octville

I am livid ! Scolari is really out of depth n possibly our worst gaffer since Raineri left! How can we fail to defend set-pieces again and again! Where was the discipline to put 2 man at each side when defending corners? We had Fulham on the back-paddle but we lost the plot when Scolari sent in Kalou who is still not accustomed to the pace of the game. 3 points behind the Scouser with Manure catching up fast ! This is going to be a very frustrating season. Grant back please! Sack Scolari... Viva La Mourinho !!!!

I can never understand Big Phil parking all the players at the centre of the park together. How can Ballack, Deco & Lampard play together? Though they are technically different type of players ( Ballack good with headers, Lamps a box-to-box maestro & Deco a playmaker), we cannot hope to string something if all of them decide to play together. Notice how many times our players run into each other against WBA? There's a sense of tactical lapse on Phil's part. Much has been said about playing in from the width, although most of that seems to be coming from Bosingwa & Joey on the right. Kalou could play on the left, but other than Malouda, what other choice do we have? Chelsea is stronger at the right, with Belletti capable of holding the ground altogether as he is also a right back. I think we should give Sinclair a run at the left since we lack fund. I would go for the following formation. 4-1-2-2-1 Cech Cole/Bridge - Carvalho/Terry/Ivanovic/Alex - Boswingwa/Ferreira/Belletti Essien/Mikel (Holding role) Ballack/lampard - Deco Sinclair/Kalou (left wing) - Joe Cole/Malouda or even Anelka( right wing) Drogba/Anelka This is a very unique formation but teams will find Chelsea very hard to break down in the middle. With a little bit more form, our wingers will be able to pull the punches for Drogs to bang in goals. As for the transfer window, I really think we should do loan deals for Vagner Love & Arshavin. This will strengthen the squad especially when the player's form have taken a dip in recent weeks. Arshavin can play as a winger or attacking midfielder, like a second striker, so he could take the left flank. He is a proven goal getter, voted as the best foreigner player in the Russian league. Roman's connection could be vital for these two players.

Why would I pay someone who can only get your draws? It is very frustrating that on a rare occasion when the others drew, we followed Alex Ferguson could be right. Maybe we are getting too old and tired for these games. The team just looked so lacking in ideas at the moment that I am tempted to call for the sale of Joe Cole too. It was just too ordinary against a team who lacked any real star except Parker & Bellamy. If not for the charity of Carlton Cole at the last minute, it could have been another 1-2 defeat. Mourinho didn't lose it. Avram Grant maintained it Scolari screwed it. I really think Big Phil's appointment is 2 step away from where we were & that we can not capable of winning anything at the moment. I would rather trust my money with the ailing banks than Phil. Have I any clue to his possible replacement? No. Maybe we should ask Zola to return. At least he is popular, can get draws too & cheaper :D

One more thing... I will tell you how to win.. Keep the defensive shape, there's nothing wrong once Carvalho is back. Ivanovic has impressed me with his work rate. I prefer a fit Essien to Mikel. Our obi lad is a promise for the future, but I think he is not A grade. While his distribution is decent, I have never seen him taking on a player or two. Plus, he is quite weak defensively. We need to swap out Kalou & Malouda during the transfer window. Even Riera could decently take on 1 or 2 players on the wing when he runs. With Kalou or Malouda, we are always going to lose the ball. We need to a fit Drogba. Maybe we should have some fund for Luis Fabiano. We just need another world class forward. Anelka is also not A grade, but his pace & sharpness can be enhanced playing alongside another striker. So we should just still to 4-2-2-2 Cech; Bosingwa, bridge, Terry, Ivanovic (for now) ; Lampard, Deco,new signing, Joe Cole ; anelka, Drogba. So please, go ahead, sell Malouda / Kalou and make my day

Sack Scolari.. Chelsea never lost twice in a season since 2004 at home. Chelsea has never lost at home to Arsenal since Mourinho's arrival. Chelsea could not beat any of the big 4 since Scolari's appointment. Scolari's performance is pathetic - 1-3 to Roma, 0-1 to Liverpool at home, 1-2 to Arsenal, 0-0 to lowly Cluj, 1-1 to Bordeaux. Damn it... what's Malouda & kalou doing in a team like Chelsea? I have started the anti-Phil revolution !

