Consistency could see us through!
Above are my predictions/expectations/wishful thinking for the next two months in the Premiership. Some of the factors considered are that
(i) Terry, Cech and Robben could be back
(ii) We would have signed some good defenders
(iii) Liverpool and Arsenal continue their big match form
(iv) Cup matches (incl CL) would take some toll on the teams.
I dont expect any upsets for Chelsea or Man Utd. If at all there are any upsets, they could make a big impact from now on. At best, by end of February, we might have wiped off the gap and at worst we would have reduced the gap by a few points.
The most crucial weekend in this phase of the Premiership could be 20/21 January when we beat Liverpool and Arsenal beat Man Utd. If we beat Liverpool on Jan-20, it would put huge pressure on Man Utd to go for a win which could be dangerous for them.
You never know, we could be leading the table by the end of February!
Guys, if aren’t able to see the image clearly, please right-click on the image and choose the option to ‘view the image’.
The way ManUre played against Aston Villa in the FA showed that having nearly their whole squad involved in all matches is taking its toll.
Aston Villa will surely put up a fight this coming Saturday.
BC could u show the cup matches and cl matches sandwiched between the leagues dates too ?
I was just amazed at the way Larsson fit into the ManU line up. Why cant Shevy can into like that…
A lot will depend how comeback players will gel….JT will for sure strengthen the defence with Cech in goal further giving confidence to defence line..Robben’s contribution will also matter a lot….but ManU will for sure win again Villa while our loss at Anfiled is also a probability….
Yes Manish
That’s the operative word here ” gel”
Now if Ballackand Sheva were just thrust on JM
the ol boy might be just playing them outta spite and telling them to do their best. The expressions on their faces show it that somethings up .Next time out I’m gonna count the number of passes to them specially in killer situations when they would be able to score.
Now Ballack’s not getting enough crosses and Sheva’s not getting enough thru balls.Seems a bit funny now .
So I guess we can forget the “wrong formation” stuff and plenty of the tactical discussion stuff, when we got a dilemma like this one .
Just stirring up controversy before the tabloids do
I think Chelsea differs from ManU or Arsenal in its style of buildup in opponent’s area. They do a lot of passing while we rely more on set pieces or some power burst. As far as Sheva is concerned he needs to be a part of buildup.But right now we are not playing that way and hence players are relying on personal brilliance to score. Sheva needs supplies, he can’t do scoring on his own like Robben,Drogba or Lampard. Our midfielders are capable of scoring and hence they are not giving strikers that many chances to flourish.Sheva is trying hard but one can’t demolish defences in EPL on his own.One has to be part of buildup which Sheva is not able to do at the moment.And any new striker will always struggle at Chelsea due to our lack of buildup play.
As far as Ballack is concerned, he is slow for EPL.He looses ball so easily and then concedes free kicks in danger areas. He seems to be breaking our flow due to his slow movement rather than assisting it.
Manish! If it’s not your day, even Southend can knock you off from a Cup.
I dont quite agree that Shev/Ballack is not getting service. As a mark of great players, they should make the most of the service they get. Is it not normal that great players sometimes stay quiet all the match and in a flash of brillance, they just do it.
They are great warriors. Dont write them off. Before he spent the average season in Chelsea, Essien was the player of the season in French League.
Change of league surely takes time to adjust. Dont quote the below examples:
Larsson (no pressure at all when compared to sheva, and Sheva scored on his Chelsea debut too). Martins (newc play targetman game, whereas Chelsea anyone has the quality and mandate to score)
I dont agree with u BC not even a bit, how do u explain Berbatov?
or Rosicky or Kuyt or even Bellamy , whats up with Shev ?
Dont even give ur age-old-Essien excuse , Essien was 23 when he came not 30 when do u expect him to fire when he is 34 ???
Sorry pal but when ur a team like CFC then u dont hav that much time for one player , i am just sick of our Strike force (except for DD) does Lampard have to teach Ballack how its done??? Does DD hav to score all the winners???? If Shev cant score agnst 9 man Macc then i doubt his ability!!!!
