Why I celebrated yesterdays draw

[barak81]

Ok there was no fist pumping, very little screaming "get the f**k in" and certainly no high euphoria after yesterdays game. First of it was remembrance day over here so pretty solemn occasion any way and secondly... well we had just drawn with a team sure to be relegated who can't really defend and yet we some how failed to score and with it any faint hopes we had of winning the title were gone.

 

Wednesday we watched Ivan and JT inconsolable as we crashed out of the CL and we saw tears and disappointment yet again... it's for this reason that I find cause to be optimistic, and as I put it above, "celebrate"  

 

This time last season, we were all celebrating and by that I mean fist pumping and screaming "get the f**k in" because we had more or less just won our titanic battle with spuds and gooners to finish in the CL places. f**king awesome, we secured CL football by the skin of our teeth, what a relief after coming 6th the previous year.

 

Forgive me for my twisted logic by I'll take a fallen at the last hurdle league campaign and almost CL campaign over scraping top 4 and yes even a Europa cup win (in the way we won it, by dropping out of the CL group stages) every year of the week.

 

Some of the posters on here don't like to hear this but there was a time that not in my wildest dreams did I think we would be playing the best in Europe and challenging Liverpool for the league title (my wildest dreams also didn't tell me that City would be there with us and Liverpool wouldn't win a title for 25 years) So just getting to see the players we bring in, the tables we sit at.., this is already a dream come true season in season out. I do however agree that we play with a very different stack now to 'back in da day' and when you spend big money you expect big results. So like all of you I do think that CL football and a decent cup run is the minimum requirement and with the squad we have had the last two years a title challenge is also expects... but we aren't the only ones playing with money (regardless of what the media want you to believe)  

 

We have no divine right to win anything, we make up the numbers like every one else in the football league. We just have a better then not chance of finishing top.

 

We know we need a striker, Jose has known it since the united game when he played Andre up top to try and entice Rooney, the message "I have no striker and your not played as one!"

 

There is a shortage of top notch front men out there, that's just a sad fact.

 

We also need a bit more from our midfield, Jose is yet to find the right partner for Matic and we don't seem to get enough body's in the box for me.

 

But in Jose I really believe we have some one who hate's loosing as much as we do. He will know better then any one that if we had managed to find the answer to the packed defence more often then not, we would have won the league this season and I believe in his ability to adjust and get this problem fixed.

 

Normally at the end of the season I am read for the break however, for the first time in a long time I am actually looking forward to next season as this one comes to an end. We are two players away from being a very special team

[Fansince65]

A nice level headed assessment of the trials and tribulations of being a Chelsea fan !

[SydneyChelsea]

What a fantastic post.

[dkw]

Excellent post mate, basically this season boils down this.

It was better than most expected but not quite as good as most hoped. The fact the majority of fans per season were happy with top 3 and knockouts of the CL but were now dissapointed at how it ended with us so close to the 2 big ones shows how our expectations grew through the season.

[moi]

Lovely to read a post that puts things in to perspective.  Thank you, barak.

[Mod]

Brilliant post barak!

[CFCCAN]

Nice post barak and I don't want to burst your bubble…..but the sad thing is we were handed the opportunity to go and win this title one more than one occasion this year and our players and manager failed to deliver…striker or no striker that unfortunately is a fact.  The stupid games we lost were not because of a missing striker, the players never showed up mentally when it mattered most.  Yes we did fantastic against the top 6 teams and exceeded my expectations in the CL but all that good work went for sh*te when we can't beat bottom feeders such as teams like Norwich etc.  I am sure the ship will be corrected next season if not, despite what he says our wonderful Jose' will be down the road, dour football and a trophy less season doesn't amuse our beloved benefactor for too long.

[Jonty]

Nice post barak and I don't want to burst your bubble…..but the sad thing is we were handed the opportunity to go and win this title one more than one occasion this year and our players and manager failed to deliver…striker or no striker that unfortunately is a fact.  The stupid games we lost were not because of a missing striker, the players never showed up mentally when it mattered most.  Yes we did fantastic against the top 6 teams and exceeded my expectations in the CL but all that good work went for sh*te when we can't beat bottom feeders such as teams like Norwich etc.  I am sure the ship will be corrected next season if not, despite what he says our wonderful Jose' will be down the road, dour football and a trophy less season doesn't amuse our beloved benefactor for too long.

