I think the manager's tactical inflexibility is part of it. I still don't understand why he persists with 4-4-2, there isn't a single top team in Europe that plays such an antiquated formation these days. CL football is all about possession and/or keeping a solid defensive structure, the old mantra of 'two banks of four' doesn't really wash any more I'm afraid. It's easy for teams playing 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, with players 'between the lines' of the 4-4-2, to exploit it just by the tactical structure alone.

 

Not that I don't agree with the sentiment, and obviously there is some nuance to formations, but both Madrid sides have been using a 4-4-2 quite consistently this season. Atletico have been employing a fairly regular 4-4-2 (with a very solid shape) for a couple of years now.

CFC,

Just my last opinion on this. I pay around 80 Eur for an airfare, accommodation is 100 a night, food and ticket close to 100 Eur. Add a few drinks…

Mostly I am flying from Prague, Bratislava or Budapest.

what has been lost here, is that how do bayern, and dortmund, consistantly do well domestically and in europe, while still charging £27 at bayern, the yellow wall at dortmund a SEASON TICKET IS £160, uli hoeness bayern general manager says that in england fans are seen as cash cows, while in germany it is important to maintain solid links with the clubs, traditional working class base, a beer at bayern is 2 euros, at chelsea 6 can you see why people are disgruntled?

Yes it is quite sad that the germans are showing us how a football club should be run.

Van Gaal has overseen United’s worse start after 10 matches since the 1986-7 season. Having accumulated only 13 points, the Dutchman said: “It’s not good enough. I feel myself very lousy for the fans and my staff, but also for the board, because they have a great belief in me, my staff and the players. I’m feeling lousy for everyone that we have 13 points from 10 games. But we are in a process."

 

For all the stick Moyes got in his defense his only (initial) recruitment was Felliani. Spam face van Gaal has spent a sh*t ton of money and still managed to do worse than Moyes despite supposedly being this master tactician (I originally said in this thread he would abandon the back three after 8 games, proved to be a lot quicker than that). 

Talking about the officials by the goal Wenger said they do nothing "they should get them a chair and a good book".

 

Fair play, saying what we all think. They are pointless.

Van Gaal has overseen United’s worse start after 10 matches since the 1986-7 season. Having accumulated only 13 points, the Dutchman said: “It’s not good enough. I feel myself very lousy for the fans and my staff, but also for the board, because they have a great belief in me, my staff and the players. I’m feeling lousy for everyone that we have 13 points from 10 games. But we are in a process."

 

For all the stick Moyes got in his defense his only (initial) recruitment was Felliani. Spam face van Gaal has spent a sh*t ton of money and still managed to do worse than Moyes despite supposedly being this master tactician (I originally said in this thread he would abandon the back three after 8 games, proved to be a lot quicker than that). 

He's also said that it will take three years to re-build the club. Will the fans and board be that patient? They weren't with Moyes.

Vincent Kompany out of tomorrows game at QPR, Silva already ruled out. Would love an upset even though it's QPR.

We dodged a bullet...

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11215686/Why-Brendan-Rodgers-will-never-manage-Chelsea.html

 

Never knew McEachran said that!

Edited November 7, 201411 yr by Blueblur

Considering Pellegrini is 3rd on the list at 6/1 to be next manager sacked , Anything other than a win tomorrow and he will probably overtake Redknapp and become 2/1 favourite, Call me crazy but sacking him before the Bayern Munich game might be the only way we stay in the CL, The old new manager trick with Viera as temporary head coach could work.

I think this is what's known as reading between the lines... but also managing to somehow see a massive amount of sh*te that was never so much as vaguely alluded to.

 

I don't live anywhere near London. And if I did, I doubt very much whether or not I'd be able to go to matches on a regular basis, certainly not to anywhere near the extent that I used to, that I used to take for granted before people like me were priced out. And yes we were the life blood of the club. We were the ones who created the club's reputation, we were the ones who made the atmosphere, established traditions.

 

How many of these tourists and corporate fans - or even the foreign non-matching going fans - will be able to say the same in twenty or thirty years time?

 

I'm not talking as a Chelsea fan here, but as a football supporter, one who's seen changes that were unimaginable a couple or three decades ago. Don't worry, I'm not going to wax lyrical about how wonderful it was in the good old bad old days. All I'm going to say is that with the type of fans that were the life blood of the game being priced out at Premier League clubs up and down the country, the lack of atmosphere (as mentioned elsewhere) is extremely unlikely to see any improvement.

