Opinion on Ballack?

[lampsgod89]

What is your opinion of Ballack???

Now he has been on the Bridge several seasons, and in my eyes only played very very few good games. I cant believe my eyes sunday after sunday when i see him in the lineup.

He is absolutely good for nothing. I'd rather start with 10 than 11 with ballack on the pitch! :)

[loz]

In general I entirely disagree.

Based purely on form in the current season I would have him ahead of Lampard, Joe COle, Malouda and Deco in the first team.

[lampsgod89]

Hmm I still think lampard even though he is not playing at the top of potential right now he way more important for the team than ballack. Even if ballack is playin better.

Joe and malouda has got the pace and creativity which is important, dont see why you will put him instead of them?

[loz]

Largely because Joe has been awful - Malouda a little better but not reliable.

[lampsgod89]

Yeah okay, Joe has'nt been good. But he is still recovering from injury and apperently needs more time than last time. Malouda still poses a greater thread than ballack in my opinion. But i agree not reliable.

I would like to see ballack and lamps work way harder than they are doing now, if we should have a chance of taking the big trophy this year.

[The Brit]

he is one of a few players who have gone off the boil the last few weeks, like deco, malouda...i expect him to get back to his best in second half of the season...i always feel that we tend to play our best stuff when the champs league knockoiut stages begin and we know trophies are really at stake...not saying it's right, but they do seem to go up a level

[PloKoon13]

I think loz has got it right on this one. He does a lot for the team, and while unspectacular, is [usually] a midfield rock and is the starting point for a lot of our attacks, much as Makelele was when he was playing well.

Obviously Ballack isn't as good defensively (or in the bedroom) as Maka was, but still...

When Lamps was injured in Avram's season Ballack was an amazing standin.

[Scott]

We are better with Ballack in the side period. I'm not his biggest fan but I can't deny we are better when he plays.

[Spiller86]

He's frustrating because he doesn't seem to have a lot of crucial touches he just seems to mosey around, and because of this he is one that generally comes in for criticism when we aren't playing well. I myself have always seem him as valuable and I think much like Lamps he is restricted by the diamond because he is a player of vision who can really dominate the game if given the space, which the current system doesn't always provide. For mine he's getting on a little and perhaps doesn't have the penetration he once had but he's still excellent on the ball and certainly still worthy of a place week in week out.

I just wish he had more games like that one against Man Utd at the Bridge a couple of seasons back.

[dkw]

what a lot of people seem to miss about Herr Ballack is the way he controls the tempo of games so well. he`s always available for a pass and is usually the middle man in the beginning of most attacking moves. he does the simple things but does them very well. this means he isnt the most spectacular player on the pitch but is a very important part of our game.

[german-blue]

Yeah okay, Joe has'nt been good. But he is still recovering from injury

Cant hear that anymore. Hes already "coming back from injury" since 2 months. Played about 15 (probably even more now ) matches. His poor form is not because of that injury or because of a lack of match-fitness. Joe Coel should be 100% fit now, hes already in training since 10 weeks or so. If you cant get fit as a footballer in 10 weeks you should seriously consider to retire imo.

[DiHanio]

IMO, Ballack is class. He breaks up play very well, he makes a lot of 'smart' fouls when needed. He's so aware of whats going on around him and he's scored some excellent goals for us too.

At the moment, he's gone off the boil but then again, the guts of the team have. The team as a whole need a kick in the arse cos they ain't doing themselves any favours.

[Tim W]

Ballack's match input is not appreciated until he's not there, one criticism would be his lack of goals but I think he's under orders to play further back.

[lampsgod89]

My criticism isn´t that he doesn´t score goals. I think i has a lot of foul passes a makes a lot of stupid freekicks. He seems to be the invisible player. Maybe thats why i never catch him doing smt good... But i am glad some of you can open my eyes. ;)

[sunshine kebab]

judging by this thread, ballack is seriously overrated.

by and large, he's been immensely disappointing for us. got better under hiddink, as everyone did, but guus still ended up preferring mikel, and never played the two of them together.

ballack just can't get up and down, he's too slow, too ponderous. he would have been far better suited to spain, playing for real, steamrollering opponents, away from all the argy bargy.

supposedly good in the air. have you ever seen him put his head in where it hurts? thought not.

started this season well, got injured, reverted back to the ballack we know so well.

