Chelsea Banter Archive November 08 2015

08 Nov 2015 21:33:21
Looking at the last few games, I think our main issue is the lack of players in the box. At times on Saturday and against Kiev there was not a single person in the box despite us having possession in the attacking third.

Another problem is our lack of shooting. There was one point on Saturday, when there was 4-5 players in and around the box and yet none of them wanted to shoot, and just kept recycling the ball.

And finally, hardly any of our players are making off the ball runs. They either stand completely still or condense play by constantly running towards the ball.

08 Nov 2015 22:08:14
I agree, also costa's positioning st times is suspect . He never seems to be in the box when he is supposed to! Although he does look very isolated st times.

08 Nov 2015 22:09:47
Costa's the main problem. He's been drifting too far wide this season. He needs to stay centre and near there last man. It's getting quite annoying.

09 Nov 2015 05:44:50
Fuser and I are on the same page with a lack of off the ball movement. It started last year when players would just watch the Eden show and it's continued through this season. I personally haven't seen Diego making too many runs and I'm intrigued as to why Jose hasn't been more prone to expiriment with remy or falcao as diegos not close to form at the moment.

{Ed001's Note - that is an odd one. Costa offers nothing to the team right now, sometimes he is as much a hindrance as a help, and Jose is normally ruthless with getting rid of players who are not contributing.}

09 Nov 2015 10:00:27
Ed,
I think Chelsea are a bit light in attack. what are Jose's options?
I like Remy, but he will never be the main striker at a club like Chelsea, and Falcao has not exactly set the Prem on fire.
Costa the only option?

{Ed001's Note - when Costa is so badly out of form you have to change something. I am not a fan of Remy but he could hardly be any worse than Costa right now.}

09 Nov 2015 10:35:10
Totally agree, but everybody knows I'm a Remy fan, (meaning I would have loved him at Arsenal) .
Biggest problem with strikers is you have to keep playing them even if they are off form, especially with limited options as back up, hoping that one goal will get them back on track.

09 Nov 2015 10:38:41
'Own goals' is our top scorer in the Premier League so far this season. That says it all!

09 Nov 2015 11:42:29
And Willian from free kicks.

09 Nov 2015 13:46:14
One thing that you can say about remy is that his pace makes the other teams defenders drop deeper which provides more room for the creative players. And as Ed said Diegos doing absolutely nothing at the moment.

09 Nov 2015 14:01:33
As much as I agree that Costa isn't doing enough at the moment, Remy and Falcao are certainly NOT good enough alternatives. Remy is Mr offside and Falcao just doesn't look like a footballer anymore, similar situation to Torres really which is very sad to see. Would love to see Griezman come in in January (I realise it would be very hard, especially in Jan) so that we can add more goals to our game. For now though I believe we have to stick by Costa. One goal for Diego could change his and our entire season around and the same goes for Hazard. Surely things will begin to change soon enough.

09 Nov 2015 15:12:46
I think everyone has summed up exactly what is wrong with us up front, lack of firepower. The biggest disappointment is Falcao and the JM gamble not paying off. I really thought he had pulled off a master stroke although in fairness to him he hasn't had a run in the team so he can build an understanding but now he is a goner. To me Remy is an impact player, something he did very well last year but not a regular starter which leaves Costa. I fear he is turning into another Michu, a one season wonder. He rarely shoots from any distance, offers nothing in the air and keeps drifting to the left wing; we were spoilt by Didier Drogba, everything a striker should be. Remy might be kept on but Falcao and Costa will be gone and hopefully they will listen to what JM wants if he survives.

09 Nov 2015 16:05:58
Dags I hear you are not a bad centre forward, how about making an appearance in a blue shirt for a couple of games. Nobody on the Arsenal page would need to know, the Dagenham Drogba.

09 Nov 2015 19:13:03
Costa is not the main problem. He is playing the way Mourinho wants him to. It was very similar with Torres.
It is about tactics and formation. And both are wrong.

12 Nov 2015 00:08:37
Costa has not been the same since his last hamstring injury. He seems reluctant to run in behind and is hardly ever in the box. All he does is drift out left or run towards the ball with his back to goal reducing space for our attacking players. Give Remy a chance next game as although not as rounded a player as Costa, Remy knows how to grab a goal.

08 Nov 2015 20:30:31
Ed002, I will like to know if the board still retain trust in MOU service, I read some news claiming his position will be reviewed during the international break! Pls don't be angry am bringing this up again just wish the guy is given more time.

{Ed002's Note - I have no interest in answering any questions on this page.}

08 Nov 2015 14:21:39
Would just like to say Chelsea are playing Liverpool u21's today and are winning 2-0.

Ten seconds into second half from the kick off LOFTUS CHEEK went on a fifty yard charge and scored. Oh Yeah and Traore scored the first.

08 Nov 2015 15:00:57
4-0 now buddy and they'll probably still never play first team football.

08 Nov 2015 15:10:51
It's disgusting isn't it? I love Mourinho but this part about youth really annoys me with him that's why if he left I would like Guardiola. He rotates and plays youth. Kingsley Coman's a great example. He's been playing fantastic for Bayern and he's scored a couple. Kenedy and Traore are about the same level as him also.

08 Nov 2015 15:35:28
Traore and Loftus-Cheek are real talents and must surely be given more first team experience.

08 Nov 2015 15:37:45
Only if every side had to play 1 or 2 players from their academy will more players make it with top clibs.
With Gibbs Wlishire Szczesney Arsenal are 4th place trophy undisputed championship but with Monreal Ozil Cech we are much more realistic challenger's.
If every sides has to play 2 in every game with no exceptions you need to have atleast 8 in the squad because of injury form rotation etc,

08 Nov 2015 16:42:42
I think there should be a rule in the premier league where you should have to play two youth homegrown players in every game. It would make derbies better and more passionate.

