Chelsea Sack Andre Villas-Boas

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

I took the time out to listen to this. If we had an idealistic football world and could wait the 10 years that the journo's were talking about (when AVB might return to 'haunt' us) or even the three years that AVB describes as the time he needs to complete his 'project' then he may be fine. No club aspiring to stay at the top-table has 10 years and unfortunately for AVB he will probably have a great deal less than the 3 years especially if minimum expectations of the owner are not met, although not many will factually know what those minimum's are.

They're journo's and will spout off whatever they need to in order to earn their fee.

As an aside take alook at the quote Cross has made here: http://inagist.com/j...47874128007168/ !!

its hardly an idealistic football world to afford a manager 3 years to change an aging side with too much player power into a young,exciting team that will be back challenging at all levels.

[5354 204]

Torres should go back to Madrid on loan until he recaptures his god damn form.

Drogba should go Shanghai to accompany Anelka

Lampard can go to MU if he wants to.

Ashely Cole can fuck off as well.

The only few old players we should keep should be Cech, Essien, Terry(although i feel he should go but heck...) and maybe Mikel

[kiaretta985 131]

guys, I found this one on Tumblr, shame there's no source!

[Justin_3d 1,140]

All I can see here is that player power, demanding fan base and an inept board are all combining to make "world class" managers look clueless in Chelsea.

Interesting take here.

It looks like Paul Parker agrees with you:

Players to blame for Chelsea woes, not AVB

It is said that Andre Villas-Boas has to lead Chelsea to victory over two legs against Napoli to save his job, but the real factor undermining the club's season is not the shortcomings of their inexperienced manager, but the stubbornness of their senior players.

There are certain individuals at Chelsea who have served their time, but are clinging on to their status as best they can. They had success under Jose Mourinho and carried it on under Carlo Ancelotti, but they have become too powerful. I think some of them are trying to take control of a young manager.

Some of the older players know their futures could be in doubt at the end of the season as Villas-Boas could be looking to mount a purge, so will they be motivated to really push themselves and do their best for their manager? I suspect there will be around 50 per cent of the squad who will have purely selfish motivations to be honest, so I don't think the manager is getting the backing he needs.

Some of Chelsea's big names have been underperforming all season. They are resistant to change because they fear their positions will be in jeopardy. They wouldn't be old pros if they weren't thinking that way to be honest, it's human nature, but it doesn't help the manager at all.

It is clear to me that some individuals at Chelsea wield far too much power behind the scenes. You read reports that certain players played a role in Mourinho's departure, while others may have served to undermine Luiz Felipe Scolari.

The system has remained untouched since Mourinho arrived back in 2004 and I think successive managers have been governed in what they do by players who have too much say in the matter. As a result, nothing has changed over the years and Chelsea have grown stagnant.

The club have to move on though, it's a fact. If they carry on like they are and the complexion of their squad is the same next season then they can only regress further.

Villas-Boas has taken steps towards overhauling the squad, most notably when trying to phase out Frank Lampard. They do need to wean themselves off their dependence on him and other senior players.

The way Villas-Boas wants Chelsea to play does not suit Lampard because they are trying to pass the ball more, whereas before the midfielder thrived from picking up pieces from Didier Drogba.

Chelsea brought in Juan Mata in an attempt to change their style and he started like a house on fire. However, he has been dragged back down to Chelsea's level and he needs better and mentally sharper players around him if he is to reach the standards he set at Valencia. At the moment the way Chelsea play is very pedestrian and it means they are not going to get the best out of a player like Mata.

It is a similar situation with Fernando Torres, who has now gone 21 hours without a goal. It is looking hopeless for the striker at present but Chelsea don't play to his strengths: they haven't played football since Mourinho was there and they don't pass it into midfielders or look to play intricate passes inside the centre-backs and full-backs for Torres to run onto.

Chelsea have bought themselves an Armani suit but want to carry it around in a Tesco's bag; you can't spend that kind of money on a striker and then starve him of service.

It is abundantly clear to me that Chelsea need to embrace a new culture and philosophy, but their stubborn core of aging players are preventing them from doing so. Villas-Boas needs to bring in players who actually want to play for him and take the opportunity to usher out some of the old guard in the process. Whether he is given that chance or not remains to be seen.

As for the tie that could make or break his tenure, I think Napoli will be too sharp and fluid for Chelsea and I am backing the Serie A side to progress. Chelsea drew with Birmingham at the weekend and I am sceptical about their chances of getting a result in Italy. If they are to get a draw or snatch a win they will need all the players to work hard for their team and their manager, but they don't seem inclined to do that at present.

[MHL 47 378]

its hardly an idealistic football world to afford a manager 3 years to change an aging side with too much player power into a young,exciting team that will be back challenging at all levels.

I'd agree 3 years isn't too much to ask, that is with a caveat that none of us know if any 'conditions' were attached to AVB's 3-year brief by the Owner/Board.

If he's got carte-blanche to do as he feels he needs to do then in my view he tried to take an easy option by his 'show of strength' with Anelka & Alex and it's backfired on him. Now he seems to me to have a toxic-mix on his hands that will take at least two to three years to sort out and unless he gets the time and the mandate to clear the decks completely of people he doesn't want around then for him it may be a task he can't complete.

Arguably he might not have been the right choice anyway for what was always going to be one hell of a job due to a lack of experience? The answer may have been to hire a hatchet-man to take apart the side (making the task and scope of the job abundantly clear to said person) with a view to replacing him when the dirty work was done. Ensuring players being brought in were to the second managers approval/plan would have been one of the more difficult parts though.

