Posted February 7, 200916 yr As the noise from the terraces has now passed and the guy who unleashed the banner 'Scolari out bring in Zola and Di Matteo Chelsea legends' for the first time NOT dragged out by the stewards ????? Let us be left with one thought .... When the opposition are playing 4-5-1 why on earth do we need a protector in front of our Centre Backs ? Three men to control that lone striker ?? But this is not lost on our management ... Mikel withdrawn hoorah ! Belletti on in his place er in the same role ??? Kin' unbelievable !!!
February 7, 200916 yr Rightly or wrongly the moment fans start unfurling banners demanding the manager be sacked it tends to the beginning of the end. In this case I think rightly!
February 7, 200916 yr At least there were no boos today. That I could hear. I dont really know what consolation that is, given that there were signs and taunts, but somehow I feel like that is worse
February 7, 200916 yr As the noise from the terraces has now passed and the guy who unleashed the banner 'Scolari out bring in Zola and Di Matteo Chelsea legends' for the first time NOT dragged out by the stewards ?????Let us be left with one thought .... When the opposition are playing 4-5-1 why on earth do we need a protector in front of our Centre Backs ? Three men to control that lone striker ?? But this is not lost on our management ... Mikel withdrawn hoorah ! Belletti on in his place er in the same role ??? Kin' unbelievable !!! Mate I have been saying this on many forums for a long time................nobody has seemed to ever take any notce ;) away to untied yes at home to Hull give me a break. The faithful are correct...........................scolari has no f**king idea what he is doing. Drogba needs a slap ! I am starting to think he is looking for early retirement with a big hand out....early hand out that is.
February 7, 200916 yr I heard boos ringing out at the final whistle Westway oh,well, there goes that then
February 7, 200916 yr We often get the debate on booing and how it's wrong etc etc. I think if I had been at The Bridge today I would have been booing come the final whistle. NOT at the players but at the coaching team for setting us up for playing the same old way with a holding midfielder and the same old predictable substitutions when it's clear to see there were better options left sitting on the bench. AGAIN. Boooo!!!
February 7, 200916 yr Drogba Out. What a disgrace. Anelka isn't far behind him either. He should rot i reserves. Di santo should start between now and the end of the season.
February 7, 200916 yr On the players not giving their all I just can't understand the mentality of them..do you think money kills ambition somehow? I would run my legs off for the team for nothing, stick my not unnoteworthy hooter in front of a boot for them unyet I see players on a hundred grand a week looking like they don't give a toss. I can half understand the Ballacks and Deco's who have had good careers and got nothing to prove Drogba is just mentally un readable but people like Anelka who has the neck to say we have to step up a gear against the big teams has now gone down a gear against the smaller teams.. I know the manager needs to motivate them but I think these lot earn so much money that a bad performance is easily forgotten, I wouldn't be posting here tonight worrying about our form if I'd earned enough this week to go and buy one of my kids a flat tonight. I couldn't really see the attitude of the players on the stream I watched although I saw it all get lethargic second half but anyone who saw it first hand did Drogba look like he wanted to be involved or did he have that look he adopts when he's really not bothered, or the rest did Ballack look up for it or Deco..I don't just mean their play I mean their body language sort of thing? I know what I mean anyway :D
February 7, 200916 yr I know the manager needs to motivate them but I think these lot earn so much money that a bad performance is easily forgotten, That is the beast that is football though isn't it - in most other jobs (especially in the current climate) there is a personal desire to do well fuelled by the fact that you need to protect your livelihood. Premiership footballers don't have that fear, even from a very young age - there is no real financial pressure on them to strive for quality. So what can a manager do to a player on £40, £50, .......£120k a week if they continuously show a lack of desire (note I don't necessarily say form - all players can lose form and you can forgive that if you get the feeling they are doing all they can to try and get it back). The simple thing they can do is drop them and make it clear that every place in the team is up for grabs. That is exactly why I have been crying out for the likes of Stoch and Di Santos to get playing time. Let us see if they are hungry, see if they are prepared to put in the effort, and if they are then they keep their place and Mr £80k a week can sit on the sideline until such time as they get their bloody act together (or leave). I do realise that turning to youth players is not a guaranteed solution (and I am not advocating suddenly playing 5 or 6 at a time) however, as I have said before, I fail to see how any one of them can contribute less than some of our current crop of 'when fit they play' 'superstars'
