YESTERDAYS GAME (CWC)
After yesterdays loss in the CWC,Its become pretty obvious that this runs deeper than we all feared. We had no strategy,no playing style,no identity. It looked like 11 players in blue were put on the pitch to run around with the ball (hoping something would give in),it just doesn't work like that,not in a cup competition. You can say all you want about Corinthians being an average team,hey! They are champions of south America (copa liberatodas),and that's a big feat...They had a game plan and they executed it with precision,and more importantly they wanted it more than we did...

THE PAST
We benefited from a team built by Jose over the last few years,a team based on rigidity,strength and efficiency. Those lads understood the language of being Champions,playing in a final,a winning mentality. Coaches that succeed after Jose were coaches who knew how to get the best out of the core players,and most of our signings were players who complemented their playing style,and were physical and strong on the ball. Within the last 8 years we have won loads of trophies,not just because of the managers know how,but because of the foundation laid in the past. Coaches who built on that foundation succeeded at Chelsea FC. Sad to say,but we have moved on from this era....

THE PRESENT
We have a new crop of talents,most of them in their early 20's and still developing their game and playing style. We are moving on from a team built with strength and rigidity to a team built with flair and technicality. We have a great youth system to back up the younger players in the first team,we have loads of talents on loan who will acquire experience and be back stronger. We have no identity/playing style,we have no certainty in terms of management,we have an inept board which keeps making stupid decisions,our scouts find players,and the board keeps making signings they feel the Club needs,rather than what the manager needs. What exactly is the foundation?
A great man once said- "A great club is not based on the players and manager...Its the Board,back room staffs,medical team,management,players,youth system... E.t.c its a body". Changing of managers and acquisition of talents all over the world is basically a quick fix approach,until we decide to go back to the drawing board and build from down-up. I wouldn't be this ticked off if we had signed players in their peaks,who actually don't need to develop much,as they have learnt all there is to know from their various adventures. We signed young emerging talents,and as long as we don't have an identity,consistency and playing style,we will hamper their development and our emergence as a force.


THE PLAN
Early 90's Fergusson was able to build a squad from basically a core of players from the Man united reserves (Foundation Laid)...We know basically most of those players,they have been part and parcel of Manchester united success in the past and in recent years as well. He solidified a playing style and identity. Every Manchester united player signed is shown what it takes to be a Man united player by the oldies.

Cryuf in the late 80's built a structure that was going to be successful not just in the present but in the future as well,he laid the foundation in La masia and created an identity for the team,with players like xavi and puyol coming through. Guardiola understood that philosophy and structure and built on from that foundation.

Klopp was hired from Mainz by Dortmund to build a team for the future with a low budget. He re-structured the academy and reserve players(foundation laid),and created an identity and playing style within the squad. He did that under a strict budget and was,and still is successful at it.

I'm sure by now you understand my point...A plan was set,patience was involved,and consistency led to good fruits being reaped. Doesn't take rocket science to understand that we have to set a standard plan,we have the talents in the club to be the kings of Europe for the next 2-10 years,if only we can be consistent and patient.

Fans need to have something to look forward to,the players need to feel such optimism as well. Most Chelsea fans have lost that sense of optimism with happenings in recent months and have become total realist,myself included. Let's hope lessons have been learned and points noted so we can move forward as a club. Keep The Blue Flag Flying High...Up The Chels!!!

I think our plan (the one Roman wants) is to play neat possession football like Barca. Thats why he bought oscar/hazard and thats why he is so desperate for Pep. Personally i loved the way we used to play From 2004-2011. When you buy small players you end up having a team full of players that are all good on the ball but cant do anything off it. And the way we got rolled over by West ham and struggled to deal with Corinthians physicality is another weakness. Barcas one weakness is that they are all weak players thats why they struggled against us because xavi/iniesta couldnt stop ballack/essien when they had possession. We need to buy some more players with the Strength speciality on Fifa



Edited by Humza_96 17/12/2012 15:21

THE PAST: Go back to the days of Leboeuf, Hasselbaink, Poyet, Desailly, Wise et al...you didn't mess with those characters either.

Size can be an issue, nely, but 'character' is all imo. Maybe some of our new contingent of youngsters need to develop this...but on the whole if you've got it then it shows at any age.
This is why despite his loss of pace we miss Terry so much...AND why we miss Didier too!

