Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours

kryogen

ShoulderChip wrote: »

Anyone else anxious we will throw it all away tomorrow?

nope

walk in the park for ye tomorrow

Chelsea to win very easily

Soby

any other than a win though and that could be it..although all comes down to the lunchtime fixture too

CHD

Soby wrote: »

Great to see gudjonsson score today

I used to like him. If he scores more goals to give that lot CL football I will never talk to him again. The ball is in his court now.

ShoulderChip

Great article detailing just how fucked up we are and will be in the Times today, CHD no doubt will see it all as positive

Trouble and strife as Chelsea confront harsh realities
Duncan Castles

*

Recommend? (2)

BODY language is often more eloquent than words alone, as on Friday as Carlo Ancelotti set about fixing the damage inflicted by Jose Mourinho’s Internazionale by announcing Chelsea’s determination to win the Double.

After telling us that owner Roman Abramovich was disappointed “but not angry” with Tuesday’s Champions League exit, the Italian was asked if he will ever bring the European Cup to Chelsea. There is a wry smile, a breathy chuckle. Ancelotti turns his eyes to the floor and scratches at his right temple. “I think so,” he says. “It is my dream . . . to put the Champions League here in Stamford Bridge.”

That reverie had sparse time to present itself in the two hours of restless sleep Ancelotti got after the loss to Inter. It did not help that Abramovich held Ancelotti and his assistants back at the Bridge until the early hours of Wednesday morning for a verbal post-mortem of another failed European campaign. The coming day brought the prospect of the club’s owner encamping himself at Cobham for further inquisitions.

Accompanied by a cadre of Chelsea executives, Abramovich sat in on a fractious gathering of players and coaches. He gathered the club’s scouting staff together to discuss the quality of recruitment work. He called together the medical department to discuss the burgeoning list of front-line injuries. The process has become so familiar through Chelsea’s recent failing seasons that it is easy to overlook its oddity. “Holistic” is how one Chelsea official describes the Abramovich approach. Horrific seems more appropriate.
Related Links

* Ancelotti turns attention to winning Double

* Chelsea likely to fine Drogba for red card

* Abramovich on verge of Chelsea revamp

Those close to Ancelotti talk of a popular, well-intentioned man attempting to cope with myriad advisory voices and competing agendas. As he struggles to meet the owner’s target of winning trophies playing beautiful football, the coach is expected to integrate Frank Arnesen’s academy recruits into the first team. His players are assaulted with half-time performance statistics courtesy of Mike Forde, the club’s performance director. Head scout Michael Emenalo has risen to a position from which he directly questions players on their tactical roles during and after games — a strange responsibility for an Avram Grant appointment whose previous position was coaching a girls’ side at Tucson Soccer Academy.

There are rumblings of discontent towards Ancelotti’s assistants. Ray Wilkins is considered too close to John Terry, who championed his appointment in 2008.

There has been criticism of the relaxed manner in which he and Bruno Demichelis, the psychologist Ancelotti brought from AC Milan, prepare for games. Terry’s standing within the team has arguably been damaged by his affair with the mother of Wayne Bridge’s child. Club insiders describe Terry as a man who has lost his formerly dominant position inside the dressing room, and talk of a resentment that Terry’s behaviour forced Ancelotti into publicly warning the entire playing staff against bringing Chelsea into further disrepute.

Terry remains oddly untouchable as a player, a succession of on-field errors written off by Ancelotti as results have suffered. In the 11 matches since their captain’s affair became public knowledge, Chelsea have conceded 13 goals. Four games have been lost, including the “fiasco” of a 4-2 home defeat to Bridge’s Manchester City.

Abramovich may prove less tolerant of the injuries that weakened his team on Tuesday, Jose Bosingwa and Michael Essien failing to recover from knee problems in time for Inter. For all the millions spent, Chelsea remain a dysfunctional conundrum of self-preserving factions. For all Abramovich’s training ground inquisitions, the owner will not change the club’s power structure to help his manager concentrate on success.

Barring a disastrous end to this campaign, Ancelotti will survive, yet the word from Russia is that there is to be no radical overhaul of the squad. Joe Cole and Deco are likely to go and Michael Ballack will have to take a pay cut commensurate with his new status as a squad player. There may be spending on a Franck Ribery or a Sergio Aguero, but only if the prices come down. Arnesen and his mentor Piet de Visser remain influential, with Alex and Salomon Kalou regarded as relative successes on Tuesday and lauded as economical acquisitions.

