Branislav Ivanovic

[The Skipper 20,593]

First of all. Azpilicueta is not far better offensively. His offensive game is being massively overrated here. He's a better crosser, not great, just better, but this is the second year in a row where his passing percentage is actually lower than Ivanovic's. He also turns the ball over more than Ivanovic does (both this season and last) and unlike Ivanovic, offers nothing on set-pieces. People make it sound like he's an elite offensive player or something. Yes, West Ham only had one shot but that's the point. With teams like this who aren't going to get a lot of chances, you want to make sure you close down their set pieces.

I never said Azpi is an elite offensive player because he's not, he's pretty decent/just about above average in that aspect - I just really don't rate Ivanovic's offensive game, I find it that useless. Azpi is a better crosser, knows how to overlap better, more pace/acceleration, and just has general better attacking sense. Ivanovic is really, really poor going forward IMO.

And how could we create more? We had 39 damn shots!!!! Would we have had 45 with Azpilicueta? Ivanovic getting blamed because he fits the scapegoat criteria. He's older, has been at Chelsea for a while, and there's a younger player than can play in his position. It's just ludicrous that in a game where we draw 0-0 and take 39 shots, people are blaming the right back for us not winning.

We created more because we went more offensive and brought on another striker, a goal scoring midfielder and changed into a more offensive tactic in the 2nd half.

In the first half however we barely did create anything, which was due to the way we started the game, which was my main gripe with us not creating enough - I meant us not creating enough clear chances in the first half, and decisions like starting Mikel and Ivanovic attributed to that IMO.

[lionsden 4,689]

My concerns about Ivanovic actually being the weak link in the team aggravate with every game. I acknowledge, he is big and strong and a force in the air, but offensively he is inconsistent at best and not really a better defender than Azpiliceuta. I hope the imminent signing of another left back will free Azpilicueta to return to his preferred right side.

Inconsistent offensively is too politically correct. He's fucking dreadful offensively is more like it.

[lionsden 4,689]

He's simply not good enough to be a starter anymore.

[kellzfresh 7,228]

When it comes to attacking, I'll take phil bardsely over him. Just woeful.

He has no technique on the ball. How is this possible that he starts??

I don't think he can jog a ball 10 times, without it falling.

Unfortunately he's just an athlete, not a footballer.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Our attacking quatro and pivot wasnt much better in attack. They tried to make passes, crosses, dribbles and shot but all was piss poor. Most shots we made were out of box with 5 defenders blocking...ffs. Clear cut chances made by Hazard, Oscar or Willian were just 2 or 3. Its ridiculous when you have 70% possesion. Willian offers no width, cant release ball quickly etc. Game today was tailor made for Mata. Oscar as much he contributes in defence, he was average in attacks. Awful shots, created almost nothing.

[Steve 10,227]

Is he the worst crosser in the league?

[TrippingStep 336]

First of all. Azpilicueta is not far better offensively. His offensive game is being massively overrated here. He's a better crosser, not great, just better, but this is the second year in a row where his passing percentage is actually lower than Ivanovic's. He also turns the ball over more than Ivanovic does (both this season and last) and unlike Ivanovic, offers nothing on set-pieces. People make it sound like he's an elite offensive player or something. Yes, West Ham only had one shot but that's the point. With teams like this who aren't going to get a lot of chances, you want to make sure you close down their set pieces.

And how could we create more? We had 39 damn shots!!!! Would we have had 45 with Azpilicueta? Ivanovic getting blamed because he fits the scapegoat criteria. He's older, has been at Chelsea for a while, and there's a younger player than can play in his position. It's just ludicrous that in a game where we draw 0-0 and take 39 shots, people are blaming the right back for us not winning.

Azpilicueta have more assists than Ivanovic. His run and first time cross against Liverpool led to a goal.

And he plays quicker passes in the midfield area.

And we could have used him attacking the byline, coming back to his left and making a pass or cross that led to goals against Wigan and West Brom last year.

Azpi Schurrle on the right yesterday, Lampard in midfield and I'm sure we would have won.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Azpilicueta have more assists than Ivanovic. His run and first time cross against Liverpool led to a goal.

And he plays quicker passes in the midfield area.

And we could have used him attacking the byline, coming back to his left and making a pass or cross that led to goals against Wigan and West Brom last year.

Azpi Schurrle on the right yesterday, Lampard in midfield and I'm sure we would have won.