 

Yeah but City and Liverpool have also lost silly points, we'll always think any points dropped to anyone outside the top teams are stupid games but it's very rare to see a team that doesn't drop those kind of points in a season, particularly in one as young as ours with a lot of players new to the club.

[Zola]

I think celebrate is a little strong all things considered, but fair enough!

 

I am pleased that we have done better than last year, 3rd again, but better points and we really turned up against the big boys which was amazing, some great weekends!!!

 

However, I am extremely disappointed with how we threw way so many points against the teams at the basement end of the table after doing so well against all our rivals. We can blame that on our lack of strikers etc, thats true, but it certainly didn't hinder us against the top teams. We should have found a way regardless. I think there is a lack of heart and drive with some of the players if the game is not a top billing fixture and that is not good.

 

There is still an imbalance in the middle for me, we are still far too slow to move the ball from the middle. Matic has certainly improved it, but we need to do more. I remain to be convinced on Willian. I don't think he brings enough in raw footballing ability, there is no room left for Frank left sadly, just not influential anymore at all.  Salah is not refined at all, may come in time. Schurrle should be much better next year. Hazard and Oscar are our key players of course and its vital we get them both in good form and keep them there. 

 

We need two, three or maybe even 4 strikers. Eto'o is past it, Ba is useless and Torres is Torres. 

 

Man Utd at one point had 7 strikers on their books. We need firepower and options. We also need a real marquee play maker in the middle who is going to setup attacks from the centre. 

 

I know Jose is the right man, but he has to buy the key players this year and play a bit more of an expansive game next season. Jose has said we will be ready next season. I believe him. There can be no excuses, because Roman won't tolerate it. 

 

We need to bring in Cavani (also, sadly, maybe that arsehole Costa), a couple of  young promising forwards with pace and someone in the middle. 

Edited May 5, 2014 by Zola

[ButchersHook]

Thank you for articulating so eloquently what i feel we all believe!

 

Bravo 

#bringonnextseason!

[moi]

Thank you for articulating so eloquently what i feel we all believe!

 

Bravo 

#bringonnextseason!

 

 

Yeah, but not too quickly - let me have my summer in the sea first!

[Veeria]

Good post, like its been said the hope and expectation came from how close we were to the top of the league and the disappointment from how we threw it away.

The problem with this season has been the media, Jose said from the start, even at his first press conference this season he said it is a transitional season, no one believed him, he said we were a 'little horse' people said he's playing mind games, he says we have no chance for the title, people say he's talking rubbish. Jose is very honest but people always try to read into what he's saying, sometimes they shouldn't.

Lets not forget how badly other teams transitional seasons have gone. Man U and Tottenham this year and Liverpool for a few years (obviously not this)have been dreadful and they've been out of the champions league. Arsenal have had 9 years of rebuilding and possibly just one fa cup to show for it. It's because this is Chelsea and this is Jose so we are not allowed a transitional season, maybe we are victims of our own success in that sense.

People often point to the money we spent to say how can it possibly be a case of rebuilding. Well again ill have to bring up Tottenham, who spent a lot of money and have done terribly, and Man U, who spent 60 odd million and have done even worse. Lets not forget we spent all our money on young, relatively unproven players, the kind of players you buy when you re rebuilding a team, the market is hugely inflated so paying what we did for Willian and schurrle ect is more a reflection on the cost of young talent now days. Also we sold our best player over the last two years, what do you call a team that sells their previous best player if not one trying to change, trying to rebuild and one that is looking further ahead than just this season.

[ButchersHook]

Yeah, but not too quickly - let me have my summer in the sea first!

 

 Hope you got a telly for the world cup in that sea of yours 

[RichardCFC]

Some of the posters on here don't like to hear this but there was a time that not in my wildest dreams did I think we would be playing the best in Europe and challenging Liverpool for the league title (my wildest dreams also didn't tell me that City would be there with us and Liverpool wouldn't win a title for 25 years) So just getting to see the players we bring in, the tables we sit at.., this is already a dream come true season in season out. I do however agree that we play with a very different stack now to 'back in da day' and when you spend big money you expect big results. So like all of you I do think that CL football and a decent cup run is the minimum requirement and with the squad we have had the last two years a title challenge is also expects... but we aren't the only ones playing with money (regardless of what the media want you to believe)  

 

We have no divine right to win anything, we make up the numbers like every one else in the football league. We just have a better then not chance of finishing top.

