Chokin Chelsea

[Arginald Valleywater]

Thanks boys for doing The Scum a favour. 2 pathetic games in a week. ?140K a game my arse.

[Jonesy]

You have to ask questions about the players.
Ancetotti and Scolari are no mugs, both proven in world football.
I think there is a player power at the club led by John Terry. I also think there is a player divide with Terry's camp against the 'decent camp' by that I mean players who want to play football and keep on the back pages instead of the front.
I have an ardent Blues mate and he concurs. I also think that Lampard is looking to leave soon, along with Joe Cole. I believe 100% if they sold Terry and kept Lampard, Cole etc, the club would benefit.

[Bob Singleton]

When all the rumours abounded about Man City making a bid for Terry, I was one of the few Chelsea fans to say "sell him". I argued then that it was a good time to sell him as he was no longer the player he had been a few short seasons before and that he was more likely to deteriorate than get better. I also argued then that I believed him to be a bad influence... basically, a thug with power, and that I really didn't want to see him as Captain and, therefore, a "role model" for younger players and supporters (Chelsea attract enough mindless thugs as it is without glorifying another as our Captain)

Unfortunately after the last few months (and given his new 4 year ?151,000 a week contract) he'll now be impossible to off-load !furious!

The last few years should have seen the old faces leave bit by bit, but they didn't. What's worse is that a few even older faces, such as Deco, were brought in. I now think that the time has come for a wholesale clearance of the deadwood. It's time to say goodbye and thank you to Ferreira, Carvalho, Hilario, Deco, Ballack and Belletti. If Joe Cole doesn't want to accept a pay cut and a short-term contract to prove he's still worth his place (since coming back from injury he has looked very ordinary) then let him go too. If we do get any bids for Terry, Anelka and Lampard, they too should be accepted. I'm also in two minds regarding Mikel and Kalou, but possibly think they should be given one more season to prove themselves worthy.

I'd like to see Bruma, Mancienne, Matic, Sinclair, Stoch, Kakuta, Borini and di Santo given a chance to establish themselves in the first team. In addition I wouldn't mind seeing us go after the likes of Asenjo, Kjaer, Stephen Taylor (Newcastle), Jack Rodwell (Everton), Angel di Maria and David Villa.

I also think Abramovich should have put more effort into keeping Guus Hiddink instead of concentrating on trying to get Ancelotti. I think, overall, a Dutch coach is better suited to the hustle and bustle of the Premier League than an Italian.

[Jonesy]

Good appraisal Bob, however, I think Mikel is a liability. He's NO Makelele, and gives away far too many freekicks in dangerous areas.
Personally, I think Anelka, Boswinga, Mikel and even Cech should be under no illusions that their place is cast-iron safe.
Trouble is, the young players you mentioned are stars for the future, whereas Roman wants instant sucess.
I'd never have let Robben go either

[Bob Singleton]

Jonesy wrote:

> Good appraisal Bob, however, I think Mikel is a liability. He's
> NO Makelele, and gives away far too many freekicks in dangerous
> areas.
> Personally, I think Anelka, Boswinga, Mikel and even Cech
> should be under no illusions that their place is cast-iron
> safe.
> Trouble is, the young players you mentioned are stars for the
> future, whereas Roman wants instant sucess.
> I'd never have let Robben go either


Mikel is never going to be another Makelele. You're absolutely right about him giving away too many free kicks in dangerous positions, although he seems to have stopped getting so many red cards of late... so at least there has been some improvement.

I was disappointed when we sold Lassana Diarra to Arsenal (who then sold him to Portsmouth before moving to Real Madrid for an alleged ?20m) as he really seemed to be one for the future and was doing well learning from the master himself. I think if the management had shown more faith in him (OK I know that for injury reasons he covered at right back in quite a few games) they might not have sold him 6 months before his contract was due to expire.

