A phrase used in all sports, yet nowhere is this topic title more appropriate than in the Premiership at the moment, especially when talking specifically of Chelsea’s lack of ability in [what was once] a fertile killing field. In chess, the whole process is summed up by use of the verb alone, to describe a single move that ‘kills’ or a series delivered with precision, resulting in a win that is usually followed by the damningly-dismissive post match comment… ‘and kills’. The killing concept in football is different, being much more to do with a team’s ability to finish things off, as opposed to manner of achievement. It is not so much how or why a ‘killing’ takes place, it is the circumstantial justice of it happening, the sheer exasperation when it doesn’t, and it is summed up in Jose’s current disposition and attitude towards the strikers.

 

At first, it was as if our manager had morphed into a strange psychotic mix of ‘if looks could kill’ body language and gallows humour, jack-in-a-boxing about in the dugout, as endless opportunities were fritter away before his very eyes. However, closer inspection of his subsequent press conference persona revealed a much more rational grasp of the current situation and the following considered quotes give a good indication of the breadth of understanding needed at this level of management…

 

“Some strikers are players with fantastic individual qualities and they can by themselves do what their team is not able to do. Teams that are not playing especially well but have certain kinds of individual players who can be the solution for the team’s problems. Our players are not players with these kinds of qualities or potential. They are more in the team dynamic and they do other jobs.â€

 

“In my opinion we are playing very good attacking football, very good ball possession, but you don’t kill and because you don’t kill, sometimes you can be in trouble.â€

 

So there you have it - a direct homicidal reference used to clarify our current position. Doubtless Jose recognised our lack of up-front oof from the off, hence his immediate admittance of admiration for Wayne Rooney, a world class assassin capable of ’killing’ with both single blow efficiency and patterned play brilliance. Suffice to say, without Didier anymore, the boss simply didn’t see the presence of another within our ranks who remotely resembled this type of hit-man. Moreover, a quick glance at either end of our perceived shooting scale would have left him judging Romelu Lukaku to have the firepower, but not the experience to guarantee regular ’kills’, whereas Fernando Torres was the exact opposite, the fans already having had firsthand evidence of his fluctuating form - scattergun not even getting close to describing the bangs we’ve been getting for our bucks.

 

Sadly, months of confirmatory misfiring later and against all odds, our manager’s influence on matters appears ineffectual, epitomised by an initial recruitment of Eto’o - from Russia with belated love for us and future eyes only for US - his move turns out to be more speculative than he, or any of us with Champions League memories of him, would have hoped for. Likewise, Ba, the last minute retainer with fourth striker status that didn’t bode well for [much-needed] game time. Admittedly, he has aimed to please recently, but I’m guessing that Jose, in each of the above instances, was hoping for the best, while fearing the worst. And, as if to compound any felony before it even took place, a dire run of defensive ill-fortune, combined with poor decision-making, has meant that cobbling together a Chels kill-off these days takes longer and involves more strikes than ever used to be the case.

 

The bottom line, therefore, is that we were never going to be fully tooled-up for the job in hand and unless, by some miracle, under shadow of darkness bordering on blind faith, we’ve somehow managed to hire a grassy knoll exponent with a view to a kill from January onwards, something has always been radically wrong with our planning and the sterile starting point was way back when Didier departed. Truth be told, this sorry club tardiness trait comes as no surprise to diehard Shed Enders, as referenced by my own particular story, entitled ‘Roman Game Killers That Never Arrived’. In the opening chapter, set in the last days of Ken Bates rule more than a decade ago and just before the arrival of the Roman gladiators, I remember scribbling the written equivalent of a forum thumbs-up to buy a young striker named Carlos from Argentina. It never happened, the fickle finger of fate preferring instead to poke me in the eye each and every time he drove a ball into our net from wherever and for whoever he pleased for umpteen Premiership seasons thereafter. Hammer blows, in every sense of the words.

