Post-season review - Chelsea 2013/14

[The Rising Sun 709]

This season has been a Success in certain areas, while being a failure as well....

Defensive Play - Success

Our team works as a unit defensively now, and breaking us down, and getting through on goal is not as easy as it had become at times in the past few seasons.

Offensive Play - Failure (subjective)

IMO, our offensive performances over the season have not been great, apart from a few great performances.

The results have largely been down to individual performances.

Yes, we dont have a striker, and that sucks, but we dont have pace in our game , the way other teams like liverpool and city do, and that is extremely disappointing, with the players we have.

Someone here had stated that all our team ethic is all towards defensive responsibilities first, and while that is not a bad thing, we really need to add pace to our game.

Currently we only have pace on counter attacks, but on average gameplay, it is still a bit laboured and when we come up against teams which sit back and are tough to break down, we falter.

Mourinho recently said that it is down to player personalities in such situations, but in this case, apart from Torres, i dont think it was down to that, rather, it was just the way we are set up as a team. We emphasize defensive discipline and counter attack, but over the course of the game , we are not pacy enough or wide enough to cause mayhem and break opposition team plans.

Player progression - Success

Hazard, Oscar, Willian, Shurlle , Azpi, Terry, Cahill, Luiz... ..Nuff Said!!

Mourinho has really improved these guys and taken them to a level up. Good on him.

Overall Season Review - Success

Overall, there has been enough progress to feel we are on the correct path.

However, i hope we set up more offensively next season, with more pace and width next season.

I want our football to be more exciting.

This season was exciting, in terms of results and sticking close to the top of the table, but next season should be exciting, not only because of results, but also gameplay.

I want us to be exciting the way Liverpool are this season, and it is possible.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

What's funny is how people would have reacted to this if we had a different manager.

If last summer, after all the hype and speculation that Jose would be appointed after Rafa left we did not get him and (to a lot of people's disappointment) we hired someone else, and he had the exact same squad and and did the exact same transfers (the purchase of Matic and the selling of Mata ,which would have caused massive discontent and anger over this other manager because he was not Jose) andgot the exact same results and (hypothetically if it goes as many predict) that we win nothing this season. I guarantee that many here would be on this other manager's back with angry comments and would make the comment on the lines of "If we had Mourinho instead of (insert manager that we were linked with before Mourinho was appointed)he would have defiantly won the league for us" and would call this season a failure. which shows just how desperate some people are to move the goal posts when it comes to this man.

[The only place to be 11,313]

  On 01/04/2014 at 10:25, Rubber bullets said:

What's funny is how people would have reacted to this if we had a different manager.

If last summer, after all the hype and speculation that Jose would be appointed after Rafa left we did not get him and (to a lot of people's disappointment) we hired someone else, and he had the exact same squad and and did the exact same transfers (the purchase of Matic and the selling of Mata ,which would have caused massive discontent and anger over this other manager because he was not Jose) andgot the exact same results and (hypothetically if it goes as many predict) that we win nothing this season. I guarantee that many here would be on this other manager's back with angry comments and would make the comment on the lines of "If we had Mourinho instead of (insert manager that we were linked with before Mourinho was appointed)he would have defiantly won the league for us" and would call this season a failure. which shows just how desperate some people are to move the goal posts when it comes to this man.

It also shows how desperately out of touch you are with the vast majority of Chelsea supporters.

The fact that you can't take the same type of joy in supporting Chelsea as everyone else seems to be able to makes me pity you. And Henrique.

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

  On 01/04/2014 at 10:32, The only place to be said:

It also shows how desperately out of touch you are with the vast majority of Chelsea supporters.

The fact that you can't take the same type of joy in supporting Chelsea as everyone else seems to be able to makes me pity you. And Henrique.

I think it would be interesting if we have also a voting on this topic.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

  On 01/04/2014 at 10:32, The only place to be said:

It also shows how desperately out of touch you are with the vast majority of Chelsea supporters.

