FA Community Shield [r]

[Seán D]

that's not a post it looks like an essay I would write for college

btw, Crouch........... Timmy!!!

yeah but all the words made sense and were interesting. his posts are worth it.

 

[Lean]

well you can forget the 8 points difference from last season. Its meaningless Sean. Once we had the title won, we eased up a lot and dropped points against Brum and Newcastle. The points were not won by Liverpool, they were lost by us. End of.

Hey, and because some of you have trouble stringing 6 words together, does not mean you have to give Omar a hard time because he has something to say. President Scumbag writes posts that are just as long if not longer but I dont hear anyone slagging him off over it. Try kissing ass a little less.

Grunger.....Yeah because I say so. Got it. Also Omar outlined quite clearly why some of the said post was complete bollocks.

You should thank god for Omar.

 

[Haukur Gudnason]

Ewan, with respect buddy, I think you read WAY too much into what Mourinho says and does. We all realize he's just a sh*t talker now, and when he makes some shot in the press its greeted with more a collective groan than anything by Chelsea fans. Obviously, he must not believe everything he says either, or he would never be able to give you any credit as he did yesterday. But with his reaction to the tie, of course the guy has a contingency for how he is going to put a spin on things. That is why he is in the Wenger/Ferguson mold. Highly public, very vocal, uses the press as a weapon. Benitez may not have been that type of manager when he first arrived, but clearly things have forced him to go that way. Also, I dont blame him for the preseason schedule, as though he may have had a hand in things, Kenyon, in all his brilliance and wisdom, is responsible for such things.

Heh, you know as well as I do that Jose likes to talk. I just think it's bordering on pathetic the way he's evolving. Here is someone who is irrevocably human with no small amount of intelligence but spouts forth in the mold of someone suffering a cataclysmic system crash, begun with the apathetic and frankly risible 'psychological warfare attempt' on his rival but seemingly culminating in the mass breakdown in his cathartic effort to appear in control.

As far as your commentary on our team, I think its fair only to a point. The team was never looking settled or solidified in the US, against Celtic or against Feyenoord. This is why Mourinho is getting paid the big money: to make this squad work, egos, talents and all. Im not too worried about it, becuase he has a great mind for football and how to work a system, and with 11 players who have spent the whole summer playing football, I was expecting a bit of a let down to start off with. As was, apparrently, Mourinho.

I think you've given away more on that respect mate. It's clear that you and probably others in your camp have felt slightly disconcerted at the way things are shaping up. Bearing in mind that Jose's response to the disjointed team play was that his team was only at half strength amongst a myriad of reasons unbeknownst to the general footballing community, the crux of the matter is undeniably the fact that it's no longer mid July, and that the season starts proper next week; and bearing in mind that culminating consecutive wins and hitting the ground running are a cornerstone of your side, it does bear valid concerns.

With respect to egos, I'd think that would be another facet that Jose will be grappling with. Shifting from his tried and tested 'young/hungry/moldable/team ethic respecting' formula, he has had facilitate a paradigmic shift which in no small part bears the blueprint of the Owner who demands a little glamour for his massive investment, none more so after coming up short against a side so blessed with attacking nous of fantasy like proportions such as Barcelona. Jose is only too aware that mind games, however arrogantly conceived, are not likely to work too well with players of the authority of Shevchenko and Ballack. They have their contracts - and their reputations.

But I dont think the square pegs, round holes thing is a fair assessment. Round holes would imply were going to be approaching the league with the same system that we've used already but it has been made abundantly clear through our manager himself and press rumors about our owner that a more attractive, open brand of play is wanted this year. This was another reason I felt losing duff and gudjohnsen was a mistake, because of their inventiveness and versatility, but with players like Cole, Robben, Ballack, Kalou, Essien, etc, we have the flexibility to play a different system if need be. People were critical of the Ballack signing as being redundant, but that was a video game based oversimiplification. Ballack and Lampard are two very different midfielders. Lampard is a decent two way player, but is obviously much more effective when he is allowed to roam without the ball, and make runs to the edge of the box. Ballack is that two way player, and more importantly, a midfield pivot who can distribute. I see him being as significant for us as Alonso is for you, because Makelele cannot and Essien as yet has not filled the same role. A couple of summers ago, the only midfielder I wanted Chelsea to sign was Xavi, for the very same reason.

Actually, I was suggesting more of Jose trying to get the system to fit his talents, while it remains a burden assiduously avoided, it is not unexpected, and thus not stretching it to suggest that as part of his obligation to faciliate the Owner's demand for much more than the efficient annexation on the domestic front, his 'attacking box' ideologies put forth does reek of one left with little choice to manoeuvre, but to accommodate his midfield abundance of riches. In doing so, he risks losing yet another dimension of what has been fundamental to his glorious sides of the past; balance. A strict adherence to an ancompromising tactic is a Jose Mourinho signature, tactical freedom and flair and flexibility is not. In more ways than one, your team faces a twofold challenge, in the evolution of both style and managing acuity.

