Closed Chelsea 0-1 Fiorentina

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Look, the writing is on the wall.

I cannot express optimism and most certainly I cannot suggest that the team is in motion for higher things this season.

Be that as it may - we stick together in championship division too.

What I really don't like is the cockiness of Jose, dictated by the cockiness of Roman quite obviously.

They had better come forward and say "listen folks we are trying something new this season because we can't afford transfers".

I have seen this kind of attitude many times and it's bad for the football clubs concerned, it's bad for the psychology of the fans and it's ultimately bad for the image of the directors-managers too. Is n't it much better to make a honest approach ?

We are what, 25,000 managers writing in these boards. That's one too many really, but we are not the proverbial Sid and Doris Bonkers. We know some footie.

Or more like there is some wall behind that fat red writing. I know it is preaseason and we should not freak out, but it has probably not exactly been planned to not win a single friendly. It is not the fact that we lost, but the manner how. A bit of rustiness and lack of sharpness is ok and it is not that we did not try, tho the way we failed was alarming. We were uncreative, uninspired, unambitious. Preseason should be about seeing some kids, trying new tactics, experiment, get fresher. Preseason has not provided us with some new insights. Of course not. It's preseason. IMO that is exactly the problem. Even in fucking preseason, when there is no pressure and we could experiment tactically, our biggest weakness lack of steel and decisivness in the middle gets exposed again and again and again without Mourinho reacting in any kind. It does not even have to be signings, it could be a slight alteration of the formation. But no. Nothing. Just our usual cookie-cutter approach. rinse and repeat. Like we have been playing for half a year. Stay deep, hoof balls forward and hope someones picks it up and does something useful. Maybe it's ok to play this way when backs to the wall in a crucial league or CL match, but in preseason? When is the time to change our predictable patterns if not then?Where is the sense of failing the same way again and again? Even Wenger has changed his tactics FFS. I am sure, when the season begins this will be forgotten soon, we will blow Swansea away. But after some months when winter comes and Oscar, Fabregas become useless, we have Ramires starting big games again we will see, our problems are still the same and that is what worries me.

[cosmicway 1,333]

Or more like there is some wall behind that fat red writing. I know it is preaseason and we should not freak out, but it has probably not exactly been planned to not win a single friendly. It is not the fact that we lost, but the manner how. A bit of rustiness and lack of sharpness is ok and it is not that we did not try, tho the way we failed was alarming. We were uncreative, uninspired, unambitious. Preseason should be about seeing some kids, trying new tactics, experiment, get fresher. Preseason has not provided us with some new insights. Of course not. It's preseason. IMO that is exactly the problem. Even in fucking preseason, when there is no pressure and we could experiment tactically, our biggest weakness lack of steel and decisivness in the middle gets exposed again and again and again without Mourinho reacting in any kind. It does not even have to be signings, it could be a slight alteration of the formation. But no. Nothing. Just our usual cookie-cutter approach. rinse and repeat. Like we have been playing for half a year. Stay deep, hoof balls forward and hope someones picks it up and does something useful. Maybe it's ok to play this way when backs to the wall in a crucial league or CL match, but in preseason? When is the time to change our predictable patterns if not then?Where is the sense of failing the same way again and again? Even Wenger has changed his tactics FFS. I am sure, when the season begins this will be forgotten soon, we will blow Swansea away. But after some months when winter comes and Oscar, Fabregas become useless, we have Ramires starting big games again we will see, our problems are still the same and that is what worries me.

Ummm. All I can really say about pre-seasons I have seen in past years is that sometimes the visitors don't try. So it looks good for the home team but it really is n't. Other than that they provide a certain glimpse of things to come.

Last year we fluffed against Werder, in Bremen, but otherwise the signs were positive.

In Greece we more or less don't have any serious pre-season friendlies any longer. In year's past I recall Tigana's Bordeaux, QPR (strong then), Dukla Prague and others.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

Starting line up of this worst team has just won the league last season...

That was just that we got lucky. United weren't quiet in it, Arsenal were well Arsenal, City were close but then lucky favored us in the matches were City lost or drew.

Even though there was 8 points of separation lets not forget, we weren't really the best. I believe when the same thing was pointed out alot of us just wanted us to lift the title and talk about how average we were afterwards.

It is not like we played brilliantly and won the league, we were just best of the worst last season. Nearly every team out there last season were crappy and with Costa we just looked the best.

Most of the woes we are complaining about right now are the ones we have been complaining since last season.

[cosmicway 1,333]

That was just that we got lucky. United weren't quiet in it, Arsenal were well Arsenal, City were close but then lucky favored us in the matches were City lost or drew.

