Reece James-does he have a future with us?

If that's true about the 150 apps it really is a bizarre club policy to have.

'The joy is slowly being squeezed out of football.'

I'm close to giving up Brummie. I hate the whole philosophy of possession football. Does Sarri seriously think his style can overcome Man City, Utd., Liverpool, even Tottenham?

I want to see adventure and attack and imagination from my club. Please... Oh please!!

I did ask nicely.

You've already beaten City, Liverpool and Spurs this season. I think your problems go beyond just the style, which admittedly isn't working that well right now. But it's not a case of possession football being inherently flawed and incapable of success here. City play possession football and are the best in the land.

Well spotted Ed!! Good points!

But what Chelsea are doing now is pass, pass, pass, pass - anywhere as long as we keep the ball. There's no penetrative thrust which you get usually from individual skill. That's what I call exciting. I don't care about systems. Sarri's system is stifling individual talent

Yeah I can understand that. It was similar with us under LVG in that it was quite formulaic and a lot of the risk was taken out of the team as a result. But Napoli did play some excellent football under Sarri so it's not just a case of it being a stifling system in principle, more that the players you have aren't suited to what is being asked of them, as a result it seems to make the system and the players probably look worse than they probably are.

I think there are some real issues in terms of talent in the squad as well. It's lacking in quite a few areas, in my opinion. Not just in terms of suitability for Sarri's style but also just on an individual level regardless of it.

Even if you change the manager you still need some big changes in the playing staff to get back up the top again.

I have no problem with Sarri implementing his philosophy. On this basis, I will be fully behind club for giving Sarri the time he require to achieve it. But.. my gripe with him is that he is unwilling to integrate few of our best academy prospects, who ironically could save his job. There are no excuses for using the same underperforming players i.e. not utilising the squad fully. Unlike Napoli at Chelsea he has the resources to do so with confidence.

Darren you raise some good points. Sarri’s system requires team performance and grasp his philosophy so everyone is in the same tune, otherwise it will be a waste time and resources. We have some very good individual players in our team who probably doesn’t suit his system, unfortunately Hazard falls into that category, Willian is another one, who along with Pedro are progressively getting worse.

This is why we need a Director Of Football. Emelano got a lot of stick but look at the gems he discovered that are at their peak right now. The Board are not football people right now. I nominate Petr Cech. Seems very intellectual and has a great knowledge of the game(playing side).

comment by bloomike (U7734)
posted 2 hours, 9 minutes ago
'The joy is slowly being squeezed out of football.'

I'm close to giving up Brummie. I hate the whole philosophy of possession football. Does Sarri seriously think his style can overcome Man City, Utd., Liverpool, even Tottenham?

I want to see adventure and attack and imagination from my club. Please... Oh please!!

I did ask nicely.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I don’t want to see Sarri sacked but like you bloo, I’m suffering a crisis of confidence, not with Chelsea Football Club but the current custodians who are supposed to be looking after her. My confidence at board room level has long gone but my confidence in Sarri wanes with each passing match, not because of results or even performances but because of his stubborn resistance against doing anything to try and arrest the situation.

My heart sinks every time I see the same line up with Pedro and Willian rotating between starting and the bench, whilst Hudson O’Doi is no where to be seen, were I can predict the substitutions player for player to within 10 minutes.

Judging by the comments of the Wigan manager, we could have bought James back in January, Abraham could have been bought back from Villa, imagine the boost it would give the fans to see them coming off the bench rather than Willian, Zappacosta and Giroud. He doesn’t comprehend that this is were he’s losing the fans - by not trying to change things.

Just those actions by their own would gain him latitude from supporters because he’s trying something different to that that continually fails. Every time I hear his comment about being more interested in results than the feeling of the fans makes me feel like grabbing him by the lapels, throwing his fake ciggie stub to the floor, shaking him and screaming at him that these players are not getting him results.

Does he not realise that it’s the likes of players like James and CHO that can gain him the backing of the fans that can buy him valuable time to turn this around?

Absolutely Brummie. You've nailed it there. I've nothing more to say.