Jack

A question that's been bugging me about Crazy Ricky's injury - if it's an injury that'll keep him out for 3 months, why the hell has he been out to Portugal and back again? Did he travel out and back on a stretcher? I know national teams often want to see the extent of the injury themselves, but surely someone at Chelsea should have let them know he wasn't fit to play? I'm sure the travelling hasn't helped matters, but I have a feeling Chelsea let him go safe in the knowledge that the injury wasn't too serious. I expect him back playing by the middle of next month at the latest.

Just to make things crystal clear, I don't want Grunt sacked, that would be a ridiculous thing to do at this stage of the season. My gripe is that whatever Roman, Kenyon, whoever is running the ship at the moment does, it won't be a patch on Jose's work. Chippy, you may think that:- "...what happened here under Jose was a fairytale...", but it was also a reality, one that could have (and should have) run for many years. I'm not talking about the here and now, I'm looking at the big picture. I was hoping that the structure that Jose and his team were in the process of putting in place would transform the playing side of the club for many, many years. Anyone who has followed the reserves for the past 20 odd years will know that our production line has tailed off to the extent that we were not producing players of any decent standard. Just look at the players produced under Wenger and Ferguson over the years and you'll see what I'm talking about. It doesn't always work but they have a 'way' of playing that runs right from the youth to the 1st team. Jose was trying to do that with the help of Arnesen and others, and it has become really important to produce those players - look at our CL squad, 2 players light because we don't have the requisite number of home-grown players in the club. The fairytale should have continued. Bluenut is spot on - the entertainment excuse was just that. The small crowd in the CL game v Rosenborg has been cited as proof that we fans weren't sufficiently excited by the team to fill the ground each and every home game - the truth being that no-one wanted to pay through the nose to watch a bunch of Norwegian no-hopers! Instead of sticking with Jose, allowing the philosophy that gained us 6 trophies in 3 seasons to filter down through the whole club, we went and shot ourselves in the foot. The players we have at present would achieve great things regardless of the man on the touchline. What I worry about is that the guy is slowly eroding the mentality of the players, the fans and the club - the one that Jose instilled in us all. I read bits and pieces on this forum that make it sound like we should be happy to trundle along, take a CL spot, win the odd trophy every 5 years - people who hark back to the "remember where we came from" days. Jose will be laughing into his skinny-fat latte to watch us go from the rock-solid-trophy-machine he created to the maybe-we'll-win-something-one-day bunch of reprobates we will become when the likes of Lampard, Drogba and others take their top-class talents elsewhere. Don't forget, these guys are used to working with the best manager, tactician, psychologist and motivator they/we have ever known - they aren't going to settle for the mealy-mouthed "oh well that's football" attitude of this guy and neither am I! If you're prepared to suffer this guy, enjoy the entertainment, 'cos we're going to become the biggest joke around. It hasn't begun to happen yet, but Drogba has mouthed off 3 or 4 times already, and there are signs that others aren't best pleased with the way they are being treated. All Jose's work is slowly being unravelled - the football, the attitude, the inspiration, the respect - and as it all starts to come apart the discontent will be major inside the club, and pretty major outside it too.

Very sober and sensible view, Chippy. I know Jose wasn't perfect but he was as close to perfection as we have ever seen at The Bridge so I forgive him the mistakes, however I disagree about the CL losses - I don't really think losing to Liverfool by a dubious goal and then penalties could be classed as being "outwitted" by Benitez, but we'll agree to disagree on that. Yes the transition has just begun but the players are alrwady there - Drogba, Lampard, Terry, Cole, Carvalho the list goes on and on. I don't really see what Grunt can add to that to improve the squad. Over the next 12 months we will see Grunt's players arrive and a few (or a lot) of our top players leave - transition often leads to discontent and some of our real leaders will move on having felt close to Mourinho and now feeling a little disenchanted. Example - Drogba has again opened his mouth to criticism the fans for having a go at SWP for his poor crossing yesterday. Now I heard disappointment but very little outright criticism of the lad. In Jose's time Drogba would have been advised to keep his mouth shut (as he has promised to do a couple of times already this season but has failed to do!), and Jose himself would have taken the limelight, the attention and the criticism away from the players. Drogba has sain there is something broken in the club and he is right. We don't snipe at each other and criticise the fans if we have a happy house - Jose would have made it his objective to keep everyone happy so they could perform to their best, players and fans alike.

