The College Dropout

Also his Milan side fielded the most attacking/creative players i've ever seen. Shevchenko, Rui Costa, Kaka, Seedorf, Pirlo, Cafu all in the one team. Often playing 3 playmakers in the one side. They rarely won the league under him as defensively they where not strong enough. Not enough tackle in midfield if you will.

Disagree tbh. They constantly got caught on the counter in the CL and against top sides. In the league winning season they scored over 100 league goals and routinely spanked teams 4-5-6 at the Bridge. You would expect CT teams to sometimes struggle to break sides at home and perhaps be very good away. But Ancelotti's teams steam rolled em at home but struggled away.

Ancelotti's Chelsea and Milan sides very creative.

- Weaknesses - Holding on to the ball - Aerial Duels -Offside awareness

Sounds like you think Bent has more attributes than Cisse. Do you think we could afford Bent? Would it be worth keeping Cisse as his understudy (in your opinion)? Why would I want Bent if we have Cisse? I've just said they're similar. I want someone with a different style to Cisse. Build-up play is key. Ideally a Berbatov type or Benteke Benteke i can see, he's done well and can seem to scare defenders without any help! Berbs, i don't know. We don't have MFs who break beyond the forwards so if someone like Berbs came deep, nice little lay off.......no one making the run into space. Problem. I see where you're coming from, a strong quick guy we can hit it direct to, maybe even a long diagonal and he can worry the defenders, maybe get us a corner or a throw in and the whole team can move up the pitch. Territorial advantage. I think Cisse exacerbates our midfield woes. With Berbatov, he's inviting you to give him the ball from feet - to chest height. That draws players' closer as well as him going deeper. Marv/HBA would love to play off him at least. Cisse too. Berbatovs the type to come a little deep with his back to goal, lay it off quickly, turn around and head to goal. Where as you WANT Cisse facing the goal at all times, he's looking for the penetrative ball which is more difficult. As a midfielder, that style doesn't invite you to get close to him as Cisse wants to run towards goal at all times. Do you get what i'm trying to say? With someone that can hold it up, they invite others into play. With Cisse/Bent/Owen types they want to run the other way from you so there's no point looking to make those runs.

Agreed.

Sounds like you think Bent has more attributes than Cisse. Do you think we could afford Bent? Would it be worth keeping Cisse as his understudy (in your opinion)? Why would I want Bent if we have Cisse? I've just said they're similar. I want someone with a different style to Cisse. Build-up play is key. Ideally a Berbatov type or Benteke

By the same token, due to having more pace and strength it's far easier to create chances for Bent. He can turn hopeful balls over the top to goal scoring opportunities. He's similar to Bent man and there's no shame in that. If he's so much better he would get 20-25 year-in year-out.

Unbelievable's been making excellent points and its pretty much the stuff i've been saying for months. You've been saying stuff like "Darren Bent MKII" which is complete and utter s****. I said the same thing, and I stand by it.. Could you link me to all of Darren Bent's spectacular goals please, cheers. You get more points for spectacular goals do you? Bent has scored 179 career goals at the age of 29. Hardly an insult to compare Cisse to him, seeing as they are quite similar players (poacher types who are best as a lone forward, and don't contribute much to general play). Eh? You're claiming they're almost the same player, I'm making the point that Bent doesn't score goals from nothing like Cisse, what the f*** do points have to do with anything? I don't see the relevance of Cisse's penchant for the spectacular as a reason to dismiss him being comparable to Bent. I haven't said they're the same player, I've argued they are similar, even though there are differences, for example Cisse scoring more spectacular goals from outside of the box, and Bent being more physical in taking on defenders. Doesn't change the fact they are essentially both poachers who are most suited to playing as a lone forward, spearheading the attack and not very good at bringing others into play. It's unbelievable that you have to explain this.

Stuart Pearce though. He's turrible.

Is Gouffran not a striker? Have we not signed Ba, Cisse and Gouff in the last couple seasons? When did Darren Bent become a shit footballer? He's proven if he can get 35 or so games he'll get 15-20 goals. There's not many strikers in the league that can claim that.

Wouldn't we then end up with a not so prolific striker playing up front on his own? Where would the goals come from? The idea is that the whole team moves up the pitch and has a greater chance of scoring.

I do think we lack size and strength tbh. A Pardew side certainly needs it.

We where in for him right? I hadn't seen him before hand but he's a very useful player. Reminds me of Bellamy in some ways.

I'd take a big man with a bit of pace. Doesn't have to be particularly prolific. I wouldn't like us returning to 4-4-2 though.

Unbelievable's been making excellent points and its pretty much the stuff i've been saying for months.

This si half the point. He doesn't contribute greatly to building up those chances and he doesn't create them himself. Suarez used to miss loads but he created at least 1/4 of them himself. If all your meant to do is get on the end of good opportunities, you need to be lethal at it. Or else you're just bringing the team down. If he's not scoring, he might work hard but really offers nowt to the team.

Welbeck is a tremendous outlet. In the air or with pace skill and direct running. Also very helpful defending set-pieces. But yes Sturridge is a greater goal threat. Just think there's a lace for Danny in the squad and in some situations.

Villa seem to be looking to spend money again this summer. Could be good for them if they build on what they have currently got. I still believe this season will have been good for them with blooding young players Yep, since they survived it was a good idea. Not so much if they had gone down, but it worked out just. Don't think they had much choice really with the state of them when Lambert took over. If I was them I'd be going after Lescott. Why? They are following the BVB formula. Buy good, young, cheap players and let them develop.

....it's because they're Spanish.

We don't have a good enough team for that. Currently, no good side even plays like that.

It's not man. Last season his hold-up play/link-up would be among the worst half of PL strikers in the league. Worst 6 imo. It's behind average strikers like Holt, Lambert or Long. You really realise how Ba's link-up play is at Chelsea. He looks more dangerous and more of a goal-threat than Torres. But Torres overall game is so much better but it sometimes looks like they are playing without a striker. Cisse's link-up is certainly worse than Ba's.

I hope all this is true about Sissoko. Personally, i'm on the fence with him. Most B2B aren't so poor in possession as Sissoko is at AM. But he can't continue to play so poorly anyway so onwards and upwards.

Ditto.

Here, here. Very, very true. People very quick to forget Demba being on the bench at Everton, then saving the day with a MoTM performance.