It is an enigma under the current circumstances to see us leading the Premiership. Scolari has acheived nothing other than bulldozing weak sides into submission. On a week where Liverpool, Manure & Arsenal have qualified for the next round, it took some great goalkeeping by cech to keep Chelsea still in the hunt in a game we deserve to lose. Bundled out of the league cup by a lower division team, Chelsea's impregnable fortress at the Bridge in disarray, inability to have a cutting edge against the top sides ( Manure, Liverpool, Roma & probably another defeat at Arsenal this weekend), I think I will start the anti Big Phil going. We got stuck against Spurs at their lowest point & a mediocre Newcastle over the weekend too. While it is true that we had injuries to Essien, Drogba, Ballack & Carvalho, this is no excuse because even Avram Grant could do it without Deco or Bosingwa. While the latter has really claimed the right back as his, Deco has only impressed sporadically. I was peeved at the Robinho's coup at Man City but equally frustrated that we did not buy another forward. Anelka has been fortunate with his goals this season but it does take a good finisher to put the ball in with calmness like he did last night against Bordeaux. A fully fit Drogba will be too hot to handle but I am worried that he may have past his prime. Which brings me to the topic of how we can ever acheive that elusive win at the Bridge against Cluj to claim qualification. Play like Mourinho... keep the ball and draw out your opponent. It may not be pretty but it is damn effective. I don't care if it is 1-0 as long as we win ! So stop trying to play attractive football especially when you have crappy wingers like Malouda & Kalou. Frustration aside, if we do not improve & the boys do not return from injuries, I expect a cold, cold winter to bring Big Phil into Premioership reality. I am willing to give him some time but patience is running out after having set those standards under Mourinho & Grant. I am also resigned to not having funds to strengthen, but if we can persuade someone to take Malouda/Kalou, maybe we can buy some real quality from the other Champion's league side like Bordeaux ( think Guoffran?) or Anorthosis Famagusta. Hell, maybe from Cluj too. We just need people who have the passion & mental strength to get the job done

When things are not going well, and we need to look at bench for fresh inspiration in attacking options.... At Manure... Berbatov, Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Tevez At Liverpool, Dirk kuyt, Robbie Keane, Torres, babel, At Arsenal, Adebayor, Van Persie, Walcott, Bendtner Meanwhile, at Chelsea....only Anelka & returning Drogs. For the longest time, we have depended on Malouda & Kalou as quasi-strikers & Deco/Lamps to provide the goals. No wonder when we are facing tight opposition, we cannot score ... Robinho was supposed to be part of that solution. I just hope that we can have Benni McCarthy, Santa Cruz, Zaki or even swapping Malouda for Adriano ( This can happen... Jose wants Malouda & Adriano is another fellow Brazilian) You get the drift... we need more out and out attacker.

You are damned wrong ! Mourinho did what he could with a side that he had limited time to tinkle with. I mean he had limited fund and had to contend with players who are not in his book - Adriano, Dacourt and Crespo. Sampdoria, Fiorentina & Genoa have all improved this season. What's important is that he did not screw up big time even though they lost 0-1 to AC. Honestly, i cannot stand it when we lose 1-3 to a team not hitherto winning, or 0-1 to Barnsley until Grant & on pen to Burnley. If it was Spurs, arsenal, Manure or something, the pain will be lesser but a championship side. Pleeassse..

Thanks Blue Nut... you took it right off my mind ! Mourinhio is still my man

Scolari, like Grant, does not have good track record against the top teams. He lost our invincible 4-yr old home record twice within the space of a month. He has not even achieved a win at home against Liverpool (we lost 0-1, totally inconceivable), Spurs (when they were playing like school kids), Manure (we were lucky to snatch a draw!) and now Burnley. And 3 defeats in less than 1 month (0-1 Liverpool, 1-3 Roma & 4-5 penalty shootout to Burnley) is just too much because we have set high standards during Grant/ Mourinho and Scolari was supposed to be our midas touch, not archilles' heel ! Please spare me the crap on injuries ( no Ballack, Essien, Ashley Cole, Carvalho and recently, Drogba) but we are simply playing like the crazy Brazilian - one game great, another crap. While we were a delight at times to watch with our passing, Anelka & Malouda having their form of their life, but we cannot exactly say that we are tops when pitted against the best. I don't care about style, just give me wins, wins, wins against top opposition. Against Liverpool, why did not we sit back and hold possession instead of letting Liverpool drew first blood? And when can we finally ever win a penalty shootout? One last thing - Mineiro is like another Geremi, but he is jinxed ! I cannot remember the last time we win when he plays. So Scolari, sort it out ! It is ok to draw...but defeat is not tolerable. I am starting to be a crybaby, crying out for the Special One to return !

