Branislav Ivanovic

[Gilvorak 3,734]

That's a rather simplistic view of it. We're in a crisis right now we can't afford to be picky about it. Ideally in a situation like this you would go for defensive stability first and foremost and try to build on that rather than looking for extravagant football.

Tbh, that's not the solution. No one in their right mind would choose that partnership for any top team. However that does seem to be our best bet at the moment given the lack of options.

You're assuming Zouma can actually defend wingers 1v1 though. He obviously can't.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

You're assuming Zouma can actually defend wingers 1v1 though. He obviously can't.

Obvious? To whom exactly? So far for us whenever he's been isolated 1vs1 he's done very well. I'd say our second best defender 1vs1 after Azpi.

[DDA 9,925]

To even consider playing Zouma right back over Azpi when we have a nice and shiny new left bAck that we purchased in the Summer... Is ridiculous.

It obviously wasn't a Jose signing along with Salah and Cuadrado. Mourinho is making it painfully clear he expected higher quality in our transfer dealings as Champions of England.

That can be the only explination .. That or Jose has truly lost his marbles.

[Adnane 1,101]

cant believe that there is even a question of who to start as a LB.

baba a LB as a LB, azpi a RB as a RB.

or zouma a CB as a RB, azpi a RB as a LB.

Except that Azpi is incredibly good as a LB for a RB, and that Zouma is incredibly good for any of the 4 positions for a CB.

It's mostly about finding the best balance, we don't know Baba in training recently, I know he didn't play with Ghana for Visa reasons, means he probably stayed and trained with the group and José for 2 weeks, so let's see.

[didierforever 7,349]

Except that Azpi is incredibly good as a LB for a RB, and that Zouma is incredibly good for any of the 4 positions for a CB.

It's mostly about finding the best balance, we don't know Baba in training recently, I know he didn't play with Ghana for Visa reasons, means he probably stayed and trained with the group and José for 2 weeks, so let's see.

azpi is a good defensive LB. he is downright poor when it comes to attack as a LB. his link up play with hazard is poor. he is normally shifting the ball from his left to right foot to even make a simple 5 yard pass giving wingers and midfielders the time to double up on hazard. and considering the fact that our attacking play has looked shit, we have no width, and both our fullbacks (azpi and iva) cant cross a ball into the box, our play has become stagnant.

on the other azpi as a RB is a different story altogether. baba has shown to be more than a handful as an attacking fullback with good overlapping runs, getting behind the defence, providing width and some good crosses. all in all, i dont how or in what scenario does a zouma-azpi partnership beat a azpi-baba partnership.

[Adnane 1,101]

Absolutely agree on everything, but I am just not convinced by Baba defensively.

[Jase 43,479]

Absolutely agree on everything, but I am just not convinced by Baba defensively.

People say they are unsure about Rahman from a defensive perspective but how is he going to improve himself, prove to doubters that he is good if he's not given the opportunities?

[Adnane 1,101]

Because in the last two games he didn't actually convince me defensively, I don't just "guess" he's not that good defensively.

And if there's one thing we need at the moment, it's sure values on which we can count.

[Jase 43,479]

Because in the last two games he didn't actually convince me defensively, I don't just "guess" he's not that good defensively.

And if there's one thing we need at the moment, it's sure values on which we can count.

I didn't say you guessed, did I? Fair enough if you're still unsure about him but it's only 2 games. He can't get better without games. Besides, we can't be sure Zouma will do a solid job in a fullback position considering he's a center-back.

[Blue_Fox_ 2,086]

tbf, i think Zouma played at rb a few times in his time at Saint Etienne, but, just for once would be nice to play with proper fullbacks. And i also think we need Zouma at CB right now.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

People say they are unsure about Rahman from a defensive perspective but how is he going to improve himself, prove to doubters that he is good if he's not given the opportunities?

Surely you don't give opportunities in crucial games! If we did not need Zouma at CB against Villa I would have been against starting Baba in such a must win game.

[xPetrCechx 13,570]

Absolutely agree on everything, but I am just not convinced by Baba defensively.

Iva is better?

no.

[Miguelito 459]

Surely you don't give opportunities in crucial games! If we did not need Zouma at CB against Villa I would have been against starting Baba in such a must win game.

But if Iva was fit, would you start him over baba?

[Special Juan 28,123]

Anyone in their fucking right mind wouldn't pick Brana to mark their nana if she was on the left wing.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

But if Iva was fit, would you start him over baba?

To be honest, if it were up to me, I'd start Zouma on the right and Iva centrally. But I know Jose would never do so.

Iva has his very obvious faults and he did start the season in terrible form and has been targeted by almost every team we've played against this season, but I think his 'bad' performances have been greatly exaggerated especially in the past few weeks and he's being used as a scapegoat for an entire team that is under-performing.

Honestly, since the Arsenal match Iva has not been any worse than how he's averagely performed at RB for the past couple of seasons.