₦airaland Forum

@Tokunbo

I was not asking him to get a game above his seniors at Chelsea. I was asking for him to be recognized as the next senior when things satrt to fall apart like now.

Also I don't see it like he couldn't a game above his mates at Arsenal. It seems to me that wenger had decided to dump the idea of a French deep lying Viera and Makalele-like defensive midfielder - which Diarra was - for a more free-flowing adventrous Fabregas and Flamini-like midfielder. . but Chelsea has always played that way.

Diarra was never going to be in the picture at Arsenal. . . . but Wenger sure knows how to make business. Wenger is not quick to sell a young player. . and Wenger is French . . who could have understood Diarra better?

t0kunb0:
@nateevs

Diarra couldn't make it in2 d team. . . it wasn't either his nor JM's fault, irrespective of how much Real Madrid paid _{let's not forget he also left Arsenal, is Wenger equally poor handling young talents?}

Why couldn't Diarra make it?

Arsenal's case is different. Arsenal had equally young players. Wenger was never going to play him. Wenger knew he could make good money on him.

somze:
Ibime,  Nateevs,

It is obvious anti-JM sentiments cloud your footballing criticism.

Quaresma has spent just 3 months in Italy and it's JM fault he's not doing well? So I guess by that very logic it is LPS fault Deco isn't doing well

Diarra on that list is just purely laughable. Nateevs is so partial when it comes to JM. I am sure even Ibime will agree Diarra left because he had no opportunities to play in his original role not because he was a flop. We had Makalele, Essien, Ballack and Mikel. Diarra had no chance. He even started playing right back at some point.

As opposed to what you think, Q in my opinion did not flop at Inter. Jose could not find a role for him after he dumped his 4-3-3. Is that Q's fault. It's JM's.

Deco's case is different. Deco is too old for the premiership. He has come from a league where he has all the time to dwell on the ball to a league where no bull***t is accepted from any dribbler. A younger and quicker Deco, Diego Ribas will excel in the same position. . . and it's LFS's role to have figured out that Deco can't withstand the PL.

If Diarra left because he did not get a lot of games, it's because Jose did not trust him enough to play him. Now he leaves and he goes to Madrid for £20m - a player we paid £1m for. Who do I blame? Diarra?

And just in case you did not know, JM said Essien, has too much energy to be played at DM. Also when Mikel came he was never a DM. So that left only Maka in front of him.

I didn't put Diarra there because he was a flop, I put him there because it counters your argument that Jose grows talent.

Jose uses finished talents and a very very very largggge squad to succeed.

@Debo,

There are only two ways a manager can choose a different teams for PL and CC. . . .

1. The depth of the squad.
2. How well the manager has settled.


Wenger and Alex have settled well in their clubs. They have achieved in the past hence any new thing they tried would pass as an experiment with the future in mind. It's not the same for LFS who has only barely been half a year here. Even the fans are divided on whether he should stay or not. For every new coach, it is not the time to go out experimenting. I, personally will use my best squad, win some games, perhaps win some competitions and then after I can very well assert my authority on the team and begin to experiment here and there. Also coupled with the fact the LFS has not been in European management before. He has a lot to learn and only in a short time.

The depth of the squad is not helping at all. I will give a look of what it looks like.

----------------------Hilario----------------------

--Ferreira----Ivanovic--Manciene-----Who?

---------------------Who ? ---------------------

--------Kakuta------------------Who?----------

Stoch-------------DiSanto-----------Who?


See!. . . We couldn't even arrange a second team let alone subs for them. Cork is on loan Watford, Sinclair on loan, Sergio Tejera on loan.


On the other hand this is the team that LFS played against Burnley at home.

Cudicini
Ivanovic
Alex
Belletti
Bridge
Ferreira
Deco
Mineiro
Malouda
Drogba
Kalou


You can't say he did not try to mix up at all. He did and we lost. So does he do? New Job, big team, three months and already out of one competition. You can't blame him. He will have to proceed with his best squad fro then on until some support can be won over and some fans can say even if we don't win I still support.


To the last bit of your post. I do not disagree at all. He's been in national team management for so long he hasn't been exposed European club football and with a top club like Chelsea that will play over 50 matches if we get to semis of all competitions, he got that wrong. . . then again Robinho couldn't have been a worse addition.