 

Then later on there was Sergio, a like-minded assassin, who coincidentally hailed from the same brass neck of South American woods. Here was [and to this day still is] a player that finishes with such stiletto-bladed efficiency you just knew we were bound to miss out on any attempted transfer move made for him… and sure enough he ends up in the same boat bound for Mancunia. Likewise, in almost everything except final destination, we find the next target man on my to-go-for list, a certain Rademel - the epitome of power, precision and price, the last of which, due to Platini’s Financial Fair Play rules, always likely to scupper any Colombian coup. Yet now there is renewed hope to bring Falcao in, via a switch involving Fernando, a like-for-like bartering of inflatable-priced, high maintenance toreadors in the biggest bull market of them all. Unfortunately, as they say in Russia, I predict a niet here too.

 

Incidentally, for those still reading who may be wondering why another South American fails to feature, I shall merely explain that, from the moment he bit into a player at Ajax, the infamous Luis was never going to. Moral standards within the game should really be debated on a different forum altogether, but in Suarez’s case there is a clear overlap of issues, especially when a second chance at Anfield was spurned, prefaced by a growing reputation for simulation and a volley of racist abuse directed at Patrice Evra. The hypocrisy surrounding yet more chances given him for redemption at Liverpool grows by the minute, for no accountable or acceptable reason, unless you believe a player of his ability to be ‘special’ enough to have serial sinning forgiven at every turn.

 

Some people do, obviously, because he has somehow managed to turn an initial Media outcry for his Premiership removal into a paean of his current god-given talent. On Sunday a Sky Sports studio, stuffed full to overflowing with ex-Pool players and their injured captain (why was there was no Spurs representation whatsoever?) paid homage to his qualities of leadership (!!!!) in Stevie G’s absence. And this morning we learn that he has just been voted William Hill Football Supporters ‘ Federation Player of the Year - the very year in which he took a chunk out of Branna!?!?? Frankly, it beggars belief that this man’s mouth, which once engendered so much [warranted] public and pundit disgust, has now become a place where butter wouldn’t melt.

 

Rant over, this leaves me with only one cause left to champion, and those Shed Enders who are aware of my previous posts on the subject will also appreciate that we’ve gone full circle. It is, admittedly, a cause celebre, and, yes indeed, his name is Wayne - the same Wayne that Jose has wanted since the start of the season. There is no other so-named or so talented left in the frame, with ’frame’ being the operative word, bearing in mind those Jose quotes above and the framework he desires. Only Rooney can fulfil the duel role of Leader of the Resolution (of a team’s problems) as goal scorer in times of crisis, as well as doing the ’other jobs’ that Jose chose to keep hidden under an umbrella of ’team dynamic’. Being sceptical of his ability to ‘kill off’ singularly, or by playing a crucial part in a series of precision passes ’that kills’, is to fly in the face of his recent performances for United, a club in decline that cannot offer guaranteed success anymore and can ill-afford to let such a valued player slip gently through the gaping net that is his rapidly-reducing contract.

 

Another bid for Wayne Rooney has to be a January window ’must’ in my opinion, considering the killing problem we have and the lack of alternatives available… personally, it is fast approaching the time when I’d definitely kill to get him in our squad.

I saw my mate

The other day

He said he saw

The white pele

And so I asked

Who is he

He said he goes by the name of

WAYNE ROOOOONEYYY

Then your mate 

 

I saw my mate
The other day
He said he saw
The white pele
And so I asked
Who is he
He said he goes by the name of
WAYNE ROOOOONEYYY

 

Then your mate must be blind

Edited December 17, 201312 yr by jack_super_class

It's clear we need a striker but me thinks the Rooney ship has sailed despite never getting anywhere near the dock in the first place.

Metaphors. f**k yeah!

I think tonight shows what happens when you don't kill of the opponent.

i don't care what anybody says but when you have a defensive midfielder who does not take it upon himself into disrupting play and tackling then this is what you get. when he allows others to take up the responsibility he is taking them out of position and this will lessen our chances of our forward play. if anyone think that i am out of order then please explain what the duties of a defensive midfielder is!  

I assume you are referring to Mikel but the loss last night can't be put down to him because the problems we are having beating team (convincingly) goes well beyond Mikel's lacklustre displays.

