Right Back..

[ethicalstrategy]

Anyone else think that Paulo Ferreira secured that position with his performances in the last few games of this season and the FA Cup Final in particular?

I must confess that I had given up on him. Those last few games reminded me that he was pretty good in his first season.

[Guest Brian M]

Anyone else think that Paulo Ferreira secured that position with his performances in the last few games of this season and the FA Cup Final in particular?

No.

Let's buy someone new/better and have PF as a backup. Or buy someone new and have GJ as a back up and sell PF to Lyon.

[loz]

In my opinion we can throw as much money at the position as you can work out on a casio calculator but we won't find a better right back at defending that Paulo. We could get a better attacking full back ( and my choice would be Alves) however the choice would need to be made about sacrificing some of the defensive ability.

Paulo gets my vote as our number one with Glen being brought back to be developed as back up, we also have Essien and Diarra that can provide temporary cover should it be required.

We should be concentrating on those areas of the park where we lack depth, right back is not one of them.

[Pauly]

Anyone else think that Paulo Ferreira secured that position with his performances in the last few games of this season and the FA Cup Final in particular?

I must confess that I had given up on him. Those last few games reminded me that he was pretty good in his first season.

Never needed 're-convincing'- is one of the best right sided defenders I have seen- he has energy, intelligence and positioning. I think he's technically the best right back in europe, what some posters i guess have problems with is that he lacks the physical prowess of a Thuram or Puyol. But for that we have Glen Johnson who is a great and strong athlete and a player i have a lot of faith in technically, athletically and as an alternative to PF as a more attacking option. PF and GJ is an excellent excellent team at right back and along with left back, probably the area i would look at last - have some faith!!

We don't need to be messing around at right back- we need another top class winger as robben is unreliable, and a third striker if JM plans to use this 442 again, which i believe he does. And although we will never get it- we need a trequartista Deco/Kaka/Totti if we are to have any chance at all of reaching the CL final, or even near it in my opinion. I could say categorically that if we keep the flat midfield (in both formations) that we finally saw break man utd in the 116th minute of a game the first time one of our central midfielders got close to drogba, then we will not win the League or pass the champions league semi finals again next year. It's limited- it's horrible football, and we would need a repeat of the Gallas-Terry central defense heroics season for it to work.

bring back the attacking 4-3-3 with eidur in central midfield.

[midlandblue]

Nice to see some positive comments about Paulo, when he first arrived I was confident ,in what I saw from him, that he was a decent player and once settled would be a top notch right back. I still believe that today, thing is Paulo doesn't, his confidemce seems to be shot and why wouldnt it be after the number of times he was simply ignored.

Nothing wrong with Paulo that a little loyalty and confidence shown in him wont fix.

[ossie13]

Yes I would give Paulo the RB slot with Johnson as cover for next season. PF for some reason this season did not get to play consistantly but I think he showed enough in the games he did play that he is our best RB!!!

[bjd]

everyone knows my feelings on this!

vote paulo. since the 2004/5 season ive said all he needs is a run of games and a bit of faith. i wouldnt swap him for anyone.

try and get him attacking like he did at porto too, hes not bad at that though we've never seen it in chelsea blue

[just]

If he's happy in that position I wouldn't mind seeing Diarra continue in that role.

For the vast majority of the games he played there he looked to me like he had the makings of a very, very good right back. He certainly gave us a whole lot more going forward than PF ever has.

[bjd]

it was strange how diarra was suddenly dropped from the role he was doing so well in , however at least it was for the benefit of paulo

just, do you not think that the lack of attacking play from pf is down to instructions from jose ? at porto he got forwards loads, but weve just never seen it here.

[loz]

bjd

I used to think that as well but I have since heard contradicting stories form people in Portugal who say he didn't get forward nearly as much as I thought he did.

[Sofa Manager]

just, do you not think that the lack of attacking play from pf is down to instructions from jose ? at porto he got forwards loads, but weve just never seen it here.

That mate, is a myth.

Personally, I've never liked him that much. Maybee it's his "Noddy" looks. Maybee it's the weird way he runs....dunno.

However, I have to admit Paolo is spot on. He is a very very disciplined right back, and 99,9 % of the time Mr. reliable himself.

For a 433 formation that uses wingers (width) he's close to perfect. Very good and inteligent defender.

For a 442 diamond that needs width from somewhere...that somewhere being probably given from the full-backs....he's close to rubbish.

Crossing his not his forte, hasn't got enough technique and although he's not slow, he's also not quick enough/not enough acceleration.

I say keep him. Play him on a formation that doesn't rely on full backs for width.

Get someone else for the 442 diamond. Alves or Miguel.

Glen Johnson is IMO still not good enough. He's maybee...the exact opposite of Paulo.

Strenght, pace, technique, crossing....and not exactly a very "inteligent" defender (in tacticall terms).

[Pauly]

I think he provides width on the right- he's played with so much energy whenever he has been given the chance, i just think he provides it safely- when we have the ball and he provides the option well. imo

[bjd]

well maybe im wrong - i dunno

i just based my assumption on the games i saw pf play for porto in the champions league and i thought he got forward a few times and looked good. certainly i didnt see enough games to say he was like roberto carlos or anything!

anyway, we all know he is under command anyway - if jose wanted an attacking full back we would have one. thats one of the reasons why i was so surprised we signed cashley - we all knew he wasnt going to get forward like he did at arse so what was the point considering his defending is imo quite poor

[ethicalstrategy]

Got to pick you up on a couple of points there Pauly

....if JM plans to use this 442 again, which i believe he does.

