🇷🇸 Branislav Ivanovic

[The only place to be 11,313]

What a surprise....when he has players making runs for him he actually gets forward well.

Absolutely fantastic in defence and attack.

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

Famous last words between me and my dad:

'Oh here comes another Ivanovic dreadful cross..............ah shit what a goal, fair play'.

Well in dude, great performance capped with a well deserved goal!

[johnnythefirst 1,076]

Famous last words between me and my dad:

'Oh here comes another Ivanovic dreadful cross..............ah shit what a goal, fair play'.

So after that he... he died?

[Eidur the Spider 4,515]

So after that he... he died?

:-(

No no...Torres didn't come on so there was no need for anything drastic

[CHOULO19 24,332]

He was excellent going forward in the first half!

He took his time on crosses and actually picked out a target and aimed at it. Was crucial to our attack since Azpi did absolutely nothing on the left wing going forward.

[Barbara 15,149]

For me Azpili and Luís have to fight for that LB position because the RB belongs to this man (and I don't think Azpili was that good today to be honest, I'd rather play Iva and Luis tbh)

I criticized his crosses - like every other sane person did - but I've always been a defender of this guy in our first team. There are few with his attitude and his quality. He's a legend, a walking legend.

I looooove Iva and he symbolizes a lot what I think Chelsea is, especially now that many of our 'old guard' guys have left.

That pass to Cesc was perfect and he was good through and through.

I don't like him much as a CB and I hope we don't need to use him there, but he can do a job there as well. Either way, I think we can't lose his leadership, spirit, energy and strength in the pitch, in addition to his qualities as a defender. As an offensive FB I know he'll have good days and bad days (or maybe with better people to move around him, he'll have mostly good days), but I'll take it. He has to stay.

And this was funny, lol

[iseah100 5,612]

For me Azpili and Luís have to fight for that LB position because the RB belongs to this man (and I don't think Azpili was that good today to be honest, I'd rather play Iva and Luis tbh)

I criticized his crosses - like every other sane person did - but I've always been a defender of this guy in our first team. There are few with his attitude and his quality. He's a legend, a walking legend.

I looooove Iva and he symbolizes a lot what I think Chelsea is, especially now that many of our 'old guard' guys have left.

That pass to Cesc was perfect and he was good through and through.

I don't like him much as a CB and I hope we don't need to use him there, but he can do a job there as well. Either way, I think we can't lose his leadership, spirit, energy and strength in the pitch, in addition to his qualities as a defender. As an offensive FB I know he'll have good days and bad days (or maybe with better people to move around him, he'll have mostly good days), but I'll take it. He has to stay.

And this was funny, lol

This. I always liked him, sure he has his days where he can't do shit right but defend. He's a good defender and can cross occasionally. He will probably be captain when JT doesn't play. I love this guy.

[Beigl 1,387]

Really love this guy.He always fights until the game is over.Yesterday he showed finally after some time what he is capable of attacking wise.Nice cross to Fabregas in the build-up to the second goal.In defense solid as ever.Our Serbian Rock!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7N_Y8YtcTH8

[Tomo 21,751]

He was excellent going forward in the first half!

He took his time on crosses and actually picked out a target and aimed at it. Was crucial to our attack since Azpi did absolutely nothing on the left wing going forward.

That's the thing, last night was the Ivanovic we saw under Ancelotti, like TOPTB said when players are making runs and putting themselves in the box Ivanovic isn't anywhere near as bad going forward as popular opinion suggests.

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Most underrated player in the Chelsea shirt, our own beast. Imo he is one of the best defender in BPL atm and actually has been for quite sometime now, in top 10 anyway.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

That's the thing, last night was the Ivanovic we saw under Ancelotti, like TOPTB said when players are making runs and putting themselves in the box Ivanovic isn't anywhere near as bad going forward as popular opinion suggests.

My main issue with his crosses is that he usually doesn't aim at anyone in particular. In fact, almost always, he usually has his eyes on the ground on the ball when crossing and not on who is in the box. It's an issue of technique. But last night he was actually getting getting his head up and picking people out. Was it only because he was not pressured and in loads of space last night or is this something he has been working on? I really hope it's the latter.

[Myself 793]

He's definitely been working on his crosses, we saw that in preseason and we saw that against Burnley.

I'm not going to jump on the Ivanovic wankfest just yet, mind you. Still believe Dave is the way to go, would be so unfair to drop him (it would also be harsh to drop Branna, I know I know)

[lionsden 4,689]

He was fanatastic yersterday and a motm candidate for sure but what I want to know is, was his pass to fabregas a fluke or intended. There's no way he has that type of vision as it was a late run by cesc that only a player with excellent vision could have spotted.

[Barbara 15,149]

He was fanatastic yersterday and a motm candidate for sure but what I want to know is, was his pass to fabregas a fluke or intended. There's no way he has that type of vision as it was a late run by cesc that only a player with excellent vision could have spotted.

you mean for Schurrle's goal? Of course it was intended imo. He was ready to cross, then he saw Cesc raising his hand and passed to him. there wasn't anywhere near enough to Cesc for him to have aimed someone else, unless you mean another pass? Also I don't think it needs to have an excellent vision to spot that... it's what Choulo said, once you raise your head and look around before crossing, you know where it's better to put the ball. I'm not discrediting him, but I don't think it was a case of excellent vision, it was a case of very good vision imo. On Costa's goal I think it was a case we could say it was a fluke as it didn't seem like he was aiming to the goal, just what would have been a really bad cross, but things worked out.

[Daniel1980 1,425]

He was fanatastic yersterday and a motm candidate for sure but what I want to know is, was his pass to fabregas a fluke or intended. There's no way he has that type of vision as it was a late run by cesc that only a player with excellent vision could have spotted.

The pass was clearly intended. Cesc was actively asking for the ball, so I don't think it was hard to spot him, considering that there weren't people around him.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Backed up a really good pre season with a goal and a super ball to Cesc for the Schurrle goal.

[Dion 2,476]

Backed up a really good pre season with a goal and a super ball to Cesc for the Schurrle goal.

Don't forget Costa's goal came from a rebound of Iva's shot iirc.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Don't forget Costa's goal came from a rebound of Iva's shot iirc.

I'm pretty sure it was a cross that hit the post.

[Special Juan 28,141]

It came from Brana via a deflection from a Burnley player and onto the post.

[Dion 2,476]

I'm pretty sure it was a cross that hit the post.

It came from Brana via a deflection from a Burnley player and onto the post.

There you go. Rebound on the post. The angle doesn't help much though. It may have been deflect but the goal wouldn't have happened if not for Iva, and that's what matters.