Can't wait for the day Ivanovic manages to beat the first man from a cross.

This is a Chelsea problem, not just Ivanovic.

Everyone who takes corners (Fab/Willian and now Hazard) lolly the ball into the first man on a regular basis.  We have some seriously good headers of the ball but we have been rather deficient in crossing for a few years now.

Just buy a good LB, pay the money to get Bertrand back. Dave at right back.

We need Ivan on the end of crosses. Not supplying them.

There's nothing wrong with Ivan at the moment, he's back to his normal performance level, he was never great at crossing. I think 'Groundhog day' is over.

Getting done so easily by a 32 year old full back (holebas) doesn't bode well, to be honest.

He was the only player trying to create something against Watford. Had no problems defensively. It is all due to our midfield-cover.

He was the only player trying to create something against Watford. Had no problems defensively. It is all due to our midfield-cover.

 

The midfield cover has been fine for the first 2 games. They can't be blamed for Ivanovic misplacing passes, Ivanovic moving into the CB position when he is supposed to be a full back, Ivanovic not closing players down, Ivanovic letting wingers get crosses in and Ivanovic being completely at fault for Watford's goal on Saturday.

He was the only player trying to create something FOR Watford. Had no problems defensively. It is all due to our midfield-cover.

corrected.

Ivan is the one variable that is going to crystalise my opinion on Conte. Although he won't have seen him live last season, I would trust that he has done his homework properly and analysed his performances.

Now that he has had a chance to see him at close quarters I would hope he has reached a decision. And the decision I would hope he has reached is that Ivan, Legend though he is, is obviously well past his sell by date and needs to be replaced ASAP for the future good of the team.

he's started better than last season, and he's a fighter, but IMO we're more in need of a fullback than any other position in the squad.

 

doesn't deserve the abuse he gets because his legs have gone though.

Play him as a CB or don't play him at all....tits at trying to play RWB......always late to get back in position, strolls or has a slight jog back when an attack breaks down, goes far to forward far too often and then decides to stay up finding himself in the opponents box while they are beginning a break away. Yes he gets the odd goal now and then but not enough to justify playing him week in and week out;  Dave rarely gets caught up field like Ivan does..... get another RB or LB in and stop pissing around; play him in the middle of the back four which temporarily fixes the CB problem.   

Ivan is the one variable that is going to crystalise my opinion on Conte. Although he won't have seen him live last season, I would trust that he has done his homework properly and analysed his performances.

Now that he has had a chance to see him at close quarters I would hope he has reached a decision. And the decision I would hope he has reached is that Ivan, Legend though he is, is obviously well past his sell by date and needs to be replaced ASAP for the future good of the team.

Ivan should not be in the first team at RB or CB. Squad player in his last season yes. First team no way specially when Zouma returns.

he's started better than last season, and he's a fighter, but IMO we're more in need of a fullback than any other position in the squad.

doesn't deserve the abuse he gets because his legs have gone though.

Everything I've seen of ainia suggests he can very quickly grow in to the role

Everything I've seen of ainia suggests he can very quickly grow in to the role

 

I thought he's looked decent from what I've seen of him too.

Edited August 25, 20169 yr by MissouriBlue

Credit where it's due. Had a solid game.

Does anyone think that Conte will rotate Ivanovic in at centre half now, if he sticks with a back 4?

17 minutes ago, mwblue10 said:

Does anyone think that Conte will rotate Ivanovic in at centre half now, if he sticks with a back 4?

I didn't like Ivanovic at centre half in his prime, let alone now!!!

23 minutes ago, Argo said:

I didn't like Ivanovic at centre half in his prime, let alone now!!!

I have no idea were this "Ivan is a centre half" comes from. Its certainly not from his play. I think because hes not built like a typical fullback, some feel that he must be a centre half or that he is a "natural centre half, despite not having any of the characteristics of one. As a fullback he was, in his prime, best in the PL and you could make an argument for top five in the world. As a Centre half he was nowere close to that level

Edited September 7, 20169 yr by Xfaxtor

7 minutes ago, Xfaxtor said:

I have no idea were this "Ivan is a centre half" comes from. Its certainly not from his play. I think because hes not built like a typical fullback, some feel that he must be a centre half or that he is a "natural centre half, despite not having any of the characteristics of one. As a fullback he was, in his prime, best in the PL and you could make an argument for top five in the world. As a Centre half he was nowere close to that level

There weren't many better in his prime that is for sure.

