Chelsea Thread 2014/15

[Latics Fan SJK]

Azpilicueta ahead of the best left back in the league last year in a position he can't play in?

I presume you mean Kolorov? If so, absolutely yes.

Kolorov improved last year I wont disagree, but Azpilicueta is a far better defender and performed very well last season when switched over to the left to keep Ashley Cole out. He proved he can play left back during that period.

He offers nothing going forward on that side, the balance wouldn't be there in that team, there's absolutely no width. Kolarov for me.

Kolorov is better going forward, I agree. Azpilicueta is much better at defending. I'm picking him as a defender, and with the 6 people in front of the backline all capable of something in the opposition's half, that's not a big worry for me.

Tbfh I'd have Filipe Luis over him (last season's form) and thinking about it I'd have him over Azplicueta. Kolorov would be 3rd in my list here.

 

[chris85mcfc]

I presume you mean Kolorov? If so, absolutely yes.

Kolorov improved last year I wont disagree, but Azpilicueta is a far better defender and performed very well last season when switched over to the left to keep Ashley Cole out. He proved he can play left back during that period.

He offers nothing going forward on that side, the balance wouldn't be there in that team, there's absolutely no width. Kolarov for me.

Kolorov is better going forward, I agree. Azpilicueta is much better at defending. I'm picking him as a defender, and with the 6 people in front of the backline all capable of something in the opposition's half, that's not a big worry for me.

Tbfh I'd have Filipe Luis over him (last season's form) and thinking about it I'd have him over Azplicueta. Kolorov would be 3rd in my list here.

On the whole, Kolarov offers a lot more than Azpillicueta. Yes Azpi is a good defender but the fact that he offers less than fuck all going forward means the team is unbalanced, and would be a hinderance in the team scoring goals, hence that being Chelsea's problem last season

So i would suggest you're wrong, and that Kolarov is in fact a better LB than Azpi, and the fact that he was part of a team that had a 20+ better goal difference than Chelsea just adds salt into the wounds of this debate :)

 

[Latics Fan SJK]

He offers nothing going forward on that side, the balance wouldn't be there in that team, there's absolutely no width. Kolarov for me.

Kolorov is better going forward, I agree. Azpilicueta is much better at defending. I'm picking him as a defender, and with the 6 people in front of the backline all capable of something in the opposition's half, that's not a big worry for me.

Tbfh I'd have Filipe Luis over him (last season's form) and thinking about it I'd have him over Azplicueta. Kolorov would be 3rd in my list here.

On the whole, Kolarov offers a lot more than Azpillicueta. Yes Azpi is a good defender but the fact that he offers less than fuck all going forward means the team is unbalanced, and would be a hinderance in the team scoring goals, hence that being Chelsea's problem last season

So i would suggest you're wrong, and that Kolarov is in fact a better LB than Azpi, and the fact that he was part of a team that had a 20+ better goal difference than Chelsea just adds salt into the wounds of this debate :)

Nobody is wrong, it's an opinion.

And with regards to the goal difference, I think the fact you had Aguero, Dzeko & Negredo instead of Eto'o, Torres & Ba played a major part, as well as the season Yaya had, rather than the performance of your left back.

I'd go back to the point I made earlier anyway, when I forgot about Filipe Luis. I'd be inclined to have him at LB over both Azpilicueta and Kolorov.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Kolorov is better going forward, I agree. Azpilicueta is much better at defending. I'm picking him as a defender, and with the 6 people in front of the backline all capable of something in the opposition's half, that's not a big worry for me.

Tbfh I'd have Filipe Luis over him (last season's form) and thinking about it I'd have him over Azplicueta. Kolorov would be 3rd in my list here.

On the whole, Kolarov offers a lot more than Azpillicueta. Yes Azpi is a good defender but the fact that he offers less than fuck all going forward means the team is unbalanced, and would be a hinderance in the team scoring goals, hence that being Chelsea's problem last season

So i would suggest you're wrong, and that Kolarov is in fact a better LB than Azpi, and the fact that he was part of a team that had a 20+ better goal difference than Chelsea just adds salt into the wounds of this debate :)

Nobody is wrong, it's an opinion.

And with regards to the goal difference, I think the fact you had Aguero, Dzeko & Negredo instead of Eto'o, Torres & Ba played a major part, as well as the season Yaya had, rather than the performance of your left back.

And those 3 strikers you mentioned for us wouldn't have scored as many goals as they did without the width that Kolarov and Zabaleta both provided. Like I said the fact that Azpi doesn't get forward has a negative effect on Chelsea in an attacking sense. Kolarov isn't a 'great' defender but he is more than adequate and is great going forward, but he would look exposed in Mourinho's ultra defensive/negative approach.

If you asked any City fan who they would rather have at LB, im sure most would have Kolarov over Azpilicueta, and the fact that we have won a double and Chelsea have won nothing with both players playing their part respectively speaks volumes.

 

[Latics Fan SJK]

On the whole, Kolarov offers a lot more than Azpillicueta. Yes Azpi is a good defender but the fact that he offers less than fuck all going forward means the team is unbalanced, and would be a hinderance in the team scoring goals, hence that being Chelsea's problem last season

So i would suggest you're wrong, and that Kolarov is in fact a better LB than Azpi, and the fact that he was part of a team that had a 20+ better goal difference than Chelsea just adds salt into the wounds of this debate :)

Nobody is wrong, it's an opinion.

