Branislav Ivanovic

[The Skipper 20,593]

Laughed.

[robsblubot 3,462]

Mourinho is at fault for constantly picking the same underperforming players week in week out but he's not entirely to be blamed. It's not helping us at all when people like Ivanovic are putting in the same poor performance every week and aren't doing anything to fix their errors and get back to their best. The players are not taking responsibility for their performances and it's like they're just taking the easy way out by hiding behind Mourinho, knowing all the focus will be on him and not them.

Of of they are trying, but whatever they did it did not do on vacation is costing them right now.

For me the main problem is fitness or the lack thereof, and that will still take a couple few weeks to get sorted.

another prob is Pedro who is great in attack and terrible in D. Ivsnovic is getting even less cover becsuse of that. Or at the very least Pedro is new and still needs to gel in.

[killer1257 3,282]

Of of they are trying, but whatever they did it did not do on vacation is costing them right now.

For me the main problem is fitness or the lack thereof, and that will still take a couple few weeks to get sorted.

another prob is Pedro who is great in attack and terrible in D. Ivsnovic is getting even less cover becsuse of that. Or at the very least Pedro is new and still needs to gel in.

Barcelona have Messi on the right wing and Alves as a RB,who is considered to be one of the most offensive and modern fullbacks out there.Neymar on the LW and Alba as a LB,who is always up front trying to create something.

Still,they win their matches,play good football,but Chelsea is the only club out there who has to play defensive when having some good players on the wing.

[robsblubot 3,462]

Barcelona have Messi on the right wing and Alves as a RB,who is considered to be one of the most offensive and modern fullbacks out there.Neymar on the LW and Alba as a LB,who is always up front trying to create something.

Still,they win their matches,play good football,but Chelsea is the only club out there who has to play defensive when having some good players on the wing.

In a crisis we revisit all the known issues as if they were new.

Barcelona plays in a completely different system with miltiple layers in midfield itself - don't think we d be employing mascherano as z cb in the Epl either.

We have other defenders who also need a lot protection and no space left behind em, but we don't talk about it. They also don't contribute as much in attack as ivsnovic does.

Remember it's not just our D that is suffering all our stats and down from last season. Less attacking less possession more being attacked and do on.

[lionsden 4,689]

I don't think it's an exaggeration to claim he's the worst player in the EPL this season based on form.

[rantdeville 195]

...maybe not like a super serious injury. Maybe like an ingrown toenail or like a paper cut on his toe.

That conveniently resurfaces the night before every game [emoji15] at least for a couple weeks.

[the wes 7,212]

Pat Nevin has said that he believes the club’s biggest weak link at the moment in defence is Branislav Ivanovic with teams now targeting him, via BBC Sport

[Barbara 15,149]

This picture is hilarious

he looks like one of my kids after I tell them they'll miss 5 minutes of playground time because they misbehaved.

It looks like someone took all his toys away, he looks funny. He should get used to the feeling of being benched, but from what I've watched, Baba didn't give me confidence he'll displace Iva any time soon. This is a nightmare.

[Jase 43,479]

Chelsea planning for life without Branislav Ivanovic as Jose Mourinho orders scouts to find suitable replacements for the defender

So, Azpi...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Chelsea planning for life without Branislav Ivanovic as Jose Mourinho orders scouts to find suitable replacements for the defender

So, Azpi...

THREE FUCKING YEARS TOO LATE!

Nonetheless I hope this is true. Who the hell is Sami Mokbel?!

[Last Sicarius 610]

Just say welcome to bench Iva, pls. You do a lot of good for us but yours time gone...

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

Chelsea planning for life without Branislav Ivanovic as Jose Mourinho orders scouts to find suitable replacements for the defender

So, Azpi...

Well, scouts probably have an instruction to look for big full-back, 6'0 tall and powerful, just as Jose likes. Finding another Maicon would be ideal.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

Ideally we should have 4 CB and 4 FB for proper rotation.

Terry will be soon gone, maybe at the end of this season, if he'll be here next season he should be 4th choice CB.
Ivanovic will be also gone quite soon and if he really has to stay he needs to be moved back to CB.

This would leave us for next season with just Cahill, Zouma, Dave and Baba.
We would have to buy at least one fullback and one CB for next season,and i'd prefer to see us get a proper LB rather than an RB.
What i'd like to see would be:
CB: Cahill, Zouma, Stones and Terry

FB: Dave, new LB, Baba and Aina.
This for me would be ideal for our defence.

[the wes 7,212]

Well, scouts probably have an instruction to look for big full-back, 6'0 tall and powerful, just as Jose likes. Finding another Maicon would be ideal.

Ashley Cole wasn't 6'0 tall and mourinho sign him

[Term-X 7,891]

Chelsea planning for life without Branislav Ivanovic as Jose Mourinho orders scouts to find suitable replacements for the defender

So, Azpi...

I've been waiting for that headline for a long long time.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Hopefully, albeit wishful thinking, this "scout" mission is to find Azpilicueta's understudy at RB.

[Blue Colored Sky 1,807]

Ashley Cole wasn't 6'0 tall and mourinho sign him

Yeah but wasn't Ferreira a right-back ? Mourinho likes one of the full-back to be imposing figure : Ferreira, Gallas, Maicon, Chivu, Arbeloa, Ivanovic. Typically, there's one big full-back, I even think he sees it as some sort of an obligation in the team. That's why Ivanovic started last 60 games in the league.

[Oscar 441]

Could just play cb....