Chelsea News 24/7Writer: Merlin 
Date:Monday June 25 2012
Time: 6:53PM
UK time is: 15:31:56
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If I Could Turn Back Time………….
My love of music is widely acknowledged but I tend to stick with those genre`s I like.
I`m set in my ways and not for, usually, turning.
But, buzzing around in my head at the moment is a line from a song that I haven`t a clue who sung it.
It goes - "If I could turn back time" - perhaps you could help.
But it is particularly apt when you consider the subject of this article - a certain Andrea Pirlo of Italian fame.
Now there`s no doubting that Andrea Pirlo controlled the game and his impish penalty shoot-out captivated many, but, cast your minds back to the reign of a certain Carlo Ancelotti.
If I recall correctly, Carlo was linked, rightly or wrongly; with plans to bring Pirlo to Stamford Bridge but if I also recall rightly, such a plan was met with hostility from the Vital Chelsea membership.
Now, how does that haunting line from that aforementioned song go?
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Your Comments
Heard that line in one of R. Kelly Albums.
SameX
Pirlo is an epitome of deeplying playmaking, I will pick him ahead of Xavi tbh, I remembered when Carlo wanted him - he even said it in one of his press conferences, Carlo always wanted a player that could provide creativity from deep that was why he liked Mikel and decided to play Josh in that role too.
SameX
Atm, we dont have any player with that quality, Josh comes close but he has alot to learn, Raul and Lamps are far from being that kind of player, Romeu,Essien and Ramires are not that creative. Mikel has Pirlo's calmness and can pass the ball well but he is less mobile and creative.
SameX
Swift is another player that can become a Pirlo if nurtured well.
SameX
shows that age is no barrier if you've got what it takes!
merlin
cher sung it merlin, and i followed the transfer saga and i really did think we would get him until the reporter on sky stopped him walking from the bus and asked him if he was going to chelsea to which pirlo replied he was staying at milan.People on here said he was too old,but i think he would of been worth the 3 or so years service.
bluenath86
cher sung it merlin, and i followed the transfer saga and i really did think we would get him until the reporter on sky stopped him walking from the bus and asked him if he was going to chelsea to which pirlo replied he was staying at milan.People on here said he was too old,but i think he would of been worth the 3 or so years service.
bluenath86
In retrospect it would have been awesome if we had gotten him & stuck with king Carlo. We might have won the champions league earlier. Pirlo is El Magnifico! :-/
traykidd
Cher - lanky bird right!
merlin
with a nutty bush right!
merlin
sorry hang on that was the bird who lived in the Thunderdome with Mel Gibson wasn't it!
merlin
Mata is better. If I could turn back time, I wouldn't sign Pirlo, because - if we had - we wouldn't have signed Mata for the team...
ucmyway
Mata and Pirlo do not play in the same position so Mata would still be here. By the way Pirlo made Mad-rich look stupid in Italy vs Croatia game. I thought Mad-rich would expose him with pace and creativity but oops! That was not to be.
BOTUM
that was tina turner in mad max merlin,cher is the the one with her husband sonny who sung 'ive got you babe' and also sung with meatloaf on 'real dead ringer for love'.Im surprised you dont know cher merlin!
bluenath86
To compare Mata to Pirlo = to compare Casillas to Van Der Wiel.
FrLamp
pirlo has been in sensational form this season. but in his last 2 seasons at milan he had been very poor, bad decision making and passing. could not hold the ball. credit to him that he has revived his career but 1 or 2 seasons back he was not worth taking the risk. also if we had got him would have give him more than a year contract which did not fit with our policy of offering only 1 year rolling contracts to 30+ year olds.
SALZBURRY
@FrLamp, Really? Mata plays CAM for us, and Pirlo played a CM. Not too different really. BTW I realised we bought Mata as an LW, so maybe we would have bought him. I think Mata is better though...
ucmyway
@ucmyway dude that is not possible. mata plays well in advanced role but would not have the same desired effect in a deeper role. about pirlo he was tried as an attacking mid at inter and it did not work out. it was ancelotti who played him as a deep playmaker where his talent truly flourished. they are very different players with totally different skillsets and responsibilities and the best at what they do.
SALZBURRY
Mata is not equal to Pirlo, they play different roles. And even if you want to compare them Mata is nothing like Pirlo, Pirlo has better awareness, ball control, distribution, vision, creativity and football brain, he reads the game more than you can imagine, he is calm and collected. Even Mata will never compare himself to great Pirlo.
SameX
He made Gerrard, Parker and Rooney look normal, he single handedly controlled the game and his passes where perfect and accurate. We badly need someone like him, I wish Josh can step up and become our Pirlo.
SameX
the line is definately that of r.kelly and i recall goal.com in one of their article calling the master class a panenka.
sunnymakcres
pirlo is a good player in slow tempo football international or ialian football but in the quick pace of the premier league he would be like veron
superfreakyjay
if carlo never got sacked we would have had pirlo. simple. but he did get sacked so was in no way tempted to move abroad
Humza_96
pirlo is good...but aw will he cope if he plays against tiote or d essien of old in midfield, those guys are battlers(spartans)
o'brain
o'brain....he rang feckin rings around Hodgson's battlers!!
mutters
class player, from the start of the tournament, having a terrific season for Juventus
chelsea44
and some Liverpool supporters are comparing Henderson with Pirlo and saying Pirlo is garbage, shame
chelsea44
yeah sunnymakcres,R.kelly sung 'IF i could turn (pause) turn back the hand of time ' but i think merlin is referring to cher's song.
bluenath86
a season of 60+ games is vastly different from a tournament of less than 20 games lads, and Italian football very much differs from the EPL. It's slower, calculative and involves a load of counter attacking.
