so in a nutshell, chelsea lost because torres did not score? this is tunnel vision at its best.....chelsea lost because they conceded - the match could have ended 0-0 had lampard closed down his man instead of his heaviness. the match stats have proven what i need to know. chelsea made 26 attempts - only 2 on target, 13 off target and 11 of their attempts were blocked.

torres made only 3 attempts of the 26. he had one on target, one off target and one blocked shot. 23 attempts were made by the other players in the team. how then can we blame torres for chelsea not scoring last night when he had only 3 attempts at goal?

in perspective,
torres(3 goal attempts)
suarez(7 goal attempts)
hernandez(6 goal attempts)
defoe(7 goal attempts)
aguero(6 goal attempts)


dayo, it's amazing how the astute can analyse stats and how some of youse imbibe the herd mentality like sheep. chelsea create far too little for torres to impose himself. that's the stats across the league in game week 21 and torres had the least chances created for him in the top 6. if the benchmark of a striker's chance conversion is 25% and he only gets 3 chances.....how many goals would be score? 0.75 goal? i reiterate - only a lunatic would blame the loss last night on torres!

How does a striker get chances when he doesnt make himself available for passes

If we follow your analogy We can say Defenders and keepers are always to blame for losses. Because if they stopped the opponent from scoring the team wont lose.

So whats the job of strikers to just loaf around the field?

By almost all rating Torres was adjudged the worst player on the field yesterday. Facing a keeper and blasting the ball senselessly.

Is that How van persie plays his own

See how someone placed his own chance why didnt he do an "ANYWHERE BELLE FACE" Thats why RVP has more goals in 4 months than Torres in the last 2 years

dayokanu: How does a striker get chances when he doesnt make himself available for passes

that's a big lie!
it's well documented chelsea create the least number of chances in the top 4. putting that blame on torres is irresponsible. he's not the only one conditioned to score at chelsea and yet the number of chances chelsea create is a disgrace.

If we follow your analogy We can say Defenders and keepers are always to blame for losses. Because if they stopped the opponent from scoring the team wont lose.

the fact remains if you don't concede, you cannot lose! who else do you blame when you lose? the striker? a football game starts with 0-0. if the strikers fail to score, it does not change the result to 0-1......it's still 0-0!!

So whats the job of strikers to just loaf around the field?

the job of a striker is to score but if he doesn't score - the match should end 0-0. the job of a defender is to defend. if he fails to defend well, his team would lose.

By almost all rating Torres was adjudged the worst player on the field yesterday. Facing a keeper and blasting the ball senselessly.

these ratings are done by charlatans like ibime and yourself - i don't focus on match ratings, i focus on the more critical issues. i would blame torres if he had 12 attempts at goal and failed to score. i would blame torres if he squandered half-a-dozen clear cut chances. however, i wouldn't blame him for failing to score when the whole chelsea team only had 2 shots on target in the entire game.

Is that How van persie plays his own
See how someone placed his own chance why didnt he do an "ANYWHERE BELLE FACE" Thats why RVP has more goals in 4 months than Torres in the last 2 years

van persie played in a team that copped 7 shots on target against wigan - surely, that's enough for him to score goals. however, a team that had 2 shots on target all game leaves no margin for error. that's the difference!

Sebi Demba Ba don dey come. We go see who is useless.

3rd match in a row now and still no goal from Torres despite owning the CF position at a top 4 club with zero competition
7 goals in 21 is a disgrace!! Dude has been outscored by wingers (Walcott,Bale) benchwarmers (Hernandez,Dzeko)
I hope Benitez does not make the fatal mistake of accommodating and pandering to Torres's fragile ego by playing Ba on the flanks as that would most likely be a lose-lose situation

demba ba don sign oya make i come hear grammer for here

A-40:
3rd match in a row now and still no goal from Torres despite owning the CF position at a top 4 club with zero competition
7 goals in 21 is a disgrace!! Dude has been outscored by wingers (Walcott,Bale) benchwarmers (Hernandez,Dzeko)
I hope Benitez does not make the fatal mistake of accommodating and pandering to Torres's fragile ego by playing Ba on the flanks as that would most likely be a lose-lose situation

It would be interesting to see what formation would be deployed now that Demba has been bought. If baba olowo still insist that olowaTorres will still play, will Ba substitute him assuming they keep playing 4-2-3-1 or play a 4-4-2 which means the mazacar combo is gone.

