CFC Blabs: Bad times

They say form is temporary and class is permanent, but two months is not a short time and the class was no where to be seen. 1 win in the last 9 games saw the club chances of retain the league title is fading or realistically said, gone. The reason for the poor showing and performance of the whole squad is unanswerable, to say all the players and Carlo Ancelotti turning into a bad players or manger is irrelevant and incomprehensible. Certainly the confident is at the minimum and the club is dropping like a stone.

Dont fix it if its not broken... Roman, a good man he is to the club (wouldnt swap him with other owners) for certain didnt learn his lesson. He should learn what happen to the club when we part company with the Special One. It takes us 3 managers and 3 seasons to win back the Premierleague crown after two successive title under Jose. Coincident or not, the bad run started after Ray Wilkins was axed without any firm reason.

Maybe its time to evaluate the situation and lower down the club expectation. Not raising the white flag after only midway through the season, but the gap with United is too big even an optimist wouldnt bet his house on us. A top four finish is all i'm hoping for and seems more realistic. Looking the dreadful time as a blessing in disguise. Maybe the backbone and the likes of JT,FL,DD has reached their peak last term. Hopefully we can get back to our winning ways, secure the top four finish and use this as a sign for us to recruit or prepare the younger players who will have to step up in the near future. KTBFFH



What we've missed 24 Nov 2010 - 15 Dis 2010

The funny thing about football... it will effect what you do at home, at the office or when you're just trying to relax. It certainly effected me. Almost a month since i last wrote something on here, trying to run away from football huh. The pass few weeks see a lot of interesting and some can be said controversial happening  across the football globe and its very hard for me to ignore it, i'll try to express my view on the event in one post.

Chelsea dismal form
3 point from a possible 15, no win in the last 5 matches and averaging 0.6 goal per game certainly not a championship winning form. The goals has dried up, the performance far from inspiring and the pressure is building on Carlo. Coincident or not, the dip of form came after the shocking dismissal of Ray Wilkins by the club. RW for me is a true legend and play a major part in last season triumph, his dismissal was a shocked and until date, the true reason behind this is still unknown. No man is bigger than the club... what ever the reason is, the matter for me should be handle better by the club and RW has been harshly threated. Thank you Ray Wilkins for the pass and we wish you the best for the future.

The injury problems can be the excuse to condone the poor form of late. Yes, we lost JT, Alex, FL, Zhirkov Essien and having to play the not 100% fit DD the last couple of months. The good start certainly help, if not, we may be trailing the leaders by more points. We have a few of these players coming back, the hugely miss FL played a few minutes last weekend against Spurs, finger cross lets hope we can put our season back on track, and what a way to do it by winning against leaders Man Utd this coming weekend. For me, the poor form may be blessing in disguise. We need to spend in the January transfer window and the club should start scouting for replacement for the aging JT, FL and  DD.

2018 and 2022 World Cup host
The host for the 2018 and 2022 has been announced and congratulation to Russia and Qatar for winning the bid. The announcement didn't came without dispute and conspiracy. The English certainly frustrated not winning the bid after putting much effort and i surely can understand their frustration not getting the nod. Having advanced footballing technologies, stadia and facilities... last hosting the event in 1966 and having one of the most passionate and fanatical fans in the world, no wonder most of those who follow the game were leaving scratching their head on the result. Putting aside on bribery, oil money and rich nation, FIFA reason of broadening the game to new countries seems reasonable. Somebody got to lose.

Hughton & Big Sam Shocking Sacking 
Every season the bookies will have the odds on the first manager casualty. After the first 3 month of the season, names of Roy Hodgson, Mancini even Ancelotti has rise and tip to get the axed. After Newcastle achievement to bounce back straight to the Premier League last season and a reasonable start to this one, the termination of Chris Hughton from his position was a surprise to all. One week after that, another shocking dismissal, Big Sam was remove from his position after a good start to the season considering his limited budget. Lost for word on this one, whatever it is, football is certainly a cruel game and having rich, lunatic and insane people like Mike Ashley and the new Blackburn owners in the game certainly doesn't  make it better.

Oppss... too much football for today... i'll write back after we beat United this weekend. KTBFFH

Injury - Overpaid Overplayed Millionaires?

Chelsea manage to secure top spot in their Champions League group last night by beating whipping boys Zilina 2-1. Not the scoreline i expected, although Carlo did ring a few changes with few youngsters given the chance, i do think whoever start for Chelsea we should have beaten Zilina by a more bigger margin and keeping clean sheet. But considering the problems the club face the pass few weeks and the recent poor result in the league, it was still a good win. A much needed victory to build back the confidence.

Missing big players through injury for me was the main reason for the sudden dip of form. I cant recall any other season that we miss so many players due to injuries. An injury crisis that doesn't look to end soon, every week there seem to be a player out. Chelsea with a high average age of players might be a factor that we've had one of the most huge injury list among the other BPL clubs, but that wasnt the case at all. It seems that other team had a few injury problem as well. Rooney, v.Persie, Gerrard, Vermalaen, Fabregas, Torres, v.Der Vaart are just few names from the bigger clubs that had or still have injury concerns this season and its only November, not even halfway through the season.

I don't think its a coincident that the injury trouble facing clubs early this season is due to the summer World Cup in Africa. After a long hard season last term, players then join their respective country for training and a month long of competition. Though they did have their holiday and much needed rest after the tournament, most of them reported back to their clubs late meaning a short pre season to gain full fitness. This raise the issue, are the players overplayed? The early season schedule also not too kind to the players. League matches on weekends, domestic cups, Europeans games and useless international friendlies adding to the hectic list of matches.