Ballack is yet another addition to the precise mathematical equation you could have done without. It remains to be seen how at his age, he adapts to the physicality of the league. His talents I don't deny, but I question his desire to put forth his body on the line against the spectrum of midfield thugs/enforcers of the English game match after match, month after month. Would he risk life and limb to be the crucial pivot player that you need? He bottled it after less than an hour against Sissoko with what just proved to be bruising. He obviously didn't fancy it. Makelele, on the other hand, is not widely regarded (even amongst Liverpool fans) as the best player in that position for no flimsy reason. I still have yet to see an alternative to harnessing Lampard's limited talents other than to have an enforcer in every sense of the word alongside him. But hope is a beautiful thing.

I agree completely, though, that the thing Chelsea have most to fear are themselves. The pressure to get things done is now more immense than ever. When Jose first arrived, we were buying Kezmans, Drogbas and Ferreiras. Great players, but still young, and still looking to make their names. Now, we have two who want the same European glory weve been looking for. I dont think its going to come this season, but the pressure to make it work is going to be squarely on our team leaders and Jose. If we cant find that balance, were going to be wasting precious points, unless we revert back to what's worked in the past. To me, the key is allowing players like Cole or Robben a free role to be the inspirational piece in the offense, and use the midfielders to cover after them

Concur with that assessment, I just can't wait for the kickoff. It would be madness to attribute too much significance to Liverpool's win in a curtain-raiser with a notorious reputation for falsifying the season's prospects, but then equally who could deny the possibility that at the very least it is was part of an unfolding pattern? Here's to another cracking race to the finish. Hopefully this time, we make it more of a worthwhile challenge to the reigning Champions.

 

[Kibe Kru]

Grunger.....Yeah because I say so. Got it. Also Omar outlined quite clearly why some of the said post was complete bollocks.

Oh, well... pede back to his usual self... hmmm.... at least no one needs to outline why his posts are bollocks...

 

[pede54]

Bacause I dared to critisize your illustrious leader on the SG forums my Brazilian scouser, and thats just too much to bear is it?

Just to prove my point, read some of the absolute bollocks in the post before yours.

Heh, you know as well as I do that Jose likes to talk. I just think it's bordering on pathetic the way he's evolving. Here is someone who is irrevocably human with no small amount of intelligence but spouts forth in the mold of someone suffering a cataclysmic system crash, begun with the apathetic and frankly risible 'psychological warfare attempt' on his rival but seemingly culminating in the mass breakdown in his cathartic effort to appear in control.

Talk about ones head too far up ones own arse.

 

[Lean]

No my dear friend. He may talk absolute bollocks (even though i think he doesnt), but if you're going to point fingers, you could come up with a better excuse.

 

[pede54]

A better excuse for what exactly. If you mean proof then its right there in black and white. Self indulgent crap, but if you're happy to kiss arse then you carry on mate and enjoy yourself...........

 

[Lean]

Funny how you distort things. You could've written the same **** about anyone and i would still be asking you the same question. I'm not defending him, i'm criticizing your non-sense and biasedness.

 

[pede54]

In your opinion

 

[Stotty]

Once we had the title won, we eased up a lot and dropped points against Brum and Newcastle.

Actually, you dropped points against Brum because you sh*te yourself when your big red rivals were breathing down your neck threatening your title challenge. The matches after the title was won i agree easy points were dropped. Get the appearances up for others in the team. :chew:

 

[Lean]

In your opinion

I have facts to back it up though. But i dont want to quote all your posts.

 

[pede54]

Actually, you dropped points against Brum because you sh*te yourself when your big red rivals were breathing down your neck threatening your title challenge. The matches after the title was won i agree easy points were dropped. Get the appearances up for others in the team. :chew:

Nobody came anywhere near threatening our title last season. Also NOBODY makes us sh*te ourselves. No other team is good enough to do that Nick..... :chew:

 

[pede54]

I have facts to back it up though. But i dont want to quote all your posts.

Back what up?....The fact that I am biased? Of course I'm biased where Chelsea are concerned. I support Chelsea you numpty. I think you have completely missed the reasons for my comments here, although I am not surprised by that really.

 

[Lean]

The biasedness is obvious, yes. If you read my post again, there's another fact. The fact that you usually dont make sense. Like i said, i dont want to search the forums and quote half of your posts, as i have better stuff to do. At least you've learned paragraphs, for a guy with wife and kids, i must say it took you long though. Oh well.

By the way, this thing has become useless.

 

[pede54]

Maybe I dont make sense to you because you are too thick to understand anything.