This reason is why I insist that he is not a idiot, give him a chance. Kenyon has said from the summer, there'l be mass exodus of players. We will be buying and buying well and young with now let's see what he can make with much younger players with the same tactics. He knows the game. Ok maybe not as well as the Alexs, the Wengers and the JMs but he sure does know something good enough to win major competitions.

I will want to see what he can do with better players before I pass any judgement.

Oga Somze has come again oooooo. . . . .

Quaresma, Mancini, Lasana Diarra, Aiser Del Hrno, SWP, Kezman, Maniche, Boularhouz, . . . . . . . we can go on.


I hope this comes to an end some day.

@Dyabman

I stumbled on this article about why Quaresma failed at Inter. . You'l love it. . . .


http://pazza-inter.com/goals/?p=329

@Dyabman

I think allowing him to roam - having a free role will bring out the best in him. . . it might well bring out the selfishness in him, however I think a free role will enable him get into interesting positions because he can score from anywhere. . so restricting him might work but won't be the best.

For that reason I will think he should LFS should play this way.

--------------------------Mikel---------------------------

---------Quaresma-------------------Lampard--------

Kalou------------------Anelka-----------Malouda----


I don't know why I put Malouda - I would have loved to play Joe Cole in there. . . . My guess however, is that LFS will not do this he will want to play him on the right on left of a 4-3-3. Therefore we will pro'ly have something like this

--------------------------Mikel---------------------------

-------Ballack/Deco-------------------Lampard--------

Kalou-----------------Anelka-----------Quaresma----


Talk about Magic, this guy can do magic. I am really fantasizing about a Robinho, Q and Anelka forward line. . . Unstoppable!

@Chac.

You are right you know. . . . Ibime loves Quaresma. . . . apologies Ibime. I must have had it mixed up.

@allboyz

Are you kidding ? Where have you been? He is already a Chelsea player. .

@Ibime,

God Bless you. . . I think I got the positioning wrong. It was when Maka had an ear injury, and subsequent operation, Lampard was out and Mikel and Essien had gone to the ACN. Exactly!. . . I sure did not forget that SWP played as AM and I remember you and I talking about that move on here.


That said, What do you think about the Quaresma signing? You neva liked this guy what are your views now? What's this strange thing I am hearing that he might be able to play in UCL because we can choose teams twice in a season?

I would think the normal rule holds. . He's cup tied. . .

Akolawole:
1) I try to remind you that Essien that you are clamouring for is definitely over 30 years yet he is a superb player. He is not 26 at all.

2) If Zola is still active. Why not? Even Roger milla

3) Is Rio playing 60 minutes as well? Why is LFS playing Balack and even Cech against minnows in carling cup. Why?

4) If LFS keep on saying that he is devlish and a liar. Why cant he speak up?

1. Oh! really? You were ? Look, I don't have a problem with Essien being 30yrs old. . . but the problem with you is that I need to explain one thing many times before you get my point.

A single player might be very fit even when old and be able play 60 odd mins every other game. Scholes, Giggs et al. . . . Put 3 of them together then the team starts to become slow, put 5 of them together and play them for 90mins in every game, carling cup, CL, PL and FACup and you will have nothing but disaster and that is exactly what we do.



That was my reply to you long time ago . . . . but you still come back to ask me this:-

3) Is Rio playing 60 minutes as well?

Why is LFS playing Balack and even Cech against minnows in carling cup. Why?

because fans like you are not ready to give anyone a chance. . . If a manager's is safe he experiments. . . if not he plays his best players when he can.



4. Well Kenyon said we are not going to buy anyone. Do you really expect LFS to say "Rubbish! . . Phocking give me the players" ?

[quote author=A-40 link=topic=227275.msg3417358#msg3417358 date=1233609279]Wow so the Quaresma thingy is done i have learnt today not to doubt anything coming from Skysports! Anyways i don't mean to rain on you chelsea fans parade but did y'all see Quaresma's last game against Torino?Has anyone seen how poor he has been since joining Inter? I am not sure that over-skill dey kill ninja one trick pony is what y'all need at the Bridge[/quote]While it is premature to get excited over him. . . I think it is also dangerous to write him off before he kicks a ball. . . let's all siddon look!

