When a new manager arrives, performances are unimportant, as they are still in the process of implementing their ideas and imposing their identity on the side.

Results are important of course, particularly at a club like Chelsea.

4 games gone. 3 wins and a draw. If we had dropped too many points by now, the press would have been on our back, making AVB's life a misery, citing his age, piling on the pressure, trying to sow seeds of doubt in the players' minds.

Also, given the way the Manchester clubs have started, we may well have conceded too much ground.

We have won 3 games 2-1, often through sheer will, sheer determination, and a philosophy based on attack, to get the points. Not to wait for it to happen. To make it happen.

Everybody's banging on about City and Utd. AVB has started very well. We are playing with purpose, not spectacularly, but with purpose. I see signs of us becoming formidable once again.

Yesterday the signs were good. Pressing. All over the pitch. Moving the ball quickly. High tempo. Movement. These were things that went missing under Carlo.

We put in a shift.

Throw-ins. We no longer take ages to take them. We no longer concede possession everytime we get one. We use them as a platform to get moves going quickly. Things like that.

AVB has made the right calls, and been brave. He has no qualms about dropping players, substituting players. He has no qualms about hauling you off. He picks players on merit.

Mikel dropped (praise be). Alex dropped (Ivanovic is far superior). Malouda and Kalou. Torres. If you ain't performing, you're out, and there's no favouritism, therefore the players can't point fingers at the manager.

One rule suits all.

For me, he makes the right judgement on players, and that's the most vital ingredient for a manager. He looks at two players and he instantly knows which one is better than the other.

He got flak on these boards for losing Benayoun and signing Mereiles, flak which showed a remarkable lack of faith in the manager. Do we really think he knows so little that he would forsake a valuable member of our squad for no good reason? Perhaps the truth is that Benayoun wasn't as valuable as people thought. As for Mereiles, hopefully yesterday's performance will allay those doubts. Not naturally a holding player, he gave a performance that has so far eluded Mikel in all the time we've had him. I'm not saying Mereiles is the second coming, I just think he will prove a valuable member of our squad (i.e. the very thing Benayoun wasn't). I say this because I think our manager can spot a player. The signs are good.

Furthermore, Boswinga. I probaby wasn't alone in thinking Ivanovic would be our regular right-back and hoping we would sign some quality cover. Boswinga has been a revelation, right from the off.

First and foremost a manager has to be able to judge a player, after that he has to be able to get a performance out of him. Boswinga is suddenly a vital cog in our machine, and I never thought I'd say that. He looks motivated, hungry. He looks like he wants to be here. AVB has obviously got inside his head and unleashed the talent. Players become better under good managers, under bad ones they regress. The signs are that we have a good manager.

Drogba was injured. It made the manager's job easy. Instead he put Torres on the bench. Like your style.

Lastly, the media. For too long (since the days of Jose) we have been cannon fodder for other managers, players and pundits. Everyone can have a pop at Chelsea and we will stand back and do nothing, showing weakness, as if we have to apologise for being wealthy, as if we have to take the jibes on the chin. We have a manager who bites back, and not before time. For too long I have waited for someone to stand up for us, while our players have been fed to the lions and our club has been dragged through the mud. Take a bow Andre. Already you have told Sounness, Pulis and Lambert where to go, showing a prickly side to your nature, showing a scent for a scrap, and I've no doubt the players will welcome it and be inspired by it, for if you show courage so will they, if you stand up so will they, and if you don't allow others to take liberties they might eventually stop it, or at least think twice.The idea is to put everyone on the back foot, and you've done it.

Well done. A very promising start.

Here here, I totally agree, beautifully put.I feel that AVB is showing good signs and is in the process of building a new and exciting team.

Agree, the only real worry for the future is that Barcelona, Man City & Real Madrid are all ahead of us when it comes to signing the best young talent.

Good post mate, and I agree with the keep the faith standpoint.

However I think you are showing a bit too much faith in Bos who has done OK but hasn't yet been tested (that will come a week today). I simply don't see him as a viable long term option at RB.

