GodZola

Exactly, add Sniejder to those wingers & then things will change for sure. AVB is under no illusion that the performances must improve but he also has to look at the bigger picture too.

Silly me, I didn't realize that MacEachran, Bertrand, Clifford, Chalobeh were regulars? Then you have the fringe players getting a run. Some players will adapt quicker than others but you cannot expect them all to gel straight away, I know I am critical of our quality but atleast I'm prepared to give them time to change - cut them some slack please!

I can see things from both sides but would sway to the side of an optimist rather than a pessimist. The problems we have this season is down to the hierarchy taking too long in their pursuit to try & install Hiddink as our new manager which ate into the valuable time of our new appointment. AVB has quite right stated he wanted to evaluate the squad before making changes & this has to be the correct way of doing things as we want quality to replace some of the dross that need shipping out, there's no point in making rash judgements & ending up paying millions for the wrong player who isn't any better than what we already have. I would prefer that we identify out transfer targets at the end of the season & obtain them ready for pre-season but unfortunately this is not always possible & this year is an example of that. I think we just have to be patient this time & hope the wheels are in motion of acquiring our Targets - albeit later than we would expect. As for on the pitch, the players are having to get used to a new manager with different ideas & this of course will also take time for the players to adapt. The results & performances are not worrying me as its quite clear that AVB is experimenting whilst running his eye over some of the younger players who deserve to be given a chance. We have to take into account that AVB will try players in different roles & use different formations, the players are only getting 45 minutes at most & their fitness levels are no where near 100%. We also have 3 quality Brazilian's to enter the fray yet. I will start worrying a little at the end of August if there are no new arrivals & the players havn't adapted to the new brooms thinking.

You should you know me by now, if I don't like him I will tell you - without question. Now you base you whole argument on stats & Mikel passing ability, where as I was stating that there are more to a player than simply passing the ball sideways to a left back then he gets it back, he then passes it to a midfielder then gets it back (this is partly why he has a high passing percentage) eventually he might then pass it forward which is what we want him to do but I would like him to distribute the ball quicker & forward more often to start our attacks. I've probably been a little unkind to him as respect his passing abilities - apologies, however when I look for top quality players you need to look at everything in his locker, which brings me onto Makelele. When he played he had 100% concentration, unbelievable self awareness, he had that gritty determination & enough pace to get him out of trouble. He used to win possession then give it to a player infront of him that would start our counters. According to you're last paragraph Mikel is as good as Makelele but lacks experience, Mikel's had 158 games! This is one of my points is that he has had enough time now & its time for him to produce. There are 2 things that worry me about his overall performance, first is his slow distribution of the ball, the second is that he has no pace & as I've said previously he is likely to get undone by quick thinking attackers with pace. Whenever I criticize I mean it in a way that I only want the best for Chelsea & to move us on to the next level where we can become European Champions & to dominate English football so I would like to see top quality in every position, Mikel for me is a decent squad player but wouldn't make my first 11. Lastly, I'll say this again, I hope AVB drops the DM role at home & replaces it with a more attacking lineup as we were playing with 4 defenders & sometimes 2 holding when sides are coming to defend, sometimes we had 3 defenders marking 1 player! So I hope this position is redundant for large parts next season & then a lot of this thread will be irrelevant.

Difficult one. It all depends on what formation AVB decides on & who we are playing against. If we use Arsanal as an example, well Drogba always seems to score against them & generally runs their defence ragged. Drogba proved towards the end of last season that despite his age he was the form pick.Torres endured a nightmare last season but I believe AVB will employ different tactics to get him scoring again & with that his confidence will thrive too - hopefully giving us the world class player back he was a couple of years ago. Our service to the frontmen was poor last season so the supply has to improve for either of them to flourish, if I had to make a call on this then I would go with Torres starting generally & Drogba being used like scum u do with giggs but I don't say that with much courage, as AVB may just surprise us all & start with both!

Clevemayer, I have read the stats before but there not going to change my mind about him. I said the boy has ability but I question whether he can move up to the next level, that's all I'm saying in a nutshell. When I discussed this before it was on the 'is our midfield good enough thread' I listened to pat Nevin & Steve Claridge who were questioning him In the same content as me, fair comment to the other critics who think differently, I've already said many times were I stand with it & am more than prepared to leave it there. This thread from you is a little more compromising but you then let it down by the sarcasm? What I've stated is just my opinion it doesn't mean I'm correct by any means, its just how I've perceived his performances thus far, that is all. If I don't agree with something then I will speak my mind, unfortunately its in my nature so in that sense I don't think I will adere myself to the majority but I still have the quality to apologize if I am wrong, so if I have upset you then I'm sorry my intentions are not that at all.

