Football 2011-2012

[The Nal]

I rarely want mangers sacked after a short space of time but its hard to see what the plan is under AVB... Its hard to see where they are going ?

[eFestivals]

To sack AVB would be utter lunacy.

From one angle I agree entirely.

But he's never going to get the respect he needs to turn things around. So they might as well bite the bullet and move on.

[strummer77]

Its actually very easy to see where they're going.

Nowhere.

A thoroughly underwhelming and uninspiring manager. A statistician. Nothing more. Abramovich thought he was Mourinho part 2. Hes not.

[kaosmark2]

I can't see him lasting, but whoever is manager of Chelsea long-term, whether it's AVB or not, has to be there long-term. Managers have known there's a demand for instant success, so they've not looked to the long-term, they've looked for quick fixes, and it's left an aging squad of egos. Hiddink would have been a short-term fix, but a damn good one. Capello might, but I think he's fed up with England in general, not just the FA. Interfering owner and English press? Can't see him taking that on again. They haven't had a team-builder in the 10 years since Roman took over, and they need one, badly.

If they keep AVB on, and fail to get Champs Lge at the end of the season, anyone see them going for Wenger? Not sure he'd take it, but..... qualifying for Champs Lge while building a team? Play attractive football? More resources?

I don't think there's anything fundamentally wrong with AVB as a manager. He's not just got the experience to automatically get respect from players. And when things aren't going well, those egos are going to blame the manager rather than themselves.

[TheGayTent]

I disagree massively.

AVB's problems are two fold - he has an ageing side and a clique of powerful players that has been a problem at Chelsea for years - just ask big Phil...

When (if) AVB is allowed to ship out the instigators, and importantly replace them with his own players (and not Roman's...) you will see the difference, and AVB will demonstrate he is up to the job.

Sadly, because many football supporters and the Chairman demand results yesterday, it's probable that won't happen and he'll get the sack.

Judging a manager after just 25 matches...utter utter lunacy.

[eFestivals]

When (if) AVB is allowed to ship out the instigators, and importantly replace them with his own players (and not Roman's...) you will see the difference, and AVB will demonstrate he is up to the job.

he'd have to ship out all of the squad.

The lack of respect might have come from just a handful of players, but it's there now amongst all of the players. The 'bad' players leave, but the problems they've created won't leave with them.

Surely you've had a boss before who has lost his workers respect? And surely you know that there's no getting it back again.

[TheGayTent]

he'd have to ship out all of the squad.

The lack of respect might have come from just a handful of players, but it's there now amongst all of the players. The 'bad' players leave, but the problems they've created won't leave with them.

Surely you've had a boss before who has lost his workers respect? And surely you know that there's no getting it back again.

[eFestivals]

Difference is I don't believe he has lost the respect of the squad.

There is a very small minority of players that have never had any respect for him. Get rid of them, or maybe even just the leader, and you go a long way to solving the problem. The other players still respect him. If they didn't they would be bottom half and not the last English team left in the Champions League.

The biggest problem AVB and any manager has at Chelsea is the owner. AVB can only ship out the bad apples, if he has the backing of the owner to go out and spend a lot of money on replacments - and his own replacements...

I'd say it's merely that the other players don't feel they have the power to challenge him - but of course if he ships out the troublemakers those players then become the senior players and so have much the same power as the ones he boots out. The problem simply moves from one set of players to another.

When any manager in any job starts bleating about how he needs his boss to back him, it's a statement that he's unable to assert his authority - to manage. That impacts on every member of his team, not just those who might be the most troublesome.

I agree that Abramovic is a part of the problem, but AVB has added to that by asking for his public backing.

And finally, because of the FFP rules, there's not the scope for the spending that would be needed for AVB to get his own replacements, at least not of the numbers &/or level that would be needed to maintain Chelsea's position. So he's stuck with too many of the existing squad.

[TheGayTent]

I'm not going to repeat myself - I disagree with your analysis of the current situation. As for the last bit - then Roman and Chelsea supporters need to reduce their expectation levels. 5th is not a bad position given the hand AVB has been dealt.

