Can Chelsea retain their top 4 position?

[Hutch]

It doesn't exactly need spelling out that our form since November has been worse and more prolonged than the run of results that got Scolari the sack. Ancelotti himself expressed his surpise at not getting the sack a few weeks ago. I think the players and management are away of the seriousness of the situation. The big question that remains is what should be done about it?

 

[TheWestwayWonder]

The only solace I take from the disaster that has befallen us since October is that this club can survive a finish outside of the top 4. We will be equipped to do it financially, but the problem is attracting the players to make us better. Arsenal, Man Utd, City and Scum will all do that. How many great players can we pull in by offering a chance at a redemption season that might get us back to Europe? Or will we be signing the likes of Mireles or Poulsen like the dippers.

Again, I hate to be the one to look a gifthorse in the mouth, but 50 million pounds was alot to spend on one player, when it couldve have improved us at 3-4 positions across the park. Management recognized there was a need to spend and that was great. But to paraphrase Zidane, they went for a new coat of paint on the car when the engine needed work.

 

[forbzy]

We had a terrible patch from mid-Nov to mid-Jan in particular. However even allowing for our last 2 games we have 10 points from our last 5 ( 2 points per game) thanks to a mini revival just before that. If we reproduce the sort of form we showed against Sunderland we should be able to maintain an average of 2 points or more a game I think. However that is a big IF and probably relies on Carlo quickly finding a good blend with the new squad. The 2 most important fixtures remaining are Spuds and City at home. If we win both of those I'd say we have an excellent chance of finishing top 4. Lose both and we are in for a struggle.

 

[clubhappy]

Rumours around that theres severe unrest in the squad , probably complete bollox but theres cause for concern . We have just completely fallen apart since Wilking left , so i can see reasons why people are asking questions on the departure of Wilkins and our current situation.

 

[Tim W]

And uncle Ray got the sack on November 11. Maybe last year's double and the good early season form was down to Ray and what we're seeing now is Carlo on his own.

 

[Mod]

I sort of agree with you Tim, though don't think Carlo is useless without him, probably more that they had a unit together. Good managers have a management team or assistant Manager and feel this is where we have never recovered since Ray, as Carlo is left with.. well not much back-up on things. I am definitely in the 'things took a turn when Ray went' camp. I reckon Carlo and Ray brought unity in the dressing room, support from players and we could see that in our play, of course there is always going to be a few bad results, but we had a level of consistency.

Who to blame? There is no way in the world these same players that steamrollered teams and happily won a double can suddenly play like Sunday League. Players like Drogs, Malouda, Lampard etc have dipped form, but these are quality international players, so they are missing something from the training ground and dressing room, and it could be that figure that they use to see daily working alongside Carlo.

I feel sorry for Carlo, clearly a great manager who's hands must of been tied while his assistant, who he worked with at Chelsea from day one, was told they wouldn't give him another contract. Di Matteo or Zola filling Ray's role would be great, but I doubt it will happen. I think this is what has been lacking through our bad run. Maybe one man running the team is too much and he needs more help.

Do we blame certain people on the board? The same board that shelled out 75 million in a day after years of not spending. That isn't the answer to recent problems.

If Carlo doesn't get good back-up alongside to fill that hole, the only option is to get another manager, cause unfortunately for Carlo, I don't think he can handle it at the moment and he certainly isn't getting too much help by any designated assistant given by the club. The last thing I want is for Carlo to go, but I can't see any way out of it unless some sort of unity comes about again.

The Champions League will be a crucial time!

 

[nicnac]

And uncle Ray got the sack on November 11. Maybe last year's double and the good early season form was down to Ray and what we're seeing now is Carlo on his own.

lol. Yeh, that's it. Ancelotti used to get on the blower to Wilkins when he was at AC Milan and ask for some tactical advice to help him get to three CL Finals and win two of them.

That being said, I do think getting rid of Wilkins was a bonkers move. It disrupts a team that is on it's way to successfully defending their Double and leaves the manager - who brought over NONE of his backroom staff - feeling a little vulnerable/isolated/miserable. It looks as though Carlo and the players have a good relationship, they obviously enjoy working with him or they would have pulled a Scolari and gone upstairs to the big man to try and get him thrown out.

