Premier League - Written by BlueChampion on Thursday, August 16, 2007 23:08 | 1,335 Views | 18 Comments | Add Comment
Chelsea vs Man Utd - Analysis For The Season - Part 2
In part 2 of this series, Blue Winner talks about how the Chelsea midfielders match up with the Man Utd midfielders. He seems to think they cancel out each other, which I completely don’t agree (ours is superior) but that has nothing to do here, as the article is his!
Manchester United
Carrick, Scholes, Hargreaves and Fletcher will play the role of the midfielders for ManU this year. While Ronaldo and the other wing will come back for the ball on occasion, it will be these four who will be counted on to control the centre of the pitch. Hargreaves remains the golden boy who seems long on pedigree and hype and short on talent and payoff. Count me among the doubters that he will have a great impact this year. He is quick and at times crafty but he has a disturbing habit of making you forget he is even playing.
Carrick is the emerging star of this group. After traversing the league he has settled in at Manchester and is a solid, efficient player who demonstrates a great ability to read the game ahead of time. His ability to score from range will call to mind Frank Lampard without quite the same polish. Carrick playing consistently could be exactly what ManU needs to repeat. Carrick playing with the inconsistency and lack of polish he sometimes shows would be crippling. Manchester is counting on Hargreaves to take his place, or at least augment it, and make a great improvement. I just don’t see it. This is one of the weaker positions on the field unless Carrick plays to potential.
Paul Scholes continues to play effective football at the age of 32. Scholes was unquestionably good in the 06/07 campaign and showed no signs of a drop in form. His name rarely comes up in arguments over the great midfielders of England and that is a travesty. He will be instrumental in ensuring a good distribution of touches between Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo. If Carrick is the emerging star of this midfield, Scholes is the star already well established.
Chelsea
The success of this Chelsea season could well ride on the shoulders of Michael Essien, Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel. Michael Ballack has fallen so far from favour that it is almost difficult to picture him. Should Ballack return to the form he is capable of this will be a devastating midfield. Lassana Diarra will linger should anything go awry.
The problem that looms large at this point is the play of Mikel. So promising at the end of last season, he has been dreadful so far this year. Every touch seems heavy and every pass has seemed hesitant or misguided. Even this could be excused if there was evidence of every effort being made. Far too often Mikel seems to loaf through the centre with the air of a player already well established. Mourinho took some time to clear things after the Brondby game but Mikel was nonchalant and unfocused again at times against Manchester. This must be fixed or Claude Makalele will return to play the holding midfield, a not altogether unpleasant thought.
Essien and Lampard will be counted on to drive the Blue train forward. Lamps has been unimpressive thus far but his playing record suggests he will be his stable and productive self. He will again torment some Chelsea supporters with his proclivity for long range attempts and he will make many other supporters quite happy with his selfless work on both ends. With Lampard, you know what you will get. Sidwell will be on hand should the English international desire some time to rest.
Essien was supposed to have his breakout last year. A cracker of a goal against Arsenal hearkened to greatness but a combination of injury and necessity move Michael to the back where he attempted to fill. This year, Essien should be free to roam and create. It will be a joy to behold. The Community Shield seemed to suggest some temerity in going forward but that can be chalked up to not wasting energy in a meaningless game.
Edge: None. If Mikel cannot get his head in the game, he is lost to Chelsea. Scholes seems to still be at the height of his powers while Ballack seems lost. If Lampard plays to ability and Essien is free to run, Chelsea has the better midfield. If Carrick plays perfectly and frees Scholes to move forward in support and Lampard and Essien do not mesh, the edge goes to Man United.
Coming up: Chelsea vs Man Utd - Analysis For The Season - Part 3: Defenders, Keepers & Conclusion.
18 Comments
1. Mikey
2. Blue Devil
BW,
I remember the last 2 matches we played against Manu last season clearly showed that we are way ahead in all the areas.
This season they have Hargreaves, Nani and Anderson more which only adds more powder to their guns. But with the kind of attacking play especially the Mid fielders will find it difficult to set in within a short span of time while the oldies are always good.
3. SH.IBRAHIMI
Ballack is better than Scholes&Carrick together … Wait n see 4 the new Ballack this season every1 who doubts about him will eat their words
4. Maysam
Manchester is unlucky this season 
. poor tiny alex.
5. Radical Evan
So… if the ManU player perform and the Chelsea ones don’t, ManU has the edge. And if Chelsea player perform and Man U doesn’t, Chelsea has an edge?
Didn’t really go out on a ledge there, did you?
6. MourofEssien
I agree that Ballack will have an explosive season.
7. bluewinner
Radical Evan @ 5.
You called me on that one. I merely mean that this position is so close that it will hang in the balance. Scholes is a great player that I believe gets a short shrift at times. I still see this one as even at the start of the year. Hopefully this will look foolish by the holiday break.
