Chelsea Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2013/14

GavRedKing

That's all well and good but it was the board that appointed him, now I believe there wa no better candidate free at the time to do the job but the board and Roman have to be held somewhat accountable, now as that poster pointed out Rafa or the manager, whoever that maybe normally gets the brunt of the anger.

I'd like to see a re-shuffle at boardroom level but as a buisness its impossible for the vast majority of us to see what the board members bring to the table.

We can as fans suggest players and coaches but all I want from the board is anything but a yes man or advisors that offer advice with very little credence or substance.

Gourlay and Buck ahve come in for criticism and so too has Romana nd rightly so, I'd love to see one of them come out and back the new guy coming in or keep the fans more informed but given the last decade of Roman rule, this just wont happen.

GavRedKing

Techless wrote: »

By any chance, do they follow Liverpool

Most kids will either end up supporting their families team or their friends team.

If I have a kid I wont be pushing anything Chelsea on the kid, he/she will see who I support and who I support passionately and if they want to do the same I'll be all for it, if not they're free to make there own choices.

On a side note, I hate those little baby kits of all teams, dont knwo why.

Or those little t-shirts, me and my dad support _______.

/Rant.

amiable

Techless wrote: »

By any chance, do they follow Liverpool

No. My 9 year old is a girl and couldn't give a fiddlers about football.
My 3 year old boy and 19 month old girl are too young yet to know much about football.
It will be up them what football team they support. The only condition I will put on them is the rugby club they support.

mike65

Chelsea say Rafa stays

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/feb/28/chelsea-back-rafael-benitez-after-rant

amiable

GavRedKing wrote: »

I dont hate Rafa but I will admit the fans arent helping the club and players in general perform, that kind of atmosphere coming from the stands most be counter productive for the players which in turn effects the club which will in effect annoy the fans if we dont get top 4 and we're back to square 1, 3rd year in a row that we're meant to be in transisation.

I pity the next guy coming in dreaming of turning us around only to be shafted months down the line.

I know you don't hate him Gav but it does seem strange that those that do and there seems to be quite a few, refuse to answer the question.
So many of them refuse to admit that the actions of the fans have had a negative influence on the team this season.
I said it last night that of course Rafa has made mistakes there but so have the fans.
If several parties at the club are all pulling in different directions then the club is surely doomed for failure until this stops.

bullpost

I think in the long term Rafa has done us a big favour. If this shakes things up
and gets rid of Emelano and some others we may end up much the better for it. However in short term we cn kiss goodbye to top four and look forward to a year in the wilderness.

GavRedKing wrote: »

That's all well and good but it was the board that appointed him, now I believe there wa no better candidate free at the time to do the job but the board and Roman have to be held somewhat accountable, now as that poster pointed out Rafa or the manager, whoever that maybe normally gets the brunt of the anger.

I'd like to see a re-shuffle at boardroom level but as a buisness its impossible for the vast majority of us to see what the board members bring to the table.

We can as fans suggest players and coaches but all I want from the board is anything but a yes man or advisors that offer advice with very little credence or substance.

Gourlay and Buck ahve come in for criticism and so too has Romana nd rightly so, I'd love to see one of them come out and back the new guy coming in or keep the fans more informed but given the last decade of Roman rule, this just wont happen.

amiable

bullpost wrote: »

I think in the long term Rafa has done us a big favour. If this shakes things up
and gets rid of Emelano and some others we may end up much the better for it. However in short term we cn kiss goodbye to top four and look forward to a year in the wilderness.

Top 4 is still in Chelsea's own hands. If the players want to play Champions League football next season it's up them to grab it.

peteeeed

someone message me when all this is over

Kess73

amiable wrote: »

No. My 9 year old is a girl and couldn't give a fiddlers about football.
My 3 year old boy and 19 month old girl are too young yet to know much about football.
It will be up them what football team they support. The only condition I will put on them is the rugby club they support.

It had better be the team that plays at Tom Clifford park

amiable

Kess73 wrote: »

It had better be the team that plays at Tom Clifford park

I'm a cookie

amiable

If Chelsea sack Rafa they will have sacked four of the last seven managers to win the Champions League

grumpymunster

amiable wrote: »

If only everything were that easy.

I'd love to see the fans who hate Rafa at least admit that the behaviour by the fans has not helped the club.

You are the very person who refuses to answer questions when the answer may not fit your agenda.

For the record I don't know any Chelsea supporter on here who does not think the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge is poor and as a consequence possibly has a negative impact on results. I called it divisive the other day perhaps you missed that.

