Tortilla9

Cech also came out in support of Carlo about this time last year. Insider? Who knows. I believe there may be a little bit of truth to it. Senior players unhappy. Locker room divided. Maybe not direct quotes but a word here, a word there. There is blood in the water and the sharks are circling.

Maybe BL and LFC were listening to AVB's words about the 'collective'. Doesn't seem Chelsea players heard it.

After the holidays I'll donate a month. Too bad the US dollar to the pound is such crap.

How much are hosting fees? This site keeps me off the porn and gambling sites.

Cech's comments about AVB after yesterday's loss. http://www.sportingl...ad.html&BID=165 Compare to Cech's comments about Carlo last year. http://www.sportingl...ea.html&BID=312 The insanity, doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results, continues at Chelsea. The one constant, the players, remains while managers try to accomodate these same players and lose their jobs because of these same players. At some point a Chelsea manager is going to have to say "ENOUGH", grow a pair, and make hard decisions. It's a given with Roman's track record a Chelsea manager is going to get the sack anyway. Might as well go out doing it your way. What's so frustrating is AVB seemed to be doing it his way early on. There were hiccups but there was also a distant light at the end of the tunnel. Now, he seems to have reverted to something else. I still see a distant light at the end of the tunnel but I wonder if it's the oncoming train.

Yet they all remain. It is just more of the same.

You make your own luck and Chelsea aren't doing that right now.

Have to agree to disagree. Drogba did much of nothing for 80 minutes (and that's being generous). Mata is being isolated on the wing. He is best in the hole behind the striker.

Valencia 2 up.

You and I have a better chance of getting minutes than Josh.

Follow a few different forums and twitter - most seem surprised that DD is starting. Guess AVB wanted us all on our toes.

I admit to some confusion which is especially easy today given I'm doped up on cold meds. I don't think either DD or Torres have set the world on fire this season but what is AVB doing with Torres?

You could still go, have a beer and warm up for the Chelsea masterpiece. It'll be on Fox in the US at 4pm ET.

In the US it's not being shown live on Fox. We get live Arsenal or Barcelona. We get Chelsea on delay.

Differently could be anything. Formation, high line, playing better, who the hell knows. Yep, the author mentioned Kalou. Not sure why but he did.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/8908204/Chelsea-prepare-for-the-future-by-allowing-French-striker-Nicolas-Anelka-to-leave-Stamford-Bridge-in-January.html "Anelka is not in the squad for the CL... but this is not beleived to be connected to his departure. Chelsea manager AVB said: "He's not injured. His ability is tremendous, but we've decided to do something differently for this game." That might include giving a rare opportunity to Salomon Kalou. (those are Burt's words about Kalou)

Was Anelka even on the bench Sunday? Nothing's been mentioned about injury....

Anelka evidentally didn't travel to Germany. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22112011/63/anelka-misses-chelsea-trip.html

Warnie, I really hope this is an exaggeration. If not, it sounds worse than high school and it's embarrassing. No wonder nobody ever wants to leave. I think of that movie "Mean Girls" that my daughter dragged me to years ago because she needed a ride and $. I still try to get my head around Roman being open to all of this. I have a picture in my head of the typical Russian businessman (good and bad) and just can't see how or why he puts up with a bunch of bs from his employees.

AVB fought the fight, now focus on what needs to be fixed, short-term and long-term.

On the other hand did Lampard cover himself in glory in the big games against United, Arsenal, or Liverpool? Every player this season has had some stinkers and nobody is immune from some criticism and good hard look in the mirror. One thing I sometimes question about AVB is his scouting/tactics. Supposedly he was Jose's scout mastermind of the opposition. Why does it sometimes feel he is surprised by the opposition or the opposition seems to out-scout us? I sincerely hope these bad moments are wake up calls to players and AVB. God forbid Chelsea don't make it out of the CL qualifier. One Russian is definitely not going to be happy.

It's Chelsea's version of insanity - keep doing the same thing yet expect different results.

Does Fergie do it (play the youngsters) because he know's he's the only untouchable at United? Do the CFC managers not do it because they're afraid of getting the boot if the youngsters fail? Whatever it is it's not as if the old guys are setting the world on fire.

Why exactly are players untouchable at Chelsea? Is it because of Jose's "untouchable" phrase when he was here? If so, don't people realize Jose is gone?

I'm not advocating kicking JT out of the club but there seem to be those who think he's untouchable because he's a club legend. Keane was a United legend and a leader on the pitch. Everybody at the club knew it. Yet when he crossed the line Fergie quickly gave him the boot. The man on the sideline needs to be in charge and the players need to know that. At Chelsea that does not seem to be the case.