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The Chelsea thread 2006/07 - Champions

Philip Rolfe

By Philip Rolfe,
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Philip Rolfe

Philip Rolfe

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I could've sworn Sky gave it to Carrick

width wise, get Robben and Cole in and maybe Kalou here and there, but then who drops? Drogba needs Shevchenko in order to excel, so you're dropping two centre mids. Ballack and Maka?

No idea how to work it really.

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Poyplemonkeys

Poyplemonkeys

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ratinho:

Hey, sometimes you just have to hold your hands up, Cole was fantastic yesterday. Is he an AIDS infected testicle of a person? Yes, no doubt, but he was quite brilliant.

Essien his normal brilliant self, and a full 90 minutes of me and my mates debating a)Abramovich is picking Shevchenko, right? and b) play some width you f**wits, and you'll murder everyone!

Or don't, i'd prefer that. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

a) That was only Sheva's 2nd genuinely poor game imo. Everyone who's saying he's crap I'm guessing are just watching the MotD highlights or looks at the scoresheet and thinks omgz he didn't score again. Only missed 2 Chelsea matches this season and in every game Shevchenko's worked hard, created well dropping deep and complimenting Drogba perfectly. It's no coincidence that Drogba turns awesome alongside a world class striker. He was poor yesterday though icon_frown.gif

b) yes. Ballack out, Cole/Robben in. Cole imo due to Robben's recent not goodness and Cole is a mini-Brazilan.

Lampard had a good second half, motm for him though is ridiculous icon_biggrin.gif

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Poyplemonkeys

Poyplemonkeys

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I could've sworn Sky gave it to Carrick </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

They did but I think the official motm for the thats is taken from some website that analyses everything and then number crunches.

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ubos

ubos

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Juni:

I could've sworn Sky gave it to Carrick

width wise, get Robben and Cole in and maybe Kalou here and there, but then who drops? Drogba needs Shevchenko in order to excel, so you're dropping two centre mids. Ballack and Maka?

No idea how to work it really. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't think both Robben and Cole is needed. How about a midfield of Robben - Lampard - Makelele - Essien? How does Essien fare at right mid? Pretty sure he played there a couple of times before.

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Ratinho

Ratinho

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Never claimed Shevchenko was crap. I'm willing to bet folding money that you'd look a better side with Cole and Robben playing either side of Drogba. I've seen a lot of Shevchenko this season, and you're overhyping him just as much as others are going way over the top in criticism.

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Benoit2

Benoit2

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Ratinho:

I'm willing to chalk that down as debatable. Thought he was pretty immense at times last season, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That was when he was playing alongside Crespo. Not on his own.

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Walrus

Walrus

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Lampard MoTM????? Is someone taking the p1ss?

It's got to be Ashley or no-one really. Lamps was ordinary AGAIN. Ballack is the biggest luxury not needed purchase ever, and constantly adds nothing to the team at all,other than the ability to foul a lot.

I thought we were quite poor yeterday, even in the second half. It was just the tactics of the Special One that opened it up. We created bugger all chances (can you remember VDS making a meaningful save?). We were lucky that we almost intimidated United with our attitude that we got anything back.

Poor show from us IMHO.

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skybluedave

skybluedave

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Juni:

I could've sworn Sky gave it to Carrick

width wise, get Robben and Cole in and maybe Kalou here and there, but then who drops? Drogba needs Shevchenko in order to excel, so you're dropping two centre mids. Ballack and Maka?

No idea how to work it really. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Move Essien to right back?

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Poyplemonkeys

Poyplemonkeys

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Razzler:

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Matt Cavanagh:

is there an african cup of nations this season? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

nope </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

\o/ Drogba, Geremi, Essien, Kalou all staying.

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JonTheGTFCFan

JonTheGTFCFan

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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Razzler:

next one is in Ghana in 2008, i believe ... if anyone is taking note icon_biggrin.gif </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

It certainly means we can't afford the squad that we've got now - even if it is like 15 months down the line.

I think i'd play a 4-3-3 against Bolton and hope it doesn't affect Drogs' performance too badly. Robben and Cole in for Sheva and Ballack.

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Philip Rolfe

Philip Rolfe

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Gab Marcotti > *

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">

Money well spent?

Gabriele Marcotti, SI.com

People who say "I hate to say 'I told you so,'" are, generally, liars. Saying "I told you so" is wonderfully satisfying.

