Dear Roman

Sack FSW! I´m in.

I think there is only one way roman abramovic can fix the relationship between the club/board and the fans and that is by giving them what they want. Rafa's head on a plate,admitting they made a mistake hiring him and then brining home Jose mourinho and giving lamps his one year deal. Football fans are a fickle lot and if by the start of Pre season the special one and lamps are at the club then I think by the first game everything from this awful season will be forgotten pretty quickly.

Here is my signature, I have readied it for over a month now, I can't even believe this is my beloved chelsea playing, we were fecking hoofing the ball liverpool style!! Oh my God, where is the crisp passes and retention of ball under RDM? Where is the show of skill? Where is the joy in watching ur beloved club play? I am so ashamed of the person who brought this clown to our club, this mistake is too huge to forgive except offcourse he fires the clown NOW, and get us a worthy coach irrespective of how hard that is by summer, making a decent coach to manage us is the pennance I demand from that individual as a fan. Gimme klopp,laudrup or jose and I'll wipe the slate clean, but first sack this clown!!!! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggvhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

RA has made a huge mistake but all will be forgotten if the right man is in charge next season. lets also put things in perspective not so long ago we lost 4-0 in a FA cup final against Man UTD and tbh i thought we would never again reach another major final! 19 years later we are CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!!!!

RAFA OUT!! TORRES OUT!!....Still

im starting to feel like some of the gooners fans iv been talking to....going into a match and not having the beleif that we are going to take something from the match,iv watched chelsea for near 20 years and i have to say i have never saw a team so not interested, no passion what so ever.i know it is a mickey mouse cup but you should be busting a gut every time u put on the shirt,it has to be down to the tension created by the appointment of rafa anyone can see that.....is romans ego bigger that his decision making? you dont amass 10b from not knowing when you have made a mistake do you? ktbffh

sell Mikel?? The Nigerian "god" who does no wrong but is "immense" every game?? Good luck with that suggestion DWONDER

you could swear Chelsea is relegation-bound based on this mantra. Talk about being spoilt (we are only 4th lost the 1st leg through an unlucky penalty decision....*smh*

I supported RDM's sack and thought Rafa will be a improvement to him...but alas i was wrong...he is same as RDM....We dont see any improvement in the team...yesterday, it was pathetic...we never pressed, passed accurately...wonder if Rafa makes the team train on passing and pressing or is just the physical exercises/ drills??

That our best achievement in the league under RDM was 6th speaks VOLUMES about his abilities. Take the Champs League luck out (which effectively deserted him this season ironically) and the FA Cup goal controversy that changed the game and you'll have a man who was good at Man-management but very poor at team-progress management. Not for the luck we had in the Champs League we were going to be playing Europa League this season so while Rafa's been a let-down (especially for me) any suggestions RDM could've done better are more baffling and unrealistic

Dear roman,as u lay our bed so shall we lie on it

@Mq. Not interested in a chitty chat with you mate! Ignore my post...Thank you!

@Mq. Not interested in a chitty chat with you mate! Ignore my post...Thank you!

If you want to chat privately NELY get a private chat room lad, anything you post here is open for response. You don't own the forum, you don't dictate who responds to you, this is not your personal website or even blog. You want privacy, go to the loo. Otherwise ask Merlin to organize you a private chat room ok :)

Steaua owner: 'We will surely score on SB, and Chelsea is not a team which can score three goals against us, so we are already qualified.' Fear factor totally gone. Lol

