A couple seasons ago he was the best 1 on 1 defender in the world, he's definitely declined a bit. Hopefully when Reece James come in Azpi can have a bit of rest and get back near his previous levels.

Remember he's been absolutely playing his legs off as long as he's been here except maybe the first season.

1 hour ago, sonic90 said:

A couple seasons ago he was the best 1 on 1 defender in the world, he's definitely declined a bit. Hopefully when Reece James come in Azpi can have a bit of rest and get back near his previous levels.

Remember he's been absolutely playing his legs off as long as he's been here except maybe the first season.

Thats a good point, Azpilicueta has played a hell of alot of football in the last 6 years, and with him having that serious injury earlier in his career, maybe that will have an effect on how long he can stay at the top. If we can manage his minutes, he is still an excellent player on his day.

Think people are writing him off way too soon he's proven that he is one of the best in the league

He could have a few good years left in him as a central  defender, but with his pace clearly declining his days as a fullback are numbered. He's been losing pace for a couple of years now, and sportsmen dont get it back at his age.

Time and mileage catches up to everyone. And it has well and truly caught up too Azpilicueta unfortunately.
The signs were there last season, and this season he's entered into Ivanovics last season territory. Have cost us in every game so far this season and Reece James can't come back soon enough really.

 

It is sad seeing him play like this, he's lost a yard of pace and is also less agile when tackling. He no longer looks impenetrable

He’s been in steady decline for two years. Hopefully he doesn’t get the Ivan treatment of playing him as a starter until he humiliates himself with league 1 performances every week. 

2 minutes ago, cuppaT said:

He’s been in steady decline for two years. Hopefully he doesn’t get the Ivan treatment of playing him as a starter until he humiliates himself with league 1 performances every week. 

It's already started. Signs of Ivan were evident at the back end of last season and are growing apace.

29 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

It's already started. Signs of Ivan were evident at the back end of last season and are growing apace.

Bollocks mate, I think you forget how bad Ivanovic was. Azpilicueta was good today, he should have had an assist if Mount was half decent with his heading ability. He really should have had one against United as well. 

I’ve said it before but the goal wasn’t his fault. He should never be on the 6 yard line in a zonal marking defence. In fact, in my view we shouldn’t even be zonal marking and I think we’ve discussed this elsewhere. The goal was on Lampard in my opinion. 

26 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Bollocks mate, I think you forget how bad Ivanovic was. Azpilicueta was good today, he should have had an assist if Mount was half decent with his heading ability. He really should have had one against United as well. 

I’ve said it before but the goal wasn’t his fault. He should never be on the 6 yard line in a zonal marking defence. In fact, in my view we shouldn’t even be zonal marking and I think we’ve discussed this elsewhere. The goal was on Lampard in my opinion. 

Sorry but i can remember about half a dozen times when he was either out of posiition, turned off to danger at the back post, or conceded possession easily and was unable to track back and recover. The Maddison blaze over when it was easier to score came from Azpi losing possession on the half way line and then being unable to recover the ground in getting back.

I've been a massive fan of Dave's for years but he is going south rapidly. The concern is that even with the direction he seems to be taking lately i'd still prefer him over Zappacosta at the moment and there is no fit available alternative.

Edited August 18, 20196 yr by WhiteWall

Ivanovic at his best was among the best in the world - defensively, offensively and a constant set pieces danger. 

22 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Bollocks mate, I think you forget how bad Ivanovic was. Azpilicueta was good today, he should have had an assist if Mount was half decent with his heading ability. He really should have had one against United as well. 

I’ve said it before but the goal wasn’t his fault. He should never be on the 6 yard line in a zonal marking defence. In fact, in my view we shouldn’t even be zonal marking and I think we’ve discussed this elsewhere. The goal was on Lampard in my opinion. 

Agree and disagree with your post.

definitely not as bad as Ivan was during his final season. I think that you're being a bit hard on Mount with the header, he wasn’t moving onto it and difficult enough to create the power and direction. I feel the ball should have been played to feet and not to head, someone like KDB would have played that ball to feet but Dave is not a KDB nor do I expect him to be. 

Ref the Leicester goal, I’m not a fan or zonal marking either and wish we’d drop it. However that’s what FL has decided to play  and Azpilicueta had a job to do and he totally switched off from it. The goal scorer did have the run of him and was taller but Azpilicueta did not react to the run and didn’t get any sort of challenge in.

i think he has faded compared to what he was a couple of years ago but not maybe as bad as people are saying. I’m good with him for another while but think that he will soon need replaced and I don’t know if Reece James is the answer or not.

4 minutes ago, Droopy said:

Ivanovic at his best was among the best in the world - defensively, offensively and a constant set pieces danger. 

Up until his legs went, he was an absolute beast of player!

Pretty shocked that Azpi is being made the scapegoat both on here and on the matchday threads. He was no worse than any of our defenders today against leicester, nor against Utd or Liverpool. Our defence in general is worrying, particularly in transitions and counterattacks, but Azpi is no more to blame than any of the other defenders, or midfield for that matter.  

I am not convinced an expansive, attacking system best suits Dave, who for me is best sitting deeper, and stopping people getting past (for me, still one of the best 1v1 defenders in the league), but that same can also be said for Zouma. Emerson has been pretty widely praised on here for his attacking, but so far has nothing to show for it. Equally,  Dave should have had a couple of assists this season so far, and for me, whilst not as eye catching as Emerson, is still doing a job and like Emerson, should have had something to show for his attacking endeavours so far.