I also fear for mikel since this luiz DM experiment seems to be the norm these days. I think the team is still not balanced as per personnel, but with tinkerman at the helm of affairs, everyone might just be able to have a game from time to time.

It would also be interesting to see how the MAZACAR combo would fair if they have demba Ba as the lone striker over a couple of games, then we might be able to draw conclusions on whether MAZACAR hold the ball too long or Torres does not run into space for the ball.

We dey watch!!!

A-40:

I hope Benitez does not make the fatal mistake of accommodating and pandering to Torres's fragile ego by playing Ba on the flanks as that would most likely be a lose-lose situation

Only if RA continues his foolish policy of trying to get returns from the £50m Shekpe cancer.

Benitez is already talking about playing 2 strikers. I hope not!!

Ibime:

Only if RA continues his foolish policy of trying to get returns from the £50m Shekpe cancer.

Benitez is already talking about playing 2 strikers. I hope not!!

4-4-2 is obsolete nobody uses it again And anyday 4-2-3-1/4-3-3 would maul a 4-4-2. you can only get away with 4-4-2 vs weak teams

Benitez never played 4-4-2 even from his valencia days

if he now reverts to 4-4-2 then I would know he is on a crystal meth diet.

Welcome Demba. For me, no 4-4-2. That's just straight up suicidal. We haven't got the personnel to execute it even if we wanted to. Demba or Torres. That's the way it's got to be. May the better striker hold down the spot.

nateevs: Welcome Demba. For me, no 4-4-2. That's just straight up suicidal. We haven't got the personnel to execute it even if we wanted to. Demba or Torres. That's the way it's got to be. May the better striker hold down the spot.

benitez will play the 2 of them....chelsea play with no width and i can see benitez doing the diamond formation with ba and torres upfront and mata behind them.

Ibime:

Only if RA continues his foolish policy of trying to get returns from the £50m Shekpe cancer.

Benitez is already talking about playing 2 strikers. I hope not!!

Y'all can play 4-4-1-1 a la United lol

Really playing two strikers would mean there would be only room for one of Mata,Hazard,Oscar and we all saw how clueless Chelsea looked against meagre QPR when both Mata and Hazard where rested! we can only imagine how bad it would look against a decent side

For me both Torres and Ba can finish games but definitely not start em

I don't even think a 4-3-3 would be effective with chelsea considEring the personnel they have. They are stock with 4-2-3-1. Which will be able to accomodate the old and the new/young.

coogar:

benitez will play the 2 of them....chelsea play with no width and i can see benitez doing the diamond formation with ba and torres upfront and mata behind them.

So what would a typical line up be? or are you saying Hazard and Oscar would be dropped.

Has benitez ever played 2 strikers anywhere before?

nateevs: Welcome Demba. For me, no 4-4-2. That's just straight up suicidal. We haven't got the personnel to execute it even if we wanted to. Demba or Torres. That's the way it's got to be. May the better striker hold down the spot.

Now you are talking

coded guy: I don't even think a 4-3-3 would be effective with chelsea considEring the personnel they have. They are stock with 4-2-3-1. Which will be able to accomodate the old and the new/young.

