I'm surprised, Jose hasn't addressed that issue this summer.

 

I love both Lamps and Rambo, but as a duo, they are incapable of winning the midfield battle against a quality opposition. We lack a player in the center, that can control the tempo of the game and distribute the ball effectively. We're also still in need of a better holding midfielder than Mikel, if  we're serious about trying to compete against the top European sides. Essien is essentially a Ghanian version of Ramires(or vice versa), albeit half the player he used to be after all his injuries. Young MVG is an exciting prospect, but what he's really capable of remains to be seen.

 

When playing a top echelon opponent, we're destined to, more often than not, "park the bus" (to various degrees) in hope for our defensive heroics to allow us to get the right result. I'm not even talking about facing the likes of Barca and Bayern. I'd say, if we were to play against top ten clubs in Europe at the moment, we'd be conceding the middle of the park every time, not because we want to, obviously, but rather, we'd be forced to.

Edited August 31, 201312 yr by abramovich

I feel that we will struggle to possession football against the best teams, with ramires, and lampard. it isn't there game.

Mikel on form next to oscar would be the best midfield for possession based football.

Chalobah and Van ginkel, are very promising and could be the answer long term.

True. This is where we lost to Bayern.

Theres more than one way to skin a cat though. I was really pleased with the performance last night, we shaded on chances in the 90 mins.

Jose is typically a counter attacking manager, but I do see him turning us into a possession based team in the long run.

Oscar can definitely play deeper, and hopefully the signing of willian will allow for this to happen.

As much stick as mikel gets he's our best option to retain possession, because he breaks play up, plays it simple and allows the defence to push up. The trouble with Mikel is consistency.

Ramires is best in 433 and on the counter attack, but he doesn't have that licence next to lampard. He's a great option to bring on when we're already winning in the big games and we start to sit deep, but if we want to go toe to toe for possession with the big guns, I think he's best on the bench.

Lampard being shoe horned into a deeper role is the main thing that effects our style of play. He is far too direct in possession, and he moves the ball too slowly. Its not franks fault, its just not his game, and at his age we shouldn't be basing tactics around him.

Van Ginkel can be for us, what javi martinez is for bayern. Now I know he played further forward for vitesse, and people will harp on about mikel being ruined, but marco's game looks suited to play that role, and hopefully by the end of season he's improved enough to be a viable option in the big matches.

I think essien is non entity for us now, the pace last night would have killed him, and if we we're looking to make space in the squad, he would be one id let go.

Onwards and upwards though, I dont understand the negativity about last nights performance. Its early days for the manager and the players careers. The hardest qualitys to instil in a team is hard work, concentration, and organization. Last night we worked together as a unit and showed these 3 qualities in abundance. A proud night for this young group.

I think Romeu will come back in next season to play the "Alonso" type role assuming he progresses well at Valencia.

I think with the return of Essien and the MVG signing it's not a problem area any more.  When MVG starts getting games and settled he's going to solve a lot of problems for us, I'm quite sure of it.  But we could certainly strengthen there.  Ramires is great but his passing is so hit and miss.  He was posting Xavi level statistics against Hull but it all went to sh*t against United.  

 

Still our CM is not as good as it could be and is quite a way off being in line with our AM.

Get Oscar in there alongside Ramires or Van Ginkel.Lampard and Ramires our much more suited to a 3 man midfield.

Agree with the comments here. I'd understand why 4-3-3 would work best with ramires though, he hasn't got the qualities of a physical DM, and tbh he wouldn't have to try so hard to retrieve the ball if there's another person behind him to sweep up and we can just use him for his driving qualities. I struggle to see where we'd fit ramires though; he's a limited player, great at times but mourinho's midfields dominated/controlled games usually due to the midfield duo/trio. Alonso and khedira, cambiasso, motta and sneijder, then maka, lamps, essien.

 

Jose is looking at this as a long term project maybe, the way he says we're youth and how he had men in his first stint. Tbh this is the only thing he can do atm to improve as a manager too so it works to our's and his advantage. I think he'll use the youngsters. Maybe not the academy but at least we won't be vitesse loaning everyone under 21 now.

 

Oscar dropping deep sounds good. I think MVG will be an important player though. Maybe the Martinez role as someone said but I also think he'd work well in place of Ramires, with Luiz being a DM. Just seems like a good idea in my mind.

 

Also have Romeu who did very well under AVB. He might be important as well.

Edited August 31, 201312 yr by MANoWAR

Just heard Xabi Alonso has just 1 more in year on his contract . Wouldnt mind having him at Chelsea to be honest

Edited September 4, 201312 yr by Lane

I doubt Romeu will feature much for us.

Chelsea is playing counter attacking football these days but that was not the style when Jose was previously manager. Then we played possession football, with big strong central midfielders and intricate little diamonds up front supported by Duff and Robben out wide.

Ramires is a great box to box midfielder and works hard off the ball but Lampard is not a defensivive midfielder. Lampard has a good pass, without being outstanding and Ramires's long range passing is average.

Mikel is slow.

Playing Oscar further back, or Luiz further forward is appealing, Jose ain't gunna do it.

I think Lamps' contract extension has put this off for another year, I think next year tough decisions will be made about Lampard and Essien and we'll bring in a big name to sit alongside Ramires.

We will never be able to control possession with Ramires in the two. His passing is too average. This is unfortunate because he is invaluable otherwise.