Closed Chelsea 0-0 Fulham

[magicrico 175]

If Rafa is trying out all the new players maybe he should drop Torres and put Feruz in. Raw Talent and better than Torres. Can actually finish his dinner.

Did I mention Lukaku scored again last night?

Lukaku,Feruz,Sturridge > Torres

[Milan 17,835]

Avram Grant also drew his second game in charge 0-0 with Fulham at home. And how we got back to the race, not to mention the UCL campaign. Believe! Even in bad and tough times, KTF.

[Jase 43,479]

Avram Grant also drew his second game in charge 0-0 with Fulham at home. And how we got back to the race, not to mention the UCL campaign. Believe! Even in bad and tough times, KTF.

But then we finished runners up in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League as well as crashing out of the FA Cup against Barnsley(!) in the quarter finals..

[Jase 43,479]

For anyone that likes the clean sheet stats...

1. Chelsea have kept 6 clean sheets in 14 Premier League matches this season. Took them 22 league matches last season to achieve that.

2. Chelsea, Man City and Stoke City have kept the most clean sheets after 14 Premier League games this season - 6.

[Milan 17,835]

But then we finished runners up in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League as well as crashing out of the FA Cup against Barnsley(!) in the quarter finals..

Do you really think that was my point? Back then, we also had a bad spell but we improved in some way. That was my point.

[The only place to be 11,313]

If Rafa is trying out all the new players maybe he should drop Torres and put Feruz in. Raw Talent and better than Torres. Can actually finish his dinner.

Did I mention Lukaku scored again last night?

Lukaku,Feruz,Sturridge > Torres

I've said it in another thread, but right now Torres is a cancer at this club. It's not necessarily his fault but it's got to the stage where it's not simply his own form that is suffering anymore, but everyone's.

The pressure to keep playing him is denying other players starts, the fact he can't hold balls up is putting pressure on the defence and the pressure to try and help him score looks to me like it's making other players second-guess what they're doing. Until he goes, this club could have serious problems especially with players like Hazard and Mata.

As for Feruz, I know there are arguments against playing him but he looks physically ready and seems to have the arrogance to do something at this level. Sometimes you just have to throw a player in and see what he does, rather than taking it slow like we did with other players (who have all failed to make an impact).

[Milan 17,835]

To think how much Berbatov cost Fulham...

[Jase 43,479]

Do you really think that was my point? Back then, we also had a bad spell but we improved in some way. That was my point.

Well, it is a fact after all, no?

On the other hand, why so serious? Was only a tongue-in-cheek comment...

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Do you really think that was my point? Back then, we also had a bad spell but we improved in some way. That was my point.

We improved enormously. Only lost one league game (away at Arsenal) after September and only five games in all competitions. It was an excellent season where we were unlucky not to win anything. We lost the FA Cup in extra time and the CL...well, we know what happened. I understand why people want to win trophies. We all do, but I'll take a season like that over a season like last year had we not won the CL. It's never JUST about winning trophies. I'd much rather have ManU's season last year than Liverpools' even though the latter won a trophy and the former didn't.

[Milan 17,835]

Well, it is a fact after all, no?

On the other hand, why so serious? Was only a tongue-in-cheek comment...

No sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that. I know, we were pretty unlucky though. The CL final, going to the last league game with the same amount of point like Man United... But the performances were really better than those in September/October.

[magicrico 175]

I've said it in another thread, but right now Torres is a cancer at this club. It's not necessarily his fault but it's got to the stage where it's not simply his own form that is suffering anymore, but everyone's.

The pressure to keep playing him is denying other players starts, the fact he can't hold balls up is putting pressure on the defence and the pressure to try and help him score looks to me like it's making other players second-guess what they're doing. Until he goes, this club could have serious problems especially with players like Hazard and Mata.

As for Feruz, I know there are arguments against playing him but he looks physically ready and seems to have the arrogance to do something at this level. Sometimes you just have to throw a player in and see what he does, rather than taking it slow like we did with other players (who have all failed to make an impact).

I agree it's not just his fault the way we play before or now. But to say he hasn't contributed to it is a massive understatement. I completely agree with what you have said. He hasn't helped anyones cause and i've mentioned before, the midfield before knowing they had a guy that wanted the ball, wanted to shoot, wanted to be a hero and work for the team in Drogba must be a relief. When you are up against a team like Barca or even a smaller club like Fulham, you know Drogs wanted it. This guys is the complete opposite.

I'm sure everyone has watched the Sky Sports Chelsea CL story, (it was a fabulous account) but at one point even if you forget Drogba carried our frail "old" has beens through, At one point when talking about Munich penalties, the guy taking the interview says "Were you hopng it didn't go to 5 penalties so you didn't have to take one" (talking about a win on Peno's still) Drogba's response was "No I wanted it" That right there says it all. I'm going off subject a bit, my point being, Torres is a bottle job. a 34 Year old Drogba has more heart and desire than a 27 Year Old Torres. Is sad and disappointing.

