The Next Manager?

[Socur Toxanarosa 145]

Just now, CHOULO19 said:

The special circumstance is that we've been consistently performing like a a bottom half team. Even under Guus, our form would at best have us competing for top four.

There are A LOT of teams well ahead of us. City will have Guardiola and the best squad in the league. United will have Jose and a huge budget. Tottenham have performed better than any other team this season and Arsenal have a homogeneous squad that has a lot of chemistry. 

All of those teams are well us. It would take a near miracle for us to beat all of them to the title next season.

No top four challenge is much more realistic. 

 

No, I'd say our chances of winning the season next season is better than Leicester's was at the start of this season. But still VERY unlikely.

 

At least 7th? That's optimistic. There is a genuine chance we finish bottom half. Most likely we'll finish around 7th to 9th.

Think it will take an equally fluke set of circumstance for us to win the title next season..

 

United well ahead of us 

About the others, Tottenham is very good right now but still unproven, Arsenal will remain a bunch of losers until Wenger leaves, City is not in a very different situation than ours, their squad is about the same level and will have a new manager; you have a damn pessimistic attitude or don't know much about football, your LOT of teams well ahead of us are actually zero 

[CHOULO19 24,332]

6 minutes ago, Socur Toxanarosa said:

United well ahead of us 

About the others, Tottenham is very good right now but still unproven, Arsenal will remain a bunch of losers until Wenger leaves, City is not in a very different situation than ours, their squad is about the same level and will have a new manager; you have a damn pessimistic attitude or don't know much about football, your LOT of teams well ahead of us are actually zero 

Well if you say so...Have a nice day. 

[Pizy 18,368]

I actually agree that we aren't far away from anyone in terms of quality. I'd fancy us head to head against Arsenal, Spuds, and United. Us being consistent against the small teams is the problem.

If Conte hits the ground running and makes great signings I see no reason why we shouldn't challenge for the title next season. The goal has to be top 4 and we certainly won't be title favorites, but if we aren't within touching distance by the end of the season I'd be massively disappointed. We have a better first XI than both United and Spurs now. They've performed terribly this season, yes, but the quality is there and many of them are steadily returning to their real level right now.

Properly motivated and with a fresh start should be huge.

[Tomo 21,733]

30 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

The special circumstance is that we've been consistently performing like a a bottom half team. Even under Guus, our form would at best have us competing for top four.

There are A LOT of teams well ahead of us. City will have Guardiola and the best squad in the league. United will have Jose and a huge budget. Tottenham have performed better than any other team this season and Arsenal have a homogeneous squad that has a lot of chemistry. 

All of those teams are well us. It would take a near miracle for us to beat all of them to the title next season.

No top four challenge is much more realistic. 

 

No, I'd say our chances of winning the season next season is better than Leicester's was at the start of this season. But still VERY unlikely.

 

At least 7th? That's optimistic. There is a genuine chance we finish bottom half. Most likely we'll finish around 7th to 9th.

Think it will take an equally fluke set of circumstance for us to win the title next season..

If we look at the table since Guus took charge we would be third, with a chance to go second Vs Saints and seven points behind Spurs with them still to come to The Bridge, win that one and we have a chance of being top from Guus coming in till the end.

When has a team with this quality ever finished bottom half? Even Dortmund last season eventually got their shit together and got Europa.

[Unionjack 7,531]

32 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

Well if you say so...Have a nice day. 

You really are full of the joys of spring and Chelsea fight aren't you.

[Stats 7,053]

45 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

The special circumstance is that we've been consistently performing like a a bottom half team. Even under Guus, our form would at best have us competing for top four.

There are A LOT of teams well ahead of us. City will have Guardiola and the best squad in the league. United will have Jose and a huge budget. Tottenham have performed better than any other team this season and Arsenal have a homogeneous squad that has a lot of chemistry. 

All of those teams are well us. It would take a near miracle for us to beat all of them to the title next season.

No top four challenge is much more realistic. 

 

No, I'd say our chances of winning the season next season is better than Leicester's was at the start of this season. But still VERY unlikely.

 

At least 7th? That's optimistic. There is a genuine chance we finish bottom half. Most likely we'll finish around 7th to 9th.

Think it will take an equally fluke set of circumstance for us to win the title next season..

