₦airaland Forum

raumdeuter:
Nihilist a lot of people try to write like coogar.

Really? I haven't seen anybody that writes exactly like him on here before. Abeg who else does so?

airmark:


It seems you weren't conversant with ghost-writing allegations in rap section, involving those two monikers years back.

Oh so this is a long running thing

I literally have never seen such a thing before.

I happen to sound a lot like Coogar, use a lot of his favourite words and phrases, format my posts like coogar, and extol the virtues of my 'penmanship' just like Coogar, but I swear I'm not coogar.

You've sucky-suckied coogars cocky so hard that you've literally swallowed not just his seed but a little piece of his soul as well, and now a part of him haunts your body like a horcrux from Harry Potter.

Not even Stan Lee or Stan Collymore can claim to stan so hard

DarkRebel101:
He's too insignificant, an inconsequential drop of liquid in this comprehensive ocean. His physical fabric would be disintegrated faster than a Graham cracker falling into a jar of sizzling milk were I to apply a shard of my lexical hexcraft on him.

A quick shufti at his history would reveal a life we might as well call a dictionary of obscure sorrows; a life rendered checkered by myriad loops of psychological traumas.

His father raped his mother on the Valentine's day of 1976. No wonder each chapter of his life introduces us to a vaudeville of monumetal failures. He failed in school because of his ADHD, he failed at table tennis because he was too pudgy, and now the phatasm of failure trails his scent even to the realm of soccer punditry.

No, no, I refuse to pile on his gloom. His existence as it were is already one painful boil on humanity's arse. I refuse to make it any worse than just a boil.

There is no way that this is not coogar. Even if this account was originally opened by somebody else, Coogar is definitely using the account now.

The last two paragraphs are almost verbatim reproductions of coogar's favourite insults. This must be coogar because I doubt that anybody could stan so hard.

lalaboi:
You make it sound like when Chelsea attack only 3 players attack. na so e be? why do Moses and Alonso get a lot of space on the flanks when we attack? Because everyone calls us defensive team now means we are defensive? We have scored blody 52 goals in the league this season, only Arsenal and Liverpool have scored more and they are supposed to be the flagship of attacking teams abi? Keep saying to yourself that bs that 8 chelsea players are there to defend so you continue to believe it.

When did Matic have a good game abi? He's been outshined by Kante but was able to put in a very good performance vs Leicester earlier on this season (His best this season).

Fabregas in that position will offer more going forward, agreed! but will also leave us defensively vulnerable. Ee fe gboran!

16 of those 52 goals were from set pieces, the highest tally in the entire league, so make of that what you will.

My own is that you can't be complaining that Hazard doesnt score goals while maintaining that Matic must play in a system that produces relatively few chances from open play(the lowest of the current top 6 in fact)

When you point one finger at somebody, remember that 4 are pointing back at you.

Mesut Özil ‏@AFCKoyes 17 minutes ago

There's no point playing the second leg. Wenger should just send out youth players to gain XP like in Pokémon.

My God.

Alan Sugar going innnnn with his usual sparring partner on Twitter

Does Lahm actually need to retire? This guy can probably go till age 40.

lordfalcao:
we should just steal that guy from arsenal, he needs better washing of head wey go make am quit

He doesn't need to be washed. He don see am first hand. Sanchez don play MMM with him career

How can you be repeatedly molested by the same club over multiple seasons at the same stage?

Even my local sarewagba is not this loyal.

Haba.

Is there any need for 2nd leg like this sef?

Ospina does not deserve this. Arsenal should be at least 9 down if not for his heoics

Where's that guy that said Oxlade is a good cental midfielder?

My God

Abeg what time does Arsenal fantv come on?

lordfalcao:
Sanchez should leave arsenal, he is under achieving there. A top player like Sanchez should be winning at least one trophy every year.

I thought we were going to sign that guy this january sef. How can any player looking for trophies sign any contract that has Wenger's name on it?

We can't host a party here, we should host a Service of Songs instead.

RIP to the Self Esteem of Gunners everywhere.

lalaboi:
You keep shouting this extra defender BS like its the main reason we are not conceding as much goals. Everton had 5 at the back and chop 4 or was it 5. Spurs had 5 at the back and we scored 2.

The way some of you analyse football like neophytes sometimes sha.

Is there a formation that guarantees conceding less in football? So what is the point of this post? Does the lack of guaranteed cleansheet negate the defensive nature of a fomation that fields 5 defenders though? There's a reason why many managers looking to lock up shop have tuned to a 5 man back line this season - From Conte, to Moyes, Allardyce to Karanka, and Pochettino to Mazarri.

