₦airaland Forum

And then Michael Ballack gets a 2yr contract. . . he he he he I am rolling on the floor.
Dude should count himelf lucky that I give him a 6month contract if I was in charge.

Chelsea can never say no to Lampard, Ballack, Terry and Drogba. . It's a sick system. Roman has to the guts to fire managers; why can't he say no to this crap. Ballack will be done after this year, Lampard after next year and Terry in 2 years. .

This makes me laugh. We have to bloody sign someone even if it means Carllotti will dance neaked.

What the Red line and BRT will look like in Ikeja.

And some one says the dude is not working.
As reported in the Vanguard with pictures demolition has started . .
Even the famous Eleganza is going. .

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/07/28/badagry-road-expansion-shock-as-bulldozers-storm-orile/

A big thanks to Ashiwaju Ahmed Tinubu for introducing BRF. . God Bless you!

But stop! That's were the flipping glorification ends. Right there. I can't stand people who attribute the successes of BRF with Tinubu. This guy started work from day one he was sworn into office.
Tinubu had 8 years. Was Lagos better or worse off under Tinubu. . . The feckiing ploncker did nada. . and now rides on the back of a successful man all because he introduced him? Spare us the rubbish!

Ok. . That's off my chest.

I understand Nigerians have far too long been drenched in massive doses of "Will dos" from politicians and come end of their tenure we remain worse. This Man however is a technocrat. You can just tell things will happen. Loads of people will be sceptical as past experiences do no justice to the incumbent. I am one of the enthusiasts though and even more about Lagos. I believe the rail will be completed. Why? well so far BRF has taken all projects he's embarked to more than half or completion. Plus his ideas are not just mainstream but innovative. Maybe not to people that live in the western world at least to the common Lagosian who year after year expects nada from the politicians.


Work has started on the Badagry 10 lane express-way (gateway) and the blue line of the Lagos rail is going to look like this on it.

Nigerians embrace and celebrate mediocrity.

"It's ok". . . "They tried". . "As long as you get info from it". . what a load of dust.

Same reason after 20 to 25 years, we still produce the crappiest movies. . and the people say "Support what's yours"

The person who built the website perhaps went in to explain to the NFF morons what a website can do. . (They never knew) . . Or the person who built the website is a relative to a friend of Sani Lulu. . The only two explanations for something that shabby.

If they knew all along what the web could do and that they needed one, all they had to do what set up a web design competition; then you'll see how the best website designs from Nigerians will be flying all over the place.

They could even have gotten the best of designs for half the price . . It's not rocket science.

Buncha dim-witted leaders.

@Ibime.

We won't see the end of this. It's best to concentrate on the options we have.

In DM. .

Ivanovic can fill the role. However, I really doubt that he has the creativity needed when attacking in a diamond. In a 4-3-3, with all the space, it should be much easier for him to adapt. Plus he is the most reliable RB we've got.

We can't rely on Matic, as he is tested yet but he can take it up. One player I will like us to convert from defense to DM is Bruma. He's played there in the reserves. He is a brilliant player going forward, he can dribble, tackle, can run with the ball, can shoot and definitely knows where the goal post is.

I never will want to see Ballack and Belletti in this role. Creativity will grind to a halt and counter -attacks against the diamond will become the order of the day.

Order in 4-3-3. . Ivanovic, Matic, Bruma.
Order in diamond. . Matic, Bruma, Ivanovic.


In attack

I am not sure we really have a choice here with Carllotti planning to dance unclothed. It's got to be Anelka - DS then Anelka - Borini. . in the diamond

In a 4-3-3, the forward line has to be Zhirkov, Anelka, Joe Cole. Problem is Anelka can't play in the centre of a 4-3-3, there'll be no one to score in the box or head in crosses.

I am very curious to see what Carllotti will come up with but he sure has options I believe good enough to keep us at 2 pts ahead until the big boys return. Hopefully, without injuries.

@FBS. .

I saw that . .
Shocking. .

Ibime:
This sounds like excuses. With the exception of Ballack, have Lamps and Anelka lost any fitness? No! Lamps is as fit now as he was at 24 years old, even fitter. . . . and so is Anelka.

Firstly, Lampard was injured for nearly 2 months, Maka also missed a few games as did Sheva. Malouda was utter rubbish back then.

Grant did something brilliant. He converted SWP into a central midfielder and SWP carried us for 2 months.

SWP allowed us to play deeper, because his extraordinary pace would allow him to join up with Pizarro really quickly. Hence we only pressed opponents in our own half, giving us more defensive security whilst maintaining the same attacking threat.



Our formation for a few games back then:


                                     Pizarro


         Malouda                 SWP                Cole


                       Ballack                Makelele*



*Maka missed a few games through injury and Sidwell deputised.

It's got nothing to do with fitness mate. Giggs is still as fit as he probably was when he was 29. When you talk about age, the most important factor to consider is pace.

Ballack has lost at least 3 yards of pace, and Lampard has lost a yard at least. . and considering you want us to revert to a 4-3-3.

You cannot say except Ballack. He is part of the squad now and he had a form of his life in that season. Scored free-kicks, headers, sprinitng over the place and covering yards. Dude can barely jog now and he's supposed to be a first team member.

I am not making excuses for Carllotti. Grant did well during the ACN then, especially with the introduction of SWP in the middle, but he borrowed the idea from JM through Steve Clarke. . . Steve Clarke here now will be a different scenario to Ray Wilkins.