I don't think the performances at Bolton, Wigan and Boro have been any more or less entertaining than during the Mourinho era. The home draws against Fulham and yesterday have been bad to watch from a supporters point of view. First and foremost we want to see the team play with authority, especially at home, win the game and THEN entertain. As I've said elsewhere, any fool could see that the game hinged on the first goal - after that we should have run the pants off a team that had 48 hours less than us to recover from our respective trips to Germany. Jose wouldn't have needed to say it - it would have been instinctive. Keep the ball, pass and move, kill their spirit and their legs and take the 3 points home. Instead we kept playing at the same tempo, the same formation, with the same objective - score a goal. It reminded me of England in Russia the other week. Needing a draw and 1-0 up, England should have taken Joey Cole or SWP off, dumped Frank in midfield, crowded the Russians out and won the game (or at the very least taken a point). Now they're waiting for no-hopers Israel, with nothing to play for, to take a point from Russia, in much the same way we are hoping Reading do us a favour tonight and take points off The Arse, and we will hope teans like Bolton can take points from Manyoo!!! Entertaining - maybe so, if you don't feel that winning is the most important factor. Unlucky - not in the slightest. Unprofessional - wouldn't go that far, but it's obvious that A Farm Grunt isn't Jose; he doesn't have his tactical nous, he doesn't have the respect of the players, he doesn't have the authority required to lead the players, and (lets be honest) is probably the most boring man on the planet! If you want entertainment, fine. What a great end to a game, one that was on a knife-edge the whole 90 minutes. If you want to win things, cast your eyes north, my friends - to North London or the North-West of England, 'cos winning stuff is a thing of the past. We are in transition - players will come and go, formations will change, objectives will change. What will remain the same for the next couple of seasons will be idiots (Kenyon, Buck and Greenberg) telling us that Grunt is an improvement on Jose Mourinho!!!!! f**k me, I just fell off my chair and pissed my pants!!! If you hadn't guessed it I still stand by the FACT that getting rid of Jose was the most stupid decision made by a football club in living memory - sacking the double Premier League winner because you want 'entertaining football'! As they say, be careful what you wish for - the Everton, Manyoo, Arse, Liverfool, Spuds and Wet Spam fans were all entertained by our inability to win a game that was already won!

As I have been saying (to all those bothered to listen rather than bang on about half-full or half-empty glasses and the like) we will get games like this now that Jose has gone. That's not to say we didn't get games like this with Jose, but todays game reminded me of the one against Bolton a few years back under dear old Ranieri, when we took the lead, they equalised before the half and then we lost in the last few seconds with a JT own goal, remember? Not so much the pattern of play or the chances, but the lack of purpose or professionalism (or whatever) to kill the game off. Jose would have been furious that we let 2 points slip to a team that were never in it. What does A Farm Grunt say - 'that's football'! I would say to him that if you are aware 'that's football', do something about it! It was obvious this was a one-goal game. We played out of our skins looking for that goal and when we got it we should have battened down the hatches, hoofed it into the stratosphere and thanked our individual Gods for the 3 points. Instead we continued to play football, same formation, same intent, always allowing the oppostion hope. Today was an example of why this guy should never be in charge. It was naive in the extreme to say 'that's football' with a toothy grin - if he doesn't know it by now he never will. Teams in the Premier League fight to the end - don't give them anything to hang onto. We continued to play like we had in our previous home game, 3, 4, 5, 6-0 up and cruising. Except we were only 1-0 up and on the edge. Can't fault any of the players, they were all great today. What I can fault is the attitude they have been asked to adopt. This is the thin end of the wedge. I've said it before - get used to a few more 4, 5 and 6-0 wins, but also be prepared to play like stupid asses on occasion and drop vital points. Yes we are much more stylish now but we are not a winning team anymore. We play to win games but we don't play to win trophies, and when Manyoo wave their trophies in our faces next May, will we be happy to wave back our end of season dvd, the one that contains some great football but no footage of JT lifting a trophy over his head? If you hadn't guessed it, I will not be best pleased.....but that's entertainment!

