Chelsea

[Bob Singleton]

What? wrote:

> Hmmm, what about Ranieri for Liverpool?
>

Not a bad idea... I hear Heskey's fed up of playing left midfield... under CR he might find himself playing as a central defender! lol

[WillieBo]

Try and separate Ranieri as a man (he can't NOT fail to look like a nice guy when seen as the eternal victim) and Ranieri the coach/manager. As the latter, he ain't never won very much and has had a 'chequered' career in Europe.

The strength of the Chelsea team is either English/Irish (Terry, Lampard, Duff) or those that have been at Chelsea pre-Russian mafia (Gallas, Melchiot, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen). Whether he had any say in whose signed or not is not the issue. He just never seems to know what team to play or how they should. For an hour last night they looked pretty comfortable. Then, totally tits up.

The really interesting thing is not Ranieri (paid off with c.?6m and into another desparate club's doors) but :

1. Who's the new manager to be ?

2. What players will be leaving ?

3. What players are signing ?

[Bob Singleton]

WillieBo wrote:

SNIP

>
> 1. Who's the new manager to be ?
>
> 2. What players will be leaving ?
>
> 3. What players are signing ?
>


1. I don't think even PK and RA know the answer to that one yet. If Ranieri does go (which looks ever more likely with each passing day) I'd be happy with either Capello or Martin O'Neil.

(If O'Leary spent ?90 million at Leeds, just imagine how much he'd spend with RA's chequebook! )

2. Petit (out of contract and has said he wants to leave), probably Melchiot (also out of contract).

As to who else leaves, that depends on who the manager is next season.

I think Desailly may also leave (1 year left on his contract but starting to creak... definately third choice behind Terry and Gallas).

If Forssel returns from being on loan at Birmingham then one of the other strikers will have to go... possibly JFH as he's the oldest and despite his hat-trick against Wolves just hasn't done enough on the few ocassions he's played. He was woeful last night, for instance... never seemed as if he wanted to get involved. He was partly to blame for the 2nd Monaco goal... missed the header, and instead of being alert and tracking back allowed the quick short goal kick that started the move that led to the goal.

Personally I've not been convinced by Veron, Makelele or Geremi, so I wouldn't be upset to see them go.

There's been talk of Babayaro going to Spurs (but we'd need to bring in cover at left back if he does go).

Zenden, who has been on loan at Middlesborough, may be another one surplus to requirements, and I'm not sure how long Joe Cole will accept the bit-part role he has played this season. Do we really need Smertin? To be honest though, I've been more impressed with his performances at Portsmouth than Makelele's with us.

I wouldn't want to see either Mutu or Crespo go. Mutu has been desperately unlucky, and when he plays he gives his all. He's also more creative than either Crespo or JFH. Like Mutu, I think we'll see the real Crespo next season. Gudjohnsen MUST stay and Forsell must return.

3. Robben has signed for next season from PSV, as has Petr Cech, the 22 year old Czech international goalkeeper. As to who else may arrive will again depend on who the manager is next season.

However, I believe we need a proper right sided midfielder to add balance to Duff/Robben on the left. If they could also take good corners and free kicks it would help (I reckon we've possibly dropped at least 5/6 points from not having someone like Zola who could be guaranteed to deliver a good set piece ball). Am I talking Beckham here??? He certainly ticks all those boxes.

Possibly a commanding (and quick) center back as a replacement for Desailly. Huth is OK, but slow. Terry is slightly faster than Huth but has good positioning and anticipation to make up for his lack of speed. Gallas is quick.

So with 2 already signed, I don't think we need more than 2 others to replace a few departing players.

My ideal starting line-up for next season:


Cudicini/Cech

Johnson Gallas/Samuel Terry Bridge

Beckham Parker Lampard Duff/Robben

Crespo Gudjohnsen

Subs: Cech/Cudicini, Samuel/Gallas, Cole, Mutu, Forsell

[Ace]

I see Bob speaks sense.
Im still shell shocked after last night and will be the first to say that the club should sack Makelele after he has brought shame on the club.
To go? Ambrosini/Macho/Sullivan/Babayaro/Desailly/Melchiot/Gronkjaer/Zenden/Hasselbaink/Cole (Carlton, NOT Joe)/ Geremi/Veron/Makelele are the likely contenders..........according to fans I speak to who are 'in-the-know'. I would like to see Adrian Mutu and Hernan Crespo stay as Bob says, they DO work hard.
Expect Forsell back from Birmingham and more starts for Robert Huth

[WillieBo]

As an outsider, I'm not hugely impressed with Crespo. But Mutu does work hard. He just doesn't score goals. The best finisher is Forsell, who I'm sure would love to go back - providing he can play in the first team. If he gets a good offer elsewhere, he'll be gone. Gudjohnsen is excellent.

And therein lies the rub - there are simply too many players to keep happy at the club over and above the usual foreign mercenaries. Ferguson and Wenger don't use that many players unless they have to or are actively looking to rebuild from newer stock.

Why buy Robben when you've got Duff who's been the ONLY Chelsea player to really scare other teams this year. Duff won't be happy and may decamp to United or Liverpool in the summer. He's reported as saying the signing of Robben was 'a kick in the face'.

Joe Cole ? Aston Villa ? United ? He's surely not going to be that patient, especially if he's behind a pecking order of Makalele, Geremi and Veron. After all, this is someone with talent and a real desire and ambition to play for his country. He won't realise that in the reserves.

Why buy Walter Samuel when the Gallas/Terry partnership is as good as in the Premiership ? And at the moment Melchiot is a far better defender than Johnson.

And finally, what impact would a new manager have on the playing personnel ? He will have his own views on players and tactics and will obviously have the money.

The rumour about Fabio Capello is that he won't be interested as he always insists on almost complete control over player transfer (and lots of other commercial) activity. He couldn't get it after a highly successful year at Real Madrid in 96-97 so he walked out on them. McLaren ? Mourinho ? (He may be off to Real Madrid). Martin O'Neill ? (Is he waiting for Liverpool ?).

[Bob Singleton]

Firstly in answer to Ace... Carlton Cole has another season on loan at Charlton (part of the deal that brought Parker to the Bridge).


What's wrong with wanting Samuel (though maybe Ayala would be even better)? We need a replacement for Desailly. Huff is a good youngster, but not as good as Terry was at the same age. If either Terry or Gallas are injured I'd rather see someone of the calibre of Samuel replacing them. Furthermore, he may be one of the few top class central defenders available, given Roma's precarious finances.

I don't think Melchiot is that bad either, but I think Johnson will be given more starts next season (whoever is the manager) with a view to him being the established right full back for years to come. With his contract ending soon and no sign of any talks (unlike with Gronkjaer) I think Melchiot may leave.

Ranieri's position has always been two "champions" in every position, and given the money available I don't see any replacement manager straying too far from that sentiment.

Going back to those who may leave, I reckon two out of the following three 'keepers; Sullivan, Macho and Ambrosio (with Cudicini and Cech fighting for top spot and Pidgley and Makaba-Makalamby[18] staying)

[Deuce Bigolo]

Given the ridiculous amount of games that these guys have to play
2 players for every position would seem to be logical or you take the Man U tack and rest your star players during the Cup games and play your reserves

cheers
B....OZ