LDN Blue

- Ancelotti

Lack of players?

Sunday 7th November 2010 News that Drogba won't start & Essien would not feature at all for Chelsea sets the course for the day. We were on the back-end of a Liverpool "resurgence" as a Torres showed his 'potential class' to score 2 winning goals which totally deflated us. Despite an improved second half performance (courtesy of Didier Drogba) we still failed to score any goals to bring us back from the 2 goal deficit. A game to certainly forget. John Terry described it as a "wake-up call." Still no Lampard. Monday 8th November 2010 Rumours Lampard will face Fulham are denied by Carlo saying he will be ready for Sunderland on Sunday. Tuesday 9th November 2010 A blood test shows Didier Drogba had contracted Malaria when given time off a month back. The new information gives us insight on why Drogba was rested on Sunday. Despite just being diagnosed and started treatment, Carlo is adamant Drogba will be fit to face Fulham on the following day. Wednesday 10th November 2010 Despite looking like an easy game for Chelsea. We only manage a 1-0 win over our closest rivals Fulham. Drogba did start despite his malaria. Essien scored the only goal of the game, another header to add to his 4 already scored. However, from a heroic start, he soon became a villan (to the referee) when he was sent off late on in the game for a 2-footed, studs showing, challenge on Clint Dempsey. We can all agree it certainly did not look like a straight red, however he had been booked before begging the question, would Chelsea appeal? Thursday 11th November 2010 "Chelsea have announced assistant manager Ray Wilkins is leaving the club after they decided not to renew his contract." News rocks Stamford Bridge and the Chelsea faithful that fan-favourite, assisstant manager, Ray Wilkins has been sacked by Chelsea. It was done during the friendly reserve game between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. No word from Carlo, Ray or Gourley about why he was sacked. Rumours for a successor start flying around, Maldini & Zola's name emerge. Friday 12th November 2010 Even more shocking news for Chelsea fans. The expected return of Frank Lampard to the Chelsea line-up will be delayed by a futher 2-3weeks as a result of a fresh injury. The injury is apparently not related to his old one, this time he has "suffered a strain to an adductor muscle in the groin region". Saturday 13th November 2010 Further disappointment at Villa Park and Aston Villa fail to hold up a 2-0 lead over ManUtd, which sees the Reds equalise 2-2. The only good news is, Liverpool lost 2-0 to Stoke City. Sunday 14th November 2010 Prior to the kick-off between Chelsea & Sunderland news that John Terry and Alex will not be available means 3rd choice right-back, Paulo Ferriera will play as centre back next to Ivanovic. It also seems Essien's red card will not be appealed leaving Chelsea with a, must be said, weakend squad. This reflected in a 0-3 loss to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. Our worst defeat at home since April 2002 to ManUtd. An awful defensive performance which saw Onuoha, Gyan & Welbeck ruin Cech's chances of setting a club record of 10 clean sheets, in a row, at home. Chelsea fans shocked and outraged by what they've witnessed, it did not occur to anyone in a million years we would lose by such a margin. This leaves us only 2pts clear at the top, with Arsenal winning a few hours earlier. With an international break the following week, the team won't be with each other till late next week, before the Birmingham game. Away. Conclusion It was an awful way to handle the Wilkins departure. A lot of negativity was aimed at the Chelsea board as a result. But this is football, we, as fans, must trust the board to know what they are doing. Our performances lately have not been great, but why? I believe it's because we've got important players out. Drogba's not 100% for obvious reasons. When Essien hasn't played we've lost. (ManCity, Liverpool & Sunderland). When Terry, Lampard, Essien & Drogba are fully fit we'll see the same Chelsea who would've hammered Sunderland 7-2. And MOST importantly. We're top of the table by 2points, Carlo Ancelotti is experienced enough to guide us out of this, rut. ICWT :chelsea2:.

The fans at the Bridge today were good. Even at 2-0 down, they were still singing for Chelsea. However when the 3rd went in, understandably, they'd had enough. Don't blame them frankly, they have a right to be frustrated from that. Our away fans sing their hearts out no matter, they don't ever let us down.

