Ramires

[semiller1313 23]

But then the likes of Oscar and KDB can also play as CMs in a 433, while Mata and Hazard can also play on the wings

For all we know it could even be a change to 4222 or 4321 etc. We just simply shouldn't dispose of a key player like Ramires

Yeah, the 433 is a possibility since it is so similar to the 4231, the only real difference is that the CAM would play a little deeper. You're right that anything could happen, who knows what our new manager will want. However, IMO its unlikely that we ever use a formation that doesn't put 3 attacking midfielders on the field at once, our best players need to be on the field. I agree with you on Ramires. I think he can be effective in the pivot when we aren't playing a team that pressures heavily.

[semiller1313 23]

Marin isn't good enough. He hasn't been trusted to play any serious minutes all season and can't get a game right now despite how short we are on players. I really don't see Piazon being a proper Chelsea player any time soon, if at all.

Doesn't De Bruyne see himself more as a central-midfielder or deep-lying playmaker as opposed to an attacking midfielder?

Hazard, Oscar, Mata and Moses have been the only serious options all season and they need more support. We need at least 2 more players of similar quality i.e. much better than Marin and Piazon if we're going to rotate properly.

Agree on Marin, we should let him go in the summer. I actually have high expectations for Piazon, but I think he should spend another season on loan. I believe that KDB will be an attacking midfielder for us. While he definitely has the offensive ability to play in the middle, I don't think he has physical, defending, and ball winning abilities that we need in the pivot. So, for next season I would line up our 3 AMs like this:

Mata/Moses Oscar/KDB Hazard/KDB

Not a ton of depth there, but I think if anybody got hurt, we could cover with Ramires and Bertrand.

[Styles 9,790]

Agree on Marin, we should let him go in the summer. I actually have high expectations for Piazon, but I think he should spend another season on loan. I believe that KDB will be an attacking midfielder for us. While he definitely has the offensive ability to play in the middle, I don't think he has physical, defending, and ball winning abilities that we need in the pivot. So, for next season I would line up our 3 AMs like this:

Mata/Moses Oscar/KDB Hazard/KDB

Not a ton of depth there, but I think if anybody got hurt, we could cover with Ramires and Bertrand.

OK, even then we still need two more attacking midfielders. We're going to play about 55-60 games a season so we need more than 5 players for 3 positions. You need at least 7 to be able to combat fatigue, form and injury.

Mata, Moses, Oscar, KDB, Hazard + 2 others would be fine. We could get by with one more attacking midfielder if we had a striker that could play wide if needed but Ba and Lukaku can't. Maybe it'd make sense buying a winger-striker hybrid in the summer to replace Torres.

That would mean we have nine players competing for 4 positions if the formation stays as 4-2-3-1.

Attacking midfielders - Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Moses, KDB + new player

Strikers - Ba, Lukaku + new player

So three new players in the summer; playmaker, attacking midfielder and winger-striker forward.

[juko 19]

i don't understand people saying he has no technique lol. he's one of the most technical player(like a lot of brazilians) and i love his pace. one of the best player in chelsea so far

[semiller1313 23]

OK, even then we still need two more attacking midfielders. We're going to play about 55-60 games a season so we need more than 5 players for 3 positions. You need at least 7 to be able to combat fatigue, form and injury.

Mata, Moses, Oscar, KDB, Hazard + 2 others would be fine. We could get by with one more attacking midfielder if we had a striker that could play wide if needed but Ba and Lukaku can't. Maybe it'd make sense buying a winger-striker hybrid in the summer to replace Torres.

That would mean we have nine players competing for 4 positions if the formation stays as 4-2-3-1.

Attacking midfielders - Mata, Hazard, Oscar, Moses, KDB + new player

Strikers - Ba, Lukaku + new player

So three new players in the summer; playmaker, attacking midfielder and winger-striker forward.

I see where you're coming from, and I agree that we need adequate cover. However, I also think we need to be careful not to overload the position. Hazard, Mata, Oscar and KDB are all top players who will not be satisfied unless they are playing the majority of the games. To ward off fatigue, I think they would be willing to sit around 25% of the time. Four players, playing 75% of the time in 3 positions doesn't really leave any time for anybody else. So I guess the problem isn't having too many attacking midfielders, its having too many really good attacking midfielders (first world problems) who demand playing time. Of course, things don't always go to plan, players will get hurt and suspended, which will give Moses plenty of opportunities, but beyond that, I don't see a 6th AM having much of a role, and unless there was a catastrophe, I don't see a seventh AM playing at all. Don't you think Ramires, and Bertrand would be good enough to take up the sixth and seventh spots? I think you may be able to convince me to get a winger-striker since we need a 3rd striker, but I definitely don't see a need for another pure AM.

