Chelsea

[antonnn]

Yeah Mikel is good but Ancelotti has lost trust in him it seems.

Ballack looks average I'll admit, but look at it this way, the 2 games we've lost he didn't play. He adds to the midfield without looking like doing much, and I think he's sorta become our new Makelele, being important to the team without being the focus. Our midfield benefits from him being there, even if he doesn't provide assists or goals, his overall play helps the team run.

[Mancs4life]

Yeah Mikel is good but Ancelotti has lost trust in him it seems.

Ballack looks average I'll admit, but look at it this way, the 2 games we've lost he didn't play. He adds to the midfield without looking like doing much, and I think he's sorta become our new Makelele, being important to the team without being the focus. Our midfield benefits from him being there, even if he doesn't provide assists or goals, his overall play helps the team run.

You mean you lost your games because that guy Ballack didn't play, eh? that's pretty insane!
I think Ballack is only an overrated German, his date is over, even a 6 months old kid could say that.

[antonnn]

I'm not saying he's the sole reason we lost, but he adds to our midfield, makes it a fair bit more solid, not to mention he's a tall player who is useful in defending and attacking set pieces. He's fairly important to our team but at the same time he's not untouchable.

[Cal-FCB]

I see what you're saying Anton. His technical ability may be limited these days but his physical presence is something he won't lose. In that respect he will add something especially in particularly intense games.

[John Antonio Bilboa]

Its nice to see Joe Cole back to his brilliant best, he's absolutely taring Blackburn apart its also good news for the England Natioanl team.

[antonnn]

I see what you're saying Anton. His technical ability may be limited these days but his physical presence is something he won't lose. In that respect he will add something especially in particularly intense games.

Yeah, I'm not saying he's a world beater or the heart and soul of the team, but even though he doesn't set the world alight he's very consistent and often provides us with a solid central midfield performance. He's had to adjust his game at Chelsea to suit Lampard and I think he's done that pretty well.

Its nice to see Joe Cole back to his brilliant best, he's absolutely taring Blackburn apart its also good news for the England Natioanl team.

Indeed, Joe Cole being at the tip of the diamond is what everyone here has been waiting for, it's his natural position to play behind the strikers and given a good run of games that position will be his and his only.

I do feel for Zhirkov though, he seems to really only be a backup LB, but at the same time he's been having little niggly injuries(he missed Blackburn due to injury) that have stopped him from being fit enough to get a run in the team, which at the moment doesn't look likely given the form of Cole and the midfielders.

[ChuckaOwns]

That position is Deco's Ant, not Charcoals...DECO'S

[Metaphysical]

joey was awesome today but blackburn were also kinda shit.

let's see if he can do it against a proper team.

hopefully he can, he's awesome when he's in full flight.

also

srsly

drogba > all y'all

[antonnn]

Yeah, Joe Cole's big game pedigree isn't the best. He's not totally crap in them but he's made a habit of disappearing at times. He's had some good games against Arsenal and Liverpool, but not so much against Man Utd from memory.

Then again, in all of those games he's been played out of position so he may do much better now. We'll see.

[Cal-FCB]

Maybe but I do remember this goal which was awesome against United http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly1nU...om=PL&index=89
He's a quality player and has a creative spark few in the Prem can match. I really want him back in the England side. Now that Zhirkov is fit again he does deserve a shot on that left hand side. He is a quality player and although he can be a really attacking LB he'd provide a much better option at left wing ahead of Malouda. He's not really been given a chance yet and he's far too good to be an occasional squad player.

[Aasim]

Yeah, Zhirkov was a LW before Hidink used him as a LB in the Euro. He'll be better than Malouda.

Chelsea just need a Bosingwa fit. I dont know where he is but with him and Cashley providing width, Chelsea will be fun to watch.

[antonnn]

Yeah, Joey is awesome(I actually have a video clip of that goal on my PC ), he should definately be a starter for England since he's the best technical and most creative player they have probably. The thing is he plays best centrally but there is no place for him there for England. Where do you think he should play? Gerrard won't be dropped from the left side, and he can't play next to Lampard cause he hinders them both, and I think Joey is better on the left cutting in with Cashley making attacking runs as opposed to playing as a right sided attacker.

With Zhirkov, he hasn't been fit enough really, he got a run out in the CL but then he got an injury again(not a bad one though, he should only miss one game as far as I know). I really think he should have had surgery at the start of the season to correct his knee problem, though I don't know if it's his knee that kept him out against Blackburn.

Yeah, Zhirkov was a LW before Hidink used him as a LB in the Euro. He'll be better than Malouda.

Chelsea just need a Bosingwa fit. I dont know where he is but with him and Cashley providing width, Chelsea will be fun to watch.

Bosi got injured against Villa, don't know when he'll be back, but he's one of the better RB's right now.

[Cal-FCB]

Ahh right I thought he was fully fit now, cuz I heard about him playing for Russia the other week. He'll need a few games to break in then.
As for Joey, well personally if you compare his England performance with Gerrard's there's no contest, he'd start ahead of him every time. But as Gerrard is such a big name and his Liverpool form is so spectacular (not currently however) he gets in the team regardless. I actually think Joey would do a better job on the left than him, which is a role he's played many times for England. Capello as you say won't drop Gerrard though, and the right side doesn't suit him, plus there are tonnes of RW players. Only way I could think is push Gerrard up to second striker, and let Joey take his role.

[antonnn]

Zhirkov's been semi fit, but not 100%, he was making his way back slowly via Russia and probably reserve games, but every now and then he'd miss a game so from some crappy little one game injury, so he's just had bad luck. Ancelotti isn't a fan of wingers so I don't know if Zhirkov will actually get a chance on the left side of the midfield, cause that would mean dropping Ballack or Joe Cole, and Lampard always plays better on the left side of central midfield as opposed to the right so it's kind of a bad situation.

I'd like to see:

--------J.Cole
-Zhirkov------Lampard
--------Essien

Just to see how it would work, cause if that works well that would probably be our best midfield when it comes to actually having the team playing good football.

Yeah see Gerrard won't be dropped, but then again, if anyone has the balls to drop Gerrard it would be Capello, especially if Cole consistently is better. COME ON JOEY! Kick Stevie G out of the national team lineup!

[AnfieldEd]

Gerrard is a better big game player plus he is physically stronger so I would not bet on it.