If only the problems at this club were just in the manager at the helm. I've said it before and I'll say it again: HALO EFFECT. A new manager comes in and most of the time a club will get a boost in fortunes as players who want to COMPETE try their hardest to impress the new gaffer. There's where I see we have the biggest problem and I'm going to compare us to QPR. Yes, seriously; QPR. Uncle 'Arry went there with the job to save the team and he was met with players who were overpaid for the job they needed to do, who didn't give a stuff about COMPETING as they were getting paid regardless, plus if the ship is sinking and you're not on board then you can always say "I wasn't the one involved!". Compare that to our situation.... Rafa has come to this club and taken over a group of overpaid players who are showing no desire to COMPETE to save their top 4 spot/Cup places. Rafa certainly isn't helping as most fans (and probably players) think he's an incompetant ar$e, but as I said I just don't believe he's the only problem. We have a major problem that is getting worse at our club. For the best part of a decade we have had great manager after great manager come in to try and "save" us. When they fail they get the boot and the picture this gives to the players is that they are blameless as it's always the manager who takes the fall. The club needs a statement to change direction. Something that says NO-ONE is untouchable and I honestly think this person is Frank Lampard. I have a sneaking suspicion that Lamps is being used as the example to other players that when you time's up you're gone no matter who you are. Dangerous tactic if you ask me as it can have a very negative impact with players not fully trusting the club with their future. Anyhow, back to the point..... How do we fix this awful situation? Three very simple steps: 1) You employ a manager that commands respect from all of our players (only Jose or Hiddink will work this time). 2) Regardless of results the manager MUST remain long enough for some players to be shown the door first. This shows the players that they are as much able to be fired as managers are and takes away the "player power" with which we have become so known. 3) Be honest! The club's image has taken a hammering over the past 3 years between Cole, Terry, various manager firings etc. The only way to fix that is being honest and open with the fans and the media. The fans need to trust the club again, and having Gourley telling us half truths and media-spin is not building that trust back up. We need to feel loved by the club which we love so much and that requires trust and honesty on both sides.

The forum is more civil and sensible with intelligent debates, thank God we don't have the plagues there.... We keep slating players to play their hearts out and do this and that, to what effect? The team was set up to fail, why do players play their hearts out for one manager and try all they could and give below mediocre performance under another manager, it is the way he relates and trains them, players are resources and it is how u use them, that's the amount of return u'll get. As I always point out, respect is earned not forced or campaigned for. That is why a manager like rdm get the team to play well and the same team are suddenly thrash under rafa. It speaks volumes about the individual (manager)

@Mq we were 5th when avb got the sack!!!!Dont try to make avb look good by saying we were 4th...

Funny lads. This is not FC RAFA or FC Jose it's CFC and the players are paid loads of money to play for the team. Like Bizarre_ blue said they think they are blameless because when the going are tough it's the coach who has been the fall guy. Their attitude got few coaches sacked that is a fact. The players might now be saying to themselves how many more bad result would Roman endure before he boot RAFA out. KALOU confirmed that was exactly the daily conversation within the players during AVB last days. Now the board might just been standing up against those big egos. Their days are numbered as well. For sure it's going to be an interesting summer.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has bemoaned his side's failure to take chances during their 1-0 defeat at Steaua Bucharest in the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday. Raul Rusescu converted a first-half penalty to give the Romanian side a slender advantage heading into the second leg but the Blues keeper was frustrated to lose despite not having often been tested. "To be fair, I hardly made a save all game," Cech told ESPN. "They scored a penalty and they won so it's disappointing we didn't take our chances. Get Adobe Flash player CHELSEA LATEST 9/2 Chelsea are 9/2 with William Hill to keep a clean sheet against Manchester United "We ended up with the worst result. We didn't score a goal and lost 1-0, so obviously this is not the result you want from the first leg. "We had some chances but didn't score. We had some in the first half and had some blocked in the second half......Read more.....http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4649/europa-league/2013/03/08/3807103/cech-rues-chelseas-missed-chances-against-steaua-bucharest

@ Mq.. the truth is that with RDM we were 4 points behind Man U, with Rafa we are 16points behind. Please note that it is with the same set of players that we have this far varying results/position in the league if is not a prove of who is the better coach, i don't what it.

"Objective" @Mq? What, like a Chelsea player might be?! Dear, oh dear, you get worse! Lad!

*know*

Mourinho built a team,gave it a winning mentality,that gave the fans a winning mentality and we got used to success. In the face of adversity,we managed to achieve our most successful season. Our players and fans breathe it and live it. A winners mentality is what we have @MQ. We dont get satisfied by 4th! That winning mentality which Mou brought is what has pushed us all these years.You have a losers mentality and you simply should find a losing club!

