Time For An Honest Appraisal Of The Chelsea Squad

It’s been a roller coaster few weeks; poor form looked to be turning around before disappointment against Wigan and poor finishing against Tottenham left us fourth in the table with no real prospect of mounting a title challenge and, if we are realistic, looking over our shoulder in the fight for Champions League qualification next season. While we are busy laughing at the Manchester clubs’ exit from this year’s competition we should note that both are likely to finish ahead of us in the Premiership and that we might not even get the CL group stage next season if we are not careful!

So, what has gone wrong? Where is the squad too lightweight? Where must we strengthen?

Management

Let me start with management. There has been lots of ‘Trust in AVB’ crap (for that is what it is) with fans borrowing a phrase used by Scousers with regard the hopeless Rafa Benitez and Gooners with regard Arse W*n*er. However, there has also been plenty of crap giving the contradicting view that he should get the chop.

Why are both views crap? The ‘Trust in’ camp need to realise that blind faith is rarely a good thing especially in someone yet to prove himself while the ‘give him the chop’ camp need to gain perspective.

AVB came with a short but exceptional record but, as I have stated more than once, came untested by the kind of challenges that come with a downturn in form, with rebuilding a squad, with anything close to Premier League type pressure. In short, I would not have offered him the job but now he is here he deserves the chance to make amends for Carlo Ancelotti’s oversight in allowing a squad to both age and get thin without taking action. That task is not a small one and should we even fail to qualify for next season’s Europa League AVB must be given the opportunity to rebuild. Sacking him will only leave his replacement with the same squad and same task.

The Squad

That squad is looking desperately thin. Last season it was exposed when injuries to Lampard, Essien and Drogba left the team struggling in the middle part of the season. This season the picture is worse, especially if (God forbid) we have another couple of long term injuries.

Goalkeeper

Petr Cech has been at fault for both of the last two goals conceded but is still a world class keeper. But what if he should succumb to injury? Hilario and Turnbull are competent but would we really be comfortable if either had to have a long run in the side? They’re okay for occasional cover but not much more. We need better cover for Petr Cech especially given growing rumours his knees are ‘fragile’.

Defence

We have some serious problems here. JT continues to be a legend and Ashley Cole although no longer at his peak is still by far the best left back in English football. David Luiz is good and will improve and Branislav Ivanovic has provided competent cover both at right back and centrally. The less said about Jose Bosingwa the better and Paulo Ferreira is a loyal servant but, for all his great game v the Spuds, is at the tail end of a career. It says everything about the squad’s problems at right back when the injured Essien, a midfield player, is our best right back by far!

As a minimum we probably need one if not two right backs and another central defender preferably one with pace.

Midfield

I am less concerned about the ability we have in the middle than I was at the start of the season although quantity is still lacking. Romeu has been a revelation relegating Mikel to competent cover in that holding position. I’ve made no secret of the fact I am not a John Obi fan but as cover, he’ll do. Whether he’ll be happy with that is another matter. Lampard is still brilliant but AVB is right to use him more sparingly and to get the most out of his twilight years. Ramires has improved no end, while Mereiles is mostly good but needs to show more consistency. Essien has yet to come back and we can only hope two long term knee injuries have not reduced his desire, energy or confidence. Then there is Josh McEachran, one for the future and who surely deserves more playing time, not to say needs it, for his development – perhaps a January loan?

Our midfield has got ability without depth, energy without quality and creativity. We need at least one midfield player of quality, an artist to match the industry.

Up Front

Thank F*** for Danny Sturridge and Juan Mata! I include Mata up front although have little doubt he could also provide the artistry our midfield lacks but what would that do to our front three (assuming we continue to play the same system)?

Nicolas Anelka has gone and had passed his sell by date anyway and Didier Drogba still looks good in flashes but, though we love him, is no longer the Drog of old. Salomon Kalou? Well if he is the answer someone is asking the wrong question! Florent Malouda comes out and goes in with the sun and his inconsistency in a side desperately needing players to ‘turn up and be counted’ adds him to my transfer list. Danny Sturridge has been brilliant (despite wasted chances) and will get better. Lukaku? I remain to be convinced but will be happy to be as wrong as I was about Ramires.

I know I haven’t mentioned Torres but I’m not convinced we signed the right player. Yes, he was quality but was he made for Chelsea or would we need to change too much else to accommodate the player he was. As for the player he is? Blind loyalty aside; the jury must be out. The African Cup of Nations offers him what, to me, should be his last chance to rediscover old form.

Nonetheless, even should the real Fernando Torres stand up, for a team which aspires to Champions League and Premiership glory our attack is under-whelming and only one injury away from being threadbare. We need at least two more decent strikers to back our likely end of season preferred trio of Mata, Sturridge, and El Nino.

Ah yes, the African Cup of Nations! Don’t get me wrong there are some fantastic African players out there and I love watching the tournament but please Chelsea, don’t sign any more Africans!