The fact that you can't take the same type of joy in supporting Chelsea as everyone else seems to be able to makes me pity you. And Henrique.

And forgive me when it comes to having different expectations based on what my view are and from all the hype that this forum produces, especially what people were saying during the last summer andmy expectations wss that thisseason we should bewinning the league based on what Iexpected from the summer. The fact that you put one man above the club and cant seem to hold your own opinion for five minutes before jumping ship makes me pity you.

[The only place to be 11,313]

  On 01/04/2014 at 10:51, Rubber bullets said:

And forgive me when it comes to having different expectations based on what my view are and from all the hype that this forum produces, especially what people were saying during the last summer andmy expectations wss that thisseason we should bewinning the league based on what Iexpected from the summer. The fact that you put one man above the club and cant seem to hold your own opinion for five minutes before jumping ship makes me pity you.

I don't put one man above the club, but I recognise that for this club to have stability that we need to ignore the cunts and support the guy who most of us like and believe is doing a good job.

We have one of the best managers in world football, a guy who has re-instilled a sense of fear in the Bridge and pride in the team after the shit we went through last year. The atmosphere is completely different at the Bridge and that for me is a massive success. If you don't understand that then you might as well throw on a City shirt in all honesty because you're ignorant of the joy of supporting a football club.

People like you and Henrique just like to bitch and moan. Enjoy your pint.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

  On 01/04/2014 at 10:56, The only place to be said:

I don't put one man above the club, but I recognise that for this club to have stability that we need to ignore the cunts and support the guy who most of us like and believe is doing a good job.

We have one of the best managers in world football, a guy who has re-instilled a sense of fear in the Bridge and pride in the team after the shit we went through last year. The atmosphere is completely different at the Bridge and that for me is a massive success. If you don't understand that then you might as well throw on a City shirt in all honesty because you're ignorant of the joy of supporting a football club.

People like you and Henrique just like to bitch and moan. Enjoy your pint.

And how long will that last, considering that to me there is nothing there that indicates that he has changed his method of mangement and is still acting on short term ideas. Just becuase he haspayed hefty prices for the likes of Salah and Matic means nothing. Even in his first spell we were paying large sums for young players (£18 million for an 18year old Mikel, £21 million for a 24 year older Shaun Wright Phillips, £25 million for a 23 year old Essien), and so far he has done what he has always done, gone to a good team with great players and pay large sums of money for other ready made players, so forgive me that I don't beleive in any of these ideas that Jose is here for the long term and that we are in some transition year (we've been in one for the last bloody 2-3 years),and that I feel that he should be winning trophies now before he is probably gone in 2-3 years due to whatever reason.

It will be interesting if he does leave in 2-3 years what he reaction will be, although judging by your tack record you will probably jumpship again and decide that actually we should get another manager.

[The only place to be 11,313]

  On 01/04/2014 at 11:11, Rubber bullets said:

And how long will that last, considering that to me there is nothing there that indicates that he has changed his method of mangement and is still acting on short term ideas. Just becuase he haspayed hefty prices for the likes of Salah and Matic means nothing. Even in his first spell we were paying large sums for young players (£18 million for an 18year old Mikel, £21 million for a 24 year older Shaun Wright Phillips, £25 million for a 23 year old Essien), and so far he has done what he has always done, gone to a good team with great players and pay large sums of money for other ready made players, so forgive me that I don't beleive in any of these ideas that Jose is here for the long term and that we are in some transition year (we've been in one for the last bloody 2-3 years),and that I feel that he should be winning trophies now before he is probably gone in 2-3 years due to whatever reason.

It will be interesting if he does leave in 2-3 years what he reaction will be, although judging by your tack record you will probably jumpship again and decide that actually we should get another manager.

Aw diddums....did you get hurt before and now you find it hard to love again??

What we have for the first time in years (yes, those other 'transitions' didn't work and we ended up with a squad composed of players bought for different tactics) is a solid foundation based on a clear idea of how we want to play football, not just in the first team but at age-group level as well. We have something approaching a spine in the team, something we haven't had for about 4 years. We have clear areas we need to improve on but that wasn't going to happen overnight.