It use to drive me insane when Carlo and AVB played him at CB and Bosingwa RB, Carlo you can excuse due to lack of depth at the time due to Alex being injured but Andre did it by choice.

Rather ironic really because I spent years basically campaigning for Ivan to have right back on lockdown and it finally happened when he started declining.

I thought Ivan started as a CB even before he came to us.  And that he would also play as a DM (albeit in a completely different league).

 

Anyway, to answer the question, I think Ivan will be rotated in as needed.  I'd like to think Azpi is going back to RB and Alonso in at LB. 

I seem to recall the team had a very good defensive record (streak?) Where Ivan was at CB. 

Personally, I never liked him at right back. He was always tucking in too much and letting crosses come in even in his prime/close to his prime in that position, not to mention the amount of times he would be allowed possession only for things to peter out through him.

(There's a striker slot available. Ivan as the third striker - he certainly knows how to find the net. :] )

11 minutes ago, Kante Conte said:

I seem to recall the team had a very good defensive record (streak?) Where Ivan was at CB. 

Personally, I never liked him at right back. He was always tucking in too much and letting crosses come in even in his prime/close to his prime in that position, not to mention the amount of times he would be allowed possession only for things to peter out through him.

(There's a striker slot available. Ivan as the third striker - he certainly knows how to find the net. :] )

On the contrary I thought we were conceding too many and it also brought the extra added horror of Bosingwa being selected. Ivan-Alex/Luiz-JT-Cole back four was our main source of clean sheets circa 2009-2012. The other back four that was played a lot back then was Bossy-Ivan-JT-Cole, which was a total shambles, I can't recall one good defensive display with that back four, my heart use to sink when those four came out in the teamsheet.

Bare in mind I'm talking solely his prime here, and 2012/2013 in my opinion represented the start of Ivan's decline, I remember him looking awful vs Wigan and Reading despite netting in both an I haven't had the same confidence in him since, RB or CB.

Apart from Lavezzi, I can't recall one left winger who gave him a torrid time in his prime, Bale, Silva, Nani, Arshavin (the latter two were class back then) all faced Ivan on a fair few occasions back then and never got a sniff.

On 25/08/2016 at 08:25, Ernie_blue said:

Ivan should not be in the first team at RB or CB. Squad player in his last season yes. First team no way specially when Zouma returns.

From the evening standard article relating to possible new conte formation " The arrival of left-back Marcos would also allow azpillicueta to revert to his original right back role and ivanovic to shift further infield giving conte more options at the back"

If true who on gods green would he replace?

6 hours ago, kennypaul said:

From the evening standard article relating to possible new conte formation " The arrival of left-back Marcos would also allow azpillicueta to revert to his original right back role and ivanovic to shift further infield giving conte more options at the back"

If true who on gods green would he replace?

You mean at CB? There's no way Ivan should be in the first team. Squad player at most and we should be looking to the future now.

8 hours ago, Kante Conte said:

I seem to recall the team had a very good defensive record (streak?) Where Ivan was at CB. 

Personally, I never liked him at right back. He was always tucking in too much and letting crosses come in even in his prime/close to his prime in that position, not to mention the amount of times he would be allowed possession only for things to peter out through him.

(There's a striker slot available. Ivan as the third striker - he certainly knows how to find the net. :] )

Your right for some reason Ivan has always let crosses come in to easy and his obsessed with putting his hands behind his back in or outside the box. In his prime he was a good defender, his just always been useless and very frustrating when crossing the ball.

10 hours ago, Kante Conte said:

I seem to recall the team had a very good defensive record (streak?) Where Ivan was at CB. 

Personally, I never liked him at right back. He was always tucking in too much and letting crosses come in even in his prime/close to his prime in that position, not to mention the amount of times he would be allowed possession only for things to peter out through him.

(There's a striker slot available. Ivan as the third striker - he certainly knows how to find the net. :] )

 

He single-handedly cost us the League Cup the year Swansea won it. Was horrific at CB.

It just got glossed over because of the whole ballboy incident.