Branislav Ivanovic

[True_Blue 469]

Our back line should be Ivanović - Luiz - JT - Cole,perhaps Alex and Luiz should rotate depends on who we play.For Liverpool i would play Alex since he is rock solid.

[Tomo 21,681]

Just been thiking that shit always kick's off in our backline whenever we move Ivanovic to the centre away from the right.

Don't get me wrong he is not bad in the centre but not only does the defence tighten up when he is on the right, nothing goes through him he might aswell have a sign on his head to the winger's saying no way through here do one.

09/10 we were all over the place at the back until Ivan was the permanent RB, we had a solid start to 10/11 until Ivan moved over and whisper it quietly we are starting to look more solid in games he is RB.

Plus he is brilliant going forward imo always has been, cross for Lamps goal against Rovers and assist for Kalou in the san siro for reference to that.

[termninja 5,290]

WORDS WITH: BRANISLAV IVANOVIC

his month sees Branislav Ivanovic celebrate four years as a Chelsea player, and the versatile defender spoke to the club's website in order to take stock, and look back at what has been an eventful, enjoyable and largely rewarding time in the capital...

Four years into his Chelsea career, Branislav Ivanovic is in a happy place. With trophies in his collection, medals cluttering up the mantelpiece and having cemented his position as an integral member of one of the strongest squads in Europe, few could have predicted the impact he has made when he made the transition from Russia to England in January 2008.

The Serbian defender is a popular figure among fans and it's not difficult to understand why; solid, reliable and with an uncanny knack of popping up with vital goals, Ivanovic is the modern manager's dream.

But while the majority of his time at Chelsea has been punctuated with success, silverware and smiles, it hasn't always been that way.

When Ivanovic signed for Chelsea from Lokomotiv Moscow he endured a difficult start to his Stamford Bridge career.

Involvement with the first team on his arrival was virtually non-existent, and it was a brutal introduction to life in England, as the defender tells the official Chelsea website.

'Signing for Chelsea was a big step in my career at the time,' he says. 'But my fitness wasn't so good and I picked up a hamstring injury.

'Within the club I was okay, I adapted quickly because everybody wanted to help me so I felt happy and confident. My problem was the fact I wasn't playing, so that made it difficult. It was a tough time for me, but I passed through it and it made me stronger.'

Ivanovic reserves nothing but praise for the players and management at the club for the way in which they helped him come through a difficult period, both on and off the pitch.

But there was one player in particular, who was struggling with his own performances at the time, that became Ivanovic's close confidant, and whose words of advice and encouragement played a vital role in him reversing his fortunes.

'Andriy Shevchenko helped me a great deal,' he admits. 'When I arrived I didn't speak very good English and he gave me a lot of confidence.

'I worked closely with him and he explained what I needed to do, not just in terms of football but away from the pitch as well, the whole way of life over here.

'I will always be grateful to him for that and he is one of the most important people in my career, he changed my outlook on various things and we speak a lot still.'

After a long, hard pre-season, in which Ivanovic worked tirelessly in order to force his way into the then manager Luiz Felipe Scolari's plans, he was finally handed his Chelsea debut during a Carling Cup tie away at Portsmouth in September 2008.

It had been a long time coming, and while the early stages of the Carling Cup are hardly the pinnacle of an international footballer's career, that game represents a turning point in Ivanovic's Chelsea story.

'I lost trust in the fact I would ever get my opportunity at the club. January until September is a long time, the only games I had played in that period were for the national team, which was important to me and helped keep me focused. Making my debut against Portsmouth was my reward for all the hard work I had put in since my arrival,' he says.

Shortly after, having gradually become accustomed to the demands of English football, Ivanovic was beginning to look the part at the heart of the Blues defence.

Injuries to both Ricardo Carvalho and Alex afforded him the opportunity to play alongside John Terry, and following a string of impressive performances he endeared himself to the Chelsea faithful even further with two crucial goals in a 3-1 Champions League win at Anfield in 2009.

An injury to Jose Bosingwa at the start of the following season gave Ivanovic a sustained spell in the side at right-back and, to his credit, he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, establishing himself as an important member of a team which went on to win the Double for the first time in our history, while putting the gloss on a memorable campaign by being voted in to the PFA Team of the Season.

'For me, it was the greatest season in my life, it was fantastic,' he insists.'We played with pleasure, we played with confidence and we had a great squad.

'We deserved to win the league and then we won the FA Cup final as well. That achievement isn't just for the supporters and the club itself, for the players personally it's a golden moment, I'm very proud of it.

'Personal awards in football are important in the sense that they give you confidence and belief, but we played that season as a team; being voted in to the PFA team was a personal award but the whole team deserved to be selected.'

Last season began in a similar vein to how the previous one had ended, with the side scoring goals for fun and brushing teams aside with consummate ease, but thanks to a three-month period in which we struggled to find any kind of form, we ended the campaign without adding to the trophy cabinet, signalling the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.

