nateevs:
Trust me the players in the youth are infinitely technically superior to the first team.
Lucas Piazon, Ammine Affane, Islam Feruz, John Swift, Lewis Baker, Jonathan Chalobah, Todd Kane, Nathan Ake, Anjur Osmanovic.
Not to mention boys coming up in the U16s like Jeremie Boga. The days are of mechanical young players in Chelsea are effectively over.

I dont think you know much about football.

Do you know how many youngsters I've seen who seem to have skill? I dont reckon with small boys football.

Shebi Gael Kakuta was the most skillful player at Chelsea 2 years ago?

Everybody has skill until he is tested on the big stage.

You claimed Daniel Sturridge was the best thing since sliced bread and together with Mata, would make Torres excel. When Daniel was exposed to continuous scrutiny, we saw the obvious flaws in his decision making.

You remember how I used to like Ricardo Quaresma, until his poor decision making became more pronounced?

I know youngsters with skill when I see them. Thats why one of the only youngsters I rate extremely highly now is Ola John of FC Twente. Kai, that boy is an animal. The boy always lifts his head up when cutting in from the wing and always makes the right decision.

Shebi you remember when Samuele Della Bonna was better than Lampard? (Old school Chelsea fans would remember). At the end of the day, Lampard always had more skill than Della Bonna. Della Bonna just denge on the ball a bit more, but when you talk about skill - finishing, volleying, passing, crossing, keeping possession - Lamps was better - yet I was one of those who go to Stamford Bridge to scream at Ranieri to play Della Bonna instead of Lamps.

Skill is something you cant see. Ariel Ortega could dribble better than Maradona but he lacked the composure to make the difference. Thats the kind of skill our youngsters have - it is not decisive skill!!!

How many of those boys could hold possession like Mikel, chest the ball from the air like Drogba, swivel and score. Do you know that Drogba advised Lukaku that his first touch is not good enough? How can DD with his seemingly poor first touch advise Lukaku to improve his touch? Its simple - look at Drogbas touch when the ball is not on the floor - nobody can trap the ball from the air better than Drogba, even if the ball is knee-height, waist-height or chest-height. That is skill!!!

How many of those boys could pick out assists in the blink of an eye like Lampard. Those boys may look good cos they denge on the ball but none of em can pick the three passes Lamps picked in the semi against Barca - the two passes to Ramires and the one to Kalou where Kalou just stopped running. All Chelsea have always needed is some pace on the wing. Those are the only skills we are missing in the team.

You give Guardiola them boys and he'll take em to relegation.

Ibime:


I dont think you know much about football.

Do you know how many youngsters I've seen who seem to have skill?

Shebi Gael Kakuta was the most skillful player at Chelsea 2 years ago?

Everybody has skill until he is tested on the big stage.

You claimed Daniel Sturridge was the best thing since sliced bread and together with Mata, would make Torres excel. When Daniel was exposed to continuous scrutiny, we saw the obvious flaws in his decision making.

You remember how I used to like Ricardo Quaresma, until his poor decision making became more pronounced?

I know youngsters with skill when I see them. Thats why one of the only youngsters I rate extremely highly now is Ola John of FC Twente. Kai, that boy is an animal. The boy always lifts his head up when cutting in from the wing and always makes the right decision.

Shebi you remember when Samuele Della Bonna was better than Lampard? (Old school Chelsea fans would remember). At the end of the day, Lampard always had more skill than Della Bonna.

Skill is something you cant see. Ariel Ortega could dribble better than Maradona but he lacked the composure to make the difference. Thats the kind of skill our youngsters have - it is not decisive skill!!!

How many of those boys could hold possession like Mikel, chest the ball from the air like Drogba, swivel and score. How many of those boys could pick out assists in the blink of an eye like Lampard. Those boys may look good cos they denge on the ball but none of em can pick the three passes Lamps picked in the semi against Barca - the two passes to Ramires and the one to Kalou where Kalou just stopped running. All Chelsea have always needed is some pace on the wing. Those are the only skills we are missing in the team.

