Worried About Chelsea's Ability To Finish In 4th? Here's Some Good News
by Graham MacAree on Feb 1, 2012 2:09 AM GMT
in Other Teams
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With a relatively quiet transfer window and a disappointing performance against Swansea City, there's some worry that Chelsea will have some difficulty in finishing in fourth place this season and therefore securing a place in the 2012/13 edition of the UEFA Champions League. That's a perfectly reasonable stance - the Blues have had a fairly awful season so far and we could probably have done with reinforcements not named Gary Cahill - and I have to admit that I'm fairly concerned about our eventual finishing position as well.
Depressingly, our main rivals for fourth appear to be Arsenal, and we've been hearing for months how they'll obviously be much better once Jack Wilshere and Bacary Sagna are back in action (nevermind that Michael Essien is back from his ACL problem). Sagna might be back, but... well, there's some good news for us on the Wilshere front. And much as I loathe relying on the Daily Mail for things, it's still transfer deadline day where I'm writing from and so some of the rules are being bent.
Check it:
[Wilshere] was expected to return this month but broke down in training last week. Wilshere has since had a series of scans to determine the extent of the injury and the results indicate he has suffered another stress fracture in the same ankle.
-Source: Daily Mail.
Much as it's not nice to root for injuries, I sure wouldn't mind it if that report ended up being true. Arsenal are currently reliant on Mikel Arteta to run their midfield, and if Wilshere is out for the rest of the season will be entirely Arteta dependent for the rest of the year. It's difficult to take that as anything but good news.
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Pah
Thomas Eisfeld is saving the day
Arteta, it's all about the right pass it goes left to the left foot of VAN PERSIE
Proud member of Fusillade and The Short Fuse
In fairness
Patrick Bamford can’t be worse than Fernando Torres
by Stephen Schmidt on Feb 1, 2012 2:48 AM GMT up reply actions
That is because Mikel Arteta is awesome
And one of the more underrated midfielders in the league.
Arteta, it's all about the right pass it goes left to the left foot of VAN PERSIE
Proud member of Fusillade and The Short Fuse
Who else from Arsenal's midfield would get into ours?
In my opinion, Song would give Essien and Romeu a run for their money, Ramsey and Arteta would totally get in over Lampard and Meireles.
Ramsey will get better
But he basically had a year removed from developing because of Ryan flipping Shawcross
Arteta, it's all about the right pass it goes left to the left foot of VAN PERSIE
Proud member of Fusillade and The Short Fuse
by Aidan Gibson on Feb 1, 2012 11:47 AM GMT up reply actions
Ramsey is absolutely terrible.
Given that my brother is an arsenal fan (ugh), I watch quite a lot of their games, and there is no way Ramsey would start on chelsea
From Stamford Bridge to Wembley, KTBFFH
All of chelsea youth would get in arsenal.
And they would win a trophy ;)
by Mregmi on Feb 1, 2012 5:12 AM GMT via mobile up reply actions
Can't believe how many people don't like Ramsey
I think he’s great, but I have a weird thing for creative midfielders.
Meireles has been better than I expected.
I don;t think he’s amazing but I can’t blame him for most of our team playing poorly
Raul has been better?
He couldn’t pass the ball to his nearest player yesterday and his long range shots and long range passes boil my blood.
Yesterday he wasn't great
But in general I was quite impressed. When we bought him I thought he was a bit rubbish.
well i was hoping this generation might be different!
hart / micah richards – jones – chalobah (:P) – bertrand / rodwell – wilshere / johnson – mceachran – oxlaide-chamberlain/ rooney
GOLDEN GENERATION
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
We’ve got uhh others though like um Coquelin and Nico and Ox can play in the middle I think and the new kid Ice Rink. Haha
The fourth spot is totally Arsenal’s!
What that impressive list of young midfielders did not impress you? PAH!
Official troll of WAGNH
Is no one else worried about Liverpool?
Like, at all? Yes, Arsenal moreso, but Liverpool is far from out of it
by FootieFromAfar on Feb 1, 2012 3:02 AM GMT via mobile reply actions
Or Newcastle. If they get both Cisse and Ba to link up well and go on another of the runs they
did at the beginning of the season…. god, I should stop thinking about this stuff.
