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Poe
That's the same reason Man Utd are so dominant this year though.
Henry Mears
Tactically speaking, I've never been a fan of Rafa Benitez either. He's always been a very organized manager, something that the man deserves credit and respect for. He's not very flexible though, and like Andre Villas-Boas before him, he tends to try too hard to fit players into roles instead of designing a system to maximize the talent he has available. This pattern can clearly be seen by looking at his transfer record at Liverpool. He was in charge for six seasons, easily long enough to adapt his system to some of his available players. Still, he averaged thirteen signings per year as he attempted to find players that fit his system as opposed to adapting his system to fit the available (and talented) players.
This problem was still clearly evident when he was in charge at Inter. He took over a side that Jose Mourinho had looking unstoppable, and turned them into a mid-table side in a very mediocre Serie A. He did this in a matter of months. What was most disturbing about it was his insistence on playing the same 4-2-3-1 he always does, despite the fact that his personnel were seemingly very poorly suited for it. Again with Rafa Benitez, the system was put in place without consideration of the players, and his very public insistence on a massive January overhaul was the main reason he was sacked only months into his reign.
There is also the question of his resume, and his qualification for this job. The official Chelsea website laid out a glowing read about his past, but frankly it's a lot of fluff. He did some fantastic things in Spain around the turn of the century, but there haven't been a lot of notable achievements since landing at Liverpool. Yes, he guided the team to an FA Cup and Champions League in his six seasons in charge but the man he's replaced won Chelsea the same two trophies in about ten weeks.
He didn't have the spending power that our previous managers had, but he still managed to spend £226 million in his time at the Liverpool. That's enough money that he should have manged more than a single season where they legitimately challenged for a domestic title, especially given that he inherited a squad with several core players already in place. He didn't though, finishing with under seventy points in half of his seasons in charge (and twice finishing outside of the top four).
Jamieandhisego
Yeah, but the Man City of now are as good as the Chelsea of that season.
Poe
The Platypus
Still a team that scored 103 goals in the league and had Drogba and Lampard at their best.
I think the 10/11 season showed a weak Premier League more than any other season. Utd won it with 80 points, Chelsea finished 2nd despite a horrific run from November till February.
chokosc
He really shouldn't have come. It was obvious that no one will stand behind him, and if you ask me, rightly so. All he did since he joined was show us why he shouldn't have been chosen for the job. Abramovich probably won't give him a new contract, especially if he has a little bit of brain left in him. I want Moyes to come but I know that because of how smart he is he won't. We need someone with a brain, not someone that makes one substitution when we are shit, keeps starting the same shit striker, over and over again, as well as not changing his style of play.
So yes, we did play some horrible football under dM but it worked.
jumberto
Poe
Henry Mears
Would Alex Ferguson be accepted as Liverpool manager...
Henry Mears
Great news
Poe
If they weren't complete morons...yes.
You accepted Ashley Cole as a player from Arsenal - why should a manager be any different?
Carroll.
K3V0
Henry Mears
Ashley Cole didn't slate our club and the fans supposed lack of passion.
Fantastic
Henry Mears
As do most teams.
Jamieandhisego
Which is a separate issue, and thus irrelevant.
Henry Mears
Thanks for clearing that up, what would I do without you??
jumberto
Henry Mears
Probably.
ShortSharpShock
Telegram Sam
bluemoon.
I was delighted to see Fat Frank miss his penalty too. It would have been his 200th Chelsea goal if I'm not mistaken.
Telegram Sam
Yup. Still on 199.
ShortSharpShock
I haven't got a bad word to say about Lampard, just an unfortunate miss. Ramires should have done better though when we hit you on the counter attack.
I was really impressed with Kolo and Nastasic today though, I thought they would of been your weak link.
bluemoon.
Telegram Sam
ShortSharpShock
rossiheslopi
Looking at the Chelsea line up anything could happen
ShortSharpShock
Happy to see Nathan Ake in the starting line-up tonight.