As the title implies...?

 

(As tempting as the last option is...don't do it! :] )

Edited September 9, 20168 yr by Kante Conte

JT-ZOUMA

I'm going Luiz - Zouma I know there will be a lot of people who claim that this pairing is just to rash and will make a lot of mistakes, But I just think no one will be able to beat that defence physically no one will be able to ghost past them and it will give us a platform to play a slightly higher line. 

As of now Terry-Luiz for me. Any pairing that keeps Cahill and Ivan on the bench really. Would be fun to see a Zouma-Terry-Luiz back 3 

1 hour ago, PedroMendez said:

I'm going Luiz - Zouma I know there will be a lot of people who claim that this pairing is just to rash and will make a lot of mistakes, But I just think no one will be able to beat that defence physically no one will be able to ghost past them and it will give us a platform to play a slightly higher line. 

Like the idea. Especially with Kante in the team, but both Luiz Zouma are sometimes can be found wanting positionally. 

I'd prefer a cooler head next to Zouma as he develops further.

 

Personally, I've gone for Cahill Zouma as it is slightly more mobile than JT Zouma, even though I don't think I've really seen that pairing play particularly well.

Terry Zouma. Best defender + best prospect, playing together. JT can educate Zouma, Zouma can improve through the experience. I see Luiz and Cahill as similar level in terms of ability, so either of those would be a good 3rd option. But Zouma when he is fit MUST play, and JT... well, he's the captain. Undroppable

Terry - Zouma, captain and leader with a very promising prospect on its side to learn from him.

If Zouma is not ready yet, then I would be happy with any decision Conte makes.

Terry and Zouma for now.

Has me wondering what people think is the best pairing of the Roman era, JT & Desailly, JT & Gallas or JT & Ricky, but that's for another thread. I wouldn't mind seeing a Luiz and Zouma pairing at some point. 

1 hour ago, Floyd25 said:

Has me wondering what people think is the best pairing of the Roman era, JT & Desailly, JT & Gallas or JT & Ricky,

JT and Ricky C easily.

04/05 season conceding only 15 league goals... Phenomenal.

Terry and Zouma. Zouma is Chelsea's best CB for the future and there's no one better to learn off than Terry, it might also be Terry's last season plus he is currently Chelsea's best CB so he has to play. Pair Zouma with Luiz and its suicide, I can only see it making Zouma worse than better. The post about not being beaten physically well Luiz would get beaten by every big forward, not like Terry. And ghosting past them, well watching City they will have a fun day against Luiz.

43 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

JT and Ricky C easily.

04/05 season conceding only 15 league goals... Phenomenal.

A great partnership, it's interesting though reading through old threads of Gallas v.s Carvalho, a lot of people at the time thought Gallas was better than Ricky.

2 hours ago, Floyd25 said:

Has me wondering what people think is the best pairing of the Roman era, JT & Desailly, JT & Gallas or JT & Ricky, but that's for another thread. I wouldn't mind seeing a Luiz and Zouma pairing at some point. 

Jt & Gallas, for me.

The 03/04 season saw the whole team play superbly as an organised defensive unit. It was a counter-attacking setupf and and the defence had a lot of protection.

(I remember JT and Gallas as being very good together. My personal favourites. Not sure if that was 02/03 or after)

55 minutes ago, ForeverCarefree said:

JT and Ricky C easily.

04/05 season conceding only 15 league goals... Phenomenal.

It's amazing, it's 15 goals conceded, 15 !!! It pretty much guarantee's you the title. I can't see a team ever doing that again. Cech, Gallas, Terry, Carvalho, Ferreira, the best defensive line up the Premier League has ever seen. The period from 2003 - 2010 had defending in the Premier League at it's peak. You won't see that many great defenders in one league again for some time, especially when you look how average defending is in the game right now.

Edited September 11, 20168 yr by Scott Harris

That 04/05 as a whole I rank as the best team in the premier league ever. Might be biased but the amount of stats that team rolled up together with most amount of points 95 and only conceding 15 is unbelievable. Don't get me wrong it didn't have some names which people would think was star studded like Duff and Tiago but that team was so efficient and was a winning machine. 

JT and Ricky for me. Both world class defenders.

(Okay... 04/05 is the season I meant in the earlier post. "Machine" is probably the most apt description of that side. )

Quite telling how few votes Ivan is getting in any variation of pairing.

(So... Havelchayes succombs.)

^Belgrade CFC is the only one to pick Iva. 

 

Terry - Luiz myself, just because with the protection of Kante and Matic I feel like we can have Terry in there and he will not get exposed, and we still need his organisation and leadership ability. Zouma - Luiz is my preferred choice if Terry is out, and looks good, but I just sense a lack of organisational ability between the two -- with Luiz being crazy at times lol and Zouma being younger.

Edited September 11, 20168 yr by Saru

Could be seeing the horrible combination of Iva and Luiz very soon.

it's sods luck that we were already far from solid in defence and now we could soon lose both terry (injury) and cahill (fa ban) to further weaken us. i guess one positive is tomori may get his chance in central defence if needs must. 

21 hours ago, Floyd25 said:

A great partnership, it's interesting though reading through old threads of Gallas v.s Carvalho, a lot of people at the time thought Gallas was better than Ricky.

I did then and still do. JT and Gallas were the best EPL pairing I have seen.

Terry & Zouma for me. 

1 hour ago, Kante Conte said:

Could be seeing the horrible combination of Iva and Luiz very soon.

That sort of comment is almost worthy of a ban. Why are you trying to give us nightmares?!

On 11/09/2016 at 09:55, Floyd25 said:

A great partnership, it's interesting though reading through old threads of Gallas v.s Carvalho, a lot of people at the time thought Gallas was better than Ricky.

Yep and not without reason.

That the side only conceded 15 goals is confounded with the fact that JT and Gallas didn't concede a SINGLE goal for eight games, and we started conceding when Carvalho came in. That said, there's no argument that the 04-06 defensive unit was the best we've ever had.

 

However in terms of pure CB pairings my vote is actually Alex and JT. For my money that was a far more dominant pairing, both offensively and defensively, despite having lesser support from midfield. Though it should also be said they had Ashley Cole at his absolute peak. 

Edited September 12, 20168 yr by SydneyChelsea