I think Cresspo scored about 12 goals or so each season he played . . . that's about 20 goals for Chelsea 

Shevy had a bad season BEFORE Chelsea and had lost his fitness and speed.

Mutu IS NOT and I repeat IS NOT on drugs anymore. After his ban he got 9 goals in 42 games for Juventus.

Anelka scored as a bolton player. This is the big stage. How many goals did he score for liverpool? 4 goals in 20 games. That pretty much sums up by argument. He aint a big stage player no more.

You argument is falling flatter and flatter on it's face.

Crespo's Stats
Years                Club App                (Gls)*
1993–1996       River Plate                64 (23)
1996–2000       Parma                    116 (62)
2000–2002       Lazio                     54 (39)
2002–2003       Internazionale               18 0(7)
2003–             Chelsea                   49 (20)
2004–2005       A.C. Milan (loan)   28 (10)
2006-              Internazionale (loan)   48 (18)

@Somze

Sheva had a bad season before he joined Chelsea. . . He scored 28 goals for Milan in the season before he joined. This is the first time I have heard anyone say Sheva lost his fitness before he joined Chelsea. Can you provide links.


Mutu did not test for cocaine in his first season did he? So he was not on drugs when he only managed 10 goals. Now you boldly say he scored only 9 goals for Juventus. . . why did you not mention that he scored 42 goals for fiorentina in 2 seasons now. . ?

because Anelka did not score a lot of goals in Liverpool does not mean he is not a big club player. If you do not play to players' strengths . . you can't get them to score. Simple. Anelka scored 10 goals b4 he came to Chelsea and he's only scored 1 and you still think it's anelka's problem and not team problem . . .


So what? We always sign wrong strikers? How do you expect me to believe that ? What happened to Kezman?
Now tell me one striker you think we should sign and you are confident he will make it with the current squad?



You don't need to talk about argument falling flat on its face . . . we are discussing and not fighting. . if you prove a point and I think it is right . . I'ld accept. . but here, no no no.


Again,
Now tell me one striker you think we should sign and you are confident he will make it with the current squad?

Mutu's stats
Years Club App (Gls)*
1996-1999 FC Argeş Piteşti 046 (14)
1999-2000 Dinamo Bucureşti 036 (26)
2000 Internazionale 014 0(2)
2000-2002 Verona 057 (16)
2002-2003 Parma 036 (22)
2003-2005 Chelsea 038 (10)
2005-2006 Juventus 043 0(9)
2006- Fiorentina 083 (42)  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Mutu

Anelka's stat
Years Club App (Gls)*
1995–1997 Paris Saint-Germain 10 0(1)
1997–1999 Arsenal 65 (23)
1999–2000 Real Madrid 19 0(2)
2000–2002 Paris Saint-Germain 39 (10)
2001–2002 → Liverpool (loan) 20 0(4)
2002–2005 Manchester City 89 (38)
2005–2006 Fenerbahçe 39 (14)
2006–2008 Bolton Wanderers 53 (21)
2008– Chelsea 14 0(1)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Anelka

Look, Nateevs, the midfield just plays to the managers instruction. I remember what Mourinho told them in last years FA Cup final. He said "you can enjoy the game by playing pretty football - or you can enjoy after the game by playing to my instruction. Play my way and we will win." So we set about to strangle the midfield and we won. The good thing about the midfield is that they are flexible. When it is time to attack, they will, when it is time to defend, they will.

How many times last year did Arsenal spend 90 minutes trying to break little teams down by passing the ball through them. In the end they didn't succeeed. They lost many games 1-0 against silly teams like Sheffield United.

Hleb to Fabregas, Fabregas dribbles, lays off to Rosicky, Rosicky shimmies and cuts inside, lays off to Hleb, Hleb beats one, two . . . . . . . . . . .but he can't create room for the shot . . . . . . . . . that was the story of Arsenal season last season. Even toward the end of this season we saw the same thing.

Now, I am sure we will agree that Arsenal typify the type of midfield you are talking about. But midfield cannot do it all by themselves.

I really don't understand how you could look at the non-contribution of the wingers on Wednesday and then turn around and blame the midfield when it was the midfield that dragged us back into the game.