Even though there was 8 points of separation lets not forget, we weren't really the best. I believe when the same thing was pointed out alot of us just wanted us to lift the title and talk about how average we were afterwards.

It is not like we played brilliantly and won the league, we were just best of the worst last season. Nearly every team out there last season were crappy and with Costa we just looked the best.

Most of the woes we are complaining about right now are the ones we have been complaining since last season.

We were the best.

City were poor, Liverpool vanished and the others did not make any real progress.

What you 'd rather say is that outside us, it was a bad year for the premier league overall, as the European results also showed.

Complaints began after January or thereabouts, even though the first place looked secure.

But instead of some improvement we remain stationary.

Mybe Cuadrado's was signed to add the element of speed but this man looks scared when sent out there.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Hard to draw any positives at all from what was a very poor pre-season from start to finish. That last night was as drab as it gets really- No cutting edge and despite all the changes everybody looked jaded and void of ideas. I'm not sure I am looking forward to this weekend now, and listening to Jose fills me zero confidence, and it's a long time since I said that. If he doesn't know when Costa will be ready, then who knows?

I have a feeling all this silence in this transfer window will lead to more rushed and panic buys come January.

[RoyalBlues 4,050]

That was just that we got lucky. United weren't quiet in it, Arsenal were well Arsenal, City were close but then lucky favored us in the matches were City lost or drew.

Even though there was 8 points of separation lets not forget, we weren't really the best. I believe when the same thing was pointed out alot of us just wanted us to lift the title and talk about how average we were afterwards.

It is not like we played brilliantly and won the league, we were just best of the worst last season. Nearly every team out there last season were crappy and with Costa we just looked the best.

Most of the woes we are complaining about right now are the ones we have been complaining since last season.

I disagree with being lucky thing. In cup games, yes, lucky draw, lucky away goals and aggregate, lucky referee decisions, etc, could happens. But, not in the league with 38 games. Along the way we have faced all those top teams you mentioned and we could handle them well. The part of most of them considered 'unlucky' in several matches, are mainly because of they are shit in the first place factor, rather than our luckiness. That's why I strongly disagree with the statement this is the worst team, who has just won the league couple of months ago.

Well that's last season. Yes, at the moment, this season, we might be the worst team from the top 4, because other teams has significant improvement than ours and on the odds their chances are bigger. But, hey, the league is not even started, who knows.

[Fulham Broadway 17,320]

Not too woried tbh.

Wearing teams down is often key to our style and that's very hard to do in games where teams can freshen up in such numbers. These games are a million miles away from real points at stake games.

No major concerns, although a faster back four where they dont have to play deep would reap massive rewards- oh and 16 shots total on target in pre season is pisspoor

[Jase 43,479]

That was just that we got lucky. United weren't quiet in it, Arsenal were well Arsenal, City were close but then lucky favored us in the matches were City lost or drew.

Even though there was 8 points of separation lets not forget, we weren't really the best. I believe when the same thing was pointed out alot of us just wanted us to lift the title and talk about how average we were afterwards.

It is not like we played brilliantly and won the league, we were just best of the worst last season. Nearly every team out there last season were crappy and with Costa we just looked the best.

Most of the woes we are complaining about right now are the ones we have been complaining since last season.

Do people seriously have a short term memory or they just like to focus on the negatives? Yes, we weren't great in the second half of last season but to say we didn't play brilliantly is pure ignorance as clearly you didn't watch us play in the first half of the season.

[The Rising Sun 711]

Its Mourinhos job to get players improving during training.

Another training session is still another failed training exercise.

This was a real world scenario training session for both teams, and we were terrible.

What has he been coaching our players apart from saying " we are family" i trust you. Lets hug each other and create a loving environment.

Create an attacking philosophy and it will show during games.

Yes, i know it is pre season, but this is a longer thing for me. Jose needs to get his shit together.

[Polo7 3,496]

Its Mourinhos job to get players improving during training.

Another training session is still another failed training exercise.

This was a real world scenario training session for both teams, and we were terrible.

What has he been coaching our players apart from saying " we are family" i trust you. Lets hug each other and create a loving environment.

Create an attacking philosophy and it will show during games.

Yes, i know it is pre season, but this is a longer thing for me. Jose needs to get his shit together.

Still bitter about the sale of Mata? Mourinho won us the league for the first time in 5 seasons, lets not judge the team based on a few friendlies.

[Special Juan 28,141]

I appreciate what Mikel has done and achieved here, but fucking hell he's stealing a living now. At one point last night he kicked the ball out of play and looked around as if to say "That's all I could of done"

[Viper22 2,418]

Oh, are you talking to me? Totally forgot about your post. It was good fun.

