I'm staggered by AVB saying he doesn't need the backing of the players-just the chairman. I mean....I hope he's joking. What a way to undermine your players. What a way to lose the dressing room. By saying that it's like saying "I don't value your opinion or what you think". Yes players may have too much say sometimes-but to undermine or undervalue them like that is just suicidal. Very stupid thing to say in my opinion.
I'm also a big fan of Carlo. Carlo had the chance, and also bottled making the hard choices. Every manager except AVB has done the same.
Great he did the double, but at no point was Carlo thinking 3 years ahead.
Next season, hence point of gradual adjustment. Lampard shouldn't be starting in a Chelsea 4-2-3-1 any more than he should in an England 4-2-3-1. The experienced players that are unwilling or unable to adapt, are surplus to requirement, that his thinking and rightly so. He cannot worry about unwavering players who have maybe 18 months, when he is planning for the longer term not just for newer challenges, but a template for youth to work into. In AVB Chelsea have a manager who can build a proper legacy, and that is more important than the likes of John Terry
When you listen to the interview, its clear he is referring to a select few. This has become apparent on the pitch. He trusts the likes of Mata far more than the old guard. Roman has a decision to make, and I'd pick AVB
He wasn't thinking three years ahead because he wasn't given the chance. If Roman had come out saying his job was safe for the next few years Carlo could've easily planned ahead. He was waht, 8 years in charge of Milan? And he won pretty much everything in that period. IMO it was a bad call for both parties - AVB could've learned a lot from a second season at Porto as well.
I'm also a big fan of Carlo. Carlo had the chance, and also bottled making the hard choices. Every manager except AVB has done the same.
Great he did the double, but at no point was Carlo thinking 3 years ahead.
I remember reading an article about how AVB doesn't give instructions to Mata, but has long chats with him instead. Can't seem to find it now...
Found it. Chelsea play clever when Juan Mata is central to their plans | Michael *** | Football | guardian.co.uk
Mata is slightly different. Villas-Boas rarely shouts to him, but often calls him over for a much longer chat, as if discussing a full-blown change in manifesto rather than a modification in policy. Mata may never be the right kind of player to be Villas-Boas's captain – and this week of all weeks, you won't get many people at Chelsea wanting to discuss the subject of captaincy – but he is unquestionably the face of Villas-Boas's Chelsea.
He sees him and the likes of Romeu etc, as the new face of Chelsea, and players like Terry dont like it.
Personly i think Lamps can play in a 4-2-3-1 but you have to reshuffle. One thing which hasen't been talked about is Ramires's contrabution to the side especially playing on the right in a front 3. He did it away at Wolves and was our best player and done it in the last 30mins against Pompey and scored 2 from it. Lamps with Essien or Mikel this season in that 2 i think would work very well. I agree about keeping a manager for a good period of time but not if i don't believe he is the right man for the job. I think he has got this job too soon in his career, managing Chelsea is a lot harder than managing most clubs in the world especially with the players we have.
But he has dropped Romeu in the last month or so for no real apparent reason. He was playing really well but fancies Meireles over him for some reason.
You doont shuffle your entire side for one player, and Lampard is incredily average in a 4-2-3-1. He is not positionally disciplined enough to be in the 2, loves to break forwards far too often
Romeu has started 2 of the last 4 league games, and its coincided with the return of EssienBut he has dropped Romeu in the last month or so for no real apparent reason. He was playing really well but fancies Meireles over him for some reason.
1) way too early to judge a manager, judging anyone after lesson than season, when he hasnt even had the change to make the changes he needs is foolhardy
2) Hindsight is a wonderful thing
3) Carlo doesnt need to be told, he should have been looking to do that moment he arrived, doesnt need to hear from Roman to get on with it. AVB has started it, right from the start and under greater pressure, Carlo bottled the chance.
Maybe wrong but heard that Romeu's agent made noises about wanting to return to Barca, so AVB has dropped him. Maybe bs, I dont know credibility of the statement.
But this shuffle would also get the best out of Mata who can be played in the middle of the 3 and even with Lamps out you can play Romeu alongside Essien.
"Will Romeu return? His dream before leaving was to be a Barcelona player and that still stands, but we cannot ignore the opportunity Chelsea have provided," his agent Javier Magico Diaz said.
"We'll have to see if it's appropriate for the club and the player (to return to Barca).
We need to know if he'll keep developing at Chelsea and playing.
"Maybe it will be more convenient to stay for another year and then return in 2013."
He added: "Oriol has made a name for himself in the Premier League and is playing regularly.
"We're committed to the club and we cannot leave them hanging."
Romeu has started 2 of the last 4 league games, and its coincided with the return of Essien
You then get a chronic lack of width, not mention, as effective as he was wide, Ramires is even better in the middle. In a 4-2-3-1 he is superior to Lampard