Could have a few more if he played at RB just saying Jose.

Joint top scorer at the club this season

Absolutely delighted for him. He gives everything for Chelsea and has obviously wanted that league goal. Chuffed for him, fully deserved.

Love this guy. Just found out it was he who started the counter for the 2nd goal with the excellent pass to Willian.

 

I don't know if it was a tactical adjustment or it just happened naturally as the game went on, but I feel like him and Ivanovic switched roles in this game, in that Dave seemed to have a lot more freedom to go forward while Iva mostly stayed back. Didn't particularly help Iva's performance any (though we did get to see fewer crosses slammed into the middle of an opponent's chest / face from 2 feet away), but it paid off with Dave.

Like the rest of the defence, he got burnt a number of times by pace in the last few games. But what a goal, and he won a number of key headers in the second half.

Best defender for Chelsea after 3 games.  Shame that he won't be replacing Ivanovic in the right full-back role where I think he will shine even more.

Watch his reaction at the final whistle to see how much it means to this guy. If we're looking for a future captain, I'd look no further than him.

Love this guy. Just found out it was he who started the counter for the 2nd goal with the excellent pass to Willian.

 

I don't know if it was a tactical adjustment or it just happened naturally as the game went on, but I feel like him and Ivanovic switched roles in this game, in that Dave seemed to have a lot more freedom to go forward while Iva mostly stayed back. Didn't particularly help Iva's performance any (though we did get to see fewer crosses slammed into the middle of an opponent's chest / face from 2 feet away), but it paid off with Dave.

 

 

I said exactly this yesterday.  That second goal came from a beautiful pass from Azpi, playing out of defence from the Right Back position.  Even Andy Townsend, who rarely has a nice thing to say about Chelsea, said "what a pass, what a pass that was!" in the commentary.

With Ivan struggling out there, and us needing some reinforcements in the middle, I'd like to see Ivan used in the CB while Terry is out, and use Baba at LB and Azpi at RB.  I think a lot of people want to see us try it at least once.

I want Azpi at RB and Luis at LB last season. I don't think they tried that once

I think he's played pretty badly so far this season, goal aside.

 

If not for Ivanovic playing even worse more people probably would have noticed.

Wouldn't say he's played badly, gotten beat more often but still makes up for it more times than not and manages to be our best defender.

He's looked vulnerable and gotten done by every winger he's come up against this season, that certainly didn't happen last season.

 

I think our best defender so far has been Zouma.

Edited August 25, 201510 yr by Jonty

He's looked vulnerable and gotten done by every winger he's come up against this season, that certainly didn't happen last season.

I think our best defender so far has been Zouma.

The advantage is always with the attacking player in a one on one, these guys shouldn't be getting the ball as much as they are, that's Matic and Cesc's fault.

Our current form affects every player. We can see that Matic, Azpi, Fabregas, Hazard, Ivanovic still miss something. I think after our first win against West Brom things will go different, we will start play different and our best players will gain their form back.

From this moment I stop calling him Dave. For me he is just the Surgeon.

Simply superb today.

Best full back ever!

Edited September 19, 201510 yr by the special one

He has a lot of the qualities which made Lahm top of his position for many years. A lot of similarities and both can play left back and right back comfortably.

He has a lot of the qualities which made Lahm top of his position for many years. A lot of similarities and both can play left back and right back comfortably.

Let's put him at centre mid now

Consistently the hungriest, most determined player on the pitch.

Best full back ever!