@Mq
Besides Inter (under Mourinho and with "fast" players in Ibrahimovic, Milito, Maicon and Sneider) is the only Italian team in the last 5 seasons to get beyond the quarter-finals (and win) the Champs League...tells you something
@Mq
*Hindsight is always right* isn't it?? :)
@Mq
Pirlo is a class act...But this tournament is abt 10games,u cant say he would maintain such level at chelsea
Desmondadonis
am suprised when people talk about Josh in deep lying midfield role, someone that fragile and can not mark?
sojofjand
Pirlo displays a different style of football that EPL tries to rubbish but will always come to haunt them. A creative player do not need physical speed but mental speed.They tend to make the ball run faster than running after it.Change is inevitable so chelsea needs one player of that caliber to sweep all the cups.Pirlo made battlers to look stupid and out of the tournament.
derfmesh
I was also against us signing pirlo at that time,as we were supposed to be reducing the average age of the squad by signing younger lads...but seeing how brilliant he has been of late...u can't help but "turn back the hands of time". 79 out of 90 passes made for a quater-final game is awesome. Even xavi managed 37/40 against france.
nelyvanile
I was also against us signing pirlo at that time,as we were supposed to be reducing the average age of the squad by signing younger lads...but seeing how brilliant he has been of late...u can't help but "turn back the hands of time". 79 out of 90 passes made for a quater-final game is awesome. Even xavi managed 37/40 against france.
nelyvanile
http://www.espn.co.uk/football/sport/story/157428.html?CMP=OTC-RSS
SameX
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1235747-chelsea-transfer-rumors-florent-malouda-reportedly-on-his-way-to-brazil
SameX
http://mobile.weaintgotnohistory.com/2012/6/25/3116039/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-florent-malouda-vasca-da-gamma
SameX
@Desmond How have your exams been??
SameX
malouda to brazil? wow...i wonder what they intent to do with him...put him in a demo match and tell young kids "this is NOT the way to play football"...?
N-T-B
If Josh nurtured with the right coach he will become the next Pirlo, but it still a long way to go for Josh
MrChelseaBridge
@N-T-B. Hahaha
nelyvanile
McEachran being "Pirlo'd" so we start playing defensively like Italy?? Rubbish, never going to happen
@Mq
Podolski & Giroud in; is that the end of Van Persie at Arsenal?
addictedtoblue
Sojofjand,have u seen mceachran play for us?Well if u avnt,he is an excellent holder and passer of the ball...I have not seen him loss possesion or make a stray pass...Mayb i am being too protective of him...But he is good....Samex thanks man,my exams have been good so far but i dont want to be overconfident bcos i cant afford to fail!! I am going write the 2nd to the last one soon
desmondadonis
Pirlo in EPL style of course. A bit like Xabi Alonso
MrChelseaBridge
@addictedblue Giroud and Podolski are Chamack and Asharvin's replacements. Podolski and Gervinho @LW, RVP, Park and Giroud @CF and Walcott,Ox @RW. M'villa,Ben Arfa and Rosicky will play second fiddle to Song,Arteta and Wilshere in midfield.,,,,,, Diaby,Ramsey and Yossi might be released. If they don't get Ben Arfa they will keep one of Ramsey,Yossi.
SameX
I didn't really like how Giround played in euros...
ucmyway
spot on coops ....pmslllll
norwichspur
Porto are now finalising a deal for Jaguares striker Jackson Martinez, who is likely to arrive as a direct replacement for Hulk..
thenextlampard
Jackson Martinez is very similar to hulk in terms of styles..
thenextlampard
the last time I watched Kevin de bruyne was like watching zizou in his prime...the Kid dictated the game with natural flair and confidence...maybe he's the one we're looking for...
thenextlampard
@Mq
Inter sold Ibrahimovic to be able to get Milito, Sneijder and Lucio. Ibrahimovic never got to a quater in inter
Lakupiippu
@SameX, I very much doubt that Ben Arfa and M'Vila will be playing second fiddle. If there was even a suggestion of that they would be steering well clear of Arsenal because there main demand is first team playing time
GhostWriter
I dont see Mvilla benching Song and Arfa cannot bench Arteta or Wilshere. Arteta has become a fans favourite and Wilshere is also a very important player
SameX
Arsenal wants a trophy by all means this coming season hence the sporadic signings....I just hope we get good players who have a winning mentality and genuine love for the club
Desmondadonis
thanks for the correction LAKU...point is, with Eto (fast runner) Milito (also fast) Maicon (fast) and Sneider Inter were able to perfect their counter attack and that's the only time an Italian club went beyond the quarter finals...tells you something
@Mq
That was then and I dont think it could bring much difference if not hostility.
Kendemsblue
Teams are shaping when the prices are conducive. And I hope chelsea is doing the same though we are not updated as to what is going on but depend on the papers that have been full of rumours.
Kendemsblue
Let all our recruits come for pre-season just to know what we need for the last minute panic buys are have reaped us badly.
Kendemsblue
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