Inter v Udinese

[mad_mac]

A late, late,late late goal for Inter saves Jose some blushes against Udinese, and he turns to the crowd and shushes them! Just like he did against the liverscum. Seems he can win, but will always be an arrogant bas*ard wherever he goes. Would you have him back, if it meant 1-0 wins, less attractive football, the press hating us even more, but we win?

[chelsea rotterdam]

i am very happy with phil only in the big games he will have to show soms more tactical options. Like agianst liverp**l ,manure and as roma we didn't seem te have a clue how to adapt to going behind. i hope he will learn fast.

[mad_mac]

I would hold that opinion if Scolari were a new manager, as in new to the game, but he's a seasoned professional that seems completely bereft of ideas

[dkw]

I would hold that opinion if Scolari were a new manager, as in new to the game, but he's a seasoned professional that seems completely bereft of ideas

erm, what? hes got us playing the best football weve played for years, and is getting more out of several players than mourinho ever did. we were always going to have games we would lose because of the more expansive game he has us playing.

[mad_mac]

Yes we are playing more attractive football, I grant you that. It was tough watching Jose's style, but he knew what it took to win. So far, from what I have seen from Scolari, he has no clue how to change things if and when we go behind. Liverpool and Roma being case in points

[dkw]

Yes we are playing more attractive football, I grant you that. It was tough watching Jose's style, but he knew what it took to win. So far, from what I have seen from Scolari, he has no clue how to change things if and when we go behind. Liverpool and Roma being case in points

i agree he seems to struggle to change it, but thats partly down to the unavailability of players. im sure if he had essien, ballack and drogba to call on he would have changed it v liverpool and roma ( i know drogba was playing, but he wasnt anywhere near fit.) the players available at the moment means we struggle to change, with drogba available we could go much more direct. lets give him time before we pass judgement shall we.

[BlueBeard]

Scolari hasn't done any better so far than Avram Grant did, in my opinion.

True, we are scoring goals for fun...against the weaker opposition - but when we come up against the better sides we struggle. Scolari seems to have just the one idea for football and sticks to it - there never seems to be a Plan B, and we suffer because of this. In my opinion Scolari is tactically naive, and it shows in the big games. Even today, when Blackburn changed their style in the second half we struggled for quite a while, because Scolari either wouldn't or couldn't change things.

What doesn't help is his reluctance to drop or substitute Deco, no matter how badly the little sh*te is playing - again, today, Deco's main contribution to the team was to go around kicking the opposition and moaning - one of our worst signings in quite some time.

[Virosh]

I would argue in favour of Scolari, though, that he realizes we currently don't have a Plan B, but it's because he doesn't have all the players he wants. He has himself stated many times that he may need to change the system and the style of play and for that he needs another type of player. That is the reason he wanted Robinho.

In light of this, I think he's not as naive as you accuse him of, BB, he just doesn't have the type of players he wants to change things around as much as he wants to.

[geezer]

Scolari hasn't done any better so far than Avram Grant did, in my opinion.

He's got exactly the same league record as Jose had in his first season at this moment in time so effectively you're saying LFS & Avram are the equal of Jose.

[TheWestwayWonder]

Scolari: Been here 4 months, made only one signing who has in fact worked out, spent 8 million, and has us top of the league with an incredible goal differential.

Jose: after 4 months finally managed to get us into a consistent groove of winning after 100 million in new signings coming in. And though his arrogance was all a big game, it was bloody annoying in my opinion.

Under Jose we struggled to get results and score goals in many, many matches. Remember 2004 before Robben came back to fitness? It was 1-0, 1-0, 2-1, 0-0 in the domestic league. We just dont remember those rough patches because there was a gleaming trophy at the end of it.

Scolari may not have looked good against Roma and Liversh*te, but we did make the right changes against Man United. And he has yet to play many, many big games this season.