The horrendous season mostly pre-Hiddink arrival is leaving you really paro. Tottenham are not well ahead of us. I would back with the right arrivals and hopefully key players staying put, we will finish above them next season. If you look at star players, we have more than them.  City will be the standout team on paper. Arsenal and us are on about the same level in terms of quality. We are better than United but they are just in a better position because of all the catastrophies going on earlier in the season. United will have loads of money but yeah they need quite an overhaul imo and it will not be easy to make them world beaters all of a sudden. But to say United and Spurs are well ahead of us is way OTT. I think we are better than both. Spurs are having an excellent season though but really the only team I think I would say is going to be the one to beat for sure next season is City. The rest we are easily capable of finishing above.

And for sure I do think we will be in top 4 hopefully next season. No chance we will finish bottom half.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

18 minutes ago, Tomo said:

If we look at the table since Guus took charge we would be third, with a chance to go second Vs Saints and seven points behind Spurs with them still to come to The Bridge, win that one and we have a chance of being top from Guus coming in till the end.

When has a team with this quality ever finished bottom half? Even Dortmund last season eventually got their shit together and got Europa.

That's a fairly small sample coinciding with a lot of the teams at the top dropping points unexpectedly. We're averaging 1.8 points per match in the EPL (18 from 10 matches). Over a season that would give you 68/9 points. Most seasons that wouldn't even get you top 4. 

Quality is subjective. What isn't is the league table. After 26 rounds, i.e. more than two-thirds of the season in, we have constantly been in the bottom half. We've been waiting 7 months this season for a magical resurgence that keeps getting more and more unlikely to come. 

 

25 minutes ago, Unionjack said:

You really are full of the joys of spring and Chelsea fight aren't you.

Excuse me? 

 

25 minutes ago, Stats said:

The horrendous season mostly pre-Hiddink arrival is leaving you really paro. Tottenham are not well ahead of us. I would back with the right arrivals and hopefully key players staying put, we will finish above them next season. If you look at star players, we have more than them.  City will be the standout team on paper. Arsenal and us are on about the same level in terms of quality. We are better than United but they are just in a better position because of all the catastrophies going on earlier in the season. United will have loads of money but yeah they need quite an overhaul imo and it will not be easy to make them world beaters all of a sudden. But to say United and Spurs are well ahead of us is way OTT. I think we are better than both. Spurs are having an excellent season though but really the only team I think I would say is going to be the one to beat for sure next season is City. The rest we are easily capable of finishing above.

And for sure I do think we will be in top 4 hopefully next season. No chance we will finish bottom half.

Performance wise Tottenham have been above everyone in the league this season. I think we can objectively say that. And as I said Arsenal have a working system and a lot of chemistry, unlike us. United are having a equally bad season as us, but they will spend more in the market and have Jose who will have them punching 10 points above their weight.

I'm sorry, but saying that there is NO CHANCE we will finish bottom half is just arrogance. We are currently deservedly in the bottom half of the table. There are no guarantees that we'll play well enough to rise to the top half in the last third of the season. 

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

This is a weird season all round us struggling, Leicester top of the league etc the truth the quality of the league is at an all time low. We could quite easily win the league next year because as we are seeing there is not one outstanding team. The English Premier League you can roll off the superlatives (cliches really) about it being the most competitive and exciting league etc the reality is don't believe the hype. Fair play to Leicester and it sticks in the craw Tottenham but both of them will struggle to get out of the group stage in the Champions League. 

Conte if he's left to his own devices will do a good job and I'm looking forward to next season if it's him in charge. Certainly can't see him having us perilously close to the relegation zone by November. Ranieri who managed a team who lost to the Faroe Islands is now managing a team who are top of the league says it all really.

 

 

[Tomo 21,733]

41 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

That's a fairly small sample coinciding with a lot of the teams at the top dropping points unexpectedly. We're averaging 1.8 points per match in the EPL (18 from 10 matches). Over a season that would give you 68/9 points. Most seasons that wouldn't even get you top 4. 

Quality is subjective. What isn't is the league table. After 26 rounds, i.e. more than two-thirds of the season in, we have constantly been in the bottom half. We've been waiting 7 months this season for a magical resurgence that keeps getting more and more unlikely to come. 

 

Excuse me? 

 

Performance wise Tottenham have been above everyone in the league this season. I think we can objectively say that. And as I said Arsenal have a working system and a lot of chemistry, unlike us. United are having a equally bad season as us, but they will spend more in the market and have Jose who will have them punching 10 points above their weight.

I'm sorry, but saying that there is NO CHANCE we will finish bottom half is just arrogance. We are currently deservedly in the bottom half of the table. There are no guarantees that we'll play well enough to rise to the top half in the last third of the season. 

