Eggman

The overhyping of KDB by belgians and belgium media is getting more and more annoying even for me, can only imagine what it must be like for others

So those in favor of Mou point out the good results in the league and the cup win, fair enough. If we went through against PSG, they would probably say that we shouldn't doubt his tactics and so on. And to be fair, we could have just as easily been through, although we played like shit. That's the way José's tactics work: small margins, lots of contingency.
The problem is that the differences are too small, which is a risky game to play. Mou has had too much success with this strategy in the past. He won't change it. H's an old dog that's been around and won't learn any new tricks. Last year, in the big matches, it turned out good for us most of the time: we kept it closed and scored some sucker punch goals, which got us the results in the big games. This year, nothing changed: we do the same tricks, but it has cost us many times. That has nothing to do with "players not giving their all". It is the nature of the game: sometimes, you luck out, sometimes the card that can burn you is turned at the river. Poker players suggest that in the long run though, this sort of calculated tactics will make you a (marginal) winner.
So yes, these Italian-style parking the bus sort of thing can get you results, if properly executed.
But it's just so fucking boring and ugly to watch.
Those who hide behind the results are free to do so: if that's all that matters to you. I'm not all into "winning trophies", as if that's the sole reason to support a team. I want to win trophies in style. That's something completely different. Okay, Greece was European Champions once, but everyone remembers them as a bunch of negative and lucky cunts - a defeat for football in general. It doesn't mean shit. And certainly not that "they were the best" that year. Winning trophies doesn't make you "winners", all of a sudden. Greatness isn't just winning trophies. Think of the Holland team in Cruyff's era: they didn't go all the way, but will always be associated with an enthralling and innovative style of football that changed the way the game is played. Or take the Brazil 1982 team, who baffled the world with their style of play (Zico and Sokratés!) although they never won the WC.
Those who don't mind how they get results, as long as we do get results, do they actually like to watch football? And for what reasons? If the manner in which you achieve a goal doesn't count, then why not skip watching the game and just look up the results afterwards?
I watch the game for moments of brilliance and free-flowing play. We have seen that at times, this season, between Fab, Eddie, Costa and Willian. But not nearly enough, and that's due to Mou's poker style defensive calculation tactics.
Don't get me wrong, I want us to be champions so badly, and I honestly think we deserve to be as well. But I deplore the lack of courage and just general joy in play exhibited by this Chelsea team in the big matches. I want us to dominate, be confident and just crush our opponents.
For those who made it through: thanks for reading. Needed to get that off my chest.

Very unlike him to feel the pressure, but it does seem like it atm.

Also, I wanna see this guy playing centrally. I think that's the next step in his career. The next phase in his development. Kind of like Messi did when but not as a ST/CF... as a NUMBER 10.
It's clear that Eden doesn't have that ruthlessness in him. He's not that clinical beast in front of goal. I think he'd score many more goals and create way more goals in a position where he's closer to the goal. If you look at some of his most penetrating runs this season.. for instance, his goal against Spurs (away), his run against Arsenal (home), his run vs Liverpool in the COC a week ago, if you go and watch the Swansea game (A) there were two situations where he smashed the ball from a central position just outside the box and took two fantastic shots with his left foot. Both tested the keeper. I feel like he doesn't get that opportunity as much when he's on the wing.
On top of that, when he's on the left, the defenders know where he's gonna go. They know that he's gonna cut in. If he's on in the middle of the pitch, you don't know where he's gonna go cuz he's got a good left foot (better than Oscar and Willian) and he can shift the ball either way AND, AND, he's a far better creator than the other two also.
To me, he's our best #10 and playing in that position will improve him as a goalscorer and as a player in general. Ballon d'or elects score loads of goals. I don't seen Eden surpassing 25 goals on the left.. play him in the middle, behind Diego!!

I have a friend from Nigeria who told me that if you talk badly about Chelsea in Nigeria you might just need a visit to the hospital.
This supports it lol. Second highest seller is Lagos!

Indeed, I said 'GOAL!' the moment it took a nick off JT. Great reaction save made all the better because he'd been wrong footed. He must provide so much relief to the defence ... compare Cech's flapping at the ball to his self-assured cool catches.

Schurrle has his place in the squad: he provides depth and he scores easily. That's a trait worth having.
Other than that, he has the most awful style I've ever seen, which for me is hard to live with. Everything he does looks ugly, even plain running. Thus: if we can replace him with someone who offers the same (good runs down the channels and goal-scoring) but with a bit more flair and easier on the eye, I wouldn't hesitate.
I'm shallow like that.

That's one controversial thread title

Hazard has been using rabonas as a way to cross balls since forever. If you have the technique and you keep improving it, it's only one more tool in your arsenal. It has nothing to do with wanting to make some fancy, plastically beautiful play, just the way he thinks he can execute it better. Witmots should worry about improving his own technique about tactics - since he has none - before criticizing Hazard for a meaningless thing. It was just a cross, it wasn't like a penalty he wasted with a rabona or a 1x1 with the goalie or a cross where he was completely by himself and had a free teammate waiting in the box. It was just a frigging cross that he's done many times before. It wasn't a clear chance for Belgium he wasted. But as usual, Witmots has no idea what he's doing or saying... so no surprise there.

