They have got good young players, who will always be up and down, I think the problem is that their experienced players - Willian, Giroud and Pedro are all squad players, and at least two of them are likely to be off this year. They don’t have a good squad mix at all.
2019/20 Rivals - Chelsea
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
I think Gilmour could make it long term. Chelsea have done him a massive disservice in promoting him too soon though. Their preoccupation with virtue signalling their new youth focus could really harm Gilmour over the short to medium term. Contrast his handling with how we managed Brandon Williams. Lampard has to take the blame for that.
100% agree, it's to Chelsea's detriment that Lampard has gone with Abraham over Giroud for so much of the season
I remember Chelsea fans saying James was better than AWB
he's not even better than Azpilicueta and as for Mount squad player at best for a top 4 sideWithout Mount and Abraham we probably would have gone into the second international break without a single win. Then after that it was Tomori and Pulisic.
Then in late December, January and early February when we started recovering from our winter rut it was James and Hudson Odoi's partnership on the right driving us forward before Gilmour took up the mantle just before the lockdown then since the return Mount and Pulisic have been by in large carrying us.
Willian's been good but every single spell of good form and results this season have coincided with atleast one of the young one's being on top of their game.
Was that when you're counter argument was to blame James for 4 goals when he wasn't on the pitch for three of them?I remember Chelsea fans saying James was better than AWB
Making things up now are you?Was that when you're counter argument was to blame James for 4 goals when he wasn't on the pitch for three of them?
It was you on the Werner thread arguing this against me right.? If not I apologize but I'm sure it was you, maybe your reputation of tripping yourself up has preceded you!
Much like your thinking I ever engaged with you over James in a Werner thread my reputation of tripping myself up only exists in your head.
My mistake it was cyberman but like I said your reputation preceeds you.
Out of curiosity @charlenefan how exactly have you come to the conclusion our young players "aren't all that"? I'm genuinely curious to see what 'logic' you've come up with.
If you were genuinely curious you wouldn't of gone all passive aggressive with the word logic
Because I'm struggling to see how exactly you've come to this conclusion unless you're judging them from the standard they set at youth level in their first season's in a major league coming into a side that lost its game changer.
So yes I am genuinely curious because unless you're holding them to those unrealistic standards I'm not quite sure how you've come to that conclusion.
It's easy to bash them after a loss. My thoughts are that Mount will be a good player for them and their midfield (Mount, Kovacic, Jorginho, Kante, Barkley etc.) easily good enough for a top four side. James is an okay option and it is probably worth giving him a full season under his belt to see where he goes.
The positives basically stop there, Neither Giroud nor Tammy is good enough to be their leading striker - I've never understood the hype about Tammy Abraham at all, everything he does is extremely average - CF for a bottom half PL side at best. Pulisic is looking good @ LW but no one who can start consistently on the right. Rudiger and Zouma are just not very good even though Chelsea fans have been hyping Zouma up recently. Alonso is a good WB but Lampard doesn't play a back three so he's pretty ineffective as well.
The good news for them is they've already signed a CF and a RW player - two big holes in their starting XI. They could basically use a whole new defence but a WC CB could paper over the cracks for a season.
The positives basically stop there, Neither Giroud nor Tammy is good enough to be their leading striker - I've never understood the hype about Tammy Abraham at all, everything he does is extremely average - CF for a bottom half PL side at best. Pulisic is looking good @ LW but no one who can start consistently on the right. Rudiger and Zouma are just not very good even though Chelsea fans have been hyping Zouma up recently. Alonso is a good WB but Lampard doesn't play a back three so he's pretty ineffective as well.
The good news for them is they've already signed a CF and a RW player - two big holes in their starting XI. They could basically use a whole new defence but a WC CB could paper over the cracks for a season.
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They actually think, Ziyech will light up the league like Bruno. Oh boy.
I'm looking forward to seeing Ziyech next season, very interesting to see how well he adapts to the PL. Class player whenever I saw him for Ajax
Posting random Twitter users' nonsense should be illegal. Don't us Chelsea fans on here post enough bollocks for you @meamth !
Yes! of course! But in general, It made me chuckle seeing Chelsea fans comparing to Bruno so quickly. He just arrived at Cobham...