We desperately need a top line keeper (such as Asenjo?) to put pressure on Cech because, other than his first two seasons when Cudicini was still in top form, he's not had anyone breathing over his shoulder. I accept that getting over his head injury was never going to happen over night, and as a general shot stopper he's still one of the best... but he no longer commands the area as he once did, which is why we're looking so vulnerable at set pieces. The centre backs aren't sure where to position themselves and have no idea if Cech will claim the ball or leave it to them!

Bosingwa is a great attacking full back, but he's not as good defensively as Cole, which is why it's imperative to either have a good defensive midfielder or a quick centre back (preferably both) to act as cover.

Anelka sometimes seems to drift away... while he's put in some good crosses that have led to Drogba goals, I think had Chelsea played him as a proper support to Drogba rather than down the flanks against Inter, Lucio and Samuel wouldn't have had the relatively easy nights they enjoyed in those two games. Drogba can normally terrorize most defences, but in those two games, such canny and strong defenders as Lucio and Samuel had the measure of him. With a partner alongside (especially one of the pace of Anelka) I think things may have been different. That was a tactical mistake by Ancelotti, as far as I'm concerned.

As for instant success... yes RA will want at least one trophy every year (preferably the Champions League), as will many of the plastic fans who joined the Chelsea bandwagon when the money started rolling in. The more sensible fans; those that have followed Chelsea for many years in good times and bad (I remember when winning The Full Members Cup was the highlight of our season!), will understand the need for rebuilding from the ground up.

However, I don't think the changes should be confined to the players. Serious questions have to be asked of Bryan English and his medical staff. While every club has to accept that at some point key players will be out injured, it seems some of the injuries we have sustained have taken longer than expected. Wasn't Bosingwa due back before the end of the season? Now they're saying he won't play again until next season. Wasn't Essien due back in March? It's nearly April and still no word as to when he might be back.

The biggest questions, however, have to be asked of Arnesen. What exactly has he done in return for the ?5m+ we paid Spurs in compensation, plus his own, no-doubt bloated, salary?

[David Johnson]

A week's a long time in football!

[Bob Singleton]

David Johnson wrote:

> A week's a long time in football!

Maybe, but I still believe wholesale changes need to made in the summer, and the players I mentioned earlier (Ferreira, Carvalho, Hilario, Deco, Ballack and Belletti) should be thanked for their service before being shown the exit door.

Time for some new blood

[Arginald Valleywater]

I take it all back!!

[David Johnson]

Hi
The thing that seems largely ignored in this thread is the role of managerial stability in a team's success.

What have the great Liverpool teams of the 70's and 80's, the Arsenal Invincibles, the Man Utd of the last ten years all got in common? A stable management structure with the likes of Paisley, Wenger and Ferguson left to get on with it and build a dynasty.

The revolving door managerial policy at Chelsea has not helped and that is why I think Chelsea are unlikely to get real, ongoing success until they build a managerial dynasty to replace the short termism they currently seem to go with.

I suspect that wholesale changes with players again is just short termism. It's what you see at Real Madrid year in year out. Just get these players in for vast sums of money and success will be guaranteed. Duh. Look at Real's performance in the last few years' Champions League.

I remember seeing a comparison between the net spend on transfers from the time Benitez took over between Arsenal, Chelsea and Man. Utd. For Chelsea and Man. Utd it was enormous. For Arsenal it was minimal in comparison and yet Arsenal have still been able to compete. Okay they havent won trophies recently but they have been close.

D

[Bob Singleton]

David Johnson wrote:


> I suspect that wholesale changes with players again is just
> short termism. It's what you see at Real Madrid year in year
> out. Just get these players in for vast sums of money and
> success will be guaranteed. Duh. Look at Real's performance in
> the last few years' Champions League.

The reason I want to see such wholesale changes is because the players I listed are all over 30, some closer to 35. Those I've suggested as their replacements are, on the whole, players from the reserves or those out on loan getting first team experience. I've not called for the club to spend ?100m+ on 3 or 4 "superstars" either (my list of players I'd like to see us go after doesn't mean I want to see them ALL brought in)

I do agree, however, that changing managers every year is not the best way to go about things.