Sackwatch: Carlo Ancelotti

[Weebull]

Chelsea's last 15 games (all competitions):

Won 5, drawn 5, lost 5. Scored 26, conceded 15.

Almost surprised Abramovic's twitchy finger hasn't seen old wonky eyebrows go already, given how rarely he seems to accept failure. Out of the FA Cup, down to fifth in the league (and no games-in-hand malarky to save them at the moment), and in between two legs against the mighty FC Copenhagen, there's the small matter of Manchester United coming to Stamford Bridge. A horribly out-of-form striker is being shoe-horned into a side that doesn't fit the new dimensions needed of them, and he risks upsetting the notoriously calm and reasoned Nicolas Anelka in doing so.

On the other hand, they do still have a fantastic squad (most people figured they were easily the best on paper at the end of summer), they won the double just last season, Fernando Torres is a world class striker (we all know this), and they've got the easiest tie of the CL knockout stages.

Only a matter of time, or is this the point he turns them around?

 

[FrankJH]

CA isnt going to be sacked before the summer (little benefit, and more to risk)

I would be surprised if they dont get past Copenhagen - but it depends on how kind the draw is after that as to whether they get further.

Chelsea seem to always get the luck of the draw at SB against United (esp in the last few years) so it will be interesting to see what happens in 9 days time or so when Utd head back there.

 

[Weebull]

CA isnt going to be sacked before the summer (little benefit, and more to risk)

Maybe if they were still comfortably in the top 4 I'd agree with you. But they're not, and any slip up against you could see them more than three points away from Tottenham. That's with games still to play against you again (at Old Trafford), Spurs and Man City at home, and Everton away.

You reckon Abramovic won't get a little worried if this form carries on?

Chelsea seem to always get the luck of the draw at SB against United (esp in the last few years) so it will be interesting to see what happens in 9 days time or so when Utd head back there.

You could say the same about Arsenal though. They usually make a mockery of us (as they did at the start of the season), but we had barely any trouble with them at the Emirates. I'd say it's pretty likely you'll get something from that game, even if it is just a ground-out draw.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

things started to go wrong as soon as wilkins contract wasn't extended, its obvious to anyone that it is a coaching problem, whatever wilkins was doing, nobody else is.

there is no chance of getting wilkins back so the only other thing to do would be a clearout of coaching staff.

 

[FrankJH]

Maybe if they were still comfortably in the top 4 I'd agree with you. But they're not, and any slip up against you could see them more than three points away from Tottenham. That's with games still to play against you again (at Old Trafford), Spurs and Man City at home, and Everton away.

You reckon Abramovic won't get a little worried if this form carries on?
.

How many times does a new manager get instant success though?

It may happen for a single game - but it cant be many times that a new manager brings a good run of wins similar to Liverpool under Dalglish (that would guarantee top 4 for Chelsea)

Thats why I I think its too risky to do it now - if Abromovich had done it in Jan , to get players in and give manager time then sure it could work, but highly unlikely to now imo

You could say the same about Arsenal though. They usually make a mockery of us (as they did at the start of the season), but we had barely any trouble with them at the Emirates. I'd say it's pretty likely you'll get something from that game, even if it is just a ground-out draw.

We need a win though - otherwise its likely that Arsenal will be right on Utd's tail

Utd have a lot riding on the next 3 weeks - and unfortunately they are all away games ):

 

[Robbo]

Wilkins should have been made the manager and Ancelotti sacked.

Chelsea have never been the same since.

 

[Weebull]

I hesitate to lay the blame on the Wilkins sacking, purely because no-one really has any idea who does what in a team's back-room set-up. For all we really know, the sacking might be nothing to do with it. It is highly co-incidental though.

How many times does a new manager get instant success though?

It may happen for a single game - but it cant be many times that a new manager brings a good run of wins similar to Liverpool under Dalglish (that would guarantee top 4 for Chelsea)

Thats why I I think its too risky to do it now - if Abromovich had done it in Jan , to get players in and give manager time then sure it could work, but highly unlikely to now imo

I'm not saying it isn't risky, I'm asking whether Abramovic will be tempted to try. CL money is important stuff, and he's got a notoriously itchy trigger-finger at the best of times. Sure, he backed new signings in Jan, but they're hardly unknown gambles are they? Everyone could see Chelsea needed new blood, and they've got in some top class ones.

It worked before for them when Hiddink rescued a faltering season. Sure it's later on now, but maybe they just need that kind of magic touch again? A good motivator who can inspire a squad that should be good enough to finish in the top four anyway.

 

[lokiss]

Way too much is made of the wilkins influence, the failings come from the one dimentional way they play.

It's brilliant to watch and massively effective when it works, drogs busting the middle, anelka, malouda driving the flanks, with the rest of the team sweeping the play to prong it forward.

Thats the problem, 2 of those 3 don't perform, chelsea are dead weight anywhere short of 30 yards from goal in open play.