8. Giridhar
I think Mikel will improve as the season progresses. He has quality and Jose should bring that out. I am not sure if Fletcher will be playing much once Hargreves comes in. Carrick may be allowed to push forward like Essien is. But ManU’s Strength would be Scholes in their midfield. He is great. I hope Ballack plays well. it is time that he does.
9. Blue Devil
Mikel is already improved a lot and he deserves a first team place. But his composure still a yellow card away. By the end of the season i expect him to be a player of Lampard’s caliber!!
10. Blue Devil
I need Ballack and Sheva back in the team to show that they are full potential.
Both of them in top form means Chelsea is way way ahead of other teams
Come on Sheva
Come on Ballack
11. zubinj9
i think some of the guyz here are not intrested in seeing ballack in chelsea shirt…….
BALLACK get well soon and hit back to ur golden days as u had it in bayern,,,,
on wat basis MANU players is compared to ballack…BALLACK is far better than them all
12. RomanHoliday
Hope we got around 70 games this season to keep the whole bunch of guys happy
13. Adonis
Well, Blue Winner, I mostly agreed with you last time around, and it sparked great debate, but this time I think you’re way off. Let’s start with us. We have Essien, the best non-winger of the English midfielders. He maybe bettered in some aspect by some players, but overall, he’s best. So he’s a better player than Scholes, although Paul is truly tremendous, I respect him very much. Then we have Makalele whose quality is unquestionable, and although he can’t play 50 games a season anymore, can still hold the fort like few others. I rate him as highly as Hargreaves. Fletcher? Mikel is better. Carrick? Lampard is better. And soon Ballack’s coming back, and if I remember correctly, just before he got injured last season he had a couple of amazing performances, everyone was saying he was man of the match, etc. So if he continues on that path, which many believe he will, he’ll be a better midfielder than the lot I mentioned. My point is, we’re much better in the center of the pitch.
14. Adonis
And we’ve forgotten about Anderson, I doubt you mentioned him last time with the strikers/wingers… He can’t be better than Ballack, so that’s that. We’re better.
15. footballguy
now i can really see tht u guys on this site hav only been supporting chelsea 4 2/3 years and thus watchin football/premiership 4 about the same time.
U HAV NO CLUE BOUT FOOTBALL.
1. 1 of u said ballack s better than all man utd midfields players
2. blue winner. u said u dont rate hargreaves, he is mainly hype.
WHAT? yeh u ust mean the player tht has played at every level posibble. won leauge 4/5 titles, every rophy with bayern. also the champions leauge,
which cn i remind u ur “GREAT”? players , lampad, terry, essien , malouda, swp, j.cole, mikel, ballack havent won. and u dnt rate hargreaves. u really dont no football. typical .
what wild statements r u gonna mak next.swp is da best winger in the world. kalou is world class/ haha please. i urge u newcomers 2 watch the game objectively, only thn will real supporters listen 2 u.
16. omer
chelsea is de best and man u are poor stuff man chelsea rocks all i can say chelsea 4 life
17. Footyfan
I agree with football guy! The fella obviously watches football properly and doesnt just Big his own team up! Kalou and Mikel look good, but hey, give it time see if they can keep up with the best in the world… and Shaun R Phillips is looking great, should be in the England 1st 11, on current form anyways.
Im a United fan, and I aint turning round and saying “Anderson is the best attaking player in the world” cos I aint seen the lad play yet. Not on the biggest stages… Same with Nani, looks good, but hey, theres time. Your best signing for ages is Malouda, quality, you can tell, but Ballack, over rated, Sheva, maybe a spent force, maybe not right for the prem and chelsea. And the likes of Joe Cole and Lampard, well, if there really that world class, England would compete on the World stage wouldnt they. Dont worry, I aint been a tosser, say the sam bout Rio and Rooney. And whoever said Hargreeves aint that good, get a grip mate! One of the few players in the england set up that justifies a place!!! And been fine for united. Walked into the team, and fits in really well, work rate second to none! Might not be the most technically gifted on the pitch, (though still up there) but his work rate and determination give him that edge, like keano had! Hope the new boys can hack it though. Come on United!
18. madfan
after hargreaves’ first few performances, and after been name Man. Utd player of the month, i can safely say he has made Bluewinner swallow his words
I enjoy your analysis BW, but I can’t help but agree with BC on this one. Carrick is important but he’s one dimensional and, I feel, would be easily shutdown or cutout of the game by Mourinho’s tactics and Essien/Mikel’s strength. Scholes is obviously a fantastic player and I rate him as one of the best midfielders in the Prem. He’s the most important to ManYoo, as without him they don’t have the edge or the experience they need. But he’s getting old, and is prone to cards as he frequently dives into tackles with absurd recklessness.
As you’ve said, it could go either way on match-day. However, we have the edge 9 times out of 10. Scholes/Carrick don’t have the ability to completely dominate the middle of the park, but Lamps, Mikel, and Essien do. Who knows what Ballack will look like when he returns?
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