First of all, I come in peace!! It's a slow day here at work, and as it seems certain that you, us, and Arsenal are going to take it down to the wire to decide who's 3rd/4th/5th I just wanted to ask a couple of honest questions which I hope won't provoke a slanging match. Firstly, do Chelsea fans in general believe that bringing in a new manager with 9 games (presumably nothing will happen between now and Sunday) left in the league will improve your chances of ensuring top 4? Don't misunderstand me, I don't rate Benitez at all I never have at any club he's managed. But would the disruption caused by yet another backroom shuffle have a bigger detrimental effect than keeping him until the seasons end? Especially when it must be assumed that any appointment made before then would be another 'interim' post? And secondly, was last nights performance as bad as some (or probably most) of you are making out? I've only seen highlights to be fair, but it didn't look like either team dominated. The penalty was soft, and an away draw anywhere in Europe can't (or shouldn't) be considered a calamity. And finally, And I do realise it's all conjecture at this point, but how do you see the 3rd/4th/5th positions standing at the end of the season? Oh and for the record, Ive enjoyed following your debates today. It's refreshing and comforting to know that every club still has supporters with loyalty in their hearts, passion in their opinions, and fire in their bellies!!!

......A winners mentality is what we have @MQ. We dont get satisfied by 4th! That winning mentality which Mou brought is what has pushed us all these years.You have a losers mentality and you simply should find a losing club!....the players we had back then a different from the 1's we have now 3NITY I'm not condoning our current poor performance, all I'm saying is players & manager are responsible for the poor performance on the pitch and the board for the decisions that have us playing with rather feeble players. From the day I saw us buy players like Moses when we needed a starting RW I knew we'd have some problems, which is not to say Moses is useless but he's definitely not a Champs League-winning aspiring team starter. So blame Rafa, blame the players too and also the board. Why must Rafa take the fall alone??

@MQ......Im blaming the board for everything. Rafa just takes the hit for his managerial ineptitude and for how tactically deranged he is. The basis of my point isnt about our performances this season,that ship sailed the moment we sacked RDM and appointed tubby. WHat i wont take is having someone claim that we won the FA cup and UCL by pure luck! What happened to bravery,working hard and making your own luck??? Did you see Lukaku's last goal for westbrom? Do you think he was lucky or would you say he worked hard and made his own luck???

I do agree that we need a quality right winger though!

eh SPANISH perhaps you'd make your point if you actually quoted all his words not just the few you selected. That doesn't make you any "objective" when you selecting statements that suit your argument. His whole statement plz :)

.....WHat i wont take is having someone claim that we won the FA cup and UCL by pure luck! What happened to bravery,working hard and making your own luck??? Did you see Lukaku's last goal for westbrom? Do you think he was lucky or would you say he worked hard and made his own luck???... Negating the 3 times Cech's post was hit in the 1st half, Cech saving point blank from Fabregas and Cashley clearing off the line (all this at the bridge alone) I'm sure it was a valiant effort from the lads that made Messi miss the penalty @ Camp Nou 3NITY knowing how lethal Messi is. I'm also sure it was an inspired defensive effort that saw Cech make 2 brilliant saves to deny Messi & Tello a goal too. I'm also sure it was bravery and determination that saw Robben miss a penalty in the final, all the while seeing us score having had 2 shots at goal the entire game compared to Bayerns what, 10 shots+?? We worked really hard in seeing Bayern miss their penalty kicks and we scoring ours too.....do you get where I'm headed??

well SPANISH if you say....@Mq actually reminds me quite a lot of Rafa. Both are revisionists who see the world in a completely different way to everyone else. Another way of putting it is that both are completely deluded fools with no clue and nothing whatsoever to say that is worth listening to!....excluding me because of my "support" for Rafa what does that mean about the mind of the man who not only hired Rafa but has also retained him thus far?? So they made the "mistake" of hiring a delusional manager who they have retained for so long despite the results?? Mistake?? Of hiring a "delusional" man?? Those who call for his support are effectively labelled delusional as well but the man who hired and has retained this "delusional" man (aka supporting him) is said to have made a "mistake"?? How objective is that.....

I do think otherwise that Rafa out of the picture will galvanize the team and bring the fans together. We don't need a tactical master on the managerial sit right now,we just need a little motivational kick in the ass and a breath of fresh air. Can Steve Holland do any worse?

in case anyone forgets, we played AWAY from home but....Shots taken Steau 9 Chelsea 14, shots on target Steau 3 Chelsea 9 (3 times the number of shots they had) ball possession Steau 40% Chelsea 52%. Judging by the sentiment on VC you'd think the opposite is true. Last season I saw ManUre embarrass their way out of Europe but the outcry wasn't as loud, presumably because they didn't have Rafa as Manager LoL....which makes this more about personality than ability methinks

Oh for God's sake @Mq. When people edit quotes properly, then they do not remove words that alter the sense for their own benefit. o not judge me by uyour standards. Here's what I removed: ", who hold a 12-point lead at the top of the Romanian top division,". "His quote" was from the BBC, as I said, not an individual. Right, I think I shall end this now, you are making no sense at all and just embarrassing yourself once again so there's no point and besides, more intelligent and worthwhile posters have come along like LilyWhiteHart.