Carvalho was always going to go Madrid. He'd agreed it with Carlo before last season. Also, Bruma is a central defender, he should not be played at right back. It makes sense to have Ferriera there because this is only a rare occasion where Terry AND Alex are out. I do agree we need more players though, especially in midfield. We have to now. The 1 player we bought for the 4 players who left is now effectively out for the entire season.

Depends who's back for this one. Terry & Alex should be. Essien will still be suspended (looks like no appeal from CFC). Drobga should be 100%. Who the hell knows about Lampard anymore.

Yeah don't get me wrong, we still have one of the squads in the PL.... When fit. But today shows we simply need more players, just to be bench warmers, the Benayoun role almost. Be there as experience/to integrate the young players in.

This, more than anything, is proof we need more players. I know what you will all say "we have the likes of McEachran and Kakuta" and I appreciate that, I honestly do. But today is pure example of lack of experience in our squad, lack of depth to an extent. We had no Terry, Alex, Lampard, Essien & Drogba's not 100% We can't call upon Benayoun because his season more/less is over. We only have 3 experienced centre backs, Alex, Terry & Ivan. 2 were out, so we had to put Ferriera there. As hard working as he is, he is simply too old to shift positions just like that. Now let's look at the midfield. Mikel, Essien, Lampard, Benayoun, Zhirkov, Ramires. When we have Mikel, Ramires & Zhirkov we're just not that attacking. Ramires is defensive, Mikel is defensive, Zhirkov is a lone midfielder who likes to drift out wide leaving us with a 2 man midfield. We called up on Josh & Kakuta. Why? Because we had no-one else. Guys, please don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we're shit or anything, I'm just saying, this should be a wake up call for Carlo AND the rest of the squad. Last year we had Ballack, Deco, J. Cole, Belletti ect. We replaced them with 1 player. Anyone agree? :\

I wonder bother with him. The fact he's calling for Ancelotti to be axed shows what kind of a "fan" he really is.

Guys seriously. It was only the last 10minutes Sunderland attacked us full on, we'd controlled 35minutes of it. Stop writing the whole team off. Still another half to play. Ffs, same old same old with "fans".

OF COURSE SkySports won't acknowledge Cech's great saves this half. Twats. This is why I prefer ESPN.

I'd love to see Andy Gray's reaction when we turn this around. Stupid oaf, he's acting like that's a winning goal. Bloody idiot. Sorry, I know I'm venting, but the man is a retard. First he's too ignorant to know, Iva should not have been sent off as he's not the last man back. Then he gets a fucking orgasm over Onouha's goal, which was good yes. And now he's acting like it's the winner.

Fucking Andy Gray.

Rangers > Celtic

Andy Gray's such a twat. Did he not see Ferriera would've been covering Gyan if he'd gotten away from Iva?

I don't get it?

Gordon Onuoha - Turner - Bramble - Bardsley Henderson - Cattermole© - Richardson - Zenden Welbeck - Gyan Zenden back at the Bridge But that Sunderland team looks quite sharp. Gyan, Welbeck, Henderson & Richardson will be handful. Cattermole's developing a reputation for tackling hard to Mikel better be aware of him. But matching this up to our squad we should win this quite comfortably.

Cech Bosingwa - Ivanovic - Ferriera - Cole Mikel Ramires - Zhirkov Anelka - Drogba© - Malouda Subs: Turnbull, Bruma, van Aanholt, McEachran, Kakuta, Sala & Kalou Sala makes the bench and Borini doesn't? Maybe he is being frozen out :\

Thankfully Bent is injured for this game. Though Gyan will be a handful.

^ Agreed. People are complaining he's lost pace? I don't think so. What he's doing is cleverly, and quickly, dropping his pace to fool defenders. He does it so well, you think he's lost pace. But that's why he's able to cut inside so well and get good balls going across the 6-yard box or shooting himself.

Exactly what I said about Mark Hughes. If Manchester City continue this policy of dumping managers around this time every season, they won't be winning much.

Big fan of Henderson! It would be amazing to sign him.. McEachran and Henderson would link up tremendously! I've heard Steve Bruce slapped an £18million price tag on him, but I'm sure Niall Quinn will see otherwise if we put in a decent bid

Careful words chosen by Carlo, but it does reveal a lot. Clearly shows Carlo didn't want Ray sacked.