₦airaland Forum

You see, its like am psychic. Last season I recommended Chelsea sign Axel Witsel or Steve Defour, then Benfica signed Witsel, now Chelsea are chasing him for £25. . .

Its like just a few hours ago, I was talking about Chelsea needing to sign Ola John. . . . now check the breaking news. . .


http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2885/europe/2012/05/24/3124691/official-benfica-sign-ola-john-from-twente



[size=14pt]Official: Benfica sign Ola John from Twente[/size]


Benfica have announced on their official website that they have completed the signing of Twente winger Ola John.

The 20-year-old attacker has signed a five-year contract with Benfica, with a €45 million (£36m) release clause written into the deal.

The exact transfer fee has not been announced by either club, but Portuguese sources claim John has cost Benfica €9m (£7.2m).

It is believed that John caught the eye of Benfica during the Champions League play-off round between the two clubs, which the Portuguese giants won 5-3 on aggregate.

John, who broke into Twente's first team in 2010, had been included in the Netherlands' Euro 2012 provisional 36-man squad, but was one of the nine players who were removed by coach Bert van Marwijk earlier in May.

He has become the second summer signing made by Benfica, following in the footsteps of Gil Vicente's Hugo Vieira.

nateevs: Talking technical matters, I once read a piece that says Emanalo, the technical team and Roman are working on establishing the team to work around a 4-2-1-3 and 4-3-3 formation with players not older than 25. As such, they are going out there scouting and buying first team, squad and youth players based on this set-up. Any manager hired will be willing to work with this frame work as do the youth coaches already. (The youth team in set up around 4-2-1-3/4-3-3 formation).

The article also mentioned the shift to shrewd signings, and this is the part you won't like, the framework was was started by AVB. (|Don't murder me please, it's what I read).

I think they are trying to establish a philosophy. The problem is, it's the wrong people making the footballing decisions.

Footballing nonentities cannot establish a philosophy any more than an engineer can write a medical journal.

Emenalo and other nonentities should keep writing their tactical documents. They sound like Nigerian politicians who state the obvious but never deliver. Maybe they would soon sign MOU on the type of players they want to buy. All these generic policy documents that even a 7 year old boy can write. . . its all common sense. . . yet when Roman has a fit of madness and spends £70m on a player who doesnt fit in to their so-called "strategy", Emenalo and Gourlay will still come back and find a tactical excuse for it. . .

Emenalo went and did analysis on all of Torres goals at Liverpool, and wrote report for Abramovic that 72% of them(or whatever) came from certain kind of counterattack, and Chelsea need to play that way. Yet when Chelsea play counter-attack footie, and Abramovic ask why Chelsea is playing on counter-attack and not dominating possession, Emenalo would agree that the manager is not delivering the right style of footie.

Emenalo na Igbo man. He knows that you have to stroke a Billionaires ego to keep your job, and will continue to give tactical coverage to any of Abramovic's stupid decisions, because nobody wants to go back to coaching girl's football in America.

nateevs: The Chelsea way! Scouting, bidding, negotiations, all without a manager in place.

Of course you know why RA likes having no manager around this time of year. Its his chance to play Football Manager without being questioned by anyone.

BlueDiva: Chelsea management are just clueless.
Buck, Gourlay and co are simly daft.

The mugu Gourlay open his gap teeth yesterday to say that you cannot fault Chelsea's model of hiring and firing cos its brought success.

The mugu thinks that is the reason for success, not knowing that anything this squad have done since JM left is inspite of their stupid policy, not because of it.

Chelsea is the only club that stack the team with dead players for 5 years, then expect that changing manager is the golden bullet.

Other teams back the manager and allow the manager to make the signings.

Kai, I so remember when eediot Peter Kenyon gave Ferreira 5 year contract in summer 2006. We didnt have a manager back then but mumu Kenyon thought he knew better than any football manager.

And our brother Emenalo has joined them in their foolishness.

debosky: Doumbia valued at £26m?

Only Chelski will be offered such a valuation.

Maga wan pay (yet again).

Considering the kind of cash being offered for unproven players, Seydou Doumbia actually merits such valuation. I would never sign him though cos he looks like a nigga with VAT on his football age.

^^^Yeah bro, that guy playes for FC Twente. You might remember Collins John that played for Fulham, thats his junior brother. Im impressed when a young man (only 19) steps up and shows the composure of a seasoned professional, and his price range and effectiveness is exactly what the club should be aiming at in a sustainable manner. Whilst Lucas Moura has all the skill in the world, he is a blind player, and £32m is too big a risk for an unproven man straight from Brazil with a lot of deficiencies still in his game. Gone are the days when Brazilian talent first go to teams in Holland, Portugal etc to hone their skills before making big moves. Nowadays, they quote "World star" prices for unproven talent straight from Brazil. Moura reminds me so much of Quaresma, a player I so much loved only to discover that decision making was lacking in his game.

