Less is more

[Tomo 21,685]

I have been saying this for nearly a year. Malouda, Anelka, Lampard and Drogba need to accept a lesser role as they are getting on to stay more fresh and prolong their career's. I reckon with less playing time they could still play a big part for us this season because the quality does not go away overnight.

Starting with Lampard, his goal record seems to have gone up in the last couple of years despite supposed decline in his over-all play, in 09/10 he got 27 from midfield and last season despite missing half of it and not playing that great he picked up a respectable 13 goals.

With careful management by AVB i honestly believe Lamps still has 3/4 good season left in him and possibly 15 goals a season aswell.

Anelka seems revatlised the last few weeks and is seemingly reaping the benefits of being more fresh, Malouda's slowly getting there and hopefully Drogba will in the next few weeks aswell.

Add more competition for places and with lesser game time they will be more fresh, they can all play a big part this season, less infact is very often more.

[Kojo 4,676]

The only player i want to see gone full stop is Malouda, he just isn't good enough anymore, it's not a form thing. Lampard, if he can keep his previous performance up against Bolton then he will find himself with more game time, Anelka the same, he should get another year if he keeps this up, very good allround technical player who offers a lot, experienced and willing to stay on the bench, brilliant player he is when he wants to be. I think we made a mistake not getting rid of some players and not buying them either, it's good to buy youth but we also needed a few more players who could fill in positions and make improvement, also add challenge. So holding out is our main option so far this season, hopefully we will get the best out of all our players and do really well this season, also meaning AVB will stay at Chelsea.

[Kez 2,727]

The only player i want to see gone full stop is Malouda, he just isn't good enough anymore, it's not a form thing. Lampard, if he can keep his previous performance up against Bolton then he will find himself with more game time, Anelka the same, he should get another year if he keeps this up, very good allround technical player who offers a lot, experienced and willing to stay on the bench, brilliant player he is when he wants to be. I think we made a mistake not getting rid of some players and not buying them either, it's good to buy youth but we also needed a few more players who could fill in positions and make improvement, also add challenge. So holding out is our main option so far this season, hopefully we will get the best out of all our players and do really well this season, also meaning AVB will stay at Chelsea.

Agreed, Malouda is too selfish these days and thinks he's better than what he actually is. Not sure what happened to him, he had a poor start to his chelsea career then was one of our best players in the double winning season. We just don't need him at the club anymore. Anelka on the other hand is willing to sit on the bench come off it and change the game which he can do.

[didierforever 7,349]

The only player i want to see gone full stop is Malouda, he just isn't good enough anymore, it's not a form thing. Lampard, if he can keep his previous performance up against Bolton then he will find himself with more game time, Anelka the same, he should get another year if he keeps this up, very good allround technical player who offers a lot, experienced and willing to stay on the bench, brilliant player he is when he wants to be. I think we made a mistake not getting rid of some players and not buying them either, it's good to buy youth but we also needed a few more players who could fill in positions and make improvement, also add challenge. So holding out is our main option so far this season, hopefully we will get the best out of all our players and do really well this season, also meaning AVB will stay at Chelsea.

i disagree a little on malouda. i think we can still get some worth out of him as he showed against valencia. i felt he wanted to prove himself and played for the team and played his heart out. plus in situations like when some1 is suspended and another injured, malouda can be a good enough fill in.

[warnie_666 1,081]

Anelka is moving on next yr but Malouda has claimed he will stay.

Drogba wants two years but board is offering him one year.

Lampard will stay or another 3-4 years and will play selective games.

[zolayes 14,489]

I have been saying this for nearly a year. Malouda, Anelka, Lampard and Drogba need to accept a lesser role as they are getting on to stay more fresh and prolong their career's. I reckon with less playing time they could still play a big part for us this season because the quality does not go away overnight.

Starting with Lampard, his goal record seems to have gone up in the last couple of years despite supposed decline in his over-all play, in 09/10 he got 27 from midfield and last season despite missing half of it and not playing that great he picked up a respectable 13 goals.

With careful management by AVB i honestly believe Lamps still has 3/4 good season left in him and possibly 15 goals a season aswell.

Anelka seems revatlised the last few weeks and is seemingly reaping the benefits of being more fresh, Malouda's slowly getting there and hopefully Drogba will in the next few weeks aswell.

Add more competition for places and with lesser game time they will be more fresh, they can all play a big part this season, less infact is very often more.

I think we can already see AVB following this policy

[termninja 5,290]

The only player i want to see gone full stop is Malouda, he just isn't good enough anymore, it's not a form thing. Lampard, if he can keep his previous performance up against Bolton then he will find himself with more game time, Anelka the same, he should get another year if he keeps this up, very good allround technical player who offers a lot, experienced and willing to stay on the bench, brilliant player he is when he wants to be. I think we made a mistake not getting rid of some players and not buying them either, it's good to buy youth but we also needed a few more players who could fill in positions and make improvement, also add challenge. So holding out is our main option so far this season, hopefully we will get the best out of all our players and do really well this season, also meaning AVB will stay at Chelsea.

