, as a joke, so don't take those words seriously

[CHOULO19 24,332]

came here just to post it, and then I find you requested it

I'd be afraid if I were the guy he was screaming at. He looks like a psycho ready for the kill in the second - and I say this lightly, as a joke, so don't take those words seriously

LOL it was aimed at Web after he wrongly gave the throw in to Everton

[Azpinator 2,325]

Thank you @Barbara so much

This is so awesome, like it's a scene from a movie or something:













Sorry, I got carried away.

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

HE SHOUTED- HOWARD!

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Gave safari all the time in the world to cross the ball into the box for the 1st goal.

[Jase 43,479]

Absolutely hate it how he always takes 2-3 touches before crossing the ball from the right flank. Gives the opposition time to get back to their defensive shape and even putting pressure on his cross!

[happy_juan 64]

Absolutely hate it how he always takes 2-3 touches before crossing the ball from the right flank. Gives the opposition time to get back to their defensive shape and even putting pressure on his cross!

That would be pardonable if he actually ends up putting in a good cross, which is rarely the case.

[Styles 9,790]

Ivanovic is a CB; he's not a RB.

[Jase 43,479]

That would be pardonable if he actually ends up putting in a good cross, which is rarely the case.

The crosses are rather useless when we usually don't have anyone attacking it.

[The Skipper 20,609]

Ivanovic is a CB; he's not a RB.

Yup. Bran can cover excellently at RB, can have good games there but he's still a CB first and foremost.

Azpi is our best RB by far.

[didierforever 7,349]

brilliant work-rate. always available as an option on the wing. took a couple of really good runs and seemed to be one of the best "attacking" threats. defensively was awesome.

but really needs to stop putting the low crosses. by now even our strikers have lost hope that they can actually score and no one even makes a run. should just try and run to the by-line and try to get a corner from the next match. :sigh:

[The only place to be 11,313]

Ivanovic is a CB; he's not a RB.

He's played well at RB and I've seen plenty of people criticise him last season when he was at CB. He offers so much in the box from set pieces too that I think he's probably one of the few nailed-on starters that we have.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

This guy is a fucking work-horse

[Styles 9,790]

He's played well at RB and I've seen plenty of people criticise him last season when he was at CB. He offers so much in the box from set pieces too that I think he's probably one of the few nailed-on starters that we have.

He's brilliant at set-pieces, but that goes without saying considering his size.

It's in open-play where we suffer. He's perfect at RB when we're doing a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort against the likes of Barca/Bayern, but when we dominate play and need better combination play + more guile on the flanks then he's simply not good enough. I'm not singling him out because I've said the same about Ashley. Our wing-play is poor because our fullbacks aren't particularly good technically and clever on the ball. You look around the top European clubs and their fullbacks are brilliant, technically gifted players. Ashley and Ivan are excellent defenders but they provide very little going forward.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He's brilliant at set-pieces, but that goes without saying considering his size.

It's in open-play where we suffer. He's perfect at RB when we're doing a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort against the likes of Barca/Bayern, but when we dominate play and need better combination play + more guile on the flanks then he's simply not good enough. I'm not singling him out because I've said the same about Ashley. Our wing-play is poor because our fullbacks aren't particularly good technically and clever on the ball. You look around the top European clubs and their fullbacks are brilliant, technically gifted players. Ashley and Ivan are excellent defenders but they provide very little going forward.

Brilliantly put. Completely agree.

[The only place to be 11,313]

He's brilliant at set-pieces, but that goes without saying considering his size.

It's in open-play where we suffer. He's perfect at RB when we're doing a backs-to-the-wall defensive effort against the likes of Barca/Bayern, but when we dominate play and need better combination play + more guile on the flanks then he's simply not good enough. I'm not singling him out because I've said the same about Ashley. Our wing-play is poor because our fullbacks aren't particularly good technically and clever on the ball. You look around the top European clubs and their fullbacks are brilliant, technically gifted players. Ashley and Ivan are excellent defenders but they provide very little going forward.

I think you're downplaying him. I think he's become a very good player going forward, and Azpi got plenty of stick about his crosses last season so let's not do that thing where players become better in their absence.

Ivanovic has been one of our best players this season and the least of our issues.

[Styles 9,790]

I think you're downplaying him. I think he's become a very good player going forward, and Azpi got plenty of stick about his crosses last season so let's not do that thing where players become better in their absence.

Ivanovic has been one of our best players this season and the least of our issues.

Your definition of 'very good going forward' is very different from mine in that case. I'd use that to describe the likes of Lahm, Baines etc who are practically playmakers from fullback areas. Ivanovic is a solid, dependable defender but he isn't close to being the footballer that those two and other top RB/LB are.

I haven't said a word about Azpi so that straw-man argument is irrelevant, but since you bought him up I prefer his general link-play - not crossing - to Ivan's.