Didn't Scolari know that those rascal Scousers play a lousy game plan. If they score first, they will defend like mad dog and rely on counter attacks? Mourinho knew it well because it was his own style of play, Avram kept his system but Scolari felt otherwise. I am not blaming Big Phil for losing our 4.5 years of unbeaten home run (which has to end at some point) but it is awful to lose to anyone but those idiotic Scouser at home. If we have any championship desire, we need to at least not lose to any of the Top 3 at home. We nearly lost it to Manure and now it is history against farting Liverpool. It is so hard to be constructive when we are pitted back behind those idiot after a defeat and the season is still so long. And there is still much optimism because we missed Essien, Drogs, Ballack and Joey. I know that I am the least popular guy in this forum but i still insist that we need a strong forward team to win anything. A poor and lazy Anelka supported by inexperienced Di Santos & Sinclair isn't going to achieve much. Look at Liverpool - Torres, Kuyt, Babel, Keane... they have attacking forwards Think Manure - Ronaldo, Rooney, Berbatov among others... Arsenal - Bendtner, Adebayor, Van Persie Chelsea? Only Anelka... and Anelka even if Drogba remains hurt. And Le Sulk isn't among the best of top notch forward. With due respect, I think Manure & Liverpool have better forwards. You get the drift.. So please sell Kalou & Malouda. We should have some cash to fund at least another forward. Please get Zaki or Agbonlahor. Fiorentina's Gilardino is a good aspect too. Knowing that we are in financial crisis globally, I know that we need to be prudent. But if we balance the budget with success on the pitch, the economic reward will be lucrative.

none of the above.. 1-3 to Hull :D

Frustrating. The game was tentative and Chelsea could only pass toward their own half. It seems that we are lacking in depth in the last 20 yards at home ! Anelka was crap. Bosingwa & Ashley Cole lost the ball once too often. And we seem to be surrendering possessions in the last 2 games. Scolari.. SORT IT OUT !! :angry:

Since he yearns for Champion's League football at the highest level while AC is on in the UEFA Cup competition, why not let kaka join us for a season on loan? He will still be back at the Rosseneri, refreshed and improved, in time for Milan's season if they make it to the Champion's league after winning the UEFA Cup. To all those involved in making deals happening, please consider this request.

Chelsea under Scolari looks very composed even when Wigan was trying to run us ragged. The composure was evident for all to see, from Cech to Anelka. Although Zaki & Palacios played impressively, they were not a real threat until Kapo's last gasped attempt. While we are still a work in progress, the interest in Robinho seems too far-fetched, like Real Madrid's recent tussle for Cristiano Ronaldo. I think he is not coming. With Drogs injured, Sheva on loan to AC, Pizarro on loan in Germany, we look a little light-weighted in attacking options with only Anelka. Now that SWP is almost returning to Eastlands, we have only Joe Cole, Malouda, Kalou & Fabio Paim (on loan from Sporting Lisbon), with Di Santos and Scott Sinclair in the reserves. I really hope that we strengthen in this area. It would be nice if we have Andrey Arshavin. We just need one more. Here's my preferred list : Vagner Love (CSKA Moscow) Roman Pavlyuchenko (Spartak Moscow) Diego Huntelaar Kevin Kuranyi Anyone of them will be just fine :lol:

I am more convinced that ever that he is our link man ! He instrumental in Zenit St Petersburg 's UEFA Cup triumph and the Russian team's domestic league title. He had goals against Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen in the knockout stages. After watching how he singlehandedly demolished Sweden and Netherlands, Chelsea should go for the 27-yr old Russian attacking playmaker/midfielder/winger. Roman could use his Russian connection to get him here. I believe that he will become a great success, unlike Alexei Smertin. :)

Relax.how about a fantasy team. In : Bosingwa (confirmed), Deco, Robinho, Quaresma, Ribery, Kaka, Pirlo(7) Out : Makelele, Drogba, Bouhlahrouz(almost going ....), SWP, Pizarro, Shevchenko, Ben T'aim, Belletti,Steve Sidwell (9), Johnny Heitinga