Surely it is obvious to even Stevie Wonder what a manager is trying to do when he plays 3 centrebacks instead of two.

I pointed out that Hazard has had a bad 2 months and coincidentally was that period our streak ended and we were not creating much upfront through hazard but instead through willian and pedro, your camp instead blamed Matic and opposition formation for Hazard's dip in form (pathetic). I am not denying what he has done this season, i just want him to do it all season long, having a 2 months break is not acceptable. We want Hazard to reach that height just below Messi and Ronnie not to be dragging stats with average joes.

Ronaldo plays in an attacking team with creative midfielders like Kroos and Modric. Messi plays at Barca. Hazard plays in a team where 8 of his teammates came on the pitch with defence as their first priority. Can you not see why Hazard might struggle for goals, or do you accept the chances to drop from heaven in a team where both 1st choice midfielders are making less than 1 key pass per game?

This is probably the most irritating thing about your rant because you can clearly see that Hazard isn't scoring as many goals as you would like, which is why you complained about him. Then your greedy azz is comparing Hazard to the 2 best attackers in the world who play in the 2 most attacking teams in the world, and expecting him to come close to their output. Which kain yarns be that?

Matic is so hated around here, no one notices even when he intercepts or wins the ball back or has a good game. when Kante has a bad game or makes errors just as much as Matic, everybody is deliberately blind. Kante is so black, we see him everywhere and doing all the flashy things we want to see. He's one hell of a player though, he's played so good we have all forgotten the Matic of old. Even right now that he's not at his best, he has contributed 6 assists due to his presence in the opponents half (your camp will call some lucky) with his supposed limited creativity.
You guys are complaining that Kante is doing all the work, imagine how much more he will have to do with Fabregas in the team?? will he not tire out?

When did Matic have a good game. Not a Meh game, but an actual good game. And please stop mentioning the assists from corner flickons. That is exactly our attackers are not having the clearcut chances they need - when we have to wait for Matic to nod a near post corner into the box before we see chance to score

Yes Matic can improve but Starting Fabregas in that DM position? hell nah! Calling for a player in the moul dof Veratti? hell yah! but a bit taller so as not to reduce the overall height of the team.

Fabregas has started in that position in this same formation this season multiple times, and contributed to our wins with proper goals and assists, so the idea that Fab can't do that is a fail. It's like Ibime said the other day, when Hazard is off form, then we all start shouting for Fabregas to save the day. My position isn't really against Matic as a player, but in case you haven't done so already - go and look at the midfield stats for Matic and Kante, Kante is already doing all the defensive work anyway.

what a useless club

Chelseafan1:
Hazard's best season was when he won several awards and made Ballon d'or top 6,stop being an arsehole.

















2016/2017 league matches.
Eden Hazard, 9 MOTM awards, 10 goals, 4 assists
Neymar, 4 MOTM awards, 6 goals, 7 assists.















EDEN HAZARD better than Neymar hands down.

raumdeuter:
Neymar all comps 10 goals 17 assists
Hazard all comps 10 goals 4 assists

How is Hazard not a failure if this is the best in his best career season

Ask Dayo what 'all competitions' mean and how many other competitions Hazard has played in this season.

lordfalcao:
The 2 DM's are also one of the reasons we have the least number of goals this season. Fabregas playing in that mildfield are not guarantee we won't be penetrated easily.

There is a reason conte has been screaming on having the right balance between defense and attack, which is key to clinching the premier league title. We all have seen over the years that to bring the best out of fabregas he has to be shielded with good defensive players. You accuse Matic of lack of creativity but I don't see N'golo having the sort of creativity you require in a mildfield.

Our mildfield porosity did not start today, it started the season we even won the premier league, if you look carefully you will see it but we were busy trying to run away with the title that it wasn't easy to be noticed. If you can remember in 2014 season wen the title race was getting tougher Mourinho went quickly to bring Zouma to sit along and share the defensive duties with Matic and played fabregas further up because he isn't good defensively..

That mistake was overlooked last season, then some players coupled with matic suffered form despite fabregas yet playing in the mildfield, we conceded terribly by conceding close up to 50 goal.

The key in the premier league race over the years has been consistent balance in defense before talking about attack. That's why high attacking teams with negligence to defense like arsenal and Liverpool always suffer to. No matter how you try to strip Matic of his honour, he is giving us something(even if its little) in the balance between defense First before attack that I doubt Fabregas can ever give.

