This season is the most important season in Premiership history and this will define Chelsea Fc.

[Badboy 1,526]

We have been in transition since Mourinho left, we won the league by 1 point with Carlo but last next season we lost it by 9 points. We have not felt like an immortal side since Jose was here and i just think that is what Roman is looking for but he will not get that in AVB because AVB clearly wants to squeeze the spaces in midfield which makes us play a high line. AVB will be gone at the end of the season unless he wins the UCL or maybe the League title. We are going round in circles and new managers will always want to give the likes of Kalou, Alex, Malouda, ''another chance''.

[Badboy 1,526]

If people actually think Roman cares about how much he paid for AVB then they are deluded in my opinion. He will be sacked regardless, unless he wins one of the majors. We are talking about a man that is still currently paying off like 10 other former managers including Avram fucking Grant.

[Badboy 1,526]

If people actually think Roman cares about how much he paid for AVB then they are deluded in my opinion. He will be sacked regardless, unless he wins one of the majors. We are talking about a man that is still currently paying off like 10 other former managers including Avram fucking Grant. I am not being funny or anything but Avram Grant was not even our manager he was just the guy for the cameras, Steve Clark was the coach who put the plans out before every match, Avram could not organize a piss up in a London pub on a Friday night.

[ZanSnake 1,211]

I think we will finish in the tpo four and win some kind of cup, hopefully something among the lines of the Fa cup to ensure that next season we can have an oppertunity to fight for the CS, along with a more wider field of expectation. We need to make the bolders out of the team, this summer and the up-coming window in January as well as breeding and bringing in the best replacements.

Mata was an added addition and the perfect example of what the type of players we need, and what a person with a whole new perspective can bring into the squad, instead of the same one-dimensional minds of Kalou and Malouda. We might have to say good-bye to some favourites but i think to fully be able to admire the final painting we need to have the painter there to start and finish painting it.

I hope AVB will be able to use his famous analytic and tactical mind to bring a more diverse approach to the squad when it is needed, and not to be afraid to raise his voice when it is needed to. He has the team on a schedule, which should be a smaller part of a larger plan of his favoured system. I have always stated, that this season needed to be the transistional season we have needed for the last couple of years with someone with a spark about, but it might have to sacrific short-term success in order to create a path to long-term success and a bigger and brighter future, all based upon the stability of the leader - the manager - and the system which we use. If we have the system, but don't have the stability, only have the journey can be created, and in terms of AVB, we have a whole new system with a chance of stability.

As for those calling for AVB's head, it is down to more of impatience and egotism of some - and others, just unable to see the bigger picture, no matter how clear nor foggy it might be.

[francozola 2,040]

AVB would not have been hired if he was required to start winning trophies immediately or face the sack. If Roman had such a demand, he would have hired a more experienced manager.

[manpe 10,861]

I think Buck has already said in an interview that they hope to keep him for long-term (in Chelsea terms that's at least 3 seasons).

[Krypt 241]

I think Buck has already said in an interview that they hope to keep him for long-term (in Chelsea terms that's at least 3 seasons).

I think all he has to do to keep his job is keep us in the top 4 , next season there will be more expectation.

[laura90 556]

I find it difficult to agree with people who are convinced in our CL spot. I doubt it ever since the transfer window. For me it's like this:

1. City - obvious reasons

2. United - obvious reasons

3. Tottenham - people underestimate them. They were good 2 years before, as I recall, but since then they've only improved. Their signings are spot on: VDV, and now Parker, Freidel, Adebayor. They also have Modric, Bale, Lenon, etc. I can't stand them, but if remain without major injury blow, this is the top three team.

4. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle

Liverpool and Arsenal have issues, but we have too.

Right now we have:

- some players who play a system that they are not technically or tactically able to play.

- young and unexperienced manager who is world class in making, but needs time.

- defence that struggle to cope with high defensive line.

