Chelsea What is wrong behind the scenes- A general discussion...

[Scott]

Chelsea a club in decline? The word decline is used a lot these days, but really what is up with Chelsea? After an perfect start, being 5 points clear of Arsenal just 6 short games ago. Chelsea now find themselves third in the table, behind an Manchester United team with a game in hand, and an ever improving Gunners side. So where did it all go wrong for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

An Over reliance on 2 aging players? Why every side becomes weaker without there key players, Chelsea have become desperately weaker without Frank Lampard and John Terry. No doubt these are world class players, who without a shadow of a doubt would be missed by any team, but lets put this into content Manchester United went 8 months without Rio Ferdinand apart from a few odd games, arsenal have spent a long time without Robin Van Persie, arguably both clubs most important player. Manchester United have gone all year without a firing Wayne Rooney, Champions have to deal with Injuries, Last season Manchester United winter form cost them the league is the same about to happen to Chelsea….?

The Next big thing is the Ray Wilkins saga. If they wanted to do a Managerial Overhaul surely there manager, should have had some say? He has to work with the guy regularly, from what I can gather Wilkins was well liked and respected amongst the Players, Breaking up a double winning management team is not the best idea by Mister Roman. This has clearly had a negative effect on Chelsea squad/ club, with Ancellotti clearly being disheartened which must play on the player’s minds.

The Final reason is maybe we expected too much after there flying start to the season, they played plain and simple 5 teams we all expected them to beat comfortably, Maybe the media/ fans/ got to confident and expected them to win steam roll teams all season.

That being said I think there is a problem at the club, not necessary crisis, but a storm is brewing.

I want to hear everyone else’s opinion and this to be a general discussion on the topic rather then most threads turning into a debate on this, Please don’t take offence if your opinion is challenged, and feel free to challenge me.

Scott*

 

[Frank]

I've always thought the squad was far too weak. Sure, their first XI is weak, but I think they've assumed injuries don't happened, and it's come back to bite them. People like Kakuta and McEachran are just not ready to step in.

Where United, Arsenal, City, and even Spurs have 2-3 good players in most positions, wheras Chelsea rely on just the one. When Arsenal have dealt with injuries to 3 key players (Vermaelen, Fabregas, RvP), Chelsea haven't. It's this reliance on the key players that leads me to believe they will fall short.

 

[CJACKO11]

I think Lampard and a fit Drogba is more important to us than Rooney and Rio is to Utd. Like i said the other day Lampard and Terry have been in the squad for the best part of 9years now and its the first time we have really been without Lampard and its hit us hard.

The Wilkins thing is strange but at the moment its all guess work why he was sacked and until we know the actual truth i don't think we can use this at all. And also we haven't dominated a match since the 1st half against Blackpool (which i have said a million times) which yes you guessed it was Lampards first game out.

Chelsea got and still get so much stick for apparently buying their way to the top and buying the worlds best players. But now the club have decided they want to promote some of the acadamy insted and this might take time but so be it. If we don't win a major trophy for a season or 2 while the youngsters get used to first team action and then have success for the next 5-10 years after i would take that any day of the week.

You say our first 5 fixtures were easy but remind me how Man Utd and Arsenal done against West Brom at home?? And how did Utd do away at West Ham last week??

My opinion is both Man Utd's and Chelsea's squad have got worse in terms of depth and expeirence and the mid table - lower half teams have got more competitive and are not scared anymore so you will see more shock results.

I supported Chelsea when we were a mid table team right through until now and i will support them even if they return back to the foot of the league structure.

 

[CtPauley]

decline is a strong word to use but not far off in the current situation chelsea find themselves in atm. I personally wouldn't say they are in a decline atm but its getting closer to becoming that. The problem i think is that they rely too much on the leaders of the team (terry, lampard and drogba) and with all those three being injured or out of form they are really struggling. The two big problems for me with chelsea current squad is the lack of depth as clubs like man utd, man city and even tottenham have really strong benches which can help them win games whereas chelsea can only turn to youngsters due to the injury problems. Another thing is that ancelotti never replaced who i thought was their best cb in carvalho and i feel he may be regretting this now. Another problem is abramovich playing with the coaching setup. Overall i would say their not in decline but its close

 

[CJACKO11]

No way are we in decline, we have excellent financial backing, an excellent if not the best training facilities in the country, excellent coaching staff and our acadamy is producing some really exciting players so no way.

