Lucky, but damn well fought. I wouldn't be too harsh on Zouma, he was our best defender by a long way - no nonesense stuff. Azpilicueta was also excellent. Ivanovic and Terry though...dear dear they're looking past it. Ivanovic maybe needs more time to work up to speed, but for the first time ever I do genuinely think this is a season too far for seeing Terry every game (though I think we knew that). Matic needs a kick up the ass. The sad thing is that Terry's sending off may stop Ivanovic being dropped. I reckon we'll be back in the business next week but still, a lot of rust slowly coming off.
Happy with the 3 points. I don't think matic played that badly. Not great but it wasn't that poor. Poor guy literally running around everywhere by himself. Fab had a shocker. So many misplaced passes. Costa looking much better happy with his performance. Hazard still looking leggy and apart from his last 20 minutes where he produced his masterclass to keep ball i don't think he did too much. Pedro looks the bomb, glad we have him and he's making intelligent runs playing good balls and working hard. His skill to setup Willian was first class. Willian could have done better with his chances but i thought Jose was wrong to sub him off. Fab should have gone as he's such a liability defensively. I don't understand how Fab gets 90 minutes every week. At least with Willian we know he can take the midfielder on like Hazard and he will work harder. Not going to blame Zouma for Terrys red. The ball was going through to Courtouis why would he be sprinting back. Thought the foul was a bit harsh but you see them given. Thought Ivan again had another poor game.
May be another day Tibo would have sweeped that JT red pass. May be he's hangover from his Red? But Zouma with his speed should have made the effort. Fab is invisible. When he is visible, picked out few good passes. That's all.
I don't think fab was invisible, think he was still trying to get on the ball and do things, but just the amount of misplaced passes was what i saw whether they were simple ones or hard ones. About the best thing he did chuck it onto costas chest for daves goal. As for the Zouma one maybe i will change my mind when i watch MOTD tonight but the ball was well past zouma for him to sprint back imo
Difficult place to go to and win and even more difficult when down to ten. Was comfortable up until the sending off but we definitely deserved to win. Zouma was outstanding when we were a man down. Nice debut from Pedro and the difference he made is massive. We haven't a direct runner since we lost schurrle so I think he'll add something different. So much quality in the final third too. This is a better result than most make out.
Ivan is just plain out of form. JT is out of confidence and has lost a little more pace. Zouma did well especially second half. What is Matic to do? He spends half his time saving JTs arse and the other half covering for Fabregas' blunders. Hazard is nowhere near his best form , Costa decided to score Goals instead of TKOs and looked a different player with Pedro helping out with decent passes. Pedro was above expectation and Willian is the least skillful Brazillian player ever. So even though we are very much in progress, the fight and effort is back. This was a better performance from the Team and a step forward for sure. Now when we bring in Pogba.................
Seeing as JT and Ivan are out of sorts, for the next game, stick Dave at RB, Baba at LB and have Cahill and Zouma in CB?
What was noticeable yesterday was that Fabregas categorically refuses to track back and even when he finds himself in a defensive position (by accident) he looks half arsed.
He would often do that last season, but his contribution going forward made up for it. So far this season he's been piss poor going forward aswell.
Ivanovic may be out of form, but he is being beaten definitively by pace. This isn't just a form issue - he can't cope anymore with pacey wingers and it is the worst kept secret in the league. Also... Too complimentary to Matic. He is committing basic fouls, not using his physical presence and misplacing passes all over the shop. I'm more inclined to give Fabregas an easier ride purely because eventhough he needs to sort himself out, Matic is borderline liability atm.
We need to try having a proper RB and a proper LB on the pitch. We're currently playing with a CB and a RB in those positions and it's affected two perfectly good players positions at the club in Bertrand and Luis. Ivanovic seems to be untouchable under Jose.
Like I said, Drop Ivan and JT for the next game. Stick Dave at RB, Rahman at LB, and have Cahill and Zouma in the middle. See how that fares.
In fairness i think Ivan has been great at RB. He used to be strong and pacy. It's only been the last 2 seasons when i saw how slow he's gotten that i haven't liked him at rb even if he has got all them assists and goals (which i guess is a good season). I've never been a masssive fan of Ivan in the middle. Attacking a ball to score a goal he's great at. Defensively attacking the ball i have my reservations. He's decent in the middle but not great for me. Like Cahill really.
Totally agree. Not knocking Ivan as he's been a great asset over the years, but it's indisputable that having him at RB has affected the balance of the side as he isn't a natural full back. Add to that we play with a RB at left back, no matter how good they both are it's still not 'natural'. Behind Zabaleta, Azpilicueta is the best full back in the league in my eyes, so I think he should be played in his natural position to get the most out of him. We've spent nigh on £40m on left back in the past year and one of them hasn't worked out, hopefully we give Baba regular game time at LB.
I think it's largely the physicality he brings, goal threat and use at set pieces that most full back don't give you. But it obviously shouldn't be to the detriment of the balance of the side etc.
**** Indeed. Why is this ain't obvious to Jose? Looks like Jose's first season (this term). He is trying to make things harder for himself.