Also I can't agree when you say AVB has the balls to drop players irrespective of their name and status and judges players purely on their form. If that was the case Frank would not be starting games for us!

Anyway I like your positivity - keep it up!!

Good post mate, and I agree with the keep the faith standpoint.

However I think you are showing a bit too much faith in Bos who has done OK but hasn't yet been tested (that will come a week today). I simply don't see him as a viable long term option at RB.

Also I can't agree when you say AVB has the balls to drop players irrespective of their name and status and judges players purely on their form. If that was the case Frank would not be starting games for us!

Anyway I like your positivity - keep it up!!

Frank played well yesterday.

Frank played well yesterday.

Did he? Imo he was sluggish, slowed down play still and was reguarly closed down to quickly for him to get rid of the ball quickly and often lost the ball.

Did he? Imo he was sluggish, slowed down play still and was reguarly closed down to quickly for him to get rid of the ball quickly and often lost the ball.

I thought Meireles & Rambo were better, but I thought he played the ball fairly quickly & couldn't really fault him.

Good post mate, and I agree with the keep the faith standpoint.

However I think you are showing a bit too much faith in Bos who has done OK but hasn't yet been tested (that will come a week today). I simply don't see him as a viable long term option at RB.

Also I can't agree when you say AVB has the balls to drop players irrespective of their name and status and judges players purely on their form. If that was the case Frank would not be starting games for us!

Anyway I like your positivity - keep it up!!

Totally agree BJD, it's nice to read some optimism, and i think under AB we can all be optimistic. He's already defending us in the press, and yet he's doing so in a way that doesn't have the same seige/victim mentaily that Jose used to bring us right into the stratosphere of "most hated" in the press.

I too think, and I've said this in another thread somewhere" that I think against Man utd we're going to want to go with a back 4 of Ivan...Luiz....Terry...Cole. Bosingwa is a threat going forward, but I fear having Nani run at him all game.

I do hope we see AVB have some balls and drop Frank this season if he underperforms. Ok he was better yesterday, but not the "good old Frank of old." And we've seen him put in a few dodgy shifts and yet still get picked.

I hope that the club are willing to be as optimistic as some of us, and that they stand behind AVB for the forseeable future.

I thought Meireles & Rambo were better, but I thought he played the ball fairly quickly & couldn't really fault him.

Frank lost posession a lot in the second half. It was a decent performance that I feel was made to look better by how woeful he's been recently

Frank played well yesterday.

Sorry , just can't agree. I thought he was slow and ponderous again, a virtual passenger. I felt the main reason we struggled so much in that last 15-20 mins was because we were pretty much playing with 9 men.

Sorry , just can't agree. I thought he was slow and ponderous again, a virtual passenger. I felt the main reason we struggled so much in that last 15-20 mins was because we were pretty much playing with 9 men.

Maybe i'm a bit biased, he's one of my all time favourite Chelsea midfielders.

He's definatly not the Lampard of 2 years back, but other than Josh I don't see anyone else in the squad who will improve our midfield of yesterday.

Maybe i'm a bit biased, he's one of my all time favourite Chelsea midfielders.

He's definatly not the Lampard of 2 years back, but other than Josh I don't see anyone else in the squad who will improve our midfield of yesterday.

Ben, I get it. I feel terrible being critical of Lampard after all he has done for Chelsea football club and he will - deservedly so - go down as a Legend at Chelsea Football Club. But yesterday was painful to watch Frank. When we were under the kosh in those final few minutes, Lampard gave away posession a couple of times that led to them starting counter attacks.

I think it's time to start putting the #8 jersey on the team sheet everytime it is posted. And in no way is this me trying to be disrespectful to Frank, it's just about time that we stopped letting sentimentality get in the way of Chelsea Football Club's progression.

Ben, I get it. I feel terrible being critical of Lampard after all he has done for Chelsea football club and he will - deservedly so - go down as a Legend at Chelsea Football Club. But yesterday was painful to watch Frank. When we were under the kosh in those final few minutes, Lampard gave away posession a couple of times that led to them starting counter attacks.

