We lack a couple of players for sure but with the squad we have an able coach would have us challenging a bit better than we are right now. 

If you think about the experience and skill a squad like ours should be challenging 

Mendy

James Silva Koulibaly Chilwell

Kante Enzo Kovacic

Mount Aubameyang Felix

That starting 11 can win

Kepa

Azpilicueta Fofana Badiashile Cucurella

Gallagher Mount Loftus-Cheek

Pulisic Havertz Sterling

This could also win a football match.

 

1 hour ago, JM7 said:

Whoever takes this job next summer, has got a big job on their hands. 

The first question is what is the consensus of opinion about the squad. Some are clearly not good enough, some of us have contrasting views on certain players along with the reality of whether a European elite side is capable of being stacked with a core of youngsters who just happen to be in the catchment area and to have played in the same academy.

But I think we are generally all in accord that there is undoubtedly a squad of outstanding footballers here.

Secondly what are the thoughts around the teams preparation.  Personally I think they are not fit enough to compete at the highest level but I get that is also subjective. Pattern of play, set pieces and standard routines are drilled throughout and is a bedrock of the game for all clubs regardless of the management.  Many of us and the pundits fail to see this in evidence here.

Then the difference maker. A top quality manager that can bring all of the elements together and more importantly can make integral in game decisions successfully when it matters.

A top manager pays attention to all of these aspects, that's what makes them successful.  Emery at Villa is an example , in my opinion, of a difference maker.

Edited April 9, 20233 yr by WhiteWall

4 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

The first question is what is the consensus of opinion about the squad. Some are clearly not good enough, some of us have contrasting views on certain players along with the reality of whether a European elite side is capable of being stacked with a core of youngsters who just happen to be in the catchment area and to have played in the same academy.

But I think we are generally all in accord that there is undoubtedly a squad of outstanding footballers here.

Secondly what are the thoughts around the teams preparation.  Personally I think they are not fit enough to compete at the highest level but I get that is also subjective. Pattern of play, set pieces and standard routines are drilled throughout and is a bedrock of the game for all clubs regardless of the management.  Many of us and the pundits fail to see this in evidence here.

Then the difference maker. A top quality manager that can bring all of the elements together and more importantly can make integral in game decisions successfully when it matters.

A top manager pays attention to all of these aspects, that's what makes them successful.  Emery at Villa is an example , in my opinion, of a difference maker.

Have to confess I too had a bit of manager envy when we played villa 🙂 

So you signed Christopher Vivell from RB Leipzig, Paul Winstanley from Brighton, Laurence Stewart from Monaco, Joe Shields from Southampton...

... and this "James Corden" handles the manager recruitment.

Thought I'd stop being interesting once GP was out but its just... too good.

9 hours ago, abramovich said:

What is this obsession with blaming the previous board and owner for everything that's wrong with the club NOW?

Did they make mistakes in the transfer market? Absolutely. From Bakayoko to Zappacosta to Drinkwater to Lukaku, the sh*t list continues. But they were also in charge of  the club that finished in the top four regularly and were winning trophies, also fairly regularly.

The current owners right from the start  sacked everybody from the old board, top to bottom, then sacked the CL winning manager, spent an absolute fortune on players that flopped and we are currently 11th, breaking all the anti records in the club's history. They have turned a respectable top European club into a laughingstock, and it has absolutely f**k all to do with the sins of the previous regime.

 

We've still finished 19/20 pts off 1st place for five seasons running. Won the league under Mourinho when he returned, then we went as low as a few pts off relegation. How does that happen? This isn't our first rodeo is it. This is the second time we're lower than 10th in the past decade. We should have been a dominant force for season after season under Roman, but he simply didn't keep us competitive in the league. We can bang on about CL, but Di Matteo won the CL, so what is the big deal? Right now I'd rather we were doing well domestically and challenging for the league season after season, not performing like we are a bi-polar club. The preseason we lost to Arsenal 4-0, then lost to Leeds 0-3, then lost to Southampton, then lost away in the CL to arguably the weakest club in the group. We never started the season well even with Tuchel, the signs were apparent. I don't know what happened behind the scenes that made Boehly not want Tuchel, but this rot was there towards the end of last season even under Tuchel. But this rot can go back years. I mean Lampard got us top four under arguably worse circumstances in recent seasons, so...

