Playing style

[Styles 9,790]

The premise of this topic is that we have a group of players unable to play the football they are asked to.

We don't have passers like Barcelona and we don't have flying wingers like Utd. We are essentially an athletic team that should be playing direct football. Mikel and McEachran aside the current midfield couldn't pass if their lives depended on it. The group of 'wingers' we have are currently the worst of any big club in Europe. They are utter rubbish and wouldn't make teams like Stoke or Wolves ahead of players like Etherington and Jarvis.

The only time we look dangerous is when the ball is played directly to our forwards and we gamble on the 50-50's. We need to start playing more direct up and at ‘em football like Stoke and less like a geriatric Barcelona.

[EskWeston 696]

At the moment we are playing no style of football. We cannot counter attack because we play so slowly. We cannot play wide because no one wants to beat a man and get a cross in. Our passing is poor. And even the direct style we are not getting results with..... At the moment we play slow build up passing infront of their 18 yard box trying to find impossible passes through numerous defenders or trying long range shots.

Basically we need to get our act together and sort out a way of playing football that we can play as a team, we are so disjointed and unorganised at the moment.

[Madmax 9,219]

Our 442 is ineffective. It's not conducive to a centre midfield pairing of Lampard-Essien. Switch to 443 with Zhirkov and Anelka on the wing and keep Essien out of midfield.

Cech

Ivan Luiz Terry Cole

Mikel

Ramires Lampard

Anelka Torres/Drogba Zhirkov

[Styles 9,790]

At the moment we are playing no style of football. We cannot counter attack because we play so slowly. We cannot play wide because no one wants to beat a man and get a cross in. Our passing is poor. And even the direct style we are not getting results with..... At the moment we play slow build up passing infront of their 18 yard box trying to find impossible passes through numerous defenders or trying long range shots.

Basically we need to get our act together and sort out a way of playing football that we can play as a team, we are so disjointed and unorganised at the moment.

Which is a problem of a personnel. We have such an unbalanced squad it's mind-boggling. We have some great individual players but Utd for instance have a much better mix in their squad.

We don't have a playing style because there is nothing to build a style with so we have to play the only way available which is go long. Drogba and Torres are great targets so use them and follow up on the knock downs.

There was a time when we had great wingers that stretched play (Duff + Robben), a target man (Drogba), a support striker that could link play (Gudjohnsen). It was a great mix.

[Styles 9,790]

Our 442 is ineffective. It's not conducive to a centre midfield pairing of Lampard-Essien. Switch to 443 with Zhirkov and Anelka on the wing and keep Essien out of midfield.

Cech

Ivan Luiz Terry Cole

Mikel

Ramires Lampard

Anelka Torres/Drogba Zhirkov

I'd rather keep Essien ahead of Lampard in the team if only for his athleticism. Lampard is gradually starting to become a problem. Unlike Scholes in his old age he doesn't have the ability to just sit and dictate possession. He's a box-to-box midfielder that is on his last legs.

[Madmax 9,219]

I'd rather keep Essien ahead of Lampard in the team if only for his athleticism. Lampard is gradually starting to become a problem. Unlike Scholes in his old age he doesn't have the ability to just sit and dictate possession. He's a box-to-box midfielder that is on his last legs.

Essien's athleticism is on the wane. The number of times he's been slow to react to situations is worrying. He gets caught in possession, mistimes tackles and can't pick a pass. Lampard is a problem too but I'd keep him in the side simply because there's no better option available. It's a sad state of affairs really. Lampard can be assigned a pure attacking role in a 433 courtesy of having the machine like Ramires alongside and Mikel to sweep any loose balls behind him.

[DYC. 7,542]

At the moment we are playing no style of football. We cannot counter attack because we play so slowly. We cannot play wide because no one wants to beat a man and get a cross in. Our passing is poor. And even the direct style we are not getting results with..... At the moment we play slow build up passing infront of their 18 yard box trying to find impossible passes through numerous defenders or trying long range shots.

Basically we need to get our act together and sort out a way of playing football that we can play as a team, we are so disjointed and unorganised at the moment.

It's like I said it my self, I have no idea how you call the football we currently play.