I mean, let the boy taste those crunching tackles first, then we'll see.
The main biggest difference being that Bruno carried his struggling teams all his life (including when he joined us tbh). Playing for Ajax in the Erdivise is a bit different
Its important to remember what the reasonable expectations were for both Ole and Frank before the season started. Neither of them were dealt particularly attractive hands IMO. I think Frank has done okay, maybe even more than okay given the circumstances. He isn't in any danger of the sack it would seem, and nor should he be. It depends on the clubs expectations for him, and whether they were reasonable.
However I think Ole has done a better job to this point because United look far more ready to move up a level and challenge the best. Frank is rightly being questioned because of Chelsea's obvious defensive issues and their inability to manage games particularly well, and its interesting that the signings they have made so far, while exciting, are certainly not aimed at addressing those issues, so it will be interesting to see what other business they will do from here.
He definitely has some question marks over him right now that he will need to see off next season. If he doesn't do that, he won't get a third season at Chelsea.
However I think Ole has done a better job to this point because United look far more ready to move up a level and challenge the best. Frank is rightly being questioned because of Chelsea's obvious defensive issues and their inability to manage games particularly well, and its interesting that the signings they have made so far, while exciting, are certainly not aimed at addressing those issues, so it will be interesting to see what other business they will do from here.
He definitely has some question marks over him right now that he will need to see off next season. If he doesn't do that, he won't get a third season at Chelsea.
Something is seriously wrong behind the scenes with that defence. They capitulated under Conte at times, with Sarri, and now with Lampard. There are good players in there with Rudiger, Christensen and Zouma; they've put in performances before. Why can't they seemingly do so now ?
To be fair to Ziyech he was the star player at Twente too. And before that he was decent at Heerenveen.
It has been hilarious to see Chelsea fans on here pivot in the last few days. They’ve gone from being very cocksure to claiming that they’re currently over achieving. What a balls up it will be by Lampard and Co. if they let this slip.
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It is clear that Hakim possesses an ability in versatility as he can operate on either side in midfield as well as centrally. Most of his contributions take place between the 18-40-yard zone, where he often tries to execute a through ball to a teammate, recycle possession to a wide area, or make an attempt on goal. is most common position is on the right-hand side of the Ajax midfield, usually in an advanced position to allow for more creative and attacking impacts. In these areas on the right, he opts to cut inside to set the ball onto his stronger left foot to give himself a better chance to create something dangerous.
His involvement on the right wing suits the Ajax style of play as they like to build attacks from defence before finding dangerous areas to exploit in wide areas. His technical capabilities in departments like passing, dribbling, and movement allow Ajax to often build attacks with Ziyech at the heart of the phase of play – he has displayed an ability to unlock resolute defences with smart pin-point passes as well as using tight ball control at high speed to beat opponents and create a goal-scoring opportunity. Ziyech’s involvement in either role – central or on the right – was essential for Ajax and they have been struggling in chance creation when Ziyech did not play.
Arguably Ziyech’s best asset in his skill set is his passing range. His ability to pick out a teammate from a range of positions and distances, using a variety of techniques to progress an attack. With a huge hunger to drive attacks, he very rarely places a backwards pass, and even the majority of his sideways passes are to allow his teammates to take up the attacking shape. Ajax are most dangerous when attacking at pace – playing with a high tempo with quick and concise passes with a clear intent to take the ball forward, often controlled and driven by Ziyech, who likes to pick the ball up in the gaps between opposition players, often in the centre in these situations, and pick out a winger with a quick pass. He seems to be fully aware of his shortcomings when using his right foot and is always prepared to set the ball onto his left foot to execute the pass.
Another impressive feature of his game is also an essential part for any attacking midfielder or winger. His confidence and composure on the ball are two main elements and combined with his technical talent it allows him to create unique and dangerous positions for Ajax to create goal-scoring chances. His most impressive and effective dribbling occurs when he’s playing on the right wing as he enjoys starting with the ball from a wide but deeper area before driving forward and inside.
A combination of his close control, agility, and natural skill on the ball all equates to a giant problem for a defender in a one-on-one situation. He has also displayed instances of cutting back outside and driving towards the by-line to cross the ball back into the box. This facet of his game suits Chelsea as they love to build attacks from the wing with overloads in and around the box, putting combinations together in tight areas.
