Chelsea Banter Archive February 13 2012

13 Feb 2012 23:38:22
morning ed,

The guardian reports their was a big 'row' between the players of the old guard (surprise, surprise) and AVB on sunday. I find the guardian to usually be pretty accurate, can you shed any light?

We need to get rid of the majority of these players in the summer to make sure AVB tactics are fully adopted IMO.

Melbourne CFC

Shouldve known better and scrolled, apoligies ed.

Melbourne CFC

13 Feb 2012 22:23:58
What went on in these meeting Roman had with AVB ed? {Ed002's Note - From what I understand of the discussions it is irrelevant for this forum.}

13 Feb 2012 22:06:36
4 Spurs/Hazard questions in a row, Ed you deserve a medal.

13 Feb 2012 21:20:31
any chance of hiddink taking over till summer ?
mourinho in the summer ?

13 Feb 2012 20:27:35
Actually, i think we are just about right where we should be in the league table. Imagine where we would have been, have we not got Mata this season! Now that is a fight for top 10, i guess. All of our strikers are out of form. Sturridge is being played where the system requires, rather than where he could be best and he wasn't even given a chance.

A few players play the worst football of their careers - Bosingwa, Malouda, Lampard, Cole, Cech.

Some just don't cut it - Meireles.

We only have Mata, who we overwork, because we have no options. Ramires, who sadly gets injured too often. Srurridge who we tend to criticise regardless.

We are just not a very good team at the moment.

Fancy our chances if Mata got injured?

13 Feb 2012 17:47:13
My fellow fans, lets contribute on these issues;
1)what do you think interpersonal relations amongst cfc players and avb?
2) what do you think about players transfer(in and out) in the last 2 transfer periods?
3) what is your take on "cfc has a lean squad in terms of talent and options"?
4) what is it that you would want Mr Abramovich to do so that cfc can win all trophies(cl, epl, fa &carling cup) next season?

Hussein

What i think is we lack depth in squad. That is right and it not the right balance in the meantime. The age gaps are too big and too far in between. We have a bunch of over the hill players who still think they can start week in and week out. We have built a team and let it get old together, now that is wrong. We should have let Malouda go long time ago. Should have ACole go a couple of seasons ago and went for someone like Coentrao.

Don't get me wrong, i really appreciate and love our best players, but you have to refresh your squad gradually and incorporate youth at the same time. Of course smart buying like Mata and Ramires helps, where every Bosingwa and Zhirkov and Benayoun and Mejreles make you look stupid.

It is a sad realitywhen players like Obi and Kalou feel they should be paid top money when they are nowhere good, vould be decent squad players, but think they should be starters. They need to be let go.

Look at EPL. There is a lot of decent talent for squad depth: Victor Moses, Sessegnon, Demba Ba, Junior Hoilett. We never go for those. We are shooting for the Goetzes and Hazards, but they end up at Barca or Real, anyway.

Again, don't get me wrong, top talent like Drogba, Lampard or Terry can't be replaced by anyone lower that standard. But whom do we have on the bench?

The game goes the wrong way and we need to make a difference - AVB turn to the bench and sees Malouda as his best option:) How depressing is that. Seriously what would you do, were you AVB?

I agree; players like Victor Moses and Junior Hoilett offer us the impact sub option and a plan B when things are going wrong. Both will be cheap and both won't expect to be starters so would fit in nicely. Buy a starting winger ie. Hazard and put Mata as CAM with Sturridge at LM then these impact players can slot in any of these positions when one is injured or struggling. Stephane Sessegnon is another player who would fit in well, very much in the Ramires mould.
Scotty.

Hoilett is a no brainer to me. Kalou is leaving, Hoilett is available for free at the end of the season, a kid is 21 years old. Would be surprised if we did not go for him.

Although Ed is always saying that we are multitasking while at transfer window, but by the results of it, it always looks like we finish one deal and then turn to the other. We would have to be very sharp, fast and decisive this window, for sure.

