Chelsea ´04 vs Chelsea ´11

[Badboy 1,526]

04-05 was an absolute amazing season and we had hungry players, i seriously miss those days because i never thought we'd lose a game we we're that clinical and ferocious. We have been declining since 06-07 to be honest because that was when United finished their transition and Rooney and Ronaldo were ready to penetrate. We have to make sure we are not in transition for too long like Arsenal or we will be left behind, even though i don't even think we are in transition. I think its scary the way we still have so many players at the club that were in our side when Mourinho took the reins. Cech is the only one who we should keep the rest need to leave in my opinion Drogba Lamps and Terry. How the fuck is Paulo still at the club seriously he has fucking worked wonders that man !

[lentherussian 86]

my opinion (for what its worth) on our team now and why im starting to get disheartened is that with all the constant change of managers etc and romans billions were starting to turn into a bit of a mess of a football club. I feel theres no structure to your club anymore. I used to go very regular back in 1999 through to 2004 and absolutely loved our club and enjoyed the roller coaster and constant improving as a proper club. Old regs like dennis wise becomming better players due to those around him improving, jon harley jody morris john terry danny granville mark nicholls all coming through the ranks, zola who loved every minute of being a chelsea player, vialli managing with his heart on his sleeve and adopting chelsea as his club despite being tactically naive. I know weve had some great years and mourinho was amazing for us and still embedded all that was good with chelsea but its starting to grate on me now. Not just because were beginning to lose more often, Im sure as all our real fans would agree its not about glory, its about pride and theres not much but history im proud of at the min.

I want to state however that i do like avb as a man and hope to god he turns it round as hes trying his best to do a hard job. I thought winning the league was a bridge to far this season as we finished 3rd last year and appointed a new manager to change team and system as others were givin time to get better, so my moan isnt about lack of success.

Against liverpool the other night we played only josh mceachran and ryan bertrand whos 22 whos developed through our youth team. Thats shit imo. This is from a club whos youth team two years ago won the fa youth cup, most of that team then turned out for the reserves last year and won the reserve league, so im guessing the talent is there. I know theres the opinion that if there good enough they will get a game etc but i disagree, i believe players fullfill there potential playing with great players, remember wise before and after gullit, di matteo zola etc, same goes with ray parlour at arsenal and i suppose to a similar level lescott and barry at man city at min. I was present at alot of john terrys first games and i didnt see him becomming this good. I as a fan wanted to see, bruma, mancienne, borini, cork and more recent even clifford, lalkovic, chalobah get a chance. Could borini or lalkovic be as bad as what torres has been? or bruma mancienne clifford chalobah be allowed to make as many mistakes as luiz, bosingwa etc. Dont even get me started on malouda and anelkas effort for the cause.

I hate to mention arsenal and man utd but can only make my point with comparisons. I know through people in the game that the reason wellbeck has been given a chance for man utd ahead of berbatov is because AF wants a manchester born forward playin for his club, obviously he s talented but he understands what its all about for the fans aswel. Arsenal under wenger in the past when hes lost big players has given the fans what they want and let the young players have a go make mistakes and improve to there potential. What do we do? buy a zhirkov and kick our youngsters in the teeth.

I believe this is due to the constant change of manager and everyone comes with the pressure of having to succeed, they then fail get sacked and the nxt manager inherits players he doesnt want. I really want this to change and will accept the recent slump even if it continues as long as we start to move on with purpose and the staff/manager remembers that all the fans really want is players playing who love being part of chelsea fc. For me and i wont be swayed any other way that means torres, malouda, anelka and bosingwa out in jan.

On a positive note i do think that the likes of ramires, mata and luiz show enough passion to be welcomed with open arms at our club, just hope succeed or fail avb gives josh more game time in big games and a few games for clifford and chalobah would be all i want for xmas.

[manpe 10,861]

Chalobah is 16 ffs, yes he'd most likely make more mistakes than Luiz or anybody else in our defence

[lentherussian 86]

Chalobah is 16 ffs, yes he'd most likely make more mistakes than Luiz or anybody else in our defence

i know but its not too young to make a debut is it? hes an exceptional talent, be great for his confidence,belief etc. Im not saying start him away and man city.

[manpe 10,861]

i know but its not too young to make a debut is it? hes an exceptional talent, be great for his confidence,belief etc. Im not saying start him away and man city.

well yeah, but as you said, managers are too afraid to experiment to such extremes because if it doesn't work out, then......... NEEEXT

[lentherussian 86]

well yeah, but as you said, managers are too afraid to experiment to such extremes because if it doesn't work out, then......... NEEEXT

Thats my point on whats wrong with our club and why it hurts to support us at the moment, just wish as fans we could make our feelings and expectations known to the club. Id rather see us fall out of champ league places but start to play players who appreciate our club rather then some of the tossers representing us at the min.

