Chelsea Thread

[Leon Retro]

If the people in charge of Chelsea don't realise that they have to build the club up to a CL winning standard, then they have their heads in the sand. We need new players all over the pitch, and even then players have to gel as a team.

When people talk about hating any club because of the business people, that is stupid, because all clubs embrace big money when their confronted with it. Chelsea's fans, like any fans, want the club to be succesful. I think most fans wish Mourinho had stayed - and they don't think Ambromovich is perfect. Whatever happens, true fans stick with a club through bad times and good. I don't support Chelsea because the owner has tons of cash; I've supported Chelsea since they were relegated back in 1989.

[Nu-Eclipse]

Saw excerpts of AvB's first interview with Chelsea TV - thought it was pretty classy of him to pay tribute to Ancelotti's work over the last two seasons.

Ancelotti isn't nearly the rubbish manager that smurfy and the Chelsea board make him out to be.

[abigsmurf]

Ancelotti is a great manager. Until he needs to change things.

He steered Chelsea through the worst run of results since before Hoddle was manager because he didn't know what to do when Lampard, Alex, Essien and Drogba were injured/maria stricken. Yes that crippled the squad but not so much as to put in the awful performances we did.

We fell asleep defending far too often, Torres didn't just not play well, he completely failed to be intergrated into the squad (either his positioning was wrong or the other players didn't have a clue), when we were struggling for goals, we sent a striker out on loan who proceeded to get plenty of goals and assists. Those strike me as poor management. We won the double under him because he found a winning formula and stuck with it, when he did change things that season, we went through a similar (but much shorter) dip in performance that almost cost us.

[abigsmurf]

Di Matteo confirmed as assistant manager. That cheered me up a bit.

[abigsmurf]

Benayoun's goal was great

[abigsmurf]

Chelsea are getting in on the young keeper front too it seems.

Signed 20 year old Courtois for ?8mill. 6'6", the man's a giant.

[Flabio]

Can you talk them into loaning him out to Forest? For some reason we've decided to sell ours to Swansea...

[abigsmurf]

We've the worst luck with keepers so he'll probably be called upon at some point.

I don't think any team has played their third choice keeper as much as we have in the last few years.

[abigsmurf]

Signed Lukaku, not sure we need another striker unless Anelka or Drogba are on their way...

Need a wide player desperately though.

[hudson]

Giz Anelka der, lid.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

I imagine Lukaka will be loaned out if you don't sell one of Drogba and Anelka, because he's not going to get any playing time otherwise. The whole Premier League transfer scene seems to be a bit of a waiting game at the moment. Like you, I'm surprised Chelsea haven't added an incisive wide player who offers a goal threat. Once these Fabregas, Tevez, etc deals are sorted I think we'll see a final flurry before the transfer deadline.

[On The Edge of Insanity]

Romeu looks a good signing, BTW.

[abigsmurf]

Cech, Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou, Torres, Malouda. Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Benayoun, Drogba, Ferreira, McEachran, Anelka.

That's... Interesting. Will have to trust the manager on that one. I don't get what so many managers see in Bosingwa though, he's a liability.

Still, that's one helluva subs bench.

[abigsmurf]

Who'd want to be a Stoke season ticket holder?

All they have is physicality. Shawcross barging into Cech every set piece to force him over (at least the ref managed to notice this eventually), Players pushing and shoving Torres whenever they can (and being danced around by him when they can't). Awful game. Chelsea should be doing better Malouda and Kalou aren't doing especially great, Drogba coming on seems like a no brainer.

You couldn't give the handball against Terry. Was clearly trying to chest it and near impossible to tell either way, even in slow motion so you can't give it.

[Neil]

Who'd want to be a Stoke season ticket holder?

I dunno Stoke supporters?

New season and nothings changed at Chelsea, the sooner they get rid of that mupp Terry the better for the team. I'm not trying to enrage you with that comment Smurfy, Terry is such a whinger let's the team down.

Stoke have found a diamond goaly in Begovich, looks really good.