Most yes, but this season isnt most season's, the league champions this year are likely to be with 75 points possibly less, so if you look at our form under Guus in the context of how mad this season is and how many points will win it, then we are top 4 form and not far off the title form, as the table since the Dutchman took over demonstrates.

Also re the last bit, I remember having this debate when we were struggling near relegation and I said then we won't get relegated, in fact I had a bet with a friend that if we get relegatedI'd buy a Spurs shirt and wear it out on the piss every time until we got promoted again, that's how sure I was it wasn't happening.

I'd do a bet here just not so extreme, if we finish bottom half I'll let you have control off what my username is until we re secure a top half finish, over 38 games I simply cannot see us being bottom half, yes I know we have played 26 but I'm a big believer in the cream always rising, we are picking up momentum which has led us up four places and I think we will do enough between now and May to get up another 4 at least.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Chelsea want Antonio Conte to keep Steve Holland on backroom staff

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/chelsea/12174759/Chelsea-want-Antonio-Conte-to-keep-Steve-Holland-as-assistant-manager.html

[lucio 5,418]

let him bring his own guys. Not sure why losing Holland would matter

[Fernando 6,453]

2 minutes ago, lucio said:

let him bring his own guys. Not sure why losing Holland would matter

 

Because it's good to keep him around like it was when we had Ray Wilkins.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

2 minutes ago, lucio said:

let him bring his own guys. Not sure why losing Holland would matter

Steve is a top top lad... doing his best for cfc!

Conte will bring his ows guys too:

The Italy coach is determined to bring trusted coaches Angelo Alessio, Massimo Carrera and Paolo Bertelli with him, as well as scout Mauro Sandreani.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

Hiddink wants Chelsea decision

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11668/10182408/guus-hiddink-keen-for-end-to-speculation-over-chelseas-next-manager

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Give it to Steve Holland, give him £200 million, and watch him whip, and watch him nae-nae.

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

6 hours ago, Zenza001 said:

We beat Dortmund without conceding a goal in 180 minutes and we made five, indeed only an own goal for dortmund, we beat Real Madrid and we played with Barcelona until that damn penalty not whistled just before the Suarez goal of 2 to 1 ....
This year we beat City 2 times and recovered a very difficult match against Bayern who scored 1 irregular goal, with a penalty not given for vidal hands
We are not complaining Allegri.
I just explained how things went, and if Juve will come out champions in 2 weeks is just because he met with Bayern, no matter how you stay in the competition, but against who you play.

 

I'm sorry but I do not think what you say is correct. Things you have to analyze it better.

Having watched Juve under both Conte & Allegri, what is your honest opinion? What Juve do you think it was the best? The one under Conte or this Juve under Allegri? 

I know Conte had a terrific record in Serie A with Juve & only 6-7 losses in over 100+ matches, but there was a lot of matches that ended in a draw as well. Does Conte have trouble with unlocking packed defences? And how is he as a coach - goes for another goal after his team opens the score, or does he tend to protect that score and hit on the counter attack? 

Another question would be - what about his personality? How is Conte during press conferences? Is he conflictual? Or is he calm? Tends to get irritated at the very first "stupid" question? Likes to regard himself as better than everyone?

I know he left Juventus because the club did not want to pump money into the team, but was there any locker room problems as well? Did the players get fed up with his tactics and wanted him to leave?

And one final question - Given Chelsea's current situation, if you would have to choose between Conte and Allegri, who do you think would be a better fit for Chelsea? Who do you think would be the fastest to bring Chelsea back to challenging for EPL title? Conte or Allegri?

[Tautvix 1,321]

2 hours ago, Fernando said:

 

Because it's good to keep him around like it was when we had Ray Wilkins.

So yet again we would be telling the manager what staff members to have, what players to buy. We all know how this is gonna end.

[quickpassnmove 924]

Conte is from the south of Italy.

This is the most encouraging article I've seen written on a potential Chelsea manager ever. I typically ignore Juventus, so I cannot comment on its content.

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/features/2016/2/25/11116880/antonio-conte-chelsea-profile

Except that this, I know, rings true: "  If Andrea Pirlo is marked and an out ball to a wingback or a centre forward is not on, then Conte will ask his centre back to gallop forward with the ball. This is something Leonardo Bonucci did wonderfully while at Juventus. It is one of the easiest ways to disrupt an opponent's defensive structure - as they do not anticipate the centre back stepping beyond both the lone forward and the number ten. "

Even if you don't want to read this entire article, take a look at the section called "Profile of Player."