Appreciate the article but it's clearly influenced by the press. Media darling De Bruyne had another average game that's why they come up with this story about other players running in the way.
Truth is De Bruyne had as much touches on the ball as Hazard against Wales and more than he averages for Wolfsburg. Just like Hazard and Chadli he had the freedom to roam as well, it was a fluent system and it's not like he hasn't played on the wing for the NT before anyway. I never heard anyone making excuses like this for Hazard when he had an average game.
I disagree with your assessment about playmakers. Like Belgiannutt said Belgium needs an extra playmaker rather than one less. De Bruyne is not a true playmaker anyway, and he's not the next coming of Cruijff or Zidane like a lot of Belgians seem to think. No playmaker anywhere near worldclass has a passing completion of only 75%. You confuse assists with dictating play and orchestrating the attacks.

Would be a dream signing but not realistic in January since Dortmund are already in the last 16 of CL. Rather see him at Bayern than in the EPL for another club. He is cuptied so won't be able to help us in the CL.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICehnzox39o
One of the most exciting players in the world to watch.

he should've chipped the 1v1 over the goalie.
Honestly. More chippin'.

What leniency? Oscar went through 9 months of terrible form, Schurrle has been crap through out the season (bar the opener against Burnley), Salah has been beyond hopeless since we signed him, Willian is his unproductive self and the biggest example of leniency of them all Torres who earned a killing for close to 4 years of abject mediocrity. KDB was never given anywhere near enough opportunities/leniency here. not even close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dL7tMoWUkU

Completely normal when you look at the teams in our group, only Croatia was a marginal contender. No idea why you include Scotland as an example, they're wank.
90% the same players? Do you even know what you're on about ? Under Advocaat we still had players like Swerts, Bailly, Mudingayi, Buffel, De Sutter, Lamah, Deschacht, Sonck, De Camargo etc getting regular playtime.
Under Leekens we had Vossen and Ogunjimi as strikers, Legear as a winger and Simons in midfield, with sporadic stints by up and coming talents like Hazard and Lukaku.
Baffles me how you can say they had the same players to use.
Another thing you may find suprising: youngsters get better. 2010 Hazard isn't comparable to 2014's. Witsel, Hazard, KDB, Mirallas etc weren't close to the level they are now.
Shit ass team with a shit ass manager. Thought it was pretty clear my point was that he had zero experience before getting the job coaching Belgium's up and coming golden generation for some fucked up reason.
He hasn't proven himself... nearly 3 years further and still no cohesive team, despite the players improving massively on club level. He's starting to get more and more criticism in Belgium from people who know what they're talking about as well.
You seem to focus solely on the results, which have been decent and absolutely normal for a team with a market value of 365 million euros. You could argue he's underachieved.

He is the one player who can change a game by himself for us. A vital part of our team.

I would add Matic to that, with those 4 I feel we can win any game, take one out and we are guessing again like last season.I think the depth is good, but those 4 are in a league of their own in this squad. It also shows just how good Mourinho really did getting last season's squad still in the race at January with just one of them 4.

You think Zidane won it for the amount of goals he scored? What about Cannavaro? Kaka?
Besides, he doesn't find it the most important part of his game, yet gets in to double figures consistently. Should be reassuring

He's still a top 5 gk in the world and no club can have 2 top 5 gk's in their squad since its hard to rotate with them.
It was only a matter of time when the one that ended up on the bench wants to leave .
A top player like Petr or TC should always be in a club starting 11 because thats how good they are, so like you said all the best to him and i hope he can join another elite club outside england

To be honest last year when teams played against Chelsea they very much set up firstly to stop Chelsea playing but they also went about nullifying the threat of Hazard more than any player by doubling up on him and preventing him from playing 1v1 in dangerous areas. Now that we have Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, I think that gives him a bit more freedom knowing that hes not always gonna be the only player teams really worry about when they face us so he should have a better season than last year, as he doesn't have to carry the team by himself.

Hehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehehe
Thats me everytime I see him play.

Arsenal has got to be the most frustrating team to support with Wenger as their manager in recent years. Someone close to him needs to call him out because he's not cutting it at all imo. How can a manager be so tactically naive?
You're playing away to Dortmund. How about not asking both your fullbacks to bomb forward? How about not letting both your CMs attack leaving Arteta as the only midfielder to cover for them and for the fullbacks. How about not playing a luxury player out wide who isn't going to track back and yet still asking your 19 y/o debutant FB to overlap?
How can he be so stupid? Don't get me wrong I love to see Arsenal getting destroyed but I'm just curious wtf Arsene actually does? Someone at Arsenal, close to him needs to call him out and needs to hold him responsible. He must not be answering to anyone because he keeps getting away with the same mistakes. Same obvious mistakes too.

That's what stability will do. Everyone knows the system and can execute it to a tee. Klopp is a genius, Dortmund is awesome.