Post-season review - Chelsea 2013/14

[boshman 1,073]

It's April 2nd and there's a possibility of us doing the double still. The clocks have gone forward and we're still in the title race, not shitting ourselves about missing out on the CL.

No-one's started a thread about the 'Next Chelsea Manager' yet (although there's still time), there aren't any crap chants about the manager not caring about us, Mikel is barely getting a mention, one of our players is one of the players of the year and even Barcelona are getting sanctioned by FIFA. :carlo2:

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it's summer dress weather and we've got the best coach in the world. If you ignore the dippers then it's actually quite a nice time to be a Chelsea supporter.

Brings a tear to my eye

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

LOL. Come on mate you seriously don't really need to win a trophy to have optimism or be positive. It is just a matter of attitude towards things. That include your club

Then again I remember when we won the double under Carlo some people had a pessimistic outlook on the future, that's football for you.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

I can only form my opinion about you from the way you act on the forum and what you say when arguing with me. Unfortunately resulting to insults about me (which you have done so twice on this thread) does not give way for me having a good opinion of unlike someone such as Mohammed Seif who has been nothing but respectful and kept his language polite and therefore I respect him and his opinions, so forgive me if you accuse me of lying about you.

Take it easy dude. Texting can seem hostile more than it actually is. I am quite sure nobody is taking things here personally. It is just a matter of opinion and the arguments that are being made for and against. People are just witnessing something that they haven't seen for a while AN IDENTITY of the team. A clear style with certain players forming the backbone of this team. By all means a team that needs work but is moving forward. Facing tough opponents, well established opponents with good tactics and actually beating them. I would personally be a liar if I say that this current form we are in is great. But it is satisfactory compared to what we have been. God willing we might be in the semis of the UCL. If not then we have made it to the top 8 teams in Europe, arguably the top 8 teams in the world. We still have a shot at the EPL title, if we don't get it then atleast with a new team, a new manager and a news system, we have beat the top teams in the STRONGEST league in Europe, we have a set of top youngsters and most of them will get better (giving us a stronger chance of winning a title next season), we have a clear system with Jose Mourinho (who makes mistakes like every human being) and that is by all means progress. People are happy with this progress. Does any Chelsea fan hate titles? I don't think so. But trust me, as you get older you will now that things don't just happen in a flash. You need a plan, with short term and long term objective to reach whatever you want to reach. For us to be the best club out there, to get more trophies more frequently, to have an identity, to build a legacy, have stronger fan base, brand equity......etc you need time and you need to be patient. It is always a success when you are moving towards your goal. It is by all means progress mate. Remember that things that come too fast, usually go away too fast. Again take it easy mate it is only an opinion based on some common sense and logic.

[quickpassnmove 924]

Success depends on CFC getting rid of players and buying players too; not just results/silverware. The season's failures will hopefully be enough to give the club and Jose strong reasons to get rid of some players. This will be the measurement of success.

[didierforever 7,349]

If the talkchelsea member awards were still going on,

Mohammedseif would have got my vote for almost every good category.

Brilliant posts and poster.

[robsblubot 3,595]

Take it easy dude. Texting can seem hostile more than it actually is. I am quite sure nobody is taking things here personally. It is just a matter of opinion and the arguments that are being made for and against. People are just witnessing something that they haven't seen for a while AN IDENTITY of the team. A clear style with certain players forming the backbone of this team. By all means a team that needs work but is moving forward. Facing tough opponents, well established opponents with good tactics and actually beating them. I would personally be a liar if I say that this current form we are in is great. But it is satisfactory compared to what we have been. God willing we might be in the semis of the UCL. If not then we have made it to the top 8 teams in Europe, arguably the top 8 teams in the world. We still have a shot at the EPL title, if we don't get it then atleast with a new team, a new manager and a news system, we have beat the top teams in the STRONGEST league in Europe, we have a set of top youngsters and most of them will get better (giving us a stronger chance of winning a title next season), we have a clear system with Jose Mourinho (who makes mistakes like every human being) and that is by all means progress. People are happy with this progress. Does any Chelsea fan hate titles? I don't think so. But trust me, as you get older you will now that things don't just happen in a flash. You need a plan, with short term and long term objective to reach whatever you want to reach. For us to be the best club out there, to get more trophies more frequently, to have an identity, to build a legacy, have stronger fan base, brand equity......etc you need time and you need to be patient. It is always a success when you are moving towards your goal. It is by all means progress mate. Remember that things that come too fast, usually go away too fast. Again take it easy mate it is only an opinion based on some common sense and logic.

Great post, but it's a bit of a stretch to call it a success isn't it? It's progress in meeting established goals, but not success. Success will be achieved (or not) when and if the long term goals are reached (silverware).