Meanwhile, is this true?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18185485

Florent Malouda, Michael Essien and Paulo Ferreira all have one year remaining at the club and are likely to be invited for new contract talks over the summer.

chucky234: Guy you know nothing about football,Kalou has been playing at top level for more than 5 years and have also been a super starter for Ivory Coast for same period of time.
Van Gaal won the UCL with Ajax in 1995 with relatively unknown players who were younger than Bertrand,more than half of that Ajax team also made their CL debute that same year. Players like Kanu,Kluivert,Bogade,Musampa were all 18 years and were integral part of that Ajax team.
Di Matteo despite taking WBA back to the EPL was sacked for same reason,lack of tactical depth.
Modern game needs flare and RDM cannot give Chelsea,satistics shows this year's CL final has been the worst final ever as Mourinho Inter faired better against Bayern in 2010.

Guy, you are a fool of epic proportions.

Bogarde, Kluivert and Kanu did not start 1995 final but came on as late substitutes.

Musampa was not even around till 1996 final.

You want to school me on something you dont know. See your akpu face.

You must be talking of 1996 final which they lost.

Comparing Ajax of 95 to the Chelsea squad in the final? You must be sick in the head!

If you look at that Ajax team, every single one of them is a maf. You want to compare that to a team that was struggling to qualify for Champions League that a manager had to patch together in 3 months without making any signings.

Kalou is a great player? Another reason why you are demented. Please go and read Chelsea fans comments toward Kalou. . .

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2012/05/23/3121987/kalou-set-to-decide-on-chelsea-future-in-the-next-week

I hope Abramovic and Michael Emenalo know that decision making is a footballers greatest asset.

Coming on the back of their ludicrously inept decision not to back RDM, they have gone and put in a £32m bid for this guy. . .


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL4_xKrs2Xw

. . . please watch how the guy Dagbose the whole field yet never lifts his head once and is even unable to square ball across for his team-mates to tap-in.

Its like watching Victor Moses, Salomon Kalou, Theo Walcott, Pius Ikedia and Okocha (if he had no vision) all rolled into one.

We already have this player at our club. . . .their names are Kalou, Gael Kakuta, Danny Sturridge and Marko Marin.



Now contrast with this video (taken over only half-a-season) of a young man (rated £12m by his club) in Holland called Ola John. . .


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHJRpZUI47A

Notice how every move ends with a pinpoint delivery and an assist.

Notice how he always runs with his head up.

He does not have to dribble the whole field, just one man. . . and he sets up a goal.

Whats more, he's strong, full of stamina and can defend very well.



Please, if Lucas Moura is the kind of "team rebuilding" and spending spree that Chelsea is admittedly about to embark on, I fear that we are in for a glorious summer of wastage.

I thought the wages for Hazard and fees for Modric are too much, but I will take expensive quality over expensive dross like Lucas Moura. . . if thats the case, sign those guys up before Abramovic and Emenalo waste our transfer funds for the next 5 seasons.

Anyone talking nonsense about style of footie is on a long thing.

You dont take over a club mid-way and change style of play whilst engaged in the hardest 3 months of the season.

Some people here dey yarn opata about style of play. Thunder fire them. Una no watch the 4-1 against Napoli and 5-1 against Tottenham? Which style of play was that?

Im sure mumu like Pro01 wants to take Barca on at their game and lose 7-1.

RDM is known for exciting play. Infact that was what got him fired at West Brom cos he played too much attacking footie and his defence was leaking goals.

But of course, I dont expect troglodytes and nincompoops to appreciate the tactical ingenuity showed by RDM, whether in reinstating Kalou, playing Mikel to his best, using Ramires as a tactical tool on the left or right-wing to shore up the defence and expose opponents on the counterattack, or bringing out the best of Lampard in a new defensive position whilst moving Mata from ineffectuality on the left wing to a central attacking position.

Maybe they prefer the "attacking" football that AVB showed. . . which turned out to be the most boring football in Chelsea history

Charlatans like Pro01 and all the ladies supporting him only watch football on the pages of magazines.


The most important reason not to sack RDM is this:

(1.) The price of success should never be failure. You dont disincentivise success. You sack a man for succeeding, no other manager would want to replace him, and if they do they are doomed from start because they can never win the UCL with this set of players.

For those asking what Im talking about, please reference Madrids ten years in UCL wilderness after sacking Del Bosque who had just won them the Champions League.

(2.) The new manager would never build the team, knowing that he is only keeping the seat warm for Guardiola. He would only be interested in collecting his paycheque till Roman fires him. I dont believe Guardiola is a genius (Rijkaard wasnt) but the worst case scenario is to give RDM a 2 year contract, even if you intend to sack him after one year and hire Guardiola. It motivates both him and the players to think he is in control for the long run.

(3.) Chelsea is historically a team run on the motivation of the players. Dent their motivation again by sacking RDM and you risk a repeat of their demotivation when Grant took over from Mourinho, or when AVB was given the job instead of Guus Hiddink. The players at Chelsea do not need tinkering. They know their job and are all leaders, whether Terry, Cech, Lampard, Ashley or DD. They only need to be kept happy and see fairness meted out by Abramovic.

(4.) This dilly-dallying is not strengthening the manager's hand. Any player that knows the manager is 2nd choice will start causing problems as soon as RDM drop him on the bench cos he knows RDM does not have the owners backing.

(5.) Sytability and Continuity. RDM knows the strengths and weaknesses of the players. He knows the squad and where needs to be improved. He knows the Premierleague, and he can get the job done.



And for any eediot that criticise style of play in the final, ask that mumu to swap Bertrand and Kalou for Ribery and Robben, then come back and tell me whether the manager is responsible for playing football or the players. FOOLS!!