Anyhow JM has put up a 35mn$ bid for D.Bent and i wont be least suprised if he swaps Shev for Ronaldo from Madrid!!!!
And BC ur crap theory that CFC dont play targetman game well neither do Arsey yet almost everyone scores not like CFC what mandate r u talkin abt???? The only other player scoring apart from DD is Lamps!!!!
Stop being so bull-headed and we hav to admit that JM has made a mistake in signing these players when there was no need whatsoever, just cuz JM did the transfers is not the excuse to defend them,even Fergie , Wenger and Capello hav made mistakes!!!!! Now is the time for JM to admit the mistakes and find new YOUNG YOUNG YOUNG and talented players!!!!
BC,
On what basis u think that Man U will loose/ draw against Arsenal and draw against Villa and spurs.
I don’t believe this will be result.
On the contrary I think we have away games against Liv, Arsenal which can prove decisive.
Guys! I dont expect 10 titles in 10 years.
Sheva is the best striker I have seen. I have complete faith that he would come back to his best. Ballack has not given his 100%, but he’ll come good too.
I BELIEVE. For those who have given up, sorry about that.
BC, its not that we have given up title hope. I am quite sure of title return (though it will go to wire)but we must have courage to say spade a spade when team is performing below par. ManU has raised bar this season and unfortunately we haven’t been able to reply so far. We are either drawing or scraping wins when they have been demolishing oppositions.So whats the reason when talentwise we are superior?Its just because JM has not been able to gel them with the team. With players like Ballack we can’t weave more than 3 passes. Brute methods were effective last seasons but teams now know how to tackle that.
BC
the reason that I really like this site is that we have great disussions. Adult discussions
Cheers BC
The title to CHELSEA
I have always been frank (read match reports since the wigan match).
One thing I strongly feel is, signings are fine. There are taking too much time to sette in. I’m too happy with the way José handles the superstars and the team. As someone who manages a team(in my workplace), I myself know the difficult it is and I admire his management skills.
I tend to agree with BC. Sheva ISNTgetting the service he deserves. Sheva is not being played to his strengths ie the ball to his feet and in front of him to run on. Most of the time Sheva has to come looking for the ball, take it, turn an run which he isnt used to.
Ballack should be the main player who providing that service and Ballack isnt – simple as that and thats the truth.
I dont know how mnay of your guys have been Chelsea supporters. I admire your passion and commitments, but from where I am sitting I think the majority of you have been spoilt and if I AM WRONG I APOLOGISE.
I never thought in my lifetime since I started supporting Chelsea in 1966 that I would see Chelsea win the title. I have now twice in two years and they are two years I will never forget
For this season things arent going right for us, but under the circumstances it COULD HAVE been an awful lot worse, Chelsea are still in there and they are still fighting.
KEEP THE FAITH!!!!
BTW Chelsea has been drawn at home to League One side Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup 4th Round.
Thanks Blueblood58.
You hit the nail on the head.
I draw inspiration from you.
Thanks BC your comment is appreciated and I am glad I ‘inspire’ you, but your own inspiration comes from within and from this marvellous blog and well done to you Sir!!
BB58, great to know that there is a father figure among us…really look to you for inspiration….
I am a rookie as I started watching EPL from 2004 only as it was only then that I completed my studies and got to have a dish connection at my home.
Chelsea was the team I got hooked to at very first sight. But I would confess it was really not due to their football skills, it was primarily due to their passion and their desire to win. Frankly speaking, for a football connoisseur like me Chelsea was/is not a natural choice.But still I liked Chelsea and will continue to do so, no matter what happens.
But I would still say that self criticism is best tool for becoming perfect.And Chelsea’s performance this season leaves a lot of room for it. We aspire to become best and hence ommission of few players(no matter how important they are) must not hamper our performance.Even with our best squad we are not delighting the viewers. We ought to change it. And I am ‘arrogantly’ sure that we will do it.
