33 replies to this topic

[BenR55]

I think we wont play like that until we move ground, we need a bigger pitch in order to give the players more space to create things. Swansea's pitch looked a pretty decent size much bigger then ours so they have more space to open up teams which are use to smaller pitches.

[Eggy McMuffin]

Nibs, on 15 January 2012 - 08:14 PM, said:

But Brendan Rodger is a class act and there is no way he would take Josh on loan and then not play him. He will ease him in and no doubt rotate the midfield players as and when fixtures come thick and fast.

Swansea were a joy to watch today. Was just as despera\te for them to hold onto their 3-2 lead as I was for us to hold onto our 1-0 lead yesterday!!

I'm not saying he wont' play, I'm saying he's not guaranteed a start which many thought he would be when championing Swansea as the place to send Josh. He's going to have to work hard to get into that midfield, no doubt.

[dkw]

Nibs, on 15 January 2012 - 08:50 PM, said:

Come on dkw, you know what he's getting at.

Swansea are a newly promoted team with very little money and capacity crowds of about 20k and yet they have assmbled a squad of players who are playing unbelievably good football compared to ourselves at the moment who can spend £50m on one player and struggle to break teams down.

And Chelsea are a team in building, with a new manager and coaching staff. Anyone who thought we would be playing free flowing brilliant football for immediately was kidding themselves. To say we have been let down by the players and AVB halfway through the season is just ridiculous, especially as we are still in 3 competitions.

[blizeH]

I see lots of Swansea players are getting a lot of praise here (and rightfully so) but no mention of Leon Britton's pass rate - best in Europe. Second best is Xavi, third Iniesta.

Not a bad bunch of players to be alongside (or indeed, above!)

Honestly I'm not sure Swansea is the best move for Josh the more you look into this... Brendan is an amazing manager and will try to get the best from him, but he actually faces a lot of competition there. Moreso than the majority of PL clubs.

[Nibs]

blizeH, on 16 January 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

I see lots of Swansea players are getting a lot of praise here (and rightfully so) but no mention of Leon Britton's pass rate - best in Europe. Second best is Xavi, third Iniesta.

Not a bad bunch of players to be alongside (or indeed, above!)

Honestly I'm not sure Swansea is the best move for Josh the more you look into this... Brendan is an amazing manager and will try to get the best from him, but he actually faces a lot of competition there. Moreso than the majority of PL clubs.

......in fact you could look at the two midfields right now and be of the opinion it would be easier to get into our midfield than Swansea's (if you were looking for some creativity that is!)

[eimreidin]

As a fellow country man with Sigurðsson, I can tell you this guy has one of the best foot I've ever seen. His corners and free kicks are just amazing, and he is only 23 years old. He was Reading's best player before he left for Hoffenheim. At Hoffenheim he was voted the fans player of the year his first year, even though he didn't have guaranteed first team spot.  10 starts and 9 goals and two assists. Is he Chelsea quality? I doubt it, he needs more pace in my opinion.

Here are two great goals he scored for Iceland u21 to qualify for the Euro u21:


And here I am quoting the Guardian, while he was playing at Reading:

Quote

The large number of top-flight professional footballers who suffer from a chronic inability to clear the first man (or chronic ability to clear nearby advertising hoardings) with free-kicks and corners – yes you, Steven Gerrard – is, quite frankly, depressing. Most of them could learn a thing or two from the Reading midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson. One of the hallmarks of (and reasons for) the Berkshire club's impressive Cup run was the 20-year-old Icelandic international's unerring ability to pick out team-mates from dead-ball situations, whether whipping it across the edge of the six-yard box from corners, or arrowing it into the corridor of uncertainty between goalkeeper and central defenders from long-range free-kicks. His added-time equaliser against Liverpool in the third round proved he's equally adept under pressure from the penalty spot, while the slide-rule pass that set up Reading's second yesterday demonstrated that his vision, awareness and technical savvy isn't restricted solely to dead-ball situations. Reading will do well to hold on to him this summer; the boy, as they say, is a bit special.

http://www.guardian....end?INTCMP=SRCH

[blizeH]

Bizarrely you're not wrong.

It's great to have Essien back, and I rate Ramires very highly. Romeu too has been pretty decent, and Lampard has been one of our better players despite a drop in form. Miereles has been a mixed bag I guess... but either way, apart from Ramires (who himself was poor in the last game, especially by his standards) no one has really cemented their place in the first team right now.

[Zeta Orionis]

Definitely need another Icelander here.

[ethicalstrategy]

Nibs, on 15 January 2012 - 08:50 PM, said:

Come on dkw, you know what he's getting at.

Swansea are a newly promoted team with very little money and capacity crowds of about 20k and yet they have assmbled a squad of players who are playing unbelievably good football compared to ourselves at the moment who can spend £50m on one player and struggle to break teams down.

To be fair even we managed to score three against Arsenal! (we won't mention their goals).

Swansea have actually struggled to score goals this season.  

I do agree though that they played beautifully yesterday and thoroughly deserved their win (even if Arsenal's second goal brought back nightmares of our match against them)

[ethicalstrategy]

General, on 15 January 2012 - 06:05 PM, said:

Think Scott Sinclar was let go for under a mill, 5 prem goals this season and looked good down the left - a lot better than Malouda.

Strange, because i thought Sinclair was disappointing.  He showed exactly why we let him go.  He has a bit of pace on the ball but too often gave the ball away cheaply and took the wrong option.  A good player for Swansea but nowhere near good enough for a top 4 team.

[dkw]

Agree with Eth, he was as usual very good on the ball but with very little end product. Reminds me of a certain Ivorian....

[barak81]

ethicalstrategy, on 16 January 2012 - 01:25 PM, said:

Strange, because i thought Sinclair was disappointing.  He showed exactly why we let him go.  He has a bit of pace on the ball but too often gave the ball away cheaply and took the wrong option.  A good player for Swansea but nowhere near good enough for a top 4 team.

ethicalstrategy, on 16 January 2012 - 01:25 PM, said:

Strange, because i thought Sinclair was disappointing.  He showed exactly why we let him go.  He has a bit of pace on the ball but too often gave the ball away cheaply and took the wrong option.  A good player for Swansea but nowhere near good enough for a top 4 team.

Are you describing Sinclair of Malouda because for a few years now that basically sums up malouda except for the pace thing

[Backbiter]

blizeH, on 16 January 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

I see lots of Swansea players are getting a lot of praise here (and rightfully so) but no mention of Leon Britton's pass rate - best in Europe. Second best is Xavi, third Iniesta.

Not a bad bunch of players to be alongside (or indeed, above!)

Honestly I'm not sure Swansea is the best move for Josh the more you look into this... Brendan is an amazing manager and will try to get the best from him, but he actually faces a lot of competition there. Moreso than the majority of PL clubs.

Here are those passing stats. And who'd have thought it? That old-fashioned, typically English-style, no-nonsense centre-half who always needs a proper footballer alongside him like Carvalho or Ferdinand but is technically very limited? The third most accurate passer in Europe? Maybe those old press clichés are just a load of bollox.
Edit: Here's the link! http://www.telegraph...-than-Xavi.html

Edited by Backbiter, 16 January 2012 - 08:30 PM.

[BenR55]

http://www.chelseafc...2580670,00.html

From this interview hes made his intentions pretty clear, he wants/expects to play most games surely a gentleman's agree has been made regarding playing time for him?