February 7, 200916 yr That is the beast that is football though isn't it - in most other jobs (especially in the current climate) there is a personal desire to do well fuelled by the fact that you need to protect your livelihood. Premiership footballers don't have that fear, even from a very young age - there is no real financial pressure on them to strive for quality.So what can a manager do to a player on £40, £50, .......£120k a week if they continuously show a lack of desire (note I don't necessarily say form - all players can lose form and you can forgive that if you get the feeling they are doing all they can to try and get it back). The simple thing they can do is drop them and make it clear that every place in the team is up for grabs. That is exactly why I have been crying out for the likes of Stoch and Di Santos to get playing time. Let us see if they are hungry, see if they are prepared to put in the effort, and if they are then they keep their place and Mr £80k a week can sit on the sideline until such time as they get their bloody act together (or leave). I do realise that turning to youth players is not a guaranteed solution (and I am not advocating suddenly playing 5 or 6 at a time) however, as I have said before, I fail to see how any one of them can contribute less than some of our current crop of 'when fit they play' 'superstars' On the second half performance (which reminded me of the final last season against Spurs) I can understand more the call for a couple of Youngsters, in fact as I've said I think Stoch is very close to getting some proper chances. We need to lay the ghost of Drogba and Anelka together for me, I'd like to see a full game in a 4-4-2 with those two and Quaresma and Kalou/Stoch and if they didn't look up for it I would shout as loud as anyone for Di Santo to be used a lot more. The worry for me is midfield, Ballack and Deco look so disinterested and now Mikel is going down hill, it seems only Lampard looks up for it and I'm starting to miss Sidwell. Defence is OK as we have lots of decent options but the second half today was really a let down, If I'd have looked at all the games drawing at half time today ours would have been the one I would have bet on the home team to win. Loz whens the next quiz coming out? I'm proper bored
February 7, 200916 yr Probably tomorrow Can you give me mine early and the results of the last one so I can correct any I got wrong and put them back in? cheers mate you know I'd do it for you :D
February 7, 200916 yr I'm not one to boo but at the final whistle today I did and, as Nibs said, it was aimed at Scolari who displayed tactical ineptness at it's finest. 3 completely unfathomable substitutions and a team who were clueless by the end. It's quite some talent to be able to take a team who lost the CL on penalties and were very narrow runner's up in the league and turn them in to a bunch of spineless and inept losers all in the space of 8 months. Shocking.
February 8, 200916 yr I'm not one to boo but at the final whistle today I did and, as Nibs said, it was aimed at Scolari who displayed tactical ineptness at it's finest. 3 completely unfathomable substitutions and a team who were clueless by the end.It's quite some talent to be able to take a team who lost the CL on penalties and were very narrow runner's up in the league and turn them in to a bunch of spineless and inept losers all in the space of 8 months. Shocking. Like I have always maintained, why waste our money on severance pay when Grant did better for someone who has not even managed Toulouse, Lecce, Sevilla, Aberdeen or Hertha Berlin ( nope.. Scolari has not even managed a relegation threatened club team in Continental Europe). I thought the first half was decent, with Quaresma having a very good debut and he could have scored. We know who are the workers. Lampard and Terry ( as always, true Blues) and Quaresma looking to impress. Kalou have also upped his games in recent weeks. And we need Michael Essien !!! The second half was as bad as it could get. We didn't even get a sh*t shot at the keeper, and I lost money buying 3-0, 3-1 and 4-0, plus an outright Chelsea win. Our form at home has truly collapsed and our away form has just started with last week's rout at Anfield. No goals in 2 games. To those who ran brickbats at me when i said Anelka was sh*t.... I told you so. But why in the world are we still having these players ; Cech - Worst season ever. I think he is going downhill too. Anelka - never looked like he could score against the very best Drogba - Playing more like an apprentice (should have been sold) Ballack - Over his prime Deco - Chelsea's "Golden Bin" Award. Worst signing along with Malouda Alex - Should have left. Always out of positioning and never offer good protection in the centre, unlike Carvalho Malouda - not even good enough for reserve's bench I rather have an in-form Beckham than these imbeciles. The verdict is still up... Belletti - He is very decent. Just like Ferreira, a