The Double papered over the fact that the squad needs a big rebuild. It needed one two years ago, it didn't happen. Now it's a bigger job. Ancelotti got something out of an ageing squad that the previous managers up to Jose hadn't. So the board rewards him by trimming his ageing squad, sacking his right hand man and making a song and dance about signing a £50 million out of form striker in the January transfer window just when it looked like the team had found it's groove again.

He's changed the formation at least twice in the last two games to try and accomodate Torres. It's not the manager that is tactically inflexible, it's the players/squad. They are incapable of playing anything that he asks them to play other than 4-3-3. And they haven't been doing that too well. The bench has no real game changing attacking options, apart from Kalou. And that's saying something.

At some point this crop of players has got to take responsibility for a poor showing in the league, they haven't in the past. It's always been the manager that took the bullet. The squad is too old and too small for a PL season, CL and FA Cup. Too many core positions are took up by 30+ players who look wrecked, past their peak and are generally out of form. This season isn't being squeezed out of them, never mind the next one.

 

[amART]

if we are going to play like last night, i will be happy if we finish in top 10.

 

[Tim W]

It wasn't all down to Ray really as we all know Ray only moved the cones about and any overweight ex pro can do that.

By the way according to Ray, he was sacked by RA, end of, no renewal of contract just plain and simple your services are no longer required bye bye there's the door. And that came straight from the man himself on the premier league's tv channel.

Strange how manure's squad is never considered old, with Giggs, Ginger minge, Van der Valk, Rio, Evra, Brown, Vidic, Hardgreaves, Carrick, Owen all approaching or well over 30.

Could it just be the hunger has gone, or the cut in bonuses this season has impacted. It'll be interesting to see how they perform in the CL next week, I don't think Copenhagen will be the push over a lot of people are expecting.

 

[Hutch]

This is what Ancelotti had to say after the game at Craven Cottage:

"The most important thing is to finish in the top four" "I think we will be able to do this if we play like we did at Fulham. I'm an optimist, and there's good reason to have confidence. I try to be objective every time. The football we showed at Craven Cottage was good and we have to continue to believe in it."

I hope he's right.

LINK

 

[nicnac]

It wasn't all down to Ray really as we all know Ray only moved the cones about and any overweight ex pro can do that.

By the way according to Ray, he was sacked by RA, end of, no renewal of contract just plain and simple your services are no longer required bye bye there's the door. And that came straight from the man himself on the premier league's tv channel.

Strange how manure's squad is never considered old, with Giggs, Ginger minge, Van der Valk, Rio, Evra, Brown, Vidic, Hardgreaves, Carrick, Owen all approaching or well over 30.

Could it just be the hunger has gone, or the cut in bonuses this season has impacted. It'll be interesting to see how they perform in the CL next week, I don't think Copenhagen will be the push over a lot of people are expecting.

Hargreaves, Brown and Owen are squad players at best, they hardly get a game. Van der Saar is a goalkeeper who's age isn't showing so it isn't an issue. Also he's leaving at the end of the season.

Rio and Vidic will need replacing in a couple of seasons. Their age isn't showing either, they're both playing really well.

Giggs and Scholes are often rested, they will need to be replaced in the summer, but their form is good and they're still great players.

United's squad has greater potential for rotation. Carrick/Scholes/Anderson/Fletcher don't play every week. Chelsea's squad - as a result of trimming and injury - has less potential for rotation.

If the reason is hunger/wage cuts then those players really shouldn't be playing at a top Premiership club.

 

[Epic]

This is what Ancelotti had to say after the game at Craven Cottage:

I hope he's right.

LINK

Sounds like the words of a desperate man. So clueless tactically he wants players to carry one doing the same thing regardless of results. It is a sign of madness, doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results.

Why should somebody like Torres for instance continue to believe in a system that creates no chances for him? All that running for wha exactly?

Can sombody just answer one question for me; why do the fullbacks attack so much yet they are incapable of crossing the f**king ball? What exactly are they running up and down for? They get into good crossing positions then knock it back in field? Wtf is that about?