You seem to want instant success when that simply wasn't going to be a given. You talk about Jose's past success yet seem completely ignorant of it. When he arrived here we were already a very good team and he took us to that next level - we weren't a very good team when he arrived this time. He's had to build a team who can defend better and he's improved the young talent we have here and yet people like you (and there are but a handful of you, although the sanctimonious prickishness makes you seem greater in number) still have the temerity to bellyache because he didn't win immediately.

You castigate him for being short-termist yet you seem to care only about the short-term. You're hypocrites and you're representative of everything that was going wrong at this club just a few years ago. EVERYTHING about this club is focused on the long-term now from the way we handle our finances to the acquisition and development of young talent. If you can't trust the club to have hired a coach who actually believes what he says about wanting to be here for the long-term then fine. Enjoy.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

  On 01/04/2014 at 11:28, The only place to be said:

Aw diddums....did you get hurt before and now you find it hard to love again??

What we have for the first time in years (yes, those other 'transitions' didn't work and we ended up with a squad composed of players bought for different tactics) is a solid foundation based on a clear idea of how we want to play football, not just in the first team but at age-group level as well. We have something approaching a spine in the team, something we haven't had for about 4 years. We have clear areas we need to improve on but that wasn't going to happen overnight.

You seem to want instant success when that simply wasn't going to be a given. You talk about Jose's past success yet seem completely ignorant of it. When he arrived here we were already a very good team and he took us to that next level - we weren't a very good team when he arrived this time. He's had to build a team who can defend better and he's improved the young talent we have here and yet people like you (and there are but a handful of you, although the sanctimonious prickishness makes you seem greater in number) still have the temerity to bellyache because he didn't win immediately.

You castigate him for being short-termist yet you seem to care only about the short-term. You're hypocrites and you're representative of everything that was going wrong at this club just a few years ago. EVERYTHING about this club is focused on the long-term now from the way we handle our finances to the acquisition and development of young talent. If you can't trust the club to have hired a coach who actually believes what he says about wanting to be here for the long-term then fine. Enjoy.

Just reading that first line shows you have the mental capabilities of a 9 year old who thinks he can talk like an adult.

So last year a team consisting of the likes of Oscar, Mata, Hazard, Ramires, Azpi, Cahill, Terry, Ivanovic ect., most you have this season been singing their praises as being cornerstones of the team, were not good a team but magically are now, even though last year (however inconsistent they were) still manage to win the Europa League, the fact that he still has that squad as well as spending about £60 million pounds on new players does not indicate that this team is still in a huge transitional phase, it was a capable team of challenging for the title with the best depth in the league, no excuses such as having no efficient striker (should have not put all the eggs in one basket with Rooney).

And sorry for having a sceptical mind and not just falling for the rhetoric without thinking for myself like you do. I have looked at Jose's past method when managing a club (short term based on coming to a club with good players and spending massive amounts of money to improve it) and so far he is doing exactly the same as he did then with no indication of changing the method of operations of the club when it comes to recruiting players (the use of young players from the youth teams instead of shelling millions on ready made players). It strikes me that despite the rhetoric he keeps spewing out that you just listen to without thinking critically for yourself, there is nothing that indicates to me that he will be here for the long term. That's why I since last summer I have had expectations of us winning the title this season, because I don't think he will be here for the long term and remain unconvinced that he will be capable of doing it I am on the belief that he needs to win now before he goes again and we are finding a new manager. We will have to agree to disagree on this but so far I remain unconvinced that he is actually a long term manager, and will be hoping that he can redeem my expectations by winning the champions league this season.

[The only place to be 11,313]

  On 01/04/2014 at 14:46, Rubber bullets said:

and will be hoping that he can redeem my expectations by winning the champions league this season.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you everything wrong about entitled, spoilt, gloryhunting scrotes summed up in one succinct sentence.

Your's faithfully,

The 9 year old.

