ethicalstrategy

Quote from today's Telegraph: Avram Grant inspired by Arsene Wenger's way "I think maybe you read my thoughts! Yes. I think Arsenal are a good example," said Grant. "When Arsene took over at Arsenal they called them boring Arsenal and I think not even one person would say it now. I think not even one person would say it about Chelsea this year, either. I think we have an exciting team playing good football. We want to be entertaining." If you've only heard him refer to this "once or twice" then you haven't been listening. It has been has mantra - although, admittedly less in the last month or two.

I know what you mean Heckel. It would be a big call - not one that I think Grant will make. At the same time, I think he is a long way of his best physically and it could hurt us.

I'm torn with Bridge and Cole. Instinctively I think Cole is overall a better player but he is such a unlikable character and definitely hasn't found his best form for Chelsea. I don't think a Arsenal is the game to have flying fullbacks, which is where Bridge excels. Have fun in the pub - my big worry is getting to the game. There must be nearly 1mm of snow fallen here this morning. I fully expect the motorway's to be shut, trains cancelled and London brought to a standstill!

It's going to be a very interesting day! First up Man U and Liverpool. I'm a bit torn on this match. I never want Liverpool to win but it would help us PROVIDED we can beat Arsenal. Otherwise it would be better if Man U won. Liverpool's record under Benitez against Man U is woeful but they have been in good form. Then, us against Arsenal - I really don't know what to think. Their form has been ropey, but we must make sure that we put them under pressure and play high tempo otherwise we will have a problem. The biggest question for me is do we play JT? I think we have to play our best team and I'm not sure JT would be in it on current form. Whilst we would miss his leadership Ballack could do the job. Assuming fitness I would start with: Cech Ferreira Carvalho Alex Cole A. Makelele Ballack (Capt.) Lampard Cole J. Drogba Kalou Subs: Carlo, JT, Essien, Mikel, Anelka

No more biased or unbiased than anyone else really - just with a different bias, I'd say.

Have to say Qaz that the above is also fact. Whatever the win/loss record looks like at the end of the season will mean nothing if we haven't won anything. If you want some more stats then this is very telling - I posted it the other day but it was conveniently ignored This is the league table for matches between the current top 7 clubs this season. Man U------P8--W6--D2--L0--Pts 20 Arsenal-----P8--W4--D4--L0--Pts 16 Liverpool----P9--W3--D5--L1--Pts 14 Portsmouth--P12-W2--D5--L5--Pts 11 Aston Villa---P10-W2--D3--L5--Pts 9 Chelsea-----P9--W1--D5--L3--Pts 8 Everton-----P8--W1--D2--L5--Pts 5 Doesn't look that great does it, especially as the only win was under Mourinho.

What damage?... People were predicting we'd finish 4th and be out of all competitions by now. We've done better than we did under Mourinho in his admittedly few games at the start of the season and results have been pretty good as a whole under difficult circumstances. You don't think Grant is a good manager, fine, alot (hell, most) people here agree with you. I've been one of Grant's biggest supporters here but even I have my doubts about him, but one thing I don't doubt is that his done reasonably well since taking the reins at Chelsea (better than I or most expected). I don't expect you to change your opinion on Grant (I get the feeling its set in stone no matter what he does anyway), but I would be suprised if you can't even give him credit for doing a reasonably job against your expectations. T h e C a r l i n g C u p F i n a l T h e F A C u p e x i t Crap performance after crap performance. I really don't understand you. Your post makes it sound as if it's my problem. Well fine. Grant IS inexperienced. Grant DOES lack ability. The defence last night WAS a shambles. And this IS down to management. We have done better than people expected .. with Grant as manager. .. not better than the club that Chelsea have become with the squad of players that the club has assembled SHOULD be doing. And you say you suspect my opinion is set in stone? Sorry Qaz, I suspect you've got a screw or three loose. My opinion is based on little disasters like the Carling Cup Final, like the FA Cup exit, like conceding 4 goals last night. Now tell me what you're basing your opinion based on? Come to that what is your opinion? That Grant has done well? That he is a top class manager? That he should be given the chance to acquire all the necessary experience and qualifications before .. before what? Go on Qaz, tell me all about it. Because I'm dying to know exactly what it is that you're basing your opinion on. Whatever that is. A point well made. "we haven't done as sh*t as we thought we would" isn't really saying all that much!

Because he is the man in charge and he is responsible. It's as simple as that. Yes the players deserve stick too. The difference is that we know these players can do better so I wouldn't suggest we get rid of them. That's not the case for the manager. He also contributed to the chaos on the night with some dodgy subs and generally not being able to work out where the danger was coming from and making a change to stop it. And don't get me started on his pathetic after match interview which he mumbled his way through. I can understand the players not being inspired by him.