The managers problem seems to be changing it when it's not happening, why chelsea more often than not never look like scoring in the matches they've lost and drawn... you could say they same in the games that they've scraped by the odd goal.

Hard to see them losing the manager on before the end of the season though, unless they look like missing out on 4th in the league.

 

[Weebull]

Well, Ranieri is free.

 

[JamesU2005]

While the sacking of Wilkins made have had an early impact, the current problems are down to tactics and general play.

Dont you think if Wilkins was such a tactical genius then clubs would have been bending over backwards to appoint him in some sort of role?

 

[drunkenmaster]

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/teams/Chelsea.html

If anyone remembers the games Chelsea were starting to look really quite bad from City onwards, they beat Arsenal, drew to a woeful Villa, struggled far too much against Wolves, looked completely unable to score for ages against Blackburn, same passing football with no end result. Loss to Liverpool, narrow win against again at that stage a fairly poor Fulham. The team in that first 5 games when everyone was talking about the title being a sure thing went badly downhill from then, way before Wilkins left.

Remember after those first five games teams were playing them like they were invincible, it was only a few games later other teams really started to get at them, and they still have an incredibly solid defence even when playing horribly upfront.


Anyway, the team just have issues, Essien is playing truely terrible at the moment, Ramires is just gash, Malouda is just gash, Lampard was clearly rushed back, doesn't quite look match fit and is still playing fairly well, Anelka, can play well but isn't really a winger. Kalou has a very good games to goals records but seems to rarely get games/time on the pitch, fitness issues, no confidence in him from his managers, rubbish when he starts games, don't know.

Frankly they should just play a normal 4-4-2, I'd be tempted to ask Cole to play on the left wing, put Ivanovic or someone over there, rotate between 2 of Anelka/Drog/Torres upfront, Kalou on the right, Mikel/Lampard in the middle, and bring Essien back into the team if he ever gets form back.

 

[Stewy]

I just appreciated use of the term 'gash' more than anything tbh.

 

[Nate75]

I just appreciated use of the term 'gash' more than anything tbh.

More of a flange man myself, but admittedly gash worked better there.

 

[J-FRO]

It's pretty tight in 3-5th place to be honest. City are only third at the moment courtesy of a game in hand, if Spurs win tomorrow night they go third and 5 points clear of Chelsea.

I can't see CA getting the sack until the end of the season either. But then this season has been a funny old one so I'm prepared for any upset.

 

[Tute]

I can't see it before the end of the season, but they're not going to win the CL, so anything less than 4th place would see him handed his P45 IMO.

Even if they do make the CL spots, I still think Ancelotti is treading thin ice.

 

[Weebull]

Terry agreed with midfielder Frank Lampard that not qualifying for the competition next season would be a disaster.

"That's obviously the worst thing to think about, looking at Spurs and City," he added. "They're playing well and picking up points at a crucial time.

"It would be disastrous for the football club if we don't qualify for the Champions League. It's even hard to get my head around it now."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/9404091.stm

"I'm fully behind Fabio Capello, I mean errr, Carlo Ancelotti. Yeah. That one. They're all the same right?"

 

[atpbx]

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/teams/Chelsea.html

If anyone remembers the games Chelsea were starting to look really quite bad from City onwards, they beat Arsenal, drew to a woeful Villa, struggled far too much against Wolves, looked completely unable to score for ages against Blackburn, same passing football with no end result. Loss to Liverpool, narrow win against again at that stage a fairly poor Fulham. The team in that first 5 games when everyone was talking about the title being a sure thing went badly downhill from then, way before Wilkins left.

Remember after those first five games teams were playing them like they were invincible, it was only a few games later other teams really started to get at them, and they still have an incredibly solid defence even when playing horribly upfront.


Anyway, the team just have issues, Essien is playing truely terrible at the moment, Ramires is just gash, Malouda is just gash, Lampard was clearly rushed back, doesn't quite look match fit and is still playing fairly well, Anelka, can play well but isn't really a winger. Kalou has a very good games to goals records but seems to rarely get games/time on the pitch, fitness issues, no confidence in him from his managers, rubbish when he starts games, don't know.

Frankly they should just play a normal 4-4-2, I'd be tempted to ask Cole to play on the left wing, put Ivanovic or someone over there, rotate between 2 of Anelka/Drog/Torres upfront, Kalou on the right, Mikel/Lampard in the middle, and bring Essien back into the team if he ever gets form back.

Its more a case of the quality of the sides they have played, looking back on those results they have been fairly miserable against any side that is in any kind of form.
Similar to the kind of form that got Scolari fired.
Last season winning the league 1 point ahead of the worst United side in the past 10 years and only then because of blatent incompetance from the officials in both games against United, doesnt say a lot for what he has done.
Now the other sides have got their act together a bit this year simply turning up isnt enough, and I dont think he knows what to do.

 

[Weebull]

Decent win away from home that pretty much puts them through to the next round, albeit against a team you'd be expecting them to beat normally.

Worth downgrading the Ancelotti P45 Threat Index* for? Hmm.

*Yeah I just made that up.