I agree mutters,and Wise especially was definitely a 'character' and had the desire to get stuck in regardless of his size. I also made that clear when I said ''Those lads understood the
language of being Champions,playing in a
final,a winning mentality.'' Only one or two players showed that yesterday,Luiz and probably Ramires(obviously not the biggest on the pitch),they played with their hearts and the mentality to win. Some players are natural leaders,they play out their hearts whenever they get on a green grass,some tend to grow into it gradually, until they feel a certain attachment or place at the Club. The young lads are pretty fragile and need to be assured of their responsibilities and importance to the club. Doesn't help when we tend to change managers every now and then,giving the lads a sense of 'No Direction'.

I completely agree with you guys, my VC friends.

I also think that character is formed and strengthened through adversity. Although Mourihno won the PL early on, we've had our fair share of disappointments - and it is through our CL final against ManU, and the stolen game against Barca in the CL semifinal that leaders like Terry, Lampard, Drogba, Cech stood tall against Barca and Bayern last season to collect the trophy. It took us 8 years to win the European trophy - and we had many disappointments and discontent in the meantime.

You're right nely that now we are forming a new team. All this talk about character, or lack of it for that matter, is true but misguided. Our squad is too young to have the character of last year. Mata / Hazard / Oscar - have never experienced the disappointed of losing the CL by penalties, to have it so close only to let it slip away. They have not experienced the desire to win it year after year, only to end in disappointment. It will take some time before our key players can develop the character and leadership to pull our team through a difficult game. I think we have to be patient.

I took the following from part of a post I made immediately after the CWC final-

Last week our loanee, Kevin De Bruyne, said something in an interview that stuck with me. Asked about Raffa, he responded- "It doesn't change anything for me. Last week I had a call with a Chelsea worker. Benitez seems to be a caretaker coach. For how long, it is not clear."

How can you expect a team to play with purpose when that sort of mentality persists? If you don't like the results, why bother to change them? The manager already has one foot out the door, no sense in working your tail off to impress him. No sense in paying much attention because the next manager should have something new and different to say. This is the sort of mentality that cripples progress.

Drogs well said!! Very true Rslack,and its not just with the younger players as well,the older players like Ashley and Lamps feel no sense of belonging anymore, due to their imminent departure from the club. Barcelona recently gave a 34 year old Puyol a 4 year contract,its obviously not for on the pitch involvement as we know puyol is basically past it due to his recent battle with injuries. Barcelona recognize the importance of the older players,as they play a huge role intransiting the younger La masia players into the 1st team. You have the older players showing the upcoming ones the Barcelona way. I understand that Chelsea FC have a certain policy they must adhere to,but it might end up being the wrong move. Players like Oscar have stated how much he looks up to lmaps for tutorship ,Bertrand looks up to Ashley for tutorship...We need the older players to show this younger lads the Chelsea way,that winning mentality,why they bleed blue...but its going to be hard for them to if they have no sense of belonging.

I mostly agree nely. Veteran leadership is important and learning the ropes from a proven trophy winner never hurts. That said, I think that a lot of it boils down to a management decision again. Not necessarily a monetary decision, but one for a manager- which players are the type that you would hope to keep around for their positive influences as well as contributions?

That is the sort of input that a manager should provide to those in charge of contract renegotiations. One of Jose's first moves as manager was to trim the squad, he emphasized the importance of this on several occasions. We haven't seen that in a long while. Managers go, players stay. It isn't about "out with the old and in with the new", as AVB learned all too well. But it is about creating a nucleus of talent, experience, and mentality upon which a good team can be built.

At the moment, we seem to have too many Chiefs and not enough Indians when it comes to deciding on the direction of the squad. I am, and have been, of the opinion that consistency is needed more than change. I think that this season is a perfect example of the fact that when everything is a variable, its impossible to diagnose the source of the problem.

Let's say I'm having a problem in the lab. Looking at my results, I conclude that the problem could be due to: my sample, the chemicals I've used for my experiment, the equipment I'm using, or my interpretation of the results. Given my experience, it is a good idea to change one parameter at a time and look at the results. No change indicates that the changed parameter isn't the source of the problem. So I change the chemicals I've used for the experiment, but the results persist. The chemicals weren't the source of my problem. But the board seems to think that you can change almost everything (the manager, the squad, the style....) and if it doesn't work, then the answer is more and bigger changes. When the hell do you sit down and try to understand the problem before you launch into trying to find a solution? Too many ideas for solutions, too poor an understanding of the problem. Too many chiefs, not enough Indians.

Sturridge having medical at pool tomorrow...






.so the plan is changing...