Matty wrote:
If you don't address the right fullback spot I'd be astounded. Bosingwa is gone, Ferreira is out the door, and not very good. Ivanovic is a decent player, but I'd wouldn't have thought he was the best you could do, and what do you do if he's injured or suspended? Chelsea, as many have realised, have a generally quite old squad. Cole, Terry, Cech, Lampard, Essien, Malouda, Ferreira, Ivanovic and Mereilles are all 28 or older. Even for someone with Abramovich's wealth that's a lot of spending to replace them all.
Who better than Ivanovich? He contained Lavezzi, who tore your right flank open and had Bale in his pocket every time we've met Spuds - to give a few examples. Hugely underrated as an attacker as well. The only thing he doesn't have is blistering pace. He can cross and he can defend. He is hugely underrated as a RB just because he's a CB convert and looks too big to be a RB (though, look at Richards). We do need some depth there though.
Malouda, Ferreria and Essien have not been important players for a few seasons now. But for every Malouda I give you a Mata. For every Essien I give you a Ramires. The squad has been refreshed over a few seasons and the job isn't as large as people seem to think. Even Cech, who has years left in him, has been covered by Courtois.
You can't say "for every Malouda I give you a Mata. For every Essien I give you a Ramires" and assume that makes sense. You have BOTH options at this point, Malouda and Mata, Essien and Ramires. Yes, if Malouda and Essien leave you'll still have Mata and Ramires, but since when has football been about having 11 players? You need a good, deep squad of players. So replacing the ageing players, whether they be regular starters like Cole, Terry or Drogba, or "squad players" like Malouda or Essien (who still played 62 games between them last season, despite Essien missing a huge chunk with injury) is still vitally important, and a valid issue to raise.
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