MOTM vs Southend

[loz]

This is getting more and more futile as the results roll on.

[sweet waffle]

I'm going to reserve judgement until after I've seen the "highlights".

[aliboy66]

I'm going to reserve judgement until after I've seen the "highlights".

[Ruh Buh Juh]

Same here.

[bjd]

we had 20 secs of highlights so i guess only people who went to the game can vote.

unless you add a Monica Belluci option.

[loz]

Must admit I am considering making this one null and void unless we get quite a few votes from people who were at the match.

[ethicalstrategy]

I voted for Mikel to save Liam the trouble!

I was at the match and he was comfortably our best player.

[tommygun]

I voted for Mikel to save Liam the trouble!

I was at the match and he was comfortably our best player.

Didn't watch the game

Could you sum up their performances Thanks :)

[ethicalstrategy]

Can't believe that I was the only person there!

Cudicini - had very little to do. Flapped at a cross late on but couldn't do anything about the goal

Ferreira - looked solid enough in the main. Missed one challenge in the first half which left us a bit exposed. Didn't offer too much going forward.

A. Cole - had a good game. Solid defensively and got forward well. Had a good shot with his right foot! However, he got turned late on which lead to the throw from which they equalised.

Carvalho - good to see him back but he was a little rusty. Missed one cross completely which Ivanovic had to put out for a corner. Also missed his header for their goal.

Ivanovic - a solid display.

Mikel - played his usual game very well. He is very hard to shake off the ball and distributed it well. Brought the ball forward well at times and covered defensively when needed. I hope he stays with us for a long time as he is top class and very consistent.

Belletti - not really a top class midfielder. Played OK but given the time and space his passing and overall contribution were not as good as they should have been.

Lampard - ran things in midfield but never really got a clear cut opportunity on goal. Everything was almost but not quite.

J. Cole - Lively in the first half but faded out of the game in the second.

Kalou - a typical performance from Saloman. Tried really hard and had some nice runs but ultimately not much came from them. Took his goal well but it was a simple header.

Drogba - not his best match. He had two very good opportunities early and really should have scored. Kept going but it never really looked like being his day.

Di Santo - looked lively when he came on and had a header brilliantly saved at the death.

Sinclair - didn't really have time to make any impact.

Overall, it wasn't the worst performance, we created plenty of chances, but a moment of sloppiness at the back and some profligate finishing cost us again.

[Nibs]

Thanks for the summing up ES - it was hard to tell from the ITV "highlights". ITV and football really don't go well together.

But on Mikel, was he playing in a midfield three or was he still in the "Maka role"?

[true-blue-jay]

i was there mikel had a shocked...passes went astray...didnt have shot(as usual)...tackles were bad

belletti looked good for the whole game.

easily the best player

[true-blue-jay]

also

didnt joe cole looked pee'd off when he got subbed lol

not a happy bunny

[blizeH]

So either Mikel had a shocker, or he was the clear MOTM.

I'm going to go with ethical on this one, purely because jay said "didn't have a shot (as usual)" - dude, have you ever actually seen Mikel's shooting? He shoots far too much for my liking :P

[Nibs]

As I've already said, I didn't see the game so can't really comment. My main query is why we felt the need to play a defensive midfielder in a home match against a team like Southend. Whether he was playing that role or not it still seems like a bad decision as Mikel has never given the side much attacking wise. And in recent matches, he hasn't given the back four much in the way of protection either like Maka used to.

[Virosh]

Based almost entirely on the texts form Sky, I gave it to Lampard. It appears he ran the show with some fantastic passing. At least so they say.

[ethicalstrategy]

As I've already said, I didn't see the game so can't really comment. My main query is why we felt the need to play a defensive midfielder in a home match against a team like Southend. Whether he was playing that role or not it still seems like a bad decision as Mikel has never given the side much attacking wise. And in recent matches, he hasn't given the back four much in the way of protection either like Maka used to.

I'd ignore true-blue-jay. He must have watched the match with a blindfold on.

Mikel played in his usual role in a midfield three. I wouldn't describe it as a defensive role as such because it allows the fullbacks to get forward which is very important to how Scolari wants to play in a 4-3-3 formation. As the fullbacks go forward then Mikel drops back and makes a defensive three. So you I would argue that we really played 3-5-3.

To be honest we didn't have any problems creating chances. We just didn't take them. Defensively we were good too apart from the goal which was down to a very poor header from Carvalho. I've seen the replay now and he got right under it, which he did a lot in his first season for us.

If this had just been a one off then I wouldn't be too concerned.

[loz]

I am not going to include this in the MOTM analysis at the end of the season as it would appear we only have one vote from someone who actually saw the game.