If there is one thing you don't get away with in todays game its slow fullbacks. It cost us last season and it has sure as hell cost us this season.

It's attack or defend with Azpilicueta, he can't do both. When his focus is defending, he's excellent, but when he is asked to run up and down the pitch all game, he losses his composure. 

I would still try him at CB once Reece James is available. He can't possibly be worse than Zouma and I don't think height will be a major issue. In the past you needed height in this league, but I don't think it's as much of a necessity as it used to be. 

1 minute ago, Scott Harris said:

It's attack or defend with Azpilicueta, he can't do both. When his focus is defending, he's excellent, but when he is asked to run up and down the pitch all game, he losses his composure. 

I would still try him at CB once Reece James is available. He can't possibly be worse than Zouma and I don't think height will be a major issue. In the past you needed height in this league, but I don't think it's as much of a necessity as it used to be. 

That's actually a really good shout. 

And I agree, it's the same with Ivanovic, they can't do both. Ivan was one of the best RB's in the world defensively back in 2009-2012, he was an absolute rock at the back, then he started getting told to go forward more and it was working, he was surprisingly really good at going forward but then the defence was getting sloppy. Almost every goal was coming from his area but he was also contributing to a lot of goals, it's similar to Azpilicueta right now but we are conceding goals on his end. 

If we get Reece James fit and give him a  go on the right side we could certainly try out Azpi in the centre again. He has physicial limitations there but I don't think he'll be worse than Zouma. 

53 minutes ago, Jezz said:

He's resembling Ivanovic of 2015/2016.

I was relatively lenient on Jose when he played Ivan through that dark spell because as sh*t as he became Rahman was even worse (although you could argue it was his fault a decent alternative wasn't there in the first place).

Lampard however has no excuse if he persits with Azpi, he has one of the best young defenders on the planet ready to come in.

He's finished.

Getting to the point where he's worse than Ivanovic in 15/16.

Sooner Reece is fit the better.

Can we all agree no one is scapegoating him now and he just genuinely isn't that good anymore.

3 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

It's attack or defend with Azpilicueta, he can't do both. When his focus is defending, he's excellent, but when he is asked to run up and down the pitch all game, he losses his composure. 

I would still try him at CB once Reece James is available. He can't possibly be worse than Zouma and I don't think height will be a major issue. In the past you needed height in this league, but I don't think it's as much of a necessity as it used to be. 

Different kettle of fish playing a CB in a 3, and doing it in a 2. I wouldn’t play him as a CB when we have 3 other CBs. Teams would be targeting him with the lone forward or having a winger make runs behind him.

As brilliant as he has been, I don’t think he has earned a right to be moved somewhere else just because he can’t perform effectively in his normal role. A spell on the sidelines & some competition will do him some good.

Nutmegged for the first goal. It’s hard to see Dave going through this rough patch, such a likeable bloke but I think Reece might smell blood. 

But he's contributed massively to our attack. Maybe we shouldn't ask from him to focus on the attacking front.

I reckon he got ran passed in the last 4 games more than he had in the last 2 seasons. Just like Ivanoic, this looks like the season Azpi declined to be a shadow of himself. Players are running past him for fun, and his body just couldn't keep up.

45 minutes ago, icecoolguy22 said:

I reckon he got ran passed in the last 4 games more than he had in the last 2 seasons. Just like Ivanoic, this looks like the season Azpi declined to be a shadow of himself. Players are running past him for fun, and his body just couldn't keep up.

Well last year he had Kante almost the whole year on his side, the year before he was in a back 3.

Going forward decent, defensively...erm...

Ivanovic mark 2.

6 hours ago, Wearyourblue said:

Well last year he had Kante almost the whole year on his side, the year before he was in a back 3.

Kante wouldn't have helped much if Azpi was constantly beaten up in one on one situation like this season. Unfortunately I don't see there's a way out for him, everybody and his puppy will target him one on one, and he's not keeping up with them.

10 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

I reckon he got ran passed in the last 4 games more than he had in the last 2 seasons. Just like Ivanoic, this looks like the season Azpi declined to be a shadow of himself. Players are running past him for fun, and his body just couldn't keep up.

Many players were causing him lots of trouble last season as well. He was losing out in duels as well last year, we do need a new right back just as much as we need a centre back. It took more time for Ivanovic to decline.

Edited September 1, 20196 yr by Gol15

21 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I would still try him at CB once Reece James is available. He can't possibly be worse than Zouma and I don't think height will be a major issue. In the past you needed height in this league, but I don't think it's as much of a necessity as it used to be. 

I agree, and Zouma still hasn’t mastered his timing when he has to head the ball, so his height advantage isn’t even that much of an advantage, so we’d get more of an experienced defender by swapping Zouma with Dave. 

