Well balls to the lot of you

[anny road]

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE..........

[beejay]

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE..........

 

Where's your European Cups...

 

Still think we are in with a decent shout this year as well and it will be hilarious if Barca & Real Madrid knock the Cockneys out leaving us as the country's sole survivor after starting from the 1st qualifying round.

[Hobbsie]

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

[Tosh]

Champions of Europe who have dropped 8 out of the last 12 points in games against our (Brum aside) nearer competitors.

 

Woe are we....

[ajit]

 

We played a great team constructed with unlimited amounts of money on an equal basis and lost due to silly mistakes and a lack of finishing.

Oh to see what Rafa can do next year with a little tweaking and his imagination.

I am really proud to continue to support this team.

[Molby]

I know what you mean Anny and agree to an extent but just after a defeat to your main rivals is probably the best time to indulge in a bit of musing about what is wrong with the club

 

I think we have the measure of Chelsea in a best 11 vs best 11 situation (plus judicious use of 3 subs)

 

the team that started yesterday was the one I thought and hoped would start

 

but for most of the first half when we were on top I was thinking "this is it - this is as good as it can get without more investment" and the reason being that we might have done a few things differently in the game and had a bit more luck but on the other hand we could also suffer injuries to key players and therefore things will balance out so that tinkering will not make us serious challengers over a season - only money as we already have everything else in place and are having a bit of luck with injuries aswell

 

so who is drinking in the last chance saloon?

 

well, any substantial remaining goodwill for Pinky and Perky is due to the miracle of Istanbul (which is akin to Thatcher winning the election after a handy Falklands conflict) and the one tangible thing they can be credited with - getting Rafa in

[beejay]

Champions of Europe who have dropped 8 out of the last 12 points in games against our (Brum aside) nearer competitors.

 

Woe are we....

 

Is it a blip or are we reverting to type?

 

We need to regroup and start another run. Rafa has to retain a (relatively) stable team with the same back 4 and go back to 2 strikers. If we can beat charlton, we are back on course so that's a huge game now.

[Molby]

any thoughts on how to do that when Rafa has publicly commented on fatigue setting in and the impending need to rotate players?

[Paul B]

I know what you mean Anny and agree to an extent but just after a defeat to your main rivals is probably the best time to indulge in a bit of musing about what is wrong with the club

 

 

I disagree with that. I think it's the worst possible time. Where were these debates over Christmas? All I remember after Everton is the sheer adulation of everyone and half the number of moaning posts on here. This is a time for quiet reflection not a knee-jerk reaction. We'll turn the corner and put a smile on faces again, just watch.

[Guest Cardie]

If we can't discuss the team and where we need to strengthen/who is and isn't doing there jobs after a loss (and certainly not when we win) when exactly is the right time to discuss things?

[Mono]

I'm dissapointed with yesterdays performance but I'm also a realist. We have improved immensely on last season and being the realist I am I expect a similar improvement next year which will mean we will very close to League Title number 19 and possibly claim it.

We've just lost a battle. Next year we'll win the war and I can't wait for V.Day

[Molby]

I disagree with that. I think it's the worst possible time. Where were these debates over Christmas? All I remember after Everton is the sheer adulation of everyone and half the number of moaning posts on here. This is a time for quiet reflection not a knee-jerk reaction. We'll turn the corner and put a smile on faces again, just watch.

ok let me clarify:

 

from my point of view, as I was feeling down I thought I would use the opportunity to think about things that make me sad, thus negating the need to make myself sad when I am feeling happy

 

forget knee-jerking as that's a misleading and lazy term - I intensified my alarm about the board precisely because we became Euro Champs and didn't build on it, rather than deciding that all was ok; the precise opposite of knee-jerking!

[Guest AdamS]

I intensified my alarm about the board precisely because we became Euro Champs and didn't build on it

 

Now that is lazy & it's horses*** too!

[Paul B]

ok let me clarify:

 

from my point of view, as I was feeling down I thought I would use the opportunity to think about things that make me sad, thus negating the need to make myself sad when I am feeling happy

 

forget knee-jerking as that's a misleading and lazy term - I intensified my alarm about the board precisely because we became Euro Champs and didn't build on it, rather than deciding that all was ok; the precise opposite of knee-jerking!

 

No, no, forget about defending yourself in the knee-jerk stakes mate, I wasn't referring to you personally! I just think that this is what being a football supporter is all about; you have to be man enough to take the rough with the smooth and we've hit one of the inevitable rough patches we knew we were going to get. That's all it is, it's not the appropriate time for an inquest. If I might draw a parallel, it's like showing your support by leaving the game with ten minutes left because you are two-nil down instead of doing what a proper fan should do and give it your all until the final whistle and demand the players do the same.

Edited February 6, 2006 by Paul B

[fred milne]

For most of the first half when we were on top I was thinking "this is it - this is as good as it can get without more investment".

I don't see how you reach that conclusion. We may not have the funds to revamp the side/squad overnight (as Chelsea have done) but there can still be substantial year-on-year progress (as we've seen this season already) to close the gap.

[Guest Jude]

This time last year we were going through a period similar to the one we are going through today but we ended up winning the CL. We have made a lot of progress since last year so we should all be happy instead of getting uptight and bothered after a few bad results, calm down and be thankful for what we have

 

Below is a post from TLW from March last year and some people are still behaving like this guy

 

[reply] Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 >

 

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5th March 2005, 05:44 PM

Rashid √

 

What the f*** is going on at our club?