I remember Maka missed a handful of games with an eye injury but as you said Sidwell was there. So that means at a time, Grant had Essien, Mikel, Maka and Sidwell and they could all do the same job. Now only Mikel and Essien can be comfortably appointed to do the job. .

That was a bigger squad, a younger squad and hence a squad with more pace. You can't by any means try to justify that the seasons are the same. It won't make any bit of sense.

Relying on Sheva and Pizzarro for a handful of games now is way better than relying on DS, Borini and DiSanto who have never scored a goal in the league for the senior team. . 


The chances that any two seasons are the same is perhaps 1 in 100. I am not finding reasons why Carllotti should not perform but don't say because Grant did this then Carllotti must do that. .

That's all I am saying.

Ibime:
I remember Avram Grant going through Dec 07 and Jan 08 unbeaten using Pizarro as our lone striker. . . . the loss of DD can be compensated for if CA is bright enough.

Avram had Makalele, SWP, Sheva and Pizzarro with Steve Clarke as his assistant who was Jose's right hand man and knew the players inside out.
Lampard was 28 and Ballack was 29. Maka sat behind them and gave them effective cover. . and if memory serves me well, every other player was 2 years younger. I know age is not very essential. 

When he (Grant) saw that things weren't going as he planned, he asked for funds and went out to buy Anelka for £13m . . A new player brings a renewed sense of belief and keeps other spot contenders on their toes. . Plus Anelka was also 2 years younger.

Joe Cole wasn't coming back from eight months of injury. He was in top form and apparently he was player of the season.

And this season, small teams in an unprecedented way are going at the big four with 2 strikers upfront.



So many variables man!. No two seasons are the same. .I understand that as a fan, you expect utmost performance from the manager, I expect him to do well too but there's no justice done to any Manager when trying compare seasons. There are several variables!

debosky:
Chelski is still in very big trouble - y'all needed DD and an own goal to beat Fulham so don't expect the OGs to come every game.

Oddly enough, unless the player bought can come in by the second week of January, it might not even make a difference to the fate of Chelski.

Y'all will just have to make do with what you have on the ground at the moment - which should be enough to take you through January's fixtures.

Carllotti will just have to devise a method to play without Drogba. . Like we did when he(Drog) couldn't play in CL

This is where I disagree with this over-reliance and dependence on a player. Drogba has shown he can fit into a diamond and we also know he is made for the 4-3-3. However, I don't know how others can fit.

Drogba covers the inadequacies of Lampard and Ballack. Our midfield, that's what I fear for. Very slow, very uncreative. With other players that can't do all on their own, Borini, DS, Kalou, Anelka, the midfield has to be at its very best.

We must be the only top team in the world whose most reliable midfield players are 30 and 31 respectively.

Shocking!

BlueDiva:
Should i laugh or weep?
These kids will cost us points.

They are not good enough.
Anelka just has to return.

I am also of the belief not to use kids this way.
Jalether thinks there's no need to buy.

WE can only hope for the best. .

I remember Carllotti denying with his life he doesn't have any agreement with any club.
One week later, he was announced as Chelsea manager.

So we may still buy.

Anelka should be back for the Hull game.
With Drogba, Mikel and Kalou away. . It's going to be difficult.

We are going to have trust in a few kids.
This one that Carllotti says he will run naked if we buy in January. I don't what the dude is up to.

Danny and Borini will have to step up. DiSanto may not come back.
Matic and Kakuta are also available in midfield.

Will Carllotti stick to the diamond . . You can bet he will.
At least we have a bit of assurance that things can shaken up and flipped around . . 4-3-3.

Plan B like Ibime calls it.

Either way, I will be hoping the confidence remains.
Until two weeks time, we stay 2 points on top.
Let the premiership begin all over again.

Market dey fine. . .

Wow!
The spirits have been banished. .
And long live the 4-3-3. .

Experience in play

Kalou . . Mr Kalou.

Danny is at home on the left.

Ibime:
@ Nateevs

As you can see, counterattcking football is Chelseas strength, not all that nonsense unitempo passing.

I have never disagreed that 4-3-3 can be effective. .
I just want us to be effective playing another style. .

At least you can be more comfortable with Callotti now that there's a plan B . .  

Drogba almost!

lalaboi:
Who predicted 3 - 1?

I did. .
I mean I almost did.

Sometimes Cech acts like he's blindfolded.

goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Goal.

Yay! We are going 4-3-3. .
Ibime can you believe it?

40 times over . . He can't shoot on goal.
And you say we should not talk about players.

It can't always be about the diamond.

[quote author=~Sauron~ link=topic=372368.msg5202069#msg5202069 date=1262017305]U don't have the players who can play 4-3-3.
Joe Cole is wasted and there's no one to run the left channel.
4-3-3 will also make Anelka unsettled. . . . . .the formation is not an option. . . .Chelsea must buy a winger like Lennon/A.Young to make it work.[/quote]Another thing I also ask is what then do we play when we don't have Drogba?
We play 4-3-3 because we have Drogba. . Nothing else.

First piece of creative play

Lamps and Ballack can't create Zilch.
Unfortunately after them there's nothing else.

Mikel can't shoot on goal.

See shot from Lamps!

Amazing grace.

FBS:
And how much do we have to pay him for that?  

With all the possession we are having. . .we no fit score?

£24m . . That's what we pay.
We paid £24m last year and we will pay £24m again. .

Most likely this time next year we'll pay it again.