Love all the Ashley Cole bashing on here when its easy for all you to forget you got yourselfs William "****" Gallas and 5mill in return lolz. Maybe its one of the reasons why you are all so bitter?? Well that and the fact he wanted to better himself financialy and ability in terms of employers.
bashing people for bashing? nice.
Or the fact that he was utterly utterly ****
The only reason they're bashing Cole is because A) He was **** against Arsenal and B) He's a massive ****. Not quite as big a **** as Downing, mind, but a **** nonetheless.
But there were much poorer players against Arsenal. Cole was poor but most certainly wasen't the poorest, and he may be a **** but my god he has been and still is a sensational fullback and what a ******* bargain lol. 5mill and a chance to offload deadwood, yes please.
Did anyone find John Obi Mikel's performance quite solid? Watched him try and anchor the midfield all game and he did well to compose himself, collect the pass and re-distribute the recycled possession. Very much helped Ramires and Lampard when going forward.
Did anyone find John Obi Mikel's performance quite solid? Watched him try and anchor the midfield all game and he did well to compose himself, collect the pass and re-distribute the recycled possession. Very much helped Ramires and Lampard when going forward.
Mostly, yes, but he was utterly bamboozled by Van Persie's movement. He didn't know whether to track him constantly or leave him at specific times, and ended up doing neither. He often ended up between his centre-backs even when Chelsea were out of possession, leaving Ramsey free.
Not really no, if you look closely the first goal was 100% his fault and i called it as it happend in real time. Besides that then in the first half he was decent but like i always say when things are going Chelsea's way he does perform well but when the tide starts to turn he is a liability.
Fair points in both departments. I would agree that he became somewhat a liability at some stages of Arsenal's attacks, unable to make a good enough defensive contribution in order to pry away the threats.
Perhaps if this were Michael Essien (when fit of course) would he have done a better job?
Different type of footballer. Essien's much more dynamic, offers in attack as well as defence. He'd be suited to what is currently Ramires' role, for example.
Fair points in both departments. I would agree that he became somewhat a liability at some stages of Arsenal's attacks, unable to make a good enough defensive contribution in order to pry away the threats.
Perhaps if this were Michael Essien (when fit of course) would he have done a better job?
Carl, Cole was terrible, his poor line keeping was the reason Arsenal got in behind so often, he constantly played them on side. He was woeful.
Indeed, but due to Ramires filling in a marauding role on either side of the three-man midfield, as well as Essien possibly not having the legs anymore to actually run as much or for as long Ramires, a more deep-seated, deeper-lying role could suit. Tough tackling, aggressive, whilst either Lampard or Ramires/Raul Meireles come back, help retain the possession and continue the Chelsea move.
It's just a theory and given him suffering the same injury twice in 3 years (?) he could find it difficult to do what he did in the earlier stages of his career with the Blues.
Indeed, but due to Ramires filling in a marauding role on either side of the three-man midfield, as well as Essien possibly not having the legs anymore to actually run as much or for as long Ramires, a more deep-seated, deeper-lying role could suit. Tough tackling, aggressive, whilst either Lampard or Ramires/Raul Meireles come back, help retain the possession and continue the Chelsea move.
It's just a theory and given him suffering the same injury twice in 3 years (?) he could find it difficult to do what he did in the earlier stages of his career with the Blues.
I don't think it's just a question of tactics, I think Essien's mentality would mean that he couldn't quite fit in there. He's naturally an box-to-boxer. Whether he can curb those instincts remains to be seen.
Thats why it annoys me when people say Luiz could play in a DM role. No he couldn't, you need to be massivly discaplined and know when to go and when to stay and he has none of them. Much better as a CB who makes regular runs forward.