Solid defender very rarely makes any mistakes and I don't personally think there are many RB's in world football as complete as him, open to argument if anyone knows any better?

Solid defender very rarely makes any mistakes and I don't personally think there are many RB's in world football as complete as him, open to argument if anyone knows any better?

I think Lahm is best in the world. But I'd put our big Serb #2

Defensively i'd take Dave over Ivanovic any day of the week, going forward though Ivanovic is probably the best RB in the world right now.

Is Ivanovic really a defender ? he seems to spend more time in the oppositions penalty area than anything else these days

Is Ivanovic really a defender ? he seems to spend more time in the oppositions penalty area than anything else these days

 

I thought that today too!  I was wondering if he was playing as a second striker.

For a person who isn't the fastest he really is superb at what he does, you just can't fault him can you.

 

The man didn't have to make excuses either, no matter what he always gets into the side since he came here, even when AVB was here Ivanovic was still getting game time at centre back. His attacking about 2 years ago was very bad and I really thought he was on his way out because we needed wing backs rather than defenders but since Mourinho has came I have never seen someone change completely. His crossing can be inconsistent but that's about it, he literally runs past defenders with ease and has excellent vision and knows when to pass the ball and when not to, he has very good attacking instincts it's so surprising.

 

He has made some defensive errors this season though, I would put him responsible for Naismith and Eto's goals and he didn't help himself with the goal today even though he never got much help from Schurrle on the right. However that's just being picky, Ivanovic has filled me with that much confidence I genuinely believe he will get better defensively this season as well as bossing the attack.

 

Truly is one underrated player and I would list him as a legend to this club to be honest.

Edited September 13, 201411 yr by Slawth

He should be captain when JT retires.

He should be captain when JT retires.

Agree 100%

He should be captain when JT retires.

Yeah him or Gary

Love Brana to bits, but he is a liability defensively at RB IMO. Much too slow to keep up with pacey wingers. I much more like him at CB but there he is 3rd choice so he only gets in the team at right back. So be it.

Anyone think we could convert Ivanovic into a holding midfielder, similar to how luiz played for us? 

no

Love Brana to bits, but he is a liability defensively at RB IMO. Much too slow to keep up with pacey wingers. I much more like him at CB but there he is 3rd choice so he only gets in the team at right back. So be it.

Liability is harsh but he's not better than Dave and I've felt that way ever since Dave played his first game for us so no kneejerking here. 

It's only 4 games into the season, we need to at least give the side more time yet, the whole back 4 hasn't been particularly good really, I mean had most teams of actually been a bit more clinical things could be very different.

 

I'm sure we will sort it out, we had a similar issue last season.

He needs to stop drifting towards the middle, the goal and their biggest chance in the 1st came when Ivan was trying to give Cahill a hug

He needs to stop drifting towards the middle, the goal and their biggest chance in the 1st came when Ivan was trying to give Cahill a hug

I agree he needs to hold line with the four backs because we're playing against city on Sunday so we need to be focused on defending not just attack

Its all well and good saying he needs to do this or that but i would bet that he does exactly what Jose tells him to do.

Its all well and good saying he needs to do this or that but i would bet that he does exactly what Jose tells him to do.

 

Honestly, I doubt Jose asks him to bomb forward and then casually jog back when we are hit on the counter. That happened several times yesterday and really doesnt sound like something Jose would be cool with. Pretty sure he doesnt tell Brana to drift in as a third CB and leave the right side exposed when we sit back either. But off course I can be dead wrong here

Edited September 18, 201411 yr by Xfaxtor

Do you think if Brana was doing these things and Jose wasnt happy then he would be playing? With Dave and Luis ready I think that if Brana was doing things wrong and against what Jose is wanting then he wouldnt be in the starting 11.

Do you think if Brana was doing these things and Jose wasnt happy then he would be playing? With Dave and Luis ready I think that if Brana was doing things wrong and against what Jose is wanting then he wouldnt be in the starting 11.

 

Considering we are five games into the season, yes I still think he would play based on old merits. Jose has never been one to drop a proven player based on a few games of dip in form. Lets be clear Im not saying Iva has been sh*t so far this season. I said he needs to improve on a few things.

If Jose' is going to keep him at RWB then he needs to be more disciplined and choose the right time to get forward but also have the where for all to know that he needs to stay back.  From where I sit, while he gets down the line and puts the cross (or at least tries) in he is staying too far forward and then finds himself in the opponents 18 yard box in the ensuing melee rather than retreating back into his defensive position to subdue the pending counter attack, this is where he and Dave differ; Dave is more defensive minded and picks and chooses his runs into the opponents half, whereas Ivan spends more time across the half way line than he should IMO. He is a fantastic player and has his moments and occasionally scores us that important goal, however my preference would be Dave and Luis with Ivan and Cahill sharing the playing time in the middle of defence with JT.   

If Jose' is going to keep him at RWB then he needs to be more disciplined and choose the right time to get forward but also have the where for all to know that he needs to stay back. From where I sit, while he gets down the line and puts the cross (or at least tries) in he is staying too far forward and then finds himself in the opponents 18 yard box in the ensuing melee rather than retreating back into his defensive position to subdue the pending counter attack, this is where he and Dave differ; Dave is more defensive minded and picks and chooses his runs into the opponents half, whereas Ivan spends more time across the half way line than he should IMO. He is a fantastic player and has his moments and occasionally scores us that important goal, however my preference would be Dave and Luis with Ivan and Cahill sharing the playing time in the middle of defence with JT.

I’d go along with that.

Ivan has the tendency to bomb forward but lacks that same effort to get back to where his position should be. Burnley, Everton and last night stand out for me where we have looked so so fragile down his side of the pitch due to this. We got away with it because of our firepower and ability to outscore our opponents.

Dave is a safer option while Luis on the other side is a real threat. Ivan however is one of the first picks for Jose I think and I doubt he will be dropped.

I remember when the "invincible" barca side of 2009-2012 began to seriously show cracks when, among other problems, dani alves would consistently bomb forward from his RB position leaving huge spaces at the back. They began shipping a lot of crucial goals (ours in the semis at the bridge when Lampard sent it out wide to Ramires who crossed for the Drog is but one example). I'd like to see Ivan focus a bit more on defense than he has been. (Of course it's give and take just like with Alves).

Brana is getting more and more effective going forward, maybe he will soon be a part of the front 3 that play off the striker. Could take us back to the Le Saux and Baba days lol.

Brana is getting more and more effective going forward, maybe he will soon be a part of the front 3 that play off the striker. Could take us back to the Le Saux and Baba days lol.

 

Hope not