[haranr 485]

SUCCESS. Finally competing for the title.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

  On 01/04/2014 at 14:49, The only place to be said:

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you everything wrong about entitled, spoilt, gloryhunting scrotes summed up in one succinct sentence.

Your's faithfully,

The 9 year old.

Well why not? The only team that would be ranked as incredibly (almost impossible) difficult to beat is Munich (and even in this Champions league campaign), according to Jose the current Barcelona team is the worst in years and Real Madrid have shown they are inconstant. Considering that we have botch up in a league campaign that we should have won (I don't care how many say we were not in the running, we had the best squad in terms of depth and City and Liverpool are not indestructible like some try to portray) this would more then make up with it, and remember its a knockout competition so the complaints of consistency don't apply here.

And if next season we don't win anything, will people still be using the transitional and long term excuses, considering that by the end of the second season under Jose's tenure is when things start to fall apart with the infighting and tensions . And typical for you to try and completely ignore my reasoning for arguing for quick success. I still believe that Jose is a short term manager and that he can't do long term, and so far is still operating the way he always does and won't be a long term manager for us, hence the reasoning for trophies now. If it were someone like Klopp who actually was showing signs of long term planning then I would not be making these expectations. Although you will probably ignore that to try and deflect that for something else so that you can continue your hobby of picking fights and causing arguments.

[Special Juan 27,597]

This thread. I won't be back on until later after the football, but I will crack open a bottle and look forward to reading more.

[Barbara 15,149]

  On 01/04/2014 at 11:11, Rubber bullets said:

And how long will that last, considering that to me there is nothing there that indicates that he has changed his method of mangement and is still acting on short term ideas.

That's one of the funniest things I've read here lately

Unless you're serious...

If you think Jose is approaching things like he did in his first spell here I'd have to ask if you were a fan back then (maybe you were too young to remember) bc that makes no sense otherwise. His philosophy and approach were completely different. Sharper, more aggressive, less tests were done, he went for a completely different profile of players. Schurrle, Salah, even Marco didn't come to be bench warmers for 3 seasons. They've been used and will be even more next season. So how is his method the same? Enlighten me please

[duo11bluecl 207]

Oh dear now finishing potentially 3rd and get to QF of CL is success...Arsenal style ambition now?

We are Chelsea for God sake, we GO FOR EVERYTHING and only going out like against City in the FA Cup is acceptable. Nor does losing 4 games against bottom half table teams are acceptable. On CL it is MANDATORY to get to at least QF every season unless we meet Bayern/Barca/Real in the last 16. Should be making at least QF/semi of Capital 1 and FA Cup EVERY SINGLE SEASON at least and only could lose to the likes of Liverpool/Man City.

[Muzchap 8,966]

The thread = failure

Chelsea = success

<ends>

[Barbara 15,149]

  On 01/04/2014 at 16:39, duo11bluecl said:

Oh dear now finishing potentially 3rd and get to QF of CL is success...Arsenal style ambition now?

We are Chelsea for God sake, we GO FOR EVERYTHING and only going out like against City in the FA Cup is acceptable. Nor does losing 4 games against bottom half table teams are acceptable. On CL it is MANDATORY to get to at least QF every season unless we meet Bayern/Barca/Real in the last 16. Should be making at least QF/semi of Capital 1 and FA Cup EVERY SINGLE SEASON at least and only could lose to the likes of Liverpool/Man City.

Sorry for sounding like an entitled bitch - maybe that's what I am but WE are Chelsea fans and we have titles expectations like any other fan (except Arsenal) but we can recognize progress and label it success even without titles bc we are here to support the manager and the team no matter what without demanding titles as if we were the only team in the world to have money and good players.

This thread worn me out already. It's a lot of fan character showing, the kind I have no patience for. Come back when we win something as that is all that matters

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

In terms of silverware, a failure

In terms of the future of the team, a success. First proper transitional season under a long term manager and we have challenged for the title and still in the CL, which is more than Arsenal can say.

We are a couple of players away from being a team capable of winning anything