Early Lessons learnt !

[sizzler85]

I 've been following this season very very closely like never before , probably buoyed by the double and the loads of goals last season . I believe in some things that happened this season and want to see some other things differently . . Lets discuss ..

* Drogba is now a more complete forward with his assists and tricks all over the ground . Drog and Anelka have combined so effectively this season and along with Malouda, probably the best attack since the Roman era .

* Sturridge should try to improve his right foot . None can question his left foot , but all the slipping , missing out on easy balls , out of positioning is because of poor right foot .

* Zhirkov must get more games to get his rhythm . We can't expect him to play as well as he could any time he is summoned on to the field . He must be more used in attack

* Bruma and PVA should be give more playing time this season to help them step up this season . Bruma looks nervous at times and that is due to lack of playing time in the first team .

* Mikel and Essien are simply irreplaceable . Essien is usually like that but Mikel this season has showed what a superb def midfielder with height and power can do to a side . I don't think carlo will look beyond mikel for the important games this season .

* Ramires is slowing finding his feet in his new club . He is going to be a very good player for us as he gets to understand the premier league more this season .

* We must try to move the ball quickly no matter who the opposition is or no matter which players are on the ground . slackness and mispassing happens when we try to slow down play for no reason .

* McEachran is a great asset and Carlo is there to polish him and make him a great player not just for chelsea but also for England . Kakuta is trying to play for the team but he should be trying to run at the defenders and create havoc because he is such a type of player more than the passer in a team game .

* Our defence should plan big time against pacy strikers because that is one area we need to improve for good .

Edited September 23, 2010 by sizzler85

[magoo]

You make some excellent and accurate points there Sizzler.

Some of thoughts leaving the ground last night were:

- Our home support was excellent (for a change) at 3-1 down with the 10 men.

- McEachran is confident (not coky) and has the ability. His maturity accepting or getting the ball from our defenders and his skill to skip effortlessly past players was a joy.

- I thought the physical effort by all of the players (but Anelka and Alex in particular) was great to see.

- My main concern was Sturridge. He looked awkward and clumsy. He even changed his boots when Kalou was being treated then fell over the next time he got the ball!

As managers often say; "there were plenty of positives".

[sdsdsdsd]

I 've been following this season very very closely like never before , probably buoyed by the double and the loads of goals last season . I believe in some things that happened this season and want to see some other things differently . . Lets discuss ..

* Drogba is now a more complete forward with his assists and tricks all over the ground . Drog and Anelka have combined so effectively this season and along with Malouda, probably the best attack since the Roman era .

* Sturridge should try to improve his right foot . None can question his left foot , but all the slipping , missing out on easy balls , out of positioning is because of poor right foot .

* Zhirkov must get more games to get his rhythm . We can't expect him to play as well as he could any time he is summoned on to the field . He must be more used in attack

* Bruma and PVA should be give more playing time this season to help them step up this season . Bruma looks nervous at times and that is due to lack of playing time in the first team .

* Mikel and Essien are simply irreplaceable . Essien is usually like that but Mikel this season has showed what a superb def midfielder with height and power can do to a side . I don't think carlo will look beyond mikel for the important games this season .

* Ramires is slowing finding his feet in his new club . He is going to be a very good player for us as he gets to understand the premier league more this season .

* We must try to move the ball quickly no matter who the opposition is or no matter which players are on the ground . slackness and mispassing happens when we try to slow down play for no reason .

* McEachran is a great asset and Carlo is there to polish him and make him a great player not just for chelsea but also for England . Kakuta is trying to play for the team but he should be trying to run at the defenders and create havoc because he is such a type of player more than the passer in a team game .

* Our defence should plan big time against pacy strikers because that is one area we need to improve for good .

100% agree on this, wasn't Mikels biggest fan at the start of the year, however 5 weeks in, I believe his importance to our team is up there with Drogba, Malouda, Cole and Essein

[Maverick]

* Bruma and PVA should be give more playing time this season to help them step up this season . Bruma looks nervous at times and that is due to lack of playing time in the first team .

* Our defence should plan big time against pacy strikers because that is one area we need to improve for good .

On the first point I believe Bruma is still not ready for first team action. He has been clumsy in all the pres season games and the other opportunities that he has got this season.

On the second point I dont think we were beaten for pace last night but the pairing of Alex/JT surely lacks the pace that you are talking about. Alex was poor last night in defence and being the senior partner he should have stepped up to the plate. I dont think he is the sort of defender you can pair a youngster with simply because he is not in the same league as JT/ Riccy.