I've mentioned before aswel that our midfiled know they have to score and do the donkey work as the striker we have doesn't contribute or score. That surely in turn must heap extra pressure on them. Benitez is defensive, but isn't comparable with JM, we would squeeze the 1-0 wins, had Robben and Duff don't forget and we were unstoppable as much at the back as we were at the front. But now I don't know why our players seem so tired already, I'm not sure what will happen, but i'm pretty sure if we don't get a result against WH on sat, there will be trouble ahead....

Back to Feruz, Sterling is given a chance, why the hell can't we give this guy a run if Sturridge is injured. he'll be better than Torres. Raw talent.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I agree it's not just his fault the way we play before or now. But to say he hasn't contributed to it is a massive understatement. I completely agree with what you have said. He hasn't helped anyones cause and i've mentioned before, the midfield before knowing they had a guy that wanted the ball, wanted to shoot, wanted to be a hero and work for the team in Drogba must be a relief. When you are up against a team like Barca or even a smaller club like Fulham, you know Drogs wanted it. This guys is the complete opposite.

I'm sure everyone has watched the Sky Sports Chelsea CL story, (it was a fabulous account) but at one point even if you forget Drogba carried our frail "old" has beens through, At one point when talking about Munich penalties, the guy taking the interview says "Were you hopng it didn't go to 5 penalties so you didn't have to take one" (talking about a win on Peno's still) Drogba's response was "No I wanted it" That right there says it all. I'm going off subject a bit, my point being, Torres is a bottle job. a 34 Year old Drogba has more heart and desire than a 27 Year Old Torres. Is sad and disappointing.

I've mentioned before aswel that our midfiled know they have to score and do the donkey work as the striker we have doesn't contribute or score. That surely in turn must heap extra pressure on them. Benitez is defensive, but isn't comparable with JM, we would squeeze the 1-0 wins, had Robben and Duff don't forget and we were unstoppable as much at the back as we were at the front. But now I don't know why our players seem so tired already, I'm not sure what will happen, but i'm pretty sure if we don't get a result against WH on sat, there will be trouble ahead....

Back to Feruz, Sterling is given a chance, why the hell can't we give this guy a run if Sturridge is injured. he'll be better than Torres. Raw talent.

I think you're probably hitting the nail on the head. I'm still trying to be nice about Torres, but his attitude is just awful.

Torres works best with fast breaks, or at least he used to when he had pace. Our team is set up to dominate possession and for the whole team to move up and down the pitch, so he simply doesn't seem to fit in our system. I'd rather we have someone like Lukaku who can at least hold the ball up and use his strength to buy time for the rest of the team to get past him.

I've said something similar about Feruz in his thread. Obviously Liverpool don't have the expectations of their season that we do so they have more time to experiment with young players. But right now I don't think Feruz could be any worse than Torres. In terms of physical development he already seems to be about as strong and fast as he's ever likely to be - in that regard he's like Rooney where he develops faster than those around him.

But the other notable thing about him is that he works his bollocks off closing players down. Now I know that in terms of endurance, the Premier League is a big step up but sometimes you have to throw players in and see if they sink or swim. It's not like our policy of developing players slowly has had much success.

[Jase 43,479]

No sorry, I didn't mean to sound like that. I know, we were pretty unlucky though. The CL final, going to the last league game with the same amount of point like Man United... But the performances were really better than those in September/October.

True but considering we are suffering our annual winter slump, think there will be more bad moments first before the good ones come. And here's another stat about our December...

1. Chelsea have played 21 Premier League matches in December in the last 4 seasons and won just 7 of them - W7 D11 L3.

[The only place to be 11,313]

What do Ramires, Mata and Ivanovic have in common?

A. When Marin put the beauty of a cross in at the end, they were all about 8 yards ahead of Torres in the box.

That's our problem in a nushell.

[zolayes 14,489]

If Rafa is trying out all the new players maybe he should drop Torres and put Feruz in. Raw Talent and better than Torres. Can actually finish his dinner.

Did I mention Lukaku scored again last night?

Lukaku,Feruz,Sturridge > Torres

I was half joking in another thread when I said I would try Feruz before Torres. Well after last night Im not joking.

I would certainly have Lukaku at least he wouldnt be pushed around by every defender we meet...I would also prefer Moses leading the line.

ABT anyone but Torres

[Liquidator 5,176]

this game and the Man City game are 180 minutes of my life that I can't get back

[Backstreet09 499]

this game and the Man City game are 180 minutes of my life that I can't get back

What about the swansea and West brom game ?

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Obviously we don't have a "most important player", I was exaggerating to make a point just like you exaggerated calling my exaggeration insane because at times Mikel is our most important player in a certain match or spell in a match.

Cech.