Now its Carvalho's turn to have a bust-up with Big Phil

zocoss SG

DISAGREEMENT ... Ricardo Carvalho and Phil Scolari have had words

Carvalho disagreed with the decision to switch to zonal marking at set-pieces.

Carvalho disagreed with the decision to switch to zonal marking at set-pieces. Boss Scolari then dropped the defender for Wednesday’s FA Cup win at Southend.

The row follows incidents with Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in the last two weeks. Carvalho is believed to have spoken to Scolari in the days before the tie and said he thought a change to a zonal system was wrong. But Scolari insisted on the switch after seeing his side concede too many goals at set-pieces.

This incident also comes on the back of John Terry and Frank Lampard questioning the intensity of Scolari’s training regime.

Carvalho was one of Scolari’s most trusted stars for the Portugal national side for more than four years.

Chelsea have played a man-for-man system for the majority of the last five years and other players share the Portuguese stopper’s concerns.

sg_forum SG

Chelsea is starting to fall apart...Liverpool has been using zonal marking since Rafa came...I think it's quite effective. But the problem is Liverpool does that not only at set-pieces but throghout the whole game hence their playing style is quite boring now...Rafa is a defensive minded manager...and think Liverpool will not gonna win the league with him in charge...

iceFatboy SG

effective? I don't think it was when it was used defending corners or set pieces.

Yes, you are right, Liverpool is quite boring cause they don't have width and strikers so depending fully on Gerrard to win games. Where is Torres, Keane?

I understand they were kept during stoke cause they are too fragile. Hopefully, will see them soon...or Rafa doing the same old thing of perserving only for UCL..

AEW5001 SG

scolari has no future..

sg_forum SG

effective? I don't think it was when it was used defending corners or set pieces.

Yes, you are right, Liverpool is quite boring cause they don't have width and strikers so depending fully on Gerrard to win games. Where is Torres, Keane?

I understand they were kept during stoke cause they are too fragile. Hopefully, will see them soon...or Rafa doing the same old thing of perserving only for UCL..

It's been quite effective for Liverpool so far though, I mean the zonal marking.

Yes, Torres was kept as subsitute and Keane did not play against Stoke. Rafa put Kuyt as lone striker and Gerrard just behind him. That is ridiculous IMO. I think Gerrard need to be back at CM especially when Alonso is not available. Why keep £40m + striker on the bench?? Gotta use 4-4-2 formation with Torres and Keane in front, they need more playing time together!

Fair enough Torres has just recovered from injury but he has been declared fit 1 week before the match, and Keane is 100% fit.

zocoss SG

The thing here I guess is, while Pool does the zonal marking rather well, but they have been used to it for yrs already, They are especially good against bigger sides But Chelsea players have been used to the man to man marking for yrs so to change all of a sudden, I think they are finding it hard to adapt.

Another thing with the zonal marking is, the players must be very fit to keep running and changing marking targets all the time. While man to man you probably stay near your man most of the time. I see the current Chelsea team are not as fit as the Pool players... If we notice how Pool play, they chase and chase and cover a lot of ground... Some feel Kuyt is not a good player but he is a very hardworking one who covers lots of ground... Who in the Chelsea squad do we see a player in this mold? I feel not even one... And it doesn't help having 3 centre midfielders all past 30... How to run?