Those 2 DMs were there in the exact position when we got destroyed by Liverpool and Arsenal so I don't buy that excuse. The difference between pre-343 and post 3-4-3 is the extra centreback. I mean the correlation is pretty obvious - defence improves after the introduction of an extra defender.

Pointing out that Zouma played in midfield in 14/15 is redundant because the same Jose thar played Zouma actually dropped Matic from the team the next season. I used to have running arguments with raumdeuter over Matic and I probably defended him then more than you guys now.

Because that extra defender has shored up the defence, we can afford to have a creative type player to help our attack, because I'm sure you've noticed how blunt our attack can be once Hazard is off form, and Costa is having to beat up centrebacks to score.

When both Costa and Hazard are out if the game then we have no attack - forget Pedro. When Fab enters set, the story changes instantly.

Matic doesn't even defend properly sef so the thing he's supposed to be doing no even follow

lordfalcao:
The funny thing people always call matic head, when you ask them what has he done they can't really say.

I remember last season when matic was off form And Fabregas Was even in the mildfield we conceded terrible goals. Now conte has found the balance to stop conceding goals he has been yearning for since beginning of season and you people are screaming fabregas

Conte found the balance by playing an extra centreback. By playing 5 defenders and 2 defennsive midfielders, we are desperately lacking in creativity, which is when you see people like lalaboi complaining about Hazard being untouchable whilst Pedro and Willian have to compete for a position, all the while forgetting that Donkey Matic's lack of creativity is one of the key reason's why we're creating the least number of chances in the top 6 and relying heavily on set piece goals or individual brilliance from of front 3 to win games.

lalaboi doesn't remember that Hazard was an important member of the team that won 13 straight games when he's complaining about Hazard on a regular basis despite being our second highest goal scorer, but he's getting touchy when we highlight periods when Matic goes MIA...which is almost this entire season.

Let me sit down somewhere and drink kunu jare.

#deliberatelyblind

Griffon:
Dont blame Conte, blame the setup.

The 3-4-3 has enough attacking firepower that it doesnt really need a creative CM in its midfield. Basically, what you need is two monsters to win you back possession and make a quick transition to the five guys upfront (full-backs included).

Matic was averaging 3.5 tackles per game last two years, you can't possibly drop him for Cesc who has never featured on the top tacklers list ever. Matic's excellent track record is why he's starting games not really Conte's preference.

If Conte sees a ninja with a better track record, in this case, Veratti, Matic is heading straight to the bench.

Exactly. Matic is in the team based on what he is supposed to be doing. You may have a point with that tackling angle though. The only issue is Verrati is not a monster. As small as Kante is, he is still taller and heavier than Verrati. Verratti is very close to the ground. If you were in the same room with him, you might mistake him for a coffee table and rest your glass of ciroc on his head. I cannot see how Conte will play such a a guy over Matic. I really can't.

Ibime:
Tell that to the league table and the Goals conceded column.

Thanks to Pedro's defensive input of course

All hail Pedro!

Ibime:
Yes, he's helped Alonso to be our most creative wingback. Helped Alonso to the best defensive record in EPL. Helped Alonso to 20 wins in 25 games.

Our whole left-side should have collapsed completely by now if you believe the talk about Alonso, Matic and Cahill all being clueless. . . . compounded by the fact that Hazard is not expected to contribute defensively as much as Pedro on the other side.

Men and Women lie, numbers don't.

This part here is just goldplating a turd. I could equally argue that Costa and Pedro are equally responsible for our defensive record. I can equally argue that Courtois is equally responsible for for our 20 wins in 25 games.

Abegii...

There are two reasons for our defensive record

1. We play 5 defenders at the back
2. Kante

The same midfield 2 in Matic and Kante were playing together when we were overrun in midfield playing back 4. The same Cahill and Luiz were looking like mumus. The same Alonso came on to a terruble debut in a back 4.

We include an extra centreback and find defensive stability, and you want to give mumu Matic credit for that? Credit for what exactly?

Let's call a spade a spade abeg.

Ibime:
Fabregas does not come on as a DM in the 3-4-3.

Fabregas comes on as an AM in a 3-5-2 when he comes on late in games to exploit gaps with the opposition chasing the game after we have already won the game.

