Chelsea FC - Supporters' Rally

[joew2005]

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Hiddink: Chelsea need stability
July 30, 2011

Guus Hiddink has told Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich tat stability is needed @ Stamford Bridge & tat he should stop sacking managers when they don't bring immediate success.

Abramovich has made his 7th appointment in 7 years by bringing in former FC Porto coach Andre Villas-Boas & since the Russian billionaire took over in 2003, he has parted company with Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Hiddink himself & Carlo Ancelotti.

While Hiddink was the only coach not 2 be sacked - preferring instead 2 leave 4 an international role with Turkey - the Dutch boss says tat finding the right man 2 lead the side 4 many years is the most important thing; even if it wasn't him.

"If you look @ ManU, they r the example tat clubs need stability," said Hiddink, who won the FA Cup during 4 months as interim Blues boss in 2009. "Tis is wat Chelsea need as well. I hv told Roman tat & I think they r convinced as well now.

"Look @ the record of Carlo, he won the double. Of course, if you win the double & you go it is harsh. Carlo did well 4 the last 2 years but, hopefully, tis decision will bring success as well.

"They hv gone their way 2 sign the young, upcoming, promising coach fr Porto which is OK. Was I offered the Chelsea job? No, we didn't hv any contact abt the specifics of the job.

"I had my contract with Turkey but the president of the Turkish federation asked me abt the speculation. I replied: 'Mr President, if there is something I will come directly 2 you'. He said: 'Please don't think abt leaving', but I repeated there was nothing concrete &, in the end, he understood.

"When you hv been a national team manager 4 a few years, you often think, 'hey, I'd like 2 go on 2 the pitch every day'. But when you hv been with a club 4 a few years you think the opposite. At the moment, I love having the contact with the national team."

Asked if he would consider a return 2 Chelsea, Hiddink, 64, said: "I m getting older. As long as I feel the energy I will carry on but I cannot say 'I m going back, I 1 2 go back'. The future is difficult 2 predict."

Hiddink also played down suggestions tat the 33-year-old Villas-Boas 2 young 2 succeed @ a big club.

"When I was 33, I was an old man playing football," he said. "I was playing with George Best @ San Jose Earthquakes, he was my room-mate. I knew then I would become a manager becos I had my degrees & I was already working with disadvantaged kids.

"It is a very young age 4 Villas-Boas 2 be Chelsea's manager, but he has already proved @ Porto he is good. I started young, but not tat young. I was in charge of PSV when I was 41 or 42. Obviously tat is different 2 the Premier League, but you hv 2 give youth a chance.

"It depends on the quality of the manager & how he deals with senior players. Age does not hv 2 mean the players consider him as a brother. If they feel he is straightforward & has integrity, he will be fine.

"You can gain respect @ 33. On top of tat, English professional players like John Terry & Frank Lampard know wat is demanded. They take the lead, they respect the club.

"Fernando Hierro @ Real Madrid was another such player. When I was manager of Madrid there was an incident with 1 or 2 players. I had 2 solve the problem - but Hierro said: 'Let me do it'. He solved the problem & it is exactly the same with JT & Lampard. They know just wat is required @ Chelsea."

[joew2005]

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Blues struggling for midfielders
August 13, 2011

Andre Villas-Boas has admitted Chelsea could be left short of cover in midfield if injury strikes Frank Lampard again tis season.

Lampard was sidelined for 3 & a half months last term, his absence coinciding with the Blues' worst run in the league 4 almost 15 years. The England midfielder returned 2 help them go close 2 completing the greatest comeback in Premier League history, but they ultimately came up short & finished the campaign empty-handed.

Chelsea hv already lost 2 midfielders b4 the start of this season, with Yury Zhirkov returning 2 Russia & Michael Essien ruled out for 6 months with a serious knee problem. The man signed 2 fill the void, Oriol Romeu, is still on international duty with Spain @ the Under-20 World Cup & may not be available 4 selection until next month.

Chelsea hV also made 2 attempts 2 prise Luka Modric fr Tottenham but so far without success &, although Villas-Boas is happy with his squad going in2 his 1st competitive game in charge against Stoke on sunday, he acknowledged resources could easily become stretched.

"We r struggling with numbers in midfield," he said. "We hv Oriol still away @ the under-20s World Cup. He'll return late in August, so numbers r short."