A good manager who knows his players cannot out-attack the opponent will limit his risk by choosing his moments to attack carefully and not leave his team exposed. Cos if its bullet for bullet, Bayern Munich and Barca will outgun Chelsea any day of the week.

In conclusion, Pro01 is a nincompoop as earlier stated.

pro01: I wonder why most of you are so naive and sentimental about this issue. As a passionate Chelsea fan, I can say that Roman Abramovich made the right decision yet again. If you look at how Di Matteo won the FA cup and the Champions League, it is impossible not to notice that he was extremely lucky on too many occasions. The tactics were particularly woeful and a bad advertisement for the beautiful game of football. How long can you ride your luck? Besides, don't forget that he finished an embarrasing 6th in the league - and before you blame AVB for that, you must also remember that as at the time of AVB's sack, Chelsea were in 5th position. So you can't say Di Matteo improved Chelsea's leasgue form; if anything, he worsened it.

Having said that, and in light of the sheer fact that he managed to win the coveted UCL, the only fair thing to do is to give him at most a year 'probation' contract to see if he is indeed a good manager that can challenge for the league and all the other competitions. Don't forget also that the primary task Abramovich wants the next manager to achieve is to rebuild the team with new players and make the team's style of play more positive and entertaining. Regardless of Di Matteo's unprecedented luck, it is clear that he does not seem to have what it takes to achieve this difficult long-term task - not with the embarrasingly negative and ugly tactics Chelsea used to overcome Barcelona, Liverpool, and Bayern by sheer luck. The best thing is therefore to give him a short contract to see if he can prove himself. That is what our Big Boss Abramovich has done. What in the world is wrong with that?

He certainly didn't become so rich and successful by being foolishly sentimental. He has to take decisions based on empirics and critical evaluation of things.

Except to say that Abramovic could not find his ar.se with his hand when it comes to football matters nor could he "critically evaluate" anything to do with football (which he only started watching in 2003) as he has proved time and again.

Just because RA is owner and billionaire does not prevent me from saying he knows nothing about footbal. . . and you my friend are talking absolute rubbish.

RA "critically evaluated" the signing of Torres and Shevchenko without asking the manager whether they fit in with the style of play, "critically evaluated" the sacking of Mourinho, "critically evaluated" the sacking of Ancelotti, then "critically evaluated" that AVB was better to replace him than Guus Hiddink.

My friend, quit talking jargon. My neice knows more about football than Abramovic.


Luck is RDM winning one competition, not TWO.

You might say he used tactics combined with some good fortune to win the UCL, but what do you expect him to win with. . . better players that Chelsea dont have?

A man used Salomon Kalou, Ryan Bertrand and Bosingwa to win Champions League and all nincompoops like yourself know to do is shout "luck, luck, luck".

Perhaps a footballing neophyte like yourself expected him to use these players and outplay Barca and such.

He finished 6th in the league yes, but you forgot he played 20 games in 60 days and used his reserve team for those league matches, besides those matches were not like Bolton or Stoke, more like Man City, Spurs, Arsenal, Newcastle sandwiched in between Barcelona and Napoli and other heavyweight matches and no way he could use the first team for those matches and still stay in Europe.

You think RDM is going to accept "probation" contract when at least 5 clubs would offer him good contract this summer?


Roman Abramovic is a fool when it comes to football matters. . . .and so are you!

coogar: you're so silly... xavi is primarily a central midfielder, enrique is primarily a left back.

I shoulda known Im arguring with a charlatan neophyte.

Perhaps your experience of Luis Enrique is limited to Spain vs Nigeria in France 98.


Luis Enrique was an attacking midfielder/winger who was world renowned for being able to play right-back, centre-back, left-back, central-midfield, right and left mid, forward etc etc. . . all positions on the pitch except goalie.

His usual position was attacking midfield (usually to the right).

Yet the analogy holds. . . I dont care how many positions Modric can play. Lampard is still better.

coogar: what about the defence? would you swap cech + terry + cahill for friedel + king + kaboul?
seeing that chelsea triumphed against barcelona/bayern by their dogged defending not
by any attacking play, can you now see how moronic you are to be expecting modric to stop
tottenham from losing when he has a bunch of misfits in goal?

So the defence is what affects Modric's attacking stats?

Sauron, you need help!

Modric is not effective in protecting his defence.

Kaboul is one of the best CBs this season. Kyle is the best RB, King is untouchable when fit and Ekotto is top 5 left-back.

It is Modric in front of them who is not protecting

coogar: take it or leave it, modric is a better player than lampard.
i see how you have left the issues of their stats alone and now relying on espn
who cannot provide how they came about 9.5 for lampard and 7.0 for modric. how you
managed to cop a degree is baffling.

Modric is a better player than Lampard?

Mad Man!!!

Lampard has touched heights in the last ten years that are mere pipe dreams to Modric, whether scoring 20+ goals for 8 consecutive seasons, finishing in umpteen UEFA teams of the year, UEFA Midfielder of the year several times, 15 and more assists on many occassion, Ballon D'or runner-up, 20 goals away from Chelsea all-time goals record(unbelieveable feat for a midfielder), UCL, 4 FA Cups, 3 EPL's etc etc etc

You are accusing me of avoiding stats. . . OPTA stats labelled Lamps the greatest player in premiership history according to stats.

