Chelsea FC thread (Champions!)

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well said prof, last year he hardly changed the line-up, i think when he knows his best 11 he'll stick to them, but look how many players he's got in, and a few arent because he wanted them, there were people behind the scences influencing the incoming players. . . . he not only has a set of players he needs to keep happy and a crowd, but also a very powerful chairman, who has the capacity to sack him at any given moment and get a more well'known manager in. It cant be an easy job and i for one think Ranieri will get it right if given the time to do it.
 
loz said:
so £20 mill over two seasons then, what about Lampard, would you consider that a waste of money, i'm guessing ya gonna go 'no'?
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I do if you consider that Ranieri stuck him on the right wing for his entire first year! Ranieri meddles far too much, and after 3 years, last night's team sheet was the most stupid I have seen in a long time. 3-5-2? Look how much success Spurs have had using that!

His first eleven hardly changed last year because we only had about 12 premiership standard players. That squad was superior to Newcastles, Blackburns and Liverpools, yet we only just scraped into 4th place.
 
Well, the whole keeping players happy thing, he's brought upon himself. He could have easily said during the summer, "er, we have enough players now." But he didn't. I have a damn good idea who i'd play where, and in what formation. It would be up to the other players to impress me in training or as substitutes, to earn a starting place. It was obvious that all we needed to do was build upon last seasons rresults, iron here, tuck there, not buy loads of players. Let me get this straight, I was never delighted at signing that huge mob. I would have been happy with Johnson, J Cole, Duff and Mutu FULL STOP. But going back to tactics, why does he faf? I'm worried he's going to mess some more, the players won't produce the goods, he'll go, and he'll have left us in a predicament in 8th or 9th place or something. :l
 
I cant beleabe you chelsea fans, im not a fan and i can say that you lost last night can be blaim to your bad luck the 2 goals of besiktas were awful, you cant blaim ranieri for that, you can blaim him for the substitutions but thats all. The 3-5-2 its the new way of playing football brazil won the worldcup with that formation and here in argentina almost every team that plays home plays that way.

When I said you look like squizos its because in one game you chant in the field that you dont need another coach (wasnt that one week ago?) and now you want to hang ranieri in the local plaza.

Calm down you have grate players and a good coach i you dont stand up by your team who will?

Support the team and the coach and eventually titels will come, if the coach has the fans against him how will he be able to be cool and transmit that coolness to de players???

Here in argentina you have to loose at least 5 or 6 games in arow to start talking against coach or the team, not 1 :D
 
Mate, look at what you are typing. First of all, we are not Brazil. Argentinian football is not English football. Premiership football is not continental style football. English League and International football is predictable, hence the 4-4-2 formation most teams find comforting. Secondly, i cannot get behind a manager who dicks around with the squad every 5 minutes, what exactly does that convey unto the players and the fans? A lot of people are pissed off at this one result because we should have won it, but Ranieri REALLY didn't do anything to help. Everything was uninspiring. His selection, his formation, his subsequent subs and his tactics. The guy got it wrong. Simple as that.

Basta! Chiuso!
 
predictable???? what in football its predictable??? if there is somthing that everyone loves about football its that its unpredictable, no matter what you do football its unpredictable, how can tell that argentina or france would be out of the world cup in first round????

4-4-2 its a formation that its too old and usless if you are home. And here its a word you english can star using "CHANGE", stop been so conservatrive and accept changes :D 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 its what most modern teams use nowdays when they are home and some teams with guts like argentina plays 3-4-3 home and away. Stop the conservartive and ugly catenagio defensive futbol italians play try to innovate. Support your team and youll see that youll have to go to the stadium whit a big banner o r flag that says "forgive me ranieri" when you get some titles.

Calm down Chelsea fans and support the team its what they need not you fighting against coach/players.
 
Professor Nutmeg said:
His selection, his formation, his subsequent subs and his tactics. The guy got it wrong. Simple as that.
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Spot on Prof. Somehow, the whole world thinks Ranieri is a genius, even though they were slagging him off until the last few months.

He is notorious for 'tinkering' and the Press finally got what they wanted. Ranieri got it ALL wrong, the rest of you can either accept that or go to Liverpool's thread and start hero worshipping Houllier.
 
Hersito, you are blabbering on about something else, get on topic or go somewhere else. I said, English League and International football is predictable, the style. I didn't say football was predictable, far from it. I admire other formations, but 4-4-2 is what English players/clubs are brought up on. I personally like the whole "Trequartista" thing, and sure Chelsea could learn to play that way, but not for a CL group match with players who still haven't even played full 90 minutes match for the club. If Ranieri wanted to start the pre season in this formation then fine, but you don't switch things like that for such an important game. And stop telling me to support my team, I do. You are evidently not a Chelsea fan and are thus unfamiliar with Ranieri's way, and therefore why he has annoyed me and others.
 