Look I don't give a flying fuck on what you think of my comments or anyone else - but keep you're pathetic fucking little digs to yourself. It's a sad place when the minority get picked on by the cyber bullies just because their opinions differ to the majority.

Sorry I missed this one. I don't read ANY LINKS, & I'm not interested in stats (I'm not the only one that thinks that) before you harp on about it, I will give you a stat to get you're teeth into, Makelele & Essien have been & were better than Mikel in that position - I rest my case. Here you go lionsden just for you........... Here's another one, Torres scored 1 prem goal last season in how many games - does that make him a poor player because of that stat? You see stats don't give a true picture, oh if he his better than Fabregas at this & that then why don't Barca bid for Mikel instead?

In my last post I told you to read my posts before you spout off again, so instead of admitting that I hadn't mentioned scoring ability you then come back with yet another useless stat. I would call Mourinho & Hiddink world class, Avram grant ummmmm - mind boggles! Look I will spell out for you & all the other Mikel lovers & there are lots more that havn't got involved is this, my opinion is he has to improve on what he has done so far for us, now would you say in those 158 appearances that he has been as good or better than Makelele or Essien? If the answer to that is yes then you & the other lovers are liars. I agree with Henrique in that if we are to become world beaters then we must improve & that's not just Mikel I'm talking about. Lastly Mikel as I'm told on here has now matured, at the right age, well as I said he has the manager now to help him mature into the player you lot already think he is, he has ability but whether he can make that next step up is another matter & I can see him doing ok against mediocre sides but when the shit hits the fan & we play a top side don't be surprised if he gets mugged at a crucial moment. Let's hope you lot are right & I'm categorically wrong.

Excellent post.

Where the fuck did I say anything about scoring apart from a sarcastic retort back to you about Cech? I suggest you read all my posts before you comment further. If I wanted to be picky then Mikel is behind Makelele, Essien & Ballack in that respect but that is not what my argument us based on ffs!

& what was that? No point me answering is there really as there far superior football brains on here than I.

Cech will probably score a prem goal before Mikel does - some of us have the capacity to be sarcastic too! But some of us can put to a decent argument without it & can take the blinkered Mikel glasses off to see things differently.

cording to optastats the most successfull then anybody...he made the most interceptions for our team... shilded the ball sublimely against 2 or 3 sometimes 4 players... oh Ok I see, he dosen't score a hat-trick every game he plays in, so he is a WASTE OF SPACE... get rid of him... I mean what is a defensive midfielder supposed to do? right score goals... Yes I wondered when you would come on with you're stats, I havnt forgotten you or the other 2 that havnt yet participated! If stats were so important then why was he getting dropped in favour of an out of form Essien? I'm fully aware of his position & what it entails - more than you realise.

That's his job to do that (giving licence to others to attack) & I've already said that I'm not singling out Mikel alone as we had near a whole squad barring a few that under performed. You may be right in that ancelotti gave him those instructions but we will never know, however it doesn't stop him distributing the ball quicker or making a defence splitting ball more regularly - he can do it, I'm saying he doesn't do it enough. Makelele, Essien before his spate of injuries & Ballack were better than him in that role, its just my opinion that's all, I just think Mikel has to improve on what he has done for us thus far.

Oh that would be me then! Starts off playing well last season then plays the rest of the season below average along with most of the team I might add, he even got dropped by Ancelotti towards the end of last season. Oh & as for the double year, he got injured & was replaced by Ballack who showed him exactly how he should of played in that role & a major reason why we won the double that season. He is not world class like Makelele or Essien was before he got injured, now does that make it any easier for you?

Does it? If & when he proves me wrong & that may happen under a different manager who likes to play offensively then I will start a thread about me being owned by Mikel & will quite happily eat some humble pie! Malouda proved me wrong for a short period & I was glad to eat a slice but i didn't have to finish the pie!

