Own up. How many of the "shock horror, we lost to West Brom" posts were made by people with the attitude that it's "only West Brom, we should be good enough to beat them any day of the week."

Looking at yesterday's other results, Man U losing at Norwich, Everton losing at Reading, even Southampton winning at QPR emphasises that in this league there are very few if any teams that can be written off as "only" anyone.

Twelve games gone, almost a third of the season and West Brom are currently sitting fourth in the league, a point behind ourselves. They're not up there by acccident, they're there because they've been in a good run of form, they're a decent side playing very good football.

That we ourselves got off to a flyer blinded a lot of people to the fact that this is a transitional season. In another thread somebody asked how long we'd been in "transition", the inference being that we'd been in "transition" for some years and that as such it was an excuse that was wearing thin.

Wrong. Even though it could be argued that every season is transitional, that transition is a continual process - move forward or die, or at the very least, stagnate and fade away, this is a truly transitional season.

It's the first season we haven't been able to rely on Didier Drogba for nigh on a decade, and that in itself necessitates a major shift in playing style and of attitude, a major transition. Further transitional factors include the influx of new players, the reduction in the average age of the squad, and that this is Robbie De Matteo's first full season in charge.

So we have a young squad - yesterday's starting 11 was one of the youngest in Premier League history. Changes were necessitated not only because of the forthcoming Champions League fixture away in Turin but also because several of our players didn't return from international duty until Thursday night, travelling from as far afield as Panama. Not exactly the ideal preparation for a Saturday afternoon Premier League fixture.

Earlier in the season that we were very close to being a very good side. And that still stands. We're not the finished article, not by some distance. We have a squad that is bursting with talent from whom the best is yet to come.

We do need another striker though, I think we all knew that before the season started.

I thought i heard that yesterdays team was the youngest in the Pl since 1996 !!!..

Compare that to the starting 11 in the Barce CL semi. Transition indeed.

I thinking going from the oldest squad in the PL to one of the youngest in the time it takes RA to sign his name has flown over the heads of 75% of our support.

I still think we aren't a complete team yet. We need a really decent DM/playmaker and a really world class striker. We did a lot of rebuilding in the summer and the board took a risk but putting all their faith in Torres. It hasn't worked out so now we need to go and spend in January.

A striker and a John terry replacement please

Cahill is a good JT replacement.

Cahill is a good JT replacement.

Still a class apart...I really want impressed by the way he got bullied off long. We need that cb who can play alongside anyone and make them look a better defender and we have missed that in Terry

Great post. Exactly what I feel but unfortunately most of the people on this forum demand a 100% win record.

Edited November 18, 201213 yr by JoeyN

As has been said over again over again... we are playing with 10 men.

Yes, WBA are doing very well and are solid but we should still be beating them, however it's very hard when you don't have a striker. If you don't shoot you don't score so can someone please tell our number 9 that please?

Also, with Luiz getting blamed for the defeat, the fact of the matter is that if we had taken our chances we would have won.

I want to know how Torres is doing in training. Is he banging them in or just practising for what he usually does at the weekend?

Either way, it's got to change in January.

Let's do a deal with another club, £20million. We pay them £20million, and they take Torres of our hands.

Edited November 18, 201213 yr by AdamCFC

TD ..I like your posts but today I have to disagree somewhat. Call it what you want 'transition' 'change' etc, however based on the talent pool, us v WBA we had the capability of winning that game yesterday and there are no excuses and no wonder RDM was a bit pissed by all accounts. WBA are also in 'transition' under a new manager and as we all know that includes changing a teams playing style to the likes of the manager. Our failings yesterday were the same as previous weeks, poor defending and poor finishing..not 'transition'. Unlike last season we created more chances but failed to capitilise, meaning that the 'transition' in our game is surely working, but certain individuals yesterday didn't step up to the plate. Defending crosses for defenders has not changed that much since I was a kid, although the pace of the game is a lot faster and the attacking midfielders are more of a threat than they used to be, meaning defenders have to be quicker at reading the game and the runs of opposing players. Yes Robbie was forced to make changes for yesterday, but he must have been confident that with the squad he has they would be good enough to have taken all 3 points...simply put yesterday the players never performed. I have no problem with this team losing against superior opposition or opposition that simply outworks us as a team and deserves a victory, but considering we have played midtable teams recently where they are also in transition and dropped points is disappointing, consider Swansea (new manager) Liverpool (new manager) QPR (fairly new manager) WBA (new manager) these are teams that we would be expected to beat. There is of course one thing about 'change' ..it is inevitable and will forever continue as you so rightly pointed out...

steve clarke is underestimated. i think the team is missing the leadership qualities of terry and lamps.

I think you make a lot of sense with your post.

But I am also of the opinion the players did not perform on the day. We've had problems with defending since the start of the season, but we were outscoring our opponents and thus were getting wins. When the goals dry up, wins become draws and draws become losses when you continue to concede.

With a competent striker, and JT back to organize the defense (for Luiz, not Cahill), we'd be back to looking like contenders for the league title.

Cheers,

Butch

CFCCAN, yes we did have a team out there good enough to beat West Brom, No-one is disputing that. But then again we have a squad so talented that pretty much everytime we play we send a lineup out that is good enough to win. However thats not how football works and so it showed yesterday.

