£19m according to reports in Brazil. (25m euros)
Nando! <3
Is that everyone now excluding the olympians?
either way it isn't really a steal. It's the price you pay for a world class player.
I read something the other day on Marin from a German journo and he said when Marin and Ozil both cam through that Marin was more exciting than Ozil. Two things held Marin back, Ozil got a move to a giant club at the right time where Marin's was a year too late and Marin had some injury troubles. If he can get back to full fitness playing for a bigger club then there is no reason why we can't see the potential he showed 2 years ago and if he does, boy we will really have a special player.
Again surely that depends how Chelsea intend on playing? Maybe Chelsea are not looking to play a deep lying play maker. People seem to forget that Mikel's passing range is pretty decent so maybe he will be trusted to do both jobs and Oscar just coming forward from deep and then joining in with the attacks? Like i say, until we see at least 6months of this new Chelsea we are just all speculating.
PSG XI vs Chelsea: Douchez; Sakho Alex Jallet Armand; Bodmer Chantome Pastore; Lavezzi Nene Gameiro.
Chelsea XI VS PSG: Cech, Ferreira, David Luiz, Cahill, Ivanovic; Lampard, Obi Mikel; Marin, Hazard, Ramires; Lukaku
Mikel is better than given credit, but doesnt even get close to being that kind of level. You still need that supreme (relative to that level) passer, and that isnt Mikel by a long shot.
Thought it was good for us to earn a draw considering the average age of our attack was 20. Kakuta was dire and I don't see how he will remain with us next season as he wants. Lukaku looked decent although he still needs to continue working on his technical attributes.
Marin continues to look sharp and Ramires is a beast
He was a false 9, Chris. He was way too much out of position to say he was a striker. He dropped deep way too much and too often, and he was going on the wing couple of times too. He wasnt a pure striker.
Glad Torres is joining though, I really, reaaally want to see him with Hazard, Marin and Ramires on the pitch.
Good times!
To me it looked like a False 9 in the truest sense of the world. As in, a non striker playing totally out of position, he played it like he was a wide attacker, because that is his normal game. and in doing so, inadvertently made it pay off.
Nick, I don't think he dropped that deep.
I don't see a false 9 as somebody who plays as a striker – leading the attack – I see it as someone who starts deep, not drops deep. IMO, a false 9 starts as a second striker or even an attacking midfielder and then moves into the space available by there being no striker.
False 9 does not mean a non striker playing as a striker. And while it's not his best position, he played there a lot when he was younger, so he's very familiar with playing there.
Nick, I don't think he dropped that deep. It's all debatable – as nearly all roles in football are – because there's not really a true definition of a false 9. However, I'm very much a fan of false 9 – with the right players – and I don't see a false 9 as somebody who plays as a striker – leading the attack – I see it as someone who starts deep, not drops deep. IMO, a false 9 starts as a second striker or even an attacking midfielder and then moves into the space available by there being no striker. Piazón lead the line, and then dropped deep IMO – not starting deep with no striker. And most strikers go wide, hat doesn't mean he played false 9. You could also make the argument that a lot of strikers go deep, like Traoré and Eto'o the other day for Anji and Kuban, they were both playing as strikers, but dropped deep to collect the ball, doesn't mean they were playing as a false 9.
Like I said though, what a false 9 is, is debatable, but for me, how Piazón was playing was not the way a false 9 would. Maybe I'll have to watch it again, but I'm pretty sure Piazón was very high up, until he dropped off to be involved in the play, like Torres would do last year, when he seemed lost at times, wanting to get away from the goal and be more involved in the build up play.
Mikel's passing is definitely good enough. For me, he's easily one of the best passers in the premier league. When he plays those long, raking balls, he hardly misplaces a single one. Thing is, he doesn't do it that often because his job is to recycle the possession, keeping it simple, but he can do so much more.
I know YT videos don't prove much, but this video contains a few passes that shows his passing range (00:50):
[video=youtube;6T-7T2rza3k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T-7T2rza3k&feature=player_detailpage#t=46s[/video]
Mikel's passing is definitely good enough. For me, he's easily one of the best passers in the premier league. When he plays those long, raking balls, he hardly misplaces a single one. Thing is, he doesn't do it that often because his job is to recycle the possession, keeping it simple, but he can do so much more.
I know YT videos don't prove much, but this video contains a few passes that shows his passing range (00:50):
[video=youtube;6T-7T2rza3k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T-7T2rza3k&feature=player_detailpage#t=46s[/video]
Kakuta wasn't that 'dire'. He played poorly, but the tactics didn't suit him. We were playing with very little fluidity and that does not suit Kakuta. He needs to be given more chances, preferably as CAM (his best position – he can be the player that comes on for Hazard). He's definitely good enough to be part of our squad this season, but he needs to show it in the next 2 games, and in training obviously. There were players who played worse. Lukaku especially, wasn't so much his technical attributes today, more his total lack of movement. Looked like he didn't want to be involved, but maybe that was the tactics and not him.
False 9 does not mean a non striker playing as a striker. And while it's not his best position, he played there a lot when he was younger, so he's very familiar with playing there.
Nick, I don't think he dropped that deep. It's all debatable – as nearly all roles in football are – because there's not really a true definition of a false 9. However, I'm very much a fan of false 9 – with the right players – and I don't see a false 9 as somebody who plays as a striker – leading the attack – I see it as someone who starts deep, not drops deep. IMO, a false 9 starts as a second striker or even an attacking midfielder and then moves into the space available by there being no striker. Piazón lead the line, and then dropped deep IMO – not starting deep with no striker. And most strikers go wide, hat doesn't mean he played false 9. You could also make the argument that a lot of strikers go deep, like Traoré and Eto'o the other day for Anji and Kuban, they were both playing as strikers, but dropped deep to collect the ball, doesn't mean they were playing as a false 9.
Like I said though, what a false 9 is, is debatable, but for me, how Piazón was playing was not the way a false 9 would. Maybe I'll have to watch it again, but I'm pretty sure Piazón was very high up, until he dropped off to be involved in the play, like Torres would do last year, when he seemed lost at times, wanting to get away from the goal and be more involved in the build up play.
Chelsea won the Cup Winners' Cup v Real Madrid in 1971. Liverpool had yet to win a European trophy in their history. No history?