Also I am not obsessed with showing off my grasp of the English language as some people like to do. I am a working class bloke who did not have a well off mummy and daddy who could afford to put me through college or University. I have had to work for a living since I was 16. Bear in mind that not ALL of us on these forums are spoilt little pricks with oversized ego's and inflated opinions of ourselves.

To resort to remarks over my use of English grammar is a sure sign to me that you are, as I thought, a complete wanker......now **** off because you are boring me.

 

[Lean]

Maybe I dont make sense to you because you are too thick to understand anything.

Also I am not obsessed with showing off my grasp of the English language as some people like to do. I am a working class bloke who did not have a well off mummy and daddy who could afford to put me through college or University. I have had to work for a living since I was 16. Bear in mind that not ALL of us on these forums are spoilt little pricks with oversized ego's and inflated opinions of ourselves.

To resort to remarks over my use of English grammar is a sure sign to me that you are, as I thought, a complete wanker......now **** off because you are boring me.

Think what you want. Mummy and Daddy couldnt afford to put me in Uni, i pay for it with the money i get from work, genius. You talk about oversized ego's, but it seems you think highly of yourself because you had to work since you were 16. That itself doesnt make you a better person than anyone here.

The fact you've started using paragraphs means you actually care about English knowledge aswell, so you could stop contradicting yourself. I remember all the one paragraph posts with "......." between words one year ago. Now it's something more decent to read. Technically. Content wise it's all the same crap, but whatever. Thank God you think i'm a complete wanker aswell. I dont need the respect from people i despise.

 

[pede54]

then piss off and go and play with someone else ya plum

 

[Lean]

Thought you had gotten too bored to reply.

 

[TheBlueBalla]

I'll try (try, I say) to keep things brief this time 'round

Responding exclusively to Ewan's points without quoting them...

On Mourinho, the mind games are half the reason he is so successful. Its clear from his managerial track record that system management and success, as well as politics and psycology are his bes assets (obviously man management has revealed itself as a weak point these last two years, Parker, Gallas, Duff, etc). Simply because he says something, I doubt he believes it fully, and thats EXACTLY what was needed two summers ago. He was diving into the shark tank with the likes of Wenger and Ferguson and as an expected title challenger, he was supposed to succeed where Ranieri failed: win the mental battle because the players could win on the field. I thank god that Liverpool didnt manage to sign him (as, im sure, you do) because if we had ended up with Benitez, who has blossomed a bit but obviously is more reticent, despite his great tactical mind, we might have bottled it again as he doesnt seem to have the brashness and same force of character.
(not very brief, I know)

Mourinho has been great for Chelsea. He has given the club the confidence to be with the historical greats and muscle our way in. Hopefully he leaves Chelsea with another European cup to his credit, but he is more a means to an end. I very much doubt he will be a Chelsea lifer, and if I had to place money on it, id bet he will move on within three years. But we needed someone to give us that swagger that we could walk and talk with the Wengers and the Fergies. He's done it for us. I do very much like him and what he has done, but he isnt the type of manager I can be proud of all the time, and I hope when he is replaced, we look to someone like Hiddink or LeGuen who are great football men without all the frills, because by then, hopefully we wont need attitude and mental poise to play as a "big" team

Now, going into the Ballack thing, i'll admit the changes in player personell worry me a bit this offseason. But really, I dont think its trend forming. We obviously needed a more seasoned midfielder against the cream of Europe, especially when we saw Frankie was not his old self, and Ballack being free was too good to pass up. Shevchenko was a longtime target and one of Roman's friends. But now we've bought Boulahrouz to go with Mikel and Kalou. All young, all up and coming and from what little I know, with the exception of Mikel, ego free


I dont know if Ballack is tough enough as ive seen his toughness questioned in the past. But I know that Germany is no lightweight league, and that class such as his almost always translates. I dont really think him taking a knock and opting out of the Charity Shield is much to read into. Games against your lot are always going to be physical battles, and im sure he wasnt going to be allowed to stay, now that we've lost Cole, if there was a slight chance of an injury getting worse.

Looking at egos, I dont think any one the squad save Robben and perhaps Drogba are ones to worry about. Perhaps Ballack becomes a problem but odds are he is a starter far more than a substitute, and with Shevchenko, the fact that he is the owners friend and the automatic first choice as forward makes that ego much easier to soothe should it even become bruised

As for the midfield enforcer you speak of, it appears as if Essien is that man. Sunday, we get a chance to see has a future where Maka dominated, or if he is going to be that more advanced midfielder that we presumably now have in Ballack. One way or another Essien is the future in midfield. Many already see him as another Wise, and with good reason. The hard, hated-by-all-but-us bastard who wont give an inch in midfield, just as you have Sissoko.

But as you say, its going to be another great season. Here's to hopefully only two games with Liverpool this year, and good luck to your boys. I honestly see the title race as a three horse between us and Ferguson well into February and perhaps March this year. I doubt anyone will really pull away