Hav u all gone nuts????Cant u see that the signings hav been awful and pathetic???? ‘ A lot worse” yes i agree with u BB58 with no RB , an out of-form LB , no substitute CB, no wingers we could hav been out of the race already!!!!
Think abt it who has done the damage yup its JM and he has again showed why he is such a dud in the transfer market he brought in a LB when we had one, he had the audacity to ignore the RB position continuing with his pathetic faithful Ferreira!!
He kicked out Jonson,Huth and Gallas and brought in another one of his upstarts (i still remember him boasting abt Khalid and his versatality) and till now not even one of his signings hav showed why JM spent those millions on them!!!!!
I wld rather prefer RA giving him a budget to work in so that he knows how much he ought to spend and where not spill money all over the world just cuz he can!!!!
Hav u all gone nuts????Cant u see that the signings hav been awful and pathetic???? ‘ A lot worse” yes i agree with u BB58 with no RB , an out of-form LB , no substitute CB, no wingers we could hav been out of the race already!!!!
Think abt it who has done the damage yup its JM and he has again showed why he is such a dud in the transfer market he brought in a LB when we had one, he had the audacity to ignore the RB position continuing with his pathetic faithful Ferreira!!
He kicked out Jonson,Huth and Gallas and brought in another one of his upstarts (i still remember him boasting abt Khalid and his versatality) and till now not even one of his signings hav showed why JM spent those millions on them!!!!!
I wld rather prefer RA giving him a budget to work in so that he knows how much he ought to spend and where not spill money all over the world just cuz he can!!!!
Sorry guys dunno why it got posted twice but i think that emphasises what i mean!!!!!
Calling all fellow CFC fans .
I am RomanHoliday at the moment in Myanmar ( Burma ) news censorship . I need a big favour . I need to know if a certain general from here has died today in S’pore . His name’s Than Shwe . All the proxies and bypassing methods are blocked . Please look it up for me in dvb.no , irrarwaddy.org or the Spore times, Bangkok post quiclky and post back here /. I need to know fast .
Thanks a million.
Sorry BC that its got nothing to do with footabll and that I’m using this site for other purposes but could find any other way.
Title to Chelsea
ATTENTION !!!!!
NEED SOME INFO
PLEASE HELP
Above post was from me
RomanHoliday
BC soory again but this it seems is my only contact to the outer woirld at the moment . Can’t even get my mail open.
ATTENTION !!!!!
NEED SOME INFO
PLEASE HELP
Above post was from me
RomanHoliday
BC my apologies but this it seems is my only contact to the outer woirld at the moment . Can’t even get my mail open.
RH , no such news on net.
please dont write off shev and ballack.
they will come back soon……..
also JM….
he knows what to do and he will prove once more…
dont fell in the mind games played by MANU fans at this moment.
we will strike back.
This certainly is JM’s darkest hour @ chelsea. I hope he will sail us thru from this tough times. But JM has made mistakes in transfers this season. Selling Huth was big blunder (Although Huth might wanted to move…). I think transfers is the biggest weakness of JM. He is never on the spot when there is any transfer. I think bringing Ballack adn sheva into squad was mgmts decision (not the JM’s decision). My only complain abt JM is he does not utilise our youths/reserves in FA/Carling cup matches. This will help us in any emergency situation.
Come on Chels!!!
“One more tme”
Faith shall lead us to victory if Reason doesnt.
If we think reasonably most of our new signings havent done ‘that’ well but I have faith in our players. If not this season, we will surely ‘murderlize’ our opponents in the next.
Anyways, this is my first post wooohoooo.
PS- Carling Cup is ours.
THanks a lot Manish
BC you should erase my messages above
Sorry to bother you
RomanHoliday
BC is there any truth in JM leaving stamford bridge and also the arrival of ayala. Please respond soon
hey zubinj9 the JM situation is going out of hand nobody yet knows what has happened in the past 2 weeks but as they say that there is no smoke without fire!!!!!
Ayala is just one of the targets JM is looking at but dont expect any signings in this week cuz Kenyon has left for China!!!!