Edited April 9, 20233 yr by enigma

I don't understand the anger here... 

We were on the slippery slope under Roman. We didnt look like a cohesive club when he was not allowed (rightly) into the UK. that's when it started falling apart. 

Is there any difference between Bohley's arrival and Romans? No... Ranieri was a "tinker man" who fans wanted shot of, he wasn't the right man to lead the project dispite putting together the squad the special one took over. People have short term memories or they weren't supporting the club in the early 2000's, perhaps some hadnt even been born. But Roman and Jose signed some absolutely monster dud players in those early years. You could even argue that is how the club stumbled and created its loan system, all off the back of players like sidwell who is named in this 10 year old article. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1799302-the-20-biggest-flops-in-chelsea-history

the only difference back when Roman took over and now is that the league is seriously more competitive. Why? Because we're no longer the only club owned by a billionaire. Therefore teams can and do outbid us on players and can offer better packages to players for their loyalty. 

Frank was brought in first time around to see us through a difficult transfer ban. He did a brilliant job. what's changed now? Not much, Frank is tactically naive and has a gross sized squad to work with. He also has players (Havertz, Keep, et all) who let him down the first time around and failed to perform. 

Lets face it, we've been struggling for a number of seasons to stay in the top 4, because other teams can and do outbid us and have a little more stability in them. It isnt a football secret that better and more closely knitt teams perform better over a league season. Liverpool/ City/ Arsenal have more settled squads with players not signed by several managers. Compare that to us, Three managers this season.

Fans still cry for Thomas Tuchel, move on and go support Bayern if you love that guy so much but between him and Potter, Ive not seen such appalling football at the bridge in close to two decades. Trophies or not, It was FU**ING horror ball stuff made worse by not having a striker, we had one and spent 1000 milion on him but lord saviour Tuchel couldnt work with him so sent him on loan. 

Lampard is with us until the end of the season, get with the program or don't watch, visit the bridge, or stop supporting the club. As you wish, but times are a changing once again at the club and I hope for a upturn in fortunes for the champions league. Fingers crossed because that is the only shot we have at qualifying for it next season... Anyone celebrating a top four finish is just a gooner/ or Sp*rs fan in disguise. 

 

Up da chels

24 hours later when the smoke is cleared I'm watching the vermin v gooners in a proper game of football I can’t but reflect how 3 days of pre match new manager bounce was far better than the match bounce which let’s be honest was more of a downward curve than upwards. 
let’s be philosophical about it whomever and whenever it was decided to bring in SFL rather than hire Enrique/ a new competent experienced elite coach  in a fast needs must deal has turned out to be another really really bad decision, after their only good one of sacking GP  

We are witnessing extraordinary times - Europe at war, China about to invade Taiwan, Global warming on the up and Chelsea mid table dross being run by the biggest mugs we’ve ever had as club owners.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, olderschoolcfc said:

 

the only difference back when Roman took over and now is that the league is seriously more competitive. Why? Because we're no longer the only club owned by a billionaire. Therefore teams can and do outbid us on players and can offer better packages to players for their loyalty. 

 

Just cause Roman came it didn't mean we were the only rich club out there. To put it in perspective since the PL has its name meaning from the early 90's Man United won the league title 8 times before we won our first "PL title" and second in total so from our perspective there was never a time when the league wasn't competitive.

The fact is we won 5 league titles under Roman, which is the same as Man United has done during that same time period so let's not pretend that it was easier before, it really wasn't. I remember when we stopped Man United from winning the league title 4 times in a row, even then a lot of people said that Drogba was offside when he scored at Old Trafford and we won the league by 1 point that season, even with all the possible world class players and Carlo it was that close.

Man City won the PL more than us now and they arrived as this last, new rich club and it didn't matter as they simply do things better, let's face it both Man United and Arsenal at some point fell off, the problem was that we did the same once our best generation got too old and Man City kept rising but despite that we did manage to keep our level and win the league again, look at Liverpool that won the title once and they already crumbled, it's really not that the league is more competitive it's just that we had issues that our rivals never had to deal with.

