Branislav Ivanovic

[Diceflix 207]

https://vine.co/v/eIdKagD9d6r

Just.Look. At. This. JOSE!

[HRiver 1,512]

Willian would.

I like how we love to hate Willian. Actually, I love it.

[NishC300 1,865]

I like how we love to hate Willian. Actually, I love it.

I hate that I have to criticise him. Criticising a person doesn't mean you hate them, I like him which is why I criticise him because I want to see him do better!

[manpe 10,861]

https://vine.co/v/eIdKagD9d6r

Just.Look. At. This. JOSE!

Jose would blame Hazard for letting the cross in.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

[manpe 10,861]

You trippin son. It was clearly Pedro's fault for not tracking back.

[The Chels 2,502]

I think this is a tactical problem that goes beyond Ivanovic's incompetence. Unlike other top teams when we lose the ball and are out of shape defensively, too often the players in the immediate vicinity don't readily press the opponent with the ball.

Instead of trying to stop the attack at its source they just focus on trying to run back to position, even though this gives space and time to the opposition and leads to conceding dangerous counter attacks time after time.

[Roquila 1,335]

While yes, I am a baldish big arse Serbian myself, and yes I like Ivanovic a lot, I have always been objective regarding him and his performances.

And agree with most of you that he had been one of the major reasons for our results and all that stuff, but it's shocking to me how fast he had gone from hero to zero with the fans. Stuff I've read here has been shocking to say at least.

His performances have started dropping not last season, but season before that. He was decent than but it was already being very average rather than good. Last season, decent first half, awful second half.

Has Jose fucked up with constantly playing him? Oh yes a lot.

Nothing of the above mentioned is even debatable anymore.

Hopefully Rahman will do well and we'll revert back to actual natural full backs finally.

Good post neighbour

[the wes 7,212]

ivan poor form

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

I've got a fellow Chelsea fan who claims we should support Ivanovic because of the 'fantastic' season he has had in 2014/15. But I remember him being at fault for many goals and getting away with a lot of mistakes as well. I remember some games like City at home and also Hull at the end of last season. Can somebody care to list all of his mistakes against specific players and also him being terrible in a match in general?

[OneMoSalah 8,774]

To be fair its not just Ivanovic who has been shit. Hazard, Cesc, Matic, Costa, Terry, Azpi, Cahill... we can keep naming names so its not just Ivanovic's fault we've started shite this year. I've actually been more shocked by the lack of anything from Hazard than Ivanovic or Cahill or Terry's performances. Ivanovic struggled at times last year too and has continued to do so but at least last year when he struggled Cahill backed him up or we could get away with it because we were able to go up the pitch and score.

The fact we had pretty much the same starting 11 from the game against Burnley last year except for Schurrle, with everyone basically a year older and no new signings other than squad players and a piss poor pre-season doesn't help either. Everyone of our direct rivals have gone out and added at least one or two new players to their starting 11. Have we? No. We were predictable for the second part of last season and we've continued to do so this year.

[Jase 43,479]

ivan poor form

Misleading stats considering we've played only 4 games this season. On top of that, better to present full stats rather than the average ones.

[OneMoSalah 8,774]

Misleading stats considering we've played only 4 games this season. On top of that, better to present full stats rather than the average ones.

To be fair we can compare everyone who played in our first 4 games last year and compare them against the first 4 games this year. Everyone's would be worse this year.... but yeah that's why I hate Opta, where was their stats on Ivanovic's first 4 games last year where he had set up 2 or 3 goals and scored the few he got as well?

[The Mak 4,459]

I've got a fellow Chelsea fan who claims we should support Ivanovic because of the 'fantastic' season he has had in 2014/15. But I remember him being at fault for many goals and getting away with a lot of mistakes as well. I remember some games like City at home and also Hull at the end of last season. Can somebody care to list all of his mistakes against specific players and also him being terrible in a match in general?

Thank you. I've seen other fans elsewhere on the internet claim the same (and sounding like scousers with their history). Us winning the league does not simply paste over Ivanovic's deficiencies. He's always had them. I remember me and TorontoChelsea debating this back in 2013 in the Azpi Vs. Ivanovic thread (guess which side I was on).

His deficiencies are just accentuated at the moment because a lot of players are playing poorly and he's especially atrocious. We're also leaking goals at a rapid rate from his side in particular as a result of teams targeting our weakest link. Not to mention that he was never fast in the first place, he's now on the wrong side of 30, he runs like he has a fridge on his back and turns like a truck.