[cujo101 75]

Let's face it - AVB's man management is the main problem. He should used everyone at his disposal until the end of the season and then let the bulk of them go, instead he tried to impose his authority and has failed miserably leading players to dismiss him.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

• Calling for an evolution and not revolution. - one step at a time. You don't just get rid of 10+ players and replace them in one summer. He's done well to phase out three or four players gradually and also sell on Anelka and Alex, who were both surplus to requirements.
  
• Trying to force his style of high line with a team not build for such a style. - you can't blame him for this. Especially since it worked at first, and quite successfully, as well. We were scoring goals and were relatively strong at the back, despite the lack of clean sheets.
  
• Mismanagement of some great servants like Anelka and Alex. - I am with you on this, but if they don't want to play for the club why should they train with the team? It is bad for the team chemistry, but I concede it was extreme.
  
• Lack of youth integration into the team. - in times of crisis you can't just play anyone. Experienced heads are needed, ie. Drogba, Terry.
  
• Continued support for Torres. - you're seriously blaming him for this? We've all backed him.
  
• Arrogant towards the help of others. - where's your evidence for this? He has two capable deputies in di Matteo and Steve Holland, two men who know the club very, very well. He has come here into a coaching set-up not of his own, so it will take time for him to learn to trust those around him. That is a natural human trait.
  
• And stating he needs no support from his team but only the owners. - he's quite right. He is the manager, and the most important man in the football club. The players have to listen to him, and if they do not show him respect they should be disciplined. Fully behind AVB here, he wants to flex his muscles and rightly so. His authority should not be challenged by anyone except Roman Abramovich.
  

Fully behind AVB, and my replies are in bold.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Fully behind AVB, and my replies are in bold.

Just wanted to give you one piece of evidence of the point arrogant towards the help of others:

André Villas-Boas says he doesn't need Guus Hiddink's help at Chelsea

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/25/andre-villas-boas-guus-hiddink-chelsea

This is just one of many arrogant comments from AVB.

[Styles 9,790]

Does justin still post?

Marca are reporting that Chelsea are apparently interested in two managers; Bielsa of Athletic Bilbao and Unai Emery of Valencia.

http://translate.goo...78.html&act=url

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Fully behind him. Sack the players that aren't. Simple. AVB could be our SAF, given time to build his own team without the selfish spoilt brats in our dressing room poisoning the club from the inside. Or watch him go somewhere else and in a couple of years they will be a force. A bad manager doesn't win the Portugese league title, respective domestic cup and the EUROPA League... Think about it. I have no doubt in my mind that AVB is the future of our club and I am more than happy with that.

I'm less than happy with the fans that think we're playing a game of Football Manager on the PC and want instant success. We're going to have to rebuild and it's going to take some time, we need to be realistic about this and get behind the club.

So glad you're back mate. Brilliant post.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Again, that is down to interpretation. All he said is this:

"No, I don't agree with that. I solve them [problems] with my group of people and players and it's been like that throughout. I have nobody I turn to. Not a religious person so just hold on to self-belief."

That doesn't sound arrogant at all to me. It sounds confident, self-believing and determined, and I like that about AVB. Come hell or high water, it's the AVB way or the highway. And that is exactly how it should be. Fuck the players and the dressing room politics. AVB is the manager, therefore in authority. I quite like to see him flex his muscles and pull no punches. He's the boss, and they're just players. The sooner he realises he isn't there to be a friend like Mourinho, but to be a strong leader like Ferguson or van Gaal, the sooner he will turn from a potentially-great manager into the next big thing managerially.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

As stated, one of many arrogant comments towards the help of others, but if you feel it's otherwise I might not as well continue with that point then.

[Term-X 7,891]

And loaned out Benayoun. Looking at how things are now, the more puzzling that decision seems. We thought we made room for a new signing, but it seems that signing ended up being Meireles.

Tbf to AVB, Modric was the target, in the final hours of the window Daniel Levy's stance lead to an uninspired panic buy, that is all.

[eldo 868]

Why is lack of youth his blame? Who decided to offload Borini and Tore?

Those two were ready to be part of our squad unlike Josh.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Why is lack of youth his blame? Who decided to offload Borini and Tore?

Those two were ready to be part of our squad unlike Josh.

Well besides the player that force himself into the team, Sturridge, hes been very awful with Lukaku, Josh and Ryan.

Especially Ryan.

He saves himself with Romeu, but the same can be said about Carlo when he gave chances to Josh Kakuta and others, before Josh and Kakuta descended into obscurity just like with Romeu today.

[eldo 868]

Well besides the player that force himself into the team, Sturridge, hes been very awful with Lukaku, Josh and Ryan.

Especially Ryan.

He saves himself with Romeu, but the same can be said about Carlo when he gave chances to Josh Kakuta and others, before Josh and Kakuta descended into obscurity just like with Romeu today.

Romeu isn't descending into obscurity. He needs time to cement his position in our first team. So far he's tasted how does football here look like and he can build on that.

Well Lukaku's position is quite complicated, I think he would play more if Torres was scoring regularly.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Romeu isn't descending into obscurity. He needs time to cement his position in our first team. So far he's tasted how does football here look like and he can build on that.

Well Lukaku's position is quite complicated, I think he would play more if Torres was scoring regularly.

Why is that?

Cause I remember when Drogba was scoring regularly a couple of seasons back we did not gave much chances to our other youngster strikers like Borini and such.....

[eldo 868]

Why is that?

Cause I remember when Drogba was scoring regularly a couple of seasons back we did not gave much chances to our other youngster strikers like Borini and such.....

Do you think in 2009/10 Borini was the same player as he's today.