Five goals conceded at home against London rivals and a high line strategy pilloried by every animalistic Media outlet from buffalo bull-s**ting Sky to the BBC’s Salford white elephant sanctuary, AVB’s blueprint for Chelsea is most definitely under the microscope and no mistake! Yet amidst all this hullabaloo it is easy to lose sight of the fact that we are still third in the table [just], have a home draw in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup and a strong grip on the group stage of the Champions League. Worrying signs there may be, but these ides of October have also been reflective in all of our nearest rivals results at various stages so far this season, with the notable exception of City who seem to have every base covered so many times over there is precious little margin for mediocrity, let alone mere lapse of form.
Put bluntly, it is now our turn to put in a recovery performance or two and also the moment for AVB to nail some futuristic colours to a mast that’s beginning to bend under the strain of new tactical winds blowing right through a doctrinaire defence. My recommendations would be both immediate (in terms of personnel for that particular area) and preparatory in the form of some blue-sky-thinking during the January transfer window. Whilst I don’t necessarily subscribe to theories currently being bandied about by the press, we can start at the back and should do so by fast-tracking Oriol Romeu into the side as soon as possible. I’ve seen enough of him to want that Barca B boy insurance in front of JT and Luiz on a permanent basis, if only because he has an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time and if ever there was a ‘right time’ it has to be now.
By virtue of this change, together with a final grasping of the nettle that is David Luiz, it almost goes without saying that Branna reverts to RB, thereby ridding us of the right-sided vulnerability on counter-attacks so evident when we’ve had Bosingwa and Sturridge out wide and on the retreat. Indeed, such is the emphasis we place on our full backs in the current system, Ash has to be rotated more with Bertrand on the other flank and by so doing we will get more out of both players. Strange though it may seem, in view of his recent goals, I’ve come to the conclusion that the same policy must apply to Frank, even though he insists that any lengthy period out of the first team damages his form - I think I might say that as well, in his position and at this stage of his career. My personal choice would be to play Mata deeper, although I’m sure many would prefer Meireles or a leap of faith with Josh, but freeing-up the attacking role allows final throws of the dice for Malouda and Kalou before the decision-making starts in earnest in January.
And now we move on to our real problem area, the forward line, where there has been a marked failure to convert chances for weeks on end and the principles behind pressing escapes everyone. Danny has a lot to learn on either count, but he clearly has the talent to improve and will do so, whereas Didier and Fernando have both been sent off for what can only be described as somewhat reckless practice of the art. To add to our woes, Anelka appears unable to grasp the concept at all, although in his defence and due to circumstance he has often been used as the sole attacker - just wish, before he goes, he could score one important goal when the pressure is on. That said, this failing at the sharp end of proceedings is becoming contagious, so much so that AVB has to be considering replacing Anelka with anything but a like-for-like talent. It is here, in the department that really matters, that the blue sky thoughts must flood the mind and I’ve got one that might even blow it for sheer audacity and the courting of controversy…
Nobody presses better up front than Carlos Tevez. Nobody, when on the pitch and contented, gives more than he does for 90 minutes non-stop. No team is better equipped than Chelsea to embrace his tarnished image, for no matter how we perform we are universally regarded as the pariah club in the Premiership and one more player joining the bad boys, funded by the rouble rather than the almighty dollar, will make little difference to a skewed Media perception that has existed since Roman’s arrival. At 27 years of age Tevez should be at the peak of his career, not embroiled in a running battle to play on a regular basis, and he would probably cost no more than Darren Bent. Also, a quick look at the zonal marking board, featured on another thread, only serves to highlight our attacking deficiencies as the Villas-Boas style is imprinted on our play and Tevez ticks boxes that at present only feature crosses for Malouda, Kalou, Anelka, even Didier, in the current campaign.
Of course, City would not want us to have him, just as they did not want us to have Luka Modric and were therefore more than happy to loan Adebayor to Spurs to alleviate any problems they might have had paying for the striker. Nevertheless, the Abu Dhabi boys are not stupid, they realise few clubs can pay Tevez’s wages and others, like Corinthians, will get nowhere near a realistic fee for a player of his talent. So you don’t want all the baggage? - then tell me who would be better or more proven in the Premiership than the little Argentinean. Remember, with Financial Fair Play about to hit the fan, the extent of City‘s loss on a Tevez transfer has much greater relevance than would otherwise have been the case. There could be a deal to be done. We should be the club that does it.