What is Modric achievement in life apart from being hailed for small DAGBOSE to escape from trouble in midfield.

Sauron, you are a MAD MAN to even compare nonsense!!!!

You think all this achievements are achieved by mere DAGBOSE?

Modric DAGBOSE because of small size to avoid being tackled whilst Sandro simply barge through whoever tries to challenge him. The net result is the same, yet Coogar and Nateevs do summersault for Modric.

Trust me, the way Moussa Dembele is playing in central midfield these days, it wont be long before he is outshining Modric, yet effectiveness is still lacking in both their cases.


Pay attention to the quote by soccernet. The point in bold applies to you and Nateevs:


Many have tried to belittle Lampard throughout his career and yet the reality is that this 33-year-old should be hailed as the ultimate Chelsea hero



Crase man!

coogar: modric was moved everywhere this season, he played in 5 different positions. he had more
excuses than lampard not to perform and yet he trumped fat frank.

What does moving position mean.

He played 85% of games in no4 position

Reminds me of Nateevs silly arguments about Gerrard being able to play here, there and everywhere so must be better than Lampard.


Luis Enrique holds the distinction of being able to play 10 positions on the pitch, yet he will never be a legend at Barca like Xavi who only plays the one position.

coogar: so you don't think team quality matters here? you are a disgrace to football punditry.
[quote author=coogar][quote author=coogar]don't mind the charlatan. lampard has mata, drogba, ramirez
as team mates. modric has adebayor and an inconsistent
gareth bale and off-form lennon as team mates and debosky
felt modric did not deliver.

if modric had a competent striker playing ahead, his number of
key passes should have guaranteed 20 assists last season.
he was that good but consistently let down by misfits.

Guy, stop yarning opaks.

Chelsea would swap all their wingers for Lennon and Bale immediately!!!!

VDV and Mata is either or.

Adebayor produced FAR MORE than Shekpe keeper and DD who combined might not even threaten Adebayors figures. . . 18 goals and 12 assists in just 36 games.

Kyle Walker is far better than our right-back.

On all attacking indexes, every Chelsea fan would swap our attacking players for theirs.

Please dont talk about Valencia. Spurs is not Wigan!!!


Modric was let down by misfits?

Do you know how many times shekpe keeper has let down his suppliers?

coogar: your original post mentioned the fact that lampard was better than modric in the just concluded season
and that irked me cos i know modric was tottenham's best performer this season and that means he outperformed
lampard(2nd best midfielder in chelsea). modric even did better than mata according to opta!

Actually, I claimed that Lamps performance in no4 position under RDM trumps anything Modric produced, yet you went to pull the whole season stats which I was not commenting about. . . yet we still find there is minute difference in their stats. . . .

I will repeat again. . . Lampard played the no4 position in the last 3 months better than anything Modric can play in that position.

Lampard played 17 games in that position, winning 14, drawing 2 and losing 1 in that period with another losing game against Newcastle when he came on late. On the way, he won everything, being key to all Chelseas victories whilst in the same time Modric was busy taking Spurs from UCL to Europa league.

Yet you went to pull up stats I never commented about. . . and still there was little difference. . . except of course the glaring difference in goals scored and assists in Lampards favour.

And if you need further evidence see the 5-1 thrashing at Wembley where Modric was a waif in midfield.

Or like I said to Dyabs, see the various thrashing Modric has received from Yaya Toure, Cleverley, Rosicky et al this season.


I would leave you with ESPN verdict on ratings of players contribution to their side's season:


Luka Modric - 7

Redknapp claimed his side turned down a £40 million offer from Chelsea for Modric last summer, yet you suspect they would be tempted to take a similar cash windfall as the Croatian struggled horribly amid their end of season slump. Looking jaded and uninspired for the final third of the season, the midfielder who desperately wanted to leave Spurs last summer is likely to push for a move once more this time around.


Frank Lampard - 9.5

Many have tried to belittle Lampard throughout his career and yet the reality is that this 33-year-old should be hailed as the ultimate Chelsea hero. Leading scorer once more this season and a leading light once Andre Villas-Boas was given the chop, this all-time great was given his career-defining moment as he lifted the Champions League trophy in Munich

debosky: when push came to shove, Modric was unable to deliver. In the crucial games at the end of the season that would've guaranteed the Spuds CL footie, he choked, just like the rest of the team.

Contrast this to Lamps, who delivered killer passes at the business end of the season - in the FA Cup final, in the CL semi final. That is the true measure of player - consistent performances over the season AND an ability to deliver when the stakes are highest. Modric lacks the latter.

GBAM!!!!

coogar: what is this obese fool ranting about? you want to fault statistics
straight from opta stats? how can we assume lampard played 75 mins per
game? were you born a tool? lampard was substituted only 4 times in his
30 games. he started 26 times and 4 subs and we should average him 75 mins
per game? olodo!

You must have felt like a real plonker after typing this, only to find that 2248mins divided by 30 = 74.93

Hey Sharon,

You are a disgrace!

Modric played 3214 minutes this season or average 91.83 minutes per game
Lampard played 2248 minutes this season or average 74.93 minutes per game

If you extrapolate these figures into your stats, you find that for example:

Modric made 2.6 key passes per 90 minutes as did Lampard who made 2.6.