 

[icecoolguy22]

The good thing is the future is still in our hands. We beat Spurs and City, we will almost be 3rd. Needless to say, we need to be heaps better, because everyone will play the pool, fulham game against us from now on. Torress and Drogba need to play together, contary to some, I think Drogba is good wide player (not necessarily a hug the line type of winger), he has the best crossing skill in the team, and he can beat most fullbacks by sheer power.

 

[rahul]

Spurs always fk up their league game after a good showing in Europe. Hope that continues.

 

[sdsdsdsd]

The good thing is the future is still in our hands. We beat Spurs and City, we will almost be 3rd. Needless to say, we need to be heaps better, because everyone will play the pool, fulham game against us from now on. Torress and Drogba need to play together, contary to some, I think Drogba is good wide player (not necessarily a hug the line type of winger), he has the best crossing skill in the team, and he can beat most fullbacks by sheer power.

I agree a partnership between the 2 might be the best possibility for our team, however it is risky. At this stage i'd hope we create a consistent starting 11 where players can develop good chemistry. This means stopping the rotations of kalou, anelka and malouda and the same with ramires and essein and just keep the same starting 11 for a month or so, bar injuries of course.

Also a partnership might take a good 1/2 season to develop. Meshing players of such great and SIMILAR talent takes a long time, sometimes even up to 1/2 or a full season. We don't have the time for this and with top 4 slipping away from us, I think its much better to stick with the 4-3-3 which our players are used to.

 

[Andreas]

I don't know what to say if we did not manage to get top 4 this season, with this squad its just not acceptable. It is still possible to even end up getting the third spot but then the form has to increase A LOT because the last 2 games we've been sh*t, how stupid it was to even think that we were back to form.

I guess I could cope with myself having to stand a season without C.L but imagine the stick Torres would get from the scousers and the media would just f**king love it, besides of that everyone would love to see us not getting 4th - No way, just dont let it happen Chelsea, please..

 

[Fast Eddie]

imagine the stick Torres would get from the scousers and the media would just f**king love it, besides of that everyone would love to see us not getting 4th - No way, just dont let it happen Chelsea, please..

Exactly. I'm probably like a lot of people work with gooners, Spuds, West Ham, Manure fans, etc, etc but worst of all the position it puts our beloved club in is the worst scenario...

 

[blizeH]

I don't care about the media personally. I care about the players and staff who have given their all to try and get that top four finish (others less so I guess!), I care for the fans who get to go to amazing cities and stadiums and see their team play, I care for the people at home even, who get to enjoy watching their team play against the best teams in the world, but the media? meh.

Interesting above about Drogba maybe playing further out wide - as you say he does have the qualities you'd need and has hell of a cross on him. When I saw Torres trying to play wide against Liverpool I was so disappointed - he's the sort of player you need in and around the box, he's completely ineffective out wide and Liverpool must have been laughing.

 

[Champagne Charlie]

I have to ask: How can Ancelotti go from brilliant boss to tactically inept in the space of less than a season?

Aren't there mitigating circumstances that may have hampered his ability to produce results this season?

I mean, when your boys were stuffing teams 5 and 6 nil at the start of the season who'd've thought Carlo would now be viewed with such disdain?

 

[Epic]

I have to ask: How can Ancelotti go from brilliant boss to tactically inept in the space of less than a season?

Aren't there mitigating circumstances that may have hampered his ability to produce results this season?

I mean, when your boys were stuffing teams 5 and 6 nil at the start of the season who'd've thought Carlo would now be viewed with such disdain?

Would somebody like Hiddink or Mourinho be getting better results with this set of players? The answer is emphatically YES.

Ancelotti was tactically inept for a lot of last season that however was masked by winning the league title with the lowest points total since 2003. Let's be hones the league last year was very weak, no standout teams and Chelsea were by a single point the best out of a bad bunch of teams.

Maybe tactically inept is a bit harsh but he is rigid in his style of play and his ability to change the game from the sidelines with a sub or jig in formation/aprroach/build up play is embarrassingly poor for a manager in his position.