Our style of football

[abramovich]

I will support Jose for as long as he is in charge of Chelsea and even after he leaves will always respect him for being the one who brought us the title after 50 year drought. His motivational skill is unmatched, he is a brilliant tactician and a master of mind games that puts the rest of footballing world to shame. He is a legend , a part of Chelsea history already and has earned that place by turning the team of chronic underachievers into winners.

But i just can't shake off that feeling that everytime i see Chelsea play i keep wondering how can so much individual talent produce so little creativity, and yes, entertainment and flair. I remember in the early months of his first season Jose was telling his critics to wait another year when team gells and then the grinding out 1-0 wins will be for the most part a thing of the past. We believed and waited. It didn't happen. Now in his third year with the club i finaly realize(how silly of me, i know) that Mourinho simply doesn't play attacking football. It tears me apart when i watch us passing the ball around in the back for several minutes only to lump it forward in hope of Drogba heading it down for someone in blue time after time after time etc. I don't mind using Drogba's strength to our advantage but surely we have a right to expect a bit more?

We won quite a few matches this season due to the sheer willpower and 'never say die' attitude with last gasp winners. That overshadowed the fact that we often have played some very poor football. At times it looks as if we had so much luck we're bound to run out of it quite soon and it won't be pretty.

The quarterfinal at Mestala may prove to be Mourinho's last Chelsea match in CL. All signs indicate that he may be on his way out in the offseason but failure to win the European trophy in his third attempt surely won't help his chances in Roman's eyes. I just hope if we were to get knocked out we'd go out fighting and give ourselves a chance by going for it.

Something tells me we won't reach the semis by using Mourinho's 'wait and see' tactics. Time has come to show the world what Chelsea are made of.

[SydneyChelsea]

A good post, abramovich.

The most disheartening thing is that our players are capable of playing good football- but they choose, or are instructed not to.

At times our style is that of a Championship teams. Passing around the back four and defensive midfields, then to the fullback for a long, high "cross". Balls played outwide for deep crosses.

The only players actually running at defenses are Drogba and Shevchenko, and neither of them have the skill nor ball control to consistently do that.

Our tactic is simple; get it to Drogba. Drogba is not only our striker but our playmaker. He is a poor passer and has poor control with his feet and we lose possession far too easily. Teams break extremely quick down their flanks, and because we play a narrow formation with slow midfielders, there is little cover for our fullbacks who are constantly criticised.

We could buy as many Ronaldos or Robbens or Ronaldinhos as we wanted, but the reality is that they will have little effect if we simply lump the ball over them. Only when we counter-attack do we at times play some sublime, passing football.

[Kev123]

Sadly I have to agree with both of you. I've watched and supported Chelsea for many years, but the way we play is starting to get to me 2. I just wish we could go out and demolish some teams now and then, or at least start attacking the opposition before the 90th minute. I love Jose, both for winning trophies and the life he's brought to Chelsea and the Premiership as a whole, but sometimes I can't help but think we'd be better off, at least from an entertainment point of view, without him. I'll probably get alot of people upset for saying this, but that's just how I feel.

Ps.Someone will now bring up the Arsenal analogy, saying look at their "beautiful football", but it dosen't win. So in response I would like to site Barcelona (last year) as an example, of good, entertaining, but still functional football tactics. Something we just don't make any effort to do.

[TomP]

While I think that "beautiful football" is the last thing on Jose's mind, I don't think it is all down to him.

The fact of the matter is that most teams (well, pretty much every match in the Premiership bar Arsenal and Man United away) play against us using stifling, midfield-flooding, pressing, deep defending tactics - which doesn't exactly lend itself to beautiful football.

This is something that whoever eventually replaces Jose will have to cope with as well.

As far as Barcelona goes - from what I have see of Spanish football, teams like Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, Deportivo etc, and even some of the small teams all actually try to out-play Barca - and quite often succeed at it. This just doesn't happen in England - all the small teams and even some of the bigger teams (Liverpool etc) are all quite happy to actively play for a 0-0 draw or sneak a 1-0 win against us.

[Elliott]

I dont think Jose's way is defensive, but he is certainly a realist.

He knows that teams who constantly attack, do not necessarily always win.

He knows that controlling a game, and defending is just as important.

We play 'effective' football. Low on risk taking, and high on results.

If push comes to shove, and we need to go 'Gung Ho', then we do? A la Spurs in the FA Cup?

I agree that it's not the prettiest style, but i have become used to it, and it's now the Chelsea way.

I'd rather have what we have now, compared to the days of inconsistency.

[ethicalstrategy]

Why can't we be like Arsenal? Pretty football - pretty ineffective that is!

