I would try to sign players that would be a significant improvement, while keeping Alonso as backup. For me that would either be Jonas Hector or Ghoulam, they don't have any big weaknesses and are good both in their defensive positioning and attacking play.

36 minutes ago, comtrend said:

I would try to sign players that would be a significant improvement, while keeping Alonso as backup. For me that would either be Jonas Hector or Ghoulam, they don't have any big weaknesses and are good both in their defensive positioning and attacking play.

Wouldn't want Hector. I'm Austrian and also active in a german Chelsea Forum, and the members there, who know him pretty well, don't really rate him that much. According to them he isn't really good offensively, so not my first, second or third choice for the wing back position.

has much more defensive nous than Willian.

If you told me that last season I would think you drunk.

can we not recall ake to fill the lwb position in january? 

He isn't that good offensively, Alonso over him for LWB position.

1 hour ago, True Blue23 said:

Wouldn't want Hector. I'm Austrian and also active in a german Chelsea Forum, and the members there, who know him pretty well, don't really rate him that much. According to them he isn't really good offensively, so not my first, second or third choice for the wing back position.

Who would be your first, second or third choiche if I may ask? I'm struggling to think of 3 players who would be an updrade on Alonso there.

8 hours ago, jamie#8 said:

I think every LB in the modern game should be able to play WB. A left back nowadays places as much emphasis on attacking as defending.

 

Defending is a team thing you're right but that doesnt paper over the fact that everytime a winger gets him 1v1, invariably they 'skin' him. It was just yesterday there were examples inthe previous weeks. You cant improve accelration/athleticism. He just doesnt have enough to be top class.

 

BTW - Wiliian is certainly not a wingback! 

Not sure, whats needed going forward as a full back and a wing back is worlds apart and there is a big difference in what is required. 

2 hours ago, CFCholland said:

Who would be your first, second or third choiche if I may ask? I'm struggling to think of 3 players who would be an updrade on Alonso there.

Alaba, Alex Sandro, Mendy, Shaw, Ghoulam

 

First two are unrealistic, but it never hurts to ask

Mendy really impressed me in the CL against Spurs. Has all the tools to be a great wingback (speed, strength, good on the ball, good delivery, strong tackler and as a bonus pretty good in the air), but I don't know him well enough to say whether he consistently performs at a high level. Seems to be rated pretty highly in France though

Shaw hasn't played too well this season, but I really like his profile, he is young, can still improve, is English and could become available soon

I don't know him apart from Youtube videos, so can't really say a lot about him. But he seems to be a good player, who fits our profile, so if Conte wants him I trust him

 

On 11/29/2016 at 13:38, RIP Mourinho said:

Where has everyone got this idea that Conte wants amazing passing from all three of his back line? 

 

At Juve and Italy he had Bonucci in the middle to distribute the ball and Barzagli and Chiellini either side for the pace and power. Neither of which were particularly good on the ball. 

 

We have David in the middle playing the Bonucci role and Zouma could easily fill one of the outside roles with his athleticism making him a perfect fit.

 

 

Unlike Juve and Italy we don't have a Pirlo in front of our defence so our defenders are seeing more of the ball in areas/situations where good passing ability is required, with Italy and Juve it wasn't that important as they could just pass it to Pirlo or Marchisio.

 

it is worth noting that yesterday we were able to get out easier than against spurs in part because fabregas is, in terms of touch, passing ability, speed of thought and positioning, much better at that type of football than kante or matic. it is a shame he doesn't have the physical attributes to suit the system when we don't have the ball. obviously we have to also accept that city didn't press as aggressively as liverpool or spurs.

I think in general though the reason conte MAY want better players on the ball in defence here is because, like in germany, playing in england it is more usual for teams to get up the pitch and press. closing down is a big characteristic of northern european football. in italy and in spain the natural tendency to defend is more positionally and to block passing lanes. the cultural attitude is to force the opposition to lose the ball, here it is to win it back yourself.

 

There's no doubt he's the weak link in defence, expect him to be targeted again this weekend. He went central when he didn't have to for their goal, couldn't get back in time to block the cross. It went down as a Cahill OG, but Alonso had lots to do with it. City had most of their success down that his flank, it's no coincident. I don't think he needs to be dropped, and we haven't got a replacement either. I'm sure Conte will put him through lots of defensive drills this week.

Decent Squad player, 

 

But like I keep saying his defending is very suspect. Definitely need an upgrade in this area.

 

I hope/think Ake or Kenedy may replace him within the next 12 months, unfortunately Felipe Luis would have been perfect as he was great going forward too, but oh well.

