Branislav Ivanovic

[Jase 43,479]

Whats with the iva hate here?

Seems like to some people, giving constructive criticism equals to hating the player. Nice logic.

[Sovieticus 743]

Seems like to some people, giving constructive criticism equals to hating the player. Nice logic.

We can't critize anyone now! If you do, you are a hater. And haters suck! >: (

[The Chels 2,502]

Whats with the iva hate here?

He's one of Jose's untouchables even though he's very average and an inferior FB to both Azpi and Luis. Have you never noticed his awful positioning, pressing, ability to maintain concentration, attacking combination play (bar the odd occassion) and defending?

[We Hate Scouse 10,286]

He's one of Jose's untouchables even though he's very average and an inferior FB to both Azpi and Luis. Have you never noticed his awful positioning, pressing, ability to maintain concentration, attacking combination play (bar the odd occassion) and defending?

And his crosses that always fail to beat the first man

[Spike 12,049]

Iva is great! I just wish he didn't dive.

[Spike 12,049]

"He is one of the most offensive minded right-backs I've seen in the Premiership in a long time" - that guy that does Bien sports commentary.

Well it's true. I don't know why games like Football Manager and FIFA portray him as some defensive stalwart CB when he is more like bloody Dani Alves.

[bethos1 802]

"He is one of the most offensive minded right-backs I've seen in the Premiership in a long time" - that guy that does Bien sports commentary.

Well it's true. I don't know why games like Football Manager and FIFA portray him as some defensive stalwart CB when he is more like bloody Dani Alves.

Too bad he can't pass a ball.

[The Chels 2,502]

Arguably the worst player on the pitch and ends up getting the winner. Football eh!

[MrBlueGuy 1,552]

Arguably the worst player on the pitch and ends up getting the winner. Football eh!

He just got that magical touch, for some reasons nearly all his goals are extremely important and game deciding LOL. Final against Benfica, 2 against Liverpool in CL 08-09 away, last season against Villa...etc basically he is THE BIG GAME PLAYER, not great at anything but mentally this guy is one of the best in world football.

[King11Didier 916]

Branislav and his goals against liverpool. Still a better love story than twilight!

[Blue Armour 4,256]

Too bad he can't pass a ball.

Where's the mythbusters team when you need it?

But seriously, his passing and decision making in general has improved a lot this season. His crosses may still be a bit hit and miss though, but there are not too many who can say otherwise..

[Barbara 15,149]

“I’m happy with my goal but I think this game is a real example of how the team has to play and the team wins the game.”

— Branislav Ivanovic

truer words haven't been said. He knows - just like Mou, Terry, DD, Diego, Cesc that we need to change our mentality and go to each game as if we were going to war.

I'm pro Luís-Azpili, but the team loses a lot of its drive, bite and will without this man. He has the highest fighting spirit in the team and when it seems like this is what we lack the most, it's hard to imagine how worse the team would be without him...

Doesn't mean he hasn't been horrendous doing his primary job - which is defend.

[LAB 1,030]

Gotta love Brana's goals. All of them so important. Also, that celebration in front of Drogba

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Arguably the worst player on the pitch and ends up getting the winner. Football eh!

That one was for you mate.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

And to the Brana haters out there THAT is why he's always in the team.

[The Skipper 20,593]

He does come up with big goals doesnt he.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Happy about the goal, he's quite good at coming up with the goods in a knockout situation vs Liverpool isn't he?

Reading through the last few posts, I think it's very harsh to call criticism of Ivanovic as 'hate'. It's far from that. I think every Chelsea fan knows Ivanovic is a legend, he's been there through our highs and lows and he does have good character.. But like all fairy tales, they have to end.

He's been a weakness and a source of exposure in our backline for sometime now and I think the only reason it persists is because Mourinho feels he needs Azpilicueta on the right to account for Hazard. Not to criticise Hazard's defending either, but more to say Azpilicueta is better on the ball so he can help Hazard.

I hope that Mourinho is looking at either a right-back to replace Brana in June or he's looking for another left-back to provide competition for Filipe Luis. I'm not sure why Mourinho hasn't properly experimented with 'Azpilicueta - Zouma/Cahill - Terry - Luis' yet, maybe he doesn't trust Luis yet. I think for José he needs time with certain players to trust them.. If everyone recalls properly, last season even Azpilicueta didn't feature that much. Some believed Mourinho even had a vendetta against Spanish players

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Unbelievable how many important goals he scored...two against pool, winner against napoli, last year vs city, against benfica, now again vs liverpool

This guy is one of best game winners you can have. He is not best in defending anymore, but he is a fucking king when comes to scoring winning goals. Him and Drogba, hard to think of players who decided more important games.