Football isn't all about attacking - otherwise we could just call it basketball. Good football includes good defending, good tactical play, grit and determination, scoring spectacular goals, scoring scrappy goals, coming back from 3-1 down, hammering teams, scraping a last minute win or a last minute draw.

We have seen all of these things this season and on the whole I have enjoyed it. Sometimes home matches against some of the less good premiership teams can be a bit dull and predictable but the Carling Cup, FA Cup and CL have all thrown up some exciting matches with a great atmosphere.

It was clear from Mourinho's first match in charge against Man U that he didn't subscribe to the Kevin Keegan school of all out attack. On the other hand he is quite good at building a team that wins things.

I'm not sure you can have both.

[Nibs]

Good post Abramovich - more or less exactly how I feel too.

I don't want Mourinho to leave, I really don't, because he has turned us into winners and as a coach I think he is pretty unique. However, there is no getting away from the fact that our football, on the whole is not great to watch. We rely far too much on brute strength and out muscling other teams and wearing teams down as opposed to using flair & skill and that goes against all I like about football. Under Mourinho, there is no doubt that our flair players come second to the players that "run about a lot".

I don't think we can compare the Mourinho era to any other Chelsea era though, as it pretty much goes hand in hand in with the Roman era and the unlimited funds, so yes, we were inconsistent in the past, but then no coach had ???'s to rectify matters like JM has had.

So I have mixed feelings. I don't want to see Mourinho leave, but on the other hand, if a new coach came in and got us playing a better style of football, even if that means we did lose that consistency, then perhaps I'd be all for it?

[Chippy]

While I agree that the team is capable of playing much prettier football I still think Jose is one of the best in the business and he given time would come up with a "happy medium", we could play better looking stuff if our flair player could stay fit long enough to get a decent run in the team and be on the same wavelength as the other players.

Robben is so injury prone that he cant string a run of matches where he is on top of his game, Joey has been out most of the season, SWP has not established himself, Kalou does add something and should only get better.

where is the flair going to come from without these players? hoofing to Drogba is horrible but effective and Sheva should get on the end of a few knockdowns playing like that but it is not pretty, Ballack and Lamps should be providing better passes to Sheva as well but it is not quite happening,

I think with a fit Joey and Arjen or in form SWP for a run of matches we could see more attacking football but remembering the way these players have been in and out of the team just shows how well Jose has had us do with the players at our disposal.

I think he deserves to see out his contract and if we are playing a mix of Jose's safe style and a prettier passing game by then he should get another 4 year contract, the man knows how to attack but his pedigree has been earned by winning and he has done it his way so why sack him when he is doing what got him the Job?

[Barn]

JM is without a doubt the best manager we've ever had (in my life time) and currently one of the very best in the world. He's produced teams wherever he's been that gets results on a regular basis. I kind of agree with the first post, yet under JM we've always been at worst 2nd top scorers in the league!!! One thing that I can't work out though is how a manager can get the vast majority of a squad to play and give their all for him, yet he can turn the best right back in the league (and one that he chose), into a quivering wreck every time he plays. If JM's motivational skills are half as good as they often seem then I hope next season we see the Paulo we had in his first year here.

[yorkleyblue]

I'm sorry people, I can see where most of you are coming from, but I can't really find it in my heart to agree fully.

Firstly, as someone else has said, we have been, at worst, 2nd top scorers each season.

Secondly, we do not rely on "brute force and strength". I have lost count of the number of times this season I have seen two or even three CFC players in a tackling group around some muppet or other and the muppet comes away with the ball.

Thirdly, we are not being allowed to play in the fast, sexy way that we would all love to see. Just look at Watford, Sheffield Utd, sh*t, even Valencia last night. As soon as our player receives the ball there is an opponent in his face, forcing a hurried, sidways or even backwards pass.

Fourthly, the much maligned Robben. Every time he gets the ball now, he is confronted by two or even three defenders. He rarely gets the chance to run at and/or past people now. (I'm making no defence of his glass legs though. That's for another thread)

Much as I hate to admit it. teams had worked out how to play us to restrict us to 1-0 or 2-0 wins mid-way through last season. They have taken it to another level this season, which tightens everything up another notch. Just look at the way that teams now have someone man-marking Lamps and/or Maka. This forces everything back towards our defence and limits what we can do with the ball. Mostly, the only outlet is a hoof up to DD or some 50 yard, Lickle Stevie-style hollywood pass. (Is that the only time in the history of the written word that the words "Lickle Stevie" and "style" have been used in the same sentence?)

I yearn with all my heart for us to be playing exciting football, but, in the final analysis, I want to win everything.

We are still doing that so far.

