Closed Chelsea v Porto

[Special Juan 28,141]

The problem is deeper than just chucking different players in.

We could chuck Messi, Neymar and Suarez In and I think we would still struggle.

There's no cohesive intuitive attacking play

It's no accident when players play a pass into space without even looking, because 'they know' their team mate will be there as they have practised and planned this in training. We just look lost offensively.

That's what's missing from our team IMHO - there's been a complete lack of focus on attacking play, and we are now reaping the lack of rewards

Of course it's deeper, that's as clear as day to see. But continuing with Cesc, Costa and Ivanovic is also going to change very little, something has to give.

I mean by all means start with Costa, Cesc and Brana but be prepared for Porto to come and pick us off with ease.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Hope terry is Back. I would also start Dijijobi. We need all the high since a set piece is our only goal scoring threat.

Well that's one way of getting kicked out of the competition.

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Papy left out of the CL squad?

[Rhino's Skin 972]

just got to keep on believing that something will go our way soon

keep supporting and keeping the faith.

Cmon Chelsea....lets smash Porto

and then do leicester for good measure

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

If he loses this he's gone. Simple as.

He loses it? You're forgetting a little detail here - there's 11 players on the pitch wearing Chelsea kit and Mourinho is not one of them. But I'll tell you what would be a problem, let's say Mourinho is let go, and we start playing better instantly, now then we have a problem, a real one. This player power is going out of control, I understood it to some extent when we had strong characters and club icons like Cech, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba and so on playing, but right now we have tons of individuals, can't name even one team player who'd give his all for the team, not one.

[manpe 10,861]

He loses it? You're forgetting a little detail here - there's 11 players on the pitch wearing Chelsea kit and Mourinho is not one of them. But I'll tell you what would be a problem, let's say Mourinho is let go, and we start playing better instantly, now then we have a problem, a real one. This player power is going out of control, I understood it to some extent when we had strong characters and club icons like Cech, Lampard, Ballack, Drogba and so on playing, but right now we have tons of individuals, can't name even one team player who'd give his all for the team, not one.

It's very simplistic to blame player power for a clusterfuck like this. You think after a title-winning season the players instantly decided enough is enough, let's riot against Jose fucking Mourinho out of all people, we don't want to win anything anymore until this guy is here? I don't think so, they have their own careers to think about. You have been an avid defender of Mourinho for a long time now, time to open your eyes. Jose shares equal blame with the players and the board, it's clear as day.

The team I would play:

Courtois

Azpi - Zouma - Cahill(JT if fit) - Baba

Cheeks - Matic

Hazard - Willian - Kenedy

Remy

[Despiadado.Maleante 1,046]

Well that's one way of getting kicked out of the competition.

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Papy left out of the CL squad?

Yes actually he was.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Britney Spears. Thanks for the laugh.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

It's very simplistic to blame player power for a clusterfuck like this. You think after a title-winning season the players instantly decided enough is enough, let's riot against Jose fucking Mourinho out of all people, we don't want to win anything anymore until this guy is here? I don't think so, they have their own careers to think about. You have been an avid defender of Mourinho for a long time now, time to open your eyes. Jose shares equal blame with the players and the board, it's clear as day.

The team I would play:

Courtois

Azpi - Zouma - Cahill(JT if fit) - Baba

Cheeks - Matic

Hazard - Willian - Kenedy

Remy

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore? I'm not saying Mourinho is not to blame, of course he is, but the biased and absolutely naive way of thinking that everything will be fine and we'll be playing like Bayern, as soon as Mourinho goes, is not just short-term but straight up dumb. Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault? All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players, we should be behind the club, not whine and moan all the time. Things have been improving every game, despite the results.

[MefiX19 1,092]

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore? I'm not saying Mourinho is not to blame, of course he is, but the biased and absolutely naive way of thinking that everything will be fine and we'll be playing like Bayern, as soon as Mourinho goes, is not just short-term but straight up dumb. Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault? All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players, we should be behind the club, not whine and moan all the time. Things have been improving every game, despite the results.

Last season we only played until winter, then we started grinding results like mad. If not Hazard, Remy, Willian and keepers we would have lost the league. Teams just analyse our games, and they can easily see what we always do. We are not creating chances we are just passing around the box and thats it. Only game in Half a year we created chances was probably Norwich game were we should have won 5-0, but Costa missed them. And yes its Mou fault, any other manager would have played RLC instead of Fab, any other manager would have always started playing with Azpi and Baba, any other manager would have changed formation to 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, any other manager would have played tons of more youth and not let Musonda go to City or where he wanna go, any other manager would have some ATTACKING plan and so on...

[manpe 10,861]

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore? I'm not saying Mourinho is not to blame, of course he is, but the biased and absolutely naive way of thinking that everything will be fine and we'll be playing like Bayern, as soon as Mourinho goes, is not just short-term but straight up dumb. Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault? All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players, we should be behind the club, not whine and moan all the time. Things have been improving every game, despite the results.