We need a miracle.
I personally would not be surprised if we finished below Liverpool. I want us to do good and I will continue supporting the team every match for a win, and for AVB to get his act together. But I wouldn’t put it past us to drop below Liverpool at this point.
I would
The teams below us are worse than us
by Graham MacAree on Feb 1, 2012 3:15 AM GMT up reply actions
Not sure Pool and Arsenal are worse than us
How can you be sure Graham? Liverpool in the last one week have looked like world beaters. Their defense looks really strong and they recently scored 4 goals against Man u and Man city. I think they are getting into very dangerous form. One can only hope the return of Suarez upsets their form somehow. Arsenal haven’t looked good recently. But tat might change once Gervinho and their full backs are back. We can console ourselves saying Ox has been really good if not better than Gervinho. So his return isn’t tat big a difference but the fullbacks may make a huge difference.
by Uchiha Sasuke on Feb 1, 2012 3:32 AM GMT up reply actions
I've watched every game both teams have played this year
by Graham MacAree on Feb 1, 2012 3:38 AM GMT up reply actions
We looked world beaters
When we beat Newcatsle,Valencia and City and we did play better them.Liverpool get really motivated for big games/
Liverpool is Liverpool
and remains Liverpool. They get to blossom against “big teams” and next game could be overrun by small teams. So if we pretend we’re not a Top4 club anymore we should do fine against them … :(
Tor ilisar'thera'nal!
A couple of weeks ago, Liverpool got spanked by Bolton
by Graham MacAree on Feb 1, 2012 3:19 AM GMT up reply actions
...lol good point...but what I was saying is they are playing good, and it would be nieve to completely overlook them. Specially with wins over man u and man city in back to back games....but man city lost to everton so there goes my whole argument
by Kunta Kinte on Feb 1, 2012 3:23 AM GMT via mobile up reply actions
The cup matches don't really mean too much, at least for me
by Graham MacAree on Feb 1, 2012 3:26 AM GMT up reply actions
The tie against Man United B-squad not so much
But they legitimately held their own over two legs against Man City, who fielded their best available players. Nothing about that seemed like a fluke
by FootieFromAfar on Feb 1, 2012 4:29 AM GMT via mobile up reply actions
The thing with Liverpool is, that they always play at the level of their opponents.
They’ll play like RM against United, City and co., then they’ll go and play like Wigan against Bolton.
Sturridge and Torres
I think Sturridge has made up his mind that he won’t play well if Torres is on the pitch. So we may see better performances from him once Drogba is back. But if Drogba is gonna be around for only 6 more months, how much motivation will he have? I don’t think there is any personal problems between Sturridge and Torres, but Sturridge has been calculating tat central striker position will be his once Drogba is gone. So he refuses to assist anyone else who plays striker. Also he doesn’t really assist Drogba. I think Drogba keeps the left centre back occupied and that leaves only the left back to beat for Sturridge. Just my theory, have to watch videos of Sturridge goals.
No words.
I think Sturridge has made up his mind that he won’t play well if Torres is on the pitch.
Wait I do have words, as in: that has to be the most ridiculous things I have read all day.
Follow me on twitter@PrixFixeOnline
Editor/Writer for Managing Madrid & Writer for Sounder At Heart
explanation
I can understand your reaction to my statement. But that wasn’t really a fact that I was trying to establish here. It was more an expression of frustration or my own observation. You should take a look at the opportunity that Sturridge had to set up a goal for Torres in the game against Arsenal. Torres was literally unmarked and running through the centre. Sturridge had 2 defenders closing in on him and would have been forced to take a long shot but could have easily passed to Torres. He chose to take the shot. You will understand my anger if you saw a video. Sturridge and Torres have no chemistry or team work or whatever term you want to use. That is what I was trying to say.
by Uchiha Sasuke on Feb 1, 2012 6:19 AM GMT up reply actions
That's why he should not be playing on the wing!