--------------cech--------------
ivanovic--terry--cahill--cole
----------david luiz-----------
-----hazard------oscar-----
-------------mata-------------
-------torres-------ba-------

coogar:

--------------cech--------------
ivanovic--terry--cahill--cole
----------david luiz-----------
-----hazard------oscar-----
-------------mata-------------
-------torres-------ba-------

David Luiz as the Only marker? Are you having a laugh? This is David luiz one of the most undisciplined players ever in the Blues team to be the sole marker?
In case you dont know
Below is the guy named David Luiz



Or you think this is the guy named David luiz?

coogar:

--------------cech--------------
ivanovic--terry--cahill--cole
----------david luiz-----------
-----hazard------oscar-----
-------------mata-------------
-------torres-------ba-------

No way will Benitez play that.
The trio barely even start together as at now.

coogar:

--------------cech--------------
ivanovic--terry--cahill--cole
----------david luiz-----------
-----hazard------oscar-----
-------------mata-------------
-------torres-------ba-------

Where are the markers/tacklers? No Mikel, Ramires, No lampard?

This is not Fantasy fotball

dayokanu:
Where are the markers/tacklers? No Mikel, Ramires, No lampard?
This is not Fantasy fotball

stop shouting!
either one of lampard, mikel or ramirez can replace any of the diamond midfield. barcelona play with one defensive midfielder - you don't have to play 2 defensive midfielders - there are several ways to skin a cat. as an aside, benitez can go for the jugular and play 3-5-2 formation. can ba/torres play together? yes, they can be played together. hazard, mata and oscar must learn how to track back and defend. rooney, ronaldo, messi, villa, etc do that on the regular - why can't MAZACAR?

coogar:

stop shouting!
either one of lampard, mikel or ramirez can replace any of the diamond midfield. barcelona play with one defensive midfielder - you don't have to play 2 defensive midfielders - there are several ways to skin a cat. as an aside, benitez can go for the jugular and play 3-5-2 formation. can ba/torres play together? yes, they can be played together. hazard, mata and oscar must learn how to track back and defend. rooney, ronaldo, messi, villa, etc do that on the regular - why can't MAZACAR?

Saw one on twitter: Oscar+Ba+Mata = OBAMA.
It's fair to say MAZACAR is over

coogar:

--------------cech--------------
ivanovic--terry--cahill--cole
----------david luiz-----------
-----hazard------oscar-----
-------------mata-------------
-------torres-------ba-------

I think dayokanu and chamotex have said it all, with ball that formation might have a chance, but when they lose the ball any decent attacking team will tear them apart cos the likes of hazard who loses the ball in dangerous places and can't track back will cause problems, luiz is eratic and oscar is light weight.

They must cramp the midfield and hope that their new buy Demba does not catch the strikers bug.

coogar:

stop shouting!
either one of lampard, mikel or ramirez can replace any of the diamond midfield. barcelona play with one defensive midfielder - you don't have to play 2 defensive midfielders - there are several ways to skin a cat. as an aside, benitez can go for the jugular and play 3-5-2 formation. can ba/torres play together? yes, they can be played together. hazard, mata and oscar must learn how to track back and defend. rooney, ronaldo, messi, villa, etc do that on the regular - why can't MAZACAR?

Does Chelsea play a retention game like barca does? Barcas retention starves the opponent of the ball thats why they are able to play Mascherano, Song, Busquets in defence and get away with it. let Chelsea too try and play Mikel, Ramires or lampard in Central defence and see how it would turn out

What tracking back does Ronaldo or messi do? Mata and Hazard cant track back, They are light weight and Tracking back takes a lot out of their game and their main advantage which is creativity would be wasted

3-5-2? Most 3-5-2 still need 2 defensive guys in the middle

Who would be the 3 Centrals? Who would be the 2 wings backs, the 2 DM and lone 10?

chamotex:
Saw one on twitter: Oscar+Ba+Mata = OBAMA.
It's fair to say MAZACAR is over

MAZACAR is the universal acronym!
OSZAMA is the nairaland version - quite razz!!
OBAMA is another one for football fans looking for trouble.

dayokanu:
Does Chelsea play a retention game like barca does? Barcas retention starves the opponent of the ball thats why they are able to play Mascherano, Song, Busquets in defence and get away with it. let Chelsea too try and play Mikel, Ramires or lampard in Central defence and see how it would turn out.

so it's the retention football that barca play that denies their opponents the ball or their ability to hunt in packs and take the ball back. i am not sure you watch barcelona quote often. what they do without the ball is more impressive than what they do with it. pedro, busquets, iniesta, villa hunt for the ball like a pack of wolves. they don't give opposition's defenders a breathing space to even collect from the goalie. they press from the opponent's penalty box.....that's the key to their success(defending from the front)!