9 Chelsea shots on target - tee hee, everywhere else says 3! I say again, revisionist! Sorry, couldn't help just one last comment!

I don't really know KAKUfrank. It is amusing tearing him into tiny, little pieces for a few minutes but then it becomes tedious, there's no challenge to it. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost!

add my signature too. this was dire in the extreme... but... was it any worse than the away performance in prague? i don't think so. and i believe we will win comfortably in the second leg. bucharest were very ordinary but too many times recently (read brentford away, reading away)we have been a complete shambles. sort it please roman as quickly as possible and listen to somebody other than whoever you listen to the last time around!

^^^^When you done seeing how many shots BBC SPORT say's Chelsea had SPANISH don't be embarrassed to come and admit your folly :)

after that humiliation, kindly answer my question(s) SPANISH....@Mq actually reminds me quite a lot of Rafa. Both are revisionists who see the world in a completely different way to everyone else. Another way of putting it is that both are completely deluded fools with no clue and nothing whatsoever to say that is worth listening to!....excluding me because of my "support" for Rafa what does that mean about the mind of the man who not only hired Rafa but has also retained him thus far?? So they made the "mistake" of hiring a delusional manager who they have retained for so long despite the results?? Mistake?? Of hiring a "delusional" man?? Those who call for his support are effectively labelled delusional as well but the man who hired and has retained this "delusional" man (aka supporting him) is said to have made a "mistake"??..... :)

I don't understand your question @Mq, it doesn't make sense but it doesn't matter, I am not answering anyway, I really have had enough. Bye!

If Benitez loses on Sunday, he will be sacked and Avram will be pointed. I am probably deluded for thinking such, BUT I prefer him to RAFA..........At least, he would listen to Steve Holland, Terry and co who actually have a clue of what they are doing.

What's so funny about this article is that no one blames the 600+ fans for the loss? I THOUGHT they were responsible for Chelsea's inability to win games.....

LilyWhiteHart, I quite agree about City, they do have the best squad in the league and I think Mancini is to blame there too, he's a rubbish! It is largely because City, Chelsea and Arsenal have idiots in charge that a very average Utd. side (forward line apart) are walking the league. Had you started the season better, I genuinely see no reason why you couldn't have challenged for the title, you're as good as Utd, probably better right now. I appreciate your comments on our CL win, very much! Again, I agree that we deserved it too but we did have some fortune along the way. I mean, you'd back Messi to score a pen, wouldn't you! That said, I doubt any side's ever won anything without a stroke or two of luck along the way! Perhaps we made our own luck! For Manager, I'd be happy with any of the names you suggest. I'd have serious reservations about Jose coming home but ultimately I'd have a grin from ear to ear, he is a top quality Manager. I saw a loot of things that weren't right when he left before but from day 1, 'knew' that he'd come back one day, he's got unfinished business at Chelsea. Will that be now? I don't know! Laudrup has all the pedigree and has done a fine job at Swansea (but then so did Brendan last year and he's finding life tough at 'Pool). I wouldn't mind him having a go but if you are to appoint a relatively young and inexperienced Manager, you have to give them time (AVB aside, it just wasn't the right place or the right time for him and us last year!), there' no point if he gets the push after losing 2 games in October after a good start! I don't actually know much about Klopp but like what I see. Yes, I would take a quiet season if it meant building again and I fully expected that to be this season with Robbie building. Personally, I thought that was going really well and I had revised my opinion as I believed we could genuinely challenge for the League and Cups until Rafa came a long and dismantled it all. I'm not sure I see the need to drop out of the top 4 to rebuild though. Again, with the quality of players wee have, even in a time of regeneration, I consider 4th spot realistic and would happily take that for a season or two if it meant coming back stronger than ever with a youthful, dynamic, hungry side winning trophies left, right and centre!