Put bluntly, it is now our turn to put in a recovery performance or two and also the moment for AVB to nail some futuristic colours to a mast that’s beginning to bend under the strain of new tactical winds blowing right through a doctrinaire defence. My recommendations would be both immediate (in terms of personnel for that particular area) and preparatory in the form of some blue-sky-thinking during the January transfer window. Whilst I don’t necessarily subscribe to theories currently being bandied about by the press, we can start at the back and should do so by fast-tracking Oriol Romeu into the side as soon as possible. I’ve seen enough of him to want that Barca B boy insurance in front of JT and Luiz on a permanent basis, if only because he has an uncanny knack of being in the right place at the right time and if ever there was a ‘right time’ it has to be now.
By virtue of this change, together with a final grasping of the nettle that is David Luiz, it almost goes without saying that Branna reverts to RB, thereby ridding us of the right-sided vulnerability on counter-attacks so evident when we’ve had Bosingwa and Sturridge out wide and on the retreat. Indeed, such is the emphasis we place on our full backs in the current system, Ash has to be rotated more with Bertrand on the other flank and by so doing we will get more out of both players. Strange though it may seem, in view of his recent goals, I’ve come to the conclusion that the same policy must apply to Frank, even though he insists that any lengthy period out of the first team damages his form - I think I might say that as well, in his position and at this stage of his career. My personal choice would be to play Mata deeper, although I’m sure many would prefer Meireles or a leap of faith with Josh, but freeing-up the attacking role allows final throws of the dice for Malouda and Kalou before the decision-making starts in earnest in January.
And now we move on to our real problem area, the forward line, where there has been a marked failure to convert chances for weeks on end and the principles behind pressing escapes everyone. Danny has a lot to learn on either count, but he clearly has the talent to improve and will do so, whereas Didier and Fernando have both been sent off for what can only be described as somewhat reckless practice of the art. To add to our woes, Anelka appears unable to grasp the concept at all, although in his defence and due to circumstance he has often been used as the sole attacker - just wish, before he goes, he could score one important goal when the pressure is on. That said, this failing at the sharp end of proceedings is becoming contagious, so much so that AVB has to be considering replacing Anelka with anything but a like-for-like talent. It is here, in the department that really matters, that the blue sky thoughts must flood the mind and I’ve got one that might even blow it for sheer audacity and the courting of controversy…
Nobody presses better up front than Carlos Tevez. Nobody, when on the pitch and contented, gives more than he does for 90 minutes non-stop. No team is better equipped than Chelsea to embrace his tarnished image, for no matter how we perform we are universally regarded as the pariah club in the Premiership and one more player joining the bad boys, funded by the rouble rather than the almighty dollar, will make little difference to a skewed Media perception that has existed since Roman’s arrival. At 27 years of age Tevez should be at the peak of his career, not embroiled in a running battle to play on a regular basis, and he would probably cost no more than Darren Bent. Also, a quick look at the zonal marking board, featured on another thread, only serves to highlight our attacking deficiencies as the Villas-Boas style is imprinted on our play and Tevez ticks boxes that at present only feature crosses for Malouda, Kalou, Anelka, even Didier, in the current campaign.
Of course, City would not want us to have him, just as they did not want us to have Luka Modric and were therefore more than happy to loan Adebayor to Spurs to alleviate any problems they might have had paying for the striker. Nevertheless, the Abu Dhabi boys are not stupid, they realise few clubs can pay Tevez’s wages and others, like Corinthians, will get nowhere near a realistic fee for a player of his talent. So you don’t want all the baggage? - then tell me who would be better or more proven in the Premiership than the little Argentinean. Remember, with Financial Fair Play about to hit the fan, the extent of City‘s loss on a Tevez transfer has much greater relevance than would otherwise have been the case. There could be a deal to be done. We should be the club that does it.
