Branislav Ivanovic thinks this Chelsea team is only going to get better the more they play together – a scary thought for the Premier League’s 19 other clubs given the Blues’ undefeated start to the season. The Serbian defender, along with Manchester Citys Pablo Zabaleta the best right-back in the top flight, has hailed Jose Mourinho’s summer signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas for the speed with which they have adapted to their new surroundings. Costa already has nine Premier League goals, while Fabregas has seven assists – the pair were superb in the win against rivals Arsenal on Sunday, combining to score the decisive second goal. But Ivanovic says there is more to come from the Blues this season. “We have the quality here and the way we are working every day on passing is improving the movement,” he told the official Chelsea magazine. Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa have adapted quickly at Stamford Bridge “It is really amazing how quickly the new players have adapted. You could see straight from the first day how they work, how well they do their jobs, and that it is normal for them to play this way. That is why they are here and we are all very happy about that. “As this group stays together for a long time, we will get better and better – we know each other’s games, we know the movement of each other and this gives us the opportunity to play more easily in games. “Sometimes we work on special things in preparation for a game, and this is one thing, but it is another to understand your team-mates, to know how they work and what they like on the pitch. “The moment you start to see what they usually do in training, you know they will usually do this in the game. You have to feel that.” The 30-year-old arrived at Chelsea in January 2008 for just under £10m. He initially struggled to adapt to English football, partly due to fitness, before being linked with a move away that summer without playing a game. He finally made his debut for the club in the League Cup on 24 September but only played nine matches under Scolari before again being linked with a move away in January. However he started to see more game time under Guus Hiddink and then the next season under Carlo Ancelotti became a key member of the first-team, being named in the PFA Team of the Year as the Blues won the double. Since then he has not looked back and has continued as the club’s first choice right-back under different managers as well as playing in the centre, his natural position, when needed. Such is his form, as well as Cesar Azpilicueta’s on the left, Ashley Cole replacement Filipe Luis, a £16m signing from Spanish champions Atletico Madrid, is yet to start a Premier League game.
Posted on: Wed, 08 Oct 2014 07:45:35 +0000
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