Kev

[Nibs]

Yorkley,

Can't agree about teams like Watford making it difficult for us with men behind the ball etc. All top teams face that problem and it's up to the top teams to overcome that. How they overcome that is where the problem lies and that's where Utd have been a lot better than us this season - just look at the goal difference.

Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Drogba are great players with plenty of strengths and they will keep going all day, but they are not known for being able to open up a defence with a killer pass on a regular basis, nor dribble past players and open things up that way.

And as for Robben - so he has the problem of being surrounded by defenders and not being able to do his thing? Ronaldo comes up against exactly the same defenders / players and yet it doesn't appear to restrict him in the slightest.

I just think at the moment, we have too many similar type players and Jose does seem to favour this type of player even when we have a fully fit squad with all available. I hope he stays, but I also hope he changes things a bit.

[loz]

I don't see the lack of killer pass being the main problem - the main difference between us and Man Utd when we play agains tthe so called 'lesser teams' is that we play the game at a far more pedestrian pace when we win possession. This gives teams all the time in the world to get back into position and organise themselves to defend.

[ethicalstrategy]

As a general observation we lack pace as a team. Not that we are full of slow players but we really only have Robben and SWP who can motor and SWP can't run fast and control the ball at the same time.

The other thing is that we don't commit as many players forward as Man U. It's quite common to see Neville or Evra get to the byline. Very rare to see Cole or Geremi/Diarra/Ferreira get that far forward.

On the other hand they tend to concede more goals too - although not so much this year.

[yorkleyblue]

Arse, I had typed in a load of stuff and the page crashed on me and I lost it all.

Basically, I said that you all have some very valid points. I don't think it's a matter of men behind the ball so much as muppet teams working really hard, closing down lamps, ballack and maka so that they have no time to look for the "killer" pass. Even Valencia last night were pressing really hard, forcing even JT and Arsely back at times.

The Manure comparison is tenuous. They play mainly on the counter, they like for teams to come on to them and then they break at speed. How many times this season have they scored from an opposition's corner or free kick. You often see El Tumblo, "Giggsy" and Shrek running at stretched and over-committed defences from the half-way line or even closer to their own box.

Ultimately, you are all right. Our boys should have the ability to deal with this, and should also be able to break down the "park the bus, Liverpool leading 1-0" type of defence with swift passing, sexy show-pony tricks and sublime skills. But, like I said before, whilst we are still winning, I will tolerate the way we play, whilst longing for some excitement.

I just don't want to go back to the days of being the Mighty CFC, play some nice football, quite good in cups but not really gonna bother the bloke who engraves either the Premier league trophy or the Champions League trophy

Kev

[BLUENUT]

I'm with yorkely on this one.

We played 'exciting' football under Claudio and where did that get us.

Exciting/stylish, one- touch, sexy-football is for the nearly men, just ask Arsenal!!

[g3.7]

or barcelona with their league titles and european cup.

for the moment I'll say this: it's pure laziness to think you can't win and play good football at the same time.

[BLUENUT]

How many times did they win it playing their good football?

Are Barca still in this years competition?

[Nibs]

No and neither are the Gooners - both teams being media darlings for playing football the right way.

But on the other hand, look how many times Brazil have won the World Cup. It's what all teams should strive for - to win but to win in the right way.

[g3.7]

How many times did they win it playing their good football?

Are Barca still in this years competition?

this season they haven't been playing football that well consistantly.

it's absolute nonsense to believe that we have to play in such an aesthetically displeasing way to be successful.

[abramovich]

How many times did they win it playing their good football?

Are Barca still in this years competition?

They won it last year. Year before that they were one of the best teams in the competition and only a magnificent effort from Chelsea in our probably best game under Mourinho knocked them out. This season they struggled a bit in Europe but still on the top of La Liga and still playing beautifully.

I respect Jose and his way. But if i were a neutral fan, i'd dread watching Chelsea.

[sergeyMS]

How many times did they win it playing their good football?

Are Barca still in this years competition?

They won it last year. Year before that they were one of the best teams in the competition and only a magnificent effort from Chelsea in our probably best game under Mourinho knocked them out. This season they struggled a bit in Europe but still on the top of La Liga and still playing beautifully.

I respect Jose and his way. But if i were a neutral fan, i'd dread watching Chelsea.

They are first because there is no a single team to match them this season... Only Real has the same quality, but it`s not the best times for them and Barca is leading just 2 points from 2nd place, so it`s difficult to say they are top. Having amazing squad BArca`s style don`t provide consistiency......

Chelsea ,with all problems during this season, have 72 pts after 31 games(22 victories).

Barca with the same squad problems ,or even smaller, have 56 pts after 28 games(16 victories), potentially 65 after 31.

And no need talk about quality of teams in Spain and England. For me Spain, right now, is having just 3 great teams : Barca, Valencia and Sevilla, maybe sometimes Real, but just maybe.....English PL is second to none..........

