Chelsea Discussion

[Smiley Culture]

I think it’s completely normal to expect something from a side that spend £200m+ in a summer to compliment a good existing playing squad. 

[CaaC (John)+]

1 hour ago, Willsy said:

Right, I’m raging. Never done anything like this I was going to ring in to talkSPORT this morning but I’d have stuttered. Are Chelsea fans, and some football fans so fickle to see the reality of the situation were in!? We have had endless success since 2005, those days are gone!! Get used to it, we are in a period of transition that includes our youth academy products actually starting to integrate into the team for the first time since probably 1997, we have £220 million worth of players coming into that mix as well. I can guarantee nobody imagined Frank would have given us champions league football last season with that squad, no one. Can anyone honestly tell me that they expected us to challenge for the title this year?? 
it is going to take us at least another 6-12 months until this squad are capable of going on a good title challenge, had klopp, solskjaer worked miracles overnight? No is the answer. United have been in transition since fergie left!! Liverpool have been trying since the 80’s!!! Get a grip the lot of you asking questions of lampard and having unrealistic expectations, the man needs to be given his time, if it doesn’t click in 12 months time, then I’ll agree the job is above him, but until then, you people need to get real. 

@Cicero, we have a TRUE BLUE aboard  

Other than that, welcome to the madhouse @Willsy, but we can also be a happy bunch most of the time, keep posting 

[Willsy]

Artful dodger.. is that a joke? Reece James, tomori, mount, Hudson odoi, Abraham all coming into the team?? You reckon it wasn’t a big achievement?? Losing hazard who carried us for years.... willian also. 

[The Artful Dodger]

2 minutes ago, Willsy said:

Artful dodger.. is that a joke? Reece James, tomori, mount, Hudson odoi, Abraham all coming into the team?? You reckon it wasn’t a big achievement?? Losing hazard who carried us for years.... willian also. 

Again, look at your oppostion. This idea Chelsea massively overachieved is ridiculous. You have talent beyond anything your direct rivals can wish for.

Did Leicester, Arsenal, Spurs have better squads than you did? It's an overwhelming NO in my view. He deserves some credit for managing at a new club and getting you your base level top 4, but it was not some against all odds tale.

Edited January 20, 2021 by The Artful Dodger

[Willsy]

You can say that now because they have had a season playing prem football together, those boys came from the championship on loan, huge risk. You can say a lot in hindsight but in the moment in time I.e last season I’m sorry there’s no way there was big expectations of us getting top 4, most respected pundits said top 6 would be a great season. 

[Cicero]

The Klopp comparisons are a bit of a joke. Liverpool saw continuous progression under Klopp before they got to where they are now. We've gone backwards under Lampard after spending 250 million. There's no identity, understanding, or cohesion within the team.  Just a bunch of individuals playing under some poor tactics.  

This isn't work experience. Lampard is clearly out of his depth. 

[Willsy]

If you understand how transition works then that’s a pathetic statement 

[Cicero]

16 minutes ago, Willsy said:

If you understand how transition works then that’s a pathetic statement 

Not if the transition we are seeing is regressing as a team. Liverpool saw continuous progression season after season. There's no real progression under Lampard and the more we give him time the worse we are looking and further down the table we are going. 2 points above Arsenal now, who the entire world were laughing at weeks ago. 

The only people who are Lampard in are the exact same people who wanted Sarri out mid January in his first season. Blind faith. 

 

Edited January 20, 2021 by Cicero

[Cicero]

Matt Law and Simon Philips reporting meeting to be held with Lampard and the club. Club identified Nagelsmann as #1 target. 

Romano reporting Tuchel also a potential replacement and that a German manager is likely. 

[LFCMadLad]

Yet another bites the dust. Just one big manager mery go round that club 

[Willsy]

Absolutely pathetic

[carefreeluke]

Whilst I think the Klopp comparisons are pretty poor, not also forgetting Klopp had a good track record to fall back on as well, I think Lampard should be given at least until the end of the season still.

I agree we should be challenging for the title this season and I agree with the fact that we don't seem to be progressing at all but as I often say in these situations, give the manager a bit more time, ride it out until the end of the season at least. I have said it with most managers under Roman in similar situations, with probably the only notable exceptions being maybe AVB and Mourinho's second spell. When I say I want Lampard to stay on, it doesn't mean I think we're progressing, I'm just generally, most of the time, of the opinion that managers need and deserve more time. Football's always a bit too reactionary in these situations for me still, especially at my club.

Edited January 20, 2021 by carefreeluke

[JoshBRFC+]

Crazy if they sack him mid season. Give him time ffs. He’s a club legend and learning on the job and they’re only a couple of wins and a small run of form off the top 4.

[The Artful Dodger]

Chelsea's 'reactionary' ways have generally worked out for the better over the past 15 years haven't they? 13 managers, 16 major trophies.

Edited January 21, 2021 by The Artful Dodger

[carefreeluke]

3 hours ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Chelsea's 'reactionary' ways have generally worked out for the better over the past 15 years haven't they? 13 managers, 16 major trophies.

It seems we are a fucking way off winning something significant with Lampard but if it were to happen, it would probably mean a lot more to the fans delivered by a club legend and by one of the most popular players this club has had.

That chopping and changing though has also caused us problems, managers coming in with different styles, players signed for them that fit a certain type of football, only for another manager to come in with a different approach and suddenly the tools don't fit. The whole Conte to Sarri transition in terms of recruitment was a joke really. All being said, you could say that more the problem here is that at times we've opted for managers with completely different styles to their predecessors, rather than the actual chopping and changing being the problem.

