The Benitez Thread

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Appointing Avram Grant would just be a more complicated way of saying Steve Holland is incharge until the end of the season.

I'll take that atm!

[Christacinto 137]

Hi everyone,

I've been tuning into this website as a Chelsea-fan for some years now and have finally decided to share my thoughts with all of you

fine people. Why now? Because what's happening now is a fucking outrage!

RDM was pure star quality both as a trainer and a human being. I feel he was generally well-accepted in the dressing room and by the fans,

adopting an adventurous playing style that hadn't come fully to fruition, yet showed great promise and excited me at least to the point that I felt

a new EPL title was a genuine possibility. The glitch in his formation? TORRES and his ineptitude in front of goal. Any decent striker would have

kept RDM in the driving seat, I'm sure.

In any case, he got sacked. Fine. But my god, what slimy rock toad-faced Benitez crawled out under remains a mystery to me...

The coach who I have abhorred for my entire football-watching life, both for his defensive playing style and his lack of charisma has made

it to head-coach for my team . Just look at last game's (vs West Ham) substitutes he made: Torres stays on for 90 min while he was

pathetic- yet again- and Hazard and Moses come off - both of which weren't GREAT but still posed a substantial threat. It's all going down the drain,

lads. And Benitez head-first... (I give him 3 more games before he gets the axe).

Salute

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

_{Fat fucker slagging off the players again today}

[The only place to be 11,313]

_{Fat fucker slagging off the players again today}

"Jose Mourinho's Chelsea team had a lot of character but it is a different time now.

What a barstard.

I mean he's right, but what a barstard.

There is a problem with character in the team. Terry and Lamps are missing so that's a big hole to fill, but when you look at the other senior players there aren't any real leaders there. Cech is a great player and a smart man, but he isn't a screamer like Schmeichel and goalkeeper is a tough position to impose yourself from.

Ashley is an exemplary professional, but he's somewhat immature. Cahill hasn't ever stepped up to a leadership role, Luiz is just way too immature in almost every regard, Ivanovic doesn't do too much talking, Mikel is Mikel (his lack of maturity and discipline is a problem in more than simply this regard) and Mata is a cerebral quiet guy.

And as for Torres....petulant little child is perhaps the kindest description.

Right now we have no unifying voice, not even from the manager apparently. There's no identity to this team, no-one to give you a kick up the arse when you fuck up. There's no big personalities in the team.

With Terry coming back, I think this could be solved a fair amount but I think we need other ones alongside him. Dare I say Fellaini again for this role? He's doing a great job of carrying that Everton team at times. Against United HE was the one who said give me the ball. HE was the one who drove them forward and he doesn't seem to disappear when they need him. We could do with someone like that right now.

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

Torres needs to have his chin surgically removed from his chest.

With Terry back and Lampard, a win is most likely with these two than any other scenario, but what a sad state of affairs , and complete lack of planning, or any pretence of direction by the board, when the morale and leadership on the pitch is left to two of the old guard. Its almost as if Buck and co resented Drogba, Lampard and Terry because they command respect from the fans. The board should hang their heads in shame at any lack of foresight to replace leaders on the pitch and for being stupid 'yesmen' which appears to be nothing more than mercenary panderings to a weak minded vain owner

[Ollie 4,400]

was using that sarcastic font

I know, that's why i gave a sarcastic answer lol.

[Mufassir08 2,400]

Rafavram Granitez.

Dont know whether to laugh or cry.

[zolayes 14,489]

For once media criticism is not far off the mark. We are in danger of going into a slump with a season not of transition but of complete meltdown.

It is hard to imagine any decent manager willing to join us. Why would Pep join us when so many more attractive jobs are certain to be offered him.

I don't know who Roman is taking advice from now .. I have a feeling Hiddink isnt as close as he was. Not sure if Zihavi had any imput into

bringing in Benitez. This situation is more damaging than any previous sacking even more than sacking Jose.

It seems Roman will never learn.

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

The team is shot to pieces, the fans are as angry as I have seen since the days Mears was selling out to Cabra, and that is saying something.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Why would Pep join us when so many more attractive jobs are certain to be offered him.

Because it would be a totally clean slate. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can make big changes and in a lot of ways it would ease the pressure on the manager coming in.

If he goes to United, he's following the greatest British manager of all time. If he goes to City, he could be following the guy who won two league titles in a row. If he comes to Chelsea, the only way is up yet he has lots of young talent who play football the right way and a decent amount of money to spend.

[zolayes 14,489]

Because it would be a totally clean slate. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can make big changes and in a lot of ways it would ease the pressure on the manager coming in.

