1 juni 2007

The Personal Coach

Tidigare publicerad på Chelsea Vital.

Lindy looks back at how each player performed and offers a few constructive criticisms.

If I ever was to reach the imperial position to give advice to Chelsea players, this is what I would like to tell them to improve till next season.

This is what I personally would like to tell my heroes to work on during pre-season this year. If Jose Mourinho would allow me to!

PETR CECH How presumptuous is it not to suggest that the world`s best goalkeeper should work on something. I do hope you get rid of that helmet, or get one with a more appealing design at least. The thing you need to improve, how stupid that sounds to tell a guy that could have died playing football, is the ability to come down fast. You are a big guy and as such you will always have a harder time getting down on quick low shots. That is also a good thing for penalties, the only part of your game I think you could improve.

CARLO CUDICINI I can`t believe a goalkeeper of your skill and talent wants to stay. I guess that says a lot about Chelsea and you. Thank you. Your problem is the aerial game, you need to leave the line at the right time - sometimes you tend to wait a bit to long before doing so as you know your superior skills are as a shot-stopper in and around the six yard box.

JOHN TERRY You had a horrible season but after rain follows sun. You are the most courageous defender in football, but sometimes you might think first before acting. Diving head first is not always the smartest thing, I know. And you need to improve your speed over the first 3-5 steps. Your reading of the game is impeccable, but sometimes you need to get in place a bit faster. Especially after putting the ball forward, when it comes back fast you can still be too far up. I would like to see you take up a more sweeping position behind Carvalho.

RICARDO CARVALHO You improved so much last season. And I think you improved in the areas that JT used to be absolutely best, namely your positioning and reading the game. This gave you confidence to come forward more. But sometimes you push up too much when the game turns, and I also feel that you have some positioning points to improve upon at hostile corners.

WAYNE BRIDGE As with all full backs I love to see you go forward more, as you have the best early pass into the box at Chelsea, something you should use more. It catches the defence with the pants down every time. Still need to watch your feet a bit more, as defensively you can get tangled up sometimes.

ASHLEY COLE You, as most newcomers have not shown this year what you are able to do, especially offensively. Your defensive game has been better than your forward game in which I hope you would use your speed more - even if you have speedy players in front of you. You really should challenge more and go down towards the short line to play the ball back, which you do well. Think the rotation between you and Bridge has worked out quite well this year, clearly an example of excellent rotation.

PAULO FERREIRA Finished the season on a good note. Had problems early season, lost the ball easily and missed too many passes. Confident and forward minded later and did an excellent job on Ronaldo in the FA Cup. But you need consistency and probably confidence. You need to come closer on your attacker. You can do it, just do it more often.

LASANNA DIARRA As full back you need to be much more careful with the ball and learn when to go forward. As a midfielder learn to read the forward game better and when to release the ball. But don`t limit yourself to one position, keep on playing more - that will develop your already good skills.

GEREMI You`re the most loyal squad member and have the best passes just in front the goal and a whopper of a shot. The problem is that your mind is a midfielders, you leave the defense without thinking about how to get back quick enough.

KHALID BOULAHROUZ Sorry you started out so good when you totally eradicated Ronaldinho at the Bridge I thought the world of you. But in the Premiership you have been too slow both in body and mind. You take stupid decisions and I am not sure the Premiership suits you at all. You are not a bad footballer, just that Germany, Holland and actually maybe Italy would suit you better. Or even a team like Blackburn.

FRANK LAMPARD You need to rest more. Playing almost 80 games a season might show the world that you are superman - but it dulls your best skills. You play more than you should and it takes its toll, not psychically but mentally. You have lacked your normal edge this year. You have scored more than 20 goals again but you could have done more. With age comes quality, especially about when to show it. Like at the Nou Camp.

MICHAEL ESSIEN The player that can play anywhere and suffering for it without whining like Gallas. You still shoot a bit high, but have scored some great goals this year. Hope that we can use you as the central midfielder more this coming season. Some shooting training and some better long passing and you will be the next African player of the year. You could actually be a bit more egotistical especially out on the field.

