27 Oct 2020 01:34:44
Positive post.
Just wanted to say a massive well done to Cech and Marina at the job they done this summer. Chilwell and Mendy most important signings for me I've been very impressed. I wasn't a massive fan of franks chase of Chilwell but I'm certainly happy to be proved wrong ðŸ‘
Mendy the most important for me as I thought keeper was our weakest area. Chilly also seems like a good guy to have around the dressing room.
Havertz, Werner and Ziyech of course the big names and I'm 100% sure once they gel we will be a force going forward. But can't believe I'm singing the praises more of our defensive signings including Silva 🙌ðŸ»
Midfield is the next issue that will be solved given time and I'm sure another quality centre back. One thing I would love to see is Ampadu given a go at defensive midfield next year. I watched him for Sheffield against Liverpool he was quality there. I like Rice but he's not needed when we have Amps. That money could definitely be used for a future leader at CB for us. A Gilmour/ Ampadu pivot could be the stuff of dreams for me.
Just wanted this to be a positive post anyway as I'm very excited for our future let's just hope Frank can bring an identity to this team.
27 Oct 2020 05:23:28
Main issue with a Gilmour/ Ampadu pivot is the lack of physical presence in DM which is what we are facing right now.
27 Oct 2020 06:44:53
I think Thiago Silva goes down as the best bit of business for me. If I were Chelsea I'd be activating the additional year right now. Calm, controlling, organising and just a classy operator.
CDM is a must, I agree we should have spent this season, at least till Jan, looking at Ampadu in the squad. I like Sheff Utd a a place for him to play games, but the mind boggles at the decision to let him leave. I think the Rice signing is a case of when it happens rather than if. Either way, having a genuine DCM allows us to play with two more offensive midfielders, such as Havertz and Mount, or a genuine pivot with someone like Kante or Gilmour. It gives us tactical options, which we don't currently have.
Rice and Ampadu can coexist in the same squad, I'd love to see Ampadu learning the CB role from Thiago Silva.
27 Oct 2020 06:51:17
Ampadu is physical and doesn’t half get stuck in. Very good in the air as well.
27 Oct 2020 11:43:46
With more game time I think Ampadu will be better than Rice.
27 Oct 2020 13:12:54
I think the club see Ampadu as a CB but of course things can change!
{Ed002's Note - No they don't. Last season was a wash out for him. They see him as a DM player and are hoping he has a good season in Sheffield.}
27 Oct 2020 13:42:55
Good info Ed cheers.
27 Oct 2020 14:47:36
Thanks for the update Ed. Very interesting.
27 Oct 2020 15:27:51
cheers ed002.
Let's hope he does then.
Nice to hear Chelsea do. rate him highly and want him to progress.
27 Oct 2020 15:34:13
Ed002
Bearing in mind what you have said about Ampadu does that mean they see Rice as a CB?
Thanks.
{Ed002's Note - The club don't see Rice as a CB. It is the manager who wanted Rice. The club did not make any offer.}
27 Oct 2020 15:39:25
Certainly think that what the team lacks at present is much physical presence in midfield generally, let alone DM. A some have said, Matic a v important player for us alongside Kante. Essien a real nidfield enforcer -- as well as creative - too in his day. Kovacic perhaps offering most here in the tackle at least, and dribbling out of defense. Same relative lack of physicality today up front, though many other attributes among our attacking AMs and striker/ wingers. Recall so many games in the past when either Diego or Didier would (legally! ) barge past defenders/ through defensive wall to score, or keep CHs so busy it left space for the speedier dribblers (from Robben to Hazard) . Of course physicality isn't everything but.
I wonder what Claude Makelele, now working at Chelsea of course, would say about Ampadu v Rice?
27 Oct 2020 16:48:25
I think a CM duo of Kante and Kovacic can do wonders in a 4-2-3-1 formation. If Kante can be disciplined to sit in defensive midfield position (in front of the back four) doing the mop up while Kovacic plays the Fabregaseque role, (dropping back occasionally to help out when there’s need) and doing the box to box runs, I think Chelsea will find some balance in defence, midfield and can transition better into attack from the back.
NB: when Kante overlaps or pushes forward, Kovacic should drop back and vice versa.