If he goes to United, he's following the greatest British manager of all time. If he goes to City, he could be following the guy who won two league titles in a row. If he comes to Chelsea, the only way is up yet he has lots of young talent who play football the right way and a decent amount of money to spend.

and a megalomaniac as his boss ...with his spies watching every move

[Fulham Broadway 16,920]

I feel for the likes of Oscar & Mata. Young players, being brought into a team that they're told is trying to evolve into an exciting, attacking unit.

Now all of a sudden they've got this out-of-touch, authoritarian obsessed with planning and tactics to the point where he fails to see what's actually happening on the pitch in front of his own eyes, He has changed the way we play from the outset & is playing them out of position or dropping them completely; even when they are out there, the ball's going over their heads and then straight back over again. It's a fcking shambles.

[The only place to be 11,313]

and a megalomaniac as his boss ...with his spies watching every move

Honestly I think a lot of that is media bs. He isn't perfect, but he's one of the better owners in world football.

Let's not forget that he has only owned a club for 10 years. He's still learning the best way to go about it and that will obviously involve a few missteps but he has been rather successful too. Now he's trying to do it properly by becoming somewhat self-sufficient but he needs the right manager for that. He tried with AVB and that didn't work, so he sacked him (and we won the Champions League). The next person he identified was Guadiola but he wasn't available so he had to go with Robbie. But Robbie didn't work out (Champions League exit, Community Shield, Super Cup) so he decided he needed an interim manager.

That doesn't make him a megalomaniac in my opinion - it makes him human. He's made mistakes, but he's also done a shit load of good for this club and the right manager will get his support.

[HRiver 1,512]

No shit, Benitez. This is why I was always against the idea of dropping Lampard, Terry and co. so quickly. The fans became so obsessed with the new signings and they started to completely disregard our true leaders, and this really hurt me, and I knew from the beginning that things wouldn't work as perfectly as most were expecting.

Look what's happening to Arsenal, they don't have a leader either. They had one last year but he's gone now, and now they're shit. They don't have a leader within the team and if you don't have one you're screwed. The same is happening to us. Don't forget that it was the old guard that led to a historic triumph last season, despite the fact that everybody was writting them off, and I'm pretty sure that they're still more than capable of leading this team.

They're not finished yet, especially not Terry. And we shouldn't be expecting magic from Lamps anymore, because as some have pointed out his presence on the pitch alone would be a massive boost for the team and the younger players, and he's undoubtedly still the best finisher in the team. I for one can't wait for their return.

[diskoviolente 425]

Now they are thinking about bringing Avram Grant back, apparently. In an assistant position or technical director. Anyway, sensitive by the board again if they go through with that.

[Manuf 1,448]

I know, that's why i gave a sarcastic answer lol.

fucking Brits with their superior use of sarcasm didn't catch that one

[Jase 43,479]

Sky Sports News ‏@SkySportsNews

Chelsea say there is no truth in reports Avram Grant is returning to the club. #SSN

[henlin007 12]

Torres needs to have his chin surgically removed from his chest.

With Terry back and Lampard, a win is most likely with these two than any other scenario, but what a sad state of affairs , and complete lack of planning, or any pretence of direction by the board, when the morale and leadership on the pitch is left to two of the old guard. Its almost as if Buck and co resented Drogba, Lampard and Terry because they command respect from the fans. The board should hang their heads in shame at any lack of foresight to replace leaders on the pitch and for being stupid 'yesmen' which appears to be nothing more than mercenary panderings to a weak minded vain owner

lll

Drogba's playing skill was honestly going too quickly. Probably would be great in the locker room and during half-time meetings, Frankly, he's better than torres, but still not on par with any strike we should have signed or would panic sign--especially given his wages. Lampard can play deeper, pass the ball, and take long shots, while Terry is still not too old. Strikers however need the pace and reflexes of youth most of all, not even counting other traits that disappear with age. Besides Drogba left on a good note. He could still boss the set-pieces I guess, but the dynamic, instant runs when the ball's being passed around the final third would be a new weak spot for him. This is not even factoring in the injury risk of a player his age with the requirements of his position. How quickly would he tear a ligament with Skrtel, Colo, Agger, or, god forbid, Vidic or Kompany tackling him hard.

I do agree with your genera assessment. Essien is still playable after his injury, and Raul Meireles could be brilliant. Both are young enough to be competitive for a few more years and old enough to offer guidance. We should have replaced Essien, at least, immediately after his injury if we were going to take him off the team.