11 Feb 2012 23:38:52
Why is Bertrand not being used? Best ball in the box all game by any of the wing-backs, stop bringing off Mata and Essien and then never let Malouda, Bosingwa etc play again. Why did we send De-Bruyne on loan? Give Piazon a chance FFS!
A team I'd like to see:
Cech
Ivanovic Terry Cahill Cole
Essien
Ramires Lampard
Mata
Torres Sturridge
Subs: David Luiz, Piazon, Bertrand, Drogba, Lukaku, Romeu, Chalobah

Players we should buy for cheap:
Sesegnon: Quick, skillful passer who has a good shot
Maclean: Young Striker who looks like a man who could be moulded into a new Rooney.
Hoilett: Doing well in a struggling side and would be cheap in summer, also quick and has a great cross on him.
Victor Moses: ^See above.
Raul Albiol: Out of favour at Real Madrid and is a good, solid CB.
Markus Henrikson: Midfield Dynamo who could potentially be just what we need. Having a good season this year and has plenty of potential.
Experienced players we should look at:
Kaka: Might be a gamble, but is a proven Class Player and could really be proper playmaker which we so desperately crave.
Nigel De-Jong: Good rugged Defensive Midfielder who does his job well and might take the move as he is out of favour. Might cost a bit but he is a good player.
Scott Sinclair/Nathan Dyer: Young class acts, swallow the pride and rebuy the youngster we let go, i don't think we'll regret it.

Still think we'll get fourth but it will be tough.
CFCFOREVER!

********************************
My original post to suggest players we could look at includes Hoilett and Moses but got 5-7 in favour of disagrees? Anyone want to say why?

13 Feb 2012 12:44:31
ED002 i know you have said you won't speculate at this time but a chelsea spokesman confirmed Roman had words with AVB and players on Sunday but could AVB be sacked before the season ends? in a perfect situation AVB will be kept at the club as a number 2 or assistant for a couple of years to get used to managing Chelsea could this be a option? {Ed002's Note - I am not going to speculate over the sacking of a Chelsea manager.}

But has it been discussed in meetings with Roman and other board members? {Ed002's Note - I have nothing to say on the matter.}

Why is that ED02? Would you inform us if he was to be sacked like you did with Ancelotti? {Ed002's Note - Sure if that becomes the case, but for now it is no more than speculation.}

Any other news ed02 on like who which players were discussed when AVB and Roman met last week? {Ed002's Note - There is nothing to report right now.}

13 Feb 2012 11:30:42
Wonder if Shedend still fancies Torres as the number 9 he will never cut it at Chelsea get rid its getting embarassing.

If we had a lineup of 4-2-3-1 with any back four of our disposal, Essien and Ramires in midfield, a Hamsik, a Mata and a Hazard behind the striker, i fancy Heskey.

But i don't fancy van Persie with our midfield, or Cavani. Want another world class struker look useless, get him to Chelsea.

13 Feb 2012 08:23:36
Frankly speaking, in order to take us out of the flux we are in, the manager has to apply different formations. We can see that the team is being shifted into prefered formation, rather than other way around. We play 4-3-3 when we gave no wingers. Whats wrong with the man? He wants it the way it was at Porto, but we don't have the players for it.

Everyone is calling for Mata to play in the hole, then why wouldn't we go gor a diamond formation, thus leaving the likes of Malouda of the pitch for good. Have Sturridge and whomever play two upfront, with Mata behind them, Lamps, Ramires and Essien forming the base with one holding.

Cech
Ivanovic Luiz Terry Cole
Essien
Ramires Lampard
Mata
Sturridge Drogba


definitely a better lineup and formation than the one being used. Why drift wide, when we can't cross. We keep Bosingwa on the pitch, because, he kind of can, but is a very "kind of", but at the same time he is such a liability while being out of position, while defending. All of the time.

Not only do we need a right winger if we are to play 4-3-3, but a left winger as well, unless you have some fondness towards Malouda, of course. Dump the formation, it is not working. Enough of Torres experiment, he had a glorious opportunity to make the position his, with Drogba out at ACN. Play Drogba with Sturridge, trust me, he'll share the ball with Drogs, you'll see. These both drift out wide during mathes no matter what the formation is at the kick off. And let Mata play to his strengths. Behind the strikers.

A plan B. Believe me, one man named Luiz Felipe didn't look for alternative route.

Luiz is a liability. His positional sense and the way he didn't tackle and turned his back on Saturday was terrible. Cahill has to play before him. Agree with the rest.

12 Feb 2012 23:07:44
ED002 is it true Roman had a meeting with AVB and with the players today? {Ed002's Note - The players were called in to Cobham today by the manager.}