What tracking back does Ronaldo or messi do? Mata and Hazard cant track back, They are light weight and Tracking back takes a lot out of their game and their main advantage which is creativity would be wasted

the ronaldo of man utd tracked back......when he became lazier to do it, he got massive criticism from team mates and the manager too. berbatov is the only player on the planet that is given the license not to press or track back! messi helps out in the midfield - he's a false 9.

3-5-2? Most 3-5-2 still need 2 defensive guys in the middle
Who would be the 3 Centrals? Who would be the 2 wings backs, the 2 DM and lone 10?

3 centrals(terry, ivanovic, cahill)
2 midfielders(ramirez mikel)
2 wingbacks(azpec cole)
1 attacking mid(anyone of MAZACAR)
2 strikers(ba n torres)

The talk of diamond is born out of speculation of Torres and Demba playing together which I really doubt. It will quickly become clear why it should never happen. Chelsea are in for more players in the window. I will be waiting to see the kind of players we bring. Only then will it be revealed if there is a chance for a diamond formation. However, based of the way the team's been forming up, I am leaning towards the continuation of a 4-2-3-1. With the links to Benat Etxebarria and Clasie Jordie, we might no longer be seeing one or all of Ramires, Luiz and Mikel in the deep lying positions.

coogar:
so it's the retention football that barca play that denies their opponents the ball or their ability to hunt in packs and take the ball back. i am not sure you watch barcelona quote often. what they do without the ball is more impressive than what they do with it. pedro, busquets, iniesta, villa hunt for the ball like a pack of wolves. they don't give opposition's defenders a breathing space to even collect from the goalie. they press from the opponent's penalty box.....that's the key to their success(defending from the front)!

The retention football they play is what denies the opposition the ball the pressing just helps in that it increases turnovers . Barcelona players dont take risks with the ball they dont punt and they would rather recylcle the ball untill a clear chance present itself the same way Spain plays. Its this recycling that keeps the ball with them and with football magnets like Xavi and iniesta its like bread and butter. Its what they learn from La Masia keeping the ball check one youtube footage of Barcelona kids under 8 and see what they do the same way the first team plays

3 centrals(terry, ivanovic, cahill)
2 midfielders(ramirez mikel)
2 wingbacks(azpec cole)
1 attacking mid(anyone of MAZACAR)
2 strikers(ba n torres)

You mean only one of MAZACAR would be playing? Do you know the combined transfer fee for them? And these are the only creative Spark in the team you want to reduce to just one?

You saw how things went vs West ham when only one of them was on the field The play was horrible

dayokanu:
The retention football they play is what denies the opposition the ball the pressing just helps in that it increases turnovers . Barcelona players dont take risks with the ball they dont punt and they would rather recylcle the ball untill a clear chance present itself the same way Spain plays. Its this recycling that keeps the ball with them and with football magnets like Xavi and iniesta its like bread and butter. Its what they learn from La Masia keeping the ball check one youtube footage of Barcelona kids under 8 and see what they do the same way the first team plays

it's a bit of both but their pressing game takes the lion share. barcelona lose possession too.....they get tackled but they quickly recover the ball! there was a deadline guardiola set then(can't remember if it's 10 or 20 secs) for barca to quickly get the ball back.

You mean only one of MAZACAR would be playing? Do you know the combined transfer fee for them? And these are the only creative Spark in the team you want to reduce to just one?

how many times has benitez played all of them in one swoop? yet you accuse another that this ain't fantasy football. how many flair players can a team like chelsea accommodate? i am a fan of 4-2-3-1(don't get it twisted) but torres and ba can play together. van persie/rooney are playing together.......tevez/aguero play together. sometimes balotelli starts with one of the argentine players - why can't ba/torres? hell, even berbatov/rooney dovetailed...

