Our "problems"

[zolayes 14,489]

Because We are NOT doomed.

Comparing Darlington and Chelsea. Listen to Yourself.

Our problems have not Got us here and there as you have mentioned. A few good showings have got us into the CL. You conveniently forget the circumstances under which we qualified for the knockout stages. A Sturridge dive got us ahead in the FA cup. Not great football. Not those "problems". A Dive, and a do or die match. We are 4th by default, because Arsenal and Liverpool are as shit or worse than us.

I don't believe we are doomed . Quite the contrary . You can post pretentious crap but not recognise irony even when it SCREAMS at you.

[francozola 2,040]

It's funny how after those displayes people only write about Torres. It's all his fault. Like he is the biggest problem. After sad news, it will stop for a while, but I will post my opinion anyway. Well, it seems I was watching different games. In last couple of games I saw :

- 8 or 9 completely unmotivated and disinterested players per match ( bar Cech and Luiz) , no cohesion, no team play

- players who ( bar Mata and Cech) are all in: he is past it; he is still learning it; he never had it; categories.

- manager who insist on formation he does not have players for

- players who work very little in attempt to create something together, they rather try by themselves and if it works it works. Of course if they are not in the position to shoot, they pass, but sideways or backwards to the closest teammate.

- many attempts of crosses after which one thing is certain - possesion is lost.

- arguable the worst midfield in the Premier League, maybe with exception of relegation candidates, with:

Raul Meireles - was bench warmer in Liverpool, impact sub at best

Lampard - has fantastic instict to shoot and best striker in this team, but when it comes to midfield his contribution is poor

Ramires - he can run, he can shoot, but can't pass or create in the box

Romeu - as much as we want to make new Makelele out of him, he is still kid

Malouda - he can shoot the stands and lose possesion and does it very effectively. Can he pass or cross? No.

- Not one single natural winger and famous 4 3 3 formation

How is all this Torres fault I don't know. Anyway,

This club is opsesed with people who can shoot. We bought Torres, Lukaku, this new kid and I'm sure Kevin de Bruyne is here becouse he can shoot. OK he is a fantastic winger in making. Trouble is we ignored players who create ( bar Mata) and we didn't have any. That leaves us only with Mata who is already surprised by the weight of expectancy on his shoulders.

We spent 100 mil on people who can shoot and new manager, and only 25 mil on creators of this game. It should have been reversed.

Did I mention that new manager is not by any means better than previous one ( he just didn't have misfortune of having all the most important players, pitch leaders , Lampard, Terry and Drogba, injured at the same time for a while ) like Carlo did.

But we can simply ignore this things and look forward to the day when Drogba, Sturridge or Lukaku start leading our attacking line. I personally can't wait .

Torres will be benched soon enough. The trouble is, he won't take problems with him.

Yes, none of that is Torres' fault. But don't you think, when the fullbacks (our only natural wide players) get into crossing positions, that he should try and find space for himself in the box? It doens't matter if the last 19993420349 crosses have been shit and have gone into the stands/no where near him. But shouldn't he try to find space and cause confusion in the box? Because as I said in the Torres thread, there were quite a few occasions in the 2nd half where he just stood where he was and didn't make any attempt to run towards the goal or find a better position where he would have more space and time on the ball.

[teignman 441]

Have still got us 4th in the best league in world.

Have got us to the last 16 in the biggest club competition in Europe if not the world.

Have got us in the last 32 of the FA Cup with a decent draw.

Have got us the best young (under 40) manager in the world who will only get better.

Have a owner who loves the club and prepared to offer financial backing to the side in the future.

Reckon Darlington fans will accept our problems if offered?

Rot you Tomo for spouting common sense and facts! I was perfectly happy with throwing my toys out of the pram and then you had to come along with this wise perspective.

[The Rising Sun 711]

I don't believe we are doomed . Quite the contrary . You can post pretentious crap but not recognise irony even when it SCREAMS at you.

What is your point here? Who said YOU think we are doomed?

Please spell out the irony that is screaming at me.

If i am posting pretentious crap, then your posts are more like a delusional man. The title of your thread is "our problems" and then you go on to say,,,,our problems have got us to CL...our problems have got us FA CUP....

Our problems have made us struggle to get there. If you cant see we are struggling and lack any sort of passion or motivation in the team, then that is an uncurable "problem"

Why did you create this threqad anyway>? You knew it would create conflict. Big man.

[laura90 556]

Yes, none of that is Torres' fault. But don't you think, when the fullbacks (our only natural wide players) get into crossing positions, that he should try and find space for himself in the box? It doens't matter if the last 19993420349 crosses have been shit and have gone into the stands/no where near him. But shouldn't he try to find space and cause confusion in the box? Because as I said in the Torres thread, there were quite a few occasions in the 2nd half where he just stood where he was and didn't make any attempt to run towards the goal or find a better position where he would have more space and time on the ball.

His mental strenght, as Wenger calls it, is gone. As simple as that.

I wasn't defending Torres. I have never done that. As I previously said, I believe he is finished. I haven't been able to be dissapointed with him for quite some time. I truly don't have a bit faith in him. I prefer Chelsea without him on the pitch.

The day we signed Torres was the saddest day in my life as a fan ( after CL final). Not only becouse I'd believed he wouldn't make it here , but becouse for me it was the clear message in which direction this club' transfer policy is heading. I was so dissapointed we didn't sign midfielder and winger instead. I knew that decision will have negative consequences on future transfers, and this team in general. Lukaku signing didn't help. Mata alone wasn't enough.