Man City just happens to have KDB, one of the best midfielders that the league has ever seen and he could have been our player. They also happen to never sign a flop, they lose Aguero which is objectively one of the best strikers that the league has ever had and it doesn't matter since they have now Haaland and Alvarez. They make it look easy but even so they haven't won the CL yet so not all is greener on the other side.

3 hours ago, enigma said:

We've still finishe3 hours ago, enigma said: We've still finished 19/20 pts off 1st place for five seasons running. Won the league under Mourinho when he returned, then we went as low as 3 hours ago, enigma said: We've still finishe3 hours ago, enigma said: We've still finished 19/20 pts off 1st place for five seasons running. Won the league under Mourinho when he returned, then we went as low as a few pts off relegation. How does that happen? This isn't our first rodeo is it. This is the second time we're lower than 10th in the past decade. We should have been a dominant force for season after season under Roman, but he simply didn't keep us competitive in the league. We can bang on about CL, but Di Matteo won the CL, so what is the big deal? Right now I'd rather we were doing well domestically and challenging for the league season after season, not performing like we are a bi-polar club. The preseason we lost to Arsenal 4-0, then lost to Leeds 0-3, then lost to Southampton, then lost away in the CL to arguably the weakest club in the group. We never started the season well even with Tuchel, the signs were apparent. I don't know what happened behind the scenes that made Boehly not want Tuchel, but this rot was there towards the end of last season even under Tuchel. But this rot can go back years. I mean Lampard got us top four under arguably worse circumstances in recent seasons, so... d 19/20 pts off 1st place for five seasons running. Won the league under Mourinho when he returned, then we went as low as a few pts off relegation. How does that happen? This isn't our first rodeo is it. This is the second time we're lower than 10th in the past decade. We should have been a dominant force for season after season under Roman, but he simply didn't keep us competitive in the league. We can bang on about CL, but Di Matteo won the CL, so what is the big deal? Right now I'd rather we were doing well domestically and challenging for the league season after season, not performing like we are a bi-polar club. The preseason we lost to Arsenal 4-0, then lost to Leeds 0-3, then lost to Southampton, then lost away in the CL to arguably the weakest club in the group. We never started the season well even with Tuchel, the signs were apparent. I don't know what happened behind the scenes that made Boehly not want Tuchel, but this rot was there towards the end of last season even under Tuchel. But this rot can go back years. I mean Lampard got us top four under arguably worse circumstances in recent seasons, so... a few pts off relegation. How does that happen? This isn't our first rodeo is it. This is the second time we're lower than 10th in the past decade. We should have been a dominant force for season after season under Roman, but he simply didn't keep us competitive in the league. We can bang on about CL, but Di Matteo won the CL, so what is the big deal? Right now I'd rather we were doing well domestically and challenging for the league season after season, not performing like we are a bi-polar club. The preseason we lost to Arsenal 4-0, then lost to Leeds 0-3, then lost to Southampton, then lost away in the CL to arguably the weakest club in the group. We never started the season well even with Tuchel, the signs were apparent. I don't know what happened behind the scenes that made Boehly not want Tuchel, but this rot was there towards the end of last season even under Tuchel. But this rot can go back years. I mean Lampard got us top four under arguably worse circumstances in recent seasons, so... d 19/20 pts off 1st place for five seasons running. Won the league under Mourinho when he returned, then we went as low as a few pts off relegation. How does that happen? This isn't our first rodeo is it. This is the second time we're lower than 10th in the past decade. We should have been a dominant force for season after season under Roman, but he simply didn't keep us competitive in the league. We can bang on about CL, but Di Matteo won the CL, so what is the big deal? Right now I'd rather we were doing well domestically and challenging for the league season after season, not performing like we are a bi-polar club. The preseason we lost to Arsenal 4-0, then lost to Leeds 0-3, then lost to Southampton, then lost away in the CL to arguably the weakest club in the group. We never started the season well even with Tuchel, the signs were apparent. I don't know what happened behind the scenes that made Boehly not want Tuchel, but this rot was there towards the end of last season even under Tuchel. But this rot can go back years. I mean Lampard got us top four under arguably worse circumstances in recent seasons, so...

 

 

Try and be accurate though. The year you are referring to, I think, is 2015/2016 where we finished in 10th, not lower than 10th. We ended up with 50 points. Not good, but not a few points off relegation either which was 37 points for third from bottom.

