3 minutes ago, Argo said:

I would agree if we had Livramento or Lamptey still here, but on his current form we simply would lose far too much from wingback especially with Chilwell out already.

Might have to accept that trade off, and find someone to cover for him. Maybe the youth system has a good option.

19 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Might have to accept that trade off, and find someone to cover for him. Maybe the youth system has a good option.

I'm sure they've got another 27 good right backs at Cobham LOL

Like most people, I was underwhelmed by his first season, but I've become a huge fan. Some interesting stats in this article, but saying his injury coincided with our recent decline is not true. He was already injured when we beat Leicester and Juve in two of our best back-to-back performances in years.

So pleased we have back now 

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/analysis/chelsea-win-87-5-of-pl-games-when-outstanding-man-starts-he-might-be-tuchels-most-important-player-tcc-view/

Just never quite happens for Kovacic. Very decent player and a great sight running with the ball but too often he misplaces that final pass or takes too long to release the ball. When he is on top of his game he is very good and he was clearly rusty tonight and once booked, looked like one more iffy tackle away from a red card.

Good to have him back but we need goals and assists and they won't come from Kovacic. 

Good player when fit and in form. To bad that he is injury prone, he usually takes twice as long to come back from them compared to other players and he needs atleast 2-3 games of poor performance before he is back in form. It's not like Kante, who can just come back from a injury and be our best player. 

There should be room for two new CMs next season, Conor Gallagher beeing one of them.

On 29/12/2021 at 22:25, Nibs said:

Just never quite happens for Kovacic. Very decent player and a great sight running with the ball but too often he misplaces that final pass or takes too long to release the ball. When he is on top of his game he is very good and he was clearly rusty tonight and once booked, looked like one more iffy tackle away from a red card.

Good to have him back but we need goals and assists and they won't come from Kovacic. 

Goals not so much. Assists - yes. His final balls are often great but aren’t converted. Should have had one clear-cut one vs villa, and a couple of less clear cut ones last night. Stats had him as having most assists before he got injured. Not sure what more he needs to do…

One of the best games he has played for us. Brilliant performance.

 

He's utterly fantastic. We have missed him like crazy but thankfully he's back now.

Was unreal today. If he and of course Kanté manage to stay fit-ish for the rest of the season then I can still see us competing. City will drop points eventually.

I dont want to go overboard but i think he is greatest footballer of all time.

He has full rights to my firstborn.

Like I already said in the past, at 27 he entered his prime years and it's already showing this season. I did hope it would start 1 year earlier under Lampard but it doesn't really matter.

5 assists and 2 goals in 13 games played is really setting a new standard and it's only half of the season! 

6 minutes ago, venom2011 said:

He has full rights to my firstborn.

He has full rights to give me mine.

@mojo where’s the gif

His best game for us by a country mile. Great goal. He and Kante need to stay fit if we are to challenge on all fronts.

1 minute ago, charierre said:

His best game for us by a country mile. Great goal. He and Kante need to stay fit if we are to challenge on all fronts.

Would be nice but they are too injury prone to even hope for that.

 

Today he played like Zidane with a huge dash of Figo, he had some sublime moments, always thought he had the Balkan magic, but there was a moment where he pulled a ball out of the cosmos surrounded by Red, audacious first touch, unfortunately Jorginho slows the pace, I’d move him on tbh, much more direct alongside the awesome Kante….

1 hour ago, axman2526 said:

Would be nice but they are too injury prone to even hope for that.

Is Kovacic injury prone though? he picks up one injury a season that has him out for a few games, but that is normal for players that play his style of football. If he was picking up injuries, coming back and then getting injured soon after like Kante has been, then I would say he was injury prone.

26 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Is Kovacic injury prone though? he picks up one injury a season that has him out for a few games, but that is normal for players that play his style of football. If he was picking up injuries, coming back and then getting injured soon after like Kante has been, then I would say he was injury prone.

Tends to be his injuries keep him out a while though.

2 hours ago, CaitlinCFC said:

He has full rights to give me mine.

just a picture to piss off lukaku 

 

2 hours ago, Ballack & Blu said:

Today he played like Zidane with a huge dash of Figo, he had some sublime moments, always thought he had the Balkan magic, but there was a moment where he pulled a ball out of the cosmos surrounded by Red, audacious first touch, unfortunately Jorginho slows the pace, I’d move him on tbh, much more direct alongside the awesome Kante….

Jorginho didn't win us the game, get rid!