Akolawole:
@Nateeves

You cannot but amazes me.
Do you think we are fools?
How on earth could anyone mention Sidwell and SWP in decent midfield combination? Not even in Mighty jets of Jos.
-------------------------Essien----------------------------

------Sidwell----                       ------Lampard------

------SWP----------------Anelka-------------Joe---------

Oh! I just knew you will not know. . . . but Grant used this formation when we had injuries last season and won. . . So what exactly are you on about. . . . . We won then and we can't win now it's because we could run then but we can't now!

And to your other posts. . . .

1) I have mentioned many players in United that are over 30's yet doing very well.

because they do not form the spine of the team, they play 60mins every other game not 90mins week in week out. . .


2) JM did not win the league that year because of injuries and wahala with the owner. I hope you remember Ballack did not even played the FA cup final

Oh really! This is what I mean. . it's always excuses for JM and reasons for LFS. . . You know what LFS neva had injuries. . .



3) Terry's declination has nothing to do with age. He keep on hiding injuries. I hope you remember English press keep on calling him yeye superman. i also hope you remember Terry's last fight with JM.


I did not say his decline has anything to do with age. I used it to illustrate how a players form can seriously decline in a matter of two years.



And I am done arguing with you. You twist arguments. I cannot post and then come back to explain my posts. . gudnite.

Akola,


Michael Essien will come back from injury and the long rest will give him energy for the rest of the season. In a contradictory statement, you said Essien is older than you which means that he only has a few minutes left of active football. If he turns out to be rubbish when he comes back from injury, you won't say it's because he is older than you. . . . You'ld rather say[i] "Age is Nothing"[/i] or you say[i] "LFS made him rubbish"[/i]


Now, I have told you that you do not single out a player, comment on his performance and end up saying age is nothing. Why don't we sign Gianfranco Zola then since age is nothing.



A single player might be very fit even when old and be able play 60 odd mins every other game. Scholes, Giggs et al. . . . Put 3 of them together then the team starts to become slow, put 5 of them together and play them for 90mins in every game, carling cup, CL, PL and FACup and you will have nothing but disaster and that is exactly what we do.

And let me tell you, only last week LFS said again that he is happy with his squad. . .   So why are we signing a new man. . . to tell you how dire it is, we even got him on loan! . . but he is happy isn't he?

You can choose whatever you want to believe when you are on your business of discrediting LFS. . . I will be on the other side. I only hope Quaresma can be, if not a big hit at least, a decent hit. . . and then if we get only two more players that change things and we are in winning ways , . I wonder what y'all will say?

Official . . Rubber stamped by the FA. . . completed!

Talksport.net live. . . . Danny Kelly and Stan Collymore. . . . "You heard it there first"

Confirmed. . . Arshavin signs for Arsenal

Now back to reality. . . .



Ask me this morning if I thot we will sign even a ball-boy and I would have said naaaah! Few hours later, Quaresma is here. . . I can't believe I will ever get to see this guy play in my backyard. . . .

One more option in attack. This option is different. I believe he can play wide right, wide left, in the middle of the pack as well as second striker.

I surely will want to see something like

---------------Mikel---------------

     Essien-----------Lampard 

Kalou------Anelka------Ricardo2


This will def be a midfield bombarding any defense with all the speed, power and skill available. Essien, where art thou?

While I do not want to get over-excited, the return of Essien and the introduction of Quaresma will look like new signings.

Let's see what difference this can make.



wait a minute. . . How many more ex FC-Porto players are we going to have?

I thought they all said LFS is happy with his squad. The poor guy needs better players, he can't get the funds. The ones before him got adequate funds for transfer and yet we blame him for everything that happens.

Thing is he was never happy with his squad. He had to say he was. . saying otherwise is sabotage. I think it's quite clear now!

TOCFCWS. . . .

Official. . . . . Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce that we have signed Inter Milan winger Ricardo Quaresma on loan until the end of the season. The Premier League have confirmed the deal.

SSN . . . Chelsea sign Quaresma on loan till end of season.

@Diva

You mean Don't believe the Quaresma story YET!!

Have we started selling his shirts yet?

debosky:
If it were MU that got away with this, the chelsea pillocks would be screaming to the high heavens. Their player gets away with sticking his boot up Yossi's ass and the FA isn't partial this time??  