So Barca is not the best example of successful attacking team....The reason for their successes is not their style, but players` quality, that`s why they had beat 10-men Chelsea and 10-men Arsenal last year....

[sergeyMS]

Oh, please............

For Christ`s sake, take Cr.Ronaldo away from ManU and Ron from Barca....... where would they be right now??

Contending for title??? Doubtful........

Of course, the same we can say about Chelsea:

The key player was Robben in the first winning season, Lampard in the 2nd and possibly Drogba in this season, but you see it`s different players.

Our style provides us an ability not to depend on some key players and to recieve minimal damage from any squad problems, getting maximal result.....

And now it`s just about what do you prefer more?? Result or Beauty??

For me it`s result, football is about result.........beautiful Arsenal is struggling for CL place for next season.....We are still in every competition......

[SydneyChelsea]

Oh, please............

For Christ`s sake, take Cr.Ronaldo away from ManU and Ron from Barca....... where would they be right now??

Contending for title??? Doubtful........

Of course, the same we can say about Chelsea:

The key player was Robben in the first winning season, Lampard in the 2nd and possibly Drogba in this season, but you see it`s different players.

Our style provides us an ability not to depend on some key players and to recieve minimal damage from any squad problems, getting maximal result.....

And now it`s just about what do you prefer more?? Result or Beauty??

For me it`s result, football is about result.........beautiful Arsenal is struggling for CL place for next season.....We are still in every competition......

What you fail to address is that perhaps one of the biggest reasons why Ronaldo, Ronaldinho et al are so influential it's because their teams play good, attacking, and effective football.

Too often the words 'effective' and 'efficient' are confused.

One example was brought up earlier in this thread by Yorkelyblue

Fourthly, the much maligned Robben. Every time he gets the ball now, he is confronted by two or even three defenders. He rarely gets the chance to run at and/or past people now. (I'm making no defence of his glass legs though. That's for another thread)

Does it ever occur to you as to why this is the case? It isn't because Robben is more targeted than Ronaldo. It's because Man U are very good at overloading, maneuvering into 2 vs 1 situations. It means their players always have an option, rather than in our case where Robben is isolated against a winger and fullback. I've noticed we become very good at this when we go down a goal, because our urgency increases twofold and everyone is looking to get involved.

Other teams are also very good at passing the ball into space, whereas we tend to play very directly to feet or head. I think the reason for that is that we don't really have a player in the midfield who is good at that- except for Makelele, and Essien (also Mikel). Despite being the two most defensive of our mids I think their passing and technical ability is a class above that of Lampard and Ballack. Whenever Essien has burst forward we play really good football. He has the engine to move around, always providing an option to double-up on defenders and also has the vision to pass into space. We have really missed him in midfield.

As far as I see it's our lack of creativity in creating and using space that really stifles our team. It means that our creativity is totally reliant on our wingers beating the fullbacks one-vs-one, or else the ball just gets congested into the centre, finds its way to the wing and a frustrated player is too tired to do anything but cross it.

[sergeyMS]

Oh, please............

For Christ`s sake, take Cr.Ronaldo away from ManU and Ron from Barca....... where would they be right now??

Contending for title??? Doubtful........

Of course, the same we can say about Chelsea:

The key player was Robben in the first winning season, Lampard in the 2nd and possibly Drogba in this season, but you see it`s different players.

Our style provides us an ability not to depend on some key players and to recieve minimal damage from any squad problems, getting maximal result.....

And now it`s just about what do you prefer more?? Result or Beauty??

For me it`s result, football is about result.........beautiful Arsenal is struggling for CL place for next season.....We are still in every competition......

What you fail to address is that perhaps one of the biggest reasons why Ronaldo, Ronaldinho et al are so influential it's because their teams play good, attacking, and effective football.

Too often the words 'effective' and 'efficient' are confused.

The biggest reasons, for me, are their top quality, first of all, and then the fact that their partners are attacking players too (attacking abilities are dominating). Ronaldo has Giggs, Scholes, Rooney and even f**king Carrick or Fletcher.....

Ron has Messi!!!!, Eto`o, Deco, Xavi and even Iniesta(though I`m not sure about him).

And that is the thing, which creates team`s style, I believe it would difficult for JM to tell his players: "Play like Barca!! Attack! C`mon Chelsea!!" right now, after signing Ballack, Essien and Drogba, so as it would be difficult for Riikard to tell his players "Keep possesion!! Direct ball!! Crosses for Eto`o and Messi!!" Just a nonsense......

[SydneyChelsea]

The thing is, they don't have to play like Barcelona to play much more attractively than they do already.

The issue isn't solely our players it's our mentality.