There can only be one name which has shone as much as, if not more, than Costa and Fabregas so far this season and it is of our versatile Serbian, Branislav Ivanovic! At an age of 30, fans can be forgiven to omit him altogether from their dream lineups before the campaign started, with most opting for Azpi to start at rightback, with Luis taking up the left. However, Brana sure had different plans. With already knocking in two goals this season, our rightback is standing among a host of scoring strikers and midfielders in the Premier League’s top scorers chart.
Thinking back, it wasn’t always so easy for the man to even make it to the gameday sheet, leave aside being a regular starter. People always say, some moments define us, and the game against Liverpool surely laid the script to Brana’s career for the blues. But it sure is his character which helped him keep growing and gradually gaining the trust of the Stamford Bridge faithful.
Not blessed with natural pace or technique, Ivanovic depends on his combination of his positioning skills and a determined desire to make himself of service to make up for his shortcomings. It would be a lie to state that Ivanovic, with only his skills is nothing more than an above average mediocre player. However, his attitude to the game is what helps him magnify his importance to the squad. If we say that Ivanovic’s potential is at max a 7 out of 10, then the truth is that the man always gears up to play atleast at a 6.5 every game he is out there for. And this consistency has seen his stature grow alongside the big guns in our squad like John, Petr and Didier. Apart from the times where he himself is getting into trouble with the opposition, our no. 2 can always been seen standing beside his team-mate, offering support, be it a quarrel with an opponent or a heated argument with the ref. Even without an armband, he stands up as a captain, taking responsibility for everyone around him.
And to add to that, there is his habit of always stepping up when the game needs it. Every Chelsea player taking a set piece always knows that this man is a reliable target and that if presented with a decent chance, he will make the opposition pay. And in the dying moments, even if you do not get a set piece, don’t worry, this man will secretly jump the ship to play as a second striker, at times even ahead the actual striker in the game. To top it off, when he burdens himself to play off position upfront, well he delivers too! How can anyone forget his priceless goal against Napoli! And also the winning goal against Benfica to hand us the Europa trophy (though that was from a corner).
Dear Branislav Ivanovic,
We might not say this much. But always know this, we love you with all our hearts. Every single time you shed your sweat for the club we mutually love so much, the feeling just grows stronger. There can be times when people might overlook you over the much decorated John and all the other gifted defenders around the world, but always be sure that we at Chelsea do realize and recognize what a jewel we have in our hands.
Love,
Every Chelsea fan
What are your views about our big Serbian? Leave your thoughts and views in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you! 🙂
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