CHOULO19

Rafa was never going to win us the league or stay past May. I don't think anyone wants that. But I think that the improvements in the basics he brought to the team will be crucial for the coming seasons. Again, I'm not talking about results. In fact, we'd probably had better results this season with RDM (although I think the performances were only going to get worse had he not been sacked) but that is due to other factors than whether or not the team has improved such as the atmosphere and the consequent players moral, the terrible decisions Rafa made sometimes (which I'm not denying), and the thick schedule with the thin squad. But what I'm saying is put all those aside for a moment and look at the team's performance. The defense looks much more solid with the wingers tracking back the pivot being more disciplined Yes we've conceded a lot, but most goals are from individual errors rather than a defensive system that is not working like under RDM. Our lines are much closer to each other, now and when we are performing well, out attack actually looks like we have system that we are implementing. Yes those have not influenced this season's results much due to other factors I've mentioned above, but this article is not about this season, it's about the future. And when Jose, or whoever comes in the summer, takes charge of the team, he'll get a team that does the basics right and he would not have to spend the best part of next season working on them. I don't think we would have had that had RDM stayed. Just to make one thing clear, I am NOT in any way saying that Rafa should stay past May. I'm just saying the work he's done will facilitate the next manager's job.

Hey, there's no such thing as bad publicity, right?

Sounds more of a case where the agent throws our name in the mix to increase the price.

Completely agree. I know I'm putting my neck out there with this article, but I think it's worth it if everyone can look at the matter with a different perspective.

And in order to win those trophies in the future we needed a proper transition season. Don't get me wrong, I blame the board for A LOT of terrible decisions leading to this season, including hiring RDM when we all knew he was going to get sacked shortly after and going into this season with this thin squad, I'm just saying that this particular decision in hiring Rafa was, in hindsight the right one because under RDM we would not have had the proper transition season needed to challenge for all those trophies next season. Yes, we probably would have been in a better position in the league and would have won the World Cup, but in the broader scheme for the future interest of the club, it would have been a season wasted. I'm not denying he has made some terrible decisions, I said so in the article, but the results aside for a moment, we are tactically a much better team under Rafa. Hazard for example who had an excellent start, offensively, to the season, was leaving the fullback completely exposed defensively under RDM, and even offensively after the first month or so he started to disappear in matches because the opposition had learnt how defend against him. Now, not only does he do his defensive duties, but his involvement in the attack is always good because he's fit in the team's system instead of playing individually like he was under Robbie.

Well that depends on your definition of "work". If you were expecting us to win the league, then I don't think any manager would have "worked". But what I'm trying to say above is that I believe it has worked. Because imo the most important objective of this season was not trophies, but to get the team to gel together and have some sort of system that kinda works so we can build on that next season and then challenge for trophies. I realize the point I'm trying to make is highly unpopular and pretty radical, but you are 100% right, if we fail to make top 4, this will all mean nothing. But assume that we do make top four, the point I'm making is that Rafa has done some work with the team that may not have been reflected on results this season but will be very important for next season. Aside from top 4, I think this was our objective this season and not the trophies.

LOL I was joking of course, not happy that there's a conflict in North Korea, but with all the wars here, I'm just glad this one is elsewhere instead of here.

