The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[Norf Tyrone]

It's just clueless though DB. We have had no plan B for many months, and now we look to have no plan A either. To be honest if he was blooding Stoch, Mancienne, Di Santo etc- as he needs to do- the fans would have some sympathy.
Look at Ballack, Carvalho, Deco, Drogba, Lampard all are leggy and at the wrong end of the scale. Kenyon needs to take some responsability here. I believe BFS is only a two year contract. That smacks of short term goals.

The club needs a manager with balls to come in and ditch some of those who are so in the comfort zone it's unreal for example Malouda, and Ballack. He also needs be brave enough to rebuild. However he needs the backing of the board to do that, as it'll mean losing a few games here and there. Losing a few does little for the brand.

Do you know who can do a good job blooding young lads, and rebuilding teams? Claudio Ranieri.

[Doogie Browser]

Ranieri was on the cusp of big things with Chelsea pre-Roman anyway and IMO was teated shabbily by Chelsea.
I don't know too much about the internal workings of yuour club but i have always thought Ray Wilkins to be nothing more than a nodding dog with little or nothing to offer. 

[Norf Tyrone]

Wilkins is very much a yes man, who appears to be an awful PR front. His interviews are so passionless, and 'credit to the oposition' shit.

[FermPundit]

I was watching Sunday Supplement on Sky Sports a few weeks ago and the journos where suggesting there are major problems at Stamford Bridge. They were implying that a lot of Chelsea players weren't pulling their weight in training and too many were enjoying the care free management approach of Big Phil. They also said that half of the stuff going on wouldn't have happened with Jose at the helm.

[Norf Tyrone]

I was watching Sunday Supplement on Sky Sports a few weeks ago and the journos where suggesting there are major problems at Stamford Bridge. They were implying that a lot of Chelsea players weren't pulling their weight in training and too many were enjoying the care free management approach of Big Phil. They also said that half of the stuff going on wouldn't have happened with Jose at the helm.

It's hard to know what to believe. The same journos were earning their crust by slating the Mourinho regime too when he was there. There is a rumour that JT, and Lampard confronted Phil because of how lax training was.
To be fair if a guy has been out of the club game for 10 years plus, his day to day training is not going to be up to speed, and in truth I have never seen Chelsea players looks so unfit.

[Norf Tyrone]

Xabi Alonso... highest new entry in footballers I dislike.

Liverpool's Xabi Alonso ensured Frank Lampard would not escape the spotlight by re-igniting their row.

The Chelsea midfielder was controversially sent off during his side's 2-0 defeat at Anfield last week and although the FA overturned his red card on appeal, Spaniard Alonso insisted Mike Riley made the right decision. The bitter rivals could face each other again on Wednesday when Spain play England in a friendly in Seville and Alonso said: 'As far as I am concerned, Lampard's tackle was a hard and unnecessary piece of play.

'He says he went for the ball, but I saw his leg going straight towards my ankle.
'I don't think he was going for me but those sort of challenges are always dangerous. Honestly, I was very lucky because it could have caused me a serious injury. When I saw my opponent's foot on my leg I feared another injury like the one in that past season. Jumping saved my ankle.

'For me, the challenge was dangerous and received the card that anyone, Lampard or any other footballer, should receive.'

[Doogie Browser]

Big Phil gone!!

[aroundincircles]

Big phill fired!!!!!!!!!!

[DownFanatic]

100% true. Got chop in the past hour. Tony Adams in to replace him 

[ExiledGael]

Shocked at that, wilkins taking charge for now, who next? Rijkaard was favourite even before this

[Norf Tyrone]

Morning all.

I liked Solari as a person. He seemed an affable sort of a chap. However I don't think I was ever totally convinced he was/is the man that Chelsea need, and his record has added to that. A 56% win record at a team who less than a year ago was a kick from winning the CL is poor in the extreme.
I stated last year when AG was sacked that this appointment was one of the most important in Chelsea's history. However the board f**ked it up. I was just thinking yesterday evening that the last two managers that Chelsea appointed have never managed in European football before.

Scolari's time at Chelsea started off well with a home win over Portsmouth 4-0, and playing lovely football. The next game was a win, but from a sole Deco free kick. Following that to me the first problems appeared, a 1-1 draw at home to Spurs. This game was the same day as the AI semi final v Wexford, and I remember watching the second half of the Chelsea match and Chelsea did not seem to offer anything inventive whatsoever. Ah well... a blip I thought.

Things picked up again, and a win over Man City, and a point v United were decent returns, coupled with wins at Stoke and arguably Chelsea's finest ever performance against Villa when we won 2-0. It was magical to watch, as Chelsea tore Villa to shreads. Mboro were hammered 5-0, and the blip was a distant memory.

Then the doubts started to pick up for me;
Chelsea 1 Roma 0 (Terry header from a corner)
Chelsea 0 Lpool 1

A couple of decent results v Hull and Sunderland, but it didn't feel right. To me, when it worked we were fantastic.... when it didn't work we were flumoxed.

Roma turned over a soft Chelsea in Rome, and Burnley dumped us out of the CC. True WBA and Blackburn provided maximum on the road returns, but these were the teams you should be beating regardless.