The arrival of a new manager in the shape of Andre Villas-Boas has inevitably seen the implementation of fresh ideas as he looks to stamp his mark on the side, and while Ivanovic acknowledges there is plenty of room for improvement, he insists the whole squad are united as one going into a crucial part of the season.

'This season at the club has been slightly different because obviously we have a new manager. There are a lot of things which have changed and we are still trying to adapt, we have played brilliantly in some games but dropped a lot of points, particularly at home,' says Ivanovic.

'I still believe we can improve this season and I'm sure we will do. The manager is doing a great job, he is trying to make sure everything is perfect for us, we are giving him our full support, we believe in him and we are trying to make good things happen.'

Having played under a succession of managers during his time in west London, and learnt something from all of them, Ivanovic has taken his own game to a level he could only have dreamed of when growing up as a youngster.

But it's the lessons he has taken on board from working alongside some of the most talented players in the world every day which he believes has been the key to his development and progression at the club, as he explained.

'When I came here I realised that training with these guys is how you improve,' he says. 'All of the players are very professional, I didn't know it would be like that before I came so that was a bit of a shock.

'Training with this squad every day is an absolute pleasure. A lot of the players do extra work in order to help them improve on the pitch and that is the big difference.'

To see Ivanovic in and around the training ground on a daily basis is to see a man who clearly appreciates the position he is in; helpful, humorous and engaging, his is an interesting story, and having recently put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half year contract, you get the feeling there are a few more chapters yet to be written.

'Signing a new contract was very important and I see it as reward for the hard work I have put in since joining the club,' he says.

'Winning trophies is what motivates me and I will do everything possible to do that every season, we know that will be very tough but I am very happy here, my first wish was to stay here and hopefully that will be for as long as possible.'

By Mark Conlon.

[Blue Armour 4,165]

That's what you call 'commitment'.

[Milan 17,835]

I love this player so much, along with Lampard my favourite Chelsea player without any doubt. His commitment on the pitch is just brilliant. A great personality as well. I always knew he would do well at this club.

[zolayes 14,489]

I hope to see him permanently in the RB position now.

[Amblève. 4,995]

That's what you call 'commitment'.

Can't be true. Malouda's in the picture

[francozola 2,040]

Can't be true. Malouda's in the picture

yeh but he's sitting on his ass so that picture is accurate

[termninja 5,290]

I watched him very carefully yesterday and compared our defense to when Bosingwa played...

Hell, he kicked ass yesterday! Stopped crosses and looked solid and most importantly our whole defense looked good.

Happy to have him back and I hope he stays fit 'till the end of the season.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Suspended for the next game.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Suspended for the next game.

What? When? How? WHY??!

[Kez 2,727]

What? When? How? WHY??!

5th yellow card of the season.

[Sheva. 5,373]

The 5 yellows thing ended at the beginning of January, so unless he's picked up 10 yellows already he's not suspended.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

5th yellow card of the season.

Accumulated Yellow Cards']

(i) If a Player accumulates five cautions in FTCM between the opening day of the Playing Season and 31 December (including any FTCM played on that day) in the same Season, he will be suspended automatically for a period covering: - One First Team Match

(ii) If a Player accumulates five cautions in FTCM between the opening day of the Playing Season and the last day of the same Season, he will be: - “Warned as to his Future Conduct”

(iii) If a Player accumulates ten cautions in FTCM between the opening day of the Playing Season and the second Sunday of April in the same Season, he will be suspended automatically for a period covering:- Two First Team matches

(iv) If a Player accumulates ten cautions in FTCM between the opening day of the Playing Season and the last day of the same Season, he will be: - “Severely Censured and Warned as to his future Conduct”

(v) If a Player accumulates 15 cautions in FTCM between the opening date of the Playing Season and the last day of the same Season, he will be suspended automatically for a period covering: - Three First Team matches

(vi) A Player who has already been subject to disciplinary action as a result of receiving five, ten and 15 cautions, and who goes on to receive 20 cautions in FTCM in the same Season, shall be required to attend a meeting of a Regulatory Commission, within seven days of the date of the last caution. The Members of a Regulatory Commission will have the power to deal with the Player in such manner as they deem fit. The same procedure will apply for every further five cautions received by that Player.

(vii) Any period of suspension arising from cautions will commence forthwith. The suspension will cover all approved First Team matches until such time as his Club’s First Team has completed the number of matches appropriate to the punishment in approved Competitions during the period covered by its opening league match and ending with the final match in which the Club is playing in an approved domestic Competition.

(viii) Any period of suspension or part thereof which remains outstanding at the end of a Season must be served at the commencement of the next following Season.

http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations

He will only be "Warned for his future conduct" according to the FA regulations.

[Kez 2,727]

Then Alex was wrong, he's not suspended

[manpe 10,855]

great.. 5 more yellows before Bosingwa

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Yeah, my mistake. The cut-off date used to be February 28th, now its December 31st.

[CHOULO19 24,332]