Outhustled for the Charity Shield, outclassed in the Super Cup, chased out of the CL at the group stages, reduced to fighting for fourth place in the EPL and now outmuscled for the World Club Cup. Is this just a bad phase or a genuine decline and, if so, how do we stop it?

Think you'll find the club has been in worse situations than it currently is.

Not so much in decline as under a cloud. A big fat Spanish cloud.

CHRIST....If we won every match there would be some crying how boring it was......

My knee hurts. 

Not on the decline but there are major issues that need sorting,first of all call time on the waiter

A genuine decline?  Have we been relegated? Have we gone bankrupt?  Are our grounds empty on match days?  I think not!

 

Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill here.  

Decline? No

Transition? Yes

A bit of a wobble may-be.

Decline? No

Transition? Yes

 

I never knew transitions were this bad. I don't think we are in decline but being in transition is hardly a good excuse for the mess we are in right now.

 

I don't know why so many people make out that being in transition means not competing.

I never knew transitions were this bad. I don't think we are in decline but being in transition is hardly a good excuse for the mess we are in right now.

 

I don't know why so many people make out that being in transition means not competing.

Really? Look at united. They were in their 'transition' year last year, they won nothing, not one thing, got knocked out of Europe and came second in the league. All they did was add a few youngsters. Not completely change their style and change their manager half way through the season. I don't think many had very high expectations for the year, but we were blown out of the water with the good run we had at the start of the season and when things snowballed we were left disappointed. Especially when you seen players like Hazard show exactly why we paid 32M for him and Torres even looked half decent. We're still competing. We have the chance for four trophies, still third in the league and quite possibly in for the most important transfer window in a long long time. You don't think with Falcao we could go on to beat just about everything in our path if we still remain defensively stable? United aren't clear of the wood yet in the league, especially with their dodgy defense and it only takes one knock o an injury prone RVP to force them down a place or two. They'd only be level with us if they didn't have him and for most of the season we've been playing with 10 men.

As others have said just a rough transition patch. Even though he's messed up big time in recent weeks I don't think Roman would just sit back and do nothing to stop it happening.

We have a better team than the one we had this time last night. In 2-3 years time, the players we signed this season will be better than what they are now. We have a few urgent issues to resolve , 2-3 quality signings will fix that. As far as manager concerns, we will only get better next season. We are not in decline, just trainsition and the result of Roman pressing the 'restart' button every year.

We are in a transitional phase and in need of stability. Roman must stop chopping and changing managers. A long term manager with the support of Roman and the fans is essential.  Roman must also communicate with the fans and explain his decisions.

 

A good start would be to invest in a world class striker and midfielder in the January window. Bring back Mourinho. We also need experienced men on the board who love our club such as Dennis Wise and Ray Wilkins.

 

Finally, Roman should ditch the yes men especially those who screwed up.

Edited December 18, 201213 yr by Randy36

It would have to be a real Leeds style implosion for us to be really in decline. I'm pretty confident that given 1 key signing in january we will push for second place.

I never knew transitions were this bad. I don't think we are in decline but being in transition is hardly a good excuse for the mess we are in right now.

 

I don't know why so many people make out that being in transition means not competing.

 

We're not competing because we've not had stable management since Mourinho. It takes experience to guide a club through transition i.e Ferguson at Man Utd. We were relying on inexperience (AVB, RDM) to guide us through this patch and now we're relying on an incompetent manager which is only going to hinder the development of Hazard, Mata, Oscar (remember they are still young players).

 

If we get in a good manager who knows and can deliver in this league I guarantee we'll be competing on all fronts next season. City have the best "strongest" XI but not far off you have Chelsea/United/Arsenal and then slightly further afield Everton and Spurs. United aren't top because they have the best players, they're top because they have the best and most experienced manager who 9/10 makes the right decisions and rotates the squad accordingly. I can't stand Ferguson but he is the only manager out of the top 5/6 clubs that consistently gets the best out of average players i.e Cleverly, Carrick, Ferdinand, Rafael, Ashley Young, Phil Jones etc.

 

The next managerial appointment will shape which direction the club is heading. We all know that if Jose came back tomorrow (not saying it will happen) with Falcao and Remy/Ba we'd piss this league no problem next season.

 

As much as I hate him and am against his appointment Benitez knows this league, as does Wenger and Moyes. That in itself gives all three a significant advantage over AVB at Spurs. 

No we are not in decline , although we are currently making a balls of it.

It's not decline, just several years of mismanagement catching up with us now we don't have the likes of Drogba, Lampard, Terry and Essien to dig us out of holes anymore. The problem isn't terminal. We still have the basis of a really good team. Just appoint a competent manager, give him a proper squad to work with and then leave him alone to get on with the job.

Not a decline. We still have a squad good enough to win trophies and financially we should be able to stay that way.

 

But the feeling I get is that we're like a jigsaw puzzle with many great pieces, but nobody to fit them all together.

when you reach the top, you will meet other top teams and you will not win them all. you will always be a target for everybody because it will be a feather in their caps to beat us, so they will try that extra bit more. i don't see any decline.

we won the champions league all of 7 months ago and were top of the table 2 months ago

 

we just had a bad run of form as every team has, we still have one of the most quality squads in the world, a huge dedicated fanbase, a billionaire owner and the ability to attract nearly any player or manager in world football we want

 

so no i'd say we aren't in a decline.

That depends on how we end the season. If we don't make the top 4 then players will leave, because they'll be no CL football. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazard was one of them, he hasn't looked too happy recently..

That depends on how we end the season. If we don't make the top 4 then players will leave, because they'll be no CL football. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazard was one of them, he hasn't looked too happy recently..

 

Sorry but this is bullsh*t. Chelsea F.C is bigger than Eden Hazard. I'm more concerned about the club than if a £170,000/week player is unhappy because they're going through a "tough" time in professional Football. 

That depends on how we end the season. If we don't make the top 4 then players will leave, because they'll be no CL football. I wouldn't be surprised if Hazard was one of them, he hasn't looked too happy recently..

 

Hazard is in the first year of a five year contract. He's going nowhere, regardless of where we finish in the table.

 

If we miss out on Champions League football for two consecutive years, then we might have something to worry about.

actually we're in ascent (taking a wider view).

 

only it's been muddied by robbie's sacking, benitez' appointment and the club world cup loss.

 

we finished 6th last season with a side that was past its best. we'll finish third this season and then, hopefully, get someone in who will have us fighting for the league again.