 

Nah thats Mario Melchiot

Some thoughts posted on WAGNH:

 

 

Cast your mind back over two and a half years, to 6th October 2013. Ashley Cole is withdrawn with a rib injury late on in the Blues' 3-1 victory over Norwich City at Carrow Road. Unbeknownst to us at the time, for a man who had so long been one of the first names on the teamsheet, an unsung hero of that famous night in Munich eighteen months previously, this was to spell the beginning of the end. In Cole's absence, Jose Mourinho opted* for Cesar Azpilicueta over Ryan Bertrand for the Champions League clash with Schalke later that month. The Spaniard put in a composed performance in an unnatural position as Chelsea emerged 3-0 victors. In his second appearance back from injury, Cole was given a torrid time by Moussa Sissoko as Newcastle United subjected the Blues to their second league defeat of the season. A reaction was required, and Mourinho turned to the Spaniard once more.

 

* Ed's note: Bertrand actually started 3 games at left back (Swindon, Cardiff, Arsenal) compared to Azpilicueta's 1 (Schalke, away) before the latter was installed as first-choice left back after the Newcastle loss (Schalke, home).

 

In the time that has elapsed since, Azpilicueta has emerged as arguably the most consistent performer in the Chelsea side. Indeed, last season Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher named him as the best defender in the Premier League, with the former adding 'Azpilicueta is as near to perfect as possible when it comes to defending; he’s immaculate'. His ability to marshal opposition wingers whilst providing an attacking threat has been extremely impressive, and played a significant role in last season's title triumph.

 

With this in mind, it baffles me that some commentators still allude to Azpilicueta as being on his 'weaker side' when he plays in the left-back role. What is more, I disagree with those who argue for him to be played in his 'more natural' role of right-back, calls that gained more clamour in light of Branislav Ivanovic's poor form in the early part of the season. I would argue that when deployed at right-back, Azpilicueta has failed to make the same impression, possessing flaws in his positioning that have often been exposed. Examples include both goals in Chelsea's second leg defeat to Paris Saint Germain at Stamford Bridge, where he allowed Adrien Rabiot to sneak round the back of him for the first and then inexplicably let Angel Di Maria run to square for Zlatan Ibrahimovic to seal the tie. More recently, he allowed Romelu Lukaku to get on the wrong side of him for the opener in the FA Cup tie at Goodison Park. In what were arguably the two biggest games of his first season at the club, he struggled to cope with the skill and trickery of Samir Nasri and Eduardo Salvio in the FA Cup Semi-Final and Europa League Final respectively – on both occasions he was played at right-back by then-manager Rafael Benitez. Prior to signing for Chelsea, Azpilicueta's career seemed to have dipped slightly during an injury-plagued time at Marseille, after a promising start at Osasuna. He joined the club as a right-back with no international caps to his name, failing to dispose the likes of Alvaro Arbeloa and Juanfran. In summary, it is only at left-back that we have seen the true potential he possesses.

 

In a season of huge disappointment, in which so many players have been below par, this argument perhaps seems somewhat unimportant. Indeed, there are bigger problems at Chelsea than the right position for Cesar Azpilicueta – the club's recruitment policy and failure to promote some of the most talented young players in the country to name but two. However, it seems a point worth noting moving forward, particularly in light of Ivanovic's struggles this season. On that late October night in Gelsenkirchen, we were fortunate to discover one of the finest left-backs around, an heir to Ashley Cole's throne. To change that would be another foolish mistake to add to a growing list.

Thoughts always welcome.

 

 

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/3/28/11317700/cesar-azpilicueta-top-class-left-back-average-right-back

 

 

It's obvious that Cesar is not playing as he used to, but does that has anything with position he's playing, or it's just a blip in form?

Edited March 29, 201610 yr by BelgradeCFC

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12087/10322104/chelseas-cesar-azpilicueta-in-demand-says-guillem-balague

So we value him at only 14mill and that is enough to put off the likes of barca?! Lol

Surely we can't be stupid enough to sell him when he's our only complete full back who can also play on both sides. We've made some ridiculous decisions but this has no logical grounding.

Surely we can't be stupid enough to sell him when he's our only complete full back who can also play on both sides. We've made some ridiculous decisions but this has no logical grounding.

He's also been a good role model for the other players with his effort even in the most dire dysfunctional situations.