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Chelsea: Do the Blues have a Plan B?

  By O-Posts Team | February 10, 2013 - 18:58 | , , ,
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Despite the disappointing sixth place finish in the Premier League, the silverware won in the form of Champions League had erased the negatives of Chelsea side last season.

Roberto Di Matteo, who took the reins as Chelsea manager in between the two leagues of Round of 16 phase in the Champions League last season, had played with adrenaline-related tactical moves which helped the Blues to win Europe’s biggest prize.

Di Matteo re-invented the Catenaccio style of play-the Italian art played with majority of players packed on the back, in his years at Chelsea. The outcome of winning Champions League and FA Cup had rewarded the interim manager to become the permanent manager, where the Italian penned a two year agreement last summer.

However, the reign of Di Matteo had lasted for only 262 days as the Chelsea’s lose at Turin in the game week 5 of Champions league group stages piled up Abramovich to sack the Italian on immediate reaction. Former Liverpool and Internazionale manager, Rafael Benitez was appointed as the interim manager in late November and since then, the Spaniard has been on constant pressure of getting sacked at any point of time due to the poor run of Chelsea.

Rafael Benitez has guided Chelsea in 14 Premier League games in this season so far winning on only 7 occasions, losing 4 and obviously, drawing 3. Before the Wigan game, Chelsea were without a win in the past three games of all competitions and so, the question is raised whether Rafa will opt plan B of three man defense- the trending topic of modern football?

Three man defense style of play needs influential wing-backs, an impressive defensive midfielder with an astonishing box-to-box midfielder. If a three man defense will be opted at Stamford Bridge, then how the players are packed in the formation of the same? Let’s have a brief discussion here.

David Luiz, who has been spending his time in the midfield in recent days under Rafa, has to return back to his original favorite position to form partnerships with John Terry and Gary Cahill at the back. Wing-back roles will be provided to overwhelming full backs, Branislav Ivanovic and Ashley Cole as both of these players can cause serious vulnerable problems to the opponent defenders during Chelsea’s attack and at the same time, having the spectacular tendency to take up a valuable role at defense when the emergency cover is desperately needed.

Frank Lampard and Ramires will be taking up their roles at centre-midfield just behind the attacking midfielders, Eden Hazard and Juan Mata. Lampard, whose contract extension is in doubt with Chelsea, has been in spectacular form in recent days. Till December, Lampard had featured 11 times for the West London side and out of those 11, Chelsea had won 10, drawing once. Speaking about the present, Lampard has scored 4 times in his last 4 appearances for both his club and country.

Juan Mata is leading the assists chart this season with 20 assists for both his club and country. The unselfish Spanish attacker is in the best form of his life as his contribution is not limited only with assists.

The goal scoring abilities of the 24-year old has been considerably increased this season. Demba Ba or Fernando Torres will be solely leading the Blues attack. However, based on current form, Ba will start the majority of games.

With Lampard and Mata serving as the creative sparks, Ivanovic and Cole instrumental on the wings, and Demba Ba who can convert the majority of the chances leading up front, the 3-4-2-1 formation can certainly reduce Chelsea’s woes.

 

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Written by Raghuvarman Sampathu

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Chelsea: Decline of the Roman Empire?

  By O-Posts Team | February 3, 2013 - 19:23 | , ,
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With Chelsea’s 3-2 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday, pressure increased on the interim manager Rafa Benitez.

The calls for his head were growing even as he held up the shirt on his first day in the post after replacing Roberto Di Matteo, so it was no surprise that on Wednesday night, after Chelsea’s disappointing 2-2 draw to Reading, in which they let a two goal lead slip in the last five minutes, ‘#RafaOut’ was trending in the United Kingdom.

The short termism shown by a large number of Chelsea fans is disappointing, but it is becoming a sad indictment of the attitude that has developed in Fulham Broadway. The most surprising thing so far in this below par season is that Rafa Benitez has not become another casualty in what has become a disastrous season for the League Manager’s Association.

Only one Chelsea manager has survived beyond 54 games in charge since Jose Mourinho was in the hot seat for 185 matches and sacked in 2007, a relatively small amount considering the success which he brought.

It is pretty much a certainty that Benitez will not be staying on as Chelsea beyond the end of the season, so who will Chelsea look to replace him with? Their huge target was Pep Guardiola who has decided to snub the advances of Chelsea and further his managerial career with Bayern Munich, citing the uncertainty and instability at Stamford Bridge as a major reason why he turned the Blues down.

So who will Chelsea turn to? Potential choices include David Moyes, Roberto Mancini or the enigma that is ‘The Special One’, or they could look to an untested manager from Europe. Managers of this ilk include Jupp Heynckes and Unai Emery. So who SHOULD Chelsea go for?

The obvious choice would be Jose Mourinho after the unprecedented success that he brought to the Bridge, but the big question is, does he have his eyes on an even greater prize, the job at Old Trafford? Chelsea would be an enticing option but the lure of such a settled club could prove to be the greater draw.

Mourinho.... linked with sensational return to Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho…. linked with sensational return to Stamford Bridge.

Another big choice would be David Moyes, he has done wonders with Everton, working on a proverbial shoestring but again, has been linked with the job at Manchester United so may choose to sit it out at Goodison and wait for that job to become vacant.

He is building a very strong squad at Everton and he could feel that with a little bit more investment he could be challenging for a top four space and would want to reward the loyalty shown to him by Chairman Bill Kenwright.

There are already rumours circulating that Roberto Mancini could be facing the axe at Manchester City in the summer after two years of poor results in the Champions League, he has shown that he can work with a large budget but his record in Europe, something Abramovich regards as the Holy Grail of the game, leaves a lot to be desired.

The rates at which managers come and go are starting to have serious consequences for the club. Many of the top managers in Europe, which a club of Chelsea’s size should be able to attract, are looking at the job as a poisoned chalice.

Andre Villas-Boas nearly ruined his managerial career and Luis Felipe Scolari did not have a major job since he got removed from his post at Chelsea for four years. This is causing Chelsea to have to look for an up and coming manager, which would be a gamble.

Since Roman Abramovich took control of Chelsea on 22nd August 2003, not much has gone wrong and he has had everything his own way. Even after spending vast sums of money on transfer targets, the team has seemed to go backwards.

The tide is turning, the big question is, can he reverse it or is the European Empire which he fought so hard to create crumbling before his very eyes?

 

Written by Tom Thornton

Follow him on Twitter @ThornyITFC

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