There is no debate that Chelsea are getting an absolute bargain, with the transfer costing the blues a reported £38m starting fee. Positionally, he can offer some positive competitiveness for central attacking midfielders such as Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but also offers a stronger option on the wings, especially the right wing. If there is one downfall to be highlighted from his playing style at Ajax, it would be his willingness to chase down the opposition and track back when Ajax are out of possession – a trait Frank Lampard and his staff will look to alter in some form to allow Ziyech to perform to his full potential in every area of his game, not just his attacking features. The first major signing for Chelsea since the ending of their transfer ban, Ziyech’s attacking qualities suit Lampard’s philosophy in regards to Chelsea’s attacking tactics. His goal contribution holds an impressive track record, with a combined 29 goals and 45 assists in all competitions since the beginning of the 2018/19 season, highlighting his capabilities to both score goals himself but also contribute selflessly to his team.
His involvement on the right wing suits the Ajax style of play as they like to build attacks from defence before finding dangerous areas to exploit in wide areas. His technical capabilities in departments like passing, dribbling, and movement allow Ajax to often build attacks with Ziyech at the heart of the phase of play – he has displayed an ability to unlock resolute defences with smart pin-point passes as well as using tight ball control at high speed to beat opponents and create a goal-scoring opportunity. Ziyech’s involvement in either role – central or on the right – was essential for Ajax and they have been struggling in chance creation when Ziyech did not play.
Arguably Ziyech’s best asset in his skill set is his passing range. His ability to pick out a teammate from a range of positions and distances, using a variety of techniques to progress an attack. With a huge hunger to drive attacks, he very rarely places a backwards pass, and even the majority of his sideways passes are to allow his teammates to take up the attacking shape. Ajax are most dangerous when attacking at pace – playing with a high tempo with quick and concise passes with a clear intent to take the ball forward, often controlled and driven by Ziyech, who likes to pick the ball up in the gaps between opposition players, often in the centre in these situations, and pick out a winger with a quick pass. He seems to be fully aware of his shortcomings when using his right foot and is always prepared to set the ball onto his left foot to execute the pass.
Another impressive feature of his game is also an essential part for any attacking midfielder or winger. His confidence and composure on the ball are two main elements and combined with his technical talent it allows him to create unique and dangerous positions for Ajax to create goal-scoring chances. His most impressive and effective dribbling occurs when he’s playing on the right wing as he enjoys starting with the ball from a wide but deeper area before driving forward and inside.
A combination of his close control, agility, and natural skill on the ball all equates to a giant problem for a defender in a one-on-one situation. He has also displayed instances of cutting back outside and driving towards the by-line to cross the ball back into the box. This facet of his game suits Chelsea as they love to build attacks from the wing with overloads in and around the box, putting combinations together in tight areas.
There is no debate that Chelsea are getting an absolute bargain, with the transfer costing the blues a reported £38m starting fee. Positionally, he can offer some positive competitiveness for central attacking midfielders such as Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but also offers a stronger option on the wings, especially the right wing. If there is one downfall to be highlighted from his playing style at Ajax, it would be his willingness to chase down the opposition and track back when Ajax are out of possession – a trait Frank Lampard and his staff will look to alter in some form to allow Ziyech to perform to his full potential in every area of his game, not just his attacking features. The first major signing for Chelsea since the ending of their transfer ban, Ziyech’s attacking qualities suit Lampard’s philosophy in regards to Chelsea’s attacking tactics. His goal contribution holds an impressive track record, with a combined 29 goals and 45 assists in all competitions since the beginning of the 2018/19 season, highlighting his capabilities to both score goals himself but also contribute selflessly to his team.
I just hope they sign haverts as well and forget about beefing up at the back, that would make them the most top heavy squad by a country mile
Rudiger, Christensen and Zouma should be nowhere near a starting 11 at a top 4 club tbh. Especially not Rudiger.
I guess they’ve been stuck with them for the last 2 seasons because of FFP. I would be suprised if Rudiger and Christensen is in that starting 11 next season. They are simply not good Enough. Always have a mistake in them. Plus they seem to have a problem with Kepa also. Not so sure about that though. Not easy to get rid of a £72 mill keeper. Think they Will give him one more season at least.