You have worse problems mate. A 33-day transfer proceeding breaks down in the last minute even after SSN reported that Arshavin was having a med.

Leave Shesi alone . . .




@Ladykool

Another lady in the house. . . . Welcome!. . . hope you won't do NEPA here. . . . show face plenty abeg. . .

@Ibime . . . . quick one eh?


Sky Italia reporting Quaresma has already left for Chelsea. . .


SSN. . reporting deal is very possible.

BBC 1707: "According to the Portuguese press Quaresma has been loaned out to Chelsea till the end of the season."


I will be glad even if we signed a coca-cola bottle. . . . . Ibime when did you suddenly like Ricardo?

@Diva

I always still feel like calling you HorneyChic. . . .



Didi is a professional. . . Benching him should get him to show his best and shut critics like me up when he comes in. . . but he doesn't.

Coaches have sentiments with players from time to time. It's no news that JM did not like Sheva and Ballack. JM even had beef with Carvalho and benched him. It did not kill his morale instead he gave JM a reason to believe he was indispensable and he got his shirt back.

Every time Sheva came on in JM's era, you could see he was trying so hard. He scored a goal in one game and JM did not even celebrate. . . but Sheva did not whine. . . he got on with it like a pro should but the reality was that JM did not like Sheva because he(sheva) was finished.


I do not see aw that is different from the situation with DD now. DD is finished and then he whines and moans and blames everybody else but himself.

Aw do you say LFS killed DD. . . . If you did not know DD scored only 8 league goals last season. Was LFS here then? and that was after he scored 20 the season before. That's not LFS's fault. DD has been overrated.

2006/7 2007/8 2008/9

Anelka 11 11 14
DD 20 8 1



What differences can you see? before DD scored 20 goals in a season, he scored 12 and 10 in the 2004/5, 2005/6 seasons respectively. How do you call that clinical?

Now compare the stats above and tell me DD is any clinical than Anelka. DD has got presence, physique but on the average he hasn't done better than Benny Macrthy in terms of scoring goals.

He is one dimensional and can't pass a ball for his life. What's the fuss?

@diva,

How did you come about LFS killing DD?

@Chac,

It's not attitude. We got on to a flying start in the premiership. Spanking teams left, right and centre. Next we played ManU, and the attitude went from 100 to zero? Is that what you are saying? The same scenario has replayed since then against Roma, Liverpool (home), Arsenal (home), ManU (OT), Liverpool (Anfield).

After the Man'U defeat we went on the beat southend 4-1. . no attitude. . . we came back against stoke in an manner reminiscent of JM days . . no attitude. We beat Ipswich 3-1. . no attitude. . even went on to beat Middlesborough 2-0 still no attitude. . ,  now Liverpool and then attitude suddenly sets in.

No way. the problem is simple. Against a team that plays Mascherano and Xabi Alonso, you need a quicker version of Mikel, Lampard and Ballack. If ballack picks the ball up and can go past two, three pool players with ease like Robben, Ronaldo, Ashley young, Agbolahor, Walcott will do. . . then you increase chances of scoring on a counter. That's the way JM played. That's the way Alex plays.

but when Mikel, ballack, Lampard pick the ball up, they can't run with it. . no one wants to be accused of conceding possession, so they pass it to the nearest player, and the next does and the next and the CA breaks down. What seemed seconds ago like a promising counter now becomes a build-up.

If these players are not quick enough to capitalize on a counter, aw can they run through a packed or organized defense. ? ah ha! That exactly where the problem is. . . We can't counter and we can't run through an organized defense. . . and that is why against all the bigger teams we have had less than 5 or no shots on goal.

They are older, they can't run anymore and because of this when they lose possession, the can't run back to recollect. After 60mins of the same thing, they become tired and because we haven't got a younger one in the middle of the pack that can run riots, the older men become tired, inviting more and more attack and the defense eventually cracks. One single moment of lack of concentration like Alex, Cech Ashley Cole and Terry and that's it.


One way out of this is to use wingers. . . since you do not have quick central midfielders, to put them on the back-foot thereby reducing the flow of attack into your area. . .well aw about having Malouda and Kalou as wingers?

You guys all saying age is not an issue are talking bollocks. . . . . absolute bollocks!!!!