We had 22 shots on goal and only five of them hit the target. Eto'o and Schurrle should have done better with a couple if efforts and some of Lampard's shots were woeful.

We are relying on the attacking midfielders to score as well as create because our strikers are useless but none of them are going to score 20 a season. Schurrle has the most potential as a goal scoring threat but isn't given the luxury that Hazard has of playing every week.

Schurrle is not the answer - an average attacking MF does not have the tools to be a decent striker.

It was no great shock when Jose rejoined and you'd have to reckon that he had plenty of time before he even got here in preseason to start assessing the needs of the squad - including the strikers.

I think we have to question his judgement. It's not his fault if Torres is an enigma, if Ba just isn't quite good enough and if Eto is past it - but it is his fault that the three of them make-up our strike force whilst a certain young Belgian looks to be the better striker by far.

What will Jose do next? Go into the transfer market? Work his magic on one or more of our misfiring trio?

Or maybe transform and average attacking MF into a decent striker.

Schurrle is not the answer - an average attacking MF does not have the tools to be a decent striker.

It was no great shock when Jose rejoined and you'd have to reckon that he had plenty of time before he even got here in preseason to start assessing the needs of the squad - including the strikers.

I think we have to question his judgement. It's not his fault if Torres is an enigma, if Ba just isn't quite good enough and if Eto is past it - but it is his fault that the three of them make-up our strike force whilst a certain young Belgian looks to be the better striker by far.

What will Jose do next? Go into the transfer market? Work his magic on one or more of our misfiring trio?

Or maybe transform and average attacking MF into a decent striker.

Fair enough that we can't score lots of goals but that doesn't excuse the amount we are conceding!! The sooner luiz goes to barca the better (take the £30mil while we can), Essen will never be the same again and lamps will never be a defensive midfielder. If u don't conceded then u don't lose

Fair enough that we can't score lots of goals but that doesn't excuse the amount we are conceding!! The sooner luiz goes to barca the better (take the £30mil while we can), Essen will never be the same again and lamps will never be a defensive midfielder. If u don't conceded then u don't lose

 

I have to disagree here, last night we played the team who are firmly rooted to the bottom of the league who, along with Fulham, have the worst defensive records.

 

And yet the only way we managed to score against them last night, despite having all this top grade attacking talent on the pitch was through an own goal.

 

Our failure to take our chances gave Sunderland hope of staying in the game and by throwing players forward late in the game put pressure on defense that could have been avoided had the attacking players done their jobs properly. 

By the way there is no way on this planet that was an own goal. And if the dubious goals panel decide otherwise they need a good looking at

Our players have long since lost the art of making the run to the near post, they no longer gamble as more often than not the ball doesn't come in quickly enough from dangerous wide areas, instead we want to continually recycle it looking for the perfect playstation goal. Schurrle in the first half whizzed one across the box but not one person gambled...  probably expecting  the ball being played back after achieving the byline.  Last night was the first time we looked dangerous from the right hand side for a while with Azpi looking far more dangerous than Ivan ever will do. Maybe if we actually continue to flash the ball in hard and low we might just get our strikers to gamble again and the goals will flow again?

We just cannot afford Ashley Cole in the team anymore. He is still a good defender but offer nothing going forward. He's aleays out of ideas, takes too much time and passes the ball backwards. He cannot cross a ball and keeps losing possession. He has to leave.

We just cannot afford Ashley Cole in the team anymore. He is still a good defender but offer nothing going forward. He's aleays out of ideas, takes too much time and passes the ball backwards. He cannot cross a ball and keeps losing possession. He has to leave.

Nonsense

Nonsense

Still, imagine having a great attacking left back. Granted, there aren't many.

Interesting in the guardian today, José thinking of going back to 4-3-3.."if I want to win 1-0 I think I can".

Back to basics his first season we won 1-0 on eleven occasions ….

I'll have some of that !

down the front: Agreed mate.

GILES SMITH: MOVING ON

Following a cup exit and in the middle of a relatively long build-up to a much-anticipated London derby, Giles Smith puts the week into perspective in his latest column….

Oops. There goes the Capital One Cup.