- midfield that struggle to carry this attractive attacking football we are supposed to play. They are good midfielders, no doubt, but question remains whether they are good enough for what is expected of them. ( Mata is an exception)

- attack - our strikers can't score for some reason. Is Sturridge ready to be the main striker for a team like Chelsea? It remains to be seen.

I agree this is decisive year for us. For many reasons. We are in the middle of some kind of a transition and rebuilding process. However we've spent around 125 mil this year and signed only one reliable starter( Mata). Maybe (Luiz or Romeu too). Players have been signed for the wrong reasons.

The top four place is not guaranteed. On the contrary, it will be very difficult to achieve, given the circumstances and competition. If AVB and the team succeed in it, it will be incredible achievement.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

We can get away with it, apart from Drogba 06/07 and 09/10 have we ever had a fully firiing forward in the Roman era? We have enough goals from everywhere on the pitch IMO.

Yeah true, but now where are the goals coming from?

This season it's all about goals. City, Arsenal & United are all recording some good wins, just look at the goal difference already. Defensively, this is a weak league now. United's, Our's & City's back 4 are quite rubbish & very exploitable. We have no-one to exploit them.

[Badboy 1,526]

We should never of sold Robben, what the hell did that 24 million do for us ? Absolutely nothing at all, i know he was injury prone but the form he showed for Bayern that season was so good that it could of propelled us, hindsight is a wonderful thing but you should never sell a premium Dutch attacker no matter what.

[Henrique 9,133]

We lack an in form striker that can carry us through the season. We were lucky to have Drogba for the past 5 years but right now no one is scoring our goals.

I thought this guys was Lukaku.

[francozola 2,040]

I thought this guys was Lukaku.

Oh stop going on and on about him. Nobody said that he was going to be scoring 20+ goals for us immediately. Nobody even expected him to be a starter in his first couple of seasons. He was bought for the future.

[Henrique 9,133]

I dont think this season will define the future of anything. Its just people who are watching too much Hollywood movies.

What is happening in this season is not worrying. This season is not a two horse race. There is only one club going for the title: its Manchester City. United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, and perhaps Spurs, will fight for a CL place.

I would like to see the changes happening faster, but they are happening:

- Kalous is barely playing.

- Drogba lost his power and will leave in the end of the season.

- Malouda is not important anymore.

- We have a new world class player in Mata.

Soon or late other needed changes will happen:

- Lampard will not be as important as today, because we will find a good and younger player for his position.

- We will have a world class CB partnership again, because Terry will not be a untouchable anymore. The guy stopped playing his superb football years ago.

- We will finally have a real killer in the attack since Hasselbaink left. The kind of guy that scores more than 20 goals for 4 or 5 season, not the kind of strikers we had in recent years, that score 30 in one season, and 9 in next 2.

[Henrique 9,133]

Oh stop going on and on about him. Nobody said that he was going to be scoring 20+ goals for us immediately. Nobody even expected him to be a starter in his first couple of seasons. He was bought for the future.

since you dont know whats gonna happen in the future, I dont think its a good idea pay 18m for a player for the future.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

The thing is i don't see Drogba pulling up any tree's this season and Torres is just going from brilliant to shocking. When i seen that miss he did against Blackburn i was not shocked at all and that is worrying. Lampard is carrying the goal burden at the moment but we need to find a new dimension, a new attacking outlet because teams will find us out that Mata is our sole provider. We need someone who can find space and create in midfield in January, we really really need that.

Absolutely. We definitely need more creativity in the side, which is why many of us wanted Benayoun to stay, as he is another option off the bench. Josh also needs more game time as he has the eye for a nice reverse pass, like Ramsey.

It also scares me that Lampard is still our main source of goals despite him being past his best (that is not an attack on him, I think he's been brilliant so far this season, since the Valencia game, at least) and supposedly having Torres, Sturridge, Anelka, Mata, Drogba, Lukaku and Malouda as 'forwards.'