Any new manager will be well-advised to keep RA happy and in the loop because the previous two left because they cannot appease their style toward him. It will be a mammoth task for anyone to step into the role as Chelsea's new gaffer. Firstly, while financial resources will be made available, instant success is mandatory ( which is stupid because a new gaffer needs time). Chelsea was 2nd best in everything last season, with the exception of the humiliation FA Cup defeat to Barnsley. We have been spoilt by Mourinho's success - 2 league titles, 2 Carling Cups & a FA Cup. To get nothing in 3 "finals" ( The premier league last day was a synthetic one) is frustrating and very gutting. But we must give our support to a long-term planning Gaffer. Rafael took some time to be European champions. In his 4 seasons as Gaffer, despite not winning the league, Liverpool has won Champions League in 04/05, FA Cup holder 05/06 and lost to AC Milan in the finals despite management problems, though they have not won the league since 1989-90. Yet they consistently finished in the Top 4 since he arrived. We need a stable platform to build on. Secondly, the fate of key players are uncertain. Drogs is likely to be in Inter, Lamps and Essien may also be tempted by their mentor. Next season may be another rebuilding year (frustrating), but the core structure must be retained _ cech, Carvalho, Lamps, Essien, Joey - if we are to have hope on any silverware. In this light, I feel Mancini is not suited for Chelsea because of his failure to be a real boss over Inter players. A Chelsea manager must be like Mourinho, who is respected and look upon with authoritarian respect. Chelsea is a big club with big players' ego, so we need a good disciplinarian. Finally, the limited of choice of good gaffer is worrying. Frank Rikjaard does not inspire us because of his recent poor performance. Scolari is a little eccentric. I am not in favour of Roy Keane because of his limited experience. The option left must be Deschamps(who is out of job) & Mark Hughes. Though Hughes have not won any spectacular with mid-tablling Rovers, he has done credibly wiith limited resources. But as I have said, we need to give him at least 3 years. But I doubt it under RA.

Not Frank Rijkaard or Roy Keane. We need proven calibre, or else we have another Grant saga It remains to be seen if Grant would have won the league had he been in charge of the whole season. We need a long-term planning. Fergie stayed for almost 20 years? and had barren years. Wenger did not win anything for 2? seasons ? Though we may see an exodus of players - Carvalho, Drogs, essien and even Lamps to Milan - we have the ability to go out and buy qualities. We need a Gaffer who is strong and yet capable of pacifying Roman. We have credible success from French league players - Drogs, Essien. Although Malouda struggled, i feel that he will be better in season 2. It is also plausible for these players to want to try the Premiership. I have identified the following ; Achille Emana - Cameroon International from Toulouse. Wanted by Newcastle. First choice midfield creator who started in 66 games for Toulouse and scored 15 goals. Creative, physical and fast (He is also why Toulouse is first in my FIFA 2008 manager game in Ligue One) Mamadou Niang (Marseille) - 18 goals in 27 starts 7 2 subs. Also had UEFA/Champion's League experience. Another good Senegalese international Karim Benzema (Lyon) - Needs no introduction Fernando Cavenaghi (Bordeaux) - little known ex-River Plate & Spartak Moscow forward. Could be a good replacement for Pizarro/Sheva. I think he can step up the gear.

The Sun carried a report, Grant is sacked... See... don't say I didn't tell you so... I should be in MI11. This is not a difficult one to link... I am joking of course, but would be damned if Frank Rijkaard is appointed. He has achieved little this season. I do not believe that a really good manager can suffer from short period of underperformance. Alex has a few title-less years but Manyoo was always in for the challenge and appearing in Cup finals. Frank is a step forward perhaps from Grant in his credentials, but definitely nowhere near King Mourinho. Mourinho romance must be allowed to continue...

Quote: Real Madrid NINE TIMES: you can stick your poxy five times up your arse! Well said...you have no idea how obnoxious that Manure fans can be. I had a friend who called me the most arrogant fan for supporting Chelsea and they accuse us of spending to success. As if the pot is not calling the kettle black! Is Anderson, Nani, Rooney or Ronaldo from their academy? The last I heard was vintage Beckham, retiring Giggs and forgotten Scholes. I hate Manure and no opinion is going to change that !