Im not blabbering im talking because I saw ranieri coaching fiorentina and valencia and he is one of the best coaches in the world, look all things he made Fiorentina and valencia won and they are teams not that good till he passed they are middle table teams.

I didnt see chelsea before becuse they are pasing chelsea matches now that they bough good players and argentina players, but I know what ranieri did in Italy and in Spain.

And the best coach its the one that adapts to the moment, playing 3-5-2 home against betsika or however its called its not irrational or crazy.

I keep telling you that you woldnt be arguing an curseing ranieri if crespos 5 min shoot would have gone in, so dont be so hard on coach/team.
 
ook all things he made Fiorentina and valencia won and they are teams not that good till he passed they are middle table teams.
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Did you also see him get Atletico Madrid relegated?

And the best coach its the one that adapts to the moment, playing 3-5-2 home against betsika or however its called its not irrational or crazy.
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Adapting to the moment is one thing. Changing (tinkering) every single game is something else. And yes it is crazy when we don't normally play 3-5-2

I keep telling you that you woldnt be arguing an curseing ranieri if crespos 5 min shoot would have gone in, so dont be so hard on coach/team.
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It didn't go in, and i'm not being hard on the team, as i said, i have nothing against the poor confused guys. But as for Ranieri, what he did was ridiculous.
 
Blimey you guys go on. There is no way I am going to read all that since my last post!


I agree, with all of you :D
 
I don't get it, haven't we got enough players? I know its been on the cards for a while now but, Modena striker Diomansy Kamara is now a confirmed target for Chelsea. Why? JFH isn't old enough to retire yet, although he could be sold. I gather they're talking about next season. But then also Nedved has been tipped for the bridge in 2005, supposedly surrounding speculation that SVE will be there, and of course they know eachother from their Lazio days. I know its all talk at the moment, and it won't necessarily materialise, but i do believe that we need to have a bit of sale before we think about purchasing anymore players.
 
I haven't a clue what's going on now!

I read in The Independent today that Abramovich is furious with Ranieri (not only for the debacle of Wednesday night, but for a couple of the home wins as well, Leicester & Villa) because of his fannying around with the formations. Worryingly though, he wants the team built around Veron!

.....hopefully only in the champions league.
 
T Butcher fan said:
Worryingly though, he wants the team built around Veron!
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sounds like Sven-ism to me cos he's the only person to say or actually have don it that to know it works....

Cant blame Roman for being vexed I get pissed of playing £20 and watching us lose never mind spending a few hundred mill...
 
Vannizzlefashizzal said:
Cant blame Roman for being vexed I get pissed of playing £20 and watching us lose never mind spending a few hundred mill...
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I'd probably be in tears if I'd spent that much! Wouldn't have fancied being Claudio on Wednesday night!

Prove me wrong on Sunday Claudio, pick a straight forward team please.
 
Heh heh, i was reading in the paper what Cudicini was saying with regards to the tactics against Besiktas. He said: "Sometimes you make the right decisions, and sometimes you don't." Hmm, i wonder what he meant by that. :mrgreen:
 
Its not like Chelsea need a new keeper. Cudicini is a great keeper and no manager buys Buffon to sit on the bench.
 
Cudicini is class - you don`t need Buffon aswell.
I hope Chelsea lose tomorrow, it will take the heat off United - but I can see the blues crusing to a 2-0 win. :square:
 
Im praying that you dont obliterate us guys today! Please at least if your gonna beat us put on a footballing show and only score 1. If we had Ugo, Southgate, Maccarone, Mendieta, and Zenden fit and playing we'd stand a chance. But i seriously doubt we do have a chance now. Damnit!
 
If it weren't for Duff and Lampard, we'd probably be in the bottom 3 this season!

Boro were unlucky, but this is the sort of thing the mancs and goons do - they steal points from other teams and we just stole our first of the season. ;)
 
Close shave indeed. A bit too close for comfort, if you ask me. What the hell happened in the second half?!? We were cruising before half time. I think we played dreadfully in the second half and Boro deserved a point, but thank goodness we have players like Duff and Crespo.

I think Duff was our best player on Saturday.
 
Post 'Boro Notes

Looking at the press reports of our victory over Middlesbrough, it would appear that Chelsea were criminally lucky to return to London with 3 points. Obviously 'Boro were desperately unlucky to have taken nothing from this game. I beg to differ.

Fair play to our opponents: Chelsea may have scored a late match-winner to trouser everything from the game, and, indeed, were placed under sustained pressure for much of the second half. Yet the Blues came from that patch unscathed, despite the youth that Claudio Ranieri decided to throw on the pitch. That is the mark also of a good side: we can survive and, indeed, prosper despite the adversity.

Indeed, a look at the match statistics is revealing in redressing a problem of perception. Chelsea enjoyed most of the possession (56%), we had 6 shots on target to 'Boro's 3, not to mention 8 corners to the home side's 2. If there is any doubt about the fact that the scoreline was a fair reflection on the relative merits of both teams, it can also be found in the fact that Middlesbrough made 10 shots off target to Chelsea's 4. We were, simply, more accurate and more deadly. Sustained pressure is one thing, finding the opportunity and making the most of it is another.