Frank said he wouldn't mind staying in some sort of advisory role after his stint as interim, I hope that happens.

2 hours ago, Gol15 said:

Just cause Roman came it didn't mean we were the only rich club out there. To put it in perspective since the PL has its name meaning from the early 90's Man United won the league title 8 times before we won our first "PL title" and second in total so from our perspective there was never a time when the league wasn't competitive.

The fact is we won 5 league titles under Roman, which is the same as Man United has done during that same time period so let's not pretend that it was easier before, it really wasn't. I remember when we stopped Man United from winning the league title 4 times in a row, even then a lot of people said that Drogba was offside when he scored at Old Trafford and we won the league by 1 point that season, even with all the possible world class players and Carlo it was that close.

Man City won the PL more than us now and they arrived as this last, new rich club and it didn't matter as they simply do things better, let's face it both Man United and Arsenal at some point fell off, the problem was that we did the same once our best generation got too old and Man City kept rising but despite that we did manage to keep our level and win the league again, look at Liverpool that won the title once and they already crumbled, it's really not that the league is more competitive it's just that we had issues that our rivals never had to deal with.

Man City just happens to have KDB, one of the best midfielders that the league has ever seen and he could have been our player. They also happen to never sign a flop, they lose Aguero which is objectively one of the best strikers that the league has ever had and it doesn't matter since they have now Haaland and Alvarez. They make it look easy but even so they haven't won the CL yet so not all is greener on the other side.

Look at the money Man united spent and compare it to the other clubs of that time. Arsenal didn't have the spending power, Blackburn outspent everyone to the league title... Liverpool didn't have the cash and were in the wilderness for 30 years until Klopp won the title. Mane, Salah, Firmino, they cost a lot, as did their goalkeeper and Van Dyke.

So Money, purchasing power always gives sides an edge. See state owned PSG... To a lesser extent Real Madrid... Look at the Italian clubs in the 90's... who owned them and who played for them. 

Manchester City spent 250 million pounds on four defenders three/ four seasons ago. Money helps you win the EPL. I would argue Manchester City do sign players, but pep isn't criticised. Players fall out of favour very quickly under pep. Would you say Balotelli was a success or how about the players signed by Hughes before Mancini? 

When Roman walked into CFC, he dropped 150 million - no different to the 600 million Bohley dropped but with inflation twenty years later. But now, as opposed to one club, CFC, being owned by a millionaire, there are now how many premiership clubs owned by a millionaire? here's an article, essentially owning a football club is a dick swinging contest... We're no longer top and players don't have to leave a sweet contract to join us. list is from 2022.. The only way we'll get ahead is by having a better youth academy or ability to secure talent other clubs want. 

• 20. Brentford – Matthew Benham (£3m)
• 19. Leeds – Andrea Radrizzani (£344m)
• 18. Nottingham Forest – Evangelos Marinakis (£505m)
• 17. Brighton – Tony Bloom (£765m)
• 16. Bournemouth – Maxim Denim (£900m)
• 15. West Ham – David Sullivan and David Gold (£1.62bn)
• 14. Everton – Farhad Moshiri (£1.9bn)
• 13. Liverpool – John Henry (£2.14bn)
• 12. Southampton – Gao Jisheng (£2.3bn)
• 11. Leicester – Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (£2.9bn)
• 10 Crystal Palace – Joshua Harris (£3.36bn)
• 9. Manchester United – The Glazers (£3.5bn)
• 8. Tottenham – Joe Lewis (£3.6bn)
• 7. Wolves – Guo Guangchang (£4.5bn)
• 6. Aston Villa – Nassef Sawiris (£5.3bn)
• 5. Fulham – Shahid Khan (£5.8bn)
• 4. Arsenal – Stan Kroenke (£6.35bn)
• 3. Chelsea – Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital (£10.86bn)
• 2. Man City – Sheikh Mansour (£22.9bn)
• 1. Newcastle – Saudi Public Investment Fund (£320bn)

 

 

 

 

17 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

The first question is what is the consensus of opinion about the squad. Some are clearly not good enough, some of us have contrasting views on certain players along with the reality of whether a European elite side is capable of being stacked with a core of youngsters who just happen to be in the catchment area and to have played in the same academy.

