WORLD CUP 2006

[stayNskool]

im actually not sure how that midfield is going to work now. ballack plays similarly to lampard and they already have 2 mcentral midfielders who are too good and too expensive to be forced to the bench in essien and makelele. im just wondering whats going to happen with this squad as the summer progresses seeing as how there is sure to be some form of clear out as players demand regular first team action

[mjuhb]

im actually not sure how that midfield is going to work now. ballack plays similarly to lampard and they already have 2 mcentral midfielders who are too good and too expensive to be forced to the bench in essien and makelele. im just wondering whats going to happen with this squad as the summer progresses seeing as how there is sure to be some form of clear out as players demand regular first team action

joe cole and arjen robben are the the odd men out

 

ballack will take cole's attacking spot and essien will move to the right

[MarkT]

i have a hard time believing joe cole will be sacrificed after his performances this season

 

a midfield of ballack, lampard, essien, and makelele definitely looks impressive, but mourinho has always stressed the light footed wingers and their contribution in supporting and completing the attack, i dont think ballack or lampard is gonna play a wide position

 

lampard seems the player to naturally make way for ballack, but given his major role for chelsea under mourinho i dont see him leaving, unless jose is in a gambling mood

 

bringing in shevchenko brings in a new formation for chelsea altogether, as he is a pure striker and doesnt exactly fit into the 4-3-3 (not exactly) chelsea formation which drogba is handmade for

 

personally i hope mourinho strays from a formation and style that won him back to back titles, and that my United bring in diarra to bolster the midfield

[manU721]

i have a hard time believing joe cole will be sacrificed after his performances this season

 

a midfield of ballack, lampard, essien, and makelele definitely looks impressive, but mourinho has always stressed the light footed wingers and their contribution in supporting and completing the attack, i dont think ballack or lampard is gonna play a wide position

 

lampard seems the player to naturally make way for ballack, but given his major role for chelsea under mourinho i dont see him leaving, unless jose is in a gambling mood

 

bringing in shevchenko brings in a new formation for chelsea altogether, as he is a pure striker and doesnt exactly fit into the 4-3-3 (not exactly) chelsea formation which drogba is handmade for

 

personally i hope mourinho strays from a formation and style that won him back to back titles, and that my United bring in diarra to bolster the midfield

 

I would love for United to bring in Carrick or Kevin Nolan, one of those blue collar central midfielders that does all the dirty work, is what United needs now.. If they could get one of those two plus Diarra, the central midfield will be strong enough for them to challenge for the top spot in the EPL again

[lcsoccer]

i have a hard time believing joe cole will be sacrificed after his performances this season

 

Amen. Ballack and Cole are two different players and you relly can't compare them. Afterall, Cole is a winger, while i've never seen Ballack play any position but center.

[stayNskool]

i hate to say it but makelele is likely to get dissed again just like he did with Real Madrid. Duff and Cole would be the wingers with the 3 big time center mids plugging in and a single forward. unless mourinho changes his style of play thats how i see it going down

[MarkT]

surely mourinho isnt so foolish as to follow real madrid and drop makelele, since he left spain madrid has been, for the most part, a bit-part team with no fluency through midfield

 

so basically i hope he is on the out at chelsea, would benefit the rest of the league in a major way, especially the other top teams in challenging for a title

[manU721]

surely mourinho isnt so foolish as to follow real madrid and drop makelele, since he left spain madrid has been, for the most part, a bit-part team with no fluency through midfield

 

so basically i hope he is on the out at chelsea, would benefit the rest of the league in a major way, especially the other top teams in challenging for a title

 

I hope they let him go! maybe united would pick him up

[MarkT]

yes, makelele would be most welcome at old trafford

 

i just have the feeling that chelsea's lack of complacency in a really good squad is gonna be their achilles heel

[manU721]

yes, makelele would be most welcome at old trafford

 

i just have the feeling that chelsea's lack of complacency in a really good squad is gonna be their achilles heel

 

I've heard that Jose ready to end his coaching career at Chelsea. Do you think there is any truth to that?

[mjuhb]

ballack will probably play center forward or center attacking mid

 

makelele isn't going anywhere the only reason why he left madrid is because madrid was stupid enough to think beckham could play in his spot

[MarkT]

i am still unconvinced about the ballack signing.

 

he is a worldclass player no doubt, i got to see him in chicago a couple summers ago and even tho it was an exhibition he was impressive, but which worldclass player is going to make way for him? lampard? essien? makelele? joe cole? drogba? robben? all except lampard, who is runner up to european player of the year, have been expensive mourinho signings.

 

i just realized gudjohnsen could be the buy of the season for another premier league team next season.

 

jose has said that he isn't having fun in england anymore because of unappreciation. the media and fans expect chelsea to win and have a genuine dislike for him, and any slight comment or bad game is prompted as the end of chelsea. i think chelsea next season could be his last one in england.