More worrying for Chelsea fans is the belief that several young signings are ready to establish themselves in the first team. Nemanja Matic, Daniel Sturridge, Gael Kakuta, Fabio Borini, Jeffrey Bruma, Ryan Bertrand, Miroslav Stoch and Patrick van Aanholt are to be a grand part of Chelsea’s Champions League future. No wonder Ancelotti is rubbing that temple.

The kids who may have to step up
Daniel Sturridge (20, England, striker) Left Manchester City in 2009 when Chelsea agreed to pay him £60,000 a week. Unused sub against Inter
Nemanja Matic (21, Serbia, midfield) £1.5m Frank Arnesen signing from Slovak club MFK Kosice. Played just 21 minutes against Wolves in the Premier League
Gael Kakuta (18, France, winger, inset). His acquisition from Lens brought Chelsea a transfer ban, eventually lifted when the French club were paid off. Four senior games
Miroslav Stoch (20, Slovakia, winger) Quick but slight full international. Loaned to FC Twente this season, he has scored eight times

CHD

Before I even read that... Saying that a team who is in a great position in the league and is only out of the CL because they got drawn against a good side early who also have a manager who knows Chelsea inside out are fúcked up is ridiculously stupid.

kryogen

i find myself agreeing with ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

weird feeling that

so, handy 3-0 win today then lads

Ush1

I reckon they will win today but it's slightly more interesting than usual. It is Blackburn though at the end of the day and Chelsea should be too strong for them.

CHD

Ush1 wrote: »

I reckon they will win today but it's slightly more interesting than usual. It is Blackburn though at the end of the day and Chelsea should be too strong for them.

Blackburn have some injury probs too.

Also when Essien is back this team will be a different animal.

This team has to cope with the loss of 3 players who are some of the best at what they do. Bosingwa is a top RB and Cole is the best LB around this year, Chelsea rely on full backs. Essien is the best around at what he does any team would miss him. Our tactics can't cope without those players. We are not fúcked up, we are unlucky and unwilling to adapt.

Ush1

CHD wrote: »

Blackburn have some injury probs too.

Also when Essien is back this team will be a different animal.

Most defo, immense player. Is he still scheduled back for the end of this month?

CHD

Ush1 wrote: »

Most defo, immense player. Is he still scheduled back for the end of this month?

There is nothing really confirmed, I reckon another month til he is 100%. United game in 14 days I think. Hope he somehow makes it.

everdead.ie

You'd swear Chelsea where relagation threatened the way there talking on goals on Sunday

kryogen

just typical media bull****

you lose a game and its a crisis

ShoulderChip

everdead.ie wrote: »

You'd swear Chelsea where relagation threatened the way there talking on goals on Sunday

Well you cant stop ignoring the fact our best players are the wrong side of thirty for ever

ShoulderChip

kryogen wrote: »

just typical media bull****

you lose a game and its a crisis

We lost two legs of a cl tie, we lost to man city,
Terry has lost form and appears to have lost the dressing room, Anelka has forgotten how to support Drogba and every second the ticking tock of decline is ringing int he ears of
terry, carvalho, Ballack, Deco, Drogba and Anelka

its not an over-reaction

kryogen

it is an overreaction

you are in the semi final of the FA cup
if you win your games in hand you are top of the league
you are missing key players (Cole, Essien) and still dominant against most teams

you lot will become as bad as the liverpool fans soon

CHD

ShoulderChip wrote: »

We lost two legs of a cl tie, we lost to man city,
Terry has lost form and appears to have lost the dressing room, Anelka has forgotten how to support Drogba and every second the ticking tock of decline is ringing int he ears of
terry, carvalho, Ballack, Deco, Drogba and Anelka

its not an over-reaction

Terry was never great. Carvalho made him look great because Carvalho at his peak was the best around.

Anelka and Drogba have never linked well consistently.

Alot of teams will drop points to City. We were given a harsh red and peno to kill the game off it isn't like we were hopped off.

Inter Milan are a very good side and Mourinho is amazing and knows exactly how to beat us, no shock there.

Deco was never a good player, he is shít.

Essien (World Class), Cole (World Class), Bosingwa (Top Notch) are missing from our 4-Diamond-2 crappyness. So we lack the width from two cracking fulls and we are missing the best about at holding the midfield. This is standard stuff. We are not the best Club in he world. Going out too a very good team in the CL, being in FA Cup Semi and being in a great position in the league is acceptable funnily enough.

You are overreacting and your solutions like ''oh lets just buy 5 top players for eleventy hundred millions'' are plain stupid. This team has youth in it and very good youth at that.