I do however think about the youngsters who can be added to bolster the team, not forgetting that surrounding them with the right quality will bring them through far better.

It was only a couple of seasons ago I smugly looked at other sides and played the game of ‘how many of your players would make it into our team?’ It was rarely more than one or two, very occasionally three. Now? Against the Spuds possibly only four of our starting eleven would have made theirs. You may agree with me on that or disagree but surely you will accept my argument that we simply do not have the quality or the depth required right now.

AVB must start to earn that trust some fans talk about by beginning the rebuilding process with some sound purchases and some difficult decisions on who to let go come January and (given it  won’t all be done in one go) again in the summer.

KTBFFH

The Suarez Decision – Am I Alone In Feeling Conflicted Over This?

Racism: it is a really hot topic in football at the moment, and rightly so. There is no place for racism in society let alone football.

This afternoon we heard that John Terry is to be charged over that incident at Loftus Road but I am not going to comment on that other than to repeat what I have said all along; he is innocent until proven guilty and to treat him any other way would be to discriminate against him . I hope he proves to be not guilty but, if the verdict goes the other way it doesn’t matter how Blue I am, he will deserve to have the book thrown at him.

But did Liverpool’s Luis Suarez deserve to have the book thrown at him?

Don’t get me wrong, the fight for Champions League places will be tight this year and his eight match suspension certainly works in our favour and yet……I feel extremely conflicted and therefore uncomfortable over the treatment Suarez has received.

That he called Partice Evra ‘Negro’ is not disputed. That Evra found the term racist (and therefore offensive) is also not disputed. Case closed surely?

Had Suarez been born and raised in the UK, undoubtedly I would be happy with this outcome. But he wasn’t, he was born and raised in Uruguay a nation where the word ‘negro’ is in everyday usage and is not considered racist or otherwise offensive (the word even has its roots in the latin languages). Chelsea legend Uruguayan Gus Poyet has gone on record to confirm this, to insist Suarez is not making up a convenient story.

In his 1963 ‘I Have A Dream’ speech Martin Luther King Jnr used the term Negro to describe his own race. Was he being offensive, racist even? Okay, that was nearly fifty years ago and times move on but have those times moved on in different directions in the UK and Uruguay? Clearly they have, and not only in those two countries; in the US organisations such as the United Negro College Fund continue to conduct great work in assisting black people afford college educations and the 2010 United States Census included the term for individuals to identify racial origin.

Confused? Conflicted? To some (even to many) the term ‘Negro’ is undoubtedly racist and carries uncomfortable connotations and reminders of slavery. In the UK it is accepted as a ‘no-no’ word. But this is not so in many parts of the rest of the world.

I am conflicted because I fear that in the rush to condemn racism the FA have actively discriminated against Suarez’s own culture. They have chosen the defence of one culture over that of another.

That racism took place here cannot be disputed but surely the right outcome should be one of learning not punishment; learning for Suarez about what is acceptable and a warning that now he knows he should not repeat it (plus a public apology to Evra). Learning for the FA in that they must take the lead in ensuring that those coming into the English game from other cultures understand the new (to them) culture in which they now live and work and therefore avoid a repeat of this situation again. And learning for us all; if we are to celebrate the diversity of our culture we must guard against jumping to conclusions based on our own cultural background without taking steps to understand the culture of others – you, me, Suarez and Evra included. No matter how Blue (or Red) we are.

KTBFFH

Are Football Managers Really This Dim?

Try as I might, I can’t let go of Foygate. It was the worst refereeing performance many of us have seen in a lifetime of watching football but the referee concerned, Chris Foy, escaped without comment let alone punishment as AVB was charged and fined and Chelsea FC were charged and fined by the FA. Not one of his fellow managers stood up for AVB and said (words to the effect of); “do you know, I think he has a point.”

Indeed the Clown in Residence at Loftus Road (Neil Warnock) stood up for Foy and chose to support the FA’s stance. So you must forgive me a snigger when last weekend Warnock himself felt the need to have a rant at the performance of a referee after QPR had a goal disallowed.  He had a point though, Sean Wright Phillips scored a valid goal but do I have sympathy? Not a jot!

It was a busy weekend for refereeing critics but I will single out Alan Pardew, Kenny Dalglish and Owen Coyle for a small amount of praise before I return to criticism.

I’ve yet to meet another Chelsea fan who doesn’t agree with Pardew that David Luiz fourth minute challenge merited a straight red card. We were lucky, Newcastle were robbed (makes a change for a decision to go our way though). Pardew’s reaction was exemplary; measured, honest and calm.

Dalglish had a little to say about a Suarez (alleged) dive and his gesture to Fulham fans but was honest enough to say that if Suarez did what he stands accused of; “I’ll have words.” Refreshing.