I think it is part of the reason Torres never seems to be in the box to score, the ball never seems to get played into good positions so he doesn’t bother trying. When Sturridge, Malouda, Lampard or Merieles get the ball their first instinct is to try and score themselves when they should be the ones creating opportunities, I think that is why Chelsea are creating so few chances these days!
by conorjmartin on Feb 1, 2012 12:33 PM GMT up reply actions
We all know this famous Sturridge why you no pass moment against Arsenal
but that alone is not a proof for Sturridge not being able to pass to Torres. The fact that Sturridge didn’t assist any of Torres’ goals isn’t much a proof either because 1) Torres didn’t score that many goals this season to form a rule out of that 2) Sturridge isn’t a major assister as well – so basically at the moment it is only safe to say Sturridge isn’t doing well at assisting, he isn’t only not assisting Torres only but assisting rarely for everyone, not Torres alone. Of course I understand very well the frustration every time Sturridge fails to pass to anyone, especially in that match against Arsenal – but I can’t say at this time Sturridge and Torres can’t work together with solely that evidence.
Tor ilisar'thera'nal!
Falcao - Torres swap anyone?
I think Torres + 20 M will do the trick.
I would do that for sure
Good move for both of them
by Blue for life on Feb 1, 2012 5:39 AM GMT up reply actions
Pretty sure
its not a good move for Atletico.
By both
I meant Torres & Falcao and didn’t really consider the implications for Atl. but I still don’t think it would be too bad of move for them if Torres could find his form again (which I think is more likely in Spain than in England). After all £20M is still a decent chunk of change all things considered.
by Blue for life on Feb 2, 2012 5:50 AM GMT up reply actions
We're sitting fairly comfortably in 4th
Despite playing like shit, rather often.
One must believe we’ll get better.
It’s not like we have to “go get” 4th. We just have to perform as well as we have in the first half, on average and we’ll hold the position.
That's sort of assuming Arsenal won't get better. They NEED fourth. They are reliant on that
CL income, since they have no sugar daddy teet to suck off. They wont give it up without a fight, I can almost guarantee it.
Yep. And you're assuming we won't get better.
It’s all conjecture. Only Graham has an actual time machine.
Isnt that what you were assuming? With the "We just have to perform as well as we have
in the first half"? In other words, not improving.
My personal assumption is that we'll get better ("must believe")
But it’s also a decent assumption to make that if we continue our pace from the first half (which got us to 4th), we’ll hold the position.
Assuming that Arsenal or Liverpool, etc perform markedly better in the second half is also valid, sure. But I’m feeling optimistic at the moment.
We are more reliant on CL then Arsenal
Arsenal earn profits and they said they are prepared for life without CL and Chelsea runs into losses So they are in a better position then us.
I'm more worried about Liverpool than Arsenal!
At least they can defend and I could see them hitting a run of form and I can’t see us getting anything off them at Anfield where as I still would always expect us to beat Arsenal!
by conorjmartin on Feb 1, 2012 12:37 PM GMT up reply actions
Bummer
Really wish we didn’t have to rely on opposition injuries as being good news for our squad. Suppose that really says the state of things lately, in a nutshell.
We're just gunna have to make a lot of changes this summer.
I think apart from a new RB our defence is sorted maybe get a higher quality CM and a couple of versatile attacking players to play behind Torres/Sturridge/Lukaku. Lets see if we can scrape fourth by the skin of our teeth for now.
Maybe after our definite improvement in the second half we can start playing a 4-2-3-1 permanently now. See if Torres can start playing more like a striker and less like a winger/CAM. I’m really getting wound up every time I see him take the ball away from goal or pass when he should shoot or going wide or deep. I think he must be terrified of missing. I think the worse thing at the moment is that we don;t even just look beatable, we hardly look like we can win.
Torres' decision-making has been terrible
But it’s not news. World class players don’t get benched in WC like him.
1970 - 1984 - 2010
"Vamos Fluzão, vamos ganhar
Eu sou do clube tantas vezes campeão!
Vim pra torcer, vim pra gritar
E por você a vida inteira vou cantar!"
by trOOly on Feb 1, 2012 10:46 AM GMT via mobile up reply actions
We just look toothless in attack!
A dodgy penalty and a lucky deflected goal aside, what chances have Chelsea actually created in the last 3 games, I can only think of the 1 that Torres missed at Norwich!
