or to join or start a new Discussion

Articles/all comments
These 30 comments are related to an article called:

What's The Problem?

Page 1 of 2

posted on 1/1/12

It's much simpler than that. Your captain is a total s.umbag and a little bit of Karma is taking place. Hope you get relegated and go out of business. Happy NewYear.

posted on 1/1/12

If there was such a thing as karma,then all Celtic fans would be dead!

posted on 1/1/12

I personally think your defence needs a massive overhaul. It's shocking seeing Chelsea defend like that. Luiz has potential so he should be given time but a new CB should be bought in to give him competition. But the likes of Bosingwa need to be replaced imo.

Drogba is off anyway. You could tell by his celebration after the goal.

comment by Devil (U6522)

posted on 1/1/12

I actually disagree. I think for the first time in approx three years we have a direction. For months now AVB's team selection to me has been puzzling to put it mildly, but i think i've figured out why. Because he appears to be the only person willing to go through the pain barrier that naturally comes when going through a transition of a hugely successful team that are strongly set in their ways. Though his treatment of Torres is still confusing me.

AVB was in and around the club during Mourinho's assembling of this very squad (both signings and his treatment of those already at the club), he knows better than anybody what their mentality is, and his brief is to change it. These next two transfer windows will be his evaluation.

McEachran should've been loaned out in the summer. Too raw, too lightweight, therefore will need the experience of being able to disappear from markers to make up for that physical disadvantage before stepping into this team. If he had abit more meat on his bones like Romeu, he'd be worth the gamble.

posted on 1/1/12

HHHBF, I understand your point about AVB. You also mentioned his treatment of Torres which has been puzzling. But can you categorically tell me what pattern this team plays? Are we a slow possession team that only speeds it up in and around the area? Or are we a counter attacking team that sits deep and hit our opponents lightning quick with the pace of Sturridge and Ramires? Are we a team built around lumping the ball up to Didier and hoping he does something with it? Or do we play it down the channels for our forwards to create from? Do we expect creativity from our full backs pushing onwards? Or are we a shoot on sight team (like against Spurs)? Do we wait to slide in our Strikers when they make good runs or are our midfielders meant to push on ahead of them while our strikers hold the ball up and try to play them in? I honestly can't say and I don't think anyone of us can categorically say what pattern we play. I have seen us play with all the styles i listed above and i'm honestly confused as to what the future holds. I have faith in AVB though and I think in the end, if he's given time, he'll get it right.

posted on 1/1/12

About Josh, a loan would improve his game greatly but just like Sturridge and Wilshere before their loans could still put in a shift for their parent clubs, Josh could have still contributed even if from the bench in tight games. A loan could also be detrimental to him. It depends on his mentality and adaptability to new surroundings taking into consideration he's been with Chelsea all his life. If he goes to a relegation threatened club, the mental stress might be much for him especially if the relegation fight is ultimately unsuccessful. The more a club gets pulled into the struggle, the less likely they are to trust a youth player on loan from a big club a la Kakuta.

posted on 1/1/12

I actually disagree. I think for the first time in approx three years we have a direction. For months now AVB's team selection to me has been puzzling to put it mildly, but i think i've figured out why. Because he appears to be the only person willing to go through the pain barrier that naturally comes when going through a transition of a hugely successful team that are strongly set in their ways. Though his treatment of Torres is still confusing me.

I think the same

posted on 1/1/12

We've left it too late. That is the boards fault, not the manager

comment by Devil (U6522)

posted on 1/1/12

That comment was actually the base of my previous point. AVB's experimenting, and it's about bloody time someone did aswell. The only thing AVB can be guility of in my mind is arrogantly assuming that we could do this while 4th place would be a given.

I'm more than happy to allow AVB to keep doing what he's doing as long as i continue to see a method behind it, and the day after this transfer window closely will be the first checkpoint.

comment by Devil (U6522)

posted on 1/1/12

*closes

posted on 1/1/12

His first window brought in Mata and Romeu. He knows where the weeknesses are in the team, but he has to keep dressing room harmony as well.
I'd say the fans thought it would be easy to keep challenging more than he really does

posted on 1/1/12

Agreed HHBF and TCP although I do agree with OP regarding Bertrand and Josh

posted on 1/1/12

Great article

When Robben moved on and the Schevchenko experiment failed we should have started rebuilding slowly that would have made the "transtion" limited.