Look back at the tough games we have had, and then add a player of Robben or Joe Cole's quality on the bench, nevermind in the lineup uninjured. Can you imagine if we had someone like Aguero or Huntelaar or VdV coming off the bench to brake the stalemate in these games? Rather than Kalou, DiSanto or Belletti. Things would look very different, im sure

[BlueBeard]

He's got exactly the same league record as Jose had in his first season at this moment in time so effectively you're saying LFS & Avram are the equal of Jose.

Err, no I'm not You have a perverted sense of logic, geezer :D

Mourinho, Grant & Scolari are obviously all very different managers, each with their own faults. The faults of Mourinho and Grant have been done to death in this forum, but it seems that nobody is allowed to question or criticise Scolari without being attacked or ridiculed by some people. I can understand Chelsea fans rushing to defend their manager in normal circumstances, but in Scolari's case I think it's more a case of blind loyalty - some people just don't want to believe that their new manager could possibly be less than perfect.

I was never one of Mourinho's greatest fans, but he possessed something that Scolari will never have - the ability to effectively change tactics during a game, sometimes he'd even do it before half-time when necessary. To not be able to do this is a fundamental flaw in a supposedly top manager. And some of the comments on here about Scolari not being able to do this because of a lack of fit players are simply excuses. The ability of the players that are at his disposal could easily adapt to different tactics during a game, he just doesn't know how to go about it - or if he does, then for some reason he's been extremely reluctant to do it. I'm not too impressed with the appointment of Wilkins either, but I don't suppose I can blame Scolari for that.

Oh, and Scolari doesn't help his cause any by picking Deco whenever he's fit, no matter how out of form he is or by bringing on players like Mineiro (who, ffs?) & Ferreira as subs. Strange coincidence they all speak Portugeuse ain't it? Still, I suppose Scolari's fans all know better ;)

[dkw]

Err, no I'm not You have a perverted sense of logic, geezer :D

Mourinho, Grant & Scolari are obviously all very different managers, each with their own faults. The faults of Mourinho and Grant have been done to death in this forum, but it seems that nobody is allowed to question or criticise Scolari without being attacked or ridiculed by some people. I can understand Chelsea fans rushing to defend their manager in normal circumstances, but in Scolari's case I think it's more a case of blind loyalty - some people just don't want to believe that their new manager could possibly be less than perfect.

I was never one of Mourinho's greatest fans, but he possessed something that Scolari will never have - the ability to effectively change tactics during a game, sometimes he'd even do it before half-time when necessary. To not be able to do this is a fundamental flaw in a supposedly top manager. And some of the comments on here about Scolari not being able to do this because of a lack of fit players are simply excuses. The ability of the players that are at his disposal could easily adapt to different tactics during a game, he just doesn't know how to go about it - or if he does, then for some reason he's been extremely reluctant to do it. I'm not too impressed with the appointment of Wilkins either, but I don't suppose I can blame Scolari for that.

Oh, and Scolari doesn't help his cause any by picking Deco whenever he's fit, no matter how out of form he is or by bringing on players like Mineiro (who, ffs?) & Ferreira as subs. Strange coincidence they all speak Portugeuse ain't it? Still, I suppose Scolari's fans all know better :D

theres nothing wrong with scolari having players he trusts and knows to rely on when needed, though i agree him playing deco even when struggling is a bit wrong. hes new to the league, new to the country, fairly new to the language and because of this when he needs to close out a game he gives instructions in his own language to players he knows will understand and do what he asks. wheres the wrong in that?

[BlueBeard]

theres nothing wrong with scolari having players he trusts and knows to rely on when needed, though i agree him playing deco even when struggling is a bit wrong. hes new to the league, new to the country, fairly new to the language and because of this when he needs to close out a game he gives instructions in his own language to players he knows will understand and do what he asks. wheres the wrong in that?

We're never going to agree on this, and you'll never change my mind. However, I respect your right to be wrong :D

[Nibs]

I was never one of Mourinho's greatest fans, but he possessed something that Scolari will never have - the ability to effectively change tactics during a game, sometimes he'd even do it before half-time when necessary. To not be able to do this is a fundamental flaw in a supposedly top manager. And some of the comments on here about Scolari not being able to do this because of a lack of fit players are simply excuses. The ability of the players that are at his disposal could easily adapt to different tactics during a game, he just doesn't know how to go about it - or if he does, then for some reason he's been extremely reluctant to do it. I'm not too impressed with the appointment of Wilkins either, but I don't suppose I can blame Scolari for that.