Owen Coyle saw possible Blues target Gary Cahill red carded for what wasn’t even a yellow card offence. No rant but a forthright, measured view afterwards and Bolton’s ensuing appeal has seen the card rescinded but that hardly returns the match (and score) to where it was (and might have been) does it?

Unlike AVB when commenting on Foy’s appalling performance, none of the above managers have yet been charged by the FA for their comments. Perhaps there really is an anti SW6 bias?

But why does all this make managers a bit dim?

Think about it. If the Loftus Road Clown had stood next to AVB over Foygate and said; “I agree, that wasn’t good enough,” or if Alan Pardew, Kenny Dalglish or Owen Coyle had said, “hang on a minute, AVB has a point,” we might have taken a step towards the FA taking the low standard of match officiating seriously.

Managers have the solution to the problem in their own hands. They must speak up for each other as well as their own clubs when the refs get it wrong (Wenger aside – he never sees anything). That goes for AVB too.

You can force change through strength in numbers and by displaying a unified voice or you continue to look a bit dim and complain only when it affects you. Take your choice!

KTBFFH

In AVB We Trust?

At the risk of upsetting some of my readers from the outset, the answer to that question should not be ‘we do’ or the further question ‘do we?’ Instead perhaps we should be a little less certain and plumb for ‘we should’ or even ‘should we?’

Let’s park the fact I hate the phrase which was used by Scousers to describe their blind faith in a clearly (to everyone else) underperforming Rafa Benitez and has since been picked up and applied by Gooners to Arse W*n*er. I would prefer to think us Pensioners are a bit more considered, a bit more intelligent than to blindly trust.

So, as we have entered the Premiership silly season of ‘who gets the chop next?’ what is the case for AVB? Is he the right man for our job or is he keeping the seat warm until a better option comes along?

It will surprise many to hear that I was far from convinced by Carlo Ancelotti. Yes, the Double was great but let’s not kid ourselves the opposition was below par that season and we got a bit of luck with FA Cup draws. That said, you can only beat what is put in front of you and the Double team certainly did that. But then what? Wasn’t Ancelotti fooled into thinking he had a better team than he did? And when the following season Lampard and Essien (as well as Drogba) suffered long term injuries suddenly the lack of depth in the below par squad was exposed. And we have yet to address those weaknesses.

When I look at Bosingwa, Kalou and Mikel I see players who are simply not good enough to wear the shirt of a top four team. When I look at Drogba, Malouda, Anelka and some others I think, ‘thanks for the memories chaps but your day has passed.’ Only a couple of years ago I used to look at other teams and feel smug at how few of their players would make a Chelsea starting 11. Now, more often than I would like with our ‘big 6’ rivals, I am looking at the question the reverse way around.

But much of that is not AVB’s doing, he is getting his first look at these players. The reality is that Ancelotti left weaknesses unaddressed for too long and now it is AVB who is suffering the consequences.

But that doesn’t mean I am putting my trust in him.

Yet.

When he came to Stamford Bridge many questioned his age and his lack of experience. Frankly, if he is good enough his age is irrelevant but what of his experience? He certainly came with a short but highly impressive CV but that CV lacked experience in one vital area; coping when it all goes wrong.

I’m not saying he can’t or won’t cope; that he can’t or won’t get us out of our current slump, I’m saying we are travelling blind because he has never had to cope with such a ‘moment’ (as he calls it) before. That is not his fault but the Board (or Roman) should reflect on that oversight in their selection process.

But panicking would be the wrong move. AVB must be given the opportunity to mould his own team and squad. He should not carry the can for what went before and for a flawed selection process. He deserves to get a period of grace to demonstrate he can cope with crisis and he deserves a transfer window to show he has spotted the squad’s weaknesses and to start the remedying process.

Beyond that, I am not committing myself. I would not have appointed him but now he is here he merits at least another couple of months to prove he can do the job. And if that means we miss out on the Champion’s League next season don’t blame him – blame Ancelotti for leaving the squad to start ‘rusting’ and the Board’s (Roman’s?) flawed selection process.

In AVB we trust? Not yet, but he deserves the opportunity to start to earn our trust.

KTBFFH

Equality In Football – Time For Some Discrimination?

Equality; it is something I believe in. Whether it be race, religion, sex, sexuality, gender identity, age, disability or any other group that has, and does, suffer the indignity and pain of discrimination; I believe that all deserve to be treated equally. 

And for those keen eyed readers who are thinking; “hang on, doesn’t he support John Terry?” my position is compatible with that support. That is because I believe that, by extension, all also deserve equal treatment before the law, meaning that there has to be a presumption of innocence until guilt is proven. Now, if JT is charged and then found guilty, it matters not how much I like him, he should have the book thrown at him – but not before; that would be a form of discrimination too.

So, what do I mean by the title of this blog? Well, I’m fed up with those who shout about discrimination but then don’t treat everyone equally themselves. I’m also (let’s be blunt here) more than a bit fed up with listening to the views of idiots – perhaps the time is right to allow me to be a little ‘idiotist’, to discriminate against idiots.