Aziplicueta has 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League and CL. Ivanovic has 1 of each and you're basing Azplicueta's excellent crossing on a cross he made that bounced into the box and hit Oscar but happened to lead to a goal? You are vastly overrating his offense which is only slightly better than Ivanovic overall as well as what sort of difference changing RBs would make. We had 39 shots for christ's sake! We didn't win because our finishing was poor not because of Ivanovic. He was one of the people least responsible for us not scoring. We play that same game and we win 98 times out of 100. It's just silly. If you play poorly, then you can play armchair manager. If you completely dominate the other team, the manager's setup worked.

[TrippingStep 336]

Aziplicueta has 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League and CL. Ivanovic has 1 of each and you're basing Azplicueta's excellent crossing on a cross he made that bounced into the box and hit Oscar but happened to lead to a goal? You are vastly overrating his offense which is only slightly better than Ivanovic overall as well as what sort of difference changing RBs would make. We had 39 shots for christ's sake! We didn't win because our finishing was poor not because of Ivanovic. He was one of the people least responsible for us not scoring. We play that same game and we win 98 times out of 100. It's just silly. If you play poorly, then you can play armchair manager. If you completely dominate the other team, the manager's setup worked.

Azpilicueta barely played in the right this season.

It bounced into the box to Oscar but he made a great run into space picked by Luiz.

And Azpi is better to link-up on the right in the build-up of play.

And off course this season Azpi stats aren't good, he's playing on the left.

[Kieran. 6,317]

He really is pretty terrible offensively...

But at least he allows us to go to 3 CBs, after he fucks up enough attacks all game.

Aziplicueta has 0 goals and 0 assists in the Premier League and CL. Ivanovic has 1 of each and you're basing Azplicueta's excellent crossing on a cross he made that bounced into the box and hit Oscar but happened to lead to a goal? You are vastly overrating his offense which is only slightly better than Ivanovic overall as well as what sort of difference changing RBs would make. We had 39 shots for christ's sake! We didn't win because our finishing was poor not because of Ivanovic. He was one of the people least responsible for us not scoring. We play that same game and we win 98 times out of 100. It's just silly. If you play poorly, then you can play armchair manager. If you completely dominate the other team, the manager's setup worked.

Azpilicueta doesn't kill atacking movements nearly as much.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Not sure why there's such a fuss being made of Ivanovic. He's not ideal, but we still managed to create 39 chances which is more than enough to beat most teams.

Plus people ignore his importance at set-pieces and the way he works with Cahill and Terry to create chances from corners, like the one Terry had in the first-half. Ivanovic occupies Collins and one other player giving Terry the space to have a good chance in front of goal. Maybe we can work in Matic so that we have another threat from set-pieces but at the moment, the guy who scored 8 goals last season is important to us in an attacking sense and you have to weigh that against the marginal gains you might get from playing Azpi there.

[bushman 2,043]

Someone ought to forbid Iva from shooting, just pass the ball, that´s all.

[Reddish-Blue 2,325]

Not sure why there's such a fuss being made of Ivanovic. He's not ideal, but we still managed to create 39 chances which is more than enough to beat most teams.

Plus people ignore his importance at set-pieces and the way he works with Cahill and Terry to create chances from corners, like the one Terry had in the first-half. Ivanovic occupies Collins and one other player giving Terry the space to have a good chance in front of goal. Maybe we can work in Matic so that we have another threat from set-pieces but at the moment, the guy who scored 8 goals last season is important to us in an attacking sense and you have to weigh that against the marginal gains you might get from playing Azpi there.

If we had actually scored from a set piece against West Ham...then I would understand his importance...but at the end of the day, we didn't score.

Azpi should have started at RB against West Ham

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

If we had actually scored from a set piece against West Ham...then I would understand his importance...but at the end of the day, we didn't score.

Azpi should have started at RB against West Ham

Exactly and because Hazard didn't score, I should have started against West Ham.

[The only place to be 11,313]

If we had actually scored from a set piece against West Ham...then I would understand his importance...but at the end of the day, we didn't score.

Azpi should have started at RB against West Ham

So because we didn't score a goal from a set-piece, you actually can't understand how he would be important at set-pieces? If Cech didn't need to make a save, would you fail to understand the important of a goalkeeper in a match?

Ivanovic is by no means the perfect right-back but he does offer a significant threat at set-pieces. People need to factor that into their thinking when assessing him.

[bushman 2,043]

Nobody should doubt Iva´s importance in set pieces. However, folks are questioning his shooting, that´s all.

Why is it so hard to comprehend for some folks here ?

[Jusek 2,031]

BOOM!

[lucio 5,418]

brick wall branislav