As for whether we create attacks or whether we counter attack, I believe we can do both but the wingers let us down sometime. You are right that non-physical strikers haven't succeeded at Chelsea but that is not the fault of the midfield. That is because of the managers instruction to hit the ball long to the strikers and feed off the knockdowns. Remember, Mourinho didn't want Sheva, he wanted Benni McCarthy because McCarthy can be also used as a battering ram. Regardless of whatever it is, our wingplay needs fixing.

What would you prefer, this team:

                                                                      Cech

Bosingwa                          Carvalho                                         Terry                           Cole

                                                                     Maka

                                         Nasri                                             Diego                                  
Cole                                                                                                                            Kalou/Malouda

                                                                    Striker


or this team:

                                                                     Cech

Bosingwa                          Carvalho                                         Terry                           Cole

                                                                     Maka

                                         Lamps/Essien                           Ballack/Essien                                  
Ribery/Robinho                                                                                                       Quaresma/Robinho

                                                                    Striker


I know which I prefer. Our wing-play is of mid-table standard. Even Ashley Young is better than all of our wingers.

Nateevs,
Your argument holds no water
Crespo Argument - Contrary to your argument evidence suggests that he was in fact better in Chelsea than in his future clubs or even his immediate past season before joining.

Anelka's Argument - Evidence suggest Anelka never made it in big clubs except Arsenal when he was VERY VERY young

Mutu's argument - He was on drugs and that affected his game in Chelsea, he also had an abmissal performance in another big club - Juventus. He seems to be doing well in Fiorentina.

who else is left?

Dude your argument is empty.

Shevy did not fit the English game. He had lost his fitness and speed. Go an watch all the matches he has played for Chelsea and tell me if he runs faster than ***

@Ibime,

Also remember that the manager cannot ask the midfield to do what it can't.


WRT your team list. .

It's hard to decide which one of the two I like. If I can make a shuffle . . this is what I will do.

              -----------------------Cech----------------------

          Bosingwa-------Riccy-------Terry-------------Cole

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

Ballack------------------Diego

Ribery------------------------------------------------------Quaresma

            ----------------------Gomez-----------------------


Subs. . . . Alex, Ivanovic, Anelka, Mikel, Kaka, Bridge, Kalou, Robinho.

In my mind Drogba and Lampard have left us.

Arguments and counter-arguments. The way Chelsea play their own football is the only reason why strikers cannot flourish in the team. Should Fabiano, Adebayor, Kaka, Etoo or any good striker all join Chelsea, they would struggle to score 25+ goals a season cos the Mourinho way is too ultra defensive.
It took Drogba 3 seasons to score 20 league goals for Chelsea. Stick the same Drogba in Man Utd or Arsenal and he will bang 30+ league goals cos he is a powerful striker.

@Somze,

You don't disrespect people when proving a point. You have not proven me wrong . . I'l tell you why.

Crespo's immediate season before he joined umh? You said he had a bad season before he joined us, he scored only 7 goals but guess what you failed to say that he had a nasty injury at Inter that kept him out for 4 months in that same season before he joined. . . what about that.?   Secondly the 7 goals he scored were Serie A goals . . he also scored 9 goals in 12 appearances in the Champions league in that same season even though he was out for four months. Amazing !!!!

He came to Chelsea had a full season and didnot score more that 10 league goals and only 2 CL goals.

Now he returned to Milan on loan the next season and scored 16 goals even though he was third choice striker behind Sheva and Inzaghi. . . before he came back to Chelsea and scored only 12 as a fully fit striker and with equal opportunities as other strikers, . . You still do not think it hold water umh?




Sheva. . . you still have not shown me the link were you saw that he had lost his fitness before he joined. Let me tell you something . . Sheva never had pace. He played in front of great players like Kaka, Ceedorf, Leonardo, Pirlo, Rivaldo and several others I cannot remember now.
We never had players like these. These guys know how to place the ball to Sheva that enabled him to score 127 goals in all seasons at Milan.
He came to Chelsea and the passing element was absent. He had to work like a horse. . like Drogba . Work like Essien . . he was bound to fail. . . he will not score .

That was Sheva's predicament and not particularly his pace. . . he was never a pacy player. Ballack came into the premiership older than Sheva. . . aw come he made it? Sheva is faster than Ballack.





MUTU. . . Mutu was not on drugs in firts season. Give me a link that shows his first season was affected by drugs. He left Chelsea, had a 7month ban from football and you expect him to come and score 20 goals. He didn't, he scored 9 got back to fitness and has now scored 42 goals in 2 seasons.


