Like a Tony Kroos type.  I'd say he could do what Matic does but also offer way more in terms of passing forward.

It's not an issue now, but if we want to be making more knockout CL football, I'd say we need it.

When you play in such a key position you can't afford to 'sometimes' be 'almost as good as before'. He isn't good enough. Stop making excuses. Get rid or become what we were just a few seasons ago; a team that stockpiles their players long after their best days, just because we're so nice like that. 

4 hours ago, Van Butsen said:

Like a Tony Kroos type.  I'd say he could do what Matic does but also offer way more in terms of passing forward.

It's not an issue now, but if we want to be making more knockout CL football, I'd say we need it.

Oh wait we already have someone that can play that role.

 

10 hours ago, Sapper245 said:

IMO it wasn't,t a game for Matic's strengths, everyone knew Hull would sit back and defend in numbers so 2 defensive midfielders wasn't needed.

Matic is good at breaking down play and passing quickly to a more creative player weather it be Hazard,Pedro or Willian etc. Specially playing attack minded teams. When teams defend in numbers there no play to breakdown so someone like Fabragas in the centre is better with Kante.

I am not denying that but did Matic actually have that bad of a game? Kante has been worse than Matic for e.g against Spurs home and away and Kante got bullied of the ball easily yesterday, despite all his strengths but no one says anything. Kante will not be dropped however Hull are quite a big, physical unit so for those reasons Matic is quite key. But yeah in games like this. Fabregas should be used more often but Matic is not the sole problem every time we play sh*t against lower teams. There are other factors too. After all he does have around 5/6 assists to his name.

11 hours ago, STATS said:

I am not denying that but did Matic actually have that bad of a game? Kante has been worse than Matic for e.g against Spurs home and away and Kante got bullied of the ball easily yesterday, despite all his strengths but no one says anything. Kante will not be dropped however Hull are quite a big, physical unit so for those reasons Matic is quite key. But yeah in games like this. Fabregas should be used more often but Matic is not the sole problem every time we play sh*t against lower teams. There are other factors too. After all he does have around 5/6 assists to his name.

I didn't say he had a bad game, just some games suit his strengths better than others same can be said for Kante too. IMO I think it's Kante's pace keeps him in the side. The good thing for us is we do have different options in midfield if things do need changing

sorry for a total kneejerk post but need to vent a bit

one of the worst individual performance i've ever seen, cesc won more tackles in just 10 minutes than him the whole game just roaming around not knowing what to do, plus all the amateurish misplaced passes jeez

One of the worst individual performances you've ever seen?

Worst ever? 

Not one of his better games granted but give over.

He was poor again. Not sure what Cesc needs to do to unseat him.

Cesc needs to be in the XI on Saturday

He's really faltering of late. Today he was terrible. He just looked scared of everything. If we want to improve going forward into the Champions League next season, then i'm sorry but Matic can't be in the first 11. He has completely lost his bottle and he is holding back the team. You can't have someone who panic's all of the time in the squad. 

Look at how the game changed when Fabregas came on, so much more composure on the ball and we almost got in 3 or 4 times. The likes of Hazard and Costa struggled today because they have someone like Matic to rely on with forward passes. You need to have more bottle than this in a top side, Fabregas has got that. 

Fabregas may not be good defensively, but he brings us so much going forward. It's not like Matic is that great defensively as it is, so putting Fabregas in can't be any worse. We need that composure in the midfield, if we had that, we wouldn't be as toothless as we were today. 

If Conte would prefer to have more steal in that midfield, then play Chalobah. Everything Matic can do, Chalobah can do better and he's really composed on the ball. I personally don't think more defensive players are needed though, we have a back 5 now so that should really be enough. We are just missing that creative spark when we have the ball in the middle of the pitch.

I shouldn't complain too much because today's result has actually pushed us further ahead, but watching Matic has become torture for Chelsea fans.

Edited January 31, 20179 yr by Scott Harris

Just not cutting it, and I really don't feel our defence is more solid with him keep losing the ball in our dangerous zone. He's a scared rabbit under the flash light when being pressed on, especially on his left side. When he was good 2 years ago, he could at least hold on the ball and bring others into play, in tonight's game he just kick it aimlessly as soon as he got the ball.

Fabregas is pure class. We look infinitely more dangerous with him in the side. 

Not really sure with the obsession of 2 defensive midfielders comes from. I don't think another top team purposely plays 2. Leicester played Kante with Drinkwater last season and it worked perfectly. Drinkwater is a great passer of the ball but not on Fabs level.

