venom2011

Agree with you, except about the degree of difference between the two. Alonso looked cumbersome in a 4 backline as well. Also the the attributes which give Alonso an advantage over Baba are negated somewhat by the position he would play in the system, so I'd still like to see how he would do. I feel we can swop Alonso out for a more aggressive WB and a DM for a more rounded player (Nainggolan?) to improve our quality. We can get harassed by a high press because the back 7 has only Luiz as a technically gifted player (Matic in form as well).

I wouldn't say 'a lot' as Alonso is not a great defender either. But yes Alonso he has the experience, stamina, and positional sense which makes him well-rounded and flexible, useful when we switch to a back four during certain transitions.

Stronger and quicker than Cahill and at least as good a passer. Also I've never seen a more dominant player in the air at his age. He will push for a place for sure. The only problem is that the perfect player for Cahill's position is Luiz. Someone like Koulibaly would be ideal for the centre.

Not only that but he's quicker than Alonso and better technically. Would love to see him in this setup.

He has been very good. I hope the club sign a midfielder to challenge him next season though. Kante is arguably already irreplaceable, but an upgrade on Matic would take us to the next level (offensively).

There is no room for Terry starting in the current setup unless it's a dead game/cup tie. You need decent pace across the backline. I don't think Cahill is great at all but he makes sense given the players available to Conte. I've grown quite fond of him actually. He's a solid squad member who always gives 100%.

We've heard numerous managers (Conte and Mourinho included ) say that the formation is not important, it's about application from the players. So the success of the 343/3421 had me thinking - Praise for the formation change is coming from all corners, but has it had an actual effect or is it a placebo? We're in fact still playing with two recognised CBs, 2 recognised FBs, 2 CMs and 3 AMs. So the change in the level of performance must be more than just a clockwise nudge of the 4321. We have Terry out - team can play a higher line. We have Ivanovic out - actual support down the right flank. And subsequently, pace and energy all over the park. And the formation change has seen: Azpilicueta playing on the right. A player roaming the left flank who is comfortable on the ball and LEFT footed. Luiz having two players covering either side and the entire pitch open for his vision. Hazard playing more centrally So we've had a combination of factors that have just allowed the team to click into gear. It's still far from perfect though. Going forward I'd like to see Luiz in Cahill's position as the flanking CBs have some license to drive forward which would suit him. Unfortunately there's no room for Terry in this setup if you're wanting the same impact. Still, these are exciting times :)

Must have missed the first 20+ months of his return then... He was exceptional from when he rejoined, until the end of the title-winning season.

From watching him last season and the last few games, I feel exactly the opposite. He is known for his defensive exploits but his positioning and decision making are also top notch. Sharp as a tack too. I'm thoroughly impressed.

Saw this today: Kante lost his virginity at 18. He won it back immediately.

For sure. We definitely shouldn't be where we are. And last season he stretched this team as far as it could go and did wonderfully well. But we have such a mix of problems this season which have snowballed into something catastrophic. We were light in deep midfield last season, it wasn't addressed. We were light in defence last season, it wasn't addressed. Our stalwarts have either left or are on their last legs. And I do not lay the blame for this at the feet of Jose. This is not a recipe for stability.

Short-termism if I have ever seen it... So you don't want to see José given the help he needs, and deserves, because he has something to prove to the world? As if his accolades up to this point stand for nothing. It is not 'another window' it is just 'a window' - since the problems have emerged. There are tons of examples of managers being in this situation, some more than once, and their teams having problems which unfortunately cannot be fixed without some surgery. And we have the best surgeon in the world at our club. Just allow him the time/window to operate.

He has many other 'sayings' wrongly attributed to him as well. There's something wrong with the squad make-up and with certain individuals. Jose needs a window to address any concerns, it would be ridiculous to be rid of him before giving an actual opportunity to fix the problems. Our midfield is obscenely porous, but our recent 'mini resurgence' was built upon a more solid pairing of Ramires and Matic. With Ramires injured we are back to square one. I think I would die a little inside if I should see the back of Mourinho but Fabregas, Oscar and Falcao remain.

Big fan. Always gives 100% and I think once he adapts to the league and the team, he'll be a star performer.

Did this (sort of) happen?

He certainly knows how to use him and has publicly made comments to that effect. What we can't afford now are any more mistakes from inexperienced players. You want youngsters to be introduced into a well-functioning system suited to the ambition of the club. The answer is never to lean on them out of sheer desperation.

Some of those improve even further once they've left the club.

If it were up to me the answer would be never. But I'd imagine he has until a few games after the conclusion of the Jan transfer window. But I think we'll be improving (table position) before then.

You say 'it will not' like the man is finished. Deary me. Torres looked poor whether we played well or not. Costa is simply underperforming along with most of teammates.

That's a different case. That is his movement inside the box, which has never been a great strength of his - comparing to his vertical movement behind the defensive line. But even then he does react, generally dropping back. He's simply making some bad decisions right now.

There were about 3 runs he made last night that with a half decent pass would have seen him through on goal. He is suffering a crisis of confidence as much as the rest of the team but he needs the guys behind him to be functioning. Reminds me of where Torres was at when he joined. Except the quality of players around him was vastly different.

After watching that post-match interview my allergies started acting up...

I'm with you on this. Doesn't seem a natural leader of men. I'd say the only ones suitable in the current setup are Ivan, Cahill and maybe Fabregas and I'm sure Fabregas will never be captain. I think this is actually part of the larger problem of our form this season. A lack of on-pitch leadership without J.T. A while back the likes of Lampard, Drogba, Cech, JT, Ivanovic - to name a few - just knew what to do and how to carry us home.

Not just in this moment. He was pretty much the same towards the end of last season as well. And he has firmly established his presence in his national side. Turning into a little beast.

Quite different in that Hazard is arguably the best player in the league at his peak. He will be back. But Jose needs to focus on bringing solidity back to our game. As with Mata, Hazard's work ethic requires others to compensate but not to the same extent.It's something I thought quite a bit about a few weeks ago actually. Playing the high work rate players - Willian, Ramires, Pedro, Oscar and just focus on being solid. Even without Hazard, how many teams can match today's unit on paper? Not many. And if we remain solid it will be a nice build-up to the top 4.