If you can change things at the Shed, what will you do ?

[Nibs]

Essien is probably the best allround player in the world

Only just seen this quote.

Great athlete. Strong. Can run all day (and probably all night). But best all round player in the world? Need a lot more to your game to be awarded that sort of accolade.

I certainly wouldn't sell Essien but I agree with G4, at times he would struggle to make our best starting 11.

 

[midlandblue]

I would tend to agree about Essien being a world class "all round footballer"

cant think of any others as versatile, fit or aggressive.

 

[Nibs]

If that's what being a great footballer is all about then it shows how the priorities in football these days are so so wrong.

That being a great athlete is more important than being able to pass the ball

Fair play to Essien for being so versatile and that sort of player will always prove useful - like Willy G did for us and Hargreaves etc. But I don't like this "great all rounder" stuff. I like a striker to be a striker, a defender to defend and a winger to go past defenders etc etc............

Don't want to be seen as having a go at Essien as I do appreciate what he brings to our squad. But how can he be one of the greats (at this present time) when he plays like he has been of late? He gives the ball away far too often for my liking and I would go as far as to say, that at times he is like our very own Stevie G - a bit over-rated.

 

[midlandblue]

not saying he is one of the greats, just that in my opinion as an all round player there are few if any better.

he does not compare to Kaka as an attacking midfielder

he does not compare to Terry as a center back

hes does not compare to Maka as a defensive midfielder

hes does not compare to Alves as a right back.

but how do each of them individuals compare to Esssien in all them positions with his fitness and commitment

no contest.

and yes his form has dropped at the moment, but we are not exactly fire on all cylinders across the team.

 

[Liam]

If that's what being a great footballer is all about then it shows how the priorities in football these days are so so wrong.That being a great athlete is more important than being able to pass the ball

You can sing that Nibs.

 

[Guest]

I'd say his a world class defensive player but not a world class all round player.

 

[ozboy]

Repeat some analysis I posted in another thread:

Season 04-05, 05-06, 06-07, 07-08

Goals scored in premier league by:

Strikers: 22, 24, 31, 3

Midfield: 38, 35, 21, 5 (lampard 13,16,11,3)

Defenders: 6,10,4,0

Swp, duff, robben, tiago, Malouda are midfields (guddy a striker)

So what I take from that is that our midfield is not scoring goals like they used to. That's because: 1. Duff was never properly replaced;

2. Last season JC was injured;

3. Robben's form dropped off

4. Essien and Ballack scored only 6 goals between the two.

So in my opinion the team became too defensive last season and also too narrow, virtually all of the goal scoring job was landed on Drogba and Lampard.

This season its even worse because Terry and Carvalho haven't been much of a threat at set pieces and even Ballack is missing.

Personally I don't think Essien is nearly as creative as Makalele although he is a fantastic runner with the ball. We need a playmaker as well as a defensive ball winner in front of the back four. We also need a creative midfielder to partner lampard and score goals and we need a winger that can score goals. Clearly SWP will never score the goals required. So he should be the first one sold.

I would also sell one of Mikel/Essien and replace with a defensive but creative midfielder to do Maka's job as Maka tires. Mikel may be able to do that job if he can learn to start the attack moving, instead of just pushing the ball sideways.

Finally we need a 3rd forward besides Drogba and Kalou. We want someone about 23-25, already good but with at least 5 top seasons ahead of them. They must be fast, good on the ball and able to score regularly. Tevez is too slow for my taste. Eto is probably the closest to it although not convinced about his personality.

 

[icecoolguy22]

Our scoring problem started the day Jose decided to drop Eidur and played Maka and Essien together. The message was simple - you do all the attacking Lampard! It didnt take long for every manager to figure that out - contain Lampard and Chelsea is F**. You can present the ball on a plate to Essien and maka and they will still look for Lampard to pass to.. What every system we are going to play, we can only play 1 out the Maka, Essien style of players, unless we are playing for a draw. Maka is surely heading towards the end of his career after this season, so I dont see any reason to sell Essien.