The Roberto Di Matteo Thread

[Blue Armour 4,280]

I just hope RDM realizes he can ditch the double pivot if he wants to...He took too much time to make changes to the team, seeing how they were battered within the first 30 mins of the Monaco game.

Then there's the strategy of playing Bertrand and Ramires on the wings..useful at times, but there's no need to play so defensive all the time. Not when there are good options on the bench.

[Steve 10,227]

This shit is getting annoying. Showing frustration does not make you 'plastic'. Stating facts and criticising players where criticism is due does not make you 'plastic'. Wanting the team to do better and play with some more pride does not make you 'plastic'. Everyone who does that still wakes up the next morning as a Chelsea fan. They still watch the next game as a Chelsea fan. You and many others on this forum need to stop with this bullshit opinion. I don't know why you do it, perhaps it gives you a false sense of superiority. Does it make you feel better about yourself?

There is a difference between plastic fans who get frusturated and stop watching the games and fans that get frusturated and say things in anger. I say things in anger as do most fans but the people who stop watching games and talk shit are not real fans.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

There is a difference between plastic fans who get frusturated and stop watching the games and fans that get frusturated and say things in anger. I say things in anger as do most fans but the people who stop watching games and talk shit are not real fans.

The real test is what happens when you're not winning and able to spend oodles of cash. Real fans will stick around no matter what. It's almost good to have a miserable season every once in a while just clear out the plastics. Almost.

[Steve 10,227]

The real test is what happens when you're not winning and able to spend oodles of cash. Real fans will stick around no matter what. It's almost good to have a miserable season every once in a while just clear out the plastics. Almost.

Yes 100%. Support the club through thick and thin!

[Henrique 9,133]

I on the other hand blame Luiz's abysmal positioning and (lack of) marking. For both the first two goals his bad positioning played Falcao onside. Not to say that he was the only one who played badly. Iva was playing as winger which left Cahil stranded. Ramires looked lost as did Mata. Lampard and especially Mikel were our best players on the field.

To single out one or two players from that terrible terrible night in Monaco does not make any sense to me.

You might start to blame Cahill as well. The first goal was his fault, and the second goal against Reading was also his fault, and Reading almost scored a third one because of him.

Heaven help us when both are on the pitch.

[Rowan_Osborn 58]

You might start to blame Cahill as well. The first goal was his fault, and the second goal against Reading was also his fault, and Reading almost scored a third one because of him.

Heaven help us when both are on the pitch.

Both make mistakes, but players do in games its just highlighted more in defence as it usually results in a goal. I reckon we should cut Luiz and Cahill some slack, they were both immense in Munich.

[Henrique 9,133]

Both make mistakes, but players do in games its just highlighted more in defence as it usually results in a goal. I reckon we should cut Luiz and Cahill some slack, they were both immense in Munich.

Because we were defending with 11 men, and both were inside the box.

Luiz and specially Cahill are terrible to play outside the box and against counter attacks.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

I thought most of us agreed to wait till half the season to judge RDM?

Only a couple of games good and bad, is not enough to judge.

If people have giving Torres sooooooooo much time, surely half a season before people start saying anything about RDM should be merited?

[Rowan_Osborn 58]

Because we were defending with 11 men, and both were inside the box.

Luiz and specially Cahill are terrible to play outside the box and against counter attacks.

Our whole team couldn't cope with their counter attacks, can't expect the defence to cope when they are outnumbered by attackers as they often were. they are good players, Friday night was a blip.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

There are actually some valid points about people not sold by RDM yet which should be acknowledged.. We're only not accepting them cause we're reading them after a defeat which makes it seem like they're 'crying after a loss.' Just sayin'.

[Term-X 7,891]

If people have giving Torres sooooooooo much time, surely half a season before people start saying anything about RDM should be merited?

The last time I checked Torres doesn't pick the team. Nor does he play Ramires at RW, or continue to persist with our default double pivot.

Sentimentality aside, RDM is fair game.

[Strike 7,217]

to top it he's Chelsea through and through

[Rowan_Osborn 58]

The last time I checked Torres doesn't pick the team. Nor does he play Ramires at RW, or continue to persist with our default double pivot.

Sentimentality aside, RDM is fair game.

I agree, if a player is being played as Torres was we have to give them our support as we want the team to do well. However if a manager is constantly making daft mistakes (I'm not saying RDM is) then he should be questioned by fans. RDM is doing a good job so far in my opinion though.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I agree, if a player is being played as Torres was we have to give them our support as we want the team to do well. However if a manager is constantly making daft mistakes (I'm not saying RDM is) then he should be questioned by fans. RDM is doing a good job so far in my opinion though.

But what about when a player constantly makes daft decisions? Why is it different for certain players and a manager?

[Chelsea? 892]

Think the only reason we don't play 433 is cause RDM doesn't trust Mata defensively. A midfield of Oscar-Mikel-Ramirez would be great.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Think the only reason we don't play 433 is cause RDM doesn't trust Mata defensively. A midfield of Oscar-Mikel-Ramirez would be great.

Last year, everyone was all over AVB for using the 4-3-3 which didn't really fit our team (among other things). You can't switch formations every time you have a bad game. There is a lot of training that goes into being in a specific formation and a lot of getting to know where players are supposed to be (and a lot more work needs to be done on that front) If anything, Chelsea are too loaded up with players who should be playing right behind the striker which is a position that doesn't exist in the standard 4-3-3. Do you really want Hazard wide right and Mata wide left? We are staying in the 4-2-3-1 for the foreseeable future. We can all posit our alternate formations, it's just not going to happen.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

Regardless of RDM preferring 4-2-3-1, the sign of a good manager is his ability to recognise the need for change. Our midfield is getting more and more exposed. The double pivots aren't working.

As many have said 4-3-3 should be tried to counter act that. The best combination is Ramires, Oscar and Romeu/Mikel. Our midield will be much stronger this way.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

You might start to blame Cahill as well. The first goal was his fault, and the second goal against Reading was also his fault, and Reading almost scored a third one because of him.

Heaven help us when both are on the pitch.

Agreed. Cahil has been out of form since the preseason. I also think he plays much better when partnered with JT.