Pity, of course. This club has a long and proud history of treating the second oldest knock-out competition in English football, and the fourth priority of any side competing in Europe, with the seriousness and application it merits.

We have selected strong teams, competed hard, stayed in as long as possible and known glory in two recent finals (against Liverpool in 2005 and against Arsenal in 2007) and mild sorrow in another (2008).

Over that period, our commitment has been a shining example to other less historically alert clubs, who, unconcerned about giving their supporters value for money and cherishing the long-established traditions of the game, have routinely spoken of the competition as a chore and an irritant, and have sneeringly sent out sides consisting mostly of untried youth team players, the commercial marketing manager and the sister of one of the blokes who does the iron-on lettering in the megastore.

We all know who I mean here, so I don't need to state it. Arsenal and Manchester United.

Our selfless levels of engagement have also been a shining example to teams such as Bolton Wanderers (when they were under Sam Allardyce) and West Ham (who are now under Sam Allardyce), who have, at various times, taken it into their heads to field weakened sides in the League Cup, despite the fact that it was the only trophy they had even the faintest hope of winning, and certainly the only trophy they had the faintest hope of winning that would get them into Europe the following season. But then, I suppose there always will be people who don't recognise a gift horse even when it's standing on their chest and chewing their head off.

We, by contrast, have done nothing but admire and honour the League Cup in its modern incarnation, not least the way it's done and dusted by February, and therefore tidily out of the way for when the real business of the season starts. And, as a consequence, we and the League Cup have had a nice little thing going on. We have been kind to the competition and the competition has been generally kind to us, except the year we got dumped out by Charlton on pens.

Nevertheless, for all that, when push comes to shove, the unavoidable fact does remain that the Capital One is the fourth of our four priorities in any given year - or, to put it another way, the least of our concerns.

Accordingly, when we go up to Sunderland, play all the football, have 85 percent of the possession at one stage (fact), get within three minutes of a victory which no one would have thought was anything but entirely deserved, only to get caught by two, freak sucker punches in an outcome which would be unlikely to be repeated even if the game were replayed 40,000 times using a computer programme… well, call me ungrateful, but it would be unseemly to lose much in the way of sleep over it.

Sometimes you've just got to say 'oops' and move on - 'sometimes' specifically being when you go out of the Capital One Cup in the quarter finals.

On the subject of moving on, there was a moment during Sky Sports' commentary the other night which brought one up a bit short. The suggestion was that we would be 'desperate' to avoid the match going into extra time, on account of the fact that we have 'a huge match at the weekend.'

Well, no doubt, Arsenal away is a pretty big game, what with a position at the top of the league being potentially at stake during it and what with the additional fact that long years of history and various accumulated grievances means there is no such thing as a small or even a medium-sized game between Arsenal and Chelsea, and almost certainly never will be for as long as football is still played with a round ball on grass.

But the thing is, the Arsenal game is next Monday night. And the Sunderland game was on Tuesday. In other words, an entire week separates these encounters. Did the commentator really mean to imply that a half hour's extra exertion was going to have consequences for the energy levels of our players at the Emirates, six whole nights of sleep later?

We have conditioned ourselves these days to think of footballers' bodies as ultra-sensitive, highly delicate machines. Which, of course, they are. But not that ultra-sensitive, nor that highly delicate, surely, that a mere 30 extra minutes of trying to find a way through the heavily armed, concrete exclusion zone erected around the penalty area by Sunderland's eight-man defence would be likely to cause a strain that could still be felt a week later.

These are fit young men, after all. Come next Monday, when the coach pulls up at the back door of the Emirates and that stupid green dinosaur thing more than likely tries to shake hands with John Terry, the game against Sunderland will be ancient history as far as these players' leg muscles are concerned - and also, if they're sensible, as far as their minds are concerned. It was only the Capital One Cup, after all.

Warm up

Not that there's anything wrong with the Capital One Cup.

According to Brad Friedel, the Tottenham goalkeeper, not one Spurs player wanted Andre Villas-Boas to go. No, and not one Chelsea fan, either, I'm sure. When the results are going your way and everything is so obviously clicking into place, the last thing you want to see is a club's board coming down from on high to meddle and mess everything up.

