Sheva

what's the verdict so far ?

Hasn't shown his best form yet.

Been excellent in patches, but nothing consistent.

Early days, he's clearly trying to adapt.

It took Makelele about a year to adapt to the Prem. Essien and Drogba too.

I still expect him to score 20 goals this season.

S4P wrote:Hasn't shown his best form yet.

Been excellent in patches, but nothing consistent.

Early days, he's clearly trying to adapt.

It took Makelele about a year to adapt to the Prem. Essien and Drogba too.

I still expect him to score 20 goals this season.

Saw the match today. I've always had great respect for Shevchenko. You can just see that he's a class act and an exceptional player. Nothing's changed with him going to Chelsea.

It will definitely be more difficult for him to score many goals in the EPL. The game is just so much less offensive-minded, especially at Chelsea. But maybe it's time that people don't judge strikers solely by their numbers. I think there are many ways he'll be able to contribute.

Yeah Sheva has been one of the best players in Europe thus far. I just hope a more exciting team can unseat Chelsea because they play defensive boring football much like Arsenal. Anyone agree?


Maybe West Ham with Tevez and Mascherano?

You think Arsenal play boring defensive football like Chelsea?

borocooper wrote:You think Arsenal play boring defensive football like Chelsea?

Well they played boring football in the Champions right? I think fast paced football like Man United is more exciting.

Has anyone seen the Eredivisie they play really fast paced and its always exciting to watch god know why. And don't get me wrong the EPL is great... I was watching Reading-Man City the other day and man was it exciting.

ahhh, yeah they did play defensively in the CL last year.

They are renowned for being one of the most fluid attacking teams in the premiership in the last few years though...

Arsenal play fluent attacking football!

Tweedledum wrote:Arsenal play fluent attacking football!

Counterattacking is a defensive tactic...

saintgoingmarching wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:Arsenal play fluent attacking football!

Counterattacking is a defensive tactic...

......that helps you win games.

saintgoingmarching wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:Arsenal play fluent attacking football!

Counterattacking is a defensive tactic...

counterattacking is attacking... the clue is the fact that it includes the word 'attacking'.

Roger_Hunt wrote:

saintgoingmarching wrote:

Tweedledum wrote:Arsenal play fluent attacking football!

Counterattacking is a defensive tactic...

counterattacking is attacking... the clue is the fact that it includes the word 'attacking'.

Ergo anticapitalism is capitalism - the clue is in the fact that it includes the word 'capitalism'.

Cretinous, even for you.

... counter does not mean anti, now does it?

A counterattack is an attack launched in opposition to another attack.

Nice try at sounding like you know what you're talking about though.

Roger_Hunt wrote: ... counter does not mean anti, now does it?

Not exactly, no. Tell me, is counterculture just another culture? Or is it in some way opposed to other cultures?

A counterattack is an attack launched in opposition to another attack.

From a defensive position...

Nice try at sounding like you know what you're talking about though.

Boring. Unconvincing. You are clueless.

Counterattacking lies in letting the opposition have the ball and inviting them to attack you, thus opening space for you to attack them.

The opposite of this is not 'attacking football' but possession football, where you retain the ball, thus denying the opposition the chance to attack (i.e. a defensive tactic), whilst hoping to create an opportunity for you to score.

Counterattacking and possession can both be defensive or offensive strategies, although counterattacking does tend to be more defensive.

But you are attempting to create a chain of argument that counterattacking= defensive= boring which is clearly wrong. Can be defensive and boring but isn't necessarily so.

Roger_Hunt wrote:Counterattacking lies in letting the opposition have the ball and inviting them to attack you, thus opening space for you to attack them.

i.e. sitting back and defending as a means to creating space as a means to creating chances.

The opposite of this is not 'attacking football' but possession football, where you retain the ball, thus denying the opposition the chance to attack (i.e. a defensive tactic), whilst hoping to create an opportunity for you to score.

Hardly. The opposite of counterattacking is pressing the ball high up the pitch to try to win it there, usually combined with a patient build-up reliant primarily on getting it wide and crossing it into strikers.

What the fuck is 'possession football'? Did you learn about the game by reading tabloids? It's nonsense. There is no such thing as possession football...

Counterattacking and possession can both be defensive or offensive strategies, although counterattacking does tend to be more defensive.

One doesn't exist, and what you've described is not the opposite of counterattacking.

But you are attempting to create a chain of argument that counterattacking= defensive= boring which is clearly wrong. Can be defensive and boring but isn't necessarily so.

Not at all. I'm saying that counterattacking is primarily defensive because it involves getting most of your players behind the ball, inside your own half. In truth, the most exciting games are the ones that devolve into both teams playing like this - as in the 4-2 at Highbury between Arsenal and Man U not so long ago. I said that you/r argument was boring.

Well you must be bored 'cos you keep banging on...

Possession football? What would you call it when a team protects a 1-0 lead by knocking the ball around without really pressing to create chances?

Counterattacking is not 'primarily' defensive - it has defence as an element but it also relies on the way in which you get the ball quickly to attacking players and get them quickly into scoring positions.

And you are, once again, on a boring anti-Arsenal rant, you're just trying to disguise it by labelling Arsenal a counterattacking team.

Roger_Hunt wrote:Well you must be bored 'cos you keep banging on...

Wow. Did you learn that in a-level psychology?

Possession football? What would you call it when a team protects a 1-0 lead by knocking the ball around without really pressing to create chances?

Protecting a lead. 'Possession football' is like 'qualia' - a pseudoconcept used by people to try to sound informed.

Counterattacking is not 'primarily' defensive - it has defence as an element but it also relies on the way in which you get the ball quickly to attacking players and get them quickly into scoring positions.

It's an issue of where one wins the ball. Counterattacking almost always means winning the ball deep. Arsenal, however, have adapted their style somewhat to try to win the ball higher up the pitch but retain the same free-running breaks that have characterised their play for the last 10 years.

And you are, once again, on a boring anti-Arsenal rant, you're just trying to disguise it by labelling Arsenal a counterattacking team.

On the contrary, I'm labelling them a defensive team. I don't find them interesting to watch but plenty of others do.

You are the one who keeps mentionning Arsenal, not me. That you'd call this an anti-Arsenal rant just shows how slow and ineffective your mind is. I'm out.

saintgoingmarching wrote:

Roger_Hunt wrote:
labelling Arsenal a counterattacking team.

On the contrary, I'm labelling them a defensive team.

So there's a difference between being counterattacking and being defensive now? Only a few posts ago you were saying that counterattacking is a defensive tactic....

@Otto,

He's still adapting. Same with Herr Ballack. Infact it looks like the whole team is adapting to playing with no wingers. A mistake in my opinion. Chelsea are not playing anywhere near what they can do

Arsenal no longer play as much counter-attacking football as we used to though.

Still the most attractive team to watch in the league so I wonder what that says for al the other teams in the league

Well let me explain... Yeah counter attack is a defensive scheme. If you hear someone say Italy is exciting attacking football you are nuts, or had a troubled childhood.

I really don't know how Arsenal is playing right now, but its seems like its the same as last year. Just winning by the minimum agains United, although they did have some nice plays I'll give them that. I think Chelsea has a great flowing counter...With Sheva and Joe Cole(when he gets healthy)