 

"Perhaps you should have made more of yourself to have the ability to buy tickets." Sorry sunshine but this really annoyed me. Who the f**k do you think you are? Seriously. Who the f**k are you? Football is traditionally a working class game that has had the heart and soul ripped out of it, not by owners like Roman Abramovich who do appear to genuinely love the game, and this particular club, but by the money men, the sanitisers who see the Premier League as a Global Brand to be promoted to as many markets as is feasibly possible. This is precisely the attitude that prioritises the more lucrative overseas and corporate markets. This is the attitude that is responsible for the new breed of seat-fillers who want to be entertained above all else, who regard a trip to the Bridge in the same way that they would regard a trip to the theatre or the opera or the f**king ballet.

 

This is why it's so much easier for a bunch of tourists from the far east or where the f**k ever to buy a block of seats together than it is for supporters who scrimp and save and sacrifice in order to continue to fork out for their vastly overpriced season tickets, with little or no choice of where they sit or who they sit with.

 

YOU FOREIGNERS may think that you are the future life blood of the game. You can dream of your first visit to Stamford Bridge,. you can tell describe yourself as a loyal supporter, tell yourself how much you love the club, that you are in no way a glory hunter, but the truth is that you have no real connection to the club. No more than I would if I were to announce myself as a supporter of,New York Mets and dedicated my every waking hour to discovering everything there was to know about them. I could dream of a trip to New York, but a Mets fan? Or a Yankees fan, same difference. I'd be kidding myself.

 

Who am I? I'm just someone who used to go to football, that's all. Home and away, week in, week out. I'm a former matchgoer. I don't dream of the day I'll next be able to able to go to Stamford Bridge, Financial and health reasons make such a trip unlikely. The difference between me and you is that I DO have a connection with the club, been there, seen it done it. And I was well f**king skint half the time, but I made an effort. I was younger and healthier then. But maybe if I'd made more of myself, I'd be able to afford luxury travel every other week, ill health notwithstanding.

 

Clown. You haven't got a clue.

 

I don't like insults to get a point across but I can understand the frustration here, brilliant post as always.

f**k off.

 

Well that's just f**king brilliant that is, bravo.

Well that's just f**king brilliant that is, bravo.

 

Slawth vs the Shed End Hardcore Gang round 35

 

I'm sensing it, lets do this.

Well go on and link it then mr smarty pants.

 

Also Kinkladze don't be so negative, it's not that hard to believe City wont qualify, Roma aren't even that good really, if you pull something out of the bag against them and grab a win, then you're definitely going to qualify, I don't even think Bayern will play a strong side against you, although with barely any competition they might. Well you beat them last season away I don't see why you can't do it this season.

Edited November 7, 201411 yr by Slawth

Vincent Kompany out of tomorrows game at QPR, Silva already ruled out. Would love an upset even though it's QPR.

Good news hopefully it effects them

QPR 6/1 to beat city I heard. Worth a bet

QPR 6/1 to beat city I heard. Worth a bet

 

Got a feeling that they'll nick a draw if anything, they need Charlie Austin to continue his recent fine form. 

May have to take Zabaleta out of my fantasy team, gutted, was expecting him to get lots of assists this season.

QPR 6/1 to beat city I heard. Worth a bet

 

Ooh, that's tempting. City down in the dumps, QPR actually looking half-decent in recent weeks.....

So Leeds United have been served with a winding up order. Can't stand that dirty club at all but I'm not sure I'd like for them to go under... purely for the old school rivalry.

I feel completely different about QPR though.

HAHAHAHAHA just seen its for Solucitors fees & the Solicitors are a firm I use from time to time. Small world ;-)

Uncle Ken strikes again:

 

 

Leeds United have been served with a winding-up petition by law firm Ford & Warren Solicitors over unpaid fees.

The fees, which date back to when former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates, 82, owned the Championship club, amount to about £150,000.

 

Ah, you've gotta feel sorry for those poor Leeds fans....

 

nah do I bollocks. sh*te to them.

With regards to tourist support, it's a bit of a difficult one. The non local supporters boost match day income as they spend a lot more time in the stadium by and large, and flock to the souvenir shops etc, and pay a lot more for tickets when buying through the official channels with travel packages etc. As much as I would prefer a bit more of the good and bad old days, it'll never be like that again for any of the clubs with worldwide support.

Someone summed it up pretty well in the Liverpool thread. A lot of ST holders are a bit lazy with their support. Me and my mates being the near perfect example. We have a whole thirty minute journey to the ground, forty on a bad day!!!!! And we're not vocal anymore. We can't be arsed, except on very rare occasions. We go because we always have done. The affinity with the players etc is long gone. A lot of non-local people that come to our clubs possibly do so as a once in a lifetime chance, and spend a shed load of money in doing so. Bet they wonder what we're doing sat there like miserable gits, and not jumping about decked in replica gear.

We're Walking back through Stanley park after matches moaning about how crap we are after watching a nil nil when loads are trudging off to the coaches to Dorset etc. who's the better supporters? Don't think there's a right or wrong anymore. (they're still wools though).