20 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Seen a few people suggesting Bissouma is a Kante like midfielder, I.e. not a defensive one but a box to box player. Would you agree @just I know you are a big fan.

Whereas Phillips and Ndidi are defensive midfielders from the little I have seen of either of them. And honestly I would be fine with either of them.

Phillips would be pricey since he is English and Leeds stayed up. Probably 50mill plus.

Ndidi depends how many years he has left on his contract. I would expect cheaper though. Good shouts Gol.

Bissouma is better than Phillips IMO. 

I really just want us to go back to having a proper DM and playmaker CM. Casemiro and Modric last night was such a huge eye opener, they were everything I want in a midfield. Get this combination right and you're set for success for years to come. Out midfielders are all good at certain things, but they are also missing things I feel are crucial for their position. 

Jorginho lacks all of the defensive qualities needed of a DM.

Kante is all energy and a destroyer, but his playmaking abilities are dreadful for a CM.

Kovacic is a world class ball carrier and dribbler, but his passing is so inconsistent and he is prone to making mistakes on the half way line.

Loftus-Cheek has a great touch and has a poweful run in him, but he fails to get out of first gear most of the time and almost never has end product.

 

I would love to find a DM and playmaker CM and have either Kante or Kovacic being the third man in midfield or Mount playing ACM.

1 hour ago, just said:

Bissouma is better than Phillips IMO. 

Is Bissouma a defensive midfielder like Rice or Ndidi are or is he more a box to box midfielder like Gallagher or Kante?

Just now, axman2526 said:

Is Bissouma a defensive midfielder like Rice or Ndidi are or is he more a box to box midfielder like Gallagher or Kante?

Yes.

 

1 minute ago, Amputechture said:

Yes.

 

So what you are saying he is the new Essien?

Well if he is then he should be snapped up immediately. Essien, we the one before the injuries, is exactly the type of beast our midfield needs.

Just now, axman2526 said:

Well if he is then he should be snapped up immediately. Essien, we the one before the injuries, is exactly the type of beast our midfield needs.

I was messing with you. @just is probably far better equipped than I am to actually answer your question.

But yeah, pre-injury Essien was a complete freak of nature. Not many midfielders past or present could be compared to him at his best. If we could snatch up someone even half as good today then it's job well done.

7 hours ago, just said:

Bissouma is better than Phillips IMO. 

Honestly, I don't care who is better what I want is a player where I can play a cesc next to him and I am not worried that we will be completely destroyed in midfield

Edited May 30, 20224 yr by Bob stark

Sangare

On 29/05/2022 at 23:26, Scott Harris said:

 

Jorginho lacks all of the defensive qualities needed of a DM.

 

It that was true we wouldn't have been a top 4 team nor would have have won the CL. Just saying. Jorginho has weaknesses defensively but so does Kovacic and Kante made huge blunders this season and we conceded the most goals this season while Jorginho wasn't even playing.

Now that his Chelsea career is nearing its end, interested to hear how people rate Jorginho in the pantheon of our greatest ever defensive midfielders.... Makalele, Essien, Kante , Matic, Johnny Bumstead.

Personally Essien for me

1 hour ago, just said:

Now that his Chelsea career is nearing its end, interested to hear how people rate Jorginho in the pantheon of our greatest ever defensive midfielders.... Makalele, Essien, Kante , Matic, Johnny Bumstead.

Personally Essien for me

Mikel?

Maka was the best. Kante more dynamic and at his best on another level, but he has struggled to maintain consistent form. Essien was a powerhouse but to me was not as good as either Maka or Kanté. Nor was Mikel, but he was very solid and consistent. Matic and Johnny B were both good, consistent, very hard-working and intelligent DMs.

Jorginho is a different player, as he lacks the physicality of the others but has phenomenal technical ability, and has been very consistent in his time with us. I sometimes think his critics expect too much from him, wanting him to be Maka and Fabregas (and Jorginho) rolled into one, with the pace of Kanté thrown in.

Edited June 1, 20224 yr by Backbiter

3 hours ago, just said:

Now that his Chelsea career is nearing its end, interested to hear how people rate Jorginho in the pantheon of our greatest ever defensive midfielders.... Makalele, Essien, Kante , Matic, Johnny Bumstead.

Personally Essien for me

Such a great list, but missing the Wise man himself.

I wouldn't classify Essien as a DM. He was just a central midfielder who was very much box-to-box. Same for Kante really. He's defensive, but not a DM. He pressed high up the pitch to win the ball back.

If we're talking pure DM, then you can't look beyond Makalele.

Still Makelele for me. 

20 minutes ago, Zeta said:

I wouldn't classify Essien as a DM. He was just a central midfielder who was very much box-to-box. Same for Kante really. He's defensive, but not a DM. He pressed high up the pitch to win the ball back.

If we're talking pure DM, then you can't look beyond Makalele.

Putting Kante as a sitter was the moment I started having doubts about Lampard. How can anyone look at someone who's best attributes are energy and proactive hunting of the ball and think that's his best position? It's bad enough that it was a popular opinion with fans and pundits.

On 30/05/2022 at 08:57, RIP Mourinho said:

Sangare

Bless you...

 

 

 

14 hours ago, Zeta said:

I wouldn't classify Essien as a DM. He was just a central midfielder who was very much box-to-box. Same for Kante really. He's defensive, but not a DM. He pressed high up the pitch to win the ball back.

If we're talking pure DM, then you can't look beyond Makalele.

Agreed Zeta. Makalele, like Jorginho, was there purely as a defensive screen. Nothing more was expected from him. But he did that role better than anyone before or since. He was the ultimate destroyer.

Kante and Essien were different. They did their share of the defensive duties but they also played box to box. And both of them, on their A games, could absolutely dominate a midfield. Essien with his strength and agression, Kante with his stamina and athleticism.

8 hours ago, charierre said:

 

 

 

The worse part with that clip is not that Jorgi got robbed but you don't see him again after that. 

19 hours ago, Argo said:

Putting Kante as a sitter was the moment I started having doubts about Lampard. How can anyone look at someone who's best attributes are energy and proactive hunting of the ball and think that's his best position? It's bad enough that it was a popular opinion with fans and pundits.

I disagree it was a very good decision by lamp. The moment he played Kante as dm suddenly our defense improved big time. No more red carpet in transition or between the line player just completely make a fool of our defence l. 

40 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

I disagree it was a very good decision by lamp. The moment he played Kante as dm suddenly our defense improved big time. No more red carpet in transition or between the line player just completely make a fool of our defence l. 

I would say the improvement was more down to the Silva and Mendy effect. In the restart period it was more of the same, like for example West Ham's winner. And that's before we mention what we lost in terms of playing out and evading pressure.

52 minutes ago, Argo said:

I would say the improvement was more down to the Silva and Mendy effect. In the restart period it was more of the same, like for example West Ham's winner. And that's before we mention what we lost in terms of playing out and evading pressure.

I was talking about lamp 1st season. Honestly, Lamp is not stupid. It is so obvious that Kante is better when he has freedom to hunt however it was also so obvious that we had massive problem against transition and protecting our backline. 

 

I’d say Essien was the best midfielder. He had everything to his game and at his best he was pretty much unstoppable. He can tackle, he can shoot, he can pass, he can dribble, he can do absolutely everything. It’s so tragic how injuries have ruined him.

If I had anything to say against Essien, it would be that he likes a red card tackle.

He was embarrassing last night. Like a headless chicken. 

Anyone else see his pathetic lobbed attempts? It's no wonder why he hardly ever plays them. This guy cannot be in the starting XI at the very least next season.