Your link's to the Sparta Prague game @Mq. Now stop it, my ribs are aching!!!

Definitely need a change; change of coach, management/board and some players.....

@jollyheart Torres, it is not about passion or anything like that. The coach is incompetent. He is terrible. His instructions are rubbish and it just does not fit the players. Rafa is also too arrogant to listen or change it when things are not working. Only Rafa Benitez can make Demba Ba score Sparingly, make Mazacar look toothless, make Ramires have the worst game in his career against City etc....He doesn't know how to use the players!!!!! It was the same as Inter Milan. People were trying to use the same old rubbish excuse that it was age, but a young Leonardo turned around the team. Only Rafa can take a team that was 4 points behind City and take them out of 2 other competitions plus a 19 point deficit. He is a CRAP MANAGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To make TOP 4, Fire Rafa and we'll make top 4. To win trophies next season, a change of players and a few management personnel should be changed or an adjustment. If Qataris take over Arsenal and pump money and we keep firing people, it will be interesting to see where we end up!!!!!!!

This thread is really good value loool...i find mq bashing particularly amusing, but you gotta give it to the man, he's got one heck of a thick skin and ive actually grown to start admiring his resilience....not everything he says is garbage after all imo :) having said that my feel is that the board are completely at fault for appointing RDM as perm in the first place and then cutting his reign short and bringing in the worst possible replacement...It is my understanding that Roman (the fan) cant stand Tubbster either, but for the benefit of things chelsea he has refrained from so far from replacing him in the hope that he'll get us past that finishing line in 4th (at least) Lets not keep slating a dead donkey, we know things have not been good this season but it was always going to be a transitioning one for us, we just hoped that it would better managed. I just want to get to the end of the season and see what our strategy is then. All this continued Rafa hating is hurting the one thing we all claim to love the most....whichever way we want to justify it, cfc is suffering as a result of the this acrimony & rancour amongst the chelsea faithful. Lets put our personal hatred to one side and like i said in a previous post, keep supporting the team to the best of our abilities till the summer. I believe this is the best chance we have of salvaging anything from this god-forsaken season.. I've said it before and i'll say it again, Come May 19 - RAFA OUT!! TORRES OUT... :) In the meantime, TWO are still a possibility - Keep the faith...

I find myself agreeing with pretty much everything you say Spanish, whether you choose to take that as an insult or a compliment is entirely up to you haha!!! AVB was definitely the wrong man at the wrong club at the wrong time when he was handed the reins at Chelsea. I thought he was a great (or at least incredibly promising) young manager, but not for Chelsea at that time. Common sense told me that you don't work under Mourinho for that long without picking up some rather useful experience. But for his first managerial job outside of his homeland a club like (ironically!!) Spurs would have been a much better fit. For good reasons or bad, we don't have any squad members with the club history of the likes of Lampard/Terry whose influence despite (I suspect) being 99% positive must be massive, and intimidating to a young manager. Basically he needed a fresh lump of clay to mould, ideally prominently young players, that he could stamp his own mark on. That said, we are exceeding my expectations this season. Before a ball was kicked I couldn't see a top four finish. Losing Modric and VDV from last year was always going to leave a void, likewise Ledley despite his increasingly sporadic starts. But Dembele has for the most part hit the ground running, and for me we got two of the signings of the season in Vertonghen and especially Lloris. We are Spurs of course, so I'm taking nothing for granted. We are still more than capable of losing to anyone on any given day and our capacity to f@$K things up is the stuff of legend!! But somehow I just dont see it happening this season. We are still (and have been for 4 years) at least one quality striker short of being serious title contenders for me. In the same way that (again, outside looking in) I believe you are one out-and-out wide man, one CB, and one striker short of having the best squad in the country. And also, of course, a top manager. For me, Laudrup ticks pretty much every box. He's a legend in the game, which will (or should) command instant respect from the squad. He plays a brand of footie that would surely appeal to Romans desire for a more attractive style of play. He's getting the best out of a (largely) good-to-avergage squad at Swansea. And unless it's dumb luck then he also has the eye for a bargain a la Michu. Also because of his standing in the football world I believe it would be hard to dismiss him if a few poor results litter his first season, regardless of how ruthless Abramovich has proven he can be.