Modric made 0.5 through passes per 90 mins as did Lampard

Modirc made 69 passes per 90 minutes to Lamps 62. . . small difference especially considering Modric gets ball off the defence with more frequency.


etc etc etc. . .


All these stats in Modric's best ever season and Lamps worst ever where a manager persecutes him all the time and dent confidence.

Sharon, you should be ashamed.

I asked you to compare Lamps performance in deep midfield position under RDM to Modric's performance in same position. You decided to compare Modric wholes season stats againts Lamps stats under AVB who was a disaster, and still there's no discernable difference. . . apart from of course the difference of 4 assists and 11 goals in Lampards favoured, copped over lesser playing period.

Sharon, you are a disgrace!!!

coogar: be deceiving yourself. modric passes more, his passes are even more accurate.
he made more key passes per game, he made more tackles per game....he ate lampard
throughout.....if i post where i got these stats, you would be embarrassed to have
posted the heap of grime above.

tackles won per game. he won 56 tackles all season compared to
lampard's 41 tackles.

You see right there. . . .your Maths is faulty.

According to your stats, Modric made 56 tackles in 35 games whilst Lampard made 41 tackles in 30 games hence you claim Modric to have 1.6 tackles to Lampard 1.4.

If we assume that Lamps played on average 75 minutes per game, you would find Modric 1.6 tackles per 90 minutes to Lampard 1.8 tackles per 90 minutes


MUMU!!!


Please tell me how many of Lamps 30 games where he played 90 minutes?

It probably did not reach up to 15.

AVB always sub him off before 60 minutes, sometimes half-time, and sometimes he comes on as sub.


THIS GOES FOR ALL OF YOUR DODGY STATS.

You see a fool like you is giving us stats over the whole season, then dividing by no of games played.

Give us the overall season stats, and I will give you the true figure per 90 minutes.

Your Maths is faulty.

dyabman: @ibime
stop this comparism, imagine Modric in a chelsea shirt , evry match we would be scoring 3goals per game.. Modric is a beast in the midfield, a natural born-midfielder. we still need him..!

Bale is better than Kalou
VDV and Mata are almost mate
Lennon is better than Sturridge
Adebayor has 30 goals and assists, better than anything DD+Torres could muster.


Why did Modric not create 3 goals per game.

Shebi Modric was not on the pitch when they lost 5-1 to Chelsea, 4-2 to Arsenal, 5-1 to United, 6-1 and 3-1 to Citeh etc etc

Modric should be ashamed of his performance in any game where he came up against any kind of decent midfielder.

PLEASE STOP TALKING NONSENSE!!!!

Modric to lift Chelsea when he can't lift better players at Spurs?

Modric would look good at Chelsea. . . . but results would not improve!!!

^^^ You what?

Modric that couldnt lift his team at all when most needed. . .

Is that why Soccernet gave him low marks for disappearing at crunch-time?


I doubt your stats highly, but you forgot the most important

Lampard. . . 10 assists
Modric. . . 6 assists

Lampard. . . 16 goals
Modric. . . 5 goals

What the hell does Mdric 2.3 shots per game mean?

So Modric took 80 shots this season and only score 5?

Coogar, you need a lobotomy!!

Give us stats every 90 minutes. We all know AVB like to take Lamps off every game before 60 minutes.


Tackles per game and all that nonsense is irrelevant stats.

What does 2 tackles per game even mean?

So Modric is now a warrior?

If Modric had to defend for his life against Barca and Bayern, Chelsea would have lost 3-0.

You are posting Premier League stats knowing Lamps was mostly rested in Premier League under RDM.

In essence, all you are comparing is dodgy stats from AVB regime.

Lamps performance in midfield 2 under RDM (mostly in Cup competitions) is better than the sum total of Modric's EPL contributions. Bite me!!!


Kai, Lampards worst ever season (2011/12) where he was persecuted by manager still trumps Modric's best ever season.

Fola-mumu, you done come again?

Yes, DD and JT have the most "presence" at Chelsea.



Meanwhile, Im not letting Nateevs off easy.

The guy needs to be caned.

He emotionally tied himself into AVB cos he though AVB would get rid of Lamps and Drogs and promote many playmakers, of whom only a few actually win anything. Whether Benayoun, Diego, Robinho or fuckever, you wont believe the kinda dross Nateevs would like to replace Lampard just because they dagbose on the ball.

Lemme tell Nateevs now plain and clear. . .

The play Lampard has exhibited in the no 4 position over the last 3 months is beyond anything Modric has ever produced in his life from that position. Whether possession, passing, tackling, tracking, assisting or scoring from that position, Lamps record over 3 months beats Modric's record over a calendar season! Please dont ask me who DAGBOSE on the ball better, cos we all know it's Modric, but ask me who PLAYED better, that one na ho-ha!!!

This very season, he believes Torres is better than DD just because Torres denge on the ball while DD goes straight to the point. As a former Drogba hater (until 2009) and Lampard hater (until 2003), leave it to me to say that not all players brilliant technique is instantly visible. It took for me to analyse DD's game to realise that although he was clumsy on the ground, his technique in trapping a ball from the air is second to none, whilst his shooting and crossing and ability to turn defenders he has his back to cannot be replicated by any other striker. It also took me three seasons to recognise that Lampard is one of the best passers of a football in the game, a player who already knows the pass he will make before he receives the ball, hence we often see great one-time passes like we saw in the semi's of UCL and FA Cup final. This was seen on one of the few occassions Lamps ventured forward in the UCL final when DD laid ball back to him and he immediately played in Kalou with his first touch. If we had a few more of those decisive moments from kalou and Bertrand, we woulda won that game easy.