And with regards to the goal difference, I think the fact you had Aguero, Dzeko & Negredo instead of Eto'o, Torres & Ba played a major part, as well as the season Yaya had, rather than the performance of your left back.

And those 3 strikers you mentioned for us wouldn't have scored as many goals as they did without the width that Kolarov and Zabaleta both provided. Like I said the fact that Azpi doesn't get forward has a negative effect on Chelsea in an attacking sense. Kolarov isn't a 'great' defender but he is more than adequate and is great going forward, but he would look exposed in Mourinho's ultra defensive/negative approach.

If you asked any City fan who they would rather have at LB, im sure most would have Kolarov over Azpilicueta, and the fact that we have won a double and Chelsea have won nothing with both players playing their part respectively speaks volumes.

The last paragraph comes of no surprise to me. Of course you'd rather pick your own left back, especially after winning the double. On the flipside I'd say if you asked a supporter of the other 18 PL clubs I would guess they'd sway towards Azplicueta and/or Filipe Luis, but I appreciate why you would go with Kolorov and I'm certainly not going to criticise that!

I'm not overly in agreement with the bit in bold, though.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

I think a lot of people, including some of our fans, do Kolarov an injustice when discussing his defensive merits.
His stats (tackles made/ headers won etc.) were up there, with the best defenders last season.
Think a lot of people are finding it hard to get over his shite season under Mancini when judging Aleks.

 

[CityFan94]

I think Kolorov is also very under-rated. He's brilliant going forward - his crossing is unbelievable.

However, Filipe Luis is as good as there is at left back. Very, very good player.

I also think a lot of people are underestimating Diego Costa. He clearly wasn't fit at the end of the season in those Champion's League games and at the World Cup. When fully fit, he was superb last season.

I still think he's a level below Lewandowski/Suarez/Aguero, but he's miles better than what Chelsea had last season.

 

[chris85mcfc]

Nobody is wrong, it's an opinion.

And with regards to the goal difference, I think the fact you had Aguero, Dzeko & Negredo instead of Eto'o, Torres & Ba played a major part, as well as the season Yaya had, rather than the performance of your left back.

And those 3 strikers you mentioned for us wouldn't have scored as many goals as they did without the width that Kolarov and Zabaleta both provided. Like I said the fact that Azpi doesn't get forward has a negative effect on Chelsea in an attacking sense. Kolarov isn't a 'great' defender but he is more than adequate and is great going forward, but he would look exposed in Mourinho's ultra defensive/negative approach.

If you asked any City fan who they would rather have at LB, im sure most would have Kolarov over Azpilicueta, and the fact that we have won a double and Chelsea have won nothing with both players playing their part respectively speaks volumes.

The last paragraph comes of no surprise to me. Of course you'd rather pick your own left back, especially after winning the double. On the flipside I'd say if you asked a supporter of the other 18 PL clubs I would guess they'd sway towards Azplicueta and/or Filipe Luis, but I appreciate why you would go with Kolorov and I'm certainly not going to criticise that!

I'm not overly in agreement with the bit in bold, though.

I can't see how you can bring Filipe Luis into this when he hasn't kicked a ball in the PL yet. He has been quality for A Madrid but he wouldn't be the first player to come from abroad and find it difficult in the PL, so perhaps we should hold fire before we start declaring him the joint best left back in the league.

I guess its horses for courses, if Azpi played LB for us last season we wouldn't have scored the amount of goals that we scored and my guess is that would have prevented us winning the league. It might sound a bit narrow minded, but he was pivotal in us opening teams up and his crossing is the best in the league. If he played for Chelsea, whats to say he wouldn't have created more chances for the likes of Eto'o and Torres? Yes they aren't the best strikers around at the moment but the main problem Chelsea had last season was opening teams up, Kolarov would have done a better job of that than Azpi did, which resulted in Chelsea winning nothing.

 

[the blue panther]

I think Kolorov is also very under-rated. He's brilliant going forward - his crossing is unbelievable.

However, Filipe Luis is as good as there is at left back. Very, very good player.

I also think a lot of people are underestimating Diego Costa. He clearly wasn't fit at the end of the season in those Champion's League games and at the World Cup. When fully fit, he was superb last season.

I still think he's a level below Lewandowski/Suarez/Aguero, but he's miles better than what Chelsea had last season.

The worry for Chelsea fans must be that they've spent massively again on a centre forward and their returns on such investments are usually dire, with the notable exception of Drogba. Costa is 25 now, and his reputation is based largely on last season, which admittedly was excellent, scoring over 30 goals,but, prior to that, he scored 20 the season before and did little of note before that. Might be great, but, the Premier League always finds you out, and it's just as likely that he'll be another expensive flop. Though, having seen another glaring miss by Torres the other day, anything is likely to be an improvement on him.
We'll soon see!

 

[waspish]

Mourinho brought Drogba in to take the pressure and spot light of Costa also he hopes it will bring fear to the poorer teams in the league as we as Drogba is great at fooling referees into given him free kicks! So no-Brainer really for Mourinho to bring him in