Without further ado, here is my list of people I want to actively discriminate against. I’m fed up with the way they want equality but don’t apply it and/or I’m fed up with their idiocy and the idiocy of their followers:

The Media.

What would happen if someone, let’s say someone involved in football, faced very serious allegations on a legal matter? Our media friends would, of course, treat them as innocent until proven guilty, no hounding, no pushy questions and an almost complete lack of coverage. Certainly they would never question his position as a leader at (let’s say) his London club?

That is, if your name is Harry Redknapp, who has faced allegations of fraud and has actually been charged. Or if your name is Robin van Persie who was clearly seen by millions of Sky viewers giving a nazi salute to Arsenal fans at Stamford Bridge. In the latter case the silence has been especially deafening!

However, if your name is John Terry…..

Equality anyone?

Sepp Blatter.

No, I do not for one moment believe that Sepp Blatter is racist maybe a bit sexist but not racist. Oh no, what Sepp Blatter is can be described in one word; idiot. An idiot who surrounds himself with bigger idiots who will continue to back him regardless of how many outbreaks of foot in mouth disease he starts in otherwise peaceful Switzerland.

I won’t dwell on Blatter, there is no case for the defence, he is an idiot plain and clear; we should be allowed to discriminate against him at will.

Tokyo Sexwale.

I’ll be honest, I had never heard of this chap prior to today but in less than 24 hours he has made a very strong case for inclusion on my list. Sexwale is a South African politician who also sits on FIFA’s ‘fair play’ committee.

 Today Sexwale waded into the Blatter/racism debate by criticising England for picking John Terry and allowing him to lead the national team out against Sweden.  Sexwale proves himself to be one of the bigger idiots who follow the head idiot at FIFA by his careful research which allowed him to comment on Suarez who (according to Tokyo) represents Mexico. So glad the top people at FIFA are watching the game so closely, for a moment I had mistakenly believed Suarez was Uruguayan???

Shortly after he afforded Suarez a new nationality, Sexwale, talking about racist incidents in football, described the John Terry case as the “most worrying” before slamming the decision to allow Terry to lead England, “while the indiscretion against another player of another race is still so fresh in the mind.” – That’s an indiscretion as yet unproven Mr Sexwale!

And what of Sexwale’s own ‘indescretions’?

2001: Accused of plotting to overthrow President Mbeke. Later cleared; thank God for due process and the principle of innocent until proven guilty.

2002: Denied a visa to travel to the USA who had him on their global terrorist watch list. Fortunately, thanks to due process, he could appeal and be cleared.

Sexwale’s name also appears in a United Nations report on illegal transactions under the Oil for Food Programme. He hasn’t appealed the report as being incorrect.

So, this is the man who has passed judgement on John Terry and, in an indirect way on England. This is a man who wishes to be treated equally but does not afford the same respect to others; a man who expects to be treated fairly under the law but sits as judge and jury on events thousands of miles away from his South African home.

In less than one day, Tokyo Sexwale has done more than enough to merit being on my list of people to discriminate against, qualifying by treating others unequally and for being an idiot.

Neil Warnock.

Oh dear, Neil Warnock, where do I start? Do you even need convincing he merits a place on my list?  Didn’t think so! But, just in case you haven’t heard about it, he further bolstered his CV today with more nonsensical, badly thought through drivel.

Dear old Neil believes that all black players should boycott the next round of international matches as a protest against Sepp Blatter’s statement on racism and as a way of demanding Blatter’s resignation.

What he fails to explain is why it should be left to the black players to make a stand against racism, why the white players shouldn’t also take part? Somewhere inside Warnock’s tiny mind black and white are clearly segregated and racism is an issue only black people should speak up about! Isn’t that a tad racist in itself?

It’s way past time to allow some legal discrimination against the idiotic manager of Hammersmith and Fulham’s third team.

Finally; the FA.

Let’s ignore the difference in treatment between John Terry’s alleged racist abuse and Robin van Persie’s nazi salute (recap, Terry denies racism but is being investigated while van Persie claimed it wasn’t racist to perform a nazi salute and was believed and not investigated; witnesses to Terry’s alleged offence, a handful; witnesses to van Persie’s salute, millons).

Let’s, instead, focus on the way the FA allows referees to make appalling errors without comment, to blatantly bias one team over the other without a word while immediately jumping on any manager (or other club representative) who dares comment on such poor refereeing.

Take Foygate for example, the single worst refereeing performance most who witnessed it have ever seen. From Foy; silence. From the FA (on Foy’s performance); silence. But when Andre Villas Boas questions that same poor performance he is charged. Surely if anyone brought the game into disrepute that day at Loftus Road it was Foy and the FA?

Equal treatment for all? Not on your life; the FA comfortably makes my list.