[Randy36]

Ballack really struggled when he first came to the Bridge because of niggling injuries. It was only after he came back from surgery in the latter half of 2008 that he began to show his worth. His sense of position has really made him a highly rated midfielder. His passing is effective and accurate and he is constantly moving into good positions to receive the ball. Granted he has slowed down but so have the other 30 year olds e.g. Lamps and Deco. So far he has had a better season than Lamps. For those who question his passing accuracy just check his stats after a game.

I would never write Michael Ballack off!

[kennypaul]

michael ballack is a good midfielder,however time is catching up with him,so much so it looks embarrasing when all he can do is foul an opponent because hes too slow to tackle them,thereby giving away needless free kicks which put us under threat from set pieces.as a holding midfielder,again too slow,but when on form he does give the team something.i think hell be around next season because of the transfer ban,but if we were free to do business,he along with a few others would be gone,imo

[cooke]

I would like to see him on the score sheet more often . Did nt he have a good record of goals in Germany. I may be wrong. I do agree he does break up play etc . But i would like still to see more from him. Maybe its the diamond formation if it was 4 4 2 it might be different.

[german-blue]

Did nt he have a good record of goals in Germany.

Yes. He was scoring about 15 goals a season for Bayern Munich.

[charierre]

Looks like we're going to have him for a further 2 yrs

Michael Ballack is ready to sign a two-year contract extension at Chelsea after declaring he can still cut it in the Barclays Premier League.

The 33-year-old had previously suggested he could retire after the 2010 World Cup, when his current £120,000 a week Blues deal expires.

However, the Germany captain now insists he has never though about hanging up his boots.

'I think I can still play the two coming years at the best level for Chelsea,' said Ballack.

'I've never even considered ending my career whether it be for club our country. I still have great sporting ambitions.'

The news will be a boost to boss Carlo Ancelotti, who would have been unable to sign anyone in the summer unless the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturn a FIFA-imposed transfer ban.

Daily Mail

[Randy36]

I would like to see him on the score sheet more often . Did nt he have a good record of goals in Germany. I may be wrong. I do agree he does break up play etc . But i would like still to see more from him. Maybe its the diamond formation if it was 4 4 2 it might be different.

Ballack became known as a box-to-box midfielder when he played with Bayer Leverkusen performing as a central midfielder. When he transferred to Bayern Munich he played in a defensive role under Hitzfeld. Playing for Germany he's used as a box-to-box midfielder. Under Ancelotti he is used in more of a defensive role, sometimes as a holding midfielder.

Edited December 29, 2009 by Randy36

[Nibs]

My criticism isn´t that he doesn´t score goals. I think i has a lot of foul passes a makes a lot of stupid freekicks. He seems to be the invisible player. Maybe thats why i never catch him doing smt good... But i am glad some of you can open my eyes. :D

Stick to your own views mate - they're very accurate. Those who are trying to open your eyes are doing so under false pretences!!

He's had a handful of good games for us in the last couple of seasons and that's about it. Far too easy to say Ballacks role is an unspectacular one and he kepps things ticking over blah, blah, blah.........

Like Mikel, he isn't doing enough to warrant a place in our first choice starting 11. Unlike Mikel though, he doesn't have time on his side and I'll be very disappointed if he is still with us for the start of next season.

[Randy36]

Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard and Deco are in the twilight of their careers and have slowed up considerably, as noted in some recent games, especially Lampard. I would love to see Zhirkov and Matic start a few games. Ancelotti may be pointing in that direction when he started Zhirkov at left back against Fulham.

I believe he is due a start on the left side of the diamond.

[Pauly]

If we had 4 Ballacks in it this midfield would work well. I'd like to see him take the game by the balls more often, I also wouldn't mind Ancio trying to re-invigorate him in a Pirlo style role.

[Cam]

Daily Mail says he is on the brink of signing a 2 year contract extension.

Not worth it in my opinion.