Middlesbrough's manager, Steve Maclaran will rue the fact that he came out of this game with nothing, but that is also his role - to put a positive spin on events. Claudio Ranieri, gentleman as ever, preferred to agree, suggesting that the home side deserved a draw. The stark facts show otherwise, not to mention the fact that after a disastrous game on Wednesday, it was important to return Chelsea's season to its course.
Make no mistake about it, the media had their knives out for us after the Besiktas disaster. Yet our record over 11 competitive games is 9 won, one drawn and one lost. No other Premiership team can boast that. None. I'll happily take one defeat in over 10 games.

Claudio Ranieri's rotation policy was widely credited with having caused the defeat to the Turkish giants. Claudio defiantly continued mixing and tinkering, using the squad depth to great effect, and making 7 changes on the team that started against Besiktas. Some of those changes were forced by knocks and injuries. Others were tactical. Whether or not we scraped home the 3 points or these were richly deserved is immaterial: that rotation has been successful. That would include putting out a back 4 that consisted of 2 19 year-olds and 2 22 year-olds - with no back-up defenders on the bench. That's some confidence in youth.

Yet Ranieri has also indicated that he will continue with rotation for another month, during which time he would like to consider a wide variety of players and options, before settling on something that looks like a first 11. In the meantime, in any case, different permutations of players will become more used to playing alongside each other.

And that is a key issue: with such an upheaval in our squad, we are still picking up the points. The affirmation that Chelsea are not yet a team, hasn't yet gelled, and needs to develop its spirit, is not unfair. That will come over time; indeed, the work that Claudio Ranieri accomplished last year with no significant additions to the squad, is proof that he can develop team spirit. If Chelsea are not yet playing to their full potential, imagine what we will be like when it does come together?

Points-wise, if Chelsea are in 3rd place, it is only on goal difference and - crucially - with one game in hand. That game will be played next Tuesday, away to Birmingham City. A draw only would be enough to propel Chelsea to the top of the table. We fully expect to play for a win to begin to put some clear Blue water between Chelsea and the rest of the pack.
It is suggested, also, that Chelsea's position is artificial as we have not yet played anybody 'significant' and that, due to the random nature of the fixtures list, we have played more than our fair share of games at home. The comment about the strength of opposition is fair: apart from Liverpool, all of Chelsea's opponents are currently in the bottom half of the table, including 5 of the bottom 8. The next few weeks will be crucial: as well as coming up against one of this seasons surprise packages - Birmingham City - we also travel to The Library. All eyes will be on that one, the fact that the F.A. may suspend a substantial proportion of the Arsenal squad will add some piquant to the fixture.

As for Chelsea playing more than their fair share of home games, that would hide the fact that we are currently the Premiership's best away side. Not only have we a perfect record of 3 away wins out of 3, but no team has scored more away goals. Only Arsenal - who have played one more away fixture - have let in as few away goals as us. In fact, our away form is currently better than the home form - although at home, also, no team has scored as many goals (9), we have also let in an alarming 5. That has to be compared with Manchester United's imperious defence, which has conceded 0 goals at home, and 3 overall. That has to be the model for Chelsea: we don't have problems scoring at the moment, but the defence has to be tightened up: 4 teams have let in less than us.

Perhaps a key fact is this: the corresponding fixture last season was one where Chelsea dropped points. Alongside results at Anfield and against Blackburn and Spurs, Chelsea are confirming a tendency of doing at least as well as last season, if not improving upon the match. Indeed, I calculate that we are scoring, on average, between one and 2 goals more per match on last season. The bookmakers have certainly noticed this, and have shaved further fractions off Chelsea's odds of lifting the title this season: all bookies have Chelsea now in second favourites, and the gap between Chelsea and favourites Manchester United continues to diminish.

When was (if ever) the last time that Chelsea enjoyed such a great start to the season?
 
VERON WANTED CHELSEA AXE
Thursday 9th October 2003

Chelsea star Juan Sebastian Veron has insisted that he asked manager Claudio Ranieri to leave him out of the first team whilst he worked towards full fitness.
The former Manchester United man joined The Blues for close to £17 million in the summer, but was not even included in the squad for the match against Middlesbrough at the weekend.

Veron claims that he asked to be left out, citing a lack of fitness for his failure to hit top form.

"I talked to the manager and I explained to him that best thing I could do was to stop playing in the first team so that I could train and get back to my best physical condition," said Veron.

"Remember I did not make pre-season training with Chelsea and now I want to put myself right so that I can play regularly.

"I don't want to do things the wrong way and then risk suffering from exhaustion.

"Ranieri told me that he understood and we came to an agreement.

"There are no problems between us. When the team played against Middlesbrough and I got the most out of my time to train differently."

 
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