Painfully Yours

[octville]

It is an enigma under the current circumstances to see us leading the Premiership. Scolari has acheived nothing other than bulldozing weak sides into submission. On a week where Liverpool, Manure & Arsenal have qualified for the next round, it took some great goalkeeping by cech to keep Chelsea still in the hunt in a game we deserve to lose.

Bundled out of the league cup by a lower division team, Chelsea's impregnable fortress at the Bridge in disarray, inability to have a cutting edge against the top sides ( Manure, Liverpool, Roma & probably another defeat at Arsenal this weekend), I think I will start the anti Big Phil going.

We got stuck against Spurs at their lowest point & a mediocre Newcastle over the weekend too.

While it is true that we had injuries to Essien, Drogba, Ballack & Carvalho, this is no excuse because even Avram Grant could do it without Deco or Bosingwa. While the latter has really claimed the right back as his, Deco has only impressed sporadically. I was peeved at the Robinho's coup at Man City but equally frustrated that we did not buy another forward.

Anelka has been fortunate with his goals this season but it does take a good finisher to put the ball in with calmness like he did last night against Bordeaux. A fully fit Drogba will be too hot to handle but I am worried that he may have past his prime.

Which brings me to the topic of how we can ever acheive that elusive win at the Bridge against Cluj to claim qualification. Play like Mourinho... keep the ball and draw out your opponent. It may not be pretty but it is damn effective. I don't care if it is 1-0 as long as we win ! So stop trying to play attractive football especially when you have crappy wingers like Malouda & Kalou.

Frustration aside, if we do not improve & the boys do not return from injuries, I expect a cold, cold winter to bring Big Phil into Premioership reality.

I am willing to give him some time but patience is running out after having set those standards under Mourinho & Grant.

I am also resigned to not having funds to strengthen, but if we can persuade someone to take Malouda/Kalou, maybe we can buy some real quality from the other Champion's league side like Bordeaux ( think Guoffran?) or Anorthosis Famagusta. Hell, maybe from Cluj too. We just need people who have the passion & mental strength to get the job done