Still holds no water? You still have not told me what happened to Kezman. . .

Nateevs,
Disrespect? Where?

While you have asked for links, you have not shown any yourself.
Anyway

1. Crespo
Season before Chelsea - 30 appearances, 16 goals
Chelsea - 29 appearances, 12 goals
Ac Milan - 38 appearances, 16 goals
Chelsea - 35 appearances, 12 goals
Inter Milan - 35 appearances 15 goals
Inter Milan 22 appearances 5 goals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Crespo

These facts do not support your argument.

2. Shevy
Show me a link that says he was not a pacy player and I'll show you one for his fitness.

3. Mutu
You can not prove he was not on drug in his first season. Please supply such proof.
Mutu was also injured for a while in Chelsea so that too can account for his lack of goals.
Meanwhile he played under Ranieri. Are you saying Ranieri's style was same with JM's?
This holds no water too unless you care to prove any of the above facts

4. Kezman,
Let me hit google and get back to you on that one

Thank God for google

Kezman's appearance and goals

2003/2004 PSV Eindhoven 42 37
2004/2005 Chelsea FC 37 07
2005/2006 At. Madrid 33 10
2006/2007 Fenerbahçe 36 12
2007/2008 Fenerbahçe 31 20

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mateja_Ke%C5%BEman

Again, this does nothing to support your argument

1. Crespo
Season before Chelsea - 30 appearances, 16 goals
Chelsea - 29 appearances, 12 goals
Ac Milan - 38 appearances, 16 goals
Chelsea - 35 appearances, 12 goals
Inter Milan - 35 appearances 15 goals
Inter Milan 22 appearances 5 goals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hern%C3%A1n_Crespo

These facts do not support your argument.

Yes they do. . . .

1. Going by arithmetic he scored more goals in any season outside chelsea than he did in chelsea.
2. The season before joining he scored 16 goals more than his chelsea's 12 goals and he was injured for four months. . completely out.
3. He went on loan when he could not cut it in Chelsea to Milan and scored 16 goals obviously more than his chelsea endeavours plus he was third choice striker behind Sheva and Inzaghi





2. Shevy
Show me a link that says he was not a pacy player and I'll show you one for his fitness.

Well it will be difficult for me to provide a link to show that sheva was not pacy except that if you are a football follower, you know those that are pacy and those that are not. There was never a time Sheva was known for his pace; like Henry or Eto'o was. Now for you to make a claim that he lost his FITNESS is something you must be able to back-up. It's a serious claim and you must back it up.

Don't forget you said he had a bad season before he joined but he scored 28 goals in that season. What happened when he joined? He scored only 14.  Are you telling me playing in front of Rivaldo, Leonardo, Pirlo, Ceedorf, Kaladdze, Kaka is like playing in front Lampard, Maka, Essien and sometimes SWP?

Common somze!!!! 





3. Mutu
You can not prove he was not on drug in his first season. Please supply such proof.
Mutu was also injured for a while in Chelsea so that too can account for his lack of goals.
Meanwhile he played under Ranieri. Are you saying Ranieri's style was same with JM's?
[b]This holds no water too unless you care to prove any of the above facts [/b]


It was never an argument of JM's style or not. . . It has been an argument of not so good midfield we tend to praise all the time and that has been since Ranieri. . .

Now yes I can't prove that he was not drugs in his first season. You can't as well saying his taking drugs affected his game and he could not score. . no way. I can't accept that except you can show me to my face aw you came about that. Simple fact is that until 2004, when he was sacked he was a flop.
You said he had an absymaal performance in Juve, remember he just came back from a 7month ban. . there's no player that can do that and return to previous form. He went on to fiorentina and has scored 42 goals in 2 seasons.
He is better that he was at chelsea. . bottom line.

AVRAM GRANT HAS BEEN FIRED OOOOO


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7418774.stm.


Just like that? Which coach would want this Chelsea job for Christ sake? 2 managers in a season? WHo would they employ now? Riijkard?

Chelsea just fired Grant. . . .

I have been waiting for the break of the news. . . but somze kept me here with him. . . Somze likes discussing with me . . .


