j.mitchel

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

I agree 100% but it's not on TT to pull sickies, it's on the club to ask for parity across the board. 
I think somewhere along the way the camel's back was broken. We are not at all the cohesive unit we were 2 months ago

Absolutely. Fixture congestion is very much a factor and will be recognised as such by the powers that be. 

Am I the only one with any sympathy for the players and the fixture congestion? 
That was our 15th game since the start of December, whereas it was Brighton's 9th. That's a team that's played a game every 3.2 days, against a team that's played a game every 5.5 days. It's a huge difference in this league where anyone can beat anyone. 
Although I don't believe in it myself, I'm seriously thinking we should start pulling 'sickies' like other teams seem to be doing, even when it's not all covid related! 
The one player I can't have sympathy for is Lukaku, and I'd be surprised if any of the players around him have much sympathy for him after the disrespect he gave them with his interview, let alone his apparent lack of interest in matches.
I've got no doubt we'll come back from this soon, but the finger pointing and moaning at the players as TT at the moment is ridiculous.

Was half expecting to turn on gadgets this morning and see the news that lamps is done. A Bloody hard situation and this will no doubt be hurting Frank as much as anyone. He is proper Chels - but I can't see a way out of this. 
 
I love Lampard. He is my fav player of all time, but he has not shown enough over the past 1.5 seasons to indicate to me that he has the skills or tactical nouse to turn things around. 
 
We got top 4 last year by creeping over the line, very fortunate having done our best to throw it away at multiple times.
 
This year, after positive early signs, we have clearly regressed.  Early on this season we were a team that  played brilliantly in spurts. We would be electric for 20-25 mins , and lamps would talk about needing to extend that. But instead, those electric periods have gone.
We have instead reverted to the slow, sideways, backwards passing, lack of ideas, lack of bottle to take the game by the scruff of the neck, and frankly a lack of character. 
 
That's not all on Lampard - but he has now had half a season to address those problems - and whilst I don't expect miracles overnight, I have not seen 1 single positive development to indicate that he has the answers.  Not 1.
There has been nothing he has done, that I can see with my layman's understanding of the game, which has benefited the team.
No tweaks to get the best of his players, no system changes, uninspiring or predictable subs, no change in the style or urgency,  no apparent instructions to stop playing slow/sideways/backwards -and be more progressive. 
So, in my mind, either Lampard wants us to play like this, and is therefore not trying to make changes (I doubt this), or, the players are simply ignoring him and his instructions -but lamps continues to pick them (I doubt this) or, in my mind the most likely,  he doesn't know how to change it. 
 
I am conflicted.l and don't know what I want.
in my heart, I think he needs to go.
but I don't want him to.
I think that an experienced number 2/ advisor would help, but expect that this would be akin to a vote of confidence, wouldn't go down well with lamps himself, and would be picked apart by the media. Also I am not sure there is someone sufficiently trusted by lamps that would take the job of "special advisor"....
sorry for the long post. Can't even remember what I wrote, so hope it isn't too much waffle!
 
KTBFFH 
 
 

When players lose the ball, shrug their shoulder and stretch their arms out towards other players it tells me that they haven't got a bloody clue where their own team members are supposed to be, or our players didn't get into the position the player with the ball was expecting them to be; which means they either don't understand the formations and tactics, or Frank is finding it difficult to get his ideas across to the players.  As many have said, the midfield is a disaster, it's not balanced, disjointed and ragged throughout most of the game allowing the opposition to easily attack our defence through the chasms left wide open by not having a decent defensive midfielder; the midfield players are not that bad, all are internationals but the tactics are making them look bad as a unit. The forward line although very talented on paper, seem clueless when they hit the 18 yard box and piss around passing across the box and backwards into the midfield; no-one wants to shoot from outside 10 yards which is surprising given it was Franks forte.  
Apart from Silva and Chillwell the back four defensively are weak and while James may be decent at crossing the ball defensively he is a liability due to his inexperience and I would suggest lack of coaching. While Mendy started his career with us on a hot streak, we are now beginning to see some of his frailties over the last few games.  But all that being said it seems that an awful lot of our players have hit a brick wall all at the same time.  Pulisic has been tits now for a while running down blind alleys and losing the ball more times than not; Werner...well the less said the better, Havertz has really been slow to show why we paid 74 mill, Ziyech, injury and hot and cold form since his return, always hits the far post with his crosses but no-one there to put the ball in the net; many other players have been poor or warm and cold which certainly hasn't helped Frank's cause....does Roman allow the downward spiral continue, or cut the ties in an effort to save the season and a chance of a top 4. We are half way into the season, half way up the table, half way to a cup final..is the glass therefore half full or half empty...only the Board knows.  My guess is Frank will be here for the Luton game and likely the Wolves game, depending on those two results will seal his fate IMO.