Anyone else think that all the missed chances and the dodgy combination of Ben Haim and Alex adds up to a 1-0 Everton win?

Jose said before we played Bolton in 2004 at the Bridge that the place didn't "smell" of success. You only have to read the last two pages of this thread to understand why.

We were equally poor in the 2nd half against Wigan - just to remind you all. In the great scheme of things the point was a good one - it keeps us on course to win the group and we have an important tie-breaker advantage over Shalke in the event we finish equal on points. On last nights game I have to say I've not seen us play that badly for years - maybe Boro away a couple of seasons ago comes close. We were inept with the ball and all over the place without it. Shalke are a rank team, really, really ordinary. Only Kuranyi is anywhere close to a level of player we'd even look at. So what was the problem? Poor tactics, poor preparation, poor application - take your pick! Leicester last week was great 'entertainment' but in truth it was rubbish - Jose is turning in his 'grave'! Get used to it. These sorts of performances will tend to happen when the objective is to produce exciting football. You open the game up and as a consequence you're either on it or you ain't. The question is will we be happy with the odd 4, 5 or 6-0 if we end up losing important games that cost us? I don't hold much hope that we'll win anything this season, much like the Ranieri years - all a bit hit and miss. As the season goes on and the 4 go to Africa, and players start looking elsewhere, it'll all come to a head - the spirit in the dressing room, the application of certain players (Drogba is already being questioned), and finally we'll end up with a mess that'll need major surgery to sort out. Pessimistic? Maybe so, but the breakdown of the Mourinho era will ultimately be seen as crass, rash and pointless.

I think I'm pining less for Mourinho now than I was 3 weeks ago but this new philosophy (which I believe reads something like "lets win with style") can only lead us backwards, to the days of entertaining play but up and down results. It's my opinion (and only my opinion) that those of you enamoured with the 6-0 the other day will be equally pissed off when we drop points to absolute w**k because the team all went forward in a bid to entertain and left the back door ajar. I think tomorrow may be a case in point and I don't want to be the "I told you so" that tells you so - I'm big enough and stoopid enough to say what I think will happen, and we don't look secure enough or competent enough to blaze a trail at each and every ground in the country and get away with it - someone will do us at some point. Pessimism has nothing to do with it - I'm a realist. The Arse are too inexperienced and dodgy at the back to win the title, and Liverfool have the Spanish waiter to screw things up for them - only Fergie has the experience, strength in depth and players to win the title. It's quite easy when you look at it. Unfortunately we will have too many things to trip us up, only a miracle could win it for us. As the season goes on players will begin to look elsewhere. We have 4 top players going away for up to 6 weeks, and the way we have started to play is suicidal at times. Just my take - if you see something else, fair do's!

Our most recent away games in the league were typical Mourinho style wins - 1-0 at Bolton and 2-0 at Boro. With all the fun and games at SB the past week - 3 wins, 12 goals and entertainment all the way - that fact may have escaped a few people. Now we have a situation where the 'new' Chelsea has been well and truly unveiled. Can we revert to the old style of functional play, where the 3 points are paramount and the way we do it isn't? Or will it be seen as 'failure' if we win 1-0 in the old way? I'd be happy with the 3 points and no more injuries ahead of Schalke away but I have a funny feeling Wigan are the sucker-punch that's been waiting to happen. If A Farm Grunt thinks he can play the expansive way we have been at a Premiership ground (even that of lowly Wigan) he may be in for a shock. I predict a draw.