Farewell Mr Grant. Thanks for your time at Chelsea. I hope you get a club and start your coaching career in the proper fashion. I think it was a big cross for him to carry in the first place and we all saw it coming . . .


REACTIONS PLEASE. . . .

Farewell my man

Hope you get another decent club.

I am sure the pay-off was good so I shouldn't be too sorry for you.

They were going to fire him but he terminated his contract

http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~1318739,00.html

@Ibime

And that marks the beginning of the change for the next season. Who do you expect to see as manager? My first choice is Gus Hiddink. . . Then Laudrup.

Laudrup left getafe a few weeks ago and said he already knew where he was going to. . . might be here. Well let's us not be surprised if we see Jose. .

nateevs:

Chelsea just fired Grant. . . .

Ohhhhhh I have been waiting for the break of the news. . . but somze kept me here with him. . . Somze like discussing with me . . .


Farewell Mr Grant. I hope you get a club and start your coaching career in the proper fashion. I think it was a big cross for him to carry in the first place and we all saw it coming . . .


REACTIONS PLEASE. . . .

I think its a bit unfair!!! How can Kenyon thrust a man into a hot furnace midway and expect the heavens to fall like that?

Is this how life is? . For heavens sake, this man almost toppled United out of the league table and was a penalty away to glory!

Please tell me, if players fail to convert penalty chances, who do we blame? I mean, if a Terry and Anelka who earn a combined wage of over 220,000 quids/week can't put a damn ball in the net thru a 6yrd penalty kick, what do we do? Should we throw in their coach to score the penalty then?

Even as a Manc, i feel for Grant. Even if multiple winning UCL coaches like Ancelloti, Hitzfield, (SAF, newly) or Del-Bosque were the coach of Chelsea. . . would that stop Terry from slipping?

This AG termination is a classical case of Money-miss-road from Roman. At this stage, people would be afraid to coach Chelsea. Even if Riijkard comes, he would be under immense pressure. . .way more than the pressure Laporta and catalonian press subjected him to. Only if Grant won this UCL, he wouldn't have been fired

The Only soultion is bringing JM back. . . Any other afterthought by Roman is a waste. Even if Riijkard or Mancini comes in. If Riijkard can't manage and massage Ronaldinho and Eto's ego, how would he handle  AnelSulk, JT and Lampard's pounds driven ego?

I know as a Manc fan, i shouldn't be crying more than the bereaved , but Please let me do! Let me feel pain for Grant, a man who was saddled with liabilities such as Pizzaro, Sidwel and Belleti as subs. Yes, i know am one of the guys who always laughed at JM's replacement e.g (making SAF and United happy for hiring Grant) but we all know that beyond club affiliations and personal mockeries, Grant was thrown in the fray just like that. This zionist dude deserved atleast a full season to xpress himself!

Roman has just made Chelsea the most imbalanced and less secured job in England!

Mourinho sent a text to Essien telling him that he will sign a contract with Inter Milan on Monday.
Mourinho: Isign for Inter on Monday
Read: http://www.goal.com/en/articolo.aspx?contenutoid=708915


And I just read this new on Goal.com
Read: http://www.goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=709275

@Rikkyjen,

Very nice post. I can't be surprised anymore. I knew he wasn't going to be there next season. How I knew, I can't tell but I had the feeling and whether he won the CL or not he was not going to stay. Grant was already talking about his perhaps not being at Chelsea about one week b4 the CL final . . Kenyon stopped backing him publicly. Roman stopped coming to the bridge. . . . there were issues going on in the back room that we could not see.

All these I figured. . spelt the words long ago. I feel for him . . but you will think that not as much I felt for JM. Could JM go on to the pitch to play and win the CL ? No he couldn't and he got sacked even though he was the most successful. . . If JM can be sacked with all the victories he brought to Chelsea, what is to say Grant can't after a trophyless season?

It's clearly a case of WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND. I said long time ago. . if I were Grant I won't accept the job in the first place. . . .

these ppl sha!

how do dey expect the players to be loyal to the club, it wouldnt surprise me if lampard and other key players go.

well, i wanted grant off the job months ago! and i thougt he was actually going to stay another season since he lead us to the champsleague final!

on the other hand i think its the begining of another era!  we r going to get another extra special one and i hope this one is going to stay for a log time!

trophyless next season will be a massive disgrace to everyone involved in the running of the club, but hopefully it wunt happen happen that way


BLUES!! AALLLL THE WAYYYY

we all knew that they will fire him
Its a shame anyway he's being fired on a sabbath day.
but really, the club's mannagment is unbeliveble.