Arsenal fans might say, "hey! we have an identity too! And yes, it may be called Barca Lite, but it's still an identity.

However, I do agree that not changing managers, and philosophy, midway through a season is already progress.

[to others who quoted Mourinho]

What Mourinho says doesn't really matter, does it? If by next season he's saying something similar, because we are out of title contention, or say in 3 years time we haven't reached a CL final, the owner of the club may want to go in a different direction; that's his prerogative as owner.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Great post, but it's a bit of a stretch to call it a success isn't it? It's progress in meeting established goals, but not success. Success will be achieved (or not) when and if the long term goals are reached (silverware).

Arsenal fans might say, "hey! we have an identity too! And yes, it may be called Barca Lite, but it's still an identity.

However, I do agree that not changing managers, and philosophy, midway through a season is already progress.

[to others who quoted Mourinho]

What Mourinho says doesn't really matter, does it? If by next season he's saying something similar, because we are out of title contention, or say in 3 years time we haven't reached a CL final, the owner of the club may want to go in a different direction; that's his prerogative as owner.

Well thank you.

Maybe I explained it poorly. My fault. I believe success like you correctly have stated is achieving the final goal or objective. But that is not the whole story. Achieving these steps that would eventually lead to your far objective is also a success. Like when you divide a task or a project into phases. Achieving each phase would be a success and a progress.

By all means if we look at were we are right now and look at the long term objective then we are far off. But that is not the case. This season is a phase. a phase where have formed a backbone, have clear system ( that still needs tuning) and have a good future potential players.

Hence this phase is a success and it is also a progress towards your long term goal. Makes more more sense?

[robsblubot 3,595]

Well thank you.

Maybe I explained it poorly. My fault. I believe success like you correctly have stated is achieving the final goal or objective. But that is not the whole story. Achieving these steps that would eventually lead to your far objective is also a success. Like when you divide a task or a project into phases. Achieving each phase would be a success and a progress.

By all means if we look at were we are right now and look at the long term objective then we are far off. But that is not the case. This season is a phase. a phase where have formed a backbone, have clear system ( that still needs tuning) and have a good future potential players.

Hence this phase is a success and it is also a progress towards your long term goal. Makes more more sense?

Sure, I guess it's just a matter of how to label it. If one needs success to be happy, then by all means.

I for one would be happy with what you describe, even without labeling it a "success." I was not expecting a title win this season as we just don't have the squad for it (we only have 11 players). I must confess it's going to be very upsetting if Liverpool win it though as they also don't have the squad.

Furthermore we must assume that the long term goals Jose and the owner have agreed upon pertain challenge for the title next season.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Sure, I guess it's just a matter of how to label it. If one needs success to be happy, then by all means.

I for one would be happy with what you describe, even without labeling it a "success." I was not expecting a title win this season as we just don't have the squad for it (we only have 11 players). I must confess it's going to be very upsetting if Liverpool win it though as they also don't have the squad.

Furthermore we must assume that the long term goals Jose and the owner have agreed upon pertain challenge for the title next season.

Now who can disagree with you on that?

[Muzchap 8,966]

Of course you can look at Everton who are in the exact same position as us, new manager who isimplementing hisown style of football that wasdifferent from the previous manager, yet at the same time has bled the likes of Barkley and Stones in the team, the former who was (just like many of are young prospects) was farmed off to loan (on the ideathat he has no experieance and is not ready) with not much success but as soon as he is given a run out in the first teamwith actual faith from the manager and hasbeen such asuccess that their are major callsfor him to be on the starting 11 England team for the world cup.

So Jose, whoisbuilding the teamfor the future and iscreating thislong term identity and did not need to win anything in the near future, could not introduce one young prospect which he claimed he would do throughtout last summer? Surely this would be the best time so they can get the so called experience you desire (which Ithink is just a bollocks excuse to not use them but just farm them off on loan) when thereisno expectationfor the team apart from a top 4 place. The fact that we are still buying ready made talent in thelikes of Salah and Zouma (which is what we have been doing ever since Roman took over) shows to me that nothing has changed.

I like your passion on this - my only slight disagreement - is with the respective expectations on Everton and Chelsea?

I don't think many expected the instant success Martinez is having - and certainly Everton (a good, honest club) weren't expected to win anything this year. So that does make it easier to bring youth through, whereas we always have a higher expectation

Therein lies the problem - if we could have a grace period of 2 years and all fans, players bought into this philosophy - ten it might just work, but the realist in me doesn't see that happening...

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

This perfomance right here shows why our season has been a failure

[duo11bluecl 207]

This perfomance right here shows why our season has been a failure

But we showed ''progress'' remember?

What is different from this and the Palace game compared to Napoli+ West Brom 2 years ago?