There are other idiots deserving of discrimination, there are those who treat others unequally while expecting equal treatment for themselves. Let’s make a point of saving our discrimination for this deserving group of people. Feel free to add to my list!

KTBFFH

Proud To Be A Pensioner

Watching the Remembrance ceremony at the Cenotaph on Sunday I was reminded of days gone by before our nickname was ‘The Blues.’

Younger readers might not recall but historically the nickname of Chelsea Football Club was always ‘The Pensioners’ – it is only it comparatively recent times that we have been known as the Blues.

While watching the Remembrance Service I was filled with a sense of pride in everything these retired soldiers had done for our country and for each of us as individuals. We enjoy and take for granted so many freedoms that without these (now) old men we might not enjoy; things as simple as writing blogs, using Twitter or even watching football.

Why did we ever change our nickname? We should be proud to be associated with the old soldiers that are the Chelsea Pensioners. Without them, who (or what) would we be?

I’m proud to be a Blue but I’m prouder still to be a Pensioner, a supporter of Chelsea Football Club and of those who gave so selflessly so future generations shouldn’t have to. There are lots of football clubs calling themselves the Blues but only one ever called itself the Pensioners.

Isn’t it time to bring back our old nickname and all show our solidarity with those heroes of yesterday?

Let’s be The Pensioners again!

What do you say?

KTBFFH

Who Is The Babe On The Bench?

I’m sure I am not the only one who has looked to the bench a little more often this season that previous years – and not in search of a substitute either!

With the greatest respect to the fellas some of whom, I am reliably informed by the misses are pretty good looking (some aren’t), us blokes now have our own football pin up in the shape of new first team doc Eva Carneiro.

I’m sure we’d all agree Doc Fraser did a great job but the new doc is far more aesthetically pleasing.

Okay, this is a serious blog so here’s the serious bit:

Eva Carneiro is Chelsea’s new first team doc having previously looked after the reserves. Eva joined Chelsea in February 2009 and is listed on the club website as a sports medicine specialist who has previously worked at the British Olympic Medical Institute and with England Women’s Football and at UK Athletics (which was where we found Doc Fraser too).

And now, purely in the interest of serious blogging, here are some pictures of the lovely lady (groin strain anyone?):

KTBFFH

Ferdinand Letter Lets Us All Down

Reports that Anton Ferdinand has received a letter which contained serious threats; even death threats according to some, does John Terry, Chelsea FC and all of us fans a huge disservice.

Regardless of how we feel about Ferdinand’s allegations against JT, making senseless threats helps no one and, given the illogical national hatred of all that is Terry only adds fuel to the fire of the ignorants who believe that because it is JT it is okay to judge him guilty without an investigation; to ignore the legal standard of innocent until proven guilty we would all want applying if it were us accused.

Now they can point their fingers at ‘us’ – the club, the fans and all associated – and say, “told you what they’re like.”

Ferdinand may not be the brightest; anyone who needs two days to figure out whether they have been abused or not can’t be running too many brain cells. He may be shown to have made false allegations, the police investigation will tell us. But death threats? Seriously? Whoever sent that letter makes Ferdinand look like a rocket scientist!

And those of us hoping the police investigation will clear JT of any wrong doing; consider this – by sending the letter the writer has given the police something else to investigate. Now that is hardly likely to speed up the investigation which we all believe will clear our captain is it?

One moron lets us all down with this letter and I have a message for him/her which I’ll keep in simple short words I am sure he/she will understand:

Fuck off you wanker, you’re not helping JT or anyone else.

KTBFFH

Jose Mourinho And The Key Bit His Successors Have Missed Out

I think we would all agree that watching recent Chelsea games has been difficult  and although yesterday’s result at Blackburn saw a clean sheet and three points, I am sure I’m not alone in finding it as unconvincing a performance as the defeats (and draw) which preceded it.

Reviewing recent events it occurred to me that an element of coaching last seen under Jose Mourinho and which I expected to see return under AVB is still absent. It could be it is too early for it to be showing under our new Manager but nonetheless I feel it is worth highlighting.

The Special One was indeed special in many ways but to me one of the most exceptional aspects of his coaching was in his development of ‘the thinking player’. The thinking player was developed by posing tactical problems to the team in training and facilitating their ability to solve those problems themselves without coaching intervention during matches.

We saw its benefits most clearly during Mourinho’s Champions League touch line ban but it was at work in every game and was incredibly frustrating for opposition managers who had got used to changing their own sides tactics and then having at least a short window in which to exploit the unpreparedness of the opposition before their coaching staff could relay instructions. Not so with Jose’s Chelsea, they thought as a team and reacted swiftly to opposition changes.