Sunday's game is likely 2 see Chelsea line up with a 3-man midfield of Lampard, Ramires & John Obi Mikel, with Josh McEachran as back-up. Villas-Boas revealed he would also consider asking Yossi Benayoun or Florent Malouda 2 play more centrally if necessary.

"It's good enough 4 us tat the ppl we hv can play in those positions - we hv alot of versatility in midfield," he said. "Florent Malouda & Yossi can play number 8 or number 10, & tat gives us flexibility.

"That's why we're happy with the squad running in2 the Stoke game. All hv been playing @ a high level. In midfield, every1 has been performing well."

While Chelsea may hv a shortage of midfielders, the impending arrival of 18-year-old Romelu Lukaku fr Anderlecht would give them a surplus of strikers, though his signing has still not been officially confirmed.

"We're outlining details," Villas-Boas said. "Lukaku is 1 of those players we couldn't afford 2 lose becos of his potential.

"That's why we made a move in the market, although our team is competitive & competent enough in tat sector. Bearing in mind wat he's been doing 4 the last couple of years @ Anderlecht, we couldn't let tis boy escape."

Cpt John Terry said of his fellow Chelsea fanatic Lukaku: "I looked him up YouTube the other week. I heard the guys say tat he sleeps in his Chelsea shirt.

"4 me, some1 coming in like tat & caring abt the club fr day 1 is the ideal situation. We 1 players coming 4 the love of the club."

[joew2005]

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Terry concerned by rivals
August 11, 2011

Chelsea capt John Terry admits he is concerned by rival clubs' transfer activity tis summer & believes 6 or 7 teams will be challenging 4 the Premier League tis season.

Chelsea looked 2 hv the league title firmly in their sights last term but suffered a mid-season collapse b4 rallying 2 claim 2nd place, 9 points adrift of ManU. Terry believes Chelsea r strong enough 2 win their 4th Premier League title, but he believes the challenge will come fr all sides.

United remain the team 2 beat, with manager Sir Alex Ferguson bolstering his title-winning squad with the likes of Ashley Young, Phil Jones & 'keeper David de Gea, while Wesley Sneijder has been frequently linked with a move 2 Old Trafford.

Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has splashed out on Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam & Jordan Henderson, while ManC hv brought in Argentina striker Sergio Aguero.

Chelsea hv also spent money, but predominantly on their manager, with the Blues spending €15 million 2 buy Andre Villas-Boas out of his contract @ Porto. Romelu Lukaku looks set 2 become Chelsea's biggest purchase of the summer, having had 2 bids rejected 4 Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric.

"I'm worried abt alot of teams tis season," Terry said @ the official launch of the Premier League season. "Every1 has strengthened. ManC & ManU hv bought in some good players, Liverpool 2. There r 6 or 7 teams who can really push & hv a chance of winning the trophy.

"We can catch ManU. They hv been the benchmark for 20 years. We pushed them 2 the end last season but missed out. We all see their quality & hunger tat their manager have. It drives me on & seeing them lift the trophy still hurts 2 tis day. I 1 2 get my hands back on it."

[joew2005]

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Villas-Boas admits Drogba impasse
August 14, 2011

Andre Villas-Boas has revealed Didier Drogba & Chelsea r not completely seeing eye-2-eye over a new contract 4 the powerful Ivorian forward.

At 33, Drogba is 1 of the elder players in Chelsea's squad, & is seen as 1 of the most vulnerable when Villas-Boas begins 2 trim the average age @ the club.

Drogba has scored 95 league goals in 202 appearances 4 Chelsea, but his place in the starting XI is under severe pressure tis season. Fernando Torres begins his 1st full campaign @ Stamford Bridge, while Nicolas Anelka, Daniel Sturridge & imminent arrival Romelu Lukaku will all 1 important roles.

Drogba has entered in2 negotiations 4 a new deal, with his current agreement set 2 expire next year, but Villas-Boas revealed the Blues' latest offer was not totally 2 the veteran's liking.

"Didier knows abt our offers & he has made a counter-offer," revealed the Chelsea boss. "We r evaluating some things."

The Portuguese coach also displayed a hint of frustration with the latest batch of questions surrounding a renewed bid 4 Tottenham's Luka Modric. Chelsea hv already seen 2 approaches rejected, & Villas-Boas is growing tired of the situation.