hardworker. These are good utility players who should be kept Mikel - How many years have he arrived since that tussle with Manure? Yet he has never scored in Premiership! But just play the Makelele role. He will come through We have heard enough calling for the chops of Scolari and Kenyon. Maybe even Roman too if we can get ourselves endeared to a very rich Sheik. I support the call for a Wilkins/Clarke management with Zola at the helm. At the very least, Zola is at the depth of Chelsea's heart. We could stick to him through thick and thin. Anyone who could turn someone like Julian Faubert into Real Madrid quality is good enough for me. My last count we should see 7 departures, a near complete overhaul. We sold players in the past we shouldn't - Robben, Carlton Cole, Gudjohnsen & Laussana Diarra. Here's my fantasy one for one switch, keeping in mind the lack of funds... Gabriel Agbonlahor - Drogba Anelka - Sylvan Ebanks-Blake (England U-21 former Manure now Wolves' striker) Cech - Cedric Carrasso ( 50% clean sheet for Toulouse has earned a French cap) Ballack - we have Lamps Malouda - already replaced Deco - talked bid, delivered sh*t. Porto's Lucho Gonzalez comes to my mind. 33% hit rate as a box-to-box midfielder with great creative sparks. This Argentinian is destined for a bigger club.http://www.metacafe.com/watch/103194/lucho_gonzalez/ By the way...while we are a pathetic 4th in the table, our champion at Inter has opened up a 8 point gap over their nearest city rivals. Oh how we missed Mourinho ! And did we notice that Claudio Raineri is not too far bad, in 3rd position? Finally, to really borrow from someone else's thought, read here : http://www.oleole.com/blogs/chelseablog/po...0---0-hull-city In sum...sh*tty 4th now
February 8, 200916 yr The crowd has every right to have a go at Scolari, he should be relieved it was only from a small section and nothing more nasty has been said. Most of our players were out of legs in the mid of the second half, under Jose or even Grant we were the fittest team going around. Tactically, he is as good as a CM manager, taking off the only player who can cross the ball when the big target man is coming on, replacing one lazy central midfielder with another when we were craving for pace and width. Same non performers getting picked week in and week out for no merits I think we are in the situation where Spurs and Madrid were in earlier this season. Players just do not respond to the manager's order. The man's tactical incompetence ensure we are nothing more than a one trick pony, so even we have a good start, we will inevitably miss out against quality teams with a decent manager. If I was Roman, I send the man packing now, Im sure not many would miss him.
February 8, 200916 yr As many people will know I am loathe to have a go at CFC staff (except Kenyon!) however the doubts were sewn in my mind from the very first game of the season when LFS brought Ferreira on at 4-0 rather than Di Santo. Yesterday when he took Quaresma off was the straw that broke the fat geezers back. Nonsensical. Quaresma put more decent crosses in yesterday than Malouda has managed all season. If he'd kept Quas on and brought Drogba or Di Santo on I'm convinced we would have scored. I can understand people having a pop at players however there is no direction or purpose coming from the top and as a result confidence has gone to pot. LFS seems to be tactically inept and is dependant on exceptional players who are able to turn a match around on their own. Think back to the teams he's managed in the past where he had the original Ronaldo at his peak and a young and hungry Ronaldinho. Then at Portugal he had Luis Figo at his peak and a young and hungry replica Ronaldo. No wonder he was wanting the likes of Robinho. Without such players he seems incapable of making decisions himself that will turn matches bar the ones he made against Stoke. There have been many on here who have resisted the call for hungry youngsters to be used but ask youselves this, of the most recent games where we have been extremely poor even when we've won who was it that turned the game around in the last few minutes against Stoke? It was Stoch and Di Santo. Where were they yesterday? Left on the bench. I think it was Just who a while ago pointed out that LFS could be another version of Juande Ramos, excellent in continental football but not up to the task over here where the mentality is very different. I had my eyes open to LFS during that very first game and said way back then. Sadly it appears my eyes did not deceive me.
February 8, 200916 yr By the way Star, the reason those guys didn't get dragged out by the stewards is because they didn't unfurl the banner until after the final whistle. They were sat about 10 rows in front of me.
February 8, 200916 yr I think it was Just who a while ago pointed out that LFS could be another version of Juande Ramos, excellent in continental football but not up to the task over here where the mentality is very different. Not sure if Just made that point, but I've made it several times. To see someone on this forum even suggesting that Ramos succeed Scolari goes beyond the farcical.
