Easy money. Only caught the highlights on account of orientation at a new gig. Happy to see Michy bag a couple and see the boys record an easy big win in the CL.
He made 2 poor passes but that was when most of the team were giving the ball away constantly, but his pace and recovery and tackles to win the ball back were spot on. Cahill is just too poor on the ball for our side.
I thought on a whole we did fantastic. A great re-introduction into the CL. I have tried to defend (pun intended?) Cahill and Im sure he looks sharp in training. Plus he's our captain now so that's what Conte thinks of him. But I dont trust him that much anymore. Shaky passes and traps and tackles.
Great show by Zapp. Enormous energy and bombing forward. But can he defend? We'll see against better opponents and I think he'll keep Moses off the pitch in most matches. Also, he admitted his goal was a cross.
I think with Cahill it's his intangibles that keep him in the starting line up when fit or not suspended. The problem is the tangibles are in serious decline. Right now he's a walking red card with his timing as bad as it is and I get nervous when he's on the ball too. Time to switch to our future now so the new unit can properly bed in together and learn each others' games. I see the fact he is English is touted as the reason, but I think it's more to do with the fact that he's the captain (though even this is also linked). Conte has shown that he is willing to make the 'tough' choice with Terry and while Cahill is not all the way there yet, he's not a million miles off. He cares, he's passionate, he leads, but it's time for the next generation.
Cahill has been reliable but since the last couple of years it's been time. Still find it awesome he goes from Bolton, on the verge of relegation, to winning his a CL his first season with us.
Yes, it's a great story and Chelsea have turned him into a solid defender (he'd be a legend if American) but we can (and are) do better. Rudiger, Christensen, Zouma all have tremendous upside.
Cahill's red against Burnley may well have accelerated this process. Let's see what happens going forward - it didn't matter whom we started yesterday.
I was thinking last night that recently I have not been so nervous when we have had the ball at the back. Last night that nervousness returned with one G Cahill.
Actually I didn't mention anything about Cahill. I agree he's also looked shaky. I was just saying that Rudiger didn't look like an upgrade on that showing. Regarding the 2 poor passes, he only came on the pitch at the 74 minute mark. Like I say, it's hard coming into a game late on. Let's see how the guy progresses.
I had my heart in my mouth when he went flying into that tackle. I thought he was gonna see another red. It was absolutely ludicrous.
Having seen some of those fellas, even for the short period involved, I'm a lot happier one of them can do a job for us if Gaz stops being a regular. Christensen looks the best prospect of those I've seen recently. Zouma's on loan somewhere, isn't he? Stoke? The thing is you have to see these guys play every week over an extended period. The fact they look better over half a dozen games isn't of much use if they then collapse for 2 or 3 games in a row.
Why the 'hate' on Cahill? To be honest I didn't think Rudiger looked too good after he came on! Christensen looks good though.
He's looked nervy lately but he's been good over several years for us. IMO there's no question of dropping him like a stone unless we can be sure we've definitely got someone better. Christensen looks the best option atm but in a match the other week he played well for most of it but completely fluffed a long ball that had been hopefully punted forward. As it was the other lot couldn't do anything with it but it made me a bit nervous.
It's not hate so much as it is noticing a recognizable decline in his already limited abilities. Like Ivan. I think Cahill can do a great job for us this season.
Cahill's yellow yesterday could have also easily been red with another ref. Odd challenge in an odd part of the field for him.
While Cahill has given many years of service to the club and is still a very good premier league standard player I do think we have looked better during his ban. Christensen certainly looks assured, however Conte seems to only play him in the centre of the back three which will reduce his options for playing. Actually I think that the normally reliable Cesar Azpilicueta has been showing signs of vulnerability this season at times he has looked merely human. As for Zouma, who is indeed on loan at Stoke, he is a fine prospect and is excellent in a back four. At present, he is young and can improve, I think he is not suited to a back three unless he improves his distribution, he is very deliberate in his passing and does not get the time he requires in a back three.
Christensen looks REALLY good. and i think Conte is just focusing on training him on one specific position for now. no doubt he could play in the wider center back roles, but he likes have role specific options. and right now he's the understudy to Luiz. Rudiger will be fine, just needs more time. he's look really good in other games he's started. as for Zouma, he's been killing it at stoke. i've heard a lot of really positive things regarding his play this season so far. i've seen a few mistakes, but overall he's solid. and that's on the right of a back 3 that hughes has been using. if he has a good season under his belt i'd welcome him back in a hearbeat. his only problem is he does look deliberate and labored on the ball and i don't think conte really likes that. however, he's going to be playing in a more similar system this year. and there is one things he's incredible at...defending.
That was the thing. He was 70 yards from goal. I get being pulled too far forward and not wanting to get bypassed in that part of the field but, Jesus, dude... calm down. To me he just looked nervous, (maybe the ban as Nic says?), but, regardless of the reason, he needs to cut that shit out.
Let's pump the breaks. Zouma looks good defending deep - he's a lot less incredible defending in space. He'd need to do a lot more of that for us.
Kurt is the man.. awkward on the ball but up until his horrible injury he was a mainstay with us. I think we'll definitely be seeing him having an influence with us again.
Kurt needs some time and some polish but there's a lot there to like. Overall I'm feeling good about the state of our current and future CB units and if you have that solid you have a strong foundation for continued success. Also, once Costa has gone, we will have a really settled squad and that's worth points over the course of a season. Feels like we are moving in the right direction in general.
hey, i was just saying he has been looking good this season, and even called out flaws that we know he has. and deliberately pointed out i'd like to see a good season from him first. i think i'm going the appropriate posted speed. also its "brakes".