"I explained 2 u the sense of urgency in midfield," said Villas-Boas, relating 2 previous comments abt Chelsea's lack of midfielders. "But it doesn't mean tat it's Luka. Not tat I'm interested, but you hv [Samir] Nasri terminating contract. He's 1 of the most exciting players in the Premier League & tat's the reality, as well as Luka, as well as other players."

[no_faith]

Originally Posted by joew2005

Blues struggling for midfielders

no worries, Mata kia is here to the rescue.

[Sex Kid]

Costly Miss by Torres

i think it's still very important.

this is the answer to my post;it is very much important to have a communication with god,jesus is the light and every people that believe in him will be rised

hey thanks for the list. it's a great resource. i hope all of them are working

[joew2005]

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Chelsea risk losing trio for nothing
October 15, 2011

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says he is prepared 2 risk writing off millions of pounds in potential transfer fees by not selling Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka & Salomon Kalou b4 their contracts expire next summer.

Villas-Boas has suggested tis season is likely 2 be Anelka's last @ Stamford Bridge, while Drogba & Kalou r mulling over contract extensions.

But despite the club reporting losses of £70.9 million in their last annual accounts amid the new era of Financial Fair Play, Villas-Boas remains calm over the future of his strike trio.

"It happens all the time,'' he said. "The most important thing is 4 the club 2 try 2 defend its interests. We know these players r of higher importance.

"That's why the offers r on the table, apart fr with Anelka, end of story. We will try 2 get them 2 reach an agreement."

Should all 3 move on, Chelsea would go fr having an embarrassment of riches up front 2 arguably lacking numbers.

"That's why the talks r ongoing," Villas-Boas added. "We still hv plenty of time."

[no_faith]

shame shame.

Arsenal shaky defence is nothing compare to our defence.
once a solid defence now in shamble.
they shd really look at themselves after the lost today.

Mikel, Bosingwa, Malouda must ship out.
Lumpard sometimes need to bench him.

[joew2005]

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Villas-Boas: Fans will want me sacked
November 5, 2011

Andre Villas-Boas believes it is "inevitable" tat Chelsea fans will 1 day call 4 his head, revealing he does not see himself in club management in the long-term.

Villas-Boas takes his side 2 Blackburn tis weekend, where he will face a manager exposed 2 protests fr his own supporters. The kind of abuse Rovers' boss Steve Kean has endured has been somewhat alien 2 Villas-Boas so far in his prodigious career, but the Portuguese still understands the pressures tat can arise in management.

"It's inevitable," Villas-Boas said. "[Arsene] Wenger went thru it. SAF, 4 sure, went thru it. In the Latin countries, you see these kind of expressions all the time fr 1 negative result. I've never had it becos I've only had a 2-year career, but 1 day it will come."

It may come sooner than later if Chelsea's recent poor run of results continues. Such pressure is 1 reason why 34-year-old Villas-Boas does not see himself continuing on in management in a similar fashion 2 the indefatigable Ferguson.

"It's a stressful job, which is why I don't 1 2 be doing it 4 a long time," said Villas-Boas. "It affects your personal life, tat's part of the job. Any negative result get you down."

Dealing with bad results may be part of management, but Villas-Boas has also had 2 share with his share of bad news during his time @ Chelsea tis season. John Obi Mikel's father was kidnapped in August, while racism allegations have recently been levelled @ skipper John Terry. Villas-Boas remains fully behind his captain's fight 2 clear his name & is also ready 2 handle any fallout fr the saga.

"I went thru difficult past experiences with unfortunate & sad things happening 2 my players on a personal level. We went thru it tis season with the Mikel situation, which was unfortunate as well, but we recovered fr tat. We support our players when there r problems," Villas-Boas explained.

"It's not the player who arrives @ training, it's the person. And the person has different kinds of problems. Tat's why leaders hv 2 hv human leadership skills.

"Personal problems r not affecting us. We 1 2 be based on the positives & the positives we hv r tat it's a group tat is unified & talented. Things will 'invert' soon. I believe a win will put us back on track. We did tat aft QPR, then suddenly lost it. So you need 2 continue 2 win."

Indeed, despite Chelsea being 9 points behind ManC aft jz 10 games, Villas-Boas insists the gap is far fr insurmountable & is already targeting the points-rich Christmas period as the ideal time 4 his side 2 pounce.

"It's a stress situation in terms of the Premier League fixture list," he said. "I think it'll be an important month. I 1 2 get the most amount of points fr tat run."