 

Agree with this 100%. How a season which included doing the double over Manchester City and Liverpool, as well as brilliant victories over Manchester United and Arsenal, then being 45 minutes away from reaching the Champions League Final, can be considered a failure, is beyond me.

 

One trophy-less season is NOT a failure in the slightest. It's almost impossible to win trophies every year as good sides come in cycles, which require rebuilding at the end of one. It's especially not a failure considering all the promise we have shown this season. A second year for several new signings and a second year under Jose Mourinho will undoubtedly improve the side, as would buying a striker in the summer. 

 

Even so, competing right at the top of the Premier League and playing against Europe's best, often succeeding, is a success in itself. 

[barak81]

Zola and CFCAN, I completely agree that it's disappointing to have come so close, really had the easiest of the run ins and not finish it of.

 

But at the end, we just didn't deserve it, we aren't the best team in the competition and that has come fruition over 38 games. What Jose brings to most of his teams is that big game mentality but for some reason we lack the ability to kill the little teams consistently.

 

I remember Alan Hansen (a million apologies for quoting him) saying when united sold Ronaldo that they would miss his ability to punish the small teams. So often he wouldn't turn up in the big games but against the Sunderland and palaces of this world he would run riot, he was just to much for them. Henry was very similar (although he used to score against us as well) Suarez is now doing it for Liverpool. Robben used to do it for us in Jose's first spell, but 20+ goals a season from lampard used to come in handy not to mention Drogba.

 

In this respect even Hazard needs to improve IMO. wonderful football player but needs to do more of the ball. It's all very well saying we need a striker but when you play one up front the wingers and attacking mids need to get in to the box and become second strikers. Eden is all about ball at his feet and he needs to be looking at taking up dangerous positions as well.

 

It's clear as day we aren't there yet as a team or a squad, not fat away though and everything that Jose has said indicates he is more or less on the same page as all of us.

 

So my underlying point stands, I am of course disappointed to have "blown it" at this stage. but some times you have to sit back and enjoy the journey.... it's been a wonderful season with some great moments. And as I said originally, I prefer to be disappointed that we just missed out then to be relived to have scraped 4th

[Englishman]

Zola and CFCAN, I completely agree that it's disappointing to have come so close, really had the easiest of the run ins and not finish it of.

 

But at the end, we just didn't deserve it, we aren't the best team in the competition and that has come fruition over 38 games. What Jose brings to most of his teams is that big game mentality but for some reason we lack the ability to kill the little teams consistently.

 

I remember Alan Hansen (a million apologies for quoting him) saying when united sold Ronaldo that they would miss his ability to punish the small teams. So often he wouldn't turn up in the big games but against the Sunderland and palaces of this world he would run riot, he was just to much for them. Henry was very similar (although he used to score against us as well) Suarez is now doing it for Liverpool. Robben used to do it for us in Jose's first spell, but 20+ goals a season from lampard used to come in handy not to mention Drogba.

 

Said it a few months ago... we'd probably be undone in the end because we aren't good flat track bullies, even though we excel in the big matches. City, Liverpool and even Arsenal are better at putting poor teams to the sword. Yesterday was a case in point.

 

It's disappointing to miss out when we had a great chance of winning it. Liverpool and City were both there for the taking, as was shown in our head to heads. But this time last year we were 20 odd points behind Man Utd and battling Rubin Kazan and Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League. The season before was even poorer before we saved ourselves with those cup heroics. So it was nice to still be in the race in the final few games.

 

We aren't far off being a top side. We have the right manager, just need a few tweaks here and there, a midfield partner for Matic, a top striker, and hopefully next season will be even better.

[dkw]

Oh and once again we should learn to listen to Jose, he told us all along we weren't ready to win it.

[moi]

 

 Hope you got a telly for the world cup in that sea of yours 

 

 

 

Given that Scotland apparently is not in the World Cup,  I haven;t bothered installing a telly in the sea.