AG is a decent man, but he neva really got the support he needed frm his players,  he could do better not being in a controversial, insecured, money-miss-road Club like Chelsea.

Wish him the best anyway!

Very nice post. I can't be surprised anymore. I knew he wasn't going to be there next season. How I knew, I can't tell but I had the feeling and whether he won the CL or not he was not going to stay. Grant was already talking about his perhaps not being at Chelsea about one week before the CL final . . Kenyon stopped backing him publicly. Roman stopped coming to the bridge. . . . there were issues going on in the back room that we could not see.

@Nateevs

I think i may have to disagree with the highlighted part. If Grant won the CL, he may have been spared!. Do you know how Roman  is crazy about this CL thing, especially on his home turf?. Am sure you saw the game, did you see where Roman was dancing reggae on his chair out of nervousness. Infact, the Oligarch was caught on camera making "ooos and aaaaas" when the balls were hitting the bar. During the game, Roman was like a recalitrant kid experiencing his first Orgasm! The loss pained him gan!

The dude is so CL obsessed that if AG won the CL, he may have just spared the Zionist.

I make this arguement because Chelsea have won everything winnable in football. This CL loss was a big blow to Roman and a win in Moscow would have led to Roman giving his firend (Grant) a benefit of the doubt for next season

Infact who knows, Romans girlfriend may have played a big role in the firing of Grant , afterall there were reports that she was crying and inconsolable after the loss!

All these I figured. . spelt the words long ago. I feel for him . . but you will think that not as much I felt for JM. Could JM go on to the pitch to play and win the CL ? No he couldn't and he got sacked even though he was the most successful. . . If JM can be sacked with all the victories he brought to Chelsea, what is to say Grant can't after a trophyless season?

Totally spot on!, i just thought about this sha!. Even with all of JM's 5 domestic trophies in 3years (I excluded the community tray ofcos!) JM was still fireable!

He(AG) knew he will not be in SB next season if even if he do the double.
Kenyon is making a very big mistake if he thinks he can replace JM very easily.
Take it from me no Manager will succeed in Chelsea with all those JM boys.
He has to sell many and bring in many b4 he makes any head way.
Those JM boys can never treat any manager like JM.

I learnt he is going with £5m payoff. He did not loose and have stamped his name in Chavs History book.
He might be the only Manager that achieved such height in Chelsea in next 10yrs.
Wish him what he wish himself.

Thank God PK left OT.

LOOKS LIKE WE MAY BE HAVING MOURINHO BACK AT CHELSEA

http://tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=94506

@Ibime

I thought your imbecilic self said possession doesn't matter and you are quibbling over whether you had 44 or 42% possession.Did you also see where I said you had 3 shots on target when you actually managed 1 shot(Lampard's goal) compared to Utd's 5 shots on target.

This must be the first game in history where the better side managed only 1 shot on target,while retaining only a minority of the possession,in 120 minutes of football!

I'm sure your intensive googling must have showed you that Utd had 52% of the territorial advantage(what did you say again about Chelsea having possession where it matters?).

So all the stats-shots on target,possession,territorial advantage-point to Utd being the better side and your best resort is to proclaim that you saw an excerpt(you couldn't have read Gazzetta because you don't understand Italian)which told you Chelsea were the better side,not to mention,your friends also told you that.

Remind me again which stats show Chelsea outplayed Utd on Wednesday night.

I-man
Can you just be man enough to drop a senseless argument?

@all
Beautiful News, I tried sending post through my phone but . . . oh well

Got to rush for a movie,

The best thing that could happen is a JM come-back.

That would be super.

Good bye Grant, I'm happy you're gone.

Roman has spelt it out for them,

Any coach that comes in should be really making plans to win the CL for the guy or he would be sacked!!!!

Not that I am against the fact that Grant was sacked. But I think He deserves some amount of respect and greatfulness. The Man has done well. I mean Very well.

What I don't understand is his contract agreement.
Why give a mediocre like that a four-year contract when you needed him for only eight months?
Methinks Chelsea has the most stupid background staff in the country

Eldee
His contract was for 3 yrs @£2.5 milla per yr.