Nxt year Borini, Matic, Sturridge and Bruma will be heavily involved. This team is ok and doing well for a team in transition and under a umpteenth new regime.

timetogetfit

God, its awful quiet in here, anything to discuss lads?:D

CHD

timetogetfit wrote: »

God, its awful quite in here, anything to discuss lads?:D

I'm up for a discussion on spelling if you are.

flahavaj

timetogetfit wrote: »

God, its awful quite in here, anything to discuss lads?:D

Show some class for God's sake man.

Peyton Manning

CHD wrote: »

I'm up for a discussion on spelling if you are.

How many times did you spellcheck that before you clicked Submit Reply?

CHD

Archimedes wrote: »

How many times did you spellcheck that before you clicked Submit Reply?

Not once, no red lines so knew I was good to go. I could just blame Chrome if I epic failed.

Barr

I'm beginning to have doubts about Lampard at this stage , when is Essien supposed to be back ? (it cant be fast enough)

The Davestator

Not a bad result today. I can't see arsenal getting a win at ewood. Maybe utd though.

Johner

The Davestator wrote: »

Not a bad result today. I can't see arsenal getting a win at ewood. Maybe utd though.

Not a bad result? Are you serious man it was a terrible result especially after the win for United earlier, I know Ewood is a tough place to go but if we want to win the league at this stage anything less than 3 points just won't cut it.

redout

CHD wrote: »

Deco was never a good player, he is shít.

Seriously, wake up.

jesus_thats_gre

I can't believe Chelsea are going to throw it away again. Get some ****ing balls, will ya!!

ShoulderChip

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I can't believe Chelsea are going to throw it away again. Get some ****ing balls, will ya!!

we can't they are managing Inter

CHD

redout wrote: »

Seriously, wake up.

For Chelsea obv

the_monkey

Sorry lads ... i need to bring this to attention (sh*t why does the boy who cried wolf come up now...)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/mar/21/blackburn-rovers-chelsea-premier-league

Before this, they took comfort in the fact that if they won all their remaining games they would be champions, regardless of what the others could accomplish. That no longer applies, and Carlo Ancelotti's expression was more hangdog than ever tonight when, pointedly, the Italian did not gainsay the suggestion that United were now favourites to retain their Premier League crown.

Eh mmm Sorry Mr Locejoy that DOES APPLY

As from below table if Chelsea win all their remaining games they will be champions as they still face Manchester United plus have one game in hand ...
although this may be very unlikely it is still technically in their own hands - simple maths.

I would expect more from the Guardian.


Played Pts.
1 Man Utd 31 69
2 Arsenal 31 67
3 Chelsea 30 65

redout

CHD wrote: »

For Chelsea obv

Aye, you'se bought a dud from Barca.

A washed up playboy who in his final season for Barca was dropped from the team and spent alot of his time on the piss with the other nutcase Ronaldinho. Hence both were dropped and shipped out come the summer.

smuckers

Barr wrote: »

I'm beginning to have doubts about Lampard at this stage , when is Essien supposed to be back ? (it cant be fast enough)

I'm beginning to have doubts about our manager trying to motivate the team, the pivotal point of the game of the game was when Blackburn started putting tackles in and then we just ran scared, couldn't believe how poor we were second half. Things have really gone tits up

jrar

Hmm, we're starting to look a little rudderless and clueless right now just when we needed to start showing real steel and team-spirit.

Most telling thing is that we've lost the knack of grinding out victories and now look very vulnerable to being pegged back - that's 6 matches out of 30 where we've led, looked good, and have ended up losing or drawing......we especially don't seem to be able to close out away games where we start well and get our noses in front - just look at today, City (home and bloody away), Villa away, Everton (home and away).

There's feck all point Carlo being able to win against the other top 4 teams
(4/4 so far this season) if we then go and drop cheap points like today.

Big turning point as the title is no longer in our own hands - before today, I didn't have a huge amount of faith that we could to WHL, Anfield AND OT and get wins, but I have even less now.

We're now reduced to hoping Utd. and Arsenal drop points, that we capitalise on it, and that we also win the 3 games listed above.

Sorry to say, as a Blues supporter of nearly 40 years, I just cannot see it happening with this current Chelsea mgmt. team of players.

We've had several chances this season to put distance between ourselves and Utd. esp. given their defensive injury problems in the first half of the season, coupled with them selling Ronaldo & Tevez. Instead we've somehow contrived to let a very average Utd. team top the table, and an Arsenal team who were dead and buried in Jan. to give chase to them if they're not to stroll to a 4 in a row !