Jose was very specific last night on Chelsea TV that his preferred formation, given the players are fit, is 4-3-3. Of course, it doesn't mean that he won't play the diamond - he may be forced in to it to make room for Sheva - but he wants to play 4-3-3.

if we are to have any chance at all of reaching the CL final, or even near it in my opinion.

Reaching it? maybe. Near it? well I think we've been pretty near it for 3 our of the last 4 years!

[Pauly]

Got to pick you up on a couple of points there Pauly

....if JM plans to use this 442 again, which i believe he does.

Jose was very specific last night on Chelsea TV that his preferred formation, given the players are fit, is 4-3-3. Of course, it doesn't mean that he won't play the diamond - he may be forced in to it to make room for Sheva - but he wants to play 4-3-3.

if we are to have any chance at all of reaching the CL final, or even near it in my opinion.

Reaching it? maybe. Near it? well I think we've been pretty near it for 3 our of the last 4 years!

allo- yes, i also saw that "I prefer the 433 for next season if we have no injuries, but i don't take it seriously. I think it's a cover for his 442 and he knows that there is really no chance of robben staying fit so it's not really much of a statement. If it was true however, i would do the following: 1. Laugh manically 2. feel horrified 3. rule JM out as a good manager. As i said in another post- if he went into this season with a 442 and 2 strikers, and now seems to be making the squad for that 442 with sidwell, then goes back to the 433 next year, having sold all the wingers and signed shevchenko- it wouldn't be able to think him anything other than a fool who doesn't learn. Which is why i choose to believe the 'i prefer 433' is not really a serious statement of his intentions for next year.

and secondly- the last thing is a statement about the future. past means nothing

[BlueBeard]

I don't think Paulo Ferreira is good enough to hold down the RB position on a regular basis, and from what I saw of Glen Johnson last season, he hasn't improved overmuch either.

I'd play Diarra at RB, he did so well when he filled in there last season - with Paulo as back-up. Keep Glen and see how he turns out - if he continues in his usual form, ship him out in the transfer window.

I just don't understand why it is that squad players who aren't playing regularly in the first team don't get regular reserve games - at least that way the coaching staff would be able to assess their progress in a match situation. That's how things were done years ago, plus players returning from injury got a couple of reserve games under their belt before being thrown back into the first team.

[mad_mac]

I am with Loz and BJD and many others on here, yes maybe he does have "Noddy looks" and runs like a nonce, but technically he is a very sound RB. His tackling and positioning have gotten better the more he has been with us, and then this season we hardly saw him at all!!! I was always puzzled by this. I wondered if he and Jose had a falling out, or what? Anyway, he's given a few games at the end of the season, and he performs great, better in each one.

I say that if we play a 4-3-3 where we need a good defender, then PF is our man. However, if we play the diamond, then we need wing backs, and then GJ (if he comes back) or Diarra (even essien, but I would much rather have him in the midfield) would fill that role quite nicely.

I dont know what Jose's plans are for him, but I for one hope he stays around. He never seems to amke too much fuss about being on the bench, and he performs well when he plays.

I vote for Paulo

Scott

PS, I would also go for Alaves if we were to get rid of Paulo

[mad_mac]

I don't think Paulo Ferreira is good enough to hold down the RB position on a regular basis, and from what I saw of Glen Johnson last season, he hasn't improved overmuch either.

I'd play Diarra at RB, he did so well when he filled in there last season - with Paulo as back-up. Keep Glen and see how he turns out - if he continues in his usual form, ship him out in the transfer window.

I just don't understand why it is that squad players who aren't playing regularly in the first team don't get regular reserve games - at least that way the coaching staff would be able to assess their progress in a match situation. That's how things were done years ago, plus players returning from injury got a couple of reserve games under their belt before being thrown back into the first team.

Agree totally about the rezzies....give them a run in there, and then get a full assesment, rather than throwing them back into the CL or the EPL and hoping the do alright!

[TomP]

I don't think Paulo Ferreira is good enough to hold down the RB position on a regular basis, and from what I saw of Glen Johnson last season, he hasn't improved overmuch either.

I'd play Diarra at RB, he did so well when he filled in there last season - with Paulo as back-up. Keep Glen and see how he turns out - if he continues in his usual form, ship him out in the transfer window.

I just don't understand why it is that squad players who aren't playing regularly in the first team don't get regular reserve games - at least that way the coaching staff would be able to assess their progress in a match situation. That's how things were done years ago, plus players returning from injury got a couple of reserve games under their belt before being thrown back into the first team.

Agree totally about the rezzies....give them a run in there, and then get a full assesment, rather than throwing them back into the CL or the EPL and hoping the do alright!

I'd love to see that - it would mean that when we need to play the likes of Geremi or Boularouhz they aren't completely un-matchfit. It would also help the promising youngsters in the reserves as well. It has got to have a pretty positive effect playing alongside quality internationals.

[ozboy]

Based on what I saw last season and bearing the squad as a whole in mind, and that fact that funds are going to be limited, I would play Essien at right back alternating with Paulo and Diarra.

I my view our most pressing problem is not to fix defence, after all it was the best in the leage last year despite the injuries, but to score more goals. We need a winger/goal scoring striker far more than anything else.

Players like Sidwell significantly strengthen the squad and we just want one game breaker to take us over the edge