If you can, catch Frank's post-match interview on Chelsea TV - for someone who just had the game of his life, he looks incredibly pissed off! Not a hint of a smile crosses his lips and at one point seems to take offence to it being pointed out that his attacking game (ie, no goals scored) was all that was missing from the performance. Frank had a brilliant game on Saturday but I still think he'd rather take his chances elsewhere next season. We'll see.

Got this given to me yesterday for my xxth birthday (!) - watched it this afternoon and I highly recommend it as a history of the Mourinho era, the ups and the downs are there in one package. Something to cherish as we try to move on with our lives!

Just in case anyone was thinking of plunging in, they are offering the package for ?5 a month for the 1st 3 months.

In the light of Drogba's (wholly understandable) outburst, anyone want to reconsider their views?

I'm getting a bit sick of the 'remember the good-old bad-old times' brigade - that's ancient history. In relation to the recent past (the last 10 years) the sacking of Jose has taken us backwards. Remember what Jose said when he first arrived (I shall paraphrase): "(I want) to improve things and to create the football team in relation to my image and my football philosophy.? The foundations had been laid. His football philosophy was beginning to pervade all levels of the playing and coaching staff. The philosophy may have rubbed off on some people but it will soon fade without his genius to continue to regenerate it on a regular basis. All this has now been shattered by this idiotic act of petulance by the club. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a daft as a monkey in a tumble dryer! He also said when he arrived that the club did not have a winning "smell". That's a smell we have all become accustomed to. I understand the longing for the good-old, bad-old days, but we can't regress; we have smelt success and any other odour is a nasty one. After the game against Fulham some fans were (ironically) singing that we were going to win fug-all...apart from the Simod cup (and other sundry 3rd rate pieces of silverware), and I get the humour. Sadly enough with the way other clubs are going, that may become all too true. We can all debate the truths or untruths about the press stories circulating, and about who is 'running' the club, but the facts are there for all of us to feel - and if you don't feel that our club is being taken down the wrong path, you have lost any sense of the place. Players that we would be upset to see injured for a few weeks are going to leave the club (I know, you want proof, but just use a bit of common-sense). You cannot replace the heart and soul of a club with just anyone, however good they may be. We've seen that with Ballack and Sheva - great players of their time, but where is their Chelsea-ness (for want of a better phrase)? The club is relying on the vast majority of the fans packing up their troubles in their old kit bag and smiling, smiling, smiling, but for those of us with our eyes open - well we only see the slow demise of the status Jose gave us. We were top of the heap for a short time, feared by everyone. Now we are seen as a club without direction, bobbing about in the waters of discontent created by the offing of a great leader. Abramovich may have all the money in the World but he is no leader of men, no example to the players, fans and followers of the club. We've heard a lot about how the press will miss Jose, for his wit and playfulness, but it was more than mere whimsy; it was the wit and wisdom of a focused, driven and inspirational champion who would have led us to greater and greater glory. The next few months will be enjoyed by all those who had once feared us. Every player who leaves and then condemns will be excuse for joyous revelry for our rivals, but I can't forsee any other outcome. The club will use its financial power to recruit star names, and we will all be witness to the pantomine. And when Jose takes over at Inter or Juve or Real or wherever, we will all shout at Roman - BEHIND YOU!

Well that has always been my fear since Jose left - that we would be rudderless, divided and at each others throats. The recent wins in CL and Prem have been used as justification for Old Farm Grunt's existance, as we merrily wind our way down the road towards civil war. Put yourself in the position of the players, and ask why you would want to stay. Some of the guys have won everything there is to win in England - the CL eludes us but what are the prospects this season? Drogba is in demand as is Lamps. Both are at an age where a final big challenge would be ideal - I expect them to leave next summer. There are others but I won't go into it - I've already done that elsewhere. What really worries me is why would anyone want to come to the club, with the way things have gone and the reports they'll get from some of the biggest names in world football. My biggest fear is that we will become the kind of club everyone accuses us of already being - one that has a host of over-paid mercenaries only here for the beer, so to speak. Ten cate may be the guy who pulls it all together. Or he may be the one who rips it all apart, destroying any team spirit that remains. I'm still f**ked off with it all - a stupid way to run a club if ever there was.