The reason I bring this up is because, when the possibility of AC Milan selling Andriy Shevchenko to Chelsea first came up last April, I wrote that letting Sheva go was good business. For my trouble, I was called "very stupid."

Well, who's "very stupid" now? Shevchenko is being pilloried by the English press as an expensive, over-the-hill dud. Admittedly, Milan isn't doing too well, but that's largely because it didn't reinvest the Shevchenko money to strengthen the squad -- though, that said, the Rossoneri still have Sheva's $60 million lying around.

It's open season on Shevchenko. People blame him for all of Chelsea's ills. My good friend and fellow pundit, former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland star Ray Houghton, went so far as to suggest that, when he's on the pitch, Chelsea might as well be "playing with 10 men."

As so often happens, the media has gone over the top in its criticism of Sheva. It's one thing to suggest that, for $60 million, signing the Ukrainian was probably not the best bit of business, mostly because of his age and hefty long-term contract. It's quite another to say he's finished.

With this in mind, it's time for someone to stick up for Sheva and make another bold prediction: He's not finished, he will come good and make a big contribution to Chelsea this season (though probably not enough to justify his price tag over the life of his contract).

Why? Consider the following points:

• It takes time to settle in the Premiership and the English press is notoriously poor at predicting how well someone will do. Just consider its assessments of some of Shevchenko's teammates in their first few months in the Premiership.

Claude Makélélé was crucified, with some clever ex-players complaining that "he only passes the ball sideways and gives you nothing offensively." (No, duh! That's his job!) Now they all love him.

Didier Drogba was considered an expensive, overpaid uncoordinated big lump with the delicate touch of a sledgehammer. Now they all love him.

Michael Essien was described as an undisciplined, pedestrian hacker. Now they all love him.

• Settling into the Premiership is made even more difficult by the fact that Shevchenko spent seven years at Milan where the training methods and style of play are radically different from Chelsea.

Milan's training regime is based on a lot of individual work without the ball. Everything is precisely measured and monitored. José Mourinho, on the other hand, does not believe in a running-based approach. Most of Chelsea's cardiovascular work is done in three-on-three scrimmages and things like that. It's not that one way is right and the other is wrong, it's just they are different and, for a professional athlete (especially one like Sheva who takes training very seriously) it's a big adjustment.

Milan plays a lower-paced attacking game based on a intricate short passing and movement. Chelsea plays a faster, more physical game with more long balls and running into space. It's not as if Shevchenko can't adapt to Chelsea's style (though it probably doesn't suit his strengths as much as Milan's), it's just that it will take time to do so.

• Shevchenko has been nowhere near as poor as some have suggested. If you actually watch Chelsea play in person, his movement and passing is very sharp and has been improving in the last month (with the exception of last Sunday's clash with Manchester United).

When he plays behind Drogba in Chelsea's 4-4-1-1, he is an excellent provider. Drogba scored 13 goals in his first 15 Premiership and Champions League appearances this season, which is exactly as many goals as he scored in those two competitions all season long last year. Surely, Drogba's flourishing as a legitimate scorer has something to do with the guy playing alongside him?

We in the media love to build people up and then knock them down. It's what we do and, evidently, it's Shevchenko's turn to be crucified. But that doesn't mean that, with a bit of common sense and some proper analysis, you can't get to the truth: which is that Sheva is not the $60 million dud some would have you believe.

</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

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kingcav

kingcav

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Cole agent fails to overturn ban

Agent Jonathan Barnett has lost his appeal against a ban and fine imposed for his role in the Ashley Cole tapping-up affair.

However Barnett has had his ban reduced from 18 months to 12 months, with eight months suspended.

The ban ends on 15 February, leaving Barnett unable to operate as a players' agent in the January transfer window.

A £100,000 fine imposed on him by a disciplinary commission on 26 September still stands.

Cole - then of Arsenal - and his agent Barnett met with Chelsea boss Mourinho, Peter Kenyon and agent Pini Zahavi at the Royal Park Hotel in London on 27 January 2005.

The England full-back later signed a new contract with Arsenal but moved to Chelsea in August after a summer of protracted negotiations between the two clubs.

Barnett denied any wrongdoing but the commission found two misconduct charges against him proved that he procured a breach of Premier League rule K5 regarding illegal approaches and that he was guilty of failing to respect the rights of a third party (Arsenal).

sounds alright. I bet he's rich.

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