Even my wife remarked out of the blue one day that she likes Lampard cos he doesnt waste time when delivering his pass incisively. Something a waste-man like Nateevs cant see cos he prefers players that dagbose for no reason. Add to the fact that Lamps is 7/10 in every aspect of his game and 10/10 in finishing, running and anticipation, Nateevs is a PURE WASTEMAN!!!


So the crux of the matter is that Nateevs claims watching RDM's Chelsea was like watching Stoke.

Lets examine the matter. . .


Vs Napoli. . . . World class performance . . . very unlike Stoke
vs Benfica . . . two legs. . . good performance
vs Barca. . . . Nateevs accepts the style of play is necessary to beat Barca
vs Bayern. . . . OK. . . so we werent all attacking, yet what would Nateevs expect with Bertrand and Kalou tasked with the duty of carrying the midfield 10 yards further forward (which is a wingers job to do. Perhaps you could say we shoulda played Torres on the wing but that is a lottery in itself and we prolly woulda lost. Meanwhile Nateevs didnt blame Mata for us playing like Stoke. If it was Lamps in no8 position, we wouldnt hear the last of his inane, uninformed and naive comments about "Lamps did not provide creative spark" as Ive heard numerous times over the last 4 years whenever Chelsea dont win.


Lets examine the other Cup games then. . .

Vs Spurs. . . . World Class performance
Vs Liverpool. . . .dominant performance for 67% of the game.


So where is the Stoke in RDM?

Face facts that RDM is an intelligent manager, fluid, dynamic and fast-moving. . . unlike AVB who has a system in place and seeks to buy players (Alvaro Perreira) to play his 4-3-3 system where the LCM (Perreira) and RCM (Ramires) would be nothing but glorified full-backs. An eediot who has no man-management nouse and who all his players hate with a passion including Lukaku, Anelka, Lampard, Alex, Terry, Cole in particular, and who bores his players with long rhetorical tactical jibber-jabber whilst RDM gives them clear and consise instructions.

So is my rant over yet?

No!

Lemme end it by saying that Nateevs is a NINCOMPOOP!!!

Abagworo: Even in Port Harcourt most Rivers people you encounter are Ikwerre by ratio of about 10:1. The only part of Port Harcourt you encounter more Riverine/Ijaw is Borokiri area and Abuloma which is about 10% of the Port Harcourt metropolis. Bayelsas total population might just be up to that of Ikwerre. Tell us where the population is concentrated. Yenagoa is not as populous as Woji and Rukpokwu villages.Almost the entire Ikwerre from Emohua to Isiokpo to Elele alimini to Rumuji/Rumuekpe/Ogbakiri/ to Omagwa, Ubima, Omuanwa , Omademe, Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpo, Evo, Apara, Esara are populous.

Woji? Woji was not populated before now

Abagworo, me and you should be mate (late 20's)

20 years ago, all these other places you mentioned did not even exist.

Did these people spring up from the ground? Its all recent immigration.

90% of people you meet are Ikwerre? Abags come on!

Ikwerre do not make up 25% of the population even in their own villages!!!

afam4eva: How many local governments doe Ikwerrres occupy then compare it with that of those small Ijaw groups of which some of them are not Ijaws. Ikwerres make up 40 to 50% of rivers state.

Maybe you cant tell Ikwerre from Igbo.

I have lived among Ikwerres in Mile 3 and Elelenwo.

Even in crowded places like this I can name the whole town family name by family name often off the top of my head. Cos you see multitude of people in Elelenwo etc you might think they're all Ikwerre but 80% are immigrants.

afam4eva: Eastern Igbos are more than Ijaws in Rivers state.

In Rivers State, of course but not combined Rivers and Bayelsa. Still, Ijaws are more than Ikwerres in Rivers State.

afam4eva: How many local governments doe Ikwerrres occupy then compare it with that of those small Ijaw groups of which some of them are not Ijaws.

Guy dont tell me about local Government areas. Some of us have been in Rivers State since the time you had to drive 10 minutes through clear road and forest to get from one Ikwerre settlement to the next. From D-line/Ogunagbali to Rumuola/Rumuomasi, then another clear space till Elelenwo, even clear forest between Rumuomasi/Airforce and Elekahia until my uncle built road to connect the two. From Elelenwo toward Elele/FGC. . . all these were clear forest. Anything that looks overpopulated now is due to massive immigration in the last 20 years.

Ikwerre are not that populous.

afam4eva: Ikwerres make up 40 to 50% of rivers state.

If Ikwerres make up 40-50% of modern day Rivers State which is more than double the population of Bayelsa, then Eastern Igbo would have won every election in the old Rivers State. But the history shows that Ijaw man always wins election in the old Rivers State

Comments on here are geographically biased.

Someone in Lagos telling us they have met more Nupe is simply a geographical phenomenom. I have never met a Nupe man in my life cos Nupe dont come to PortHarcourt, likewise Ijaws do not travel to Lagos too much.