No question, Tottenham is a darker place without AVB at the helm. Unless, of course, Tim Sherwood can start pulling a few rabbits out of the hat - let's wait and see.

I may just be getting caught up in the emotion of the occasion here (and speaking when you're still flooded with sentiment is never wise), but I think I've felt even closer to AVB these past few weeks (from round about the time of the 0-3 defeat at home to West Ham) than I did when he was manager here.

Buy a proper striker,job done.

I assume you are referring to Mikel but the loss last night can't be put down to him because the problems we are having beating team (convincingly) goes well beyond Mikel's lacklustre displays.

We had 22 shots on goal and only five of them hit the target. Eto'o and Schurrle should have done better with a couple if efforts and some of Lampard's shots were woeful.

We are relying on the attacking midfielders to score as well as create because our strikers are useless but none of them are going to score 20 a season. Schurrle has the most potential as a goal scoring threat but isn't given the luxury that Hazard has of playing every week.

sorry i was pissed in more than one way! having sobered up i can't help but think that the only reason citeh's forwards are making hay is because of toure being an absolute animal in the midfield! he takes responsibility by committing himself to everything which in my books allows the forwards to concentrate mainly on what they are paid to do. this means more oppo players are dragged out of position and therefore allow citeh a clearer path to do damage. 

It would be stupid to change formation against arsenal. I firmly believe that one day a team will get a thrashing from us. My own opinion is if we win the league scoring 57 goals and Torres and eto'o get 9 each then who cares? Why do u have to win it with a striker scoring 25 and the team getting 82 goals. Dont get me wrong it would be nice to do that but who cares as long as we win trophies. We support chelsea as a team and not as individual players. We won the Europa league with a worse team than we have now. Also (and I don't wanna sound like a manc or a scouse) we are in transition. Jose didn't buy all these players so let's just give it a bit of time.

I assume you are referring to Mikel but the loss last night can't be put down to him because the problems we are having beating team (convincingly) goes well beyond Mikel's lacklustre displays.

We had 22 shots on goal and only five of them hit the target. Eto'o and Schurrle should have done better with a couple if efforts and some of Lampard's shots were woeful.

We are relying on the attacking midfielders to score as well as create because our strikers are useless but none of them are going to score 20 a season. Schurrle has the most potential as a goal scoring threat but isn't given the luxury that Hazard has of playing every week.

Our main problem is that our current style of play doesn't suit playing with a striker at all in my opinion.

 

The build up play is woefully slow, which immediately nullifies any threat that our strikers can impose.

 

Torres thrives on the early ball, which he never receives here, hence his forays out to the wing to try to get involved.

 

Even when we attack at pace there is always a tendency to come back inside, rather than hit the byline and cross.

 

All our midfielders are capable of weighing in with a few goals, but slow build up play results in a packed penalty area with fewer opportunities for a clear strike at goal.

 

None of our strikers are performing well, as evidenced by their poor goal return, but playing more to their strengths would hopefully yield more goals for them.

 

Far too many sideways and backwards passes result in our lack of early threat to the opposition defence, why try to dribble around the whole bloody team when an early ball will bypass the majority of them.

 

We need to forget this 4-2-3-1 formation that everyone seems to be playing nowadays and revert to the 4-3-3 system that gave us our early success.

Top post, been saying similar for a while, death by a zillion passes, only seemed to work for Barca....

Edited December 20, 201312 yr by Ballack & Blu

It would be stupid to change formation against arsenal. I firmly believe that one day a team will get a thrashing from us. My own opinion is if we win the league scoring 57 goals and Torres and eto'o get 9 each then who cares? Why do u have to win it with a striker scoring 25 and the team getting 82 goals. Dont get me wrong it would be nice to do that but who cares as long as we win trophies. We support chelsea as a team and not as individual players. We won the Europa league with a worse team than we have now. Also (and I don't wanna sound like a manc or a scouse) we are in transition. Jose didn't buy all these players so let's just give it a bit of time.

We won't win the league with such a small amount, especially with our defence playing the way it is at the moment.