I would get rid of them all plus Alonso (too slow). But rebuild takes time as we all know.. even with russian money.
I have been more impressed with Lamptey at Brighton who they sold for peanuts than James100% agree, it's to Chelsea's detriment that Lampard has gone with Abraham over Giroud for so much of the season
I remember Chelsea fans saying James was better than AWB
They've been chopped and changed too much I'd reckon. Part of this is out of Lampard's hands given poor timing with injuries, but his failure to establish a first-choice partnership has caused major problems.
Here's a very illustrative twitter thread in case anyone is interested:
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1282303547388895232.html
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I was listening to Talkshite earlier. Chelsea fan calls in, worried about playing Norwich tomorrow
Yeah this really stood out to me.
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One of the reoccurring issues I have seen with this team, especially since the restart is the tendency to drop very deep when we lose the ball and then fail to win it back with the initial press. The pairing that seemed, to me at least, to be comfortable defending with a high line was Zouma/Tomori.
Lampard inability to settle with one pair and stick with them through a chunk of games has been a huge source of frustration for a lot of people.
Well they were right. It was a narrow victory and Norwich could have won a point.I was listening to Talkshite earlier. Chelsea fan calls in, worried about playing Norwich tomorrow
So, we have 2 games left and basically need one win to secure CL, right?
Don't worry, the Scouse will roll over for you.
Reportedly, Chelsea are eligible for another 32 million from Real Madrid after additional bonuses for qualifying for the Champions League and winning the League have kicked in from the Hazard transfer. That is a lot of extra cash to spend on Rice and/or Chilwell and/or Havertz.
I would be interested in looking at the net spend (purchases minus sales) of all top Premier League clubs. Chelsea seem to have mastered the art of assembling a top squad with a fairly conservative net spending in the last 6-7 years. In fact, I am fairly certain they've been the best side in the Premier League (among the biggies) in that regard, net spending-wise.
I would be interested in looking at the net spend (purchases minus sales) of all top Premier League clubs. Chelsea seem to have mastered the art of assembling a top squad with a fairly conservative net spending in the last 6-7 years. In fact, I am fairly certain they've been the best side in the Premier League (among the biggies) in that regard, net spending-wise.
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My understanding is that it's 15 for winning the league and another 15 if they win the champs league.
I can't imagine there would've been a bonus for Real Madrid qualifying for the Champs League (given that always happens).
All internet speculation of course, just what I've read since we sold Eden so might all be bollocks!
Apparently there was a bonus for qualifying - even though the fee was widely reported as being €100m, Chelsea have always more or less been confident that the fee would rise to at least €130m. Word is that the bonuses are €15m, €10m, & €5m over the first three years for CL qualification, with an extra €5m for each of the league or CL Madrid wins up to 3 times. So the total potential value of the deal is €145m & at this point we'll have received €120m to date.
Good post.
I think Frank has performed to PAR at Chelsea thus far and that is about what he done at Derby too. He does some good things but he makes some stupid decisions both tactically and selection wise and has done throughout the season.
I said last summer I wouldn't have appointed him but when he was appointed it still excited me. Now, in a vacuum and removing loyalties, there are better managers available and/or attainable that would do a better job going forward.
I guess time will tell if some of the elementary mistakes are rights of passage for a young manager or of they are indicative of his failings as a manager going forward.
(i'm nowhere near sold on Solskjaer either)
I think both could do each club a lot of good in the medium term. They each made a lot of sense for this season and did as good a job as you can hope for really. I'm not entirely sold on eithers ability to push on and win a league or champions league either (I wont be until they go and do it). But they'll leave behind decent squads who can imo. The attitude of both teams looks a lot better than it has in a long time too.
Have either of them done anything that many other coaches couldn't have done? The downside, which i think applies more to Frank than Ole as he is a bigger figure at Chelsea than Ole is at United, is that things will be allowed to go further south before action is taken, mistakes airbrushed etc because of who he is. The best example of that was Dalglish at Liverpool, was clearly out of his depth and had he had no association to the club previously would have been long since sacked prior to when he eventually left. S sometimes, probably most times, these appointments bring little upside for the potential downside that come with them.