I dont normally respond to trolls posts Lily but since you sound reasonable, i just want to say good shout re laudrup.. For me the shortlist for the next chelsea manager has only three names on it 1) Micheal Laudrup 2) Antonio Conte 3) Jose Mourinho (my favourite) We also need to sort out issues within our management structure re Emenalo and Gourlay ( i think their positions need to be altered) Players restructuring: Needs to be robust and vigorously done in the summer. Getting the right balance of skill, experience and youngster coming through whilst driving for success on the field which is what the chelsea model is based on FFP and resolving issues with stadium capacity and a possible relocation away from stamford bridge, as well as the relationship with the fans...Now that Roman can no longer buy our affection with all the Roubles in Russia because of FFP restrictions...there needs to be more done with regards to keeping the fans in the loop with club strategy....maybe one day soon, Roman may even give an interview on chelsea TV... The time for change is now...

Very well said GabeU. Nice post.

Michael Emenalo - Technical director, is he to blame for the appiontment of rafa?

@Bizzare. Point noted,but it doesn't really paint a true picture...Scolari and AVB were basically trying to play a fluid attractive football with a team that was built for strength and rigidity. It was obviously going to end in disaster with the lack of patience from decision makers( board/Owner). A total contrast to RDM and Carlo who got the best out of the team at their disposal in their first season with Carlon winning the League & Fa Cup,and Robbie winning the UCL & Fa Cup. The 2nd season for both managers proved to be harder,with the demand for attractive football and a huge blow to the squad depth. Carlo was forced to sell a few key players due to the age restrictions and the headache of fitting Torres into the squad. RDM was also forced to loan/sell players due to FFP and also trying to fit Torres into the squad. Notice the similarities? Not to forget they both started with blistering pace and consistency at the start of the season and both faced a slump in November. You can say yeah its the players fault,but its was deeper than that mate!

Totally disagree with you Bizarre on this statement: "If you scrubbed the name off the CV then ANY OF US would have hired him based on what he once acheived". ABSOLUTELY NOT. The last major trophy Benitez won was in 2005 which is now ABOUT 8 years ago. Winning the Coppa italiana and FIFA World Cup does not count. His Inter Milan reign was a disaster as he was getting outsmarted by almost every come Johnny Come lately coach. Their signs were even there as he was being out-coached by other coaches at Liverpool in his final season in both the PL and the UCL. It is the same explanation people tried to use for Torres. The signs were there he was already declining as player (his current season at Pool), the injuries and the world cup. Even at that, they were so many choices we could have spent that money on, it didn't have to be Torres.......

@NELY don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is JUST the fault of the players as clearly the managers also have a major part to play, as do the media, as do the fans. Everything takes a share in making a club work. My whole point was to show that it shouldn't just be the manager to blame in these situations. And that doesn't mean I'm defending Rafa either. Bottom line is that he should never have been appointed here, but I understand why the club went this route. THe important thing is to fix the situation quickly and get through to a fresh position as quickly as possible.

Not necessarily Bizzare_Blue. The difference between my job and the coaching job is you can't easily assess everything about me besides what's on my resume and speaking to a few references who could be biased and put in a few good words. In Rafa's case, we had watched him in Liverpool for years and most recently INTER MILAN. There is a reason he hasn't won any trophy since that 2005!!!!!!!! Not even a Carling Cup, FA Cup or UCL. On paper, I will not because since then he hasn't won any. Not the FA, not UCL, not anything. Nothing of recent. Club world cup is NOTHING. Again, I won't have because he's been out coached for 2 years prior to being sacked. Add to that he's been unemployed for how many seasons NOW???????? Forget that nonsense about waiting to coach a big club. That's the only way to keep himself relevant. And definitely not, I cannot fathom why the club considered him for the appointment. Why was he sacked at Pool and Inter Milan? I am sure the explanations will be anything besides Rafa as he blames the fans for everything at Chelsea these days.