I just knew a thread like this would turn up sooner or later after we got the dreaded prognosis on Essien. I will stand by what I've said on previous threads & that Mikel has showed me next to ' fuck all' as a Chelsea player. Yes I've read the stats about him being accurate with his passing but I could do that now at my age - short tippy tappy balls to & from a defender or the same to a midfielder just infront of him - he is good at that but when we going to see him produce passes that are offensive on a regular basis, he is far too slow in distributing the ball, which leads to him getting caught in possession far too often, lastly he has no pace. Six month's or so ago I said on here that I would like him to prove me wrong as I've seen very little from him to change my mind & he didn't disappoint. If AVB can bring the best out of him then I'm all for his inclusion but as things stand I will reiterate that he is a squad player but wouldn't make my starting 11. For the record I would play a CB partnership of JT & Alex (Cahill if Alex is sold) & I would play Luiz in that holding midfield position as he has all the attributes that I would look for to play there. However I keep saying the same thing, why do we need to play a DM especially at home when 90% of the teams sit back & defend for 90 minutes if they can get away with it, I'd rather we played with a far more offensive lineup when we know teams are going to 'park the bus' & drop that position unless its warranted. Will see what AVB has in mind?

Unfortunately I had to abstain from voting for the months of May & June as I have not been on here enough to cast a fair vote on who deserved the award. However congratulations to Jim & Kostas well done lads.

AVB will settle for nothing less than winning every trophy we compete in & that's the way it should be, setting your targets for anything less is a sign of weakness. The players are already used to a winning mentality & won't want their new manager lowering the high standards that they have achieved in the last 6 seasons - AVB will not disappoint them either! I've already stated that I am impressed by his style of management & now he has stopped the freeloading going on at Cobham & told the players its a place of work not for fucking haircuts - ffs! The players now know they have to perform weekin/weekout or they will be dropped this will ensure an improved attitude on the pitch & hopefully a successful season. Personally, If AVB can change the dross of football I had to watch for large parts of last season with attacking quick passing football it will be a huge step in the right direction, if we manage to win something then that's a massive bonus. I think AVB will be secretly feeling that we can win one of the big one's next season if he gets some of his transfer targets, but will be confident in getting extra from the players from last season with his motivation & his impressive management style. We also have to take into consideration that our rivals will improve their squads with maybe the exception of Arsanal who maybe weaker come kick off, Utd have already been busy & if they get my number 1 target Sniejder then we could be in trouble to regain the title, City will be another year down the line with their expensive new recruits & will be a massive threat, I can also see Liverpool getting back in the top 4 next year but possibly too soon for title challengers. As for the CL, if we play to our potential then I'm confident that with some new signings & some Fucking luck for a change we can go all the way - only Barca worry me but they are beatable, we showed that in 09 but for an incompetent & cheating official. I'm looking forward to next season with confidence & will be there at the Bridge for our first home game, COME ON YOU BLUESSSSSSSSSSS!

I really hope for everybody concerned with the club, that statement is true BL as its the only way we will ever progress to the next level. However it hasn't stopped Roman shelling out something in the region of 62m in the past 7 years in compensation, so i don't think he will lose much sleep if it all goes pareshaped! I just think its a step in the right direction from our previous managers - well take Carlo as an example, he lost his trusted right hand man in Wilkins (were i felt he should of put his foot down regarding his departure) and a nobody was forced on him, atleast AVB is being given the tools to bring in his own backroom staff, build his own empire with people who HE believes can get us back to where we belong. I've been impressed byAVB's short time in management and the way he has already conducted himself at our club, i have confidence in him that i havn't felt since Jose, i am though waiting with anticipation on his next steps of who he brings in, sells, and the formation of the team - some big factors for me, that will hopefully change things and push us forward next season.

Just a few points I've picked up on............ AVB certainly knows his way around managing people by making sure It's not just about individuals but this is going to be a team effort from top to bottom - this will build relationships, everyone will feel like they are part of it & he will know very quickly who doesn't! This will also build moral & provide extra motivation as the divides in the camp will be broken & a team effort will begin. Like the way AVB has also made it known that even though JT will be Captain he will not be ammuned from being benched or dropped, this was one of the problems we had with Ancelotti who kept picking players despite their poor form - this sends out a message to all the senior players that if you're standards drop you will be on gardening leave! For me those few words are a quality piece of management. One thing that does worry me though & I'm sure its just a red herring until we do start signing some quality players is that he wants to look at what we've got first before rushing into the transfer market. Someone who is as meticulous as AVB will prob already know who he wants in or out - I will be astonished if some of the mediocre players are still at the club come August 31st. Lastly, the fact that AVB is making his decisions by personally phoning RDM is evidence that he has ensured that he gained some power over footballing decisions, maybe just maybe Roman has learnt his lesson by his previous mistakes.............

That is possibly true but I have never rated either player (Kalou, Maouda) However if they would improve their consistency to playing well for most of the season & that consistency continues then i'd get of their backs. However both players have had enough time to improve.......time to get rid.