Oh, and Scolari doesn't help his cause any by picking Deco whenever he's fit, no matter how out of form he is or by bringing on players like Mineiro (who, ffs?) & Ferreira as subs. Strange coincidence they all speak Portugeuse ain't it? Still, I suppose Scolari's fans all know better :D

In some respects I think Scolari and Mourinho are similar. The speaking Portugese bit – lets not forget where Jose comes from and how many Portugese players he signed!! Both managers also seem to have their favourite players - which is fair enough of course, but not so great when they insist on playing them regardless of form. Scolari is certainly doing that with Deco at the moment and to a certain extent Malouda. We all know about Jose’s “Untouchablesâ€, who tended to play week in week out, regardless of form.

Mourinho did have a fair bit of success at changing a game with a change of tactics or substitutions, but he also f**ked up on a number of occasions. Towards the end of his time with us, the main change seemed to mainly consist of hoofing long balls up the pitch for either Drogba or JT.

No, I’m more than happy with Scolari at the moment. Every team and manager are going to suffer bad days – no-one can possibly get it right every time for 50+ games a season however good a squad they might have. Wenger has had plenty of bad days this season but after the win over Man Utd at the weekend, he is again being hailed a supremo. And old Red Nose, despite the depth of his squad and attack of Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez and Ronaldo has already lost two games this season and is bound to drop more points along the way.

[dkw]

We're never going to agree on this, and you'll never change my mind. However, I respect your right to be wrong :D

git..... :D

[bonetti]

git..... ;)

I take exception to this - Bluebeard is not a git

Hes an old git

[BlueBeard]

I take exception to this - Bluebeard is not a git

Hes an old git

Thanks bonetti, it's nice to know that there's someone on my side ;) :D

[bonetti]

Thanks bonetti, it's nice to know that there's someone on my side ;) :D

My pleasure Steve

[dkw]

I take exception to this - Bluebeard is not a git

Hes an old git

i apologise bluebeard, you old git....

[Mike O]

These debates still amuse me because, had it not been for a particularly slippy bit of turf under JT's left boot, we'd probably still have AG at the helm. Blimey.

My potted view of the last few years...

04/05 JM - loved him in his first season. Loved the fact we had no Galacticos. Loved the fact that he got the best out of a talented squad in a way that that loser Claudio could never dream of. Loved winning the league.

05/06 JM - woke up to the fact that our football was about as exciting as watching paint dry. Got exceedingly pissed off about all the moaning and Colegate, Friskgate, Ferdinandgate etc etc. PK and JM combined did for me. Gave up my ST after 15 years or so.

06/07 JM - quality of footie stayed at slightly above dire. Felt for JM with Galacticos foisted on him. He should have left frankly in August )6 and he knows it

07/08 AG - poor sod. Unbelievable rubbish out of the mouths of PK and RA re. 'the next phase'. I have a major dust-up on the forum re. 'CFC becoming a joke' following AG's dismissal.

08/09 LFS - Best football played (intentionally) since Vialli's years. Too early to call on his tactical genius because he's still finding his feet. Anyone who can get Anelka to the top of the goalscorer's table has to be applauded.

[bonetti]

Lovely bit of 'potting' Mike

I loved the way JM rattled certain parties, particulary the little cosy red club of Manks, Scouse and l'arse, I loved his contempt for the media and the self important figures within it and the way he deflected attention from the players. I enjoyed argueing with the pratts who jumped on the 'Anyone But Chelsea' bandwagon, would I want him to come and manage Chelsea again - no, because it just wouldnt be the same.

[geezer]

You have a perverted sense of logic, geezer ;)

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me today. And it's nice to see I'm not the only old git round here.