Matic literally looks like he s**** himself when he has the ball and just clears it anywhere and that's if he isn't muscled of the ball by that point.

Chelsea already have a back 5 and all they need is Kante sitting in front.  Fab can control things, keep position and set things up quickly. I bet Costa and Hazard would enjoy playing with him more.

Gotta stick my neck out and say, we would've won if we had Vidal instead of Matic. Vidal is perhaps the only player besides Modric who's superb at breaking up play, and superb at initiating them too. One costs half of the other, and that one costing half, is younger. I really hope we did everything in our power to sign him.

2 minutes ago, Ernie_blue said:

Not really sure with the obsession of 2 defensive midfielders comes from. I don't think another top team purposely plays 2. Leicester played Kante with Drinkwater last season and it worked perfectly. Drinkwater is a great passer of the ball but not on Fabs level.

Matic literally looks like he s**** himself when he has the ball and just clears it anywhere and that's if he isn't muscled of the ball by that point.

Chelsea already have a back 5 and all they need is Kante sitting in front.  Fab can control things, keep position and set things up quickly. I bet Costa and Hazard would enjoy playing with him more.

Agreed. Kante is the only defensive midfield player needed. If we had a playmaker, who just happened to be tall and able to head the ball to break up play, we'd be just as good as anyone. That is why I don't want Verratti. At this point I'd take Moutinho, but he isn't half the player this declined version of Fabregas is. Hardly any players are on Fabregas's level. 

I think the 1 player who'd elevate us to unbeatable would be Dele Alli, unfortunately. Not a world-beater, but in our specific set-up, tailor-made to dominate.

2 minutes ago, Katyusha said:

Agreed. Kante is the only defensive midfield player needed. If we had a playmaker, who just happened to be tall and able to head the ball to break up play, we'd be just as good as anyone. That is why I don't want Verratti. At this point I'd take Moutinho, but he isn't half the player this declined version of Fabregas is. Hardly any players are on Fabregas's level. 

I think the 1 player who'd elevate us to unbeatable would be Dele Alli, unfortunately. Not a world-beater, but in our specific set-up, tailor-made to dominate.

In the prem there is no better player than Fab at what he does. Straight away when he comes on you see chances created, he can play quick one touch passes and knows everything which is going on around him. You see him telling others where to pass the ball.

I look at someone like Ozil and I think Fab is so much better. 

I think Matic only plays due to his height but I really like Chelseas back 3 and with Kante playing in front and filling the gaps I personally think defensively it's enough.

thought he was phenomenal tonight imo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Katyusha said:

Agreed. Kante is the only defensive midfield player needed. If we had a playmaker, who just happened to be tall and able to head the ball to break up play, we'd be just as good as anyone. That is why I don't want Verratti. At this point I'd take Moutinho, but he isn't half the player this declined version of Fabregas is. Hardly any players are on Fabregas's level. 

I think the 1 player who'd elevate us to unbeatable would be Dele Alli, unfortunately. Not a world-beater, but in our specific set-up, tailor-made to dominate.

I can think of 2 more. Koke and Toni Kroos, i don't think we would ever be able to get one of those two though.

1 minute ago, Scott Harris said:

I can think of 2 more. Koke and Toni Kroos, i don't think we would ever be able to get one of those two though.

Koke is such a hard worker. He'd become a cult hero here so fast. He reminds me of Lampard actually. Kroos, he's basically a German Gerrard, and it's not like we couldn't use that. Top suggestions. I'll now fantasise while falling asleep.

As a player maker there is Modric or Rakitic. Not very tall though.

Turns in more 5 or 6/10 performances than anyone in the team. 

At this point Chalobah deserves a run out, just to prove how average Matic has been. 

Can't wait to see Kante, Cesc and literally anyone else if we revert to 3-5-2

On 24/1/2017 at 23:34, Van Butsen said:

Oh wait we already have someone that can play that role.

 

 is that stats legit? 

I think Matic has actually been decent this season, but the game vs Liverpool showed his weaknesses.

When given space he is an excellent distributor, but when pressed and forced onto his weaker foot, he loses his composure. 

 

3 hours ago, DaRick said:

I think Matic has actually been decent this season, but the game vs Liverpool showed his weaknesses.

When given space he is an excellent distributor, but when pressed and forced onto his weaker foot, he loses his composure. 

 

And therin lies the rub. Against teams that wont press and allows him time on the ball he isnt nearly good enough with the ball to warrant being played. Him and Kanté ist really a complimenting partnership, they offer much of the same. With that said Matic isnt the only one whos poor at keeping possesion when pressed. Plenty of blame to go around