Hey guys. Last night i lost my big soccer forum virginity with a post about how the season spanned out and some controversial comments about Ballack, Sheva and Boulahrouz. I want to know what you think of what i believed to be our best starting team of 06/07 and if we hypothetically had absolute no injuries. Playing a 3-5-2, It goes as follows: Petr Cech Ashley Cole - LCB John Terry - CB Ricardo Carvalho (playing a more right sided game like he used to when Gallas played at the club) Michael Ballack or either Makelele playing a more defensive midfield role which he is certainly capable of Essien - CM Lampard - AMC (right behind the strikers, like Kaka) Joe Cole - wide right Arjen Robben - wide left Didier Drogba - target man (suppy to the head mostly) Andrei Shevchenko If this tactic didn't work at half time, Mourinho, who is famous for his half-time substitutions could chuck on Paulo Ferreira, Lassana Diarra or Geremi to come on as right back for the DM and play a 4-4-2 with essien playing a holding midfield role. I believe Chelsea should make the most of their creative and pacey wingers next season. "The injection of sheva and Ballack made us shift to the very narrow 4-1-2-1-2 diamond ..... As much as this gives us stability in the center, it doesnt work with teams with fast full backs/wingers ..... For this to work we needed really good rbs and lbs .....our rb let us down ..." "Wrath" really sums up what i am trying to say. Our RB really was the weakest point in the chain. I believe we should have totally taken it out the equation and played without one. The one dangerous thing about this tactic is the fact that playing with 3 defenders in the fast-pace premier league could lead to be a problem, but i believe with JT and Cech (some of the best defensive players in the world) should act as compensation. Also the likes of Essien and Drogba's defensive capabilities even when playing more attacking roles adds another dimension. One last thing is that we would have a very experienced DM in Makelele or Ballack. Please tell me what you think of this...
I'm not even comfortable with Cole at the back in a four man line, much less in a back three. Were we to use that formation we would absolutely need a another solid center-back to complete it. I also think that with only one real central midfielder (if Lamps were to play like Kaka, he wouldn't count), we would get run over by a lot of teams in the midfield. We'd score some lovely goals and do just fine against United, Arsenal, Everton, Newcastle, and other teams that play out wide with the ball at their feet, but we'd lack possession and get destroyed by teams like Liverpool and Bolton that run everything through midfield.
Lets agree to disagree about the midfield view. I don't understand why you would say that "we would lack possession and get destroyed by teams like Liverpool and Bolton that run everything down the midfield." Is 3 central mid fielders not sufficient??? And also Liverpool aren't a great example of this anyway (please correct me if i am wrong). They are constantly over-using the outdated long ball tactic. I thought Manchester united would be a better example of a team that really runs the ball and there is absolutely no reason why we wouldn't be able to with 3 central mid fielders. I definitely agree that we would need a new strong CB to replace Cole if ever we were to play this suggested tactic.
You cannot play a 3 man backline with no winbacks. This formation would be destroyed by any side with decent width. The last two times Chelsea has attempted a 3 man backline (last 15 minutes against Liverpool two years ago and that ill fated match against Besiktas) it ended in tears. This cannot work. I also don't understand the comment about not trusting Ashley Cole in a 4 man backline. Whatever Cole's problems (and he came on toward the end of the season) he remains a fantastic defender.
I agree. My main problem with goal is with his movement FORWARD. Where as with Arsenal he'd blow up the side of the pitch, this season that has been missing. But his defense is as good as I can remember.
Its missing because it requires a fast player on that side to play off of. We haven't had that for most of the season. He's looked far better since Joe Cole came back to the side.
Well i am not at all in favour of a back 3 ..... for a back 3 to work we need fast defenders with excellent positional skills ...everyone knws Terry is NOT fast .... he remains one of the best defenders coz of his last ditch tackles and his excellent reading of the game .... As far as the cole argument goes, i dont knw y i have a soft corner for bridgey ...maybe the goal against arsenal in the CL did it for me .... i will always prefer him ahead of cole though i do feel cole has been exceptional in some games and shit in others ..... i would say go back to 4-3-3 with lamps--- ballack----essien making up the mid-field .... if things go wrong mikel can be brought in replacing the rb .... front 3 can be jole/kalou---drogba ---- robben/sheva/swp ... i think tht should give us enough oppurtunity to score ...our defence may suffer a little coz we dont have maka in front of them .... but essien/mikel can go back as and when wanted and still bring flair to the game .... well lets hope we dont have as many injuries next season
It's also early for all of this, since we all have no idea who is playinghere next season, or managing for that matter.
A back 3 can work with Terry easily, obviously we'd want to inject a 3rd CB with good pace to play alongside Terry and Ricky, but it needs wingbacks as well, problem solved on the left side with Bridge or COle, but we dont have it on the right. And frankly I dont see the point. It only leaves 3 spots in midfield, erases the wingers, and well our defense is our strong suit, we dont need to change it.
The most consistent success is achieved with the 'boring old' 4-4-2 - I can't think of any pressing need to change this. Yes some players would suit a pretty little formation like 4-1-2-1-2 better but consistency is the key. You can swap personnel in and out of a 4-4-2 without d***ing around with roles too much to suit the opposition. If you need to press forward the full backs can roam more. If we need a playmaker stick Cole up front or on a wing but we need a consistent spine from Cech, through Terry, through Lampard, through Drogba and build from there. What we really need is for Roman to buy a large wodge of brown envelopes, stuff them to the gills with roubles and figure out a way to allow Chelsea to play a 4-4-3 next year - I guarantee success!!
we know your new here bud.....but seriously dont start every thread with "Micheal's.........." whatever.
They're really not all that tasty. I bought his book last week at Barnes (Noble was at lunch), and i was dissapointed. Especially his Swedish Shortbread, it sticks to the pan. Try "Michael's 5 steps to perfect Dry Wall." He is a better Carpenter than he'll ever be as a cook. Anyways, all i can really say for next year is that Cech, Terry, Carvalho, Lampard, Essien, Joe Cole, and Drogba will be featured in our starting 11. Thats all that really should be said right now.....how bout we try to come up with a starting 11 for the F'nA cup thats in a few days huh?
I am only writing "Michael's" because i am voicing my own opinion. Notice how when i posted the thread about Mourinho i didn't write it because it isnt my opinion
I don't like the idea of having an unhappy player at the club. Jose wants him back and Crespo firmly doesn't want to come back....just as far as it's not another Gallas...
I dont know about that. I mean he didnt want to be in England last season either, but he was a total pro about it. He didnt whine too much or affect chemistry, he wasn't even first choice striker, nor played in a role suitable for him, but still went out and scored some fantastic goals when ever he was played. Come the ACN, would being able to lineup Crespo and Shevchenko be such abad idea?
Mikel needs and will be in the starting 11 next year, i don't care who makes way for him, he's shown me enuff.
not that you are biased or anything but where would you play him? I dont think there is any reason for either Essien or J. Cole to not be the first 2 names on the team sheet in the midfield. Lamps is no slouch either. So where does mikel fit in?
I'd hope we keep playing 4312 or 433, leaving 3 spots in midfield, 3 attacking spots. Lamps and Essien everytime in midfield, leaving 1 for Mikel, Ballack, Diarra. up top, Drogba and Joe Cole, leaving a spot for Robben(when healthy) or a second striker(whom it may be). But again, we dont know who will be here.