Well, reading through the recent match threads is very depressing; I wanted to add a little proactive debate to counter the reactive skepticism and disappear.

 

So we are where we are and yes, we all have our opinions  and what needs to change  what the issues are, what we need (the beauty of this forum!),, but lets look forward a little and focus on the Champions League for NEXT year, as the results (or lack there of) of the next few games will be critical (yes, i know, they have ALL be critical for a while now)., Lets be honest with eachg other, top 4 right now looks VERY VERY challenging indeed (trying to be a little positive!), after the recent loss of points against Bournemouth.

 

 

Here are my questions:

 

1. Do you try our best in the champions league and hope to win it to secure a place next year

2. Do we hope that we reach Top 4 this season

3. Do we bow out of CL and hope to win the Europa League.

4. Do we right this season off all together, risk not making the top 4, risk not wining the champions league and use NEXT season to rebuild?

 

4.a. How will we attract the 'marquee' signings we really need (as we can all agree some of our squad players will NEED to be shipped out), if we aren't in the champions league and in a rebuilding mode?

 

A really conundrum really... and before you even say think it, sacking Jose AINT the solution ... at this stage! So lets take that off the table right away!~

 

 

I love this club, i really do! I just hope the powers that be, make the right choice from now on.

 

#KTBFFH 

Here are my questions:

 

 

1. Do you try our best in the champions league and hope to win it to secure a place next year

2. Do we hope that we reach Top 4 this season

3. Do we bow out of CL and hope to win the Europa League.

4. Do we right this season off all together, risk not making the top 4, risk not wining the champions league and use NEXT season to rebuild?

 

4.a. How will we attract the 'marquee' signings we really need (as we can all agree some of our squad players will NEED to be shipped out), if we aren't in the champions league and in a rebuilding mode?

1. If we cannot beat Bournemouth at home we are absolutely f**ked in the Champion's League.

2. No chance in hell, we're out of the Champion's League for at least a season. 

3. This is actually our best chance, drop out of the CL and win the Europa. We'd also get another crack at the Super Cup we've failed to win twice as well.

4. No, we need to be in Europe in some capacity. The tailspin will get even worse otherwise.

 

4a. We won't. We need to dip into the academy and bring players through. Half of our current squad needs to get moved on to blunt the financial loss and academy products can take their place. If Jose still won't work with youth players then it's a damning edict of his failure as a long-term manager. 

If Jose still won't work with youth players then it's a damning edict of his failure as a long-term manager. 

 

Couldn't agree more with the above! Can't put my finger on why he doesn't use our youth players, IF he really does intend to be with us for years to come!!?

Edited December 6, 201510 yr by ButchersHook

we would need more luck than we even had for the '12 CL to win it this year. We no longer have the big personalities/majority of the old guard. If, and it's a huge if, we managed to get the "easier" fixtures, i.e. avoid the bayerns, atletico, barca, and even real, we could make it to at least the semis.

This season we've thrown ourselves backwards mainly because we did nothing to refresh the squad or our playing style over the summer. Looking at next season we are unlikely to be in Europe at all. We have allowed ourselves to fall into the trap that Liverpool have been in for about 6 years. Inconsistent in the league, not in Europe, unable to attract big name players: it leads to only one option and that is to work with younger players and try to build something new. I no longer believe that José is the man for this despite his notions of building a dynasty. Time for a change Roman, right now I'd go and grovel to Carlo.

Edited December 6, 201510 yr by carrickblue

We could've refreshed our squad with youth. Spending is not always the answer.

What I find incredibly frustrating is that Chelsea fans have defended Mourinho's weaknesses, even at times to the point of delusion, but unless he does something to the contrary there will be no defending him from the stick that he only finds success in the short term at clubs with lots of money; because right now it's looking screamingly apparent. 

 

Bamford, Loftus-Cheek, Aina have all come through our academy but struggle to find games for some f**king insane reason and the less said about KDB and Lukaku the better. 

Of course added to your conundrum is the issue of revenue. In an ideal world I would like to have seen some of the kids being given a chance rather than spending millions on below average (well that's how they are playing this season) players, however.  I think we have all seen that Jose is not the manager that will give the kids a decent run of games, so he certainly isn't the manager you want for that option.  I'll go with option 4.   Get to safety and play the kids the remainder of the season. 