[joew2005]

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Burning one's bridges
November 25, 2011

Premier League Spotlight previews the weekend's top-flight fixtures, highlighting the key points 2 keep an eye on as the action unfolds. Under the microscope tis week: hopefully the non-sharpening of Roman Abramovich's axe @ Chelsea, potential title candidates Tottenham, Stoke's stuttering ways, & 1-0 specialists ManU.

It was regrettable 4 Andre Villas-Boas, a 34-year-old whose age was the fixation upon his appointment as Chelsea manager, tat his comments post Sunday's 2-1 Premier League defeat 2 Liverpool panged of the naive. "The owner didn't pay €15 million (in compensation) 2 get me out of Porto only 2 pay me another fortune jz 2 let me go again." It seems tat only Villas-Boas is oblivious of Roman Abramovich's track record: the well-off Russian having filed 4 Luiz Felipe Scolari, Guus Hiddink & Jose Mourinho's P45s w/o hesitation, 4 the compensation paid caused barely a ripple in an ocean of funds.

The statistics 4 the Portuguese r damning. Already the Blues' porous defence has conceded 17 goals in 12 top flight matches - 2 more than Mourinho's title-winning side did in the entirety of the 2005-06 campaign. And the weekend's slump marked back-2-back league losses @ Stamford Bridge 4 the 1st time in the Abramovich era - 1sts of a negative variety spark murmurs of an axe being sharpened. With Wolverhampton Wanderers next up tis Saturday, thrice anguish couldn't really happen, could it? Worryingly, such is the extent of the problems - exasperated by a last minute loss in the Champions League @ Bayer Leverkusen - it could. Right thru the team there r wounds 2 pick @, & the scabs hv shown little signs of healing. Tasked with rejuvenating the side, while also maintaining success, Villas-Boas finds himself in a quagmire.

Yet, 4 all the red flags, Villas-Boas should 4 now remain. Abramovich's recruitment of the ex-Porto coach in the summer demonstrated the Russian was experimenting with his Chelsea toy 4 the longer-term, & he should - 4 pride's sake, if anything - @ least attempt 2 fulfil tat goal, not wave the white flag. He must, 2, resist the temptation 2 be reunited with the now available Guus Hiddink. The return of a former 'love' can often end in tears. Making the call 2 wat is undoubtedly already a fav in his mobile phone contacts ,'Hiddink, Guus', would surely symbolise tat the end is nigh 4 Villas-Boas, even if he were only employed in an advisory capacity. Villas-Boas is aware he has work 2 do, & he should be allowed 2 do it.


Tottenham: Nowt wrong with ambition

Oh, they look very good indeed & hv done 4 a while, in fact. But good enough 4 the title? Their manager, Harry Redknapp, upon his return fr minor heart surgery, portrayed a somewhat confusing message when speaking aft Monday's 2-0 win over Aston Villa, who offered little in terms of resistance. He said: "I don't 1 2 say tat we r going 2 win the league as every1 will get carried away." Harry appeared 2 choose his words wisely, looking 2 avoid hyperbole & the raising of expectations. But he wasn't quite finished: "The title is a possibility. It's not impossible... It's not impossible 4 any1. If u keep winning matches & believe in yourself you'll do it." Ah.

In fairness 2 Redknapp, it is hard 4 even the neutral not 2 get whisked away with optimism when discussing Tottenham right now. The swashbuckling approach tat has yielded a return of 25 points fr a possible 27 on offer is championship-winning form, if it were not 4 the unstoppable force of ManC. With tat most excellent form, the bar has subsequently been raised. Indeed, Spurs, who b4 the season start were considered battlers 4 4th, @ present r fav 4 @ least 3rd - the position they currently occupy while also boasting a game in hand. The championship, 4 tis season @ least, is likely a step 2 far, but there is no shame in ambition. And when better 2 aim high than when @ the arguable peak of your powers?


Stoke City: Bad company

A 4th Premier League defeat on the spin & they had no Europa League tiredness 2 blame tis time. Of course there is concern, with 5 losses suffered in their last 6 top flight outings. But perhaps the concern has been over-hyped, 4 aft 12 games last season they had just a point more. The Potters hv a full week 2 prepare 4 tis weekend's home meeting against Blackburn, but thereafter the seemingly sapping Europe-domestic pattern resumes for 2 rounds more. And with Stoke currently top of Group E, it could be prolonged in2 the knockout phase, which gets under way in February.