As for the fans behaving honorably since his arrival I believe they have. They have stood for the belief that he should not have been appointed and that such an appointment was against the best interest's and tradition of the club. Appointing a man who called them plastic, who called Drogger a cheat and Lamps over rated two absolute legends of the club - appointing the man was dishonorable the fans reaction honorable in my mind.

amiable

grumpymunster wrote: »

You are the very person who refuses to answer questions when the answer may not fit your agenda.

For the record I don't know any Chelsea supporter on here who does not think the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge is poor and as a consequence possibly has a negative impact on results. I called it divisive the other day perhaps you missed that.

As for the fans behaving honorably since his arrival I believe they have. They have stood for the belief that he should not have been appointed and that such an appointment was against the best interest's and tradition of the club. Appointing a man who called them plastic, who called Drogger a cheat and Lamps over rated two absolute legends of the club - appointing the man was dishonorable the fans reaction honorable in my mind.

I'll answer nearly any question actually. I've seen in the last day you yourself avoid several questions put to you.
Show me where Rafa called the Chelsea fans plastic. Blog pages don't count.

I didn't see you call it divisive. I'm not on here everyday

grumpymunster

amiable wrote: »

I'll answer nearly any question actually. I've seen in the last day you yourself avoid several questions put to you.
Show me where Rafa called the Chelsea fans plastic. Blog pages don't count.

I didn't see you call it divisive. I'm not on here everyday

So you accept that he called drogger a cheat and lamps over rated then

amiable

grumpymunster wrote: »

So you accept that he called drogger a cheat and lamps over rated then

He implied Drogba cheats and he was right too. Suarez is a cheat. Rooney is a cheat. Gerrard is a cheat. They all have dived to get a decision to go their way.

I'm not aware of him calling Lampard over rated to be honest.

amiable

grumpymunster wrote: »

So you accept that he called drogger a cheat and lamps over rated then

Feel free to show me where Rafa called the Chelsea fans plastic. It didn't happen

Duck Soup

amiable wrote: »

Why are people moaning that non Chelsea fans are ''piling in here''?
It's an open forum and Chelsea have made all the back pages.
What do people expect? Sure lets not talk about it and stick our heads in the sand and pretend it's not happening.

If you want the Shed go post. I suspect some are scared to.

"People" aren't moaning that non-Chelsea fans are piling in here. I am. And I'm not complaining about non-Chelsea fans discussing Rafa's situation. I'm complaining about unconnected, dumb comments such as "no history", "no class", "backwater club" and referring to fans as "the usual skum".

People want to talk about Benitez, then fine, let's do that. An outside perspective might even be useful. But there's been too much just spiteful bile, the kind of thing that we expressly agree not to engage in before being allowed to post in the footie section on Boards.

So let's talk about Rafa and Roman. Rafa could have won the fans over - as Jose, Guus and Carlo all did before him - by winning big games and trophies. He's crashed and burned. And sorry, but do you think that Mourinho or Ancelotti would have had their entire footballing philosophies and match strategies destroyed by songs from the terraces? It's the very least of any manager's worries. In short, it's cobblers.

As for the back channels between players (allegedly Lamps and JT in particular) and the owner, I'm sure they exist. I'm also sure they existed during the times of Mourinho, Hiddink, Ancelotti and RDM as well. Funny how those back channels and player influence didn't stop those managers amassing Premiership titles, FA Cup wins and the Champions League between them.

Managers manage. The clue is in the name. By fear, encouragement, atmosphere. However. The good ones get the job done. As for the fearsome influence of the players, take a look at Lamps and JT. Lampard, allegedly the main architect of AVB's downfall, can't catch a break or a contract to save his life and is looking at Major League Soccer next season. JT is warming benches while Torres gets as many hours wandering the pitch at half-speed in half-hearted search of a goal as he likes.

None of this exactly screams The Untouchables does it? If truth be told, the naive ones are the players themselves. They might fancy themselves as kingmakers, but they're just Roman's eyes and ears on the ground. When their knees get creaky and they shuffle where they used to sprint, to paraphrase Paul Weller, they're out on their arsés with the rest of the clowns.

Yes, it's all Roman. No, the players don't get managers hired or fired. Do you really think a multi-billionaire takes management advice from blokes who can barely fill out their expense forms? If anything, the players - JT, Lamps - are the convenient, and probably unwitting, fallguys for whatever Roman's latest brainfárt is. He does whatever he wants, the press talks about how the players did the manager over. It's bollox, but it keeps the managers on their toes and creates the appearance of the owner having his hand forced.