[Styles 9,790]

I see where you're coming from, and I agree that we need adequate cover. However, I also think we need to be careful not to overload the position. Hazard, Mata, Oscar and KDB are all top players who will not be satisfied unless they are playing the majority of the games. To ward off fatigue, I think they would be willing to sit around 25% of the time. Four players, playing 75% of the time in 3 positions doesn't really leave any time for anybody else. So I guess the problem isn't having too many attacking midfielders, its having too many really good attacking midfielders (first world problems) who demand playing time. Of course, things don't always go to plan, players will get hurt and suspended, which will give Moses plenty of opportunities, but beyond that, I don't see a 6th AM having much of a role, and unless there was a catastrophe, I don't see a seventh AM playing at all. Don't you think Ramires, and Bertrand would be good enough to take up the sixth and seventh spots? I think you may be able to convince me to get a winger-striker since we need a 3rd striker, but I definitely don't see a need for another pure AM.

I think we have been very fortunate with injuries this season considering the size of our squad. In fact we've been so fortunate that I believe players have been forced to play through niggles that would have seen them left out if we had a bigger squad. They've even played through loss of form and fatigue because we don't have enough adequate cover i.e. the drop in quality once you go from a Hazard, Ocar, Mata, Moses to a Marin or Benayoun or using Bertrand or Ramires in their positions is too much.

We can rotate 6 good players for 3 positions for 60+ games a season quite easily. Look at Hazard for instance, any time he has been given a rest this season he has come back extremely sharp and looks a much better player than the one who has to play every minute of every game because our squad is too weak to rest him. Now apply the same to Mata, Oscar, Moses etc.

[semiller1313 23]

I think we have been very fortunate with injuries this season considering the size of our squad. In fact we've been so fortunate that I believe players have been forced to play through niggles that would have seen them left out if we had a bigger squad. They've even played through loss of form and fatigue because we don't have enough adequate cover i.e. the drop in quality once you go from a Hazard, Ocar, Mata, Moses to a Marin or Benayoun or using Bertrand or Ramires in their positions is too much.

We can rotate 6 good players for 3 positions for 60+ games a season quite easily. Look at Hazard for instance, any time he has been given a rest this season he has come back extremely sharp and looks a much better player than the one who has to play every minute of every game because our squad is too weak to rest him. Now apply the same to Mata, Oscar, Moses etc.

Injuries definitely make is hard to nail down a perfect squad size, as you never know what will happen. If we go with your plan, and rotate heavily, I would prefer to bring back Piazon. I think in his time at Malaga he has shown he has the ability to be first team player. He certainly isn't fully developed at this point, but I think he is good enough now that he wouldn't hurt the team while learning on the job.

[Styles 9,790]

Injuries definitely make is hard to nail down a perfect squad size, as you never know what will happen. If we go with your plan, and rotate heavily, I would prefer to bring back Piazon. I think in his time at Malaga he has shown he has the ability to be first team player. He certainly isn't fully developed at this point, but I think he is good enough now that he wouldn't hurt the team while learning on the job.

I'm watching Piazon play right now for Malagai vs Espanyol. I'm going to watch him closely for the rest of the season. If he does well then yes he should be an option next season. But so far for Malaga he's looked average for the most part. If he isn't going to get proper minutes to develop at Chelsea then he should stay out on loan.

[themightyblue 443]

@ChelseaStatto: 98% Ramires found his team-mates with 98% of his passes today, 51/52, completing 5/5 long passes in the process. Vision. #CFC

Who said he can't pass?! Kidding

[Mufassir08 2,400]

He has been really good in our past 3-4 games.

[themightyblue 443]

He has been really good in our past 3-4 games.

Was surprised given that he played DM

[kellzfresh 7,229]

He deserves praise for the amount of tackles and interceptions he makes.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

If we go 4:3:3 next season with

Rambo-Mikel-Kdb/Oscar/new cm

Mata-Striker-Hazard

Ramires could easily be regular. But Kdb/Oscar would need to play as CM and do it very good to improve our game in midfield. With Chalobah and Romeu comming, I dont see the need for new midfielder if kdb can handle it. Mikel would be protecting line, Rambo as b2b and Kdb as midfield maestro to deliver balls in attack.

[DH1988 1,273]

We still do not have balance it's ok for small games but the teams that are tactically aware exploit the space left by Ramirez and his co midfield partner is crazy, happened today and we got away with it

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Ramires vs westham: 5 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 clearances. 98 percent pass completion (52 passes).

[Rmpr 8,977]

Is he injured?

[juko 19]

Ramires vs westham: 5 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 clearances. 98 percent pass completion (52 passes).

there was no pressure lol but it's good

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Brazil's FA officially confirmed that Ramires will miss the game vs Italy.