Two things disapoint me about AVB first he made a comment recently saying we will not make big changes in the window as that would be admitting that we were inept in our decision to start the season with the personel we have. IMO we should have moved two more on in the summer and the fact that Anelka and Alex are on there out 4 mths later proves we were inept in our planning.

Secondly I don't understand the Torres treatment over the last 9 weeks either, I am not aying play him but what is the point of naming him on the bench and not giving him any game time when clearly we needed to make a change upfront......

What ever happens now we should judge AVB when he has his own team built by him

posted on 1/1/12

You need to get rid of Drogba and Lampard. They are your main problems.

Once they've gone you'll have more harmony and can move forward.

posted on 1/1/12

Also agree with Rising Sun about the transitiion, it IMO should have happening probably even at the start of that double season, 09/10, and I definately remember that even at the end of that season alot of us were asking for new signings anyway, and a few people sold - I certainly was.

It was a step-forward selling those 4 players summer 2010 and the replacements in theory were good:

OUT---Ballack-------Deco-------Cole---Carvalho
IN------Ramires---Benayoun---Kakuta--Bruma

but Ramires was the only succesful transition. Kakuta and Bruma were not used nearly as much as they would have been if they were Cole and Carvalho while we were just unlucky with Benayoun.

Plus a front-three of Anelka-Drogba-Malouda was never going to be sustainable when they were all turning 30+ in 2010. We've started sorting that out but still a year to late.

posted on 1/1/12

The January window is not the time for wholesale changes, it is more a ticking plaster opportunity.

We have to be patient and except that it will be this summer that we see the wholesale changes we need for the long term.

posted on 1/1/12

sticking plaster

posted on 1/1/12

the media criticise the wrong people, as in Luiz and Torres....Luiz is perhaps our best player.

and, the results in the past couple of weeks have made me lose all faith in our team, the promise displayed only a month ago has evaporated and I am fed up with this squad of players.

drastic overhaul may be needed and my trust in AVB to even get us into top 4 has disappeared.

i would happily bet big money in us coming lower than 4th in the league and for us winning no trophy, AVB has failed to provide the change, and the players no longer seem to care.

it feels like a nightmare or bad dream to be honest, and it is fair to say 2011 was our worst year since 2001.

comment by Tway (U1162)

posted on 1/1/12

It was a step-forward selling those 4 players summer 2010 and the replacements in theory were good:

OUT---Ballack-------Deco-------Cole---Carvalho
IN------Ramires---Benayoun---Kakuta--Bruma

--------------------

I believed at the time the signing of Yossi B was a clever bit of business particularly as he worked so well with Torres when both played at Anfield.
But the two were very rarely on the pitch together. When they were it seemed to work rather well. But because we were so craving for Moderic and finally got Miereles that he was loaned out to Arsenal, considered surplus to requirements.
Watching Yossi B playing with the Arsenal squad and seemingly fit in so well with their strikers, in particular Van Persie, I'm wondering if this was not a mistake to let him go. Though I understand the reasons behind the decision, its a great pity this partnership, which may well have been of great benefit to us, was never allowed to flourish, or at least even given a chance.

posted on 1/1/12

Agreed. Would have been better for him to stay but then I also think Meireles is better than Benayoun. But Benayoun would be more useful than Malouda/Anelka. I do think we tried selling Kalou/Anelka before the end of the transfer window but they didn't want to go so we opted for Zhitkov and Benayoun to go as welll

posted on 1/1/12

Tway

Benayoun has hardly played for Arsenal. 2 starts I think and then late sub appearances.

posted on 1/1/12

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

posted on 1/1/12

npe77

Happy New Year

posted on 1/1/12

I hope this year is better than last...

As for AVB, he has done a lot wrong, but the players are even worse.

Having second thoughts about going to chelsea portsmouth....

comment by Tway (U1162)

posted on 1/1/12

Mikehunt
You may well be right. I do not generally watch the gunners play. But when I have it happened that Yossi was on the pitch. The last match I saw him play was v Wolves where he set up the goal and looked sharp.
I remembered a rather delightful pre season goal he scored for us. My point was not to talk up YB but more the problem that needs solving about Torres's lack of service. Yossi may have just been the catalyst our Fernando needs, and it looked promising the very short cameos when they were both on the pitch at the same time.

Page 1 of 2

Sign in if you want to comment