I think we should try replace Torres in the summer with somebody like Cavani or Higuain,unless he hits form before then which I just can’t see at this stage. In order to add creativity we need to replace the shooters with passers, for me Sturridge is too greedy to play anywhere but up front. Who knows, maybe a front 2 of Torres and Sturridge could work if we had somebody to play on the right!
by conorjmartin on Feb 1, 2012 12:48 PM GMT up reply actions
Harvey Dent once said;
“The night is darkest before the dawn.” In times like these I try remind myself of that great line from that great movie and it makes me feel a little better. But Karma is a biyatch…I don’t want to be happy about the injuries plaguing our rivals as Essien is just back from an ACL injury and those can flair up at any moment so let’s not wish ill or celebrate the misfortune of others lest it befalls our beloved Blues.
Yeah and Shelley once said
“If winter comes can spring be far behind”. Isn’t there a particular team that performs badly once winter comes? :D I also like to believe myself we can only get better during sprintime
Tor ilisar'thera'nal!
Now you've got me thinking of the Torres signing in terms of Kipling
It is always a temptation for a rich and lazy nation,
To puff and look important and to say: —
“Though we know we should defeat you, we have not the time to meet you.
We will therefore pay you cash to go away.”
And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we’ve proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.
Personally, I've made up my mind that 5th can't be a bad thing.
Or 6th, the more I think about it. We CAN win the Europa League and should look at that as an option…
The Nigerian Perspective!
by Iced O on Feb 1, 2012 9:52 AM GMT via mobile reply actions
????
and lose quite alot of $ and.not be able.to attract players like hazard who want champs league.
5th would be a big blow
by Jimm Bmore on Feb 1, 2012 2:25 PM GMT via Android app up reply actions
You still pay high wages that will attract big players
Like City they didn’t have CL before this season and attracted really good players.
Official troll of WAGNH
by Sabrina Dessipe on Feb 1, 2012 3:48 PM GMT up reply actions
Really? Just because we miss the CL one year -- we're not going to be able to bring players in?
That is a very hollow argument. We’re still Chelsea, and guys want to play for Chelsea. While I think we’ll make the cut off — if we don’t. It’s not the end of the world and we can still bring players in.
Follow me on twitter@PrixFixeOnline
Editor/Writer for Managing Madrid & Writer for Sounder At Heart
AVB is afraid of making adjusts
Due to those poor showings. But Drogba and Kalou will get back, and I’m sure he’ll have guts to bench Torres. I’d love to see some Studge as CF, but as long as we have Drogba I don’t think we’ll see him in that position unless both Torres and Drogba picks up an injury. Well, if anyone has to pick an injury at the moment, it has to be Torres.
And LUKAKU.
1970 - 1984 - 2010
"Vamos Fluzão, vamos ganhar
Eu sou do clube tantas vezes campeão!
Vim pra torcer, vim pra gritar
E por você a vida inteira vou cantar!"
Jack may not be out for the rest of the season!
http://bit.ly/x5yo2L http://bit.ly/ADnJOL http://bit.ly/zVrNxz
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wilshere-not-ruled-out-for-the-season
Official troll of WAGNH
my guess
he comes back this yr but.not til very late in the season…will get some games in to be taken to euros
by Jimm Bmore on Feb 1, 2012 2:26 PM GMT via Android app up reply actions
Nah,no worries
Besides,even if he comes back,he has to deal with ring rust (can’t get the word right now,I was watching a bit of wrestling and boxing videos just before this) :P And he can’t singlehandedly do crap. He needs RvP. I bet they don’t play together this season. :P Or next,cuz RvP’s leaving. TO Chelsea??
by Avinash Mohan on Feb 1, 2012 2:28 PM GMT up reply actions
we relying on opposition injuries
Just To finish 4th, bizarre (:-(
by Mregmi on Feb 1, 2012 2:49 PM GMT via mobile reply actions
An injury to a close competitor's key player will be news and a boon to us, yes
Nowhere does it say we’re “relying” on it.
Just imagine if (or should I say “when”) RvP gets injured…don’t you think that would benefit Arsenal’s rivals?
Somehow I'm strangely confident of a home win over United now
by Avinash Mohan on Feb 1, 2012 5:30 PM GMT via mobile reply actions
You mean ...
because we’ve become more and more a blue version of Liverpool and they tend to do well against United, too? ;)
Tor ilisar'thera'nal!
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