I think it's time to start putting the #8 jersey on the team sheet everytime it is posted. And in no way is this me trying to be disrespectful to Frank, it's just about time that we stopped letting sentimentality get in the way of Chelsea Football Club's progression.

I reckon' it's a s difficult for me to agree with your post as it was for you to write it.

Frank for me is one of THE legends of CFC so to start to doubt his ability at 33 to continue in the same vein as before is hard, but the time is coming for him to be Manures Giggs.

On the original post, i too am optimistic.. you just can't help it!

Alan

but the time is coming for him to be Manures Giggs.

Agree with that, he could still play a huge role, like Giggs has, but not as a starter every week, every game.

Ben, I get it. I feel terrible being critical of Lampard after all he has done for Chelsea football club and he will - deservedly so - go down as a Legend at Chelsea Football Club. But yesterday was painful to watch Frank. When we were under the kosh in those final few minutes, Lampard gave away posession a couple of times that led to them starting counter attacks.

I think it's time to start putting the #8 jersey on the team sheet everytime it is posted. And in no way is this me trying to be disrespectful to Frank, it's just about time that we stopped letting sentimentality get in the way of Chelsea Football Club's progression.

Sorry, that should have read Stop, not start

I reckon' it's a s difficult for me to agree with your post as it was for you to write it.

Frank for me is one of THE legends of CFC so to start to doubt his ability at 33 to continue in the same vein as before is hard, but the time is coming for him to be Manures Giggs.

On the original post, i too am optimistic.. you just can't help it!

Alan

It isn't easy to say, or write, or even come to terms with.

But yes, I think if we could keep Frank around in a role like Giggs, it'd be great. I'd even like to see him be involved in coaching some way.

I am a massive believer because of the new coach and that belief was reaffirmed just a few moments ago.

I was watching ESPN classics about an hour ago and they were showing the Wigan-Chelsea 2009 game in Ancelotti's first season which we lost 3-1. (Why that game is considered a classic I will never know)

Ancelotti was absolutely gormless throughout. Just sat there watching the boys get beat and doing nothing. Contrast that with AVB who is arguably the hardest working manager in the game. He literally cannot stand still and is gesticulating and instructing the boys non-stop...even when we're winning. He has plans and is very proactive.

We have a bigger squad than we’ve had in years and a very bright manager. I don’t expect the world but I think we’re going to put up a strong fight and that’s the least we can ask for as supporters.

However I think you are showing a bit too much faith in Bos who has done OK but hasn't yet been tested (that will come a week today). I simply don't see him as a viable long term option at RB.

Well, my default position is to agree with you, as I have never been an admirer of Boswinga defensively, not even when he first came and we saw his class. However Stoke away was a test and he passed with flying colours, standing up to their physicality. Regardless, he will play at Old Trafford (a far sterner test), because his performances thus far have merited it, and we have a manager that picks the side on merit. The signs are encouraging but you're right, wait and see.

Also I can't agree when you say AVB has the balls to drop players irrespective of their name and status and judges players purely on their form. If that was the case Frank would not be starting games for us!

I thought of Frank when I made that point. There is an element of truth in what you say, but Frank brings a lot to the side in terms of personality, mentality and leadership. Of course that's all by the by if he's playing badly, but it's a major call to drop him, and one I'm sure the manager is capable of making, but I don't blame him if he's being reticent at the moment, namely because we have few options. Josh is a major talent but if we want to challenge for the title we really need to be gaining maximum points at places like Sunderland, and Lampard brings presence, if nothing else. Josh will be weaned in this term, I have no doubt about that, but throwing him in against the likes of Cattermole for 90 minutes might be risky, not least away from home where the home side tend to be treated more leniently by referees. I think AVB made the right call in bringing in Mereiles for Mikel rather than Lampard, but I dare say Lampard will sit games out if his form continues.

Incredibly, today's Observer shows that Lampard has created more chances than any other player in the Prem this term, and he has coverted a penalty (a pressure one at that), so he's not all bad, there is still an effectiveness to his game, and I suspect he will get better, he has often started seasons slowly.