However, I expect him to eventually score a goal and for those types of fans to claim he's back 'in form' and that we should've never have doubted Ivanovic the 'tank'...(who dives)

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

Thank you. I've seen other fans elsewhere on the internet claim the same. Us winning the league does not simply paste over Ivanovic's deficiencies. He's always had them. I remember me and TorontoChelsea debating this back in 2013 in the Azpi Vs. Ivanovic thread (guess which side I was on).

His deficiencies are just accentuated at the moment because a lot of players are playing poorly and he's especially atrocious. We're also leaking goals at a rapid rate from his side in particular as a result of teams targeting our weakest link. Not to mention that he was never fast in the first place, he's now on the wrong side of 30, he runs like he has a fridge on his back and turns like a truck.

However, I expect him to eventually score a goal and for those types of fans to claim he's back 'in form' and that we should've never have doubted Ivanovic the 'tank' (who dives)...

What's more shocking is how some really sound pundits like Gary Neville picked him in their team of the season. I'll give it to Iva though, he has a great ability of convincing people, even ones like Gary, that he is some rock at defending.

I predict a 90th minute winner after 2 times being at fault for goals conceded against Everton, yet he will still get the praise. Smh.

[The Chels 2,502]

I've got a fellow Chelsea fan who claims we should support Ivanovic because of the 'fantastic' season he has had in 2014/15. But I remember him being at fault for many goals and getting away with a lot of mistakes as well. I remember some games like City at home and also Hull at the end of last season. Can somebody care to list all of his mistakes against specific players and also him being terrible in a match in general?

A non-exhaustive list:

• Everton (A) - (partly) responsible for 1-2 of goals conceded
• City (A) - switched off for Lampard equaliser
• Maribor (A) - when we went 3 at the back he switched off at the back post and gifted a sitter
• QPR (H) - Austin's goal (IIRC)
• Derby (A) - scuffed clearance that led to Derby goal
• Tottenham (A) - his flank exploited (e.g. Chadli goal), woeful performance
• City (H) - regularly lost possession in dangerous positions in first half
• Liverpool - both legs of COC (Moreno's chance especially comes to mind) but scored winner inevitably
• Everton (H) - switched off for Lukaku sitter
• Villa (A) - Okore's goal from corner
• PSG - his flank exploited, Luiz's header in return leg
• Southampton (H) - penalty conceded
• Hull (A) - his flank exploited, sloppy back-pass to Courtois
• United (H) - his flank exploited, terrorised by Shaw

There must be many more examples that I can't remember right now, especially ones where he was indirectly responsible for goals conceded (e.g. United (A) and Liverpool (H) where he gave away stupid free kicks).

[Magic Lamps 11,653]

What's more shocking is how some really sound pundits like Gary Neville picked him in their team of the season. I'll give it to Iva though, he has a great ability of convincing people, even ones like Gary, that he is some rock at defending.

I predict a 90th minute winner after 2 times being at fault for goals conceded against Everton, yet he will still get the praise. Smh.

But they also called him out after his abysmal performances next season. Even Ruud Gullit who is one of the worst pundits ever noticed him backing off all the time and had lika 2mins montage of him backing off from sako, bolasie etc on motd. was a pain to watch.

[robsblubot 3,497]

I think this is a tactical problem that goes beyond Ivanovic's incompetence. Unlike other top teams when we lose the ball and are out of shape defensively, too often the players in the immediate vicinity don't readily press the opponent with the ball.

Instead of trying to stop the attack at its source they just focus on trying to run back to position, even though this gives space and time to the opposition and leads to conceding dangerous counter attacks time after time.

however according to many here if jose drops Ivanovic we will stop conceding goals... That's the problem with hyperboles...

No, I'm not saying he's in playing well, but there are other players, like the beloved Hazard who are also playing like shit. So, picking on Ivanovic because he gets ripped by 2 on ones makes no sense to me.

Concerning him being a slow RB - originally a CB - that's not news is it? He's always been a slow RB and Jose seems to like it. Jose should and prob will drop him because of his dreadful form, but others also deserve a drop but won't.

@The Chels... he's got the OK to attack from the manager - watch his positioning and movement. Something is always gotta give and his defensive side does. Again, nothing new here.