 

[DMF]

I think Lampard and a fit Drogba is more important to us than Rooney and Rio is to Utd. Like i said the other day Lampard and Terry have been in the squad for the best part of 9years now and its the first time we have really been without Lampard and its hit us hard.

The Wilkins thing is strange but at the moment its all guess work why he was sacked and until we know the actual truth i don't think we can use this at all. And also we haven't dominated a match since the 1st half against Blackpool (which i have said a million times) which yes you guessed it was Lampards first game out.

Chelsea got and still get so much stick for apparently buying their way to the top and buying the worlds best players. But now the club have decided they want to promote some of the acadamy insted and this might take time but so be it. If we don't win a major trophy for a season or 2 while the youngsters get used to first team action and then have success for the next 5-10 years after i would take that any day of the week.

You say our first 5 fixtures were easy but remind me how Man Utd and Arsenal done against West Brom at home?? And how did Utd do away at West Ham last week??

My opinion is both Man Utd's and Chelsea's squad have got worse in terms of depth and expeirence and the mid table - lower half teams have got more competitive and are not scared anymore so you will see more shock results.

I supported Chelsea when we were a mid table team right through until now and i will support them even if they return back to the foot of the league structure.

To be fair, when we drew with West Brom, it was an own goal and a clanger from VDS. We didn't get outplayed and I wouldn't say they deserved the point. We battered them but then Giggs went off and we had no spare winger, forcing us to put Hernandez out wide and go deep with 3 centre mids. Also, we lost to West Ham with a weakened side, proven by the fact we've already beaten the 3-0 this season in the league and it should have been 4 or 5.

I agree with most of Scott's points to be honest, but like CJACKO said, if things don't change when Lampard comes back I will be very surprised.

 

[Scott]

I think Lampard and a fit Drogba is more important to us than Rooney and Rio is to Utd. Like i said the other day Lampard and Terry have been in the squad for the best part of 9years now and its the first time we have really been without Lampard and its hit us hard.

Well, You need to expect them to get injured/ lose forms. We lost our Capt and our best players, for a team labelled a one man team by many. We have dealt fairly well without them.

[/quote]

The Wilkins thing is strange but at the moment its all guess work why he was sacked and until we know the actual truth i don't think we can use this at all. And also we haven't dominated a match since the 1st half against Blackpool (which i have said a million times) which yes you guessed it was Lampards first game out.

[/quote]

But still, he was liked, it has added more smoke to the fire. I am a big beileve of no smoke without fire. again that isnt the point, if you cant replace lampard, it is a sad state, Good champions can replace every player in there first XI.


[/quote]
Chelsea got and still get so much stick for apparently buying their way to the top and buying the worlds best players. But now the club have decided they want to promote some of the acadamy insted and this might take time but so be it. If we don't win a major trophy for a season or 2 while the youngsters get used to first team action and then have success for the next 5-10 years after i would take that any day of the week.
[/quote]

Who to say they are good enough? Only time will tell, but the fact players like Ferria is playing in your defence, hardly highlights a bright future.

[/quote]

You say our first 5 fixtures were easy but remind me how Man Utd and Arsenal done against West Brom at home?? And how did Utd do away at West Ham last week??
[/quote]

okay one bad results, a draw at home to WBA is not great, but really comparing an Carling cup loss, a reserve defence and Striker force, to a first XI is real silly.

[/quote]

My opinion is both Man Utd's and Chelsea's squad have got worse in terms of depth and expeirence and the mid table - lower half teams have got more competitive and are not scared anymore so you will see more shock results.
[/quote]
This is true, but you have simply not performed recently.

[/quote]

I supported Chelsea when we were a mid table team right through until now and i will support them even if they return back to the foot of the league structure.[/quote]

i dont see what this has to do with anything, and no-one said otherwise...