And the worrying thing is CA constantly keeps saying that we play well and that we're playing our football...

I would look for a new coach in the summer for this reason alone.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

At the moment we are playing no style of football. We cannot counter attack because we play so slowly. We cannot play wide because no one wants to beat a man and get a cross in. Our passing is poor. And even the direct style we are not getting results with..... At the moment we play slow build up passing infront of their 18 yard box trying to find impossible passes through numerous defenders or trying long range shots.

Basically we need to get our act together and sort out a way of playing football that we can play as a team, we are so disjointed and unorganised at the moment.

Perfectly said, at the moment we are a team with no indentity, for supporters like us who are on the outside looking in, its practically impossible for us to distinguish a particular style in our play, we dont seem to excell in any area. That comes from 2 things, the first being that because of the constant managerial switches, no manager has been able to stamp his identity and style on the side the second is that Ancelotti isn't a visionary and appears entirely content with the current lack of style in our play.

[DYC. 7,542]

Cech

Ivan Luiz Terry Cole

Mikel

Ramires Lampard

Anelka Torres/Drogba Zhirkov

Right now I'd much rather go this way.

Cech

Ivan Luiz Terry Cole

Mikel Ramires

Anelka

Kalou/Bosingwa Drogba Zhirkov

[Styles 9,790]

Perfectly said, at the moment we are a team with no indentity, for supporters like us who are on the outside looking in, its practically impossible for us to distinguish a particular style in our play, we dont seem to excell in any area. That comes from 2 things, the first being that because of the constant managerial switches, no manager has been able to stamp his identity and style on the side the second is that Ancelotti isn't a visionary and appears entirely content with the current lack of style in our play.

To be fair to Ancelotti I'm pretty certain he has little to no say on player recruitment so in that sense it's hard for him to establish his own style.

[Tomo 21,751]

Ill tell you what we need and thats players playing with urgency.

If Utd took a half time lead at the Nou Camp, Barca would come out playing with fast intensity and urgency and making Man.U sweat blood and tears to keep hold of that lead they will probably end up having all Utd players camped in their final 3rd we need more of that. We have been missing it since the Rooben and Makelele days. Maka was no nonsense tackle pass get the play forward, Rooben wouldont waste time in making forward runs either, these days when were not winning we seem to cruise like were 5-0 up and when we are 5-0 up (IE Wigan, West Brom, Ipswich) we seem to play more like were chasing the game and end up scoring more, it dont make sense.

We without doubt seem to be a sing when things are going for us team, when things click this team are frightening, the 6-8 goal wins at the end of last season and begging of this season back that up but when things aint going for us there doesn't seem to be enough fight and ideas to turn it round.

[The Big Drog 1,110]

To be fair to Ancelotti I'm pretty certain he has little to no say on player recruitment so in that sense it's hard for him to establish his own style.

All the same, Mourinho was able to bring in players who fit his vision of what the club should be and if you are being given talented players like Ramires, Luiz and Torres then you should be able to do something with them.

[spuz 143]

To be fair to Ancelotti I'm pretty certain he has little to no say on player recruitment so in that sense it's hard for him to establish his own style.

Don't let Justin 3d see that. He's convinced that they're all his signings and Carlo is building a great team and needs another few years to continue building.

I think we're now finally seeing Carlo's team and play come through. We need a new manager in the summer imo of course.

I'd give Ramires and Mikel a go in the middle against Wigan at the weekend.

[Styles 9,790]

All the same, Mourinho was able to bring in players who fit his vision of what the club should be and if you are being given talented players like Ramires, Luiz and Torres then you should be able to do something with them.

Ramires, Luiz and Torres aren't the problem.

Malouda, Lampard, Zhirkov, Essien and co are the problem. If none of these players can pass the ball or create anything then there's not much Ancelotti can do.

[Styles 9,790]

Don't let Justin 3d see that. He's convinced that they're all his signings and Carlo is building a great team and needs another few years to continue building.

I think we're now finally seeing Carlo's team and play come through. We need a new manager in the summer imo of course.

I'd give Ramires and Mikel a go in the middle against Wigan at the weekend.

Justin 3d seems a pretty militant pro-Carlo guy kinda guy lol.