[The Nal]

I'm not going to repeat myself - I disagree with your analysis of the current situation. As for the last bit - then Roman and Chelsea supporters need to reduce their expectation levels. 5th is not a bad position given the hand AVB has been dealt.

[pink_triangle]

I dunno. He'll be alright in management long-term but he's walked into a museum of egos. I wouldn't touch that job with a bargepole, not sure why he did either. Should have stayed and picked up more experience with Porto.

[pink_triangle]

I'm not going to repeat myself - I disagree with your analysis of the current situation. As for the last bit - then Roman and Chelsea supporters need to reduce their expectation levels. 5th is not a bad position given the hand AVB has been dealt.

[The Nal]

I agree with this, I think chelsea have 2 groups of players, the ex mourinio players and the newer spainsh/portugese speaking players. The latter represent the future and are definitely behind the manager, the former are living on past glorys.

What people also forget is that AVB was asked to change the culture at the club, from the pragmatic but succesful style of jose to a more barca type style. You cant change a footballing culture overnight and if you want short term success then this style probably is hard to convert into trophies. Man city certinaly arent trying to win trophies by being the new barca.

[eFestivals]

I'm not going to repeat myself - I disagree with your analysis of the current situation.

unless we personally know the players, then we both have only assumption to go on.

As for the last bit - then Roman and Chelsea supporters need to reduce their expectation levels. 5th is not a bad position given the hand AVB has been dealt.

Yeah, perhaps. But Roman hasn't invested all that money to win the Europa League, he's invested it to win something else.

Until there's a judgement on his recent court case he won't be spunking loads more on the club, of that I'm pretty certain. Whether that brings him a reality check around what Chelsea can currently achieve I don't know.

[pink_triangle]

Do you really think Abramovich will wait 3-4 years for this to happen?

[The Nal]

[Ed209]

Arsenal training session?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtSxMmcOlK8

[kaosmark2]

I disagree massively.

AVB's problems are two fold - he has an ageing side and a clique of powerful players that has been a problem at Chelsea for years - just ask big Phil...

When (if) AVB is allowed to ship out the instigators, and importantly replace them with his own players (and not Roman's...) you will see the difference, and AVB will demonstrate he is up to the job.

Sadly, because many football supporters and the Chairman demand results yesterday, it's probable that won't happen and he'll get the sack.

Judging a manager after just 25 matches...utter utter lunacy.

[Jaybles]

Off to the Theatre of Dreams tonight to watch the Utd v Ajax game.

Should be a comfortable win but can't rule out Ajax making it tough. No Rooney either.

[eFestivals]

Off to the Theatre of Dreams tonight to watch the Utd v Ajax game.

Should be a comfortable win but can't rule out Ajax making it tough. No Rooney either.

Why buy the ticket?

It's Thursday. It's on Channel 5.

[strummer77]

Iain Macintosh

Problem: Senior Chelsea players unhappy with bossy, tactics-obsessed manager. Solution: Chelsea pursue Rafa Benitez. *facepalm*

Too true. I love Rafa but hardly the choice to inspire that bunch of egos. It would be a full on power struggle.

Edit: Apparently no approach has been made for him.

Edited February 23, 2012 by strummer77

[strummer77]

Goalkeepers: Scott Carson (Bursaspor), Joe Hart (Manchester City), Robert Green (West Ham United).

Defenders: Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Leighton Baines (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Micah Richards (Manchester City), Chris Smalling (Manchester United), Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur).

Midfielders: Gareth Barry (Manchester City), Tom Cleverley (Manchester United), Stewart Downing (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Manchester City), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), James Milner (Manchester City), Scott Parker (Tottenham Hotspur), Ashley Young (Manchester United), Theo Walcott (Arsenal).

Forwards: Darren Bent (Aston Villa), Fraizer Campbell (Sunderland), Daniel Sturridge (Chelsea), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Danny Welbeck (Manchester United).

[TheGayTent]

Off to the Theatre of Dreams tonight to watch the Utd v Ajax game.

[TheGayTent]

Pretty safe squad there from Pearce.

[strummer77]

Pretty safe squad there from Pearce.