@KAKU Then we are sort of coming from the same place. You're saying that knowing that Rafa was the manager tells us everything we need to know NOT to hire him, but what I said was that if you were to scratch his name off the CV then it does seem kind of appealing. If someone in charge had to pick an interim manager then tubby would certainly seem appealing to those looking for "experience" only. All to often people make a career out of past glory, and as you quite rightly point out, Rafa is such a person. This is why I would NOT have hired him, but it doesn't change the fact that I can see how someone in charge who is not quite so bright WOULD have hired him. This whole thread has led to some interesting differences in opinions between people, far more than the usual "Love/Hate Legends/Lamps/AVB/Jose/Etc". Just for clarity on where I stand: I wouldn't have hired Rafa in the first place. I don't think Rafa should be allowed to continue another day in charge. However when Rafa was hired I was prepared to give him the chance to succeed without booing him. I also thought the club made the right decision in sacking RDM but would have given Carlo and AVB more time in the role. I do believe that our players have a cancer that has been present since Jose's siege mentality came into play and that this cancer has caused the departure of at least two managers. I finally believe that the man who built that cancer will also be the perfect man to cure us of it and would welcome Jose back at the helm. That's me in a nutshell and I already know lots of people don't agree with a few of my opinions, but that's what makes me who I am ;)

@KAKU, I partially agreed with u on the RAFA but that shouldn't excuse the players for their lackluster display. That is not the attitude of top professionals. RAFA is gone is the summer and sure so are some of the players. They can't always decide who to play for because they are paid to play for CFC.

Another RA's cobham visit anyone. Cheers to you @LilyWhiteHart: I enjoy ur posts in here. Just let this season end already Oh Lord

I don't think RDM was really the long term solution for Chelsea but how can it possibly have been the right thing to do to sack him after winning the FA/CL Cups and winning 7 out our first 8 games this season. Only a club run by trigger happy yes men would do that. Even his slump consisted of a defeat to Man Utd in which everything that could go wrong did, a draw with Liverpool & Swansea - not great but hardly sackable offenses - and I'll grant you, a poor defeat to WBA. But would we really have less points now if we had given RDM a season? I very much doubt it. We may even have won the CWC & COC.

I thought by now most fans here would know what competitions Roman prefered. It's the CL. That is why Carlo was sacked because he couldn't get us past quarter final after 2 tries. The decision to sack RDM was purely based on the CL results not the league results. It also shows how many credit the board give RDM for winning the CL.

I don't care what happens...I have cooled down and am in a place of peace which is miraculous considering the fact that I am laughed at by my colleagues and family saying that I look like I have been Benitezed...but guys, every phenomenon has a pattern, nothing just happens sporadically, and I believe that I have identified the pattern. Roman sees us (CFC) as nothing but an elaborate PS3 console...he has no real respect for the club (If I was handed billions by first Yelstein and then Putin I would have bought CFC too). I don't think he is Einstein but I know he has an iota of intelligence, and anyone with an iota of intelligence would not have picked Rafa to handle the club...unless there was an agenda...I do not know what that agenda was/is but there are a few theories I have in mind chief of which is that perhaps he initially underestimated RdM...thought he could just give him the title of interim...have him finish 4 then be done with him, but RdM flipped the script on him and gave him what he craved and also some cherries on top in the form of UCL qualification and the FA Cup. This is evidenced by the fact that RdM pointed at Roman and gleefully said "I told you" as he went to accept the trophy...what that tells me is that perhaps there was a discussion with RdM as to the way forward and that 4th was the priority, to which RdM said that "No...we can win it." To which Roman probably laughed and said "Anyway you will only be here until the end of the season." But RdM showed him up, so in the summer there was a lot that was done to undermine the plans of RdM...the persistence with Torres and the jettisoning of Meireles and Essien, but still RdM prevailed...meaning that there would be no chance for Pep...He'd probably resigned to keeping RdM until Clattenphuck messed us up big time and started the slide. Then came a light in Roman's head, "if this continues I will be able to fire him, but I cannot get someone who is popular and who will win...let me get Benitez. The fans hate him and even if he won the EL and FA Cup, I will fire him and get Pep....MWUHAHAHA" So these losses are exactly what Roman wanted initially when Pep was still a viable option...but it backfired as all elaborate and dubious scheme's tend to and now we're stuck with this embarrassment. Truth be told I even believe he told Benitez not to apologize the fans to effect this hatred so he could get his dream boy...But He Toyed with my Club and that is unacceptable, sure it was his money that paved the way to success, but to toy with my club like that is unacceptable...I would have been a willing participant in any army Roman would have needed, but now no more...even if he fixes things and all goes well, I shall always look upon him with less trust than I have when gaze upon a black mamba for if he has done it now, he will do it again, and again...so I say it again...Thank you Roman.