Tony Pulis is rightly under little pressure just now. The work he has done in recent years saves him of rash scrutiny, while it is also worth noting tat tis losing streak could hv been halted had referee Mike Jones awarded @ least 1 of the 2 stick-on penalties tat QPR midfielder Joey Barton somehow managed 2 escape punishment 4. However, there does appear 2 be something not quite right abt Stoke @ present, the club having managed as many goals as Wigan tis season. 2 share a statistic with the basement dwellers fuels the paranoia & things need 2 turn around soon.


Manchester United: Food for thought

Maybe it is churlish 2 scrutinise 3 straight league wins. Yet, when u set such standards, a trio of 1-0s leave the observer unfulfilled. These Red Devils fans r used 2 their salivation being sustained, but of late they hv recently dined on merely the bread & butter of football - a purpose has been served, but it's hardly been a satisfying or even memorable experience. SAF will unlikely care a jot, though. Aft 6 goals conceded @ home 2 City, 5 clean sheets had been accrued, serving 2 re-instil confidence 2 the back 5. The old adage of 'building fr the back' is pertinent, & 1 Villas-Boas should hv plastered on his office wall.

But then tis week Benfica happened. 2 goals conceded @ home halted their water-tight run, & with it United must go 2 Basel on December 7 & avoid defeat or otherwise join Stoke in the Europa League. While the emphasis placed on the final Group C game is a nuisance, the Red Devils can take heart fr a relatively comfortable December fixture list, with games against Aston Villa & Wolves sandwiching their Swiss trip - compared 2 rivals City, who must travel 2 Chelsea after playing Bayern Munich. United hv made a simple group look difficult, &, in spite of Ferguson's brave face on Tuesday, he must be scratching his head @ how it came 2 tis.

[joew2005]

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Anelka future already decided
December 4, 2011

Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka says he has accepted the decision 2 freeze him out of 1st-team training & tat he knows where he will be when the transfer window reopens.

Andre Villas-Boas confirmed on Saturday tat the club had accepted transfer requests fr both Anelka & Alex & said the duo had been assigned different training times 2 the 1st-team squad.

Anelka accepts tat he will not feature again 4 the Blues & is now looking 4ward 2 moving on in January.

In a statement on his official website, Anelka wrote: "I've known 4 a little while where I'll be on January 2.

"The club, which is going thru a difficult time, has decided 2 work with Chelsea's players of the future &, as I m a good professional, I hv accepted tis."

[joew2005]

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Premier League - Villas-Boas demands to be part of celebrations
Sat, 10 Dec 10:42:00 2011

AVB has ordered Chelsea's players 2 include him in their goal celebrations, according 2 a report in Saturday's papers.

A Chelsea spokesman confirmed 2 The Sun tat the Blues boss cooked up the scheme 2 make it look as if everything is rosy betw Chelsea's players & staff @ Stamford Bridge.

"The manager has asked the players 2 look across & recognise him & his staff on the bench aft a goal," the spokesman told the paper.

"He believes tat by celebrating 2gether it shows we r all in it 2gether.

That's the players, the manager, the subs, the staff, the medical people -- every1 working & celebrating 2gether."

It's a busy day 4 AVB in Saturday's newspaper, with the Portuguese boss also hitting the headlines aft blowing a gasket in the latest round of his ongoing war of words with Sky pundit Gary Neville.

The former ManU defender accused Villas-Boas of letting defender David Luiz run around as if he was being controlled by a 10-year-old on his Playstation.

"You cannot approach a top Brazil central defender saying he's commanded by a kid with a PlayStation. That's ridiculous," said the Chelsea boss.

"He plays 4 the team with most (world) titles, so be careful with wat you're saying."

Neville also drew Villas-Boas's ire 4 saying tat he wouldn't like 2 be in Chelsea's dressing room ahead of their Tuesday night Champions League match.

" What does he know abt the Chelsea dressing room? Wat does Gary Neville know abt our dressing room?" Villas-Boas said.

"How can u imagine wat is going on in the Chelsea dressing room? How can u know?

"Hv u been here? Do you know where Cobham is? You don't even know how 2 get here!

"You can't speculate & invent on things tat are going on, based on assumptions or informants or speculation. Some ppl can hv more or less an idea. But not him. He cannot know.

"I'm normally indifferent, not watching on the telly 2 see wat these ppl say.

"But I was watching the television @ tat moment, & I was gobsmacked."