As a Blues fan, we seem to be always surrounded by pro-Reds element. Numerically, there are far more Manyoo fans globally than Chelsea. That is not surprising considering that our heritage of success has really come about in the last decade or so. But the pro-Red connections sometimeslook very ominious and cynical. How do you often explain why some referees are more prone in overlooking decisions against Manyoo? (I amnot maligning the integrity of the Man in Black). Then there's the 3rd element of pro-Manu and pr0-Scouser often in the tabloid and the press. One man that I absolutely adhored reading is Rob Hughes, the regular columnist on Football on the Sunday Times where I live in Singapore. It is fairly obvious that the man is biased toward a Red shirt. Or how could you explain the Grant bashing in the British tabloid despite what he had tried to achieve under very untenable circumstances? To be fair, I was very anti-Grant because he is not the Gaffer of choice and was a stop-gap choice in my opinion. But through the last 1/3 of the race. when we practically remain unbeaten against Manyoo, Liverpool and Arsenal, I respect what he had done despite his poor credentials. While all the news were about hailing King Ronaldo and his Madrid ambition (sic!), it was always going to be JT's missed penalty. Drog's imminent departure and Lamp's supposed deal with Milan. It seems that all the elements - on & off the pitch- are pro-Manyoo. Surrounded by many Manyoo fans around me, I have declared footballing war on them, though life is still bigger than football. I have decided that Manyoo is my No.1 hated club of choice. I am graceful what we lose to Arsenal, Liverpool or anyone else but not Manyoo. Hence, I swore that i will never support any testimonial game where Manyoo is involved or even pay to watch them. Frankly, the gap between us and them is minimal. Manyoo has evolved into a poor shadow of the past, preferring to defend deep and break on counter wing plays. There will suffer when Rooney & Ronaldo ages. That is why they always needed young players like Nani & Anderson while a trusted servant like Giggs can only be offered a peripheral role. Manyoo has surrendered possessions ( if you look at statistics), typicalky playing a 3-3-1-2-1 system ( 3 defenders, 3 defensive midfielders, 1 holding playmaker (Tevez), with Ronaldo & Nani providing for Rooney. So it is easy to see why pro-Red element is desperate to show us to the Blues. I cannot wait for the new season to start. We have the quality, character, strength and resilience to win everything. Now that JM is not around, I hope that we have more great buying like Jose Bosingwa, and not seconds, hand-me-downs free transfer like Pizarro,Sidwell, Ben T'aim.

We should have been given a soft penalty for (was it Kalou or Malouda?) when he was impeded. But well said, we lost it, not Manure winning it. I just cannot understand why we never win penalty shootout. The gap between the double champion (hate to use that term) and us is very tight. Mourinho lost on pen in Community Shield, then Grant lost it on his first charge at 0-2. We got at them with a 2-1 (courtesy of a pen bec of Carrick's handball) and now we lost again on pen ! Frustrating. I have always maintained that we need real firepower. If Drogs never scores, we depend on Lamps and Ballack from deep in midfield to get the goods. Just how efficient is Malouda, Kalou or 2nd choice Sheva/Pizarro are in getting the goals? Anelka is decent but he is no top dog. For next season, we need to stop shopping around for dirt, like the enigmas of free transfer in limited appearances for Ben T'aim, Sidwell(on his way to Villa?) and Pizarro. With a goodbye call to Drogs( about time because he has become a liability), i still think we have room for Luis Fabiano, Robinho, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Farfan. We need just 2 great forward signing. while Maka will likely retire, Obi can be the jedi knight in the defensive role, or Bosingwa will allow Essien take role. All said, we need a settled squad with 2 great forward buys...that's it. We are not really that bad. We just need to pull ahead of Manure by 20m. A little more lethal in scoring and we can be the best again. Finally, i still think Roman does not owe the club if he lumps us with more than 750m quids in loan. I was surprised to hear that but it is hard to find a sugar daddy willing to lend that money. Also, thanks Grant. You have done your best but it is not good enough. A season of 2nds - Carling, League and Champ League -is really a failure for a club like Chelsea. Like Barcelona, i am just afraid that we may start to see an exodus, starting with Carvalho and Lamps. Let's hope that we do not need to rebuild again like Arsenal. Thanks for Moscow and the unfinished romance on the road to the League title. See you next season, hopefully feeling better

Goal No 1: For stealing our title Goal no 2: For Rooney, Vidic, Tevez's disgraceful mind games comment Goal No 3: For Pat Goal No 4: Drogs' parting shot Goal No 5: For the heroics of Terry/ Cech For next the 48 hours, Manu is my most hated team... I wish everyone of them dip in form. C'mon Blues... let's have a spectacular party before Euro 2008

When asked if he had signed for anyone, Mourinho said no. A week ago, he was quoted as that he should leave Chelsea at the beginning of the season, but he did add that he is in conversation with Roman and the relationship is cordial. Now Bosingwa, another player under Mourinho, is poised to sign for us! Is he coming back? Mourinho...oh Mourinho..... ( the news of all news)