highwayman64

I must have missed that 5 mins when he was hot in a blue shirt!

Bit hasty on the 'improvement in defending' in my opinion. Ok against Man C mostly, a bit fortunate at times against Fulham, completely folded against West Ham (3 goals in 1 half), not much to defend agains that Danish team and conceded 1 against the 2nd lowest prem scorers (and didnt exactly look solid in 2nd half) - no, need more convicing here.......

Agreed - I said it at the time and I say it now, Torres should have been the person sacked not RDM, 3 managers and counting he is a massive chip on our shoulders.

He didnt say he wouldnt ever manage them and his remarks were against the club not directly against the supporters, a thin line and you make a good point, but do you think Barcelona will ever appoint him after that and do you think the fans would enjoy that appointment ? Do you think he would ever go there, I really doubt it....unlike Rafa!

So we are still giving Torres excuses I see, anyone got any stats on his goals to shots ratio in last 12 mths, I am pretty sure amongst top teams it would be amongst the worst, and now suddenly he decides he can take pens after all..........strange approach from a striker, I thought they all had a hunger to take every opportunity presented to them.

Yes I Share the anger at the treatment of RDM and whilst it wouldnt still make it acceptable, had he been replaced by anyone other than the FSW then I believe most would have soon relaxed their views, after all we got over Mourinho's sacking.........however if ever there was a good example of the phrase 'rubbing salt in the wound' then its to bring in a man who has been the most disrespectful to Chelsea fans. A man who has the arrogance to try to win over the Chelsea fans by dropping our best player to the bench and plotting a 0-0 home draw against 'high flying Fulham and their stunning away record at Stamford Bridge' whilst wearing a red tie (petty maybe but he knew what he was doing alright). He then proceeds to use every excuse in the book mostly blaming RDM for burning out the players (in mid Nov????)............nope not really trying to endear himself in my book and I dont believe a 6-1 home win over a pretty awful team Weds followed by a flattering 3-1 away win at one of the poorest prem teams has yet convinced me. I like many others on here am really struggling with this one and I cannot subscribe to any views trying to make Benitez out to be an 'unlucky' casualty of the bad feeling. He knew full well what he was doing, he didnt exactly take long to accept the offer from a club 'he would never manage', it's his easy ticket to re-establishing a career blighted by recent failure......I will still taking an awful lot of convincing I am afraid.

No sorry, dont buy this at all, these are young energetic players not ageing players with best years behind them. Lets stop giving players excuses a la Mr Whinger, tired in mid Nov (when all this started), give me a break please.

You forgot the key one 'I missed the half time team talk as I was too busy serving Roman his Paella and Sangria'

Well there havent been too many of them!

If you dont care about the trophies why would you care about Citeh blowing us away??????? I challenge anyway to REALLY prove they havent enjoyed the success...........they dont cheer at every cup lifting ceremony???

Here here, forget the manager, I dont like Rafa but I love Chelsea, so lets get behind them.....whats to lose if Rafa does well memories will fade, but if we continue this onslaught he, and the team have no chance, rise above it blues!

Spot on - dont get me wrong I did not agree with the latest sacking and more importantly the choice of replacement, but whoooaaa, lets remember what RA has given us too and is it wrong for him to want his team (our team) to be the best? By all means we should let Roman know our thoughts, but dont dwell on it that will only damage our club further. Its tough tough times, we are only 3rd in the league, Euro Champions, FA Cup holders, still in CL (just I agree), 20 years ago would I take that, of course I bloody would, lets get on with supporting our team, our owner, yes even our manager and give them some chance of turning this round soon!

He had no choice really, but he was never convinced, RDM was always a marked man and dont tell me Rafa hasnt been lined up for weeks. There is another issue for me though in all this. Aside from RA's disrespect for fans and seeming lack of concern for the stature of the club, his judgement has to be questionned with some quite ridiculous appointments - AVB, Grant, Scolari, (Rafa ???) are just 4 managers that should never have been appointed whilst Mourinho, Ancellotti and RDM should NOT have gone (at that particular time.) I hope that Rafa isnt long term but equally I am happy for him to prove me wrong but please RA, lets get some clear thinking and class back into this club and stop making us a laughing stock as aside from all the trophies which I am eternally grateful for, I want a soul and spirit to the club. If its Guardiola long term then make it long term, no more knee jerk decisions.

Seriously? Didnt win Prem League despite spending millions, bought some truly awful players, then went to Inter and broke a double winning team - he may be, he may be good, but nah not a top manager (if so why hasnt anyone else taken him?)

Correct

Agreed - if we werent true Chelsea fans we wouldnt take time to vent our frustrations......

And he probably still wont touch the ball :)

Does that matter when you post or is it a closed shop. I dont live on forums and agree I only come on when big news breaks, but why shouldnt I. Everyone is entitled to opinions, thats the point of forums, at the end of the day, we are all Chelsea (apartf rom those red infiltrators lol)

Should we all wave blue plastic Rafa flags now :)

Correct, this is a shocking, ill conceived and truly conceited appointment. I accept those that are pointing out the logic in his appointment but are we really seriously appointing a manager in the hope he can do whatt 3 previous managers have failed to do and get Torres to play. Rafa spent millions & still didnt win Prem League, with Liverpool, he bought some truly dreadful players, stuck to a failing zonal marking ethic and then took a double winning team at Inter down tha pan too...credentials? If he really is an interim, why bother with him. Dont the Chelsea hierarchy care about the fans views. But like the majority, I will hide by disdain for this fella, support the team and hope that I am proving very wrong and prepare to eat a big portion of humble pie..........prediction though....we go back to s defensive unattractive team (that RA doesnt want!) and Torres continues to fail.....2 more portions of humble pie to eat hopefully!

So we get in a manager most Chelsea fans are reluctant (at best) to support in a forlorn hope he can make 1 player play again......remarkable!

Ditto, great words, couldnt say it better............ ::clap2::

Spot on, I will always have high regards for Roman and what he has given us, achievements I could never have dreamt of but please, this is now embarrassing and we are that club with no class I am afraid as much as it pains me to say it. Roman and Mr Buck need to hear that LOUD and CLEAR before the match.... Then its back to business as long wasteless extended protests achieve little usually, our team needs us and we need them.

Well said, he is turning us into an embarrasment, I will always respect the success he has brought us but dont expect me to be happy with this recent behaviour, shameful. Rafa will lose the fans after 1 defeat, watch this space, he isnt liked or wanted.

Nope it dont bother me at all. Would prefer not to be out but I will continue to remind everyone we are the 1st and so far only London team to win CL, Munich will be a memory that lives much longer than this slight hiccup............