Sorry man, but I don't agree with you at all.

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore?

We hardly swept the league, we were close to crumbling in the 2nd half of last season. We got found out, but kept on going on motivation and inertia from the first half. Now there is no motivation and we have been found out even worse than before. The tactics clearly aren't working anymore, and the changes he has tried haven't been working either.

Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault?

Just lol. "We're creating tons of chances" - I don't even feel the need to reply in depth to that. Everybody who has been watching us knows that the clear-cut chances we have created are free-kicks around the box.

All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players.

Have you been watching us this season? Honest question. Because those players have been the stand-out dogshit performers except for the odd OK game here and there. You need to start upping your expectations, because if you don't, then bottom half of the table is exactly where you think we should be.

[nyikolajevics 2,700]

Can we start this one withouth Fábregas please? I don't care if it's Ruben, Ramires or Mikel but bench Cesc already.

[bellion 170]

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore? I'm not saying Mourinho is not to blame, of course he is, but the biased and absolutely naive way of thinking that everything will be fine and we'll be playing like Bayern, as soon as Mourinho goes, is not just short-term but straight up dumb. Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault? All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players, we should be behind the club, not whine and moan all the time. Things have been improving every game, despite the results.

How has things improved with the latest result being a loss at home to a newly promoted relegation candidate? Your statement beggars belief!

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

If we draw this and Kiev win then Porto go out

[We Hate Scouse 10,326]

If we draw this and Kiev win then Porto go out

Isn't it now done on head to head instead of goal difference? Porto beat us 2-1 so they'd go through on a draw. We have to win.

[stroey 2,525]

Isn't it now done on head to head instead of goal difference? Porto beat us 2-1 so they'd go through on a draw. We have to win.

Nah Jason and Alex explained it before,

If Kiev wins + Chelsea win = Chelsea top group

If Kiev wins + draw = Kiev top group

if Kiev wins + Porto win = Porto top group

If Kiev fails to win, and Chelsea/Porto wins = winner top group

If Kiev fails to win, and Chelsea Porto draw = Porto top group

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

Isn't it now done on head to head instead of goal difference? Porto beat us 2-1 so they'd go through on a draw. We have to win.

Thats what I thought. UEFA seem to have updated their website today

•The winner of Chelsea v Porto wins the group. Porto beat Chelsea 2-1 on matchday two so will top the group with a draw should Dynamo not win.

•Chelsea will be through in second place with a draw.

•Dynamo will be through with a win; if the other game is drawn, the three teams will be split on goal difference in matches between the three teams, meaning Dynamo would finish first, Chelsea second and Porto third.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Sorry man, but I don't agree with you at all.

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore?

We hardly swept the league, we were close to crumbling in the 2nd half of last season. We got found out, but kept on going on motivation and inertia from the first half. Now there is no motivation and we have been found out even worse than before. The tactics clearly aren't working anymore, and the changes he has tried haven't been working either.

Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault?

Just lol. "We're creating tons of chances" - I don't even feel the need to reply in depth to that. Everybody who has been watching us knows that the clear-cut chances we have created are free-kicks around the box.

All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players.

Have you been watching us this season? Honest question. Because those players have been the stand-out dogshit performers except for the odd OK game here and there. You need to start upping your expectations, because if you don't, then bottom half of the table is exactly where you think we should be.

Nailed it

Mourinho can no longer be defended.

Sick of seeing people stick up for him and blame player power.

Only an egotistical maniac like Mourinho could lose the dressing room so quickly, I'm sick of him and I only have to listen to his post match interviews, imagine having to see the miserable prick every day.

There's no doubt he wins things - it's now at what cost does this success come at... For me, the price is too high.

I will always thank him for what he has won, but in hindsight we should never have gone back - it's like getting back together with an ex - it rarely works and this situation is no exception

[Essien19 1,415]

Let's reverse it, you think tactics that swept the league last season all of a sudden don't work anymore? I'm not saying Mourinho is not to blame, of course he is, but the biased and absolutely naive way of thinking that everything will be fine and we'll be playing like Bayern, as soon as Mourinho goes, is not just short-term but straight up dumb. Look at the games this season, analyze them, we're creating tons of chances - those chances are created based on Mourinho's tactics - but we're missing sitters, amaterus would score those, now tell me honestly, is it Mourinho's fault? All the stuff about Fabregas and Ivanovic, they are not that bad, people just jump on the bandwagon and dig up meaningless statistics to rubbish our own players, we should be behind the club, not whine and moan all the time. Things have been improving every game, despite the results.

Bang on the money!

Great post, would love to read more from you.

Sick of seeing some people calling others out just because they know best.

[LAM09 7,056]

Wednesday could make or break our season. I hope everyone puts their all in and we get the vital win to qualify top.

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Even if win this not convinced anything will change.be nice to qualify but also be nice to actually win some more games!looked a simple set up at first but way we are who knows..if not Europa it is woohey.let's do it again