Barr

What was the story with Drogba running over to Ancelotti telling him to change things, this cant be a good sign!!

Redsoxfan

jrar wrote: »

Hmm, we're starting to look a little rudderless and clueless right now just when we needed to start showing real steel and team-spirit.

Most telling thing is that we've lost the knack of grinding out victories and now look very vulnerable to being pegged back - that's 6 matches out of 30 where we've led, looked good, and have ended up losing or drawing......we especially don't seem to be able to close out away games where we start well and get our noses in front - just look at today, City (home and bloody away), Villa away, Everton (home and away).

There's feck all point Carlo being able to win against the other top 4 teams
(4/4 so far this season) if we then go and drop cheap points like today.

Big turning point as the title is no longer in our own hands - before today, I didn't have a huge amount of faith that we could to WHL, Anfield AND OT and get wins, but I have even less now.

We're now reduced to hoping Utd. and Arsenal drop points, that we capitalise on it, and that we also win the 3 games listed above.

Sorry to say, as a Blues supporter of nearly 40 years, I just cannot see it happening with this current Chelsea mgmt. team of players.

We've had several chances this season to put distance between ourselves and Utd. esp. given their defensive injury problems in the first half of the season, coupled with them selling Ronaldo & Tevez. Instead we've somehow contrived to let a very average Utd. team top the table, and an Arsenal team who were dead and buried in Jan. to give chase to them if they're not to stroll to a 4 in a row !

+1 to all you've said here-echoes my thoughts exactly.

the_monkey

Big turning point as the title is no longer in our own hands - before today, I didn't have a huge amount of faith that we could to WHL, Anfield AND OT and get wins, but I have even less now.

We're now reduced to hoping Utd. and Arsenal drop points, that we capitalise on it, and that we also win the 3 games listed above.

Well ... allthough its very difficult it still is actually in our hands still ....

if we win on wednesday ... we are 1 point behind united 1 ahead of Ars ... if we beat united we are 2 pts ahead...

or am i missing something ??? cos The Guardian was saying also the same (out of chelsea's hands)...

Panthro

i miss Guus and his ability to motivate players

eZe^

Reckon yous miss Gudjohnsen tbh. Any chance Essien will be tempted to move this summer? I know he's not a mercenary at all, but does he have any particular bong to Chelsea?

CHD

eZe^ wrote: »

Reckon yous miss Gudjohnsen tbh. Any chance Essien will be tempted to move this summer? I know he's not a mercenary at all, but does he have any particular bong to Chelsea?

He loves it at Chelsea and it would take 50M+ to get him.

Johner

Don't think there is any chance he will leave, If he did though I reckon I'd cry for a long time.

Johner

We really do miss him so much. In footballing terms and in general.

eZe^

Coolsies. How bout we buy back Guddy, and sell him to you in return for Essien? :P

CHD

eZe^ wrote: »

Coolsies. How bout we buy back Guddy, and sell him to you in return for Essien? :P

He is dead to us now

eZe^

Really? He hardly left on bad terms?

Johner

eZe^ wrote: »

Coolsies. How bout we buy back Guddy, and sell him to you in return for Essien? :P

It would be scary if he went to Barca. :eek: I know you have Toure and Busquets but Barca's current midfield with Essien is just a scary thought.

Johner

eZe^ wrote: »

Really? He hardly left on bad terms?

He went to the Spuds.

CHD

Johner wrote: »

He went to the Spuds.

This.

We Hate Tot-nem

Panthro

wouldnt mind having Ashley Cole and Boswinga back either.

eZe^

JESUS CHRIST. I really have amnesia when it comes to Eidur Gudjohnsen, at the start of the season I didn't even know he had signed for Monaco. Found out in like October when I was wondering why he isn't in barca training photos. Now I find he's moved to Spurs. It's like I mentally block anything he does. Apologies, his excommunication makes sense now.

Eamo87

smuckers wrote: »

I'm beginning to have doubts about our manager trying to motivate the team, the pivotal point of the game of the game was when Blackburn started putting tackles in and then we just ran scared, couldn't believe how poor we were second half. Things have really gone tits up

Couldnt agree more, I really have my doubts about Ancellotti. Doesn't seem to have many ideas on how to change a game when things aren't going our way.

Panthro

i think R.A. needs to be considering pulling out all the stops to get Guus back. he had a way with the players and wasnt afraid to make the changes necessary to get the job done. Carlo, good guy by all accounts, but the tactics look a wee with shoddy and decision making can at times be pretty toothless.