Lay off.

No problem dude I was just teasing. Like I said it wasn't a prediction anyway!

[cfcs most wanted 657]

Friendlies are still football matches and we shouldn't have lost them.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Fucking shit, and didn't get home until 2am, but worth it to pick this beauty up (though I got one without CHAMPIONS 15 and the gold badges... a bit over the top IMO - plain shirt with the embroidering was only £3 more than the regular one):

[CMS 382]

Not too woried tbh.

Wearing teams down is often key to our style and that's very hard to do in games where teams can freshen up in such numbers. These games are a million miles away from real points at stake games.

No major concerns, although a faster back four where they dont have to play deep would reap massive rewards- oh and 16 shots total on target in pre season is pisspoor

People forget that the Fiorentina coach used the substitution to his advantage. Every-time his team was getting worn out he will throw in like 5-6 subs. he must have used 30 subs in that game. How the hell do you expect any team to beat that? By the time to start to figure out this group, he will bring another. Then another 5-10 minutes goes by trying to figure that one out. No amount of preparations could help you solve that kinda puzzle.

[obiwan92 217]

No problem dude I was just teasing. Like I said it wasn't a prediction anyway!

Haha, sorry. Bad mood after that shit show.

[obiwan92 217]

People forget that the Fiorentina coach used the substitution to his advantage. Every-time his team was getting worn out he will throw in like 5-6 subs. he must have used 30 subs in that game. How the hell do you expect any team to beat that? By the time to start to figure out this group, he will bring another. Then another 5-10 minutes goes by trying to figure that one out. No amount of preparations could help you solve that kinda puzzle.

We changed our team too. Sort of surprised our superior players couldn't run circles around guys that wouldn't make the bench at Tottenham.

[bluephoenix 1,131]

Do people seriously have a short term memory or they just like to focus on the negatives? Yes, we weren't great in the second half of last season but to say we didn't play brilliantly is pure ignorance as clearly you didn't watch us play in the first half of the season.

You focus on the first half of the season which I am in total agreement with but I chose to focus on the second half of the season where we have to play in multiple competitions (crucial stages) and really prove our worth. Anyways its going to be the same team, lets see if we can defend our title ( I would love for that to happen and have all my negativity shoved up my *** )

We were the best.

City were poor, Liverpool vanished and the others did not make any real progress.

What you 'd rather say is that outside us, it was a bad year for the premier league overall, as the European results also showed.

Complaints began after January or thereabouts, even though the first place looked secure.

But instead of some improvement we remain stationary.

Mybe Cuadrado's was signed to add the element of speed but this man looks scared when sent out there.

Again we were good in the first half of the season not the entire season.

I disagree with being lucky thing. In cup games, yes, lucky draw, lucky away goals and aggregate, lucky referee decisions, etc, could happens. But, not in the league with 38 games. Along the way we have faced all those top teams you mentioned and we could handle them well. The part of most of them considered 'unlucky' in several matches, are mainly because of they are shit in the first place factor, rather than our luckiness. That's why I strongly disagree with the statement this is the worst team, who has just won the league couple of months ago.

Well that's last season. Yes, at the moment, this season, we might be the worst team from the top 4, because other teams has significant improvement than ours and on the odds their chances are bigger. But, hey, the league is not even started, who knows.

Don't read in between the lines, I never said this isn't the best team. All I am saying we weren't the best (in other words we didn't play to our potential). I believe we still have a good team compared to the top 4 just that we don't seem to be performing anywhere near the level we should be and that won't be enough this season. My complaint has never been that we don't have a marquee signing its just that we aren't playing to our best ! Something seems to be lacking and I am not as good as others on the forum to comment exactly what that is !

[Christacinto 137]

Who cares? It's preseason! Results and performances don't matter!

I'm kind of worried though that we've done pretty poorly in the transfer-department so far, without any real assets set to join us... whereas our direct opponents have strengthened their squads considerably. Cech joining Arsenal btw is the biggest worry for me... We just bolstered the one department that failed them in their titles races time and time again last seasons (defence) by handing them a point-winning keeper. Bring on the reinforcements please !!!

[bluephoenix 1,131]

I'm kind of worried though that we've done pretty poorly in the transfer-department so far, without any real assets set to join us... whereas our direct opponents have strengthened their squads considerably. Cech joining Arsenal btw is the biggest worry for me... We just bolstered the one department that failed them in their titles races time and time again last seasons (defence) by handing them a point-winning keeper. Bring on the reinforcements please !!!

what kind of re-enforcements do you want ?