Chelsea 0 Newcastle 0 (No invention)
Bordeux 1 Chelsea 1
Chelsea 1 Arsenal 2
Chelsea 2 Cluj 1 (Again we limped into the last 16 of the CL)
Chelsea 1 West Ham 1
Everton 0 Chelsea 0
Chelsea 2 WBA 0
Fulham 2 Chelsea 2
Chelsea 1 Southend 1
Man U 3 Chelsea 0 (Chelsea's worst performance in 5 years)
Chelsea 2 Stoke 1 (A real get out of jail day)

The scoring record in the Premiership since that Newcastle game reads, 0, 1, 2, 1, 0, 2, 2, 0, 2, 2, 0 ,0 . On five occasions of the 12 games we failed to score, and our average was one goal per game. In short at the start of the season with Cole, and Bosingwa bombing forward we had threat, and scared the begezzus of teams. However managers copped us on. Stiffle the full backs and pack midfield to stop Lampard. In addition we strangley decided to change defensive systems as well at set pieces, and went to a zonal marking system. Why? Who knows.

With the other teams now negating Chelsea's early season threats, it was time for plan B, and we waited and waited. There was none. Did Brazil ever need a plan B??

To compound the issue we were suddenly leaking set piece, and last minute goals. Previously the forte of the team. Torres struck twice in the last minute at Anfield, Southend equalised in inury time at SB, Dempsey for Fulham, and you can add Berbatov's late 3rd at OT. To me the players have looked sooo unfit. Again when you are an international manager you have the players for a few days every month or two so fitness isn't something you needed to work on.

Scolari claims he never brought anyone in bar Deco, and Kenyon has to take a bullet here too. So who bought Bosingwa? In addition to Deco, Scolari also brought the pointless Miniero. Admittedly the Robinho transfer fell through, but was it blase putting all the eggs in one basket? Was there not a back up if and when Robinho didn't sign? A plan B as such.

The Chelsea squad is good enough. They were good enough last year, and with a bit of luck could've won the CL and prem double. However the squad is aging, and you can see it in Deco and Ballack's legs. Drogba is a disruptive influence, and question marks remain over Anelka's ability/attitude. BFS should've edged another youngster or two into the fray. Ferguson is not afraid tp fire Wellbeck, the twins etc into games where he can. Earlier in the season Chelsea led Portsmouth 3-0 and with five minutes left had one sub left. He brought on Ferreria! Would it not have been better giving Stoch five minutes? His treatment of Mancienne has been a disgrace.

So what next?

Talk of Grant, Zola/ Clarke, José, Mancini etc. All these would bring their own question marks. The Grant one I'd suggest is his agent floating it out there to force Pompey's hand, and there would be anarchy at SW6 if he came back.
José? Yes please. It was a mistake to sack him, and I would be impressed by Roman if he was a man enough to admit this. Bring him back on a 5 year deal, with a remit to BUILD a side with youth and a transfer kitty. However there is no way Inter would let him go.... but stranger things and all that.
Clarke and Zola are the dream ticket but they lack a weeeee bit of experience. However Clarke has a fair bit of time and education under his belt. If this was 12 months down the line it would be a possible, but what if Zola failed. He is loved by Chelsea fans and this would be a very painful divorce.

It's very difficult to know who the successor would be. I just hope Chelsea don't rush into it. It may be wise to appoint an interim team until the end of season, and get shopping then. The new gaffer should be given the deal as per José above, and patience would be the key. The big prizes would be a 3 year plan, and maybe a wee cup to keep us happy in the interim period.

If I had to go with who might get it. Rijkard. He is available, and has a record of not being scared to bring young lads through. Messi anyone? However I couldn't warm to the fella at the minute.  My heart tells me Zola, and Clarke, and they rebuild over the next year or two culminating in lifting the CL at Wembley in 2001.

Don't tell me I'm a dreamer... because I am not the only one.


KTBFFH

[Norf Tyrone]

It's funny how all the negative stories re Chelsea (Terry's supposed spit, Scolari's sacking etc) all are deemed to be worthy of people starting new threads. However very few take the time to post in the appropriate thread.
Tony Fearon gets lambasted for doing likewise.

Anyhow... looking like Hiddink until the season end at least.

[Doogie Browser]

Norf do you believe if Hiddink does come that he would only be 'minding the house'?  I would think if he got a taste of the day to day aspect again he would want to remain, plus from your point of view he is a marquee name as far as managers go.  But...could Roman handle the backlash from the Ruskies if he keeps Hiddink at his club and deprives Russia of their manager at a crucial time in their WCQ campaign, as I think he is not too popular in his homeland anyway?
He is the ideal man to help you in the Champions league anyway.

[under the bar]

Alonso said: 'As far as I am concerned, Lampard's tackle was a hard and unnecessary piece of play.

'He says he went for the ball, but I saw his leg going straight towards my ankle.
'I don't think he was going for me but those sort of challenges are always dangerous. Honestly, I was very lucky because it could have caused me a serious injury. When I saw my opponent's foot on my leg I feared another injury like the one in that past season. Jumping saved my ankle.

'For me, the challenge was dangerous and received the card that anyone, Lampard or any other footballer, should receive.'

What a gutless fanny to come out with crap like that.

[Norf Tyrone]

Norf do you believe if Hiddink does come that he would only be 'minding the house'?  I would think if he got a taste of the day to day aspect again he would want to remain, plus from your point of view he is a marquee name as far as managers go.  But...could Roman handle the backlash from the Ruskies if he keeps Hiddink at his club and deprives Russia of their manager at a crucial time in their WCQ campaign, as I think he is not too popular in his homeland anyway?
He is the ideal man to help you in the Champions league anyway.

He would be a very surprising short term appointment IMHO. He is obviously a big name, and short termers don't tend to be big names. I am not overly versed in European football, but it would be interesting to see how Hiddink/ Roman handles things. I believe they have their summer target secured, or at least pin pointed.

It'll be quer crack to see this Staurday, Hiddink, Vicarage Road and Elton John!