Thats without taking into account his defending,  which was way below the standard he has set himself over the years.

On 31/08/2019 at 17:54, Argo said:

Lampard however has no excuse if he persits with Azpi, he has one of the best young defenders on the planet ready to come in.

Who’s that then? I assume you’re referring to James. I’m not sure ‘ready to come in’ is accurate. He’s been injured for all of pre season and the start of the season. That doesn’t make him ready to come in.

 

Lampard will persist with Azpilicueta until James is fit simply because we have no other options. The quicker James is fit the better but Lampard doesn’t really have a choice at the moment so he does have an excuse. 

1 hour ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Who’s that then? I assume you’re referring to James. I’m not sure ‘ready to come in’ is accurate. He’s been injured for all of pre season and the start of the season. That doesn’t make him ready to come in.

 

Lampard will persist with Azpilicueta until James is fit simply because we have no other options. The quicker James is fit the better but Lampard doesn’t really have a choice at the moment so he does have an excuse. 

Once James is upto speed he should be utilized. Azpi has got to the point he's getting targeted with success week in week out and at the age he's at combined with the amount of games he's played over the years his form won't be getting better, he's going through exactly what Torres and Alexis went through when their legs went (just isn't making a big money controversial move to draw attention to how far he's fallen).

We need to learn from Ivan and react before the situation becomes critical.

The journey home to Dorset on Saturday was like pulling teeth. Mrs Terraloon wanted to talk about the game and I didn’t . Two and a bit hours of sheer joy!

Ive calmed down a bit now and have read a report or two and just about everyone is talking about Dave and Zouma and with good reason. 

Kurt simply isn’t good enough but Dave has been good enough but now his ability is in decline. That’s sad but as we were saying at the game we are particularly open on his side and time after time teams are targeting him.

I don’t know if it came over but as the game wore on he was struggling to get up and down and on several occasions we had to wait for him to get Into an attacking position. It’s truly sad but as many have suggested it’s much akin to how Ivanovich was targeted and eventually had to be dropped.

I might be wrong but I see that Dave was 30 last week and his contract ends at the end of the season. I really can’t see him being offered a new contract.

Edited September 2, 20196 yr by terraloon

Lets hope Frank tells him to stay in our half and Kante can help fill the gap until James or another suitable replacement can be used. 

46 minutes ago, Argo said:

Once James is upto speed he should be utilized. Azpi has got to the point he's getting targeted with success week in week out and at the age he's at combined with the amount of games he's played over the years his form won't be getting better, he's going through exactly what Torres and Alexis went through when their legs went (just isn't making a big money controversial move to draw attention to how far he's fallen).

We need to learn from Ivan and react before the situation becomes critical.

You’ve said that he has no excuse, but as I’ve outlined above, he does - a young guy coming off the back of a bad injury, lacking match sharpness and having not played premier league football is going to need time. As I’ve already said Lampard will persist with Azpilicueta because he has no other option. 

 

I dread to think what reaction Reece will get if he makes a couple of mistakes early doors, probably the same ones Tammy got for missing a couple of chances in pre season.

It is not very optimal having your captain being a weak link in the team. We saw that with Cahill. Dave has been bad. No other way to put it. He has given a couple of great crosses though but it is not enough.

Reece will have his chance soon.

1 hour ago, EdinburghBlue said:

You’ve said that he has no excuse, but as I’ve outlined above, he does - a young guy coming off the back of a bad injury, lacking match sharpness and having not played premier league football is going to need time. As I’ve already said Lampard will persist with Azpilicueta because he has no other option. 

 

I dread to think what reaction Reece will get if he makes a couple of mistakes early doors, probably the same ones Tammy got for missing a couple of chances in pre season.

When I say ready to come in i meant fully fit and upto speed just worded it wrong.

He may not have played in the Prem yet but still it's clear as day he's got all the attributes to make it. United wanted to poach him of us and only went for AWB once we told them to do one.

Interesting that (as far as I can recall) Lampard hasn't made any pronouncements about the captaincy since he started his managerial stint ... you could easily interpret that as a lack of certainty that Dave will be a guaranteed first choice starter this season.

Not sure who would get the armband if Dave was benched mind you. Jorginho perhaps ?  Rudiger (if back) ?

Edited September 2, 20196 yr by Sexyfootball

3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Interesting that (as far as I can recall) Lampard hasn't made any pronouncements about the captaincy since he started his managerial stint ... you could easily interpret that as a lack of certainty that Dave will be a guaranteed first choice starter this season.

Or, much more likely, he hasn’t felt the need to make any pronouncements because the idea of stripping the captaincy from Dave hasn‘t even occurred to him.