CLAUDE MAKELELE You invented the position of holding midfielder. But your passing game has suffered this year, a few too many wrong passes compared to before. You are also a bit slower, which you can compensate by staying in position more. Play more like a defender, reading the game even better, even more of a holding player. I hope you stay. You will contribute to winning the Champions League with us but never with Villlarreal

JOHN OBI MIKEL A bit of an enigma as you can play in every position like Essien. To be honest I`m not really sure of what you should concentrate on. Your ability to read the game has come on leaps and bounds this year. Your shot is still as weak as your confidence to break into the box, you have tendency to turn sideways when you get close. And you have to clear up your physical game as you get too many cards. (Though the red ones were not your fault).

MICHAEL BALLACK You work harder than anyone, but still people don`t see it. Maybe you should toughen yourself up and show your top qualities more. Not take a back seat and being loyal all the time. And one thing you actually have to teach JM and Chelsea, how to utilise that you are one of the best headers of the ball in the world. We could use our wingers and your head in the box way more than has been done. You are superior there and we have not used it. You also have a very good shoot you have not showed us much of. I expect a lot from you the coming season. I know you`ve got it.

JOE COLE Your season was shot to hell. So there is not really anything to tell. You showed some of your best when you finally came back, but not as often as you can. We need your irrationality and good shot from the box line. Not least so that the defenders can stop concentrating only on covering Lamps`s shot.

ARJEN ROBBEN The same applies to you as Joe Cole, except for the shot, because you don`t really have that. Instead you shoot a bit too much considering how weak your shot is, so practising your shot is what it is all about - and to use your right foot a bit more than for support. You were sensational when you came, be that again.

SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS You came along this year but you still don`t show what you did at Manchester City. The confidence is not there, you often take the wrong decision when to pass or shoot. You should pass more and draw the defensive line towards the corner. You can take almost any back in the premiership 9 times out of 10. Now you have a tendency to go too early into the box and corner Ballack and Lamps.

DIDIER DROGBA What is there to say? You became the world`s best forward this year. The 4-4-2 play suited you like a glove. You liked the responsibility of it and when Sheva took some attention of you, you just ate up all the defences. Still you talk a bit too much with the refs. I understand you as you take a beating like no one, but that is England, a too tough defence is always allowed. English defenses are allowed to run ramrod over strong forwards, especially ones that started out going down a bit too much. Justified or not - that is how it is.

ANDRIY SHEVCHENKO Tough season in the press. But those that know football saw what a contribution you made to Chelsea and Drogba. Without you taking so much attention away from him he would only have scored 25 goals! Yes, your own goal scoring suffered. You had trouble with the much faster paced English game. In Italy everyone served you, today you have to play a totally different game. And I think you do it well. Look at the cracker against Spuds. But you absolutely need to improve your speed the first 5-10 meters. The Premiership is not as lethargic as Serie A. Train with JT on this. I`m not worried about the rest. Loved your work ethic and admired the way you fought to get it right. It will come this season. I actually admired you more for what you did this year than some of the seasons that have come easier to you at Milan. (Your curse is the price tag, until people can see past it you`ll be given a hard time by idiots and press, same thing).

SALOMON KALOU A Tough start but you hung in there and finished the season well. You started to find your runs and where you best could support Drogba and still be alert enough to pick up the returns. Something you should use even more, go straighter towards goal in your play without ball if Drogba or Sheva is not already there. The first post that should always be your aim and tactical play is still your weak spot, but just learn and listen to Jose Mourinho.

Sidwell, and other newcomers have to strut and show their stuff first. We also have some really interesting youngsters in Sinclair, Sahar, Woods. Maybe returnees like Mancienne, Smith and Johnson.

Next season will be interesting and probably a very tough fight between us and a Man U with Hargreaves and Berbatov. This year at least most of the teams will be able to prepare better for the season as there is no world cup and few teams have players in Copa America.

Lindy

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