[Rick]

I’m all for giving the right manager time, but I keep hearing the same things from every Chelsea supporter; that there is no identity, no plan, no cohesion and that the players seem to be just thrown onto the pitch. I’m sorry, but you cannot give more time to somebody who doesn’t know how to use the tools he specifically requested. Lampard chose players he wanted, the club bought them and he hasn’t had any idea what the fuck to do with them. It’s pathetic, and I’d be getting rid right now because you need top four as a bare minimum, and right now that doesn’t look likely. 

[LFCMadLad]

That's assuming Lampard chose all these players?!

I've heard Cicero say he did but that's hardly definitive. I'm not sure someone across the Atlantic knows the true facts regarding a club in London... unless he works for them?

Edited January 21, 2021 by LFCMadLad

[Cicero]

Just now, LFCMadLad said:

That's assuming Lampard chose all these players?!

I've heard Cicero say he did but that's hardly definitive. 

Lampard, Cech, and McLachlan (head scout) make the decision on who to pursue from the targets identified. Lampard ultimately the one with the final say. 

You can read all the interviews from Ziyech, Werner, and Havertz. Each one of them stated it was Lampard who really convinced them to join and be a part of 'the project'. 

[LFCMadLad]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Lampard, Cech, and McLachlan (head scout) make the decision on who to pursue from the targets identified. Lampard ultimately the one with the final say. 

You can read all the interviews from Ziyech, Werner, and Havertz. Each one of them stated it was Lampard who really convinced them to join and be a part of 'the project'. 

Yeah it was the same with us when Gerrard was here. The club would identify the targets and then send Gerrard to convince them to sign. 

[Willsy]

Fuck me, how old are you lot? Havnt got a clue. We smashed Sevilla at theirs, where they simply don’t lose in Europe, we went 15 games or so unbeaten?? How many clean sheets? Timo was looking sharp and scoring, ziyech was hot... and now there’s a blip in the road it’s oh let’s change the manager again. Fans my arse, have some faith in the project ffs, the days where managers can come in and change things around and win have gone because we don’t have the experienced squads and players we once had. It’s a new era and it’s time you lot understood that and had some patience.

[LFCMadLad]

12 minutes ago, Willsy said:

Fuck me, how old are you lot? Havnt got a clue. We smashed Sevilla at theirs, where they simply don’t lose in Europe, we went 15 games or so unbeaten?? How many clean sheets? Timo was looking sharp and scoring, ziyech was hot... and now there’s a blip in the road it’s oh let’s change the manager again. Fans my arse, have some faith in the project ffs, the days where managers can come in and change things around and win have gone because we don’t have the experienced squads and players we once had. It’s a new era and it’s time you lot understood that and had some patience.

My sentiments exactly! We are going through a rough patch at the moment, what, do we sack Klopp? 

To be honest though, Chelsea are renowned for sacking managers at the first rocky road so it wouldn't surprise me if Lampard doesn't see the week out.

[Cicero]

More Klopp comparisons. One manager has won the European Cup and multiple league titles from different countries. The other manager has lost the two cup finals he's been in. One manager has a progressive footballing philosophy that's proven to be successful. The other manager has no idea what he wants in his football.  I wonder which manager should be trusted to turn things around? 

The 15 game unbeaten run is a bit of a silly supporting argument when you look at the context. Not one club we beat during that period was in the top 10 and people were genuinely calling us title contenders. Sevilla was arguably our performance of the season, but things significantly dropped after that. This season was always going to be the season to determine if Lampard was ready to take on a club challenging for honors. There were already signs of inexperience last season but Lampard deserved a go with a team that consisted of his signings. I said it from the beginning the pressure is on for him and he hasn't delivered. All that we've seen from him is the same dull tactics and mismanagement in some of the players. Specifically his new signings. With all that said, how can he be trusted to take this club to compete for top honors?

It's all a bit too silly for me as remove the name, 100% of Chelsea fans would want him gone once a replacement is found. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Cicero

[Dr. Gonzo]

It sounds like Lampard has totally lost his way and Chelsea fans are talking about Chelsea the way I talked about us under Hodgson, while pretty much everyone on here insisted we needed to see out the season with Roy.

Roy was also a media favourite so there would be loads in the press defending him. I think because of the media, Roy kept his job longer than he should have.

I think it’s only fair that Chelsea hang onto Fat Frank for a bit too long before sacking him.

[Cicero]

Tuchel is a risk similar to Conte so I can see why the club aren't opting for him mid season. Depending on who would be interim, it would give them a great time to turn things around. We saw it with Hiddink, Benitez, and DiMatteo. 

Its a bit of a risk persisting with Lampard as the metrics show performances are getting worse and we are dropping further down the table the longer we persist. Could finish outside of a European place at this rate. 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Cicero

[Rick]

3 hours ago, Willsy said:

Fuck me, how old are you lot? Havnt got a clue. We smashed Sevilla at theirs, where they simply don’t lose in Europe, we went 15 games or so unbeaten?? How many clean sheets? Timo was looking sharp and scoring, ziyech was hot... and now there’s a blip in the road it’s oh let’s change the manager again. Fans my arse, have some faith in the project ffs, the days where managers can come in and change things around and win have gone because we don’t have the experienced squads and players we once had. It’s a new era and it’s time you lot understood that and had some patience.

There’s having faith with reason and then there’s having blind faith, and it’s sounds like you’ve got the latter. Has Lampard really done anything to warrant the faith you’re telling others to have? 
 

I appreciate he’s a club legend, but he is doing a bad job. There’s nothing to suggest he has an idea how to get out of this rut, it’s just constant chop and change every game.