But I think we are generally all in accord that there is undoubtedly a squad of outstanding footballers here.

Secondly what are the thoughts around the teams preparation.  Personally I think they are not fit enough to compete at the highest level but I get that is also subjective. Pattern of play, set pieces and standard routines are drilled throughout and is a bedrock of the game for all clubs regardless of the management.  Many of us and the pundits fail to see this in evidence here.

Then the difference maker. A top quality manager that can bring all of the elements together and more importantly can make integral in game decisions successfully when it matters.

A top manager pays attention to all of these aspects, that's what makes them successful.  Emery at Villa is an example , in my opinion, of a difference maker.

If you look at the player as individual we are fine, if you look at the way it fit, it is a mess and it has been a mess for a while (lamp 2nd season) and it get worse after every window. 

 

 

Edited April 10, 20233 yr by Bob stark

8 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

If you look at the player as individual we are fine, if you look at the way it fit, it is a mess and it has been a mess for a while (lamp 2nd season) and it get worse after every window. 

 

 

You're right the one time it did look better was when there was a transfer embargo and SFL was forced to play quite a few of the boys from the academy together who had obviously played together for a while...

Maybe there is a lesson to be learned there for the new 🤠 owners 😁

2 minutes ago, Bebe1980 said:

You're right the one time it did look better was when there was a transfer embargo and SFL was forced to play quite a few of the boys from the academy together who had obviously played together for a while...

Maybe there is a lesson to be learned there for the new 🤠 owners 😁

The lesson is very simple, too many signing at the same time without direction is not a good idea. 

Lamp 2nd season. Big need :dm, gk and maybe lb.

We signed gk, lb, cb, 3 attackers. 

 

11 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

Try and be accurate though. The year you are referring to, I think, is 2015/2016 where we finished in 10th, not lower than 10th. We ended up with 50 points. Not good, but not a few points off relegation either which was 37 points for third from bottom.

We finished 10th, sure. But we were as low as a few pts off relegation before the club sacked Jose. We had a team then good enough to not be anywhere close to that position in the table, even better than the team we have now.

We even won the league title the season before ffs. So this isn't something new, it seems like a Chelsea thing to utterly capitulate once every few seasons. That is a sign of something deeper because we never saw Man City lower than 3rd/4th in the last decade. 

John Obi Mikel: "I like managers who always motivate you and is always passionate and tell you what to do. Sometimes players need a kick up the backside. With Graham Potter I wasn't seeing that but also with Frank Lampard I wasn't seeing that. I hope I see that now."

16 hours ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

Frank said he wouldn't mind staying in some sort of advisory role after his stint as interim, I hope that happens.

Hope that's true. Glad to see he recognizes that management isn't for him. 

Does have an eye for spotting talent though. 

It's just hit me like a truck that we'd have probably been better off giving the interim managers job to Roy Hodgson.

How the hell has it come to this?

Lost his first game when Frank was last in charge, so no biggie. Even he's the interim, he had to stamp his own style and authority on the team, so no problem with his tactics or team selection. It's a mad season to say the least, Southampton sacked Jones who got more points than Potter during the time, Villa seemed to struck gold after they fired Gerrard for Emery. Most moves and decisons we made this season looked awful, apart from Enzo and the few good games from other big money signings.

5 hours ago, Argo said:

It's just hit me like a truck that we'd have probably been better off giving the interim managers job to Roy Hodgson.

How the hell has it come to this?

Would have been hilarious ... Just imagine the Darren Farley impersonations of him managing Chelsea.

3 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

Lost his first game when Frank was last in charge, so no biggie. 

Key difference is we played allright that game despite the scoreline, total opposite this time.

1 hour ago, Argo said:

Key difference is we played allright that game despite the scoreline, total opposite this time.

True, different circumstances too,  couple of days in charge, and keeping in mind of the big CL game ahead. I preferred him resting a few more players, especially James. It was a game to be written off, unfortunately had way too many of that this season.

I am confused with this thread. How can people judge any manager after maybe two training session? You can catch a glimpse of what they want to do but that is all to it. 

 

embarrassment of a manager this bloke, jesus christ go back to punditry

Got 9 games left. Genuinely might not win a game as Chelsea manager again.