February 8, 200916 yr As many people will know I am loathe to have a go at CFC staff (except Kenyon!) however the doubts were sewn in my mind from the very first game of the season when LFS brought Ferreira on at 4-0 rather than Di Santo. Yesterday when he took Quaresma off was the straw that broke the fat geezers back. Nonsensical. Quaresma put more decent crosses in yesterday than Malouda has managed all season. If he'd kept Quas on and brought Drogba or Di Santo on I'm convinced we would have scored. I can understand people having a pop at players however there is no direction or purpose coming from the top and as a result confidence has gone to pot. LFS seems to be tactically inept and is dependant on exceptional players who are able to turn a match around on their own. Think back to the teams he's managed in the past where he had the original Ronaldo at his peak and a young and hungry Ronaldinho. Then at Portugal he had Luis Figo at his peak and a young and hungry replica Ronaldo. No wonder he was wanting the likes of Robinho. Without such players he seems incapable of making decisions himself that will turn matches bar the ones he made against Stoke. There have been many on here who have resisted the call for hungry youngsters to be used but ask youselves this, of the most recent games where we have been extremely poor even when we've won who was it that turned the game around in the last few minutes against Stoke? It was Stoch and Di Santo. Where were they yesterday? Left on the bench. I think it was Just who a while ago pointed out that LFS could be another version of Juande Ramos, excellent in continental football but not up to the task over here where the mentality is very different. I had my eyes open to LFS during that very first game and said way back then. Sadly it appears my eyes did not deceive me. A bit selective in the memory of the Stoke game Geez.. We were the better team throughout the game and Scolaris first Sub actually scored the equaliser (a good Di Santo knock down agreed) looking at the two or three touches Stoch had he did quite well with them and his last one in a round about way had its part in Lampards winner. Half the battle in that game was Stoke ran their legs off to keep us out and they got worn down, the young boys played their part but they were not the game turners you are advocating they were. The game could have been won on many occasions before that and it was just as much to do wth the rest of the team on that day. the two of them left on the bench yesterday was likely from the off, Drogba was always going to come on and once Mikel had got the Yellow card Belletti was the natural (although wrong) replacement. He got it wrong again but really to say he should have learned some obvious lesson from what happened in the Stoke game seems (imo) a bit of a stretch, he was the person who brought them on that day, he's not sitting there resisting doing it again as if it was someone elses idea he doesn't want to try.
February 8, 200916 yr Why all the Cech hate? :| I don't know why everyone's so convinced he's gone downhill. Although he (or indeed anyone) will probably never reach the imperious form of our first title-winning season, he's still one of the best keepers in the world, and I couldn't be happier that we've got him between the sticks.
February 8, 200916 yr A bit selective in the memory of the Stoke game Geez..We were the better team throughout the game and Scolaris first Sub actually scored the equaliser (a good Di Santo knock down agreed) looking at the two or three touches Stoch had he did quite well with them and his last one in a round about way had its part in Lampards winner. Half the battle in that game was Stoke ran their legs off to keep us out and they got worn down, the young boys played their part but they were not the game turners you are advocating they were. The game could have been won on many occasions before that and it was just as much to do wth the rest of the team on that day. the two of them left on the bench yesterday was likely from the off, Drogba was always going to come on and once Mikel had got the Yellow card Belletti was the natural (although wrong) replacement. He got it wrong again but really to say he should have learned some obvious lesson from what happened in the Stoke game seems (imo) a bit of a stretch, he was the person who brought them on that day, he's not sitting there resisting doing it again as if it was someone elses idea he doesn't want to try. I'm not entering a debate Chippy because I will be bang out of order with the mood I am in which is why I try to refrain from posting at such a time but you've emphasised exactly what I said in your first paragraph - it was Di Santo's knockdown and Stochs part in the build up which led to both goals so why is that selective memory? That's what happened and when else have we come from behind to win this season? You say he was the person who brought them on that day so why not do it again and why take off Quaresma who was our most prolific provider yesterday? I used the Stoke game as an example of what could be and am jacked off with poeple who feel they need to either justify, explain or apologise for totally nonsensical decisions. I'm arsed off and logging off to cool down before I take it out on the car again.
February 8, 200916 yr I'm not entering a debate Chippy because I will be bang out of order with the mood I am in which is why I try to refrain from posting at such a time but you've emphasised exactly what I said in your first paragraph - it was Di Santo's knockdown and Stochs part in the build up which led to both goals so why is that selective memory? That's what happened and when else have we come from behind to win this season? You say he was the person who brought them on that day so why not do it again and why take off Quaresma who was our most prolific provider yesterday? I used the Stoke game as an example of what could be and am jacked off with poeple who feel they need to either justify, explain or apologise for totally nonsensical decisions. I'm arsed off and logging off to cool down before I take it out on the car again. Mate you can get as out of order as you like with me if you feel giving a contrary opinion to yours is a good enough reason and Im sure I will respond in an equally grown up way, I'm not easily put down and wont hold my opinions back because they are not the fashion this week. I am not inside Scolaris head but I imagine he took him off because he hasn't played much lately and he didn't want to risk injuring what might be a decent threat we have, I dont think he got it right but I was just saying the Stoke game although it looked like it hinged on the two Youngsters coming on was more than that and was a build up of decent play over the full ninety four minutes. I,ve got a man works for dentmaster if you need a number. Edited February 8, 200916 yr by Chippy
February 8, 200916 yr Cech still makes outstanding saves and is one of the best in the world. What used to be in his favour was a very confident defence. sh*te defences can make the best goalkeeper in the world look poor.