Perhaps the greatest triumph of this part of Mourinho’s coaching philosophy came after he had gone. Uncle Fester (aka Avram Grant) was in charge as we faced Liverpool in the Champions League semi final and were looking in danger of blowing it. Grant made some inexplicable substitutions; JT was seen gesticulating to the bench apparently seeking explanation which was not forthcoming. Never mind, the thinking player coaching of Mourinho kicked in and the team arranged its own tactics accordingly. I know others agree with my view that the run to Moscow was a triumph of Mourinho’s not of Grant’s and this example demonstrates why.

As with all things coaching, you use it or you lose it and, as managers came and went those players who had starred under Mourinho gradually forgot the thinking player and returned to the classic need for instruction from the bench.

I had hoped that as he had worked under Mourinho, AVB might bring the thinking player back to the Bridge. Maybe he still will? The signs are not good and the defensive frailties of this season only serve to highlight this fact. We had defensive lapses under the Special One but they were very quickly sorted out ON the pitch and hence were rarities.

Of all the Special One’s special gifts, to me the thinking player was the best. I hope we see its return before too much longer.

KTBFFH

Of John Terry, Racism And A Police Investigation

When the accusations of racial abuse against John Terry emerged shortly after the QPR farce, the initial reaction of most Chelsea supporters was; “you must be kidding?” Indeed, initially even the player making the accusation, Anton Ferdinand seemed unsure whether he had been abused or not, taking a full two days to figure it out (or ‘consult’ as the media kindly worded it).

Terry himself offered an immediate explanation, that he had been responding to Ferdinand’s own accusation that he had used a racist term by telling him; “I didn’t call you a black c**t.”

It seemed a clear case of misunderstanding which would soon be cleared up and, in the wake of Foygate, was probably not the most pressing matter that the FA should investigate.

Not so. While the performance (or lack of) of Chris Foy remains uninvestigated, the FA quickly launched into an investigation into Terry’s alleged racially abusive comment. JT himself welcomed the investigation as an opportunity to clear his name.

He has far more confidence in the FA than I do. After their ignoring of Foygate and ensuing silence over van Persie’s (apparent) nazi salute of last weekend it has appeared to many that the powers that be at Lancaster Gate have it in for us Blues. Right now, I wouldn’t have any confidence in them investigating a spat in a nursery, much less a serious (for that is what it is) allegation!

For whatever reason, John Terry seems to be one of the nation’s least favourite citizens (outside SW6 anyway) and the public, led by the media, have been quick to denounce the England skipper and to pronounce guilt.

I was therefore pleased to hear this morning’s news that the Metropolitan Police are investigating the matter and the FA’s inquiry will, as a result, be put on hold. This is good news for everyone concerned, an investigation by trained investigators not anti-Chelsea buffoons.

Now we must let the investigation take its course. I would hope that if JT is cleared there will be a flood of apologies, not least from Ferdinand, QPR and the media, plus an investigation into the false allegations. I won’t hold my breath though. But what if the pendulum of justice swings the other way? What if JT is guilty? I don’t really want to consider that as a possibility, I have met John Terry on a number of occasions and I like him. But….if that is the case then he should be heavily punished.

There should be no place in a civilised society for damaging false accusations or for racism.

Anton Fedinand, you know what you are. John Terry, you also know what you are. Innocent? Guilty? False accuser? Racist?

The rest of us are holding our breath while the Met find which is which!

KTBFFH

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly – A Blue Analysis

Was it really only six days? Six days which have included Foygate, defeat at Loftus Road, a win but at a stretch and with another red card, the CPO vote and home defeat to Arsenal. I don’t know about you but I don’t know how many six day periods like that one I can take!

Time to hit the pause button, time to analyse where we are, what we’ve got and what we lack.

Obviously we are not on the FA’s favourite’s list. Foygate was shocking as was the FA’s failure to investigate and the media’s total disinterest in exploring why not. Although today’s ref was better (he had to be), questions still need asking, not least how Szczesny’s foul with the scores at 2-2 warranted any less punishment than Bosingwa’s far more innocuous one of last week. A game changer without doubt but what might be of more interest will be (I predict) the total silence from both FA and media over van Persie’s Nazi style salute to the Arsenal supporters after his second goal. Both the foul and the salute would be major talking points had Chelsea players been responsible for either.

But what of the internal; the manager and the squad at Chelsea?

My intention here is to take a fans eye view of some of what we have and to suggest where change is needed. Of course, not everyone will agree but a good discussion would be healthy.

Starting at the top with Andre Villa Boas, I was amazed to hear some Chelsea supporters on the platform at Football Broadway after the game today suggesting that he should go. My own view was (and is) that he should never have been given the job in the first place, however now he is here we should give him at least two seasons to shape the team in his image – unless things really go tits up!

Why did I think he shouldn’t have got the job? Experience. Not lack of experience based on age, I believe his success speaks for itself. What I questioned was his experience of dealing with adversity; for the manager we employed last summer has never had to manage a team through a ‘sticky patch’ and we therefore have no Way of knowing how or if he will cope when such a patch inevitably comes along. Mistake made, he has the job, let’s stick with him.