You give Guardiola them boys and he'll take em to relegation.

that's what to look for in young players. the ones who stare at the ball all the time are the runts.
the ones who can hold possession, look up and find a team-mate with a pass are the precocious talents.

like xavi said: Education is the key. Players have had 10 or 12 years here. When you arrive at Barça the first thing they teach you is: think. Think, think, think. Quickly. Lift your head up, move, see, think. Look before you get the ball.

If you're getting this pass, look to see if that guy is free. Pum. First time. Look at [Sergio] Busquets – the best midfielder there is playing one-touch. He doesn't need more. He controls, looks and passes in one touch.

Some need two or three and, given how fast the game is, that's too slow. Alves, one touch. Iniesta, one touch. Messi, one touch. Piqué, one touch. Busi [Busquets], me … seven or eight players with one touch. Fast. In fact, [the youth coach] Charly [Rexach] always used to say: a mig toc. Half a touch!

Chelsea will lift both the FA cup and champions league.

Ibime:


I dont think you know much about football.

Do you know how many youngsters I've seen who seem to have skill? I dont reckon with small boys football.

Shebi Gael Kakuta was the most skillful player at Chelsea 2 years ago?

Everybody has skill until he is tested on the big stage.

You claimed Daniel Sturridge was the best thing since sliced bread and together with Mata, would make Torres excel. When Daniel was exposed to continuous scrutiny, we saw the obvious flaws in his decision making.

You remember how I used to like Ricardo Quaresma, until his poor decision making became more pronounced?

I know youngsters with skill when I see them. Thats why one of the only youngsters I rate extremely highly now is Ola John of FC Twente. Kai, that boy is an animal. The boy always lifts his head up when cutting in from the wing and always makes the right decision.

Shebi you remember when Samuele Della Bonna was better than Lampard? (Old school Chelsea fans would remember). At the end of the day, Lampard always had more skill than Della Bonna. Della Bonna just denge on the ball a bit more, but when you talk about skill - finishing, volleying, passing, crossing, keeping possession - Lamps was better - yet I was one of those who go to Stamford Bridge to scream at Ranieri to play Della Bonna instead of Lamps.

Skill is something you cant see. Ariel Ortega could dribble better than Maradona but he lacked the composure to make the difference. Thats the kind of skill our youngsters have - it is not decisive skill!!!

How many of those boys could hold possession like Mikel, chest the ball from the air like Drogba, swivel and score. Do you know that Drogba advised Lukaku that his first touch is not good enough? How can DD with his seemingly poor first touch advise Lukaku to improve his touch? Its simple - look at Drogbas touch when the ball is not on the floor - nobody can trap the ball from the air better than Drogba, even if the ball is knee-height, waist-height or chest-height. That is skill!!!

How many of those boys could pick out assists in the blink of an eye like Lampard. Those boys may look good cos they denge on the ball but none of em can pick the three passes Lamps picked in the semi against Barca - the two passes to Ramires and the one to Kalou where Kalou just stopped running. All Chelsea have always needed is some pace on the wing. Those are the only skills we are missing in the team.

You give Guardiola them boys and he'll take em to relegation.

Jeez! Totally uncalled for.
I didn't even mention in my post who will and won't make it when tested on the big stage.
Your post suggested we don't have the players with enough technical skill for Guardiola to build with.

I came back illustrating that is not the case and named players I thought have the requisite skill and intelligence to cope.
Now whether they will go on to become world beaters is a totally different argument.


That said, I will totally disagree with on a number of things.
Gael Kakuta - You obviously have not been following Kakuta on loan at FC Dijon.
He walked straight into the side and has literally become their best player.
Now I know Dijon is not Chelsea but there are a number of factors to consider when judging whether a youngster failed or not.

It's not enough to state that a young player failed on the big stage.
Failure may be as a result of poor management. Kakuta's case is this.

Other factors that affect a young player's development include lack of patience, silly loan movements, and the hiring and firing of managers with different philosophies causing the young players to change playing styles, learning different things. The Barcelona is different. They stick to a philosophy and that permeates down to kids. It'a all about possession. At Chelsea this is never the case, every 8 months, the youngsters have to play a different style, different attacking methods which cause players to change roles.

This year I have witnessed a classic example of Anjur Osmanovic playing in the hole behind the attackers. Recently, he's not been getting into the team with Ammine moving to the right as an inside forward and Chalobah, who we've known for a long time as a defender moving into defensive midfield and Lewis Baker and John Swift moving all over the place.