Caveman1

In other news, Nathan Ake had a great game last night, great to see the youth getting a chance finally, only bad thing is that I don't think we'll see him get much more game time this season. Probably only a few cameo's which is a shame.

George Saville has also joined Milwall on loan till the end of the season.

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

I know you don't hate him Gav but it does seem strange that those that do and there seems to be quite a few, refuse to answer the question.
So many of them refuse to admit that the actions of the fans have had a negative influence on the team this season.
I said it last night that of course Rafa has made mistakes there but so have the fans.
If several parties at the club are all pulling in different directions then the club is surely doomed for failure until this stops.

But of course what the fans are doing has a negative effect, it wouldnt take a genuis to figure out that, no dig at you, its just sometiems people cant see the wood from the trees.

The fans dont have to back Rafa, the majority arent anyway but try and focus some positive atmosphere at the team., this poisonious atmosphere cant be good for the players, they know if they go 1-0 down or are drawing going tino the last few minutes the fans will be on their backs, also Lamps not getting a new deal hasnt helped Rafa or the team IMO, either offer him a deal or someone come out and say hes gone, simple, this dragging on saga has divided the fans to and Rafa seems to get the brunt of that also, for some strange reason.

At the moment we look better then Everton and arsenal, our 2 main rivals for 4th, we've a better squad and we're currently ahead of both clubs.

Rafa ahs some huge games coming up which inculde Everton and Spurs coming to the bridge which could decide who gets 4th, dont mind Arsenal we've beat them twice this season, but the Spurs and Everton games could determine our outcome and could leave the door open for Arsenal to jump us.

Rugby? RUGBY?? :eek:

Disappointed with ya amiable, what club is it by the way??

amiable

I'm from Limerick. Young Munster is my club

GavRedKing

All I want is the players, even the subs to show some heart and passion, this sint a relegation threatened club or a club going bust, we're meant to be one of Europes elite clubs but it seems like the players couldnt give a toss about it all.

Which is a shame as we have a decent squad on paper.

If the players give it all and fail to get 4th I'll be sad and annoyed but at least they'll ahve tried and abttled, if they keep struggling and looking limp and tame to a 5th,6th place finish I'll be very pi**ed off as its down to them and their performances out on the pitch that will win us 3 points.

grumpymunster

amiable wrote: »

He implied Drogba cheats and he was right too. Suarez is a cheat. Rooney is a cheat. Gerrard is a cheat. They all have dived to get a decision to go their way.

I'm not aware of him calling Lampard over rated to be honest.

Has he ever called Gerrard or Suarez a cheat or even implied it?

Duck Soup

GavRedKing wrote: »

All I want is the players, even the subs to show some heart and passion, this sint a relegation threatened club or a club going bust, we're meant to be one of Europes elite clubs but it seems like the players couldnt give a toss about it all.

Which is a shame as we have a decent squad on paper.

If the players give it all and fail to get 4th I'll be sad and annoyed but at least they'll ahve tried and abttled, if they keep struggling and looking limp and tame to a 5th,6th place finish I'll be very pi**ed off as its down to them and their performances out on the pitch that will win us 3 points.

Absolutely. Like a fan of any team, I can take anything but not trying. If you leave it all out there on the pitch, and the result didn't go our way, I can accept that. But it infuriates me to see players who earn as much in a week as most of us do in years of work strolling and whinging through a game.

amiable

grumpymunster wrote: »

Has he ever called Gerrard or Suarez a cheat or even implied it?

No but I don't think he has had to play them in a Champion League game and said something in attempt to get an edge.
We all know what he said about Drogba backfired.
It was nothing personal. If Drogba has an issue with being accused of diving then he could stop diving. Likewise to all the other players I mentioned.

Kess73

amiable wrote: »

I'm from Limerick. Young Munster is my the only club worth supporting

Fixed that for ya.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

grumpymunster

Caveman1 wrote: »

In other news, Nathan Ake had a great game last night, great to see the youth getting a chance finally, only bad thing is that I don't think we'll see him get much more game time this season. Probably only a few cameo's which is a shame.

George Saville has also joined Milwall on loan till the end of the season.

Delighted for Ake looks quite good would give him a run or two in the Thursday league myself.

Another player out on loan will we be able to field a team in the Next Gen cup or series or what ever it is called? Thats 23 or something totally mad.

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

I'm from Limerick. Young Munster is my club

Kess73 wrote: »

Fixed that for ya.

Egg chasing forum is that way.

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amiable

GavRedKing wrote: »

Egg chasing forum is that way.