I like Alonso, however he didn't have his best game against City. We need cover for both flans, Alonso and Moses as we must rotate them at some point in a very long season. Think Conte will look for a January buy, we are stacked at CB i feel and central midfield is alright. The attack is also pretty good covered while only the full back are without cover. Aina and Cesar aren't wing backs but they can be used in an emergency.

Bring back Baba please.

10 minutes ago, Van Butsen said:

Bring back Baba please.

Presumabnly Conte saw enough of him in the summer to think he's not up to it either.

3 minutes ago, Zeta Orionis said:

Presumabnly Conte saw enough of him in the summer to think he's not up to it either.

Don't think we were working the 3-5-3 in summer?

Don't think he's seen him play in that form ever.

And presumably he's a real human that can think otherwise once more information is available to him (Alonso's performance in the PL).

22 hours ago, CFCCAN said:

We are top of the pile and that is great but on closer inspection....especially over the last two games against decent opposition...we have been extremely fortunate that Spuds and Citeh couldn't finish, had they had done so the results would uncover up our most glaring weaknesses which are Cahill and Alonso.   Where is Zouma these days? he is not even making the bench despite the fact that he is back to full fitness I assume with his run outs in the U23's; surely the Ideal replacement for Cahill....as for Alonso, we could try Dave in the LWB position, or what about giving Chabolah a run out in that position against some lower opposition to see how he adapts?   Alonso is just about doing an OK job, but very often goes missing when we need him defensively and rarely prevents a cross from his side...very much in the mold of Ivan, who hopefully will remain on the bench until he retires or leaves the club.  

 

ACL's have always been a 12 month injury.  If anything he is ahead of schedule.  It's also (like all injuries) susceptible to happening again and considering it's a 12 month injury, no point in rushing. 

1 hour ago, Van Butsen said:

Don't think we were working the 3-5-3 in summer?

Don't think he's seen him play in that form ever.

And presumably he's a real human that can think otherwise once more information is available to him (Alonso's performance in the PL).

I would have thought he would have been able to look at Baba knowing how he might fit into a 3-4-3, even if they weren't specifically working on it at the time, i'm sure it was in his mind that he might switch to that formation at some point.

As the manager says win as a team lose as a team not as individuals that's why Conte is the manager. If he wasn't good enough conte would not play him he's slow yes but he offers a lot going forward in the air and he's good defensively he just lacks place can do we better absolutely but it's not all about having the best in every position teams win games not matter how brilliant one individual is or isn't teams win games working as one unit

3 hours ago, Van Butsen said:

Don't think we were working the 3-5-3 in summer?

Don't think he's seen him play in that form ever.

And presumably he's a real human that can think otherwise once more information is available to him (Alonso's performance in the PL).

What form? Being kept on the bench by Kolasinac, although Schalke are playing in a formation with wingbacks and Kolasinac is, according to their fans, pretty limited technically? Very good conditons for him to shine at Schalke (the same manager he played under at Augsburg, a formation that should suit his skills going forward, a league he knows well) but still he hasn't managed to get back into the starting eleven after he was dropped about two months ago.

Also Conte will have had the possibilty of switching to a formation with 3 in his mind. He said so himself. But still he decided to loan out our only natural leftback and opted for the right footed academy player with no experience in professional football (Aina) instead. Tells me that he didn't rate Baba back then, and so far the Ghanaian will have done nothing to change his mind.

Edited December 5, 20169 yr by True Blue23

6 hours ago, Van Butsen said:

Don't think we were working the 3-5-3 in summer?
 

Don't think so either because there is no such thing.

11 hours ago, Van Butsen said:

Don't think we were working the 3-5-3 in summer?

No wonder we're winning so much.

6 minutes ago, Lampsy said:

No wonder we're winning so much.

I can't believe were getting away with it.

Might be a little less vulnerable down that side if we switched Azpi to LB and Cahill to RB.

On 12/5/2016 at 13:16, True Blue23 said:

What form? Being kept on the bench by Kolasinac, although Schalke are playing in a formation with wingbacks and Kolasinac is, according to their fans, pretty limited technically? Very good conditons for him to shine at Schalke (the same manager he played under at Augsburg, a formation that should suit his skills going forward, a league he knows well) but still he hasn't managed to get back into the starting eleven after he was dropped about two months ago.

Also Conte will have had the possibilty of switching to a formation with 3 in his mind. He said so himself. But still he decided to loan out our only natural leftback and opted for the right footed academy player with no experience in professional football (Aina) instead. Tells me that he didn't rate Baba back then, and so far the Ghanaian will have done nothing to change his mind.

Moses didn't set the world alight on loan.