John Swift played many times in the Osmanovic role, now plays as a deep lying play maker. Who knows what happens next season with a different manager, all this will change again with a different system and perhaps Chalobah playing right back. These are examples of things that affect Chelsea young players. Definitely, the previous set of youngsters were technically deficient, these factors had a massive effect on their development.


For the sake of time, I can't go into the issue of stupid loan movements. Thankfully enough, Chelsea have signed up to the nextgen series which starts next season. Plus the U18s and U-16s English league which begins next season, we have the opportunity to keep our stars, watch them grow and expose them to top level football and expectations without leaving Chobam to achieve it.

Ibime, watch the next gen series next season and if you've been following CHelsea youth football over the years, you will see exactly what I mean a total overhaul in the recruitment of young players.

Our boy Courtois is doing very well at Athletico.
I think we should bring him back next season.

Our game vs QPR is a must win.
The 4th spot place is still a must, we can rely on winning the CL alone.

Oh and Pep is resigning today.
Does that imply something?

He resigned already.

Burnout?

@Nateevs
if it is Guardiola is highly welcome..i trust him , i trust his judgement on the pitch, tactically he is second to mourinho (i know what am saying) both have been locking horns together at the highest level, he needs real support, maybe RDM could be his assistant or bring back ray wikins, or steve hollands he will succeed..
any new manager coming to chelsea won't make AVB'S mistake..
@bluediva
rate ramirez again because dis guy dey do chelsea fans strong thing.

Trust Guardiola's judgement on the pitch ke? A guy who has the best players in the world and has no Plan B for a 10 man Chelsea team . . . No thank you. I trust no Barca managers.

Meanwhile Chelsea sacks Guardiola . . . Good one guys

somze: Trust Guardiola's judgement on the pitch ke? A guy who has the best players in the world and has no Plan B for a 10 man Chelsea team . . . No thank you. I trust no Barca managers.

Meanwhile Chelsea sacks Guardiola . . . Good one guys

this statement is funny.
it's their football philosophy, they do not need a plan b.
for barcelona, it's not always about winning but preserving the tenets of tiki-taka.
they would not play another way - if they perish then they perish.

It's smacks of stupidity to say a team doesn't need a plan B.
The reason AVB flopped was because he was clueless; no plan B.

If Barca had resulted to long balls and shooting from outside the box they could have stood a chance.
Only a dummy keeps using the same method for a task when it isn't working.

@Dyabman

I said Ramires is a 65% player.
Thats good enough rating for him considering i rate Mata 75%.

BlueDiva: It's smacks of stupidity to say a team doesn't need a plan B.
The reason AVB flopped was because he was clueless; no plan B.

If Barca had resulted to long balls and shooting from outside the box they could have stood a chance.
Only a dummy keeps using the same method for a task when it isn't working.

you lack horse sense.

why would barcelona need a plan b when plan a works 95% of the time?
they are willing to accept losses like the chelsea game the other night and the inter game!

xavi said: "If you go two years without winning, everything has to change. But you change names, not identity. The philosophy can't be lost. Our fans wouldn't understand a team that sat back and played on the break. Sadly, people only look at teams through success. Now, success has validated our approach. I'm happy because, from a selfish point of view, six years ago I was extinct; footballers like me were in danger of dying out. It was all: two metres tall, powerful, in the middle, knockdowns, second balls, rebounds … but now I see Arsenal and Villarreal and they play like us"

"I like the fact that talent, technical ability, is valued above physical condition now. I'm glad that's the priority; if it wasn't, there wouldn't be the same spectacle. Football is played to win but our satisfaction is double. Other teams win and they're happy, but it's not the same. The identity is lacking. The result is an impostor in football. You can do things really, really well – last year we were better than Inter Milan – but did not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting. A legacy. Inter won the Champions League but no one talks about them as a brilliant team."