So lately we have watched 4 games which Chalsea fans considered the worst they have ever seen. It was a combination of bad management, bad display and bad player's attitude. Torres was awfull. But he wasn't the only one. There were at least 6 players as awfull as him. And that was the point.

My disappointment started the day we signed Torres. It was different with Sheva, we had a team back then. But year before we needed team players and we signed him. I honestly expected him to fail and was never able to blame only and only him for that.

In the end he is replaceble. That is why I don't find him as my biggest issue with this team.

[francozola 2,040]

His mental strenght, as Wenger calls it, is gone. As simple as that.

I wasn't defending Torres. I have never done that. As I previously said, I believe he is finished. I haven't been able to be dissapointed with him for quite some time. I truly don't have a bit faith in him. I prefer Chelsea without him on the pitch.

The day we signed Torres was the saddest day in my life as a fan ( after CL final). Not only becouse I'd believed he wouldn't make it here , but becouse for me it was the clear message in which direction this club' transfer policy is heading. I was so dissapointed we didn't sign midfielder and winger instead. I knew that decision will have negative consequences on future transfers, and this team in general. Lukaku signing didn't help. Mata alone wasn't enough.

So lately we have watched 4 games which Chalsea fans considered the worst they have ever seen. It was a combination of bad management, bad display and bad player's attitude. Torres was awfull. But he wasn't the only one. There were at least 6 players as awfull as him. And that was the point.

My disappointment started the day we signed Torres. It was different with Sheva, we had a team back then. But year before we needed team players and we signed him. I honestly expected him to fail and was never able to blame only and only him for that.

In the end he is replaceble. That is why I don't find him as my biggest issue with this team.

Okay then I completely agree with that part and in general with your post. I was optimistic at the start of the season that he would be able to become a 15 goal a season striker (I was sure that he would never be able to reach the heights he did at Liverpool) but that's completely gone now too. I can't wait to see him gone. I'm 100% sure he will be sold in the summer. Hopefully Drogba will be gone too and our board will replace them with a young, hungry striker.

[Thor 2,744]

I'm not one to make quick, brash assessments on anything, but after 20+ games, I think I can make a fair judgement on our club at the moment.

I'll start by saying I love AVB's passion and the way he handles himself in the media. Clearly, this is one of the things I can't question; he is well learned on these topics. On the other hand, I will say this is some of the ugliest football I've ever watched in the last 10 years from our club. We have a problem getting the ball to our forwards. This is a coaching problem, completely, totally and undoubtedly. John Terry has more goals than our $50 million striker for the season, and is equal with our club legend who also happens to be the 2nd greatest striker going by numbers to ever grace the EPL in Drogba. I'll repeat that, John Terry has equal goals in the season with Drogba and one more than Torres.

This is not the players fault, this is clearly a system designed by the coach that is not working. There is no way this should ever happen, and I don't think you can find this at any other top 4 side in any league where a CB has the same amount of goals as one of the premier strikers in the league on the same team.

This is also the point where the people who say "its a transition, it takes time" need to pipe down. No, it doesn't take time for a team like us to look better offensively than teams like Blackburn, Swansea, Wolves and Wigan. Know why? All these players we take for granted and can get better than like Malouda, Bosingwa, Kalou, etc, who most would like to see gone from our club are still far more potent and better than anything those clubs have. We are a quick team and yet we play slow boring football that doesn't look to push the pace. I'll say it again like I did in the match thread, David Luiz is the only world class player in our squad. For all those that like to get on his case, he's the only one that looks to push the ball forward and get something going at all times. Ramires is the other, but he isn't quite the same caliber in terms of touch and shot.

One more thing. Cech is a sub par goalkeeper. Say what you want, but I'm sick of seeing him get beat on sup bar shots on goal, and out of position. A change is needed since it's been a 2 year thing, not just a game here and a game there.

I think most people that reply to this thread and are in fact a little peeved with whats going on at the club aren't exactly worried about where we are on the ladder, etc, but more of the quality of football we are stringing together. It's just pestering football with no quality offense going forward, no good shots on goal.

[zolayes 14,489]

What is your point here? Who said YOU think we are doomed?

Please spell out the irony that is screaming at me.

If i am posting pretentious crap, then your posts are more like a delusional man. The title of your thread is "our problems" and then you go on to say,,,,our problems have got us to CL...our problems have got us FA CUP....

Our problems have made us struggle to get there. If you cant see we are struggling and lack any sort of passion or motivation in the team, then that is an uncurable "problem"

Why did you create this threqad anyway>? You knew it would create conflict. Big man.

I DID NOT CREATE THIS THREAD , It was Tomo. SUGGEST you read ALL the thread,

[The Rising Sun 711]

I DID NOT CREATE THIS THREAD , It was Tomo. SUGGEST you read ALL the thread,

my bad.

hope your optimism is correct, and my pessimism is proven wrong....We're all for the same cause here!

[zolayes 14,489]

my bad.

hope your optimism is correct, and my pessimism is proven wrong....We're all for the same cause here!

no problems . You have to be a supreme optimist following Chelsea

[Blue Armour 4,453]

no problems . You have to be a supreme optimist following Chelsea

true,true