Chelsea Banter Archive March 01 2020

01 Mar 2020 16:07:27
No idea how but it looks as though we've got away with dropping points again yesterday, with United and Spurs also dropping points again today. Not sure how much longer we can keep getting away with it, but today is another lifeline that's for sure!

01 Mar 2020 16:47:52
I think the concern isn't just utd or spurs anymore.

We have wolves, sheffield, arsenal and Everton to worry about now.

01 Mar 2020 17:01:38
We haven’t got away with anything! We are staying in a title race, allowing arsenal to get involved as well as spurs united wolves Sheffield United, while we are playing Bournemouth we should be capitalising on united / wolves / spurs playing very tough games,

01 Mar 2020 18:20:18
Title race. I’m sorry I was thinking of next year, I meant top 4 race *.

01 Mar 2020 07:18:03
I apologise for the long post.

We don't have a goalkeeper who is truly good enough to be a Premier League number 1.

Alonso scores goals, god knows we need his goals at the moment, but from a defensive perspective we don't have a left back who's good enough.

We have four decent enough center backs but no pairing of the four makes for a good enough CB partnership in the Premier League and we don't have a leader / positive talker amongst them.

From a defensive perspective we don't have a good enough holding midfielder, from this perspective Jorginho certainly isn't suited to the league. Our best CM (overall player) is played in a role that doesn't suit him because we have a lack of options and he still does a better job there than others would.

Our best two attacking players from last season (Hazard and RLC) haven't been available due to being sold and injury. We haven't been able to replace their goals and assists.

Our best three attacking players (Mount, Pulisic and Abraham) during our positive run of games this season have very little or no Premier League experience, are very young, and have suffered from injuries or burnout during our recent poor run of games. We have very little in the squad capable of replacing them.

We have problems up, down and across the pitch. These aren't new problems, they shouldn't surprise anyone, they were there at the start of the season. They're the same problems that made most pundits think top six was the absolute best we could hope for; and finishing outside the top six a distinct possibility.

We have a very inexperienced coach who's having to learn on the job, another problem we knew about at the start of the season. With this, and all the problems above, how is he supposed to have a settled style or team? How is he supposed to do anything other than identify what needs to be done to fix these problems for next season, and do his best to paper over the cracks for this season? We are really, very lucky to be in fourth and more luck is needed to remain there.

Maybe it's because he's a club legend, to say that doesn't impact opinion would be a lie. But given the problems he's had to deal with, and his own lack of experience, I don't think Lampard can be judged this season.

The club do need to have a positive summer window (already started well with Ziyech), and this needs to be reflected next season on the pitch. If it isn't then questions need to be asked of Lampard. But, given what he's dealt with this season, he deserves the opportunity to do better in a better situation next season.

01 Mar 2020 09:02:17
Excellent post J,

Let me say yet again I don’t want Lamps sacked. IMO he needs help.

The match against Bayern was huge for me J. We had plenty of time to prepare and we were all over the place. The gaps between the lines, our lack of movement when we had the ball, players not tracking runners but the most obvious and amateurish play for me was Giroud not moving onto the weaker in the air centre half. Mind you that wasn’t helped by a goalkeeper who is very poor at long kicks. I repeat we had over TWO months to prepare for that game!

I think we will beat Liverpool on Tuesday and I think we have to continue in that game, with three at the back but I have zero confidence in us getting anything at home against Everton.

01 Mar 2020 11:35:18
I tend to agree, J - it would be unfair to judge Lamps on this season but he is certainly not covering himself in glory with his tactics, team selection or substitutions.

However, I have heard on the grapevine that Alonso's equaliser yesterday saved Frank from a very difficult discussion today - I am told that Marina is sharpening Roman's axe (and that's not a euphemism! ) .

01 Mar 2020 12:25:37
Excellent post J, summed up my feelings exactly and as one of those who thought we'd be lucky at start of season to make top 6. We can only hope that some plans beyond Ziyech already in place for summer signings - including someone to add to leadership in team - and that our injured recover properly and are back in the squad soon. We would be extremely lucky indeed still to be in top 4 come end the season, but fully fit and re-energised Tammy, Pulisic and RLC (and Kante - and played in right position! ) might give us a chance.