Don't equate what Fabregas does as a late substitute with what would be required of him as a starting 3-4-3 midfielder. Give credit to the niggas who won the game from 0-70 minutes, not the icing on the cake.

This would be true if Fabregas has not started games in the 3-4-3 formation and provided assists or scored

3-4-3 midfield has no place for Fab4. The midfield is a two pincer movement, left and right. LCM helps Alonso and RCM helps Moses. This is not a case of one sitting and one forward. The two man midfield movement is lateral, not vertical. The attacking is through the wingers and wing-backs. If Fabregas knows he can help Alonso out, he should step forward, not talking about "I'm creative while Kante is sitting". Kante is not sitting for anybody. Kante has job to do with Moses on the right-side.

All this one is theory. In real life Matic is as static and anonymous as the centre circle so if we try to justify inclusion based on movement, Matic still doesn't justify his inclusion in the team. If we try to justify inclusion based on LCM helping the LWB, then that one is a major fail as every man and his dog knows where Chelsea's weak spot is.

Like I said, Matic is in the team based on what he is supposed to do, not what he actually does.

Ibime:
Fabregas and Silva are dirty in the way Paul Scholes was dirty . . . . just because they can't physically make up the ground to keep up with play and are always out of position, so they swipe you from behind.

Veratti is dirty in the way Nigel De Jong was dirty. . . . he is not out of position or struggling to keep up with play, he's just a wicked mothaphucka.

Depends on where ground is though. 433 is a different ball game to 4231 or 343. That spare man can make the extra difference.

Griffon:
Veratti is in possession of that which Matic is supposed to bring to the pitch. The Serbian can't bench him anywhere on earth.

I bet Matic can't believe he works at a club where he benches Fabregas either..

Griffon:
For my central midfield duties, I'll have Veratti. For my 3-4-3, I'll have Veratti.

There are few CMs out there who can win you back possession in few minutes and get to retain it. Veratti tops that list for me. He's no Cesc's clone, he is much effective.

Last nite, he was heavily involved in the hatchet job that was carried out in that midfield, recording a 90% pass accuracy in the process.

Did you know, Marco Verratti has never lost a UCL home game as a PSG player? No be today I begin dey eye that dude walahi.

What you will have is in all honesty irrelevant. The Koko is what Conte will have. I would have Fabregas in our current 3-4-3, but regardless of his almost guaranteed assists or goal in all the games he's played so far this season, Conte still feels that a misfiring bean pole is the way to go.

This suggests to me that Conte does not want, need, or really reckon with creative type midfielders in his current 343 setup.

Ibime:
Nobody has the vision of Fabregas since Pirlo, Alonso and Xavi left earth. That is not the contention here.

Verrati is well defensively solid. That is the koko.

You saw Rabiot and Matuidi alongside him yesterday does not mean he is not a DM himself. It is usually him and Motta sitting, with Matuidi given licence to roam. Hazard knows what Verratti did to him couple of seasons ago in the right sided DM position.

Verrati is a dirty player, but so are Fabregas and David Silva. If you play Fabregas with Motta/Rabiot/Verratti the result would be the same. The real koko here is that the real destroyers in that team know themselves. Veratti's main job is to be a playmaker...and that's a role that Conte does not seem to recognise

nateevs:
Frstly, I am not sure I am not sure the "middle ground" man has to be a perfect hybrid. He just has to have enough attributes of both players to be formidable. The idea is not to have a player that will do something Fab cannot do. If there was such a player, then we are back to square one in terms of defensive porosity and we will certainly have to change the formation.

If we will stick to a 3-4-3, then we can with Kante and Verratti, despite both being short. We just have to make sure the Alonso and Moses' upgrade don't arrive as midgets as well. For toughness and aggressiveness that Verratti has in his play, I consider him the perfect "middle ground" man.

And I didn't reach this conclusion yesterday. I already said this about 2 months ago and Ibime replied saying we probably don't have the pulling power to get a Verratti anymore.

My point is that Conte will still play Matic over Veratti. And I'm basing this on the evidence before me. Matic isn't in the team based on what he brings to the team (which as we have seen in recent matches is the square root of fuckall), Matic is in the team because of what he is supposed to bring to the team which is an important enough distinction. Matic starting over Fabregas is not justified by match performances, so it stands to reason that Conte does not believe there's a place for a non-physical playmaker in his current system regardless of form. That's why I'm pretty sure that Matic will start over Veratti no matter what.

elrony:
Yesterday was fun at the up Barka thread

Mehn you were the MVP. Salut.