Nope - appeal was thrown out on the basis that he deserved some sort of a card - the same decision that Mikel got. He'll miss the Boro game and the home game against City. Ferreira has been playing left-back for Portugal so he'd be the obvious choice, and I guess Ben Haim could play there too if needed. Any more defensive injuries and we could be down to the bare bones. I currently make it Alex, JT, Cashley all injured, Bridge suspended and Essien (as emergency cover) injured.

Quick impression of yesterdays game. Lamps is back and looked pretty good. Couple of mis-placed passes but overall it was like he hadn't been away. Joey Cole has quite obviously been given free-reign to do his stuff - great when it comes off but lets hope he keeps doing it in the opposition half! Chuffed with the Kalou goal, just to shut all those doubters up. The boy has talent and needs to be given confidence not slagged off. Overall it was a decent enough performance. Defensively we looked ok and the midfield functioned (Maka was on top form and Sidwell did what Sidwell does). Happy with the 3 points but the feeling is still there - the players are lacking something, some sort of cohesion. Jose said at one point during his reign that he values psychological fitness above physical fitness. Our players are decent enough, they are reasonably fit but psychologically they are struggling. One or two may still be wondering whats going on, others may be looking elsewhere (Sheva, take the hint!) but overall we seem a bit edgy, like a man on the brink of a nervous breakdown. I'm happy with the last two results but the fall-out from the last few weeks isn't over - the story has more chapters to play out.

I don't think anyone truly wanted a loss - its just that we were all expecting one! Great result last night - Drogba came up with the performance I'd prayed for, top geezer! We scored two of the best goals we've ever scored in Europe - the move for the first one was brilliant, and Joey's ball for the 2nd was the stuff of dreams, I doubt he's ever played a better pass in his life! After all the crap of the last two weeks we needed that - the fans, the players, everyone. I still don't think we'll be the force we would have been under Jose, but fair play the team were fantastic last night. Lets see if we can keep it going on Sunday.

Nice pictures guys, but to be serious for a moment.... If we play in the disorganised, haphazard manner we did on Saturday, we'll get turned over big-time. Teams like Valencia are based on good organisation in defence and midfield and a touch of flair up front. We (conversely) are all over the shop! The only way we are coming away with anything is if Drogba puts in one of those stunning one-man shows he digs out two or three times a season. We live in hope.

Don't have any time to read this thread but here's my take on todays performance. Firstly the warm-up - everyone happy and laughing and smiling, could have been taken one of two ways; either relaxed about the game, or unprepared, no focus, no concentration - I think it was the latter. The display was erratic, undiscilplined, disorganised and shoddy. My main bugbears today - Sheva has become a joke, absolutely and utterly hopeless. Joe Cole has gone back 3 years. He's started all the crap that Jose knocked out of him. Shame. My main problem was after Drogba went off. A Farm Grunt replaced Ashley Cole with Malouda, presumably so that Malouda could play left wing-back, do two jobs for the last 20 minutes. That f**king lazy c**t lost the ball on the halfway line and JOGGED BACK, f**kING JOGGED - like it was nothing to do with him! We don't need players like that f**ka at our club! Plus points today - sidwell played his heart out, not the greatest with the ball but at least he tries (see above); Beletti was our best attacking option, made some great runs, pity no-one saw him half the time. The challenge on JT was deliberate - I was right opposite it and the guy went for him, crazy gang style. Drogba's sending off was a joke but I'm getting used to this bias. One last thing - saw Bruce Buck and Simon Greenturd outside the ground laughing and joking with people before going into our new plush restaurant; I was going to have a go but thought I might get myself locked up, so I'll say it here - the people who now run the place, be it The Owner or whoever, have taken the club back 15 years. All the work done by Hoddle, Guillit, Vialli and Mourinho has been chucked down the pan. The main focus is on the business, the corporate lardi-dah bollocks that surrounds the club. I've made a committment to go to one more game - Man City - then that's it for me this season. Some may say fairweather supporter, others may back me, frankly scarlet I don't give a damn. I'm not giving up my Saturdays and ?200 so that these turds can eat well and slap each other on the back. f**k 'em. The Chelsea I knew has gone for good and when they move us to a bigger, better stadium, they can all clap politely when some South American twat juggles the ball for 20 seconds during our 7-7 draw with Middlesbro - all in the name of entertainment, doncha know!