The defence has looked shaky all season and I’m sure I’m not alone in getting through more than my share of finger nails watching our defensive frailties thus far this season. Work is needed on tactical positioning not just in the defence but in a midfield which has, at times, left the back four woefully exposed. Remember 2005 and how we defended as a whole team? It seems a long time ago!

Other than that, we don’t look too bad! We play some nice flowing, attacking football. But is it winning football? Draw comparisons with Arsenal’s last Premiership away scalp (Blackpool) and you can soon see that such football should not be mistaken for good football and certainly not for successful football!

On the player front, we have more than a few passengers.

Top of most people’s passenger list seems to be Salomon Kalou and I don’t disagree but I made my feelings on Kalou clear earlier this month (‘Salomon Kalou? You’re Having A Laugh!). Today I want to look at some of the other components either not up to scratch or perhaps getting past their sell by date.

Top of my list is Jose Bosingwa. At times he looks quite stylish, he looks great going forward and has even been known to deliver a mean cross on occasion but Bosingwa is a right back and in that role he is perhaps average at best. Defensively he is often caught out of position, frequently loses his man and is not definitely not the world’s best tackler. It is time he was moved on and a replacement found. The club’s best right back is probably Ivanovic but he was needed in the middle today and the second best right back we have is out injured and, anyway, Michael Essien is of far greater value in midfield. Paulo Ferreira? Great servant but at this stage of his career no more than useful squad player. The right back slot has needed addressing for some time and must be sorted out in January, although I fear that will already be far too late to save this season. Not AVB’s fault, Ancelotti had two years to address it and failed, AVB has merely inherited it.

The next player in my sights might be more surprising; John Obi Mikel. Although he is regularly among the top passers in the Opta stats, he has failed to fill the role of holding midfield player adequately. His pass completion ratio may be north of 85% but of real concern is how many of the 15% are in critical areas of the pitch. The stats look good but the reality is he has a habit of leaving our back four exposed. His tackling is suspect too, on occasion looking great then seconds later clumsy. A genuine holding midfield player needs to be high on AVB’s January shopping list.

The paucity of defensive cover is highlighted by the above two players’ shortcomings and the lack of viable alternatives. Yes, Michael Essien is out and yes we do have four good centre backs (when David Luiz concentrates) but the weakness at right back and in front of the back four will inevitably leave us exposed several times a game.

Holding position aside, our midfield looks stronger than last season when it was the long term injuries to Lampard and Essien which, in my opinion, undid our campaign. Or, more accurately, the lack of genuine, quality cover. This season Ramires has looked improved, Lampard is getting back to his best (but will need more rests as he ages), Meireles is a bargain and, erm, well, Essien aside that’s it. Cover is provided by promising youngsters in the shape of McEachran and Romeu but they will need easing in to gain experience. Mata can play deeper than he has been but, In short, we are still short in the middle of the park and realistically only an injury or two away from real problems.

Up front, Kalou must go. Drogba, much though we have loved him, has had his best days and Anelka is a shadow of his former self. Malouda continues to lack consistency looking world class one minute and non-league the next (okay, a bit harsh but you understand my sentiment). Sturridge is definitely one for the future and is becoming one for now and, today aside, Torres is starting to look a little bit more like, well, Fernando Torres! I like the look of Lukaku but like McEachran and Romeu, he will need time.

Then there is Juan Mata. Sublime. By far the signing of the summer.

So, who should be shown the door?

Kalou, Bosingwa and Mikel; thank you but good bye. You are not Chelsea class.

Drogba and Anelka; thanks for the memories, it’s been a privilege to watch you play but your time has passed.

Desperately needed?

A decent right back and a world class holding midfield player plus another midfield player of quality to bolster squad size and strength.

Add to that a better coached team (not just back four) defensively and we aren’t a million miles away from where we need to be.

Without? I don’t think it’s good. My preseason prediction last season was that we would struggle to qualify for the Champions’ League. That we did qualify was down to Arsenal and Liverpool’s woeful performances rather than any quality of our own. This season we need to improve considerably or start preparing for the Europa League (or worse). The starting point in personnel is at right back and holding midfield and in coaching terms is to again start defending as a team.

KTBFFH

An Open Letter To Bruce Buck

Dear Bruce,

You have let yourself and our club down. You have deliberately ignored the genuine concerns of a number of Chelsea supporters. You have been shown to be manipulative in your dealings with the club’s support. You have failed in your responsibility to the club (and fans) as a member of the board. You have lost the confidence of the fans. It is time to do the honourable thing and resign.

By portraying the key issue of yesterday’s CPO shares vote as an issue of moving from Stamford Bridge to a new ground you missed the point completely and ignored the many voices very publicly trying to tell you that was not the case. Many of those who voted ‘no’ (including me) believe that a move from Stamford Bridge is inevitable, we just didn’t hear any evidence from you and your board as to why we should entrust you with the freehold of Stamford Bridge (and thereby the club’s future safety) to do so.