Akola . . . It is not adequate to single out one player and say because he' over 30 and is in top form every other player should be like that. Giggs, Scholes, Makalele are footballers we only see once in a generation. What happened to Sheringham, Andy Cole, Solksjaer, Yorke from the same treble winning  team? Why has Alex not kept anyone one of them?

Lampard at 32 will be far better than Malouda at 29. . .Ronaldo will be forgotten at 28. . .  It is obvious. . . . You can tell Terry will never play till 30. I heard you saying Terry is not the same Terry we used to know. . . this was the same Terry who was world class only 3 years ago. . . and you have the guts to come back in another scenario and say these were the same JM players and Grant players and blah blah blah!

If it true that Terry's form has declined, it can be true for anyone else. That's a perfect example to tell you that players can become rubbish in only two seasons. . . top flight players can become Zilch in only one season let alone two. So please spare all this "3 years ago". . . "2 years ago"

I have said it time and time again that the bedrock of JM's success was quick, pacy players. JM never bought a 30yrd old. When he came to the club, he sold all the 30 yrd old except Maka who was a once-in-a-generation player.

The moment he had just two 30-yrd olds he didn't win the league.

Why didn't JM make the best out of Sheva and Ballack. . ? Sheva was only two seasons before European footballer of the year. . . So what happened? What about Ballack? Why is the story different now? Players can become shit in half a season let alone one or even two.

Grant used Pizzarro and we did not lose. . . . but one thing Ibime failed to mentioned is that by using SWP and Sidwell in midfield he had options. Younger options. . . . Where are Sidwell and SWP ? We sold them and got who? No one!!!!. . .  and so did we with Benhaim, Boularhouz, Sheva, Pizzarro. . these players were not the best but I'd rather have them here than no one at all.

You can't compare an attack of line of

-------------------------Essien----------------------------

------Sidwell----                       ------Lampard------

------SWP----------------Anelka-------------Joe---------

to the team that played yesterday. . . . while I am not saying we will win. . ,  we have suceeded doing something, reducing the average age of the team, thereby increasing the energy, the pace and we will at least have ONE shot on goal. . . .by pushing pool's defenders back, our full backs can attack and eventually increasing our overall chances of winning. . . .


Age is a factor. . . .

If Sir Alex who knows what it means to be on the winning side tells you our squad is aging and you say you don't believe it. . . well I can't say much more. .

So because LPS said he is happy with our squad, it means it is not aging eh?


I will not push this any further because I don't want to get into another "LPS should be fired or not" argument. Y'all know where I have always stood on this. If you believe the squad is good enough. . . fine!!

Those that know, will tell you otherwise.

chamotex:
That[b] was[/b] JM's team and he did very well with them.

All those players[b] were bought[/b] by JM except for Deco

So??

Check highlighted point in your comments and you will understand exactly why I said. . . . live on past glory and only look good on paper.

Simple!


And oh JM bought and used them 3 years ago. . . when they were in their prime not now! . . . so quit this talk!. . . . You think JM would have succeeded with five 30 yrd-olds in his first 11?












@Akola,

Since when did it not become compulsory for players to run with the ball? This is not golf for heaven's sake! If a player cannot run with the ball, there's a high tendency he can't track back to defend.
The hallmark of JM's achievement was pace. . . quick, pacy players that run with the ball, catch you on a break and even track back to snatch the ball from you again.

It's all gone now.

We weren't quick enough to get past pool's midfielders, let alone defenders - they were quicker . . that's why we couldn't attack.
Also we weren't quick enough to run back and snatch the ball from them - they were quicker . . . that's why they attacked us throughout. . .

LPS knows this and that's why he will never play a 4-4-2. . . It is easy for you to blame LPS . . I tell you it's the quickest and easiest thing to do. . . . but one thing is for sure sack Scolari and bring in another manager and by then Lampard will be 32, Ballack 33, Deco 32, Drogba 32, Anelka 30, Carvalho 32, Malouda 29, Ashley 30. . .

and then you'l come back here after a series of shambolic performances to say but JM did well with this same team, even Grant 2 years ago. . . . blah blah!

Am I the only one seeing this? . . . . Oh! I thought one genius called Sir Alex said this months ago b4 any whistle was blown.