 

However the further we sink to the bottom the less revenue we get from across the globe; we are still a worlwide name brand but if we are not winning major competitions the revenue becomes less, and so does attracting world class players and increasing the worldwide fan base, and yes I am stating the obvious but it all adds up.  

 

Once you falter or fail to qualify for the top competitions its harder to get the players to sign and then you end up with mediocre all over the pitch, as you stated in 4a....just ask Man U or Liverpool. Man Utd are one of the richest clubs in the world yet they couldn't sign a decent world class player.  So unless Roman is prepared to take a bath and lose hundreds of millions during a 3-5 year rebuilding plan, because that's how long a plan should be, don't hold your breath if you want to see the kids, Roman doesn't want to take a bath especially with the new stadium on the horizon so he want to stay in as many competitions as possible with or with Jose....so sadly nothing will change.

I think option 3 is part of option 4. At the moment, with our current form we belong to the Europe League, and there we could test all of our squad, winning this would give us another trophy, more cash and more motivation to improve for the next season. I can't see us winning the CL, we simply can deal with lower level teams, but Europe League is a good option to get into the CL. Jose has to play some fresh players, like Loftus-Cheek, Traore, Remy, Kenedy - big amount of them our youth, so Jose has to work on something special like he know to do. Our opponents read our tactic and football too easy, something unique must happen. 

 

I believe next season we will come back stronger, and I assume we will be one of the candidates to win the CL next season, so I think it's important to have CL next season, but option 4 comes before. Rebuilding the team is the most important thing that should happen next season, Jose has to make changes.

There are multiple options to qualify for CL next season, top 4, win CL or even win europa so there is still some hope..

Europa league is our only, small chance. It is also likely Jose will not be our manager in it.

Europa league is our only, small chance. It is also likely Jose will not be our manager in it.

Call me whatever but honestly I won't mind it. More likely to win it than the champs lg.

Edited December 6, 201510 yr by lesblues

Call me whatever but honestly I won't mind it. More likely to win it than the champs lg.

Hate to say it, but i also think it's our best chance to get into the Champions League next season.

 

We ain't getting top 4 this season that's for sure, i don't think we have much hope of winning the champions league this season either. We would need more luck to win it than we did back in 2012, plus i don't think our current players have it in them to go all the way.

 

Winning the Europa League would be our best chance of getting Champions League football next season.

Call me whatever but honestly I won't mind it. More likely to win it than the champs lg.

You and Scott will likely get the chance to see it cause I think there is a good chance porto beat us on Wednesday, they are a decent side who suffered a freak defeat against Kiev.

If, and it's a huge if, we managed to get the "easier" fixtures, i.e. avoid the bayerns, atletico, barca, and even real, we could make it to at least the semis.

You should also add PSG, Juventus, Benfica, City and Roma to the list. In other words, we are pretty much fu*ked!!!

I can't see us winning the CL. We're just not good enough or determined enough.

For me the only chance we have of getting into Europe (not just CL) next season is to win it. This team isn't good enough and mentally we don't have what we had in 2012. Personally I think we're looking ahead to a season without Europe.

I'm not totally ruling out playing Champions League football and to still finish top 4 despite our terrible start. The league has been the most unpredictable and even that I've seen in years so that benefits us but we're lagging behind now.

 

Also we need to start getting our act together now and playing extremely well from now to the end of the season but so far it doesn't look happening any time soon.

 

I still would prefer us to win tomorrow's clash against FC Porto rather than tank it and play in the Europa League. We need to start re-building a winning culture rather than accepting losses half-heartedily. If we fail to reach the knockout stages simply because we're not good enough then I'll accept that but I won't tolerate seeing lacklustre efforts.

 

Realistically Champions League football is hard to see next season but stranger things have happened.

Jose thinks the best way to qualify for CL is to win it. He said it would be tough and Europa is not the way.

This type of question only exists for fans like us.. No chance in blue hell for those who formally associate with chelsea would even contemplate the idea whether we should be or should not be in CL .. The answer is always be in CL.. The financial package as well as other stuffs are just too big to miss out.. I think some people underestimate the effect of not being in CL.. 

 

For me, Top 4 is not done and dusted, roman has too much pride and passion to do nothing and see his beloved team suffering.. he will pull the trigger soon if things don't get well..

If we end up in the Europa League tonight and win that we will be back in the CL next season.