So, What's Gone Wrong?

[termninja 5,290]

Looking back at our 09/10 Double winning season, every Chelsea fan was happy and we got used to winning easily and trashing our opponents. Sky was the limit and ever since we got onto that bad moment under Carlo I was following our play, players, manager talk and results very closely.

I found it very surprising how a team that won a Double, scoring 103 goals and running over everyone simply transformed into an underperforming bunch of  highly payed superstars. Just like that *pff* we were struggling. Our play was gone and the media couldn't wait to fill their lovely newspapers with headlines of our failures.

What was the cause of it? Couple of things, but for me, the biggest one was the lack of leadership. Yes, leadership. Drogba with his malarya and Lampard with his "2 weeks" of the field. These 2 players scored 64 goals and assisted 32 times in the season that will be remembered in our history as the season where Chelsea football club has won the first Double in its history. Do you really think we we wouldn't have won the title last season if those 2 had a season like 09/10 one?

Thing is that when you have a couple of players playing as amazing as that, it lifts the whole team. Kalou suddenly starts scoring regularly, Mikel becomes an unpassable boulder, Malouda becomes the most useful player statistically and our defense is the best in the league.

Even when we bounced back last season, I wasn't convinced. It wasn't simply that anymore. Someone pulled away a couple of very important cards out of our tower.

It has shown us that our squad is simply not good enough anymore.

What do I mean by not good enough?

They can't produce the magic, sparks and performances week and week out.

Look at our recent run, and most accurately Drogba. He started showing his old self. Had a decent run against Wolves. Did well at Newcastle...then exploded against Valencia...then a slight drop of form against City...and then his bad performance against Wigan where he should've helped the team to an easy victory.

This clearly shows you, he can't keep up the level required. He is 33 after all. Same goes with Lampard. Same age,  and these 2 players are not the players you place on the bench as the media have rubbed in our faces quite a bit.

Who are our main players besides Mata and Sturridge now?

Terry, Lampard, Torres, Drogba.

Is anyone of them playing like Sturridge and Mata week and week out?

No. Sometimes there's a flash or a run of games, but no true rhythm and form. That's what impacts us that much. They are simply not at the level they could reach before.

Just look at Sturridge. Man City game. 1 small dribble, sends Clichy for a beer and assists Meireles to equalize at an vital moment that changed the game.

Recent Wigan game. Team was terrible, but he managed to receive a difficult ball and score with his weaker foot. Not only this, he didn't have  2 or 3 good performances, he was good from the beginning of the season. He made the likes of Drogba, Torres and Anelka look like clowns and look cool while doing it.

Let's take a closer look at our squad.

Mata. Sturridge. Ramires. Luiz. Meireles. Romeu.

Our best performers this season. They haven't even been at the club for a full year except for Ramires, but for a midfielder from a foreign league, it's understandable to take some time to adjust.

Look at the rest of our squad.

Drogba. Lampard. Malouda. Kalou. Anelka. Bosingwa. Mikel.

Either old, out of form or not good enough.

Now let's compare our side against Man United. I chose them as a team on a similar level as us atm.

Rooney and Hernandez vs Torres and Drogba. United wins. Hernandez scores without problems and he's very young. Rooney is not on top of his game, but he is still 7 years younger then Drogba. Torres...eh I'll leave him out of this article.

Nani, Valencia and Young vs Malouda, Kalou and Sturridge. United wins with not explanation needed. I left out Mata as he is a different kind of player.

Just take a look at United when they are playing bad. It's usually Nani, Young and Rooney not having their day. When they are having their day then Jones, Smalling and Evans can replace Vidic and Ferdinand, Anderson, Carrick and Fletcher (who I doubt a single Chelsea fan would wish in our team) boss the midfield and Hernandez turns into a world class striker.

The difference between United and Chelsea is that that happens much more often.

I won't even bother comparing us to the likes of City, Real and Barca.

Messi, Ronaldo, Silva, Ozil, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko, Sanchez, Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Villa, Tevez, Benzema, Higuain, Di Maria, Kompany, Pepe, Ramos, Pique, Alves...almost all of them beat our players on their positions.

Suarez at Liverpool. Van Persie at Arsenal. They save their butts.

Add to this then a number of smaller issues

• New manager
  
• Bad ref decisions
  
• Short on luck
  
• Motivation of our opponents
  
• Pressure
  
• Atmosphere at SB
  

and you end up with as situation we are in.

That's what I want the fans to realize and accept a draw at DW stadium instead of going out and unleashing their fury on AVB, Kalou, Torres and Mikel as usual scrapegoats.

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[Tomo 21,681]

Nani, Young and Valencia are just as inconsistent and frustrating as some of ours. I watch United sometimes at some of the stuff those 3 do and i think to myself if they were Chelsea players ill be screaming at the tele. Mata and Danny without doubt are streets ahead in terms of consistency.

Your right about things going downhill since last season, personally i think the double brought the "oldies" more time and the back to back 6-0's at the start of the season convinced all of us there was no need to spend.

Personally for next season's team i think we need to establish which players from the current side are cut out to play for a top side and build around that, so for me its.

---------------Cech---------------

Ivan------JT------Luiz------Ryan

---------------Oriol----------------

---------Ramires---?????-------

Danny------------------------Mata

---------------?????--------------

I think we need to slowly bleed Terry out and Josh in, we need to sign 2 wingers (Hazard and Gotze will have me dribbling). Basically we need to return to the old blue print, young, hungry players determined to suceed.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Lol dear god.. Things must be bad when sh0n3x is saying United's midfield is anywhere near 'good.'

Suarez at Liverpool. Van Persie at Arsenal. They save their butts.

Yes, but Liverpool only have Suarez and Arsenal only have Van Persie to save their butts. You can make the same argument about us relying on Mata for creativity, which we do on a level too extraordinary to describe.

Everyone stop being so over-dramatic.. It's not a great result, but it's just how our season's going. We've only dropped 2points in September out of 9. I'd say that's a good feat considering the 2 important games that needed a victory, got one.

Edited December 18, 2011 by RZA

[termninja 5,290]

Lol dear god.. Things must be bad when sh0n3x is saying United's midfield is anywhere near 'good.'

Yes, but Liverpool only have Suarez and Arsenal only have Van Persie to save their butts. You can make the same argument about us relying on Mata for creativity, which we do on a level too extraordinary to describe.

Everyone stop being so over-dramatic.. It's not a great result, but it's just how our season's going. We've only dropped 2points in September out of 9. I'd say that's a good feat considering the 2 important games that needed a victory, got one.

You missed my point. I said that when players like Nani and Rooney are on top of their game, it makes United's midfield look good which doesn't mean that they are.

One of the points I tried to highlight in my article was just how important is that. Mata has done very well this season and so have Sturridge and Ramires, but the best is yet to come from them. We pay shitload of money for Drogba, Lampard and Torres expecting them to show the level of RVP and similar but they struggle.

Where would our end be if Lamps was playing like before his injury, Torres was showing Liverpool performances and Drogba had a 09/10 season again?

Instead, mostly they show mediocre performances and put manager under pressure for dropping them.

And I am not being dramatic, I just thought that after yesterday's draw it was the right time to offer my opinion on our situation. (if you included me in your group of dramatic people )