Can already see the difference

[dodojojo 510]

Sharper Torres is made to look like an idiot because he's playing a different game to many of his teammates. I really fear it'll be the same shit for him and we'll have to hear all the crap all over again. AVB, please, please play some creativity behind him or stick with Drogba.

[manpe 10,861]

Sorry but I can't see major differences. Only visible deviation from last year is the high backline and the emphasis on crossing from width. The play has quickened up to a degree, I'll give you that.

It's only been 2 games so while trying to avoid sounding like a miserable bastard, I have to say I'm worried that we still seem to feel our way into games and rely on growing into them rather than take the matter by the neck and dominate from the off. On both occasions so far the second half has seen a marked improvement over the first, which makes you think why can't that happen from kickoff itself?

This squad has never been a 1st half team, with none of the coaches. And how often have we seen Chelsea concede first and only then start playing? It's beyond me why it is so, but it is worrying... I think lack of motivation is maybe an issue, they need good hard beating from the manager during half time to feel upbeat again, and having a few unmotivated sloths on the field will make a difference for the negative. We also seem to underestimate our opponents and once they punish us for that, then we start showing our true nature... It's something that has been worrying me not only today, not the previous fixture, but for years starting somewhere around when Mourinho was still here.

[zolayes 14,489]

Today we were crap got a great result espec as AVB must see how we need new players

[Tortilla9 390]

Gotta agree with you there. It's still the same old same old. How much can the manager really improve things when it's the same exact team as last season.You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Read it somewhere that its the Chelsea time warp. Time advances but nothing really changes. I'm still hoping for the evolution of change to occur under AVB but a lot of things still look very much the same.

I hope for a Mata, a Modric, or players like them. I hope they are incorporated into the team and we can see something positive moving forward. Not expecting huge changes but to see the game end with the exact same lineup as last year except for Bos was weird. Still the same issues as last season.

[Tomo 21,751]

Jesus all the pessimism, we have Danny returning from suspension Lukaku, Romeu and hopefully Modric, Mata and with any luck more, yes we have made a slow start but could have done a lot worse.

Arsenal 97/98 and 01/02

Manchester United 98/99, 02/03, 07/08, 08/09 and 10/11

Chelsea 04/05

Barcelona 08/09 and 10/11

All started slowly and uncovincinly and ended up with the league title some more.

KTF FFS

[Styles 9,790]

Read it somewhere that its the Chelsea time warp. Time advances but nothing really changes. I'm still hoping for the evolution of change to occur under AVB but a lot of things still look very much the same.

I hope for a Mata, a Modric, or players like them. I hope they are incorporated into the team and we can see something positive moving forward. Not expecting huge changes but to see the game end with the exact same lineup as last year except for Bos was weird. Still the same issues as last season.

The commentator said during the game 'the manager changes but the players always stay the same'.

It is absolute insanity starting a game with Kalou and expecting him to play well.

[warnie_666 1,081]

This thread makes me Lol.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

This thread makes me Lol.

Elaborate..

[Madmax 9,219]

Jesus all the pessimism

KTF FFS

Last I checked, KTF didn't mean looking away while problems stare you in the face.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Elaborate..

Same players, sane formation, same performances.

There is nothing to elaborate as we are continuing the end season form.

The only difference is Fernando Torres who infact is playing much better in a Shit team and has no support.

[eldo 868]

The commentator said during the game 'the manager changes but the players always stay the same'.

It is absolute insanity starting a game with Kalou and expecting him to play well.

It will take some time for AVB to make his own team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Same players, sane formation, same performances.

There is nothing to elaborate as we are continuing the end season form.

The only difference is Fernando Torres who infact is playing much better in a Shit team and has no support.

Ah okay cool. I thought you mean you were laughing at people who were saying similar to you.

But AVB is changing the team to his style, it will take a while as Eldo says. He's already buying young players to make up his team.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Jesus all the pessimism, we have Danny returning from suspension Lukaku, Romeu and hopefully Modric, Mata and with any luck more, yes we have made a slow start but could have done a lot worse.

I don't think anyone's writing off our title chances

[Ollie 4,400]

Theres no difference really. Todays game was as shit as our home games against Bolton, Wolves, Fulham and Wigan last season whereas our away game last week was good a bit like how we played at Sunderland, Bolton and West Brom although we failed to win, we played some great football. Sometimes you'll play well and sometimes you wont. Happens to everyone but you wont play shit or well every week. So far we got unlucky in one match and got lucky in the other so it's 'fair' as of now.

[Styles 9,790]

It will take some time for AVB to make his own team.

Fair enough. I'm just sick and tired of seeing the same style of boring, uncreative sideways football.

[manpe 10,861]

I am not a tactical expert by far, but maybe, just MAYBE 4-3-3 doesn't suit our set of players? 4-3-3 needs specific type of players and I think we lack them. Yes, we were killing with 4-3-3 when we had some creativity and explosiveness back in the days, but I don't think this formation has benefited us much in the past few years (except for the year before last, but I don't remember if we played only 4-3-3, I think we had some 4-4-2 going on?). Maybe we shouldn't be so stubborn at our formation and change our team accordingly... if we don't have wingers (let's face it, we don't), then it's nonsense to play 4-3-3... Unless AVB gets players to play in that system, which the likes of Mata and Modric are, Sturridge still has to prove himself as a winger in EPL. I just feel with the current set of players 4-3-3 is forced upon the team... it shows in that some players are unable to hold their position and certain areas just don't click with each other.. for example we have players making runs, but nobody passing there. We have players passing into zones, but nobody running there... these kind of geling problems make a big difference.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

I am not a tactical expert by far, but maybe, just MAYBE 4-3-3 doesn't suit our set of players? 4-3-3 needs specific type of players and I think we lack them. Yes, we were killing with 4-3-3 when we had some creativity and explosiveness back in the days, but I don't think this formation has benefited us much in the past few years (except for the year before last, but I don't remember if we played only 4-3-3, I think we had some 4-4-2 going on?). Maybe we shouldn't be so stubborn at our formation and change our team accordingly... if we don't have wingers (let's face it, we don't), then it's nonsense to play 4-3-3... Unless AVB gets players to play in that system, which the likes of Mata and Modric are, Sturridge still has to prove himself as a winger in EPL. I just feel with the current set of players 4-3-3 is forced upon the team... it shows in that some players are unable to hold their position and certain areas just don't click with each other.. for example we have players making runs, but nobody passing there. We have players passing into zones, but nobody running there... these kind of geling problems make a big difference.

You make good points.

But I'm still sure Villas-Boas will figure out a winning formula. He's a good tactician and he's getting used to this league as each game goes.. If 4-3-3 doesn't work anymore, he will know when to change it

[warnie_666 1,081]

Ah okay cool. I thought you mean you were laughing at people who were saying similar to you.

But AVB is changing the team to his style, it will take a while as Eldo says. He's already buying young players to make up his team.

True, but the Thread Title to be more specific, makes me Lol. Cus there aint no difference yet.

[Ollie 4,400]

4-3-3 works if we have the players for that formation. We clearly don't. 4-4-2 is the best formation with the players we have i think.

[Henrique 9,133]

Elaborate..

There is 0 difference from last season. Same formation, same players, same playing style, same boring and slow game, Torres playing like a 8m player and then dropping him for Driogba in the second half.

Its too early to evaluate Villas Boas job, but for me he is not trying anything different as he did in some games during pre-season. Basically he is doing the same things Carlo did in the awful last season.

I hope things start to change as long as the new singings start to play.