I think JT's action was just the reaction of a shocked captain trying to plead with the idiotic ref. Everyone knows it was never a sending off. If you see it again, watch the refs VERY camp reaction: "Let go of my card!" Poor love! As for Clarkie, abusive language was the thin end of the wedge - anyone with anything about them would have knocked the tosspot out! Probably the most cowardly referreing performance I've ever seen. On a more general note, it's about time we used a video ref for all these decisions, especially when you can't recind a red card for a yellow one.

I voted for the middle one - (I find sarcasm is best fought with sarcasm). Qaz you are doing a great job defending the indefensible - The Owner should never interfere with the manager. If he doesn't like what the manager is doing then he is within his rights to replace him. What Mourinho's crime was I'm still not sure. Playing unattractive football? Not beating Rosenborg? How many clubs are playing attractive AND winning football? Last season in England it was Manyoo. Were AC Milan particularly attractive? Real Madrid? I would say Seville are an attractive outfit but other than them and Manyoo, not many others played 'The Beautiful Game' and won a trophy. If he thinks that his mouthpiece A farm Grunt will do any better (as he's asked his lackies to tell the press) he's not only a meglamaniac, he's delusional as well. If the new bloke is just keeping the seat warm for Hiddink or some other experienced coach, it beggers the question why didn't he sack Jose in the summer so the new man would have a chance to set the club up the way he wanted? Face it - the decision to let Jose go after criticising him for over a year was idiotic. Mourinho is the best manager (by a million miles) this club has ever had, or likely to. By every measure this has been a backward step - the fans are angry, the players are de-motivated, the board embarrassed (just look at Buck and Kenyon's faces in that press conference) and the new bloke is being ridiculed. Sacking Jose was the act of a petulant man, egged on by those that surround him - a bunch of hangers on who think they know how to take the club forward but in actuallity have taken us so far backwards we can see our own arses in the distance!

Laxative - - Movement of Jah Bowels! To get back to the point, here are my top 10 candidates for the trap door: @ 10 - Ricky Carvalho - wanted all over Europe, snapped up by Barca next summer @ 9 - Paulo Ferreira - Jose was his Dad, will go back to Porto @ 8 - SWP - The Owner obviously doesn't fancy him, he'll be upset by all the upheaval - off to Newcastle @ 7 - Joey Cole - Jose made him what he is today and knew how to keep him sweet - Spain for Joey @ 6 - Lamps - Will follow the Special One to Inter @ 5 - Drogba - A new challenge for the big boy - maybe Inter with Lamps or Real with Robbie @ 4 - Malouda - Only came cos Drogs was his mate - will be so bad that we'll sell if we can get 50% back @ 3 - Bridge - Only thing keeping him at the club was Jose - off to pastures new as soon as poss @ 2 - Carlo - I wondered how on Earth this guy has been persuaded to play 2nd fiddle for so long. Answer, Jose. @ 1 - Top of the shop, Mickey Boy Essien. The guy is totally f**ked off, would leave tomorrow if he could. Which leaves us Chelsea supporters Royally f**ked thanks to The Owner. Nice one.

These MotM votes are becoming a sick joke. I vote for Carlo - did nothing wrong and looked suitably glum on the bench. Hopefully the guy will get a game on Wednesday, which'll go some way to getting him a starting place at a proper football club, somewhere they don't treat their players, coaches and fans like cattle with bluetongue and foot and mouth disease.