[manpe 10,861]

tbh during the Roman period I have never felt that the managers were concerned with our future or progress, it was only instant success on their minds and who could blame them - they knew that was what the owners were after and they knew they wouldn't be there for long-term either. That's why you see things like Borini, Stoch and Töre amongst others... they had potential, but they weren't on the needed level yet, they had to play more regularly in order to become that level, but they got overlooked because it was easier to patch it up by buying finished products.. so the potentials leave to other clubs in pursuit of happiness.

I'm really really hopeful this will change with AVB, but if he gets teabagged... then we'll be back to square one, buying expensive panic flops and hoping they work miracles with no drive and desire, only showing passion when on their way to collect their paychecks... while letting hungry future hopefuls rot or leave.

[lentherussian 86]

tbh during the Roman period I have never felt that the managers were concerned with our future or progress, it was only instant success on their minds and who could blame them - they knew that was what the owners were after and they knew they wouldn't be there for long-term either. That's why you see things like Borini, Stoch and Töre amongst others... they had potential, but they weren't on the needed level yet, they had to play more regularly in order to become that level, but they got overlooked because it was easier to patch it up by buying finished products.. so the potentials leave to other clubs in pursuit of happiness.

I'm really really hopeful this will change with AVB, but if he gets teabagged... then we'll be back to square one, buying expensive panic flops and hoping they work miracles with no drive and desire, only showing passion when on their way to collect their paychecks... while letting hungry future hopefuls rot or leave.

i suppose the lesson to be leaernt is be careful what u wish for cus im beginning to tire of this merry go round of players and managers althouh have to be grateful ive seen us win leagues and doubles. Would be great to see evolve a bit more instead of just keep buying.

[Iced 34]

Good read on our 04-06 years

Everyone knows that Arsenal went unbeaten in 2003/04, but it’s worth pointing out that Chelsea only lost one game the next season, a surprise 0-1 defeat away at Manchester City. OK so, Jose Mourinho had inherited a great squad, which had been added to over the summer with the likes of Cech, Drogba, Carvalho and Ferreira, but to take charge of a side and lead it so convincingly to the title (they won it by 12 points) should be commended. That season’s Chelsea side also hold the record for the fewest goals conceded in a Premiership season – just 15 in 38 games, whilst 25 clean sheets is also a Premiership record.

Chelsea retained the title the next season, losing four more games, but boasting a near-100% home record, a draw against Charlton the only occasion they didn’t win at home all season. They were less dominant in the league, but probably played more expansive, attacking football (although they scored the same number of goals as in the previous campaign).

Mourinho played a 4-3-3 system that worked so well because most English teams were still fixated on playing 4-4-2, which Chelsea’s system worked brilliantly against.

As Mourinho has said,

‘Look, if I have a triangle in midfield – Claude Makelele behind and two others just in front – I will always have an advantage against a pure 4-4-2 where the central midfielders are side by side. That’s because I will always have an extra man. It starts with Makelele, who is between the lines. If nobody comes to him he can see the whole pitch and has time. If he gets closed down it means one of the two other central midfielders is open. If they are closed down and the other team’s wingers come inside to help, it means there is space now for us on the flank, either for our own wingers or for our full-backs. There is nothing a pure 4-4-2 can do to stop things’.

It perhaps seems foolish to try and expand on that, but Mourinho also had the luxury of a striker who could worry two centre-backs at the same time, crucial in creating the ‘extra man’ he speaks about in midfield.

Chelsea were yet another side who focussed on getting their full-backs forward to support the attacking players, who generally looked to cross the ball rather than get into goalscoring positions themselves. The wide players became adept at drawing the full-backs infield in order to create space, which would then allow the full-backs room to pick out a cross for Drogba.

Another feature of Mourinho’s side was his willingness to play Eidur Gudjohnsen, a striker, as the additional midfield player alongside Frank Lampard at times. This created a formation closer to 4-1-4-1, and it’s interesting to note that Frank Lampard played well even when he had a more attacking player alongside him. Mourinho was also keen for his wingers to frequently switch wings, which Arjen Robben and Joe Cole did to better effect than Damien Duff or Shaun Wright-Phillips – the Dutchman in particular being almost unplayable at times.

Source: http://www.zonalmark...helsea-2004-06/

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Good read on our 04-06 years

Source: http://www.zonalmark...helsea-2004-06/

Good article.

However that system's long been worked out now by most teams. The 'Chelsea formation' must change now imo.

[warnie_666 1,081]

4-2-3-1 is the IN thing.

Barca, Madrid, and Man Utd and City play it.

Torres upfront with Mata behind him and flanked by Hazard and Studge would be perfect.

Ramirez and Meireless sitting infront of the defense.

[Joker10 946]

4-2-3-1 is the IN thing.

Barca, Madrid, and Man Utd and City play it.

Torres upfront with Mata behind him and flanked by Hazard and Studge would be perfect.

Ramirez and Meireless sitting infront of the defense.

Barca plays 4-3-3, and no one plays it better then them.

[Waterfall 893]

Almost an insult to 04-05 team to compare this team to them.