"You watch Liverpool and Carragher wins the ball and boots it into the stands and the fans applaud. There's a roar! They would never applaud that here."


cesc said: “We have to talk about how we played. But we knew that if we were to lose then it should be in this manner because we wanted to be sure that we stuck to our style
--------------
--------------

as you can see, these barca/madrid fans want more than just winning a game like chelsea did.
it's simply not acceptable in madrid/barca to win games sitting back and playing on the counter.. you call it plan b, they call it anti-football.
fabio capello was sacked after winning back to back la liga titles for madrid - they sacked him because he won ugly(no style)
in spain, style is primary, winning is secondary.

coogar:

you lack horse sense.

why would barcelona need a plan b when plan a works 95% of the time?
they are willing to accept losses like the chelsea game the other night and the inter game!

xavi said: "If you go two years without winning, everything has to change. But you change names, not identity. The philosophy can't be lost. Our fans wouldn't understand a team that sat back and played on the break. Sadly, people only look at teams through success. Now, success has validated our approach. I'm happy because, from a selfish point of view, six years ago I was extinct; footballers like me were in danger of dying out. It was all: two metres tall, powerful, in the middle, knockdowns, second balls, rebounds … but now I see Arsenal and Villarreal and they play like us"

"I like the fact that talent, technical ability, is valued above physical condition now. I'm glad that's the priority; if it wasn't, there wouldn't be the same spectacle. Football is played to win but our satisfaction is double. Other teams win and they're happy, but it's not the same. The identity is lacking. The result is an impostor in football. You can do things really, really well – last year we were better than Inter Milan – but did not win. There's something greater than the result, more lasting. A legacy. Inter won the Champions League but no one talks about them as a brilliant team."

"You watch Liverpool and Carragher wins the ball and boots it into the stands and the fans applaud. There's a roar! They would never applaud that here."


cesc said: “We have to talk about how we played. But we knew that if we were to lose then it should be in this manner because we wanted to be sure that we stuck to our style
--------------
--------------

as you can see, these barca/madrid fans want more than just winning a game like chelsea did.
it's simply not acceptable in madrid/barca to win games sitting back and playing on the counter.. you call it plan b, they call it anti-football.
fabio capello was sacked after winning back to back la liga titles for madrid - they sacked him because he won ugly(no style)
in spain, style is primary, winning is secondary.

@coogar
dis na d 1st tym u dey talk sense o

Coogar,

But Madrid was forced to sit back vs Bayern and their attacking threats were long balls to Di Maria and Ronaldo from Xabi and Marcelo

dayokanu: Coogar,
But Madrid was forced to sit back vs Bayern and their attacking threats were long balls to Di Maria and Ronaldo from Xabi and Marcelo

that's a big lie - they battered bayern munich till the 70th minute.
the el clasico game took it's toll on real madrid. bayern had a dead rubber game to play whereas
real madrid were fighting to put a distance between them n barcelona over the weekend.
i still don't understand why the spanish fa would put el clasico between 2 legs of the champions league semis.
it's the daftest decision they would ever make this millennium.

coogar:

that's a big lie - they battered bayern munich till the 70th minute.
the el clasico game took it's toll on real madrid. bayern had a dead rubber game to play whereas
real madrid were fighting to put a distance between them n barcelona over the weekend.
i still don't understand why the spanish fa would put el clasico between 2 legs of the champions league semis.
it's the daftest decision they would ever make this millennium.

Battered Bayern? Are you sure you watched the game at all?

Go and check all analysis of the game, Bayern dominated them for both legs

Possession 45% 45.0 55% 55.0
Corners 5 50.0 5 50.0
Goal attempts 15 42.0 20 58.0
On target 6 50.0 6 50.0
Fouls 12 30.0 27 70.0
Offside 4 80.0 1 20.0

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/match/2012/apr/25/realmadrid-v-bayernmunich

dayokanu:

Battered Bayern? Are you sure you watched the game at all?

Go and check all analysis of the game, Bayern dominated them for both legs

dominated both legs and you lost on the night?
was the score not 2-1 before it went to penalties?

as you can see, these barca/madrid fans want more than just winning a game like chelsea did.
it's simply not acceptable in madrid/barca to win games sitting back and playing on the counter.. you call it plan b, they call it anti-football.
fabio capello was sacked after winning back to back la liga titles for madrid - they sacked him because he won ugly(no style)
in spain, style is primary, winning is secondary.