You tried to manipulate fans by painting the matter as that one issue; for or against moving. You even sank so low as to use Matthew Harding’s name in your campaign, apparently in full knowledge of his continued popularity among the Blue faithful thereby hoping to manipulate votes. Shame on you; it is to the credit of our fans that so many saw through you.

The main concern all along has been safeguarding the future security of Chelsea Football Club, something you are naive enough to believe that the presence of Roman Abramovich somehow secures. How little you know of the club’s history and how a previous owner, known to have the club’s best interests at heart passed away and the club fell into the hands of less interested parties. Or perhaps, since you like using Matthew Harding’s name, you will recall how suddenly and unexpectedly fate can strike? That during all of your campaign of spin and misinformation you have not once been able to point to the board’s plans for continuity to safeguard against future events or to demonstrate any meaningful succession planning shows you to be an incompetent Chairman leading an incompetent board. This is basic business planning and given the club’s history, anyone with any knowledge of the club would recognise the need for such plans.

As a result of your manoeuvrings of the past three weeks, what credibility you had among Chelsea fans has gone. You have shown yourself to lack basic business skills, to be manipulative and to be uninterested in the views of Chelsea supporters.

Please, show a little integrity, do the right thing and resign.

Yours,

Carefree_Blue@Yahoo.Co.UK

PS. I personally find your comments in yesterday’s television interviews in which you painted yourself as a long-time fan particularly distasteful. We were not born yesterday and many of us have been following the Blues since the days you thought football was a game played by people in padding with an egg shaped ball. We will be here long after you depart too. Please make that soon.

Resolving The Chris Foy Issue

It’s been a very big week for everyone who shares our Blue persuasion, and it’s not even Friday yet!

First we had Sunday. Plenty has already been written about the events during and after the game at Loftus Road and I’m adding my little bit below. But first, don’t we need a catchy phrase ending in ‘gate’ to describe the day? Isn’t that the way these days? How about ‘Hoopgate’ or ‘Racial abuse gate’?

No, I don’t like them either. Okay, let’s try ‘Antongate’ or ‘QPRfullofshitgate’? Still not doing it?

Well, I’m going to settle on ‘Foygate’ but I’ll come back to that in a mo because Sunday’s events turned out only to be Act One. The second act came at Goodison Park last night. I couldn’t make it up to the former City of Culture (?) and couldn’t find a live feed either so had to settle for Iain Dowie on Sky Sports News. Another red card, extra time and another failure to keep a clean sheet but at least we’re through.

Act Three came this afternoon with the CPO vote and the club failing to achieve (by 14%) the margin they required to win the vote. I say win, but this has been a process with no winner. Let’s hope the club will now listen to genuine concerns instead of ignoring fans and spinning irrelevancies.

But back to Foygate.

Was it me or did the media really just let it go, ignoring the worst refereeing performance I have seen in over forty years of watching football at all levels?

As the news rolled in that AVB was to be charged for his comments, the club was to be charged for failing to control our players, John Terry is being charged for abusing someone who took two days to figure out whether it was abuse or not……and so on. The theme has been clear and consistent; whatever happened it was all Chelsea’s fault.

Christ, I’ve been waiting for a knock on the door because I once wore a Chelsea shirt visiting a mate at MacKay House on White City, I mean, inciting a riot or what!

Seriously, what I’ve really been waiting (and waiting and waiting) for is the news that the FA is to investigate Chris Foy’s performance. But no; nothing.

The FA can fine the club and fine AVB (and no one doubts they will, there is no innocent until proven guilty here), but who is policing the FA’s performance? Who fines the FA when they fail to deal with refereeing of such a poor standard most park teams would have walked off the pitch in disgust?

Wait a minute though. There is a group of people who have a louder voice than they realise and who can ‘fine’ the FA. This group of people have the ability to hit the FA in the pocket until they start to take their responsibilities seriously. I’m one of them and, if you’re reading this, you probably are too.

I’m talking about the fans, that huge army of down trodden folk without whom the game could not even exist.

What can we do? Well, here is what I suggest. We boycott ALL officially licenced FA products. That simply means not buying England shirts and other merchandise until they agree to investigate Foygate, i.e. to act as if they actually are responsible for the game in England.

It might not cost them millions but it will make the point.

If they then don’t investigate we can make the point further by producing our own range of T-shirts, branded something like; ‘Supporting England - Not The FA!’

Foygate was not just a bad day at the office for the ref it was (and I make no apology for repeating this) the single worst performance by a referee I have witnessed in over forty years of watching football at all levels.

Given the way the FA and (by their silence) the media have abdicated their responsibility, if we don’t act; who will?

I’m starting today with a stand of one, will you join me?

I SUPPORT ENGLAND – NOT THE FA!

KTBFFH