I agree, we should keep Kalou also, he's a super sub

[Kojo 4,676]

I agree, we should keep Kalou also, he's a super sub

When i meant only player i meant from the three he was talking about, Kalou is just stupid to add on the list lol, because it's a rhetorical, he's shit.

[termninja 5,290]

When i meant only player i meant from the three he was talking about, Kalou is just stupid to add on the list lol, because it's a rhetorical, he's shit.

Haha I know, just couldn't resist it

[Kojo 4,676]

Haha I know, just couldn't resist it

Damn, Kalou has actually cursed this forum!!!, he must be sick of all the jokes on here Kalou must of hacked this forum, eversince the start of the season we've been going mad at Kalou this forum keeps getting hacked, Kalou will have his revenge, and i bet you or Terminator X are the first ones on his hit list lol!.

[blue out west 27]

You guys are mad. The problem is that Malouda, Lampard, Drogba are leaned on way too much the last 3 years. These guys have played so much football its ridiculous, we haven't had a healthy squad rotation since more than 3 years ago. The squad is still too small even after adding Mata, Meireles, Ramires and will still be when we add Piazon to the rotation. We need 1 or 2 more players at least that are fringe first 11 quality or better.

[francozola 2,040]

When does Malouda's contract run out? Is it this coming summer or does he still have 18 months left? He's been using the media to try and get a new deal for a very long time, and still hasn't gotten one yet. Might be a sign that we're not willing to give him a long-term deal. I'll be glad to get rid of him tbh, I know he has improved in the last few weeks but I just really dislike the player he has become.

[blue out west 27]

When does Malouda's contract run out? Is it this coming summer or does he still have 18 months left? He's been using the media to try and get a new deal for a very long time, and still hasn't gotten one yet. Might be a sign that we're not willing to give him a long-term deal. I'll be glad to get rid of him tbh, I know he has improved in the last few weeks but I just really dislike the player he has become.

When defenses get sick of Ramires and others on the right scoring on them they'll stop doubleteaming Malouda all the time... and he is one of the most consistent performers in the squad over the last year or more. Scored a late game winner in limited time already this season and can play up front or in the mid. For me he's a very important player for the squad. Who else do we have for left mid, much less cover for Mata?

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The only player i want to see gone full stop is Malouda, he just isn't good enough anymore, it's not a form thing. Lampard, if he can keep his previous performance up against Bolton then he will find himself with more game time, Anelka the same, he should get another year if he keeps this up, very good allround technical player who offers a lot, experienced and willing to stay on the bench, brilliant player he is when he wants to be. I think we made a mistake not getting rid of some players and not buying them either, it's good to buy youth but we also needed a few more players who could fill in positions and make improvement, also add challenge. So holding out is our main option so far this season, hopefully we will get the best out of all our players and do really well this season, also meaning AVB will stay at Chelsea.

I absolutely agree. Lampard, Anelka and Drogba all have the selflessness to put the team first, whilst Malouda constantly goes for glory. His creativity is now negligible and all he seems to do is shoot from ridiculous angles. With a rest every now and again, Drogba, Anelka and Lampard can still give us 40 goals between them a season.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

If Anelka agrees.. I don't see why a yearly contract on a lower-salary can be a bad thing.

[dodojojo 510]

I have been saying this for nearly a year. Malouda, Anelka, Lampard and Drogba need to accept a lesser role as they are getting on to stay more fresh and prolong their career's. I reckon with less playing time they could still play a big part for us this season because the quality does not go away overnight.

Starting with Lampard, his goal record seems to have gone up in the last couple of years despite supposed decline in his over-all play, in 09/10 he got 27 from midfield and last season despite missing half of it and not playing that great he picked up a respectable 13 goals.

With careful management by AVB i honestly believe Lamps still has 3/4 good season left in him and possibly 15 goals a season aswell.

Anelka seems revatlised the last few weeks and is seemingly reaping the benefits of being more fresh, Malouda's slowly getting there and hopefully Drogba will in the next few weeks aswell.

Add more competition for places and with lesser game time they will be more fresh, they can all play a big part this season, less infact is very often more.

Far too sensible, I won't be reading your sensibleness anymore.

So many threads seem to devolve into "oh, we can't drum out Lampard, he's a legend!". But I suspect the majority of us are only saying he and the other veterans can't start 40-50 games anymore. It's time to get the best out of them for fewer starts and truly begin to integrate the next generation of great players. That's all.

I would say a very valid reason for letting a Drogba or Lampard leave is if and when their current superstar salaries do not match their squad player roles. Sensibly at that point, it'd be beneficial to Chelsea to kill two birds with one stone--give a squad place to a much younger player at a greatly reduced salary. Hopefully that player has been given time to bed in while the likes of Lampard have had their roles gradually reduced.