KAKU, the win against West Brom was not impressive at all. For the last half an hour we looked like conceding and for the last 1-/15 mins, it was backs to the walls as we were pinned in our own half. Another 5 or 10 mins and we'd have drawn or maybe even lost the game! I will, however, give Rafa 4 good results: Everton away, Villa and Arsenal at home and Southampton away in the Cup. I count 13 bad results and out of 28 games, that is dreadful, totally unacceptable for a squad as good as ours.

Instead of mentioning impressive, maybe I should have said win over a big team. Everyone POOS on Arsenal so they don't count. You know what is baffling SpanishBlue. 2 or 3 weeks ago, I was watching the Arsenal vs. Bayern match with my father and he said to me, how can one explain how the winner of the UCL regress so badly while the loser progressed so much? All In less than 1 year!!!!!!!!!!!

Amen! The front page is crowded with intelligent post. Brilliant guys!

If Abramovich and Emenalo do not put their playstation consoles down and realize that just buying players ad hoc does not constitute as a team, its going to get worse, much worse. If I was Jose or any other decent manager, I would make the same decision as Pep Gaurdiola and not touch Chelsea with a barge poll. Our club is so badly run from the top, quite frankly its embarassing. Look in the mirror Roman and get rid of the imberciles that surround you.

Watch someone point out Rafa's inclusion of Eden Hazard which led to win against PRAGUE!!!!!!

Has Rafa been sacked yet???????????? Can't wait for this season to end just so i can read the title Rafa has left the building!!! I'll open a bottle of champagne and celebrate when this day comes!!!

We have 10 league games left. On recent past performance everyone is winnable except Man Utd away and Liverpool away. I'd expect us to lose both of these. Although Spurs is winnable we'll probably do no better than a draw. So considering the absolute necessity the club have placed on a top 4 finish the players have no excuse for not picking up 22 points which would give us 74 points. I reckon anything over 71 will get us at least 4th. If we drop any points before we play Spurs I'd say we can kiss goodbye to the Top 4 finish and Rafa should go.

If he's not sacked before Thursday we might not be in it to win it!

@Gian-Franco. interesting theory about how Roman handled chelsea with Rdm and tubby...but truth is its only your own book and there's no guarantee its righ in any way...I dont think I will judge Roman based on some fairy tale you constructed in your bed room...No doubt though, appointing tubby to manage chelsea is the guff of the century!!!...That decision is fecking us real bad!

Any yes.... we've made it through to another FA youth semi-final... tough game it was.. thumbs up to Adi and the boys. Strong character from the boys, Adi continues to show he's a good coach and tactician.. He changed the system a bit in 2nd half, moved Nditi to RW and Ake to LB. Kimwomya's brilliance got us the 2nd goal and a well deserved win....

That was a good game and what a strike by Kimwoya for the winner 2-1. So its Hull city or liverpool in the Semi final. Good job lads,the first team need to watch the youth team play more often,intricate passing and movement.

That ain't a bad idea at all latunvic, however that would need a stable manager to do that as well as a stable board, of people who would want to see the squad go that way.

Our win against Sunderland & Wigam were also impressive

Sack Rafa and you will see a better CFC team, his team is too disjointed, no fluidity @all, he is not getting the best out of our new recruits. Our Pivot is crapier than it was & Mazacar look average.

We have plenty of work to do with this Squad during the Summer. First of all, we must forget about 'Legends', football is changing rapidly, If we keep Lamps, we will be overtaken. We need to seriously fix the Pivot even If it means selling all of Rami, Romeu, Mikel & Lamps, I dont care. Tbh, these guys are far from world class for a Club like CFC. They cant even hold the ball & spray it, they cant even think fast & move it forward. Ahhhhh!!!!! We have a long way to go.

The funny thing is there are many cheap, creative, combative and ball playing midfield players out there in the Mould of Modric, Pirlo, Alonso etc, but our Scouts are doing nothing about them. Capoue, Wayama, Gundogan, Benat, Benaga and many more,,, none of them will cost more than 18m Pounds and they will totally change our midfield and Pattern of playing.

I hope we put up a good fight irrespective of the result against Man U. on Sunday. We have lacked passion these last few weeks and the players need to step up.

benitez must go as soon as is practical end of season probably,hope roman has learned something from this and the torres experience, roll on next season