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Do the board need to be sacked? Something is wrong...

 

Benitez today and last Sunday has turned into Houllier with clueless tactics and defensive mentality.....

 

I am f***ing pissed off....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are the best fans in the world so lets all start behaving like the best fans in the world and stop moaning like Rashid was doing this time last year.

[anny road]

will you lot get out of my optimistic thread

 

you lot have the rest of the board to wallow in your pity

[Knox_Harrington]

but for most of the first half when we were on top I was thinking "this is it - this is as good as it can get without more investment"

But it isn't. Another transfer window and another four quality signings in the summer and our squad is as good as Chelsea's.

[BG]

I am in the optimistic camp.

 

Cannot believe the likes of Bascombe's report. Let's not forget they haven't lost a league game at home for a very long time, have a loathsome but very good manager and the most expensively constructeam team in history.

 

In my opinion all that really separate the teams (not the squads) are the forwards (clearly we need more bite up front) and maybe a right winger.

 

Given the restraints Rafa is operating under I definitely see a glass 3/4 full.

[Molby]

RE KH:

 

I hear that and it sounds plausible in a way but what was wrong with the last two transfer windows?

and what about coping with injuries to key players? it is kind of inevitable at some point

 

and Chelsea aren't going to just stand still while we sign these 4 players

 

seriously mate, I would be frustrated enough if it weren't for Chelsea but their existence just makes things on the squad improvement front seem hopeless and so it will remain until we get a new board

Edited February 6, 2006 by Molby

[fred milne]

RE KH:

 

I hear that and it sounds plausible in a way but what was wrong with the last two transfer windows?

The side was strengthened in the summer with Reina, Sissoko and Crouch. Its more difficult to do business in the January window but still we managed to bring in Kromkamp, Agger and Fowler.

 

As Knox says, at least 3 more strong signings in the summer (2 strikers and a RM?) and we move up another gear.

[Bootle Buck]

Personally I wasn't expecting too much out of yesterday's game. Unlike the Man Utd game when they were there for the taking. This Chelsea team is focused and resolute and punishes teams for mistakes. The sad thing for me is that we seem to have lost those those two characteristics Chelsea have that we had during our run. Carra and the defence was so focused on not conceding and the rest of the team were able to put teams away regardless of how we played. IMO since we conceded in the Everton game we haven't had that focus. Whatever Rafa did to get the lads into that mindset in October, November and December he needs to do ait again. That team during the great run is the team we know we are capable of being therefore any blips are disappointing but have to be expected. Let's trust in Rafa to get it right.

[Knox_Harrington]

RE KH:

 

I hear that and it sounds plausible in a way but what was wrong with the last two transfer windows?

and what about coping with injuries to key players? it is kind of inevitable at some point

 

and Chelsea aren't going to just stand still while we sign these 4 players

 

seriously mate, I would be frustrated enough if it weren't for Chelsea but their existence just makes things on the squad improvement front seem hopeless and so it will remain until we get a new board

The side was strengthened in the summer with Reina, Sissoko and Crouch. Its more difficult to do business in the January window but still we managed to bring in Kromkamp, Agger and Fowler.

 

As Knox says, at least 3 more strong signings in the summer (2 strikers and a RM?) and we move up another gear.

Fred's right. Two strikers, a right mid and a very cynical left back would do me. Not in anyway implausible.

 

I genuinely believe we have the best side in Europe in the first two thirds of the pitch. Our right back is second to none, Carra magnificent, Hyypia keeps proving me wrong and the goalkeeper is young, gifted and bald. Hamann, Sissoko, Gerrard and Alonso are as good a squad as central midfielders as you are likely to find and with a resurgent Kewell, solid Zenden and interesting Gonzalez we are sorted at left mid. Riise is a good left back if not a great one and with better cover, along the lines of Kromkamp or Agger we are sorted there too.

 

Our problem is up top and we need genuine penetration on both flanks and to get Gerrard back in centre mid.

 

This squad is good enough to challenge Chelsea:

 

Reina, Carson, Finnan, Kromkamp, Hyypia, Carragher, Agger, Riise, Zenden, Kewell, Gonzalez, Garcia, Gerrard, Hamann, Sissoko, Alonso, Crouch (with one from Morientes and Fowler, perhaps Warnock or another emerging youngster and Kuyt, Owen/Defoe, SWP [none of the last three implausible in any way] and a dirty Spanish left back as the new signings)

 

regardless of who Chelsea sign. As for injuries, well if Chelsea lost key players they'd struggle too next season. We'd struggle more now because the squad still isn't there. But it's entirely possible it will be by August.

 

We've been building towards twenty workers since the day Rafa arrived. We'll get them by next season. And we'll challenge. If we need investment it shouldn't be for the short term but for the stadium.

[fred milne]

Two strikers, a right mid and a very cynical left back would do me. Not in anyway implausible.

If Fowler can shed a stone or two, then I'd hang onto him and Crouch and let Cisse and Morientes go in the summer. We'd then bring in a top notch finisher (with Fowler as cover/competition) and bring in another target man as cover/competition for Crouch.

 

A quality RM is essential just so that we at least have the OPTION of using Gerrard in CM.