You would not find Ijaws in Lagos cos we dont travel within Nigeria. Port-Harcourt has always been financially viable hence no need to travel.

Abagworo: As for the ethnic composition of Rivers of which my mother is from, Ikwerre is the largest ethnic group with over 1.5 million people. Rivers State does not officially recognise Ijaw and Igbo as ethnic groups in the State.

Ikwerre is the largest when you split Okrika, Bonny, Kalabari, Opobo etc, but not when united as Ijaw.

The population in Ikwerreland has nothing to do with the indigenous population of the Ikwerre people. Most of the population attained in their areas is recent migration.

Some of us remember when Ikwerre land was sparse, not the population explosion we see now.


Of population, Ijaw is not up to 14 million, but definitely the fourth largest if Ibibio, Annang, Efik are treated as seperate entities.

[quote author=ekt_bear]Ijaw may not even be the largest ethnic group in Rivers+Bayelsa, let alone Rivers.[/quote]Where did you learn this from. Google?

Ijaw is by far the largest group in Rivers+Bayelsa, because when Rivers+Bayelsa was one state, Ijawman always won the gubrnatorial election by landslide.

If you add all other groups in Rivers+Bayelsa, including Igbo, Ogoni and Andoni, they do not tally up to the Ijaw population.

Bontee: Those numbers up there are not active members, check around the homepage or at the bottom then you will see the number of active members each day ( Both registered and guest ). One thing i have come to realize is that, nairaland got this huge membership on the
cheap and to imagine that facebook is on a race to one billion members.

Other forums would have been more innovative than nairaland if they could have such large number of members but nairaland is so lacking and just resting on advertising income. New innovation will make more money in the future than nairaland, check dealfish, iroko partners and so many more.

With all due respect nairaland is a sad reflection of nigeria, just big and depending on one source of income like nigeria. Google started with search but see where they are today, iroko partners and dealfish are moving with break taking space while nairalist is going down. Nairaland has the largest free collection of intellectuals of mostly nigerian origin but sadly they could not leverage upon that.

Trust me you really need to dig well and you will see the amount of talent and opportunities embedded here but when the management is solely Nigerian then just expect disappointing incompetence ( in most cases ). The companies that would take over nigerian internet space will be from abroad or will have support from abroad. Iroko partners is now trying to be a company while nairaland still wants to be a one man business and corner all the revenue. It won't last and facebook will not be what it is today if it was still run by mark alone.

Actually Seun has done his best to make this place more interactive, despite you guys Occupy Nairaland protest.

Further integration with Facebook, twitter and such has helped Nairaland stay on top of the game and seasonal events like elections also drive followership to Nairaland from sites like Google, twitter and such.

Nairaland members are also dwarfed by unregistered guests who I believe also drive most of the advertising revenue, so I think NL is on the right track.

coogar: this is cheap escapism.
if we are going to be using lampard's age to excuse his poor general
performance then he should retire.

What poor general performance?

The nigga just sonned Barca in the UCL semi-final with two brilliant cutting edge passes to create two fantastic goals, won the FA Cup with a brilliant piece of midfield play to set-up Drogba, and just won the UCL!!!

Coogar!!!! AVB is a twunt for giving guys like you and Nateevs ammunition.

Lampard was AVB's top scorer, yet AVB would have you believe his "project was about getting rid of old slow midfielders like Lampard"

nateevs: I still believe Gerrard is/was better than Lampard. Nothing can change my opinion on that.
Your friend should be ashamed of himself by thinking Lamps is better than Gerrard of the basis of a better half-turn ability. Gerrard's ability has fast faded in his memories because he (Gerrard) has been plagued by injuries. How can some think think player A is better than B because of one single ability? Do you know how many thing Gerrard can do Lamps cannot dream about doing?

What apart from burst at pace and occasional long range shot that troglodytes like yourself cream over?

Nateevs quit disgracing yourself with your Roy of the Rovers fantasies about Gerrard. He is extremely limited. The intricacies of Lampards midfield game are beyond him. Any midfielder who cant half-turn is on a long-thing. I thank God for players like Scott Parker, Scholes, Lampard, few of the first English midfielders to start using half-turn later perfected by the likes of Leon Britton, Jack Wilshere and such whilst Gerrard still play like a footballer from the eighties, and who is only to be seen when a counterattack is on.

I told you 4 years ago that Gerrard without pace is useless, unlike Lampard, a true midfielder. Do you know how many Premier League games Gerrard has been in winning team this season? ONE!

Mind you he still has pace so no excuses.

Infact you dont know jack about midfield play.


Couple years ago, Lamps was your major culprit whenever Chelsea fail to win a game. I always told you that without looking at Malouda, Kalou, Cole and such on the wings, you were on a long thing.

I wonder why you didnt blame Mata for Chelsea not dominating offensively yesterday, all of a sudden, happy to take the excuse that its not Matas fault but Bertrand and Kalou. Im sure if Lampard was the one playing no8, you would claim it is all Lamps fault.


Nateevs,

I have no more words to share with you on this issue. You have been disgraced too many times. The same season when you fought with me claiming Lamps is useless is the same season he obliterated the rules on midfield offensive play by copping 27 goals and 20 assists.