You saw how things went vs West ham when only one of them was on the field The play was horrible

the west ham game was a poor general performance.....chelsea have won games emphatically as well without playing MAZACAR together!

Demba, welcome to Chelsea.
What are your first impressions?
It feels good to be here, I'm very
happy and very proud. This
training ground is massive, it has
good facilities and will only help
my work.
It was important for me, and for
Newcastle, to get my future
sorted and now we can move on.
Now they have the whole month
to buy someone and for me as
well, the sooner the better. Now I
am here I just need to get settled
in.
Interest in you was well-
reported. Was it a difficult
decision joining Chelsea?
When the club who won the
Champions League wants you,
the decision making is very easy.
This club is massive and that's
something that helped the
decision a lot. It was not a hard
one.
I remember the last game we
played. It was tough. They
dominated the whole game
against us and we lost 2-0 at
Stamford Bridge. When you see a
team coming to Newcastle and
winning 3-0 like they did last
season, you know it will be hard
to face teams like that. Now I am
on the other side I will be happy
to do the same to the other
teams.
I am also happy to be back in
London. It means everything to
be here. I think I will not live far
from the training ground. I am a
city boy, but I have two kids and
a wife, and it is different.
Do you know anyone at the club
already?
I know Eden Hazard a little bit. I
met him through a friend and
[goalkeeping coach] Christophe
Lollichon as well. I met him some
times in France, so there are a
couple of faces I know a little bit.
Your career has been an
incredible journey, but you seem
settled in the Premier League?
In two years now in the Premier
League I have learned a lot and I
keep learning. I just want to keep
playing football and trying to
score goals. I try to be strong
mentally. This is a big part of the
success of someone. If you are
strong mentally then you have
good chances to succeed.
Yesterday I was looking back and
smiling to myself, saying "Yes,
I've done it." I feel very proud,
not only for me but the people
who supported me over the
years - my agent for instance
who has been there since I was
15, my mum as well because
when I skipped school she was
afraid but today I am very proud
for my family.
I never lost belief in my football
though, never. You keep working
and things come. Rewards
always come.
You also settled in quickly at both
your previous clubs in England…
Hopefully I can do the same here,
it would be good. This club is at
another level, it isn't West Ham or
Newcastle. They are both big
clubs with a strong history, but
Chelsea is Chelsea and you
cannot compare. It will be easier
with world-class players around,
who make the football look so
easy.
I hope they can create a lot of
chances for me when I play. I
have watched some replays of
some games to see how the
team is playing and hopefully it
will be good.

Is it fair to say you play better as
a lone striker than in a pair?
I don't know if it's fair to say. It
doesn't matter if you have one,
two or three forwards. You
always have someone
supporting you and more than
one player thinking of scoring
goals.
When you play with two both will
try to score goals, and the
percentage chance can increase
automatically. With another
striker I can do a bit more
around the pitch and not just be
focused in the penalty area. With
only one striker it can be good
also because you have wingers
helping you. It really doesn't
matter for me.
Are you fit and available to play
for this weekend's FA Cup game
against Southampton?
I am fit. I played Southampton
recently and we had a bad
experience. We had a bad game
from the first to the last minute,
so hopefully if I am part of the
squad it will be another story.

Any formation with Torres in it is NO BUENO!

The grammar meisters have started speaking grammar again but a few games would show why Chelsea accountants are worried about the amortized £20m a year black hole in the accounts called Shekpe Cancer!

By the same token, Chelsea technical team must be whipped and flogged when Sturridge starts copping goals at 'Pool.

I've always wanted falcao if w were goin 2get any strika.Wen I heard abt talks wit demba,I was nt so glad then indifferent buh,I hope it pounds out well wiv him in d team and he doznt jes become anoda wasted talent sharrh.....up chelsea