Anyway, here's his jibe at Souness, which still brings a smile to my face. Souness actually won the FA Cup at Liverpool and (given AVB's attention to detail) I'm sure he knew that, but he put him in his place, and it's good to have a manager that finally does that. There was no need for a retort, and it may be perceived as precious, but players respond well to a manager that sticks up for himself and the team, that has that confidence, that bravado, and I'm sure there was method behind the words.

I welcome it. I've been waiting a long time. Mark Hughes made a very public play for our captain while at Man City, breaking every rule in the process, and Carlo said nothing, allowing liberties to be taken. Ashley Cole and JT were given scant protection by Carlo in the face of media storms. I could go on. Lambert came out and more or less called Ramires a diver, for what was a blatent pen. We've had too much of it, and we're discriminated by refs as a result, even in the CL, where our reputation precedes us. AVB came out and had a pop back, just as he should, asserting himself and letting him know we're not everyone's patsies. Quite frankly we've been disrespected way too long. It's about time someone stood up.

Anyway here's that quote ..

Graeme Souness, for example, suggested Villas-Boas, who is just a few months older than his senior players, was too young for the job. 'No, no,' he said. 'Souness made comments about it's easy to win at Porto. But when Souness arrived at Liverpool, it was easy to win at Liverpool in the Nineties and the Eighties, wasn't it? But he was five years there and didn't win anything.'

http://www.football.co.uk/chelsea/chelsea_manager_andre_villas-boas__from_the_shadow_of_mourinho_comes_the_special_one_ii_rss1781700.shtml

Incredibly, today's Observer shows that Lampard has created more chances than any other player in the Prem this term...

I'm sorry but I'm not buying that. We all watch the games and know that that is simply untrue. I don't know how they classify chances but that is just plain wrong.

Incredibly, today's Observer shows that Lampard has created more chances than any other player in the Prem this term,

..

In fairness to the Observer they didn't say which team he had created the most chances for

agree wiv lots about avb....................and there's plenty to come wiv his rotation plan - lamps might be next

yesterday we showed lots good mvement, triangles of passing and work rate - left side wiv mata & ash was excellent

couple minor creases to iron out are;

1. DS needs to develop options when he is coming to the all out wide, too prediactable and lost posession 4-5 time 1st half

2. ash/malouda need to get the ball in early, don't take another touch

3. Torres....................look like he can't be asked - after the game, straight down the tunnel - during the game, half-hearted

4. lamps - was better when passing immediately - but when he didn't he got caught

role on BL on tuesday - welcome back michael

In fairness to the Observer they didn't say which team he had created the most chances for

According to The Observer (and I tell no lie) Lampard has created more chances than anyone else this term (14).

Nasri, Nani and Petrov are second with 13.

Rooney and Silva have 12.

And no, they don't have Torres top of the goalscoring chart, before you ask.

I'm quietly pleased about our football at the moment. My only concern would be that we seem to be shipping a few really silly goals. United, in their vein of form, could make us look stupid if we're not careful.

Edited September 11, 201114 yr by Elliott

Well, my default position is to agree with you, as I have never been an admirer of Boswinga defensively, not even when he first came and we saw his class. However Stoke away was a test and he passed with flying colours, standing up to their physicality. Regardless, he will play at Old Trafford (a far sterner test), because his performances thus far have merited it, and we have a manager that picks the side on merit. The signs are encouraging but you're right, wait and see.

i fear the game at old trafford will show just how much of a liability he really is. if he starts, i feel we absolutely have to start with a DM and i fear out of lamps/meireles/ramires, it wont be lamps who will be making way for a dm

According to The Observer (and I tell no lie) Lampard has created more chances than anyone else this term (14).

Nasri, Nani and Petrov are second with 13.

Rooney and Silva have 12.

And no, they don't have Torres top of the goalscoring chart, before you ask.

Nope, but they do have Torres as "most failed dribble attempts"