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I stay the fcuk away from there

Kess73

GavBlueKing wrote: »

Egg chasing forum is that way.

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Not changed your username yet I see. :P

GavRedKing

amiable wrote: »

I stay the fcuk away from there

The Munster v Leinster debates get very heated in there at times, I wouldnt blame ya.
:pac:

GavRedKing

Kess73 wrote: »

Not changed your username yet I see. :P

People know me and dislike me with this name so no point changing it now.

Caveman1

grumpymunster wrote: »

Delighted for Ake looks quite good would give him a run or two in the Thursday league myself.

Another player out on loan will we be able to field a team in the Next Gen cup or series or what ever it is called? Thats 23 or something totally mad.

It is a bit crazy, although it does seem like we're finally getting somewhere with the youth players. When you watch the youth team play they are a very good passing team, it showed last night with Ake that whenever he received the ball he was composed and playing nice forward passes.

If you look at the players we have coming back in the Summer, topped off with a new manager I think next season will only be positive. Well hopefully :pac:

grumpymunster

Caveman1 wrote: »

It is a bit crazy, although it does seem like we're finally getting somewhere with the youth players. When you watch the youth team play they are a very good passing team, it showed last night with Ake that whenever he received the ball he was composed and playing nice forward passes.

If you look at the players we have coming back in the Summer, topped off with a new manager I think next season will only be positive. Well hopefully :pac:

Absolutely someone last night said our interim made a mistake taking the Chelsea job as it was an aging squad but in my reply I mentioned

A lot of years left in Cesar, Moses, Ake, Cahill, Sideshow, Ryan, Oscar, Hazard, Mata, Obi, Josh, Piazon, Courtois, De Bruyne, Lukaku, PvA, Oriol, Chalobah, Kalas & Wallace. A good manager will make hay with that lot in years to come

That also does not include the young lad from Chile is it we just got and I should really have added Ram (26), Marin (24 yea I still have hope for him a year in Germany to get himself fit thats all he needs) and Feruz. Of course I really want Naughty Naughty to make it what a fantastic name (OK bit of licence there :rolleyes:)

That is the nucleus of a very good team and if we get the right manager (and keep him this time) we should have a strong spine for years to come

GavRedKing

With the squad you named above, would Jose coming abck really want to work with the majority of that?

He's shwon in the past hes found of splashing the cash, now what I will say id if he did come back and it was for a long term project it could be that he'd focus on youth as well as experienced, but that's a long way down the road.

Duck Soup

Caveman1 wrote: »

It is a bit crazy, although it does seem like we're finally getting somewhere with the youth players. When you watch the youth team play they are a very good passing team, it showed last night with Ake that whenever he received the ball he was composed and playing nice forward passes.

If you look at the players we have coming back in the Summer, topped off with a new manager I think next season will only be positive. Well hopefully :pac:

One of the commentators on Fox Soccer last night said during the Middlesborough game that we had 20 players out on loan. Maybe that's the norm in the Premiership, but does that seem just a little bit excessive? Of young players I've seen a glimpse of this season, Ake and Piazon (now out on loan at Málaga) look like they're well able for the Premiership. Good things continue to be said about McEachran, but he can't be fluting around in the lower leagues forever. Zola raves about Chalobah, saying he could be the next Lampard.

Benitez hasn't managed to deliver on anything he was brought in to do. At the very least, I thought he'd inculcate the beautiful passing game into the team. As it is, we're splitting possession 50:50 with the likes of Middlesborough and Southampton.

If the next manager does nothing else, bring back the brightest prospects (take your pick: Piazon, McEachran, Chalobah, Lukaku etc., etc.) and start integrating them into the team. I've got this frustrating sense of us having made smart buys and the academy really starting to deliver, but we're not giving them a run.

It's an opportunity missed. The season is looking increasingly like a complete bust, so if we'd brought a few of them back in during January, we could at least have been putting together for the remainder of the season the foundations of what could be a really exciting group of youngsters for the future.

GavRedKing

20 is a lot, its another squad really.

Now some of those will need the experience as they're young and some are just dead wood we couldnt sell so are getting paid elsewhere.