Why Rafa’s Appointment Was Spot-on I realize some people will stop reading after that tittle, but for those who ventured on at least to the first sentence, I promise you I have a good reason why I’m making this controversial claim. Let me start by saying that I hate the Spanish waiter, I mean manager, as much as the next Chelsea fan. He may be the manager but he will never truly be a part of Chelsea Football Club. However, for reasons I will attempt to explain below, his appointment in this transitory season was necessary for the club’s future. Di Matteo had to go: It’s not that Robbie deserved the sack, it’s that he should never have been appointed in the first place. I love Roberto; I loved him even before the CL win. But, the sentiments and emotional high of winning the CL aside, can anyone really make a case why RDM should manage Chelsea? Roberto was never a great tactician and we all knew that his tactics could never last and more importantly were not taking the club forward. Just to be clear, I am in no way discrediting Robbie or belittling his achievements in the cups last season. But the club was moving in a completely different direction. His appointment might have been a couple of months after the CL win, but it was a completely new era for the club. We were finally moving on from what Jose built here and the team was being rebuilt around players like Mata and Hazard; players who thrive on possession. The defensive tactics in big games could not work anymore; the Juve and Athletico fiascos are proof of that. And even more important than that, imo, were our offensive tactics, or rather lack of. In some games, like against Stoke and Liverpool, I was left wondering if we even had an attacking system. Our plan seemed to be “give the ball to Mata” and at times it looked like we completely ran out of ideas. Yes, we had a great start to the season, but that was more due to the high of winning the CL and our new players which no team knew how to defend against yet. Let’s not kid ourselves; we were playing very badly for a few weeks before RDM was sacked. We needed a manager to get the team working on new defensive tactics, to create an attacking system, to help our new young players fit in the system…in short, we needed a manager to prep the team to challenge for the title next season, and sadly, that manager was not Roberto Di Matteo. Rafa has done well: Rafa has undoubtedly made some eyebrow-raising decisions and, yes, his late subs had us all banging our heads against a wall at some point in the past few months. And sure, his rotation policy has decreased the lifetime expectancy of the average Chelsea fan, but when I say he has done well I don’t mean in a particular match, but rather in general. You need only to watch a match from the start of the season to see the difference Benitez has made in the team. It is obvious, to me at least, that the team has become much more organized, especially defensively. The players also look more knowledgeable and comfortable with their roles. We look better offensively with our fullbacks getting involved and the players off the ball making good movements and runs; things we missed badly under Roberto. That is an excellent achievement if you consider how little time Benitez had with the team. We’ve played two games per week for every week since Rafa arrived. That means that all he could do between matches has been some light training. The team has not had any real time to work on new systems and tactics at Cobham. Moreover, perhaps the most important work Benitez has done with the team is improve the game of some of some of our key players. For starters, he’s made Azpi first-choice RB who’s been absolutely immense there. So influential, especially in attack; he’s constantly the man with most touches on the ball in all of our matches. And he’s kept on getting better game after game, which you can only credit the manager for (although he currently could use a rest). Rafa has improved Mata and Hazard’s game, as well. Especially in the case of the latter where he now fits better in the team’s system and has learnt to track back and perform the defensive part of his duties. And apart from the failed midfield experiment, Rafa has also done very well with David Luiz who did not have a good start to the season in terms of form, but has been our best CB in 2013 by some distance. He looks so much more disciplined and less error prone. As for Rafa’s rotation policy, it’s one of those things where if we win then the manager is a genius and if we lose then it’s all the manager’s fault. Yes the rotation has probably cost us a couple of matches, but when you consider the insane amount of games we’ve played this season and that the core of our team is a group of young players with limited experience, you have to come to the conclusion that the rotation tactics were pretty much spot-on. Conclusion: This was always going to a season of transition from Jose’s Chelsea to our future team. It’s been overdue for two or three seasons now. We needed this season to prep our players, especially those who are likely to become the spine of the team, for the coming years. The new manager that will come in the summer will need a team with strong basics in order to compete for trophies. Basics like a solid defensive and offensive system, with close lines and players that know and fit their roles. We did not have that under Roberto Di Matteo. So the board went out and got Rafael Benitez who was probably the best man for the job with the lack of options available. And although we all hate to admit it, he has done well if you look at the bigger picture. The work he’s done here is, imo, crucial for us competing for the title next season. He gave the team some sort of defensive and offensive structures. He dealt fairly well with the crazy schedule and has vastly improved our key players. Basically he gave our next manager a team that, with some minor adjustments and a couple of additions, can challenge for the tittle. It’s much easier making this observation in hindsight. Did the board really have all this in mind when RDM was replaced by Benitez? Maybe they did and maybe they didn’t. But since Gourlay and the board usually get enough criticism from me, I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt for this one and congratulate them on making the difficult, but imo right choice back in November. Because as far as I’m concerned, the past 6 months have proved that Rafa’s appointment was spot-on. EDIT: Just to make one point very clear, this article is in NO WAY trying to say that Rafa should stay past this season or that he could be a long-term success here, just that the work he's done will help the next Chelsea manager.

He's our best defender atm, and with Cahil still out, I think we're going to have to risk it and ask him to be careful.

There's also Omeru who the rumors keep saying that the board want him with the first team next season after his excellent performances in the AFCON. He too can play at both RB and CB.

I don't agree with the part that he hasn't looked comfortable in defense. I think he had some great games for us as well as some bad games this season. But he's still currently a top defender, imo. But I think he'll get worse in the next few seasons which is why we should sell him and get a good deal for him now. And you're just mad I didn't rep you

I have one question for you: Why is Iva's "conclusion" the only one that's bolded? Seriously though, other than the last one, you practically said what we were all thinking. Can't argue with any of that. As for Iva, I actually thought he should leave last summer when we got a good offer for him (can't remember from whom though). I think I agree with you, but not for the reasons you mentioned because all of our CBs have lacked consistency this season, but because he's what? 29 now? He's only going to get worse from here and he's actually highly rated outside the club so we can easily get a very good price for him. PS: I did not give you rep because of the tag

This will probably sound cynical and cruel, but it's so nice to read about a war happening that has nothing to do with the middle east for a change See, I was right! That did sound cruel and cynical

From the last two pages, I only fully agree with Leif's post: http://forum.talkchelsea.net/topic/14112-11-oscar/?p=645215

We just can't start Frank against City. They already have the numerical advantage in midfield, it'll be like conceding the game, imo.

I'm not arguing who's better, or if they are enough or not, but you can't give three strikers enough pitch-time if your system utilizes a lone striker. And since our two strikers are not going anywhere at the moment, I find it hard to believe that we will be looking to get a pure striker in the summer.

2-0 Kiwomya! Is there a return leg? EDIT: Yes, it's a two-legged tie.

Was it Lamps who played the pass? I tried to find the video but couldn't.

Nop. We got the lead from after a normal build-up when Lamps (I think) played the ball over the City defense to Torres who controlled it in the box and finished it. It was one of Torres's best goals for us. And it was a deserved lead as well. We were definitely the better side in that first half.

Except we dominated City in the CS and were in the lead up until Iva got sent off. I read very similar posts to this before our matches against United, but the team came out and dominated them for 130 mins when we put our strongest team out.

No I don't 'want', it's just what I think will happen. You can't have three big-name strikers in the team when your system utilizes a lone striker. I think we'll get someone like Schurle who plays as attacking midfielder and can cover as a striker.

Is it? I don't think so:

We've just signed a striker in January. We have Ba and Torres and Lukaku (although I think he's going back on loan) who are not going anywhere. Unless our next manager decides to choose a system that utilizes two strikers I very much doubt we will sign a striker, especially a high-profile one like Lewandowiski.

Just one question, what in the world makes you think we will be signing a striker in the summer?!

Meaning Bayern's 4-2-3-1 beat Juve's 3-5-2's ass! Like I said, it's not about who starts but more about the team's mentality in this game. I think we proved this season that when we have our best XI on the field with Mikel-Ramires in the pivot and Mata-Oscar-Hazard behind the striker, we can beat anyone.