Johnson vs. Kelly

[vlahka]

Yes, and your thoughts are not facts, they are your opinion (which I think is biased).

But let’s just leave this conversation for now, I’m struggling to reply without sounding smart or sarcastic and I’m sure it’s making quite tedious reading for other members.

You're not struggling at all, its plain what you think of my biased thoughts. But you're entitled to that

[vlahka]

dirk kuyt's passing better than charlie adam?!?

now i have officially heard it all. i'm not even really on earth anymore, am i?

edit: also having a good lol trying to imagine dirky dribbling the ball through a crowded midfield. it's just crackers.

I dont see why not. Did you see how often they crowded around him on the right and he somehow managed to slip the ball away from them? When he's surrounded by players he's very composed. Adam tends to lose it when harassed.

He's not a right winger! Theres a reason no one plays him there.

And Dirk in central midfield?!

Why is it we're always praising his attacking? You think he'd be a bad right winger considering the amount of times he's running forward and cutting in? He's basically doing a wingers job as is.

[BringbackBiscan]

Chelsea wide attack was always going to come down that side due to who was playing. We had a shakey few minutes when Chelsea went up a few gears, we came through and Johnson scored an absolute cracker.

There's really no reason to be so critical of him today.

[Chris]

Why is it we're always praising his attacking? You think he'd be a bad right winger considering the amount of times he's running forward and cutting in? He's basically doing a wingers job as is.

I praise his defending plenty of times, think its massively overplayed, he's a bit slack or lazy on the odd occasion but then most full backs seem to be.

And for me when going forward he's best at bombing from deep, something you cant do as a right winger. Dont think he's subtle enough to play as a winger and you take away his best attribute.

[vlahka]

I praise his defending plenty of times, think its massively overplayed, he's a bit slack or lazy on the odd occasion but then most full backs seem to be.

And for me when going forward he's best at bombing from deep, something you cant do as a right winger. Dont think he's subtle enough to play as a winger and you take away his best attribute.

For some teams I think it would be ok. But for the better teams I'd have to agree with you.

[RedReet]

I praise his defending plenty of times, think its massively overplayed, he's a bit slack or lazy on the odd occasion but then most full backs seem to be.

And for me when going forward he's best at bombing from deep, something you cant do as a right winger. Dont think he's subtle enough to play as a winger and you take away his best attribute.

You would also lose a goal threat from midfield in place of Kelly which doesn't make sense for a team struggling at times for goals. If Johnson 'plays like a winger', gives us a goal threat from FB and we have a decent defensive record, why would we move him?

[vlahka]

You would also lose a goal threat from midfield in place of Kelly which doesn't make sense for a team struggling at times for goals. If Johnson 'plays like a winger', gives us a goal threat from FB and we have a decent defensive record, why would we move him?

To be fair we havent seen enough of Kelly to say he wouldnt be a good attacking threat. He's run forward with the ball quite a few times and is pretty good with his crossing into the box. I recall him even charging in a few times towards the box from the right. I really believe he's going to be a killer player. But thats not going to happen if he spends all his time as a substitute.

[RedReet]

TBF, Kelly has got two in his last two Internationals so it maybe is a bit unfair on him. I’d still expect more goals and assists from a Johnson/winger combination than Kelly/Johnson.

[vlahka]

With luck we'll see him in the next match since Kenny plans to rest a bunch.

[Corndog]

Johnson is still the better option at right back imo, due to injuries he has not been as consistent as kelly recently but i think Glen is still a better player.

Kelly is still young though, i wouldnt mind seeing kelly shifted to centre back after carra retires, he looks comfortable there for england u21s

[Nicey]

CB is his natural position, great to have him at the club, top top player hopefully we will find a place for him or he can fight it out for a start

[RichC]

Johnson was great yesterday - gave a dodgy freekick away in the first half Malouda was looking for and got done on the outside by Mata (they'll be plenty who he laces this season) even the goal he was stuck between a rock and a hard place as the midfield were nowhere to be seen and he had 2 men.

At present Johnson deserves the place in the side but he knows he'll have to keep producing to keep Kelly out, good problem to have

[dww]

Johnson was great yesterday - gave a dodgy freekick away in the first half Malouda was looking for and got done on the outside by Mata (they'll be plenty who he laces this season) even the goal he was stuck between a rock and a hard place as the midfield were nowhere to be seen and he had 2 men.

At present Johnson deserves the place in the side but he knows he'll have to keep producing to keep Kelly out, good problem to have

[BigChief]

Through the second half I was thinking that Kelly would have done a few better things than Johnson defensively. I threw my hands in the air when Mata played the slowest shoulder drop in history to go past him. Then for no reason, his past goals with his left foot popped into my head which reminded me why he had the X-factor.

And, on cue, he surpassed all his left footed goals with that piece of gold. We have our own Dani Alves / Bosingwa which is what we will need against hard to break teams going forwards if only he can remain injury free.

With GJ, Enrique and Agger we have a very dangerous forward looking defensive unit. Hopefully will take some pressure off Adam and Suarez to create something up front.

[Neil Young]

Kuyt was not much help today.

I didn't see it like that at all. I don't remember Cole getting forward that much or being that effective when he did and I suspect Kuyt has a lot to do with that. It's noticeable for instance that the run that drew Johnson away from challenging Malouda for their goal was by Terry, not Cole.