Duck Soup

grumpymunster wrote: »

That also does not include the young lad from Chile is it we just got and I should really have added Ram (26), Marin (24 yea I still have hope for him a year in Germany to get himself fit thats all he needs) and Feruz. Of course I really want Naughty Naughty to make it what a fantastic name (OK bit of licence there :rolleyes:)

That is the nucleus of a very good team and if we get the right manager (and keep him this time) we should have a strong spine for years to come

Still no official word from Chelsea about Cuevas, but the player himself seems to think it's a done deal.

http://www.weaintgotnohistory.com/chelsea-fc-transfer-rumours-news/2013/2/21/4013776/chelsea-fc-christian-cuevas-tranfer

grumpymunster

I generally only have a look at republic of mankunia for a bit of a laugh (every time we play them they mention Droggers offside goal at OT it is really gas) but to my surprise here is actually quite a well written piece

http://therepublikofmancunia.com/chelseas-passionless-fans-to-force-benitez-out-before-our-cup-date/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chelseas-passionless-fans-to-force-benitez-out-before-our-cup-date

I don't know if there should be a warning that the piece contains a little flowery language here and there but that aside it is an interesting take on things comparing the ManU fans displeasure at the Glaziers and our current situation.

Kess73

GavBlueKing wrote: »

People know me and dislike me with this name so no point changing it now.

You turned your back on Cork and on your proper UK club. You don't deserve the Red.

Kess73

Duck Soup wrote: »

One of the commentators on Fox Soccer last night said during the Middlesborough game that we had 20 players out on loan. Maybe that's the norm in the Premiership, but does that seem just a little bit excessive? Of young players I've seen a glimpse of this season, Ake and Piazon (now out on loan at Málaga) look like they're well able for the Premiership. Good things continue to be said about McEachran, but he can't be fluting around in the lower leagues forever. Zola raves about Chalobah, saying he could be the next Lampard.

Benitez hasn't managed to deliver on anything he was brought in to do. At the very least, I thought he'd inculcate the beautiful passing game into the team. As it is, we're splitting possession 50:50 with the likes of Middlesborough and Southampton.

If the next manager does nothing else, bring back the brightest prospects (take your pick: Piazon, McEachran, Chalobah, Lukaku etc., etc.) and start integrating them into the team. I've got this frustrating sense of us having made smart buys and the academy really starting to deliver, but we're not giving them a run.

It's an opportunity missed. The season is looking increasingly like a complete bust, so if we'd brought a few of them back in during January, we could at least have been putting together for the remainder of the season the foundations of what could be a really exciting group of youngsters for the future.

As a non Chelsea supporter, I would have to say that no Premiership club has as much genuine talent out on loan as Chelsea does. Lots of EPLclubs may have 5, 10, or even up to 20 players out on loan, but I would be very surprised if any came close to the quality of those loaned out by CFC.

If I were a Chelsea supporter I would be very excited by the number of high quality young players you have out on loan and by high quality I mean those that look good enough for firstteam use in a top four team.

Courtois, Lukaku, De Bruyne, Kakuta, Bruma, and van Aanholt all look to be ready for the first team, with guys like Piazon, Kane,and Musonda getting glowing reports.


Your point about it being frustrating to see such talent not being used is a good one, and as a football fan it would be nice to be able to watch some of the names I mentioned playing week in week out in the EPL next season.

Sgt Pepper 64

Grant OUT (just getting it in early)

Kess73

Boooooooooooooooooooo






:P

GavRedKing

Kess73 wrote: »

You turned your back on Cork and on your proper UK club. You don't deserve the Red.

I dont want it anyway.

Red.....eeewwwwhhhhh, cringe. :P

muffler

Couldn't resist

GavRedKing

Just seen MUSEIT closed his account at the start of this month.

Was wondering where he had gone actually.

GavRedKing

Uploading my FM achievements as we speak.

Caveman1

GavRedKing wrote: »

Just seen MUSEIT closed his account at the start of this month.

Was wondering where he had gone actually.

I don't understand why people do this? Sometimes I just stay away for a few weeks just so I'm not stuck on the laptop 24/7. I wouldn't go to the bother of closing the account incase I ever wanted to use it again, trying to get those first 50 posts is hard work :pac:

GavRedKing

Some people leave and come back under different names, happens all the time, as long as they're not getting around bans, it's ok.

Could be a personal reason, work related, anything really.

Agreed though, waiting a month and having 50 posts is a hassle I wouldnt want to have again.

:eek:

Caveman1

It seemed like Chelsea were just buying up as much talent as they could to stop other teams getting them, but over the last year the players we have out on loan are all quality players who could make it in the PL.

IMO I don't see Josh staying with us, I think he will make a good premier league player just not Chelsea standard, (Like Jack Cork).

It will be encouraging though for every player signed to Chelsea when a new manager comes in so they'll all get a pre season and their chance to shine.

I hope Lukaku & KDB stay with us next season.