Now he is providing evidence to you guys who claimed he only did such and such because two guys were behind protecting him by playing the protection role as good as anyone who ever played behind him, whilst delivering composed passes, half-turns away from packed midfield and solid tackles and covering. Mind you, this is a 34 year old man.

nateevs: As to the statement "RDM has completed the project in 3 months!!!", you will find pal that this is your opinion about "the project" - winning the CL. My opinion about this project was a complete overhaul and change in philosophy and direction of the club. Change in transfer policy, playing style, improving the club's image, trusting in young players, overhaul of the scouting network and reduction of the overall wage bill in a bid to building an outfit that out-lives its owner. That's why AVB said it will take 3 years. Are you by any means suggesting RDM has achieved all this?

So you mean controlling transfer policy was part of AVB's project?

Despite you claiming AVB never signed a single player at Chelsea whether Lukaku, Courtois or De Bruyne.

Nateevs you are a disgrace in footie arguments.

You nailed your mast to the AVB project and supported his assinine claims that certain players like Lamps and Cashley were useless. You jubilated when we lost to West-Brom, pointing to it as vindication that these guys were rubbish/finished and deserved to be dropped against Napoli, after we all blamed AVB's ludicrous team selection for Napoli loss.

You've been left with big banana on your face to discover that the same oldies AVB persecuted, especially Lamps were not the reason we were underperforming, but rather his persecution and underuse of them WAS the sole reason.

After your disgraceful arguments this season where your nyash has been opened clinicially and decisively, we Chelseans have every right to ban you from this thread till further notice!!!

^^^Mikel was fantastic. Im saying its nothing new with Mikel neither has he learned it recently. If you think this is Mikels best game, you must be mistaken. You must have forgotten how Mikel bossed Scholes in FA Cup final (2007 I think). I always considered Mikel to be the best protector of the ball in the Prem. The problem with Mikel is always being exposed with pace through the middle if Chelsea play with "high blocks" like AVB, Scolari and Ancelotti were often wont to do.

Hey Ritchboy,

SHUT IT!!!!!

DD would always have more prominence that RVP in this era for the simple fact that DD has scored 11 goals in 10 Cup finals and won 7 of them.

RVP can still redeem himself, but only at a club like Barca where RVP would not get the glory (like Henry) and Messi would take all the plaudits.



BTW I came here to tell una that Ryan Bertrand has won the Champions League!!!!

Ashley Cole has been vindicated. Wenger should be crucified for what he has done to the club careers of good players like RVP and Bacary Sagna.

nateevs: Bluediva just enjoy the moment and do not overstate it.
We won on penalties and were worse than Stoke in the 120mins.

I'ld appreciate you saying we'll take the win as it's wrtten in history forever.
It was hardly a spectacle upon which the future can built.

Let's always maintain perspective when stating things.
When the euphoria of victory wears, we'll take stock and make sound decisions.

What do you expect with Bertrand and Kalou on the wings?

Every part of our team functioned perfectly except those two.

Nateevs, you should be banned from Chelsea thread till our first pre-season match!!!

AVB keep talking about "the three year project, the project, the project", RDM has completed the project in 3 months!!!


Nateevs,

Lampard is now 34 years old! One year left before our infamous argument that "Lampard will play at top level till 35" comes to fruition.

I did not see any slow and tired old man out there. Infact, Mikel, Lamps and Cole were warriors out there, complemented by the perfect delivery of Cech and DD.

Lemme share with you the text my university football team captain (die-hard Liverpool fan) sent me last night. Me and him have been arguing Lamps/Gerrard issue since 2003.

I read. . .


finally I agree with you that lamps is better than stevie. gerrard cannto play on the half-turn in that holding position like Lamps who is also great at knowing when to let the ball run across him to give him a yard on sum1 closing down. I have to say mikel has finally turned into a composed good player, slthough he cant deal with pace thru the middle...im finishing a piece, bel u in abit

I text him back to say that Mikel has not learned anything new as he is in his 30's and has always been composed on the ball except that he gets exposed with high-line like in the regime of Scolari, Ancelotti and AVB


Nateevs, you need to have a look in the mirror mate. AVB's "trash old players" have sealed their legacy. We did hold 45% possession, but could not take the handbrake off to attack fully because Bertrand and Kalou could not build up the plays with the boys and it would be foolhardy to commit all out with inferior firepower, only to get suckerpunched on the counter especially with Mikel not being fast enough to chase Bayerns forwards back. The decision to play Bertrand was the only tactical flaw Ive seen RDM make so far, and it stifled our ability to build attacks, but one thing is for sure - that Mikel and Lamps more than held their own in that midfield.


Oh. . . and DD has sealed his legacy beyond all shapekeeping.

However, yes, we should not make the same mistake as InterMilan by offering new contracts to old players after winning the UCL. They have reached their pinnacle. Lets build for the next one.

medjai: Drogba's a fuckin boss. Damn!

Congrats Chelsea, most undeserved CL winners in history

You dey craze!!!

When Chelsea deserved to win UCL at least twice between 2003 and 2009, you no commiserate, now you want to rain on our parade!!!

^^^I am here!!! I've been offline all weekend. Travelled to Mancunia.

Where is that boy Ritchboy who claimed that RVP has been more prominent than Drogba in this era?

Is he mad?

11 goals in 10 Cup finals.

No one will remember RVP's hattricks against Wolves but they will remember DROGBA!!!

A brilliant effort by the GEJ Government