What damage?... People were predicting we'd finish 4th and be out of all competitions by now. We've done better than we did under Mourinho in his admittedly few games at the start of the season and results have been pretty good as a whole under difficult circumstances. You don't think Grant is a good manager, fine, alot (hell, most) people here agree with you. I've been one of Grant's biggest supporters here but even I have my doubts about him, but one thing I don't doubt is that his done reasonably well since taking the reins at Chelsea (better than I or most expected). I don't expect you to change your opinion on Grant (I get the feeling its set in stone no matter what he does anyway), but I would be suprised if you can't even give him credit for doing a reasonably job against your expectations. He sux. You said it yourself

I nearly steered off the road this morning on my way to work when Alan Brazil mentioned the win and said it looked like we had a lot of talented youngsters coming through! Well done to the boys.

The variable here is not the players, it's the manager. So when you try to work out what's the cause of us turning in to a team who bottle it when it really matters there is only one answer. "how the hell can he be blamed for rubbish defending..." Sounds like you don't think it was his responsibility to me.

Only 10? Sometimes I think you are a little too harsh on him Nibs.

It wasn't such a poor result? You are joking, right? 3 times in the lead and we couldn't win. It was a disastrous result. We may well have taken a draw at Spurs but not in those circumstances. Our inability to win any big matches under Grant (and I use the term loosely, to include matches against the likes of Villa, Portsmouth and Everton) is down to him. The buck stops with the manager. Always has done and always will. He can be blamed for rubbish defending. It's his job to pick the players and coach them. If they aren't any good at it then it's his responsibility. It is the managers responsibility to see where dangers and problems lie during a match and to take action to rectify it. Once again he failed to do that. I'm officially sick of people continually making apologies for a manager who is out of his depth and taking our club backwards.

I think you are being harsh on Claudio. He ballsed up the Monaco match for sure, but overall he was a pretty good manager- certainly a hell of a lot better than Grant.

Maybe that was frustration with his own performance? He was poor tonight as was the whole back four / five and Maka. I think JT is his own worst critic, he knows the defence let the team down tonight. Check the CL record and our clean sheets...the ability to defend never left in september, negatives tonight..the defence all had a bad day at the same time, we dropped 2 points on UTD Positives we scored four goals away from home, Joe Cole Negatives: we lost the lead 3 times - yes, that's three times. Positives: absolutely none.

I agree. Only saw the highlights but from what saw he was terrific. Looking forward to a repeat from him on Sunday. Blimey. Praise for Joe from ES. A historical moment!!! (Although if he fails to be just as good Sunday perhaps it will be back to the criticism? ) Lets hope on Sunday, a few of our other players up their game - that would help for starters. I have no problem praising him when he does well. I just don't blow smoke up his arse everytime he walks on the pitch just for the sake of it. And yes, if he is sh*t against Arsenal I'll say so.

You are right to think that Jack H, but I am hopeful that at the weekend the unbeaten home record will stay intact. It would be a irony though if Arsenal were the team that takes the unbeaten home record. After all they were the last side in the Premiership to have won at the Bridge, that was back in the 2003-2004 season. The last thing we need to be thinking about on Sunday is our maintaining our unbeaten home record. We need to win and if that means risking losing then so be it.

Cole couldn't have complained if he had been sent off. It was a reckless challenge and he didn't get the ball. As for our defending, it was very poor. Two headers from set pieces neither of them challenged properly. The two shots were great strikes but both players were left with time. No one closed down Huddleston and Ferreira let Keane muscle him out of the way. I'm afraid it is symptomatic of the lack of leadership coming from Grant.

I agree. Only saw the highlights but from what saw he was terrific. Looking forward to a repeat from him on Sunday.

"It's hard ...... to fight back the suspicion that the Premier League basically boasts three teams of genuinely solid European calibre (Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea) and one extraordinarily lucky one, along for the ride (Liverpool). Actually, to be fair to Liverpool, they used to be a one-man team (Gerrard). This season, they're a two-man team (Gerrard, Torres). Which is progress of sorts." Full Article Top man!

That would be 91 points. No doubt if we got that we would win it. I think it's possible it could be less though. 91 is a pretty high total from 38 games. In fact, apart from our two league winning seasons it has only happened once in 99/00 with Utd. Even last year they only managed 89 points in the end. Both Utd and Arsenal have some tough games to come against us and Liverpool as well as each other. I reckon that the winning total could be as low as 87. I would prefer a win tonight though

I reckon we can afford a draw as long as we beat Arsenal on sunday. 4 points is the minimum we need from these two games.

Great summary. I would agree with your choices in the "difficult" selection areas and the team overall.

That would be a recipe for disaster. Lennon and Keane would have field day if we play that narrow.

Hallelujah!!!