Chelsea vs Fenerbahce

[Chippy]

I'm not running Grant down, nor do I put Mourinho on a pedestal. But there track record prior to Chelsea can't be compared Mourinho won the CL with Porto and then he won two premierships with CFC.

So what your saying then is Mourinho won the CL with Porto?

How is that last part prior to CFC? you may as well say prior to CFC Grant done ok in Israel and reached the CL semis and runners up in the Prem with CFC...

 

[The Brit]

correct if i'm wrong liam but i always got the impression you went anti-jose for his treatment of duff, your favourite, and fact he sold him off...not that he's done anything at newcastle since then...we got his best years and then injuries came along and that's why chelsea didn't offer him a new deal and sold him...

I have always been a massive jose fan, while still recognising he got it wrong on occasion...my biggest disappointment was when he put huth up front against liverpool in champs league...that was embarassing...but there were so many times when he changed a game with subs and formation changes....that's where he proved it wasn't just about the money...

 

[Liam]

My first post on Mourinho was on PR's old site when he was dancing up and down the touchline in the theatre of sh ite, long before he was ever linked with us. I wrote at the time that I'd never seen anyone so aware of the cameras. I don't remember anyone disagreeing.

You're right in saying I was disgusted when Duff was sold. He was my favourite player before he came to Chelsea, so when he came it was one of my best days as a fan. You're also right that he has been cack since he left.

To be fair to Mourinho he didn't force Duff out, he just wouldn't guarantee him a place in the side. I think Duff should have stayed and fought for a place, but he bottled it and left.

A lot of people in Ireland say Mourinho ruined Duff as a player. That's far too easy in my opinion. Duff's lack of ambition has exposed him I feel. It's tough for him also that his omission from Newcastle's team has coincided with their best run of form this season.

 

[loyalfan]

First off, as a Fenerbahce fan, I would like congratulate Chelsea fans on advancing to the semis. It was a well deserved victory. I will be rooting for Chelsea against Liverpool, because Arsenal is my fav team in Europe and you guys have to make them pay for it. lol.

As an outsider, I strongly believe that Grant is not a Chelsea caliber TD. He looks very insecure and seems like he doesn't know what he's doing/talking about most of the time. Essien, yes, can play as a RB IMO, however, he would be and is much more productive in the midfield. A good TD would play the consistent player in important matches. Kalou was a regular starter for Chelsea and he was doing good. Why use Malouda instead? Why gambling when you know there's someone who proved you he's good? In the second leg, I was expecting Anelka in the line-up. He didn't play the whole night. Jeez!!! On top of that, he's got no charisma whatsoever. Don't tell me it's not important, it is. Imagine yourself in the shoes of J.Cole for instance. You will be looking at that guy's depressed face EVERY SINGLE DAY. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't be able to stand it after a couple weeks. Here's my take on your TD. This is the way I see it so i am open to critism. IMO, Chelsea deserve/need a TD with lots of high level experience and charisma.

Good luck against the pool, the bad.

 

[callista]

we were very poor tonight, no mistake...what a contrast to how we got to semi's last year with a stunning win in valencia...who was the dull manager in charge? oh yes...jose...still no need to go down that road again...avram has got us to the semi's and with the kind of luck he's got at the moment maybe he can do what jose failed to do and get us to a final and beat liverscum in the process...

Funny I was thinking the same thing, we got through last season to this stage with a great win over (then) a very strong Valencia side playing very well.

This time led by the man who apparently our play has improved under no end (if you believe his utterings) in terms of attack

we just about scrabble through and have the best chance yet to actually better Jose's achievements (in this competition).

But can anyone hand on heart say this team is better now under Grant mentally and in terms of its style of play?

Talk about football irony.

We could yet win the champions league playing worse football and with a poorer coach at the helm - strange.

 

[callista]

For me the trophies and success were merely a by-product of the most important thing he brought us, players and fans alike. Self-belief. A belief that we could be the best. That we could really achieve those things - win the League - win the Champions League. Be one of the very best teams in the world. We had nothing to fear, let other teams fear us. We didn't have to be second best to anyone.That belief was something we had never had in my Chelsea supporting life. Ruud Gullit was getting close but then he was sacked. Ranieri tried but certainly never gave it to us. It needed a man of Jose's character and persona to make us feel like that. For all the players that played under him and the overwhelming majority of us fans that support Chelsea, he changed our mindset and expecations. IMO, that's his greatest legacy and why he is so revered. And he deserves all the credit in the world for that.

Spot on, that's what Mourinho bought us in the main (SELF BELIEF) along with many other things (good and bad) that is what Grant seems utterly unable to give to this current bunch of players. It's ironically these self same qualities that are keeping the Grant show on the road in my opinion - that and the sheer quality and depth of the squad.

I don't understand why some consider it double standards to criticise Grant when he seemingly is doing the same as Mourinho (in terms of results) for me it's blatently obvious from the body language of the players, the uncertainty now when we play, Grant's attitude, the way he reacts when making substitutions, the rumbles of discontent you hear from various sources about training, staff etc that he is not even on the same ball park as Mourinho despite these apparently good results. Mourinho was an excellent manager in terms of men and tactics - Grant appears to be frankly neither at the moment.

His looks or the fact he is as dull as a plank of wood are just immaterial (but can be joked about and have been by me I freely admit).

Anyone following Jose would be considered dull in comparison that's not his fault.

And of course Mourinho made mistakes what top manager doesn't? Is Wenger, Fergie et al blameless by their fans all the time? Grant's mistakes though to date have been terrible in that in the space of 7 months they have already lost us the chance of winning one competition which we should have done and continuing to compete in another.