I'd like to see McEachran play some part against Wigan. We're out of the title race and it'd be wise to give one of the midfielders a rest.

[Tomo 21,751]

Justin 3d seems a pretty militant pro-Carlo guy kinda guy lol.

I'd like to see McEachran play some part against Wigan. We're out of the title race and it'd be wise to give one of the midfielders a rest.

Would be nice.

I hope Carlo dont take Wigan too lightly, top 4 aint secure yet and Wigan are fighting relegation and really owe us one after the last 2 games against them.

[spuz 143]

Who's this Maceachran fellow you speak of? I've totally forgotten what he looks like.

[DYC. 7,542]

I think we're now finally seeing Carlo's team and play come through. We need a new manager in the summer imo of course.

You can't put all the blame on CA though. There's not much he can do about his midfielders not being able to make the easiest of passes.

But if he's truly happy/content with what he is seeing than we have a serious problem at Chelsea Football Club.

[HRiver 1,512]

Carlo's tactics were wrong last night. We never looked confident enough with the ball, even though we had a lot of chances which had we taken, things would be a lot different.

What disappointed me to the maximum was that we saw no improvement in terms of tactics or motivation in the second half. We played like we did in the first half, and it's Carlo's fault definitely. He must finally show everyone that he's got the balls to make tactic changes and moves, as our style of football has been boring and disappointing not only last night, but during the whole season. He has got a squad full of world class players, but problem is that he doesn't know how to use them. 4-4-2's not working, 4-3-3 is our formation.

Cech

Ivanovic - Alex - Terry - Cole

Ramires - Mikel - Lampard

Kalou - Drogba - Torres

If Carlo uses that line-up on Tuesday, I would guarantee him that it would work better than his own line-up did last night.

Ivanovic is irreplacable on the right, we don't have a better right back in the team and he's been solid, I have a lot of trust on this player and his great defensive skills never disappoint me.

Alex - even though he still hasn't played after getting back from injury, it doesn't matter. He is a defender and a defender hardly loses his defensive skills when injured, and especially Alex, who's a real beast. Him and Terry in the centre would be a real wall to break for Manure. They seemed to be quite dangerous in croses last night, Chicharito nearly scored twice, and with Alex back in centre, I imagine that we can win in all of our aerial battles.

Lampard isn't the Lampard he was last season, but there is no one in our current squad who can start over him for the game on Tuesday. Benayoun has only played five games for us and it would be way too risky to start him, but as a substitute he's promising.

Mikel is better than Essien on his current form, he's not the same old Bison, makes mistakes and lost his defensive skills.

Kalou, with his quick feet and dribbling abilities can lead us to the goal easily, he often gets a ball from nowhere and creates great scoring opportunities. Drogba has scored in his last game at Old Trafford, why not do it again?

Torres was near to scoring last night, and he has good memories at Old Trafford, having scored twice. Anelka is definitely not an option, he's way to slow and not a real threat for United's defence.

It's definitely not over yet, and United know it very well. They know who they will have to play against, and even though they outplayd us last night, for us there is still time for improvement. Carlo along with the players should re-watch the game over and over again and see what they did wrong in order to improve for the game on Tuesday. It's simplier than it looks. We put a lot of pressure in the first half, score an early goal, then constantly push for a second. It's United who's under pressure not us, I expect us to be the dominating team on Tuesday in terms of offensive play.

Remember when we beat Liverpool 3-1 away at Anfield two years ago. They came to the Bridge with enough confidence to put great pressure from the first minute and score two goals only in the first half, and their situation was twice as bad as ours. They had to score 3 and not concede, we have to score two, even if we concede 1, we're still through.

Nothing is impossible, the ball is round and I'm actually quite confident about the game on Tuesday. The last opportunity for Frank Lampard and John Terry. They can win this game, they can win the Champions League this season. They have to.

[spuz 143]

You can't put all the blame on CA though. There's not much he can do about his midfielders not being able to make the easiest of passes.

But if he's truly happy/content with what he is seeing than we have a serious problem at Chelsea Football Club.

I think everyone on here could identify Lamps and Essien being the poorest performers. Shame the man in charge couldn't.