 

[CtPauley]

No way are we in decline, we have excellent financial backing, an excellent if not the best training facilities in the country, excellent coaching staff and our acadamy is producing some really exciting players so no way.

im guessing he's talking about decline on the pitch rather than the financial aspects of the club and facilities.

Can already tell that this is going to become a slagging war between man utd and chelsea fans :S

 

[alicwkd]

Sorry but to me a few games of bad form in a month which Chelsea usually suffer bad form in anyway does not make it a decline. If I were a Chelsea fan I wouldnt be worried.

 

[Scott]

No way are we in decline, we have excellent financial backing, an excellent if not the best training facilities in the country, excellent coaching staff and our acadamy is producing some really exciting players so no way.

i was more talking about the aging player, no-one is questioning the state if the clubs facillities.

 

[CJACKO11]

Have you not been watching or even browsing Chelsea for the last 6-7years and what Lampard gives to the team??? No player could do what he does for Chelsea year in year out so no way should we be able to replace him.

Utd had a bad start to the season and only won the Carling Cup last season, Arsenal haven't won a trophy for 6 years and i didn't go making a thread saying team in decline etc etc. We are normally poor this part of the season its all about how we get ourselfs out of this rut, i personly think you should have waited until the 27th of this month to make this thread, in my mind its abit primature.

 

[Scott]

Have you not been watching or even browsing Chelsea for the last 6-7years and what Lampard gives to the team??? No player could do what he does for Chelsea year in year out so no way should we be able to replace him.

Frank cant go on forever though, and the fact you have became so poor without him( if that is the real reason for this decline in form) is surely very worrying....

Did you ignore the rest of my points, because you agreed with them...

 

[Jack Fulham]

I love the way we've managed to have three threads on the top three teams in the League on how they're 'declining'.

It's ridiculous.

p.s @Scott

L2 Quote

 

[Frank]

Future looks bleak from where I'm standing, unless heavy, heavy investement occurs.

 

[CtPauley]

Have you not been watching or even browsing Chelsea for the last 6-7years and what Lampard gives to the team??? No player could do what he does for Chelsea year in year out so no way should we be able to replace him.

surely if he has been that good then chelsea should have bought adequate back ups when he gets injured

 

[alicwkd]

I love the way we've managed to have three threads on the top three teams in the League on how they're 'declining'.

It's ridiculous.

p.s @Scott

L2 Quote

Agree with you mate. Every time one of the top 3 loses a couple of games it's

ZOMG CHELSEA IN CRISIS...

Etc.

 

[Mike.]

I love the way we've managed to have three threads on the top three teams in the League on how they're 'declining'.

It's ridiculous.

p.s @Scott

L2 Quote

and we're still in december. there is a long way to go yet.

 

[Raphael.]

Also another one for the Chelsea guys to remember in about 2 seasons or so your key players Drogba, Lampard JT aren't gonna be playing 50 games a season. Where as Man U & Arsenal are nurturing the youth players e.g Hernandez, Wilshire, Evans, Wojech blah blah

 

[CJ]

Have you not been watching or even browsing Chelsea for the last 6-7years and what Lampard gives to the team??? No player could do what he does for Chelsea year in year out so no way should we be able to replace him.

Utd had a bad start to the season and only won the Carling Cup last season, Arsenal haven't won a trophy for 6 years and i didn't go making a thread saying team in decline etc etc. We are normally poor this part of the season its all about how we get ourselfs out of this rut, i personly think you should have waited until the 27th of this month to make this thread, in my mind its abit primature.

You talk about Lampard being vital, but he attacks and scores 20+ goals a season, doesnt stop you getting anally raped at home 3-0 to Sunderland?

 

[CJACKO11]

surely if he has been that good then chelsea should have bought adequate back ups when he gets injured

A player as good as Lampard you are looking at players like Kaka, Gerrard etc and these players don't want to be back up players. We bought in Ramires who in the long term i think Chelsea want him to mold him into a Lampard type player but that will take a year or 2.