v chelski

[JD]

was it just me as was that the slowest tempo prem game ever?
seriously boring fare
hope 'Pool aren't going2go the way of chelski and become stunningly boring
I was gutted when u guys got Xabi Alonso
but he was tragically poor
never seen him play that bad ever

[The Rule]

you missed him against Bolton so.

He was ok yesterday, trying to play in midfield by himself, getting kicked all over the place by Makelele and Smertin and getting nothing, while the jumped on the ground and cried whenever he went near them and they got their frees.

Ralf thinks Alonso is nothing special, has a Liverpool supporting mate(who's clearly a clown) who calls him "long ball alonso", shows how much some ppl know.

Shockingly boring game, we went for a point or a 1-0 which is fair enough given that we are just beginning our rebuilding process. For Chelski to have spent £200m on players in 12 months and be that boring is disgraceful.

When Rafa gets HIS team on the pitch(as opposed to a mainly Hooflier team, with a sprinkling of his genius on it) we'll be a very good team. I can see us being like his Valencia team, brilliant in attack and defense.

[andy villa]

i did notice a lot of decisions go chelskis way... that ferreira is a right diving cynical twat.. same as that carvalho.... i really hope chelsea dont win the title... would a travesty for a team that boring to win the league again.. thought we had lost that kind of tplay when bungboys arsenal got taken over by a good manager....

as much as it pains me, i would rather the arse win the league.. they would deserve it much more with lovely attractive football....

by the way, the rule, my mate might be a sap, a clown, a liverpool supporting plymouthian/glorysupportering muppett (im not arguing there), but he is entitled to his opinion. and with all due respect, not every fan of a club wears the club tinted glasses all the time and do judge players on the perfomances they actually see...

we cant and dont judge someone on others opinions. if we did, then everyone would think c ronaldo and rooney are the best players ever to grace the field.......

think about that before you go slating and verbally abusing someone for their opinion. an opinion they have becasue they dont listen to the media and take everyone elses opinion as their own and base their opinions on the evidence they actually have witnessed........

[kennethlindheim]

I think defensively Rafa`s system worked quite ok for most of the game (but for set-plays !!! once again). but imo there`s not much service being provided for neither Djibril nor Milan.

[JD]

I think alonso is one of the best passers in the world
maybe I expected2 much
(and was extra down on him after watching the game with a m8 and saying b4 watch alonso- he world class, xabi then delivered a sucession of tragic set-pieces. My m8 was cracking up telling me I dinnae know my arse from elbow)
fabregas is a very similar guardiola-esque player
and maybe can go on 2b better than Alonso
he has better movement around him which will make it easier to express his full range of passing

[The Rule]

Alonso has a better range, can pass with both feet, is more accurate with his passes and is more physical. Cesc can be knocked about abit. Cesc is still growing and learning though. I think Cesc will be more like Xavi, than Gaurdiola.

You really have to envy Spain though. The amount of quality CM's the have is ridiculous.

[JD]

Originally posted by The Rule
Alonso has a better range, can pass with both feet is more accurate with his passes and is more physical.

range- arguable, cesc is brilliant at switching the ball accurately
but we never really go for the long str8 balls that Xavi can ping (admittedly one of the hardest passes in football weight must b perfect)
both feet- ok, but cesc is getting better quick
more accurate- no way, cesc passes 2space, in stride, on yr good foot, his accuracy is perfect, can be matched but not bettered
physical- yes, but cesc is 17, it will come

[The Rule]

Alonso completes over 95% of his passes per match on average, Cesc doesn't come close(no1 does).

[JD]

dunno bout those stats
obv very impressive 4alonso
who is a don

but for me 'pool's build up still looks ponderous
in comparison to the zippy passing at Rafa's Valencia
let alone our flowing, virtually all one touch, style

cesc doesn't have the time on the ball alonso does
not because of swiftly closing oponents
or a lack of skill
but simply because the lightning movement of the players around him demands instant passes

virtually his every touch seems to create new options for us
he doesn't just relay the + recycle
his passing is so good it sends the recipient in the right direction and creates ectra time 4them

maybe the excellent alonso is hitting gr8 numbers
but a lot of lateral passes
interspersed with quality 'hollywood' balls
is imo actually not as demanding a task as the 1touch play we demand of our centre mids

I love alonso
but I do think cesc has not only the potential 2b better
but can be this season
he improves with every appearance

[The Rule]

Don't think Cesc is anywhere near Alonso at present. Or will be for a long time. Xabi, for me, is in the Gerrard category, one of the very best in Europe.

Our build-up play is slow at the moment for a number of reasons,

No Stevie G, no wingers, Luis Garcia constantly taking one touch too many. Rafa has only started his work on this team, by next season he should have most of it completed, then this team can be judged.

[JD]

hav2 disagree
alonso is better
but cesc is def near
and I don't think it'll take him2 long 2b considered on a similar level

[The Rule]

Alonso's role is far more difficult. He has to run this team during the rebuilding stages, as opposed to Cesc who plays a minimal roll in a well-oiled machine who are already a great team. Alonso is playing a bigger role, with less help, and inferior team-mates.

Alonso is one of the best in the world, Cesc isn't or even close to it. yet.

[JD]

Originally posted by The Rule
Alonso's role is far more difficult. He has to run this team during the rebuilding stages, as opposed to Cesc who plays a minimal roll in a well-oiled machine who are already a great team. Alonso is playing a bigger role, with less help, and inferior team-mates.

Alonso is one of the best in the world, Cesc isn't or even close to it. yet.

we seriously missed cesc when he didn't play
look at our record with and without
as far as total dismantling is concerned
its arguable ces is the oil in the machine

[The Rule]

You're record with:

all teams destroyed

you're record without:

all teams destroyed

[DingDong]

Febregas is definitely a talented youngster, but i think that he seems so good at going forward as there will always be vieira covering him... xabi has to orchestrate the midfield, and without gerrard i think he will take time to adapt.