{Ed001's Note - why would you want to make Kante be disciplined and sit, when the biggest strength of his game is his mobility and intelligent reading of the game to make use of that mobility to get in the right places? He is your best player, you make sure you get the best from your best player and then fit the team around that. Anything else is just hindering the team's chances.}
27 Oct 2020 17:08:06
I’ve lost count the amount of times Ed has said Kante is NOT a holding midfield player.
27 Oct 2020 17:20:18
Yes Tom and that is why he worked so well with Matic who was a DM and big physical presence to boot - and Kante's mobility more than made up for Matic's relative weakness in this respect.
27 Oct 2020 19:36:57
Ed001 what team and formation would you pick to suit kante be interested to see your team or opinion
I would like to see
Gk
Rb. Cb. Cb. Lb
Dm
Rw. Cm/ cam. Lw.
{Ed001's Note - you have Silva, who is better in a back three, so I would use a back 3 if it was me, even though I am not a fan of the system usually. With the players you have it is difficult to slot them in though. Thinking about it, forget that, 4-2-3-1 I would go. You have to have Havertz behind the striker, Werner up front and Pulisic on the left. With Kante in the centre alongside a player who sits, which would have been Ampadu if he was there, but you are going to have to try something else now, so why not Silva there? He can then drop into the back line as an extra body when needed.}
27 Oct 2020 19:47:57
That’s why Kante AND Ampadu would give us an actual midfield next year. Finally give us a bit of solidity as Ampadu could be the physical presence who will sit and break up play and Kante can press and win the ball. Also would give Havertz that free role.
27 Oct 2020 20:14:09
Cheers Ed I pressed send b4 I finshed the reply yes you could be right with silva
I think we have a lot of players that you can't squeeze into a formation without sacrificing something going forward or backwards
With our midfield options
Thanks Ed.
27 Oct 2020 22:47:56
Having a DCM acting as a solid foundation for our midfield would also allow us to rest Kante, a luxury we can't afford at the moment.
28 Oct 2020 06:16:30
Ed001;
Kante is Chelsea’s best player for his defensive midfielder CHARACTERISTICS (like tackles, physicality, clearances, ball winning, interceptions etc. ) not for creativity, goal scoring, passing, dribbling, space creation, assists, link-up play etc.
Kovacic is more creative, a better dribbler, press resistant, better passer, has better link up play and box to box runs than Kante.
Jorginho is a deep lying maker without physicality or combative ability and lowest recovery/ pace of the three. He has other qualities but we all know that he’s not very suited to the EPL.
Knowing the qualities of Kante, Kovacic and Jorginho and the fact that Lampard favours 4-2-3-1 (which he should rightly do because of the number of attacking players- midfielders/ wingers/ strikers), which two would you pick as your double pivot and why if you wanted balance in central midfield and better transition to attack playing from the back?
{Ed001's Note - I give up. You clearly have no idea what you are wittering on about. I am wasting my time here.}
28 Oct 2020 07:12:19
I've got the Kante situation wrong before. I've looked at him, thought he's declining and not influencing games like he used to. You can blame him, blame the coaches, blame the system etc. But partnering him with either Jorginho or Kovacic is placing limitations on his game, it simply doesn't work.
Despite the odd good performance here and there, and a nice penalty technique, Jorginho doesn't work in the Premier League. Kovacic, for all his good dribbling stats and ability to retain possession, is not good enough defensively. The question should be, who out of those three would you pair with a DCM, a question that should be simple to answer.
28 Oct 2020 08:43:28
Ed001; I don’t know what the word ‘wittering’ means’ but I think I have a good idea of what I am saying, maybe you don’t understand me. People (wise or daft) don’t call Kante a defensive midfielder for nothing, there’s something that they are seeing.
{Ed001's Note - that is exactly the problem, it is that they are not seeing or understanding, just like you. Firmino does all those things you have described, does that make him a defensive midfielder? Raul Jiminez too, is he defensive? Perhaps Johann Cruyff, who also pressed the ball similar to those two, was a defensive midfielder too then? Kante presses the ball back, to do so he has to be up the pitch or it is pointless. Breaking up play is not only a defensive tactic, it is the attacking tactic Klopp built his teams on and Kante his career on, only for idiot pundits to denigrate his contribution by lacking the intelligence to understand what he is doing for the team.}
28 Oct 2020 09:34:07
Silva in CDM? Blimey lol. We have jorgi and Kovacic.