Some would say that the players are paid millions a year and ought to be playing as much games as they could whether for their club of country. But certainly if this injuries situation continue and  the summer international tournament proven to be the cause, something should be done at least for the season after the World Cup or Euro. A delayed start to the season, cup competition or abolish the useless international friendlies which i think anyone would agree and can do without. We want to see the best players play every week, the injuries will be a lost to the club as well as the fans. Something to think about. ktbffh

v. Birmingham - Blame it on bad luck

Worrying times for Chelsea Football Club. Another defeat, the second in as many games has blown the tittle race wide open. After a very good start to the season, Chelsea form has dip drastically securing only 3 points from a possible 12 and scoring only once in the four games.

Yesterday performance was a better one compared to the Sunderland game, but still we couldnt break down the opponent who only manage to get one shot on target the whole game and still won. Chelsea on the other side have 16 corners, 32 goal attempts, 9 shots on target and was in control for much of the game. Bad luck and great goalkeeping from B'ham keeper Ben Foster was the different and turning point of the match. It was a defeat that is hard to take, a bitter pill to swollow for all those related to the club.

There are few fans that suggest the dismissal of assistant manager Ray Wilkins was the factor of the poor performance the past couple of weeks, but i hope it wasnt the case. For me, the injury crisis that see a few of our big players missing was the main reason for the blips. Certainly we miss the influence of JT, the creativity of FL, the strentgh and determination of ME. It will be a testing moments for the rest of Chelsea players the next few games, with the big guns still not available, its up to them to step up and perform to their max. And lets hope with a bit of luck we could put our season back on track. After a poor run of result the pass couple of weeks, we still sit top of the league, so not all was lost this weekend. KTBFFH.

Biggest miss in football history

Fahad Kalfan, take a bow son. You've done asian football proud. The biggest miss in footballing history for me, cant recall any worst then that. It seems that it is easier to score than to miss from his position, well at least we have something to remember and laught about.

Owhhh... its from the 2010 Asian Games quarterfinal match between Qatar and Uzbekistan. Fahad will be ruing his miss as the Uzbeks went on to win the match 0-1 in extra time.

v Sunderland - Awful and Dreadful

Whoever turn up against Sunderland at the Bridge yesterday, it wasnt the Champions. A very awful and dreadful performance by Chelsea see them beaten convincingly, conceding 3 and unable to score or evan creating clear cut chances, one of the worst football i seem them played at home. There was so much wrong in the game, i dont know where to start. Only goalkeeper Petr Cech can held his head up and certainly doesnt deserve to be on the losing side, if not for him, it could be worst, maybe it would have been a drubbing 5,6 goals defeat.

The backfour of Bosingwa, Ferreira, Ivanovic and Cole didnt look comfortable. It was a patch up centre back pairing with both Alex and Terry out, but playing a fullback in the centre of defence is clearly a mistake and maybe if Carlo have more faith in young Jeffry Bruma it could have been difference. As good as him going forward, Bosingwa defensive qualities was always a question mark and clearly his defensive game was asked for last night with a weakened cetreback pairing and he doesnt turn up. Cole made the blunder for Sunderland 3rd goal, but the game was already lost by that time. Clearly not the defending that see us recorded 9 clean sheet consecutively at the Bridge before the game.

The midfield is worst, maybe the main cause of the defeat. Mikel, Zhirkov, and Ramires clearly lost the battle in the middle of the park. The trio for me is too lightweight and doesnt make enough impact going forward. No penetrating run forward, no penetrating pass (only sideways and backward), too casual, no creativity, and cannot threat the Sunderland goal with long range effort. Certainly Essien and Lampard was miss, we need them back ASAP.

The forward just doesnt turn up and largly dissapointing. Drogba doesnt look himself, maybe not 100% fit yet, but too see him apologising and picking up opponent defender during the game clearly not the Drog i used to see who is strong, a menace in terrorising his opponent. The sub that come in, doesnt make any different and maybe some of the youngster is not ready to step up yet.

There are so many thing crossing my mind right now, lots of wrong in the performance, strategies and attitude of both the manager and players yesterday. i should stop now (cant bare the pain). Hope for better days next weekend. KTBFFH

v Liverpool - El Nino strike twice

Fernando Torres scored 2 well taken goals in the first half to ensure Liverpool revival continue after a very bad start to the season. Chelsea on the other hand suffered their second defeat in the league and was largly dissapointing especially in the first half. The Anfield crowd was magnificent, certainly the twelve man on the pitch. The atmosphere lifted the home side, the players respond showing their hunger and determination that wasnt visible in their previous matches.

A good manager he is, but i think Carlo made a very huge mistake yesterday by leaving Didier Drogba on the bench and starting with Malouda, Anelka, Kalou up front. Surely complacency was there in the Chelsea camp, the team was second best through out the first half and Liverpool showed that they want it more than the Chelsea players. With Essien missing due to injury, the Blues midfield and forward was lightweight and losing the 50-50 ball eventually the midfield battle. Only when DD came on in the second half, we've manage to get hold of the ball and threatening the Liverpool goal. Unfortunately for us, the Liverpool defend was tight and goalkeeper Reina was at his best.

Different from the defeat at Man City, Liverpool clearly deserve all 3 points considering the poor performance shown by Chelsea in the first half which i think where the game has been lost and Liverpool players manage to lift their performance for the game. The only positive i can think of right now is we have only 3 days to dwell on the defeat and poor performance. Midweek game against London rival Fulham coming up and i expect the team to bounce back with a good result and performance. KTBFFH