It's funny when people criticize sitting back and hitting on the break.
As far as i'm concerned, doing that successfully takes a lot of tactical ingenuity.

It takes a good tactician to figure out a way of beating Barca.
What is anti-football there?

Chelsea don't play that way always, we had to dig deep into the bag to bring out a plan to beat Barca.
If Pep was a decent manager he would have come out with a strategy to counter Chelsea, after all he knew we were going to play that way.

To say that Barca will rather play in a certain way at the detriment of winning is bollocks.
Thankfully, teams are beginning to get used to their style of play now.

coogar:

dominated both legs and you lost on the night?
was the score not 2-1 before it went to penalties?

Didnt Barcelona dominate Chelsea both games and lost as well?

Or is domination same thing as winning?

dayokanu:

Didnt Barcelona dominate Chelsea both games and lost as well?

Or is domination same thing as winning?

barcelona did not lose @ the nou camp! they only lost on aggregate
the match at the nou camp eded 2-2.

coogar:

barcelona did not lose @ the nou camp! they only lost on aggregate
the match at the nou camp eded 2-2.

The match Chelsea vs Barca at Stamford bridge, Who dominated? Who won?

barcelona dominated but chelsea won.
chelsea had 30% possession to barca's 70%

@ the bernabeu, it was madrid's 53% to bayern's 47%
and madrid won 2-1 on the night.

coogar: barcelona dominated but chelsea won.
chelsea had 30% possession to barca's 70%

@ the bernabeu, it was madrid's 53% to bayern's 47%
and madrid won 2-1 on the night.

Are you high on Alomo?

Give me any source which says Madrid dominated possesion at the bernaneu even Stevie Wonder would see that bayern dominated proceedings Home and away

At Bernabeu it was madrid 45, bayern 55%

dayokanu:

Are you high on Alomo?

Give me any source which says Madrid dominated possesion at the bernaneu even Stevie Wonder would see that bayern dominated proceedings Home and away

At Bernabeu it was madrid 45, bayern 55%

it seems you are high on neuer's pubic hair
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17832633

coogar:

it seems you are high on neuer's pubic hair
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17832633

BBC? WHy not post stats from aljazeera and channelsnews or saharareporters

Wel below is what UEFA the organizer says

Ball possession
46% 54%
Total attempts
16 19
Attempts on target
9 9
Attempts off target
6 7
Attempts against woodwork
0 0
Attempts blocked
1 3


http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/matches/live/day=12/session=2/match=2007691/index.html

dayokanu:

BBC? WHy not post stats from aljazeera and channelsnews or saharareporters

Wel below is what UEFA the organizer says

Ball possession
46% 54%
Total attempts
16 19
Attempts on target
9 9
Attempts off target
6 7
Attempts against woodwork
0 0
Attempts blocked
1 3


http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/matches/live/day=12/session=2/match=2007691/index.html

even if bayern had 54% possession, is that what you call domination?
4% better than your adversary and you think it's dominance?
you need brain tonic.

dominance is what barcelona did to chelsea.
72% possession in london.
72% possession in camp nou!

El Guapo: Thats Ibime's Bestman!

TELL AM MAKE HIM HEAR OO.. even MOURINHO/GUARDIOLA WOULD LOVE HIS TENACITY,ZEAL,SPEED,AND HIS PACE..

I once remembered what Nateevs said about Ramirez.. that we wil need him against Barca and he didn't dissappoint , i bet he never remember saying that.

coogar:

even if bayern had 54% possession, is that what you call domination?
4% better than your adversary and you think it's dominance?
you need brain tonic.

dominance is what barcelona did to chelsea.
72% possession in london.
72% possession in camp nou!

What do you call when your opponent outposses you home and away by 54% thats a 8 points difference

dayokanu:

What do you call when your opponent outposses you home and away by 54% thats a 8 points difference

still fine margins.

same number of shots on target - same number of corners.
the only facet of the game that bayern dominated was fouling madrid players
to upset their flow of the game.

real madrid won 2-1 on the night!
bayern did not dominate the game.
in the end, aggregate of the tie was 3-3.

IF Ramirez is a barca player we will be eliminated, not even JT will stop him..sweet run! OH GOD where will we be if we did not have Ramirez..Chelsea's player of the season RAMIREZ!!