7 minutes ago, goose said:

Agree and disagree with your post.

definitely not as bad as Ivan was during his final season. I think that you're being a bit hard on Mount with the header, he wasn’t moving onto it and difficult enough to create the power and direction. I feel the ball should have been played to feet and not to head, someone like KDB would have played that ball to feet but Dave is not a KDB nor do I expect him to be. 

Ref the Leicester goal, I’m not a fan or zonal marking either and wish we’d drop it. However that’s what FL has decided to play  and Azpilicueta had a job to do and he totally switched off from it. The goal scorer did have the run of him and was taller but Azpilicueta did not react to the run and didn’t get any sort of challenge in.

i think he has faded compared to what he was a couple of years ago but not maybe as bad as people are saying. I’m good with him for another while but think that he will soon need replaced and I don’t know if Reece James is the answer or not.

Fair enough if you think it’s harsh but for me, from 6/7 yards out you should he testing the keeper more than he did, the pace was already on the ball from Azpis cross. I think it’s stretching it to say it should be to feet, at the end of the day he found his man - if that was a Giroud it was a goal. I appreciate he wasn’t running on to it but at least put it either side of the keeper. 

 

Azpilicueta could have had 5 minutes to prepare for that run from N’didi (sp) and he never would have beat him in the air. It’s a ridiculous place to have a guy who is only 5ft10 when you’re zonal marking. That whole row along the 6 yard box should be your biggest/best in the air.

I agree the Azpilicueta shouldn’t have been in the position on the edge of the six and yes N’didi would have beat him in the air and would most likely have scored but he definitely switched off and didn’t get the challenge in. That jumping contact may have been enough to cause N’didi to put over the bar.

Forums are all about opinions and I know some here are way OTT.

21 minutes ago, Droopy said:

Ivanovic at his best was among the best in the world - defensively, offensively and a constant set pieces danger. 

At his best, true. The point was relating to the speed at which he declined.

Saying someone switched off for a goal isn’t making them a scapegoat. They analysed it on Sky Sports and you can clearly see Azpi is only concentrating on the ball when it is played in. Defending corners 101 is to have half an eye on the ball and half on your man/runners coming on. He was flat footed and got beaten to the ball, simple as. Whether zonal marking is any good is another story. Dave is in decline most can see it but I think this is a perfect situation for the transition from him to James. With him & Rudi coming back in I think we will be way more solid.

10 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

Fair enough if you think it’s harsh but for me, from 6/7 yards out you should he testing the keeper more than he did, the pace was already on the ball from Azpis cross. I think it’s stretching it to say it should be to feet, at the end of the day he found his man - if that was a Giroud it was a goal. I appreciate he wasn’t running on to it but at least put it either side of the keeper. 

 

Azpilicueta could have had 5 minutes to prepare for that run from N’didi (sp) and he never would have beat him in the air. It’s a ridiculous place to have a guy who is only 5ft10 when you’re zonal marking. That whole row along the 6 yard box should be your biggest/best in the air.

Totally agree with your last paragraph.

I have no major problem with Dave's attacking qualities. he isn't the most productive but few of our wider players do cross the ball that effectively. The wide players just have to put the ball in the area, that's it. If nothing comes of it, it is down to the atacking players.

My concern is relating to recent decline in his main job, that of defending. The grappling, and dark arts of tugging and falling down have all the hallmarks of the start of Ivan's decline. His legs seem to be going which is bad for a full back where teh ball will often be pinged to the back post. pace and an awareness of danger around you are a must because you are the last line of defence at the far post.

Call me crazy but why do so many of our fans believe Reece James is the answer to our prayers? 

I'm sure everyone agrees Azpi has been a great servant for Chelsea, but the hard question has to be asked - will he be good  enough to be a right back in a title chasing team a couple of years from now?  That's the level of team Frank will have to have built to keep his job, and sadly no way i can i see Azpi being part of it as the right back.  

16 minutes ago, TomCFC85 said:

Call me crazy but why do so many of our fans believe Reece James is the answer to our prayers? 

Hope, not believe. 

2 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

Call me crazy but why do so many of our fans believe Reece James is the answer to our prayers? 

That's a bit of an OTT sensational headline, no one thinks he's going to single handedly switch our defense to a Jose 1.0 esque backline.

It's however clear to see why it's widely felt he will improve us at this minute, he has an ariel presence which we lack, has recovery speed which Azpi in the present day lacks and is dynamic going forward again something Azpi isn't.

He was better than Mount at youth level and in the Championship last season and Mason has taken to first team duties like a duck to water, James is exactly the type that that will slot in seemlessly.

19 hours ago, TomCFC85 said:

Call me crazy but why do so many of our fans believe Reece James is the answer to our prayers? 

Genuine question - have you watched him play?  He's amazing.  Not going to single-handedly transform our team right away, but he is arguably our most promising young player.

On 18/08/2019 at 22:56, Dixons said:

Hope, not believe. 

Dave has been a model of consistency and arguably one of the best defenders in the premiership in recent years. However his form over the last 6-12 months has left even his most avid supporters doubting him. He looks hesitant and uncomfortable in defensive areas is making mistakes that you would never normally associate with him, and his delivery going forward lately is bordering on being as bad as Brano and Moses.

its difficult to keep blaming the transition back to full back but his form in my opinion has dropped dramatically  to what we’ve all been accustomed to. I worry for his place in the side if things don’t improve especially with the return to fitness of Reece James.

i do hope I’m wrong and we soon start to see the reliable Dave that we are all used to