[Mr Chelsea]

- My main concern was Sturridge. He looked awkward and clumsy. He even changed his boots when Kalou was being treated then fell over the next time he got the ball!

i thought on last nights showing sturridge needs to be more of a team player, he tried to do a lot by himself, maybe he was trying to impress the manager?, the fans? grab a bit of glory

hopefully someone will have a word in his ear and put him right

[Backbiter]

On the second point I dont think we were beaten for pace last night but the pairing of Alex/JT surely lacks the pace that you are talking about. Alex was poor last night in defence and being the senior partner he should have stepped up to the plate. I dont think he is the sort of defender you can pair a youngster with simply because he is not in the same league as JT/ Riccy.

Good point. Have to agree.

He is a good player and has rarely put a foot wrong for us, but I don't think he's in the top bracket.

[sizzler85]

My points were not just about the way we played last night but indicative of the season and also the losses we suffered under carlo .

JT and the central defence pairing beaten by pace is happening a lot now than before . I m not trying to be critical of that but just that they need to be more cautious against pacy strikers .. probably not holding a high back line or something else that could help us not getting caught off position .

[Maverick]

My points were not just about the way we played last night but indicative of the season and also the losses we suffered under carlo .

JT and the central defence pairing beaten by pace is happening a lot now than before . I m not trying to be critical of that but just that they need to be more cautious against pacy strikers .. probably not holding a high back line or something else that could help us not getting caught off position .

Its an interesting point and would be validated this weekend against arguably the side which has the quickest wingers and strikers. Johnson, Tevez and SWP could cause a lot of issues, very curious to see how Carlo intends to tackle the pace this time around.

[sizzler85]

Well , I probably missed a most important point .

* If Petr cech is injured , our season will be out for a toss .. Such is the credibility shown by Turnbull in the matches , he has been involved .

[big blue]

totally agree sizzler, especially about bruma and kakuta, i'd rather him give the ball away trying something audacious than be stunted by trying to keep the ball all the time. he's young and needs to express himself.

bruma needs games, he doesnt look comfortable yet, bit surprised/disappointed we didnt sign david luiz, world class centre back with pace and composure, at 23 he would be a perfect signing.

turnbull has to be one of our worst deals, he wasnt good enough at middlesbrough, needs to be replaced with homegrown capable back up.

mikel has been awesome this season, dying for him to get his 1st league goal, think that would give him a nice boost.

with the injuries starting to pile up, there arent too many options at the weekend, first 11 is still quality, but the bench will be very inexpierienced. hope the squad size doesnt coming back to haunt us, realistically, we need 2 of sturridge, kakuka, pva, bruma, or mcceachran, to establish themselves as first team players that can be rellied on.

If we were going into a big champions league knock out match with saturdays squad, i wouldnt be too confident , we only really have zhirkov as an 'attacking' option from the bench all the other attacking players havent had 1 season of first team football behind them.

[Barry Bridges]

I think a big lesson is that inorder to get a appropriate view of whom is ready for first team action, they need to be played in an appropriate first team.

As touched on, another lesson is that there actual is a reason why Carlo plays Mikel in our big matches!

[ws6blue]

dont agree wiv much of that......................

last nights goals against were awful

goal 1 - no pressure on the cross Paulo, vana asleep at far post

goal 2 - brouma on wrongside, then turnbull flatfooted, shouldve saved it

goal 3 -basic marking - needed lamps/drogba to collect win it - turnbull also caught out and no one on the post

kakuta fancy player but looks like impact only

vana looks good prospect

bruma always looks nervous to me, not enuf class

sturridge.........................sorry, passing shot is he won't make it - all one foot and predictable, cocky but no real strength - not especially good in the air, going short, running bthe channels etc

[Eggy McMuffin]

dont agree wiv much of that......................

last nights goals against were awful

goal 1 - no pressure on the cross Paulo, vana asleep at far post

goal 2 - brouma on wrongside, then turnbull flatfooted, shouldve saved it

goal 3 -basic marking - needed lamps/drogba to collect win it - turnbull also caught out and no one on the post

kakuta fancy player but looks like impact only

vana looks good prospect

bruma always looks nervous to me, not enuf class

sturridge.........................sorry, passing shot is he won't make it - all one foot and predictable, cocky but no real strength - not especially good in the air, going short, running bthe channels etc

Let's also add that the world is about to end, we're all gonna die, and no one really loves us.

[Hutch]

kakuta fancy player but looks like impact only

"Impact only" as in played the pass for our first goal, put at least one brilliant cross in early on before being knocked flying. And it was the resulting injury that led to him being taken off injured.

[sizzler85]

wsblue , we can't be attirbuting reason to each of the conceded goals . Kakuta and Bruma are not impact players . We need to understand that those players have to be played regularly to enter the big match set up .

This season is crucial for all the likes of Kakuta , Bruma , Studge , PVA etc., to show us atleast the positive signs about their talent .