Bottom line for me is that in this season of undoubted transition we are only 4 points off of the top of the league and this is after some unfortunate matches and Bullsh*t decisions (cough cough Clattenberg) There really isn't too much to be complaining about at this stage.

Great post. It is all about the expectations game. Sadly with the investment made, the word transition has gone out the window.

Saturday's team was one where of the big 5 players of the past 5 seasons, only Cech played. We've an entirely new team, and West Brom played well.

The howls of derision to be fair, were mainly from the usual suspects who either take too much of their opinion from the Mail or have so little grounding that anything less than an undefeated season is a disgrace. I'm just waiting for the first RDM out thread to be made.

Next year we should be complete

Curtois(spelling?)

Dave Cahill Luiz Bertrand

Ramires

De Bruyne

Mata Oscar Hazard

Falcao/Lukaku

That's it!

I don't think expectation came with the money spent but with the start to the season. We were not shipping many goals in the PL early season and we were scoring freely. Now the scoring has dried up and so have the clean sheets. Unfortunately it is now a prolonged issue and unlike AVB Who was Romans toy, RDM is not and in many ways only got the job because pep wanted to wait. The excuse is pre-made for roman to bring in his next toy. I will be honest and say that I would prefer Pep in any case but I can understand many like the fairy tale idea that an ex Chelsea star could have taken us forward and find it difficult to let go.

At the beginning of this season I decided that I would be happy with a top four finish and maybe a couple of good cup runs...I still feel like that now and I do feel confident that we will finish in a CL spot in May...

I refuse to panic at this stage in the season...

Great post Doc!

Simply put, if 80% of the team have an off day, it doesn't matter who you're playing, its very likely that you'll get beaten!

I don't think expectation came with the money spent but with the start to the season. We were not shipping many goals in the PL early season and we were scoring freely. Now the scoring has dried up and so have the clean sheets. Unfortunately it is now a prolonged issue and unlike AVB Who was Romans toy, RDM is not and in many ways only got the job because pep wanted to wait. The excuse is pre-made for roman to bring in his next toy. I will be honest and say that I would prefer Pep in any case but I can understand many like the fairy tale idea that an ex Chelsea star could have taken us forward and find it difficult to let go.

You make it sound like Robbie is an untested pipe dream, hes already taken us forward as regards playing style, trophies and league position all while bringing in new players and having to let go of or do without players that have made us the challengers we've been in recent years.

I agree Roman can hire and fire at a knee jerk but the prolonged issue you refer to has been a terrible refereeing performance a couple of draws and a loss to the team nearest us in the league at their ground.

There has been no fall outs with players, we have again (and this has cost us in the same way every time its happened) been with out our Captain and best defender, we have an issue up front that is not of the managers doing and we have made some defensive errors, all these thigs can be put right and its testament to RDM that we are in a challenging position in the League and CL with the problems I have mentioned.

The media loves to undermine us with stories of Pep or Jose right before any important game, I'm glad the boys don't come on here to get more of it.

I don't think many fans here believe any team in the EPL can go undefeated let alone us. There are games when you look at the fixture list that you can examine and think to yourself 'that's 3 points' 'draw' or 'loss'. There is no crisis, no panic, just some slight concerns, even though we are very early in the season. Terry missing in defence means we loose an 'organizer' and a 'leader' that is able to drive the team forward and set an example in terms of work ethic, his absence clearly is having an effect because is it plainly obvious to everyone that Luiz is not ready to be a pillar in defence alongside Cahill in Terry's absence; but regardless this squad is good enough to beat mid-table teams 80% of the time, games against Swansea, Liverpool, WBA IMO were all winnable given their players against ours in pure talent alone, QPR you could put down as a difficult game where passion takes over from talent and a draw was a fair result although on paper it was winnable. So if talent isn't the problem is it the coaching or down to players attitude towards a specific game? Yes RDM has made some changes but nothing so drastic that should cause these lapses in defence like we have seen over the last few games. As RDM stated yesterday, he is going to make changes to shore up the defence which I assume will mean some changes in attacking midfield and in front of the back four and perhaps going back to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 will be his answer..who knows...it will be interesting to see how Robbie deals with this and don't think a majority of CFC fans are calling for his head...although RA might be if these types of defensive lapses and results continue and we start to slip down the table.

Edited November 19, 201213 yr by CFCCAN

Next year we should be complete

Curtois(spelling?)

Dave Cahill Luiz Bertrand

Ramires

De Bruyne

Mata Oscar Hazard

Falcao/Lukaku

That's it!

Your joking right? Cech is 30, Mikel has just signed a new 5 year deal at the club, Ivan is a quality defender, JT is still our best CB, if the club is smart they will sort out the contract issues with Ashley and keep him on

This season I'm only expecting a 3rd place finish and the League cup. Next season I am executing more.

This season I'm only expecting a 3rd place finish and the League cup. Next season I am executing more.

I hope you're planning to use a humane method, nobody wants to see a bloodbath.

I hope you're planning to use a humane method, nobody wants to see a bloodbath.

Ha ha it's this bloody iPod it's supposed to say expecting

Ha ha it's this bloody iPod it's supposed to say expecting

Nice try, Pol Pot.