08 Nov 2015 18:51:27
It would be fantastic and more workable if uafa introduced it too Eden, putting every team in the same position where no team could rely 100% on the transfer market for trophies would mean every cub investing much more of their money into developing talent.
Hard to believe Liverpool can't produce 8 to 10 local lads over a 10 year period to keep both Everton and Liverpool going and Newcastle Manchester Southampton Norwich etc.
I think we'd probably see some teams fielding 7 or 8 local lads at times simply because of a bumper crop at that time.

08 Nov 2015 11:03:44
Hello guys, was just thinking about yesterdays game and I believe we need to sign a top striker in january transfer window. As it would be really har to get anyone I would really go for ibrahimovic, I know he is 'old' selfish and so on. But this exactly what we need in order to save our season, get him and someone else (pogba, griezman) and try to win champions league.

08 Nov 2015 12:04:09
LRDIt you do realise all 3 names you just mentioned would be cup tied and wouldn't be able to play for us in the champions league? As negative as it sounds I really don't see why any top player would come to us in January. The likes of Pogba, Reus, Griezmann could all move to teams guaranteed CL football next season!
I think realistically we would need to look at someone like Mauro Icardi who's been mentioned a lot (struggling to get in the Inter side lately though) .
Fact is in my personal opinion the club needs restructuring from the top downwards. People like Emenalo need to go. Whoever the manager is should be picking the players we buy, not him! Rahman to me looks very dodgy - not being funny but we could have spent an extra £10m and got Ricardo Rodriguez from Wolfsburg! Pedro looks to be an absolute appalling buy too (a lot of you will call me negative to its true) . We've been buying too many "squad players" in my opinion. When you're at the elite level we should be at you need to be buying players who strengthen your starting 11 not your bench!

08 Nov 2015 12:25:58
Chelsea nick, completely forgot about cup. tied this one is on me. Anyway I would really love ibrahimovic at chelsea he still has 2 seasons in him, also would be good to get bamford back and replace falcao. with him.

I believe if our league form doesn't improve, just give youngsters a chance. Build team for next season!

08 Nov 2015 13:01:35
First priority should be John Stones who isn't cup tied

08 Nov 2015 13:17:42
Totally agree with both of you. I'd send Falcao back to Monaco and recall Bamford. His loan spell is wasting everyone's time. It's an insult that Gayle gets a game ahead of him!
Stones is an absolute must! Just chuck the chequebook at Everton or kidnap him if needs be! Haha! With FFP seemingly gone it's time to improve this team!

08 Nov 2015 13:39:31
Emenalo needs to go? Oh dear.

08 Nov 2015 13:51:09
Chelsea Nick: At last someone else agrees with our waste of money buys which most 'should' have questioned at the time. However, I did think JM could coax something out of Falcao but that does not appear to be the case. Michael Emenalo offered to resign when JM came back but it was not accepted and at the time JM said "I fully understand the transfer policy at the club" but there is no doubt he has been woefully let down in the last window when he knew that the squad needed strengthening and a large part of the buck must rest with him. I would doubt he would be involved in the Griezmann and Pogba negotiations that would fall to Marina Granovskaia. Personally I do not think Patrick Bamford will ever make it in the Premiership.

{Ed001's Note - in my personal opinion, Bamford will be lucky to make it at Championship level, he was ridiculously overhyped last season.}

08 Nov 2015 13:52:36
The players you need to look at are players who probably won't be playing in the champions league next season. Stones and Laporte probably as CB's.,

08 Nov 2015 14:14:18
Ibra would be so awesome :-P ridiculously expensive though.
And "Emenalo needs to go"? Seriously? He's done a great job of getting talent to the club over the past years.

08 Nov 2015 15:55:53
Ibrahimovic would be an ideal short term fix and he brings a fear factor to the team as Drogba did BUT we really should have moved on from short term ventures. I am certain there will be a major overhaul, there has to be. I am equally certain that we put a marker down for Griezmann in the transfer window for next season probably involving Costa and currently we have someone almost camped on his doorstep.

I would be surprised if we went after Pogba again but we need someone alongside Matic whether RLC or another. Who else we go after is anyone's guess at the moment but I really hope we do not waste money again.

08 Nov 2015 18:38:30
Cavani is the one we should go for.

08 Nov 2015 21:29:29
Who are these "great talents" that Emenalo is responsible for then?

08 Nov 2015 22:22:13
Nick, you're not happy with talented players like Traore, Musonda and Kenedy just to name a few? Or Courtois? KDB who we made a good profit on is another one. We've acquired loads of talented youngsters. Most might not be good enough to feature for our 1st team, but they're making us money to buy players who are good enough.
And of course Emenalo isn't the only one responsible for bringing them in, but he's the technical director so he's got something to do with it. He's done a very good job.

08 Nov 2015 03:43:12
Costa is a HUGE liability for us right now . He has become complacent due to lack of competition.
Overall we played well, Hazard looked sharp but the luck isn't in our favour at all. Still positive about this season and we can make it to top 6 (or somewhere near to that) and none other than Mourinho can do it for us.

08 Nov 2015 12:26:23
Can still make top 4! Just need to win matches.

08 Nov 2015 12:59:55
I hope we finish in top 4 that'll be some story