Papering Over The Cracks

[Nibs]

We couldn't even string a few passes together without losing the ball against Newcastle during the first half, and I just don't see how José (or any manager for that matter) could be blamed for it. We're talking about professional footballers. They don't need a manager to learn how to string 5 passes together.

Having said that, José must be held accountable for refusing to drop certain players. He said he wanted to make 6 subs at half time and yet he made none.

 

 

I think Jose only has himself to blame for the criticism he gets when things go badly like they have done of late. He is the self-proclaimed Special One and when he takes delight in labelling Wenger a specialist in failure, it is always going to come back and bite him when we play as poorly as we have done this season.

 

You're right, once he selects the 11 and sends them out with instructions, he can't be to blame if they forget how to even do the basics. But he is certainly to blame in other areas. Some of the transfer comings and goings have left our squad looking weaker than it did a season ago. His insistance (despite latest press interview) on playing same old tried & tested players and not showing faith in youngsters (and letting too many go out on loan). The whole cock-up of pre-season and us looking way behind a number of our rivals. But for me the main nagging issue is the Eva one. I might be way off the mark but I just have the gut feeling that the whole episode has pissed some players off more than we'll ever know. I have heard ex-players talking about how close they got to medical teams as when they are out injured, they often spend the majority of their time with them and obviously get very close. Eva was at The Bridge a fairly long time and most of the players would have been very fond of her - it showed on clips on Chelsea TV. The way it all ended was a disaster and I know these are top professionals paid huge money but they are human beings and I just feel some of them might have seen Mourinho in a different light and it has effected them.

 

I still have faith in Jose, he is still one of the best in the business, and I hope he is humble enough to learn from all this and bounce back stronger and produce another team of Champions.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Nibs

[JMaher94]

Just going to leave this here..

Currently losing 2-1, nothing has changed.

[Nibs]

Just going to leave this here..

Currently losing 2-1, nothing has changed.

 

To be fair Porto are no mugs and have an unbelievable home record. But why leave out JT and yet play Ivan and why bring back Mikel but keep in Fabregas?

[loz]

To be fair Porto are no mugs and have an unbelievable home record. But why leave out JT and yet play Ivan and why bring back Mikel but keep in Fabregas?

The JT / Ivan thing is what puzzles me most. When a team is playing as poorly as we are you need organisation to try and scrapes through games and slowly restore some confidence. Without JT we have none and that, combined with the atrocious form of too many players means we are looking worse and worse as time goes vy.

JT has to be restored and Ivan dropped. That will mean a back line of Rahman, JT, Cahill or Zouma and Azpilicueta.

Fabregas has to be dropped. Not only is he offering nothing, he is playing as if he doesn't give a sh*t that he is offering nothing.

There is no quick fix to this situation. We are going to be wallowing outside the top ten for a while.

[JMaher94]

To be fair Porto are no mugs and have an unbelievable home record. But why leave out JT and yet play Ivan and why bring back Mikel but keep in Fabregas?

My point is those three games have really clouded judgement. Awful against Newcastle and albeit Porto are a good side, we were very poor.

Mourinho's team selection is diabolical.

[MayosNoun]

The midfield are that poor, we have resorted to punt after punt in the hope Costa holds it up. The defence have zero confidence in passing to any of our midfielders.

We need changes instantly. This waiting about hoping players regain form is killing our season.

[SydneyChelsea]

The midfield are that poor, we have resorted to punt after punt in the hope Costa holds it up. The defence have zero confidence in passing to any of our midfielders.

We need changes instantly. This waiting about hoping players regain form is killing our season.

At what point in recent history have Chelsea ever played through their midfielders consistently?

[Zinc]

Has anyone noticed that we have been leaving a big gap between the the back four and the two DMs? This is more prevalent in a Cesc-Matic's midfield pairing but there were some signs in last night's game as well.

[Scott Harris]

Has anyone noticed that we have been leaving a big gap between the the back four and the two DMs? This is more prevalent in a Cesc-Matic's midfield pairing but there were some signs in last night's game as well.

 

That is because our DM's are getting too involved with our attacks rather than just sitting back and helping the defense. How many times has Matic been getting involved in attack this season ? far too much from what i am seeing. We need him sitting deep, breaking up play, and then starting us off on an attack of our own, just like he was doing last season.

 

We know Fabregas is slow and can't track back well, even though he does try is hardest. Matic getting so involved in attack isn't going to help that situation.

 

Matic could do with some advise from Makelele right now, he played the DM role perfectly.

[JMaher94]

I will take any 3 points given to us at this stage but I didn't rate yesterday's performance at all. Villa are struggling and it shows a lot but we were almost handed the goals without creating much ourselves.

 

Defence was a bit exposed in the first half and the improved a lot in the second. I still think there's something up. We'll find out in the next two weeks.

[JM7]

I'm confident that we've turn a corner. The mood seems different.

Three away games up next with Kiev, West Ham and Stoke. I think we'll find out more then.

[Valerie]

I will take any 3 points given to us at this stage but I didn't rate yesterday's performance at all. Villa are struggling and it shows a lot but we were almost handed the goals without creating much ourselves.

Defence was a bit exposed in the first half and the improved a lot in the second. I still think there's something up. We'll find out in the next two weeks.

Agreed. I fear we cannot read too much into a win over a team that's struggled more than we have.