Chelsea 0-3 Sunderland: 135k pa Saved Could Cost Millions
Where's Ray
By Since66
November 14 2010
Paulo Ferreira at centre back!!!! Jeffrey Bruma on the bench!!!! Was 'Anco's' mind frazzled this morning after too much chianti last night. Paulo Ferreira at centre-back works like Paulo Ferreira in midfield against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final a few years ago. Ferreira is a right-back, that's his only position. Today's result though, wasn't Ferreira's fault.
Chelsea were taken apart this afternoon and give credit to Sunderland for coming to Stamford Bridge and taking advantage of our own shortcomings, our own lack of depth in the squad and if it wasn't for Petr Cech, Sunderland would have gone back up north with a SIX goal tally instead of the three they thoroughly deserved.
The board have made their decision. No big money signings, the investment has been made in youth, so where was the youth?
Captain, Leader, Legend and the REAL England captain JT was ruled out yesterday with problems with a nerve affecting his hamstring (and is out of the friendly against France on Wednesday), so surely Jeffrey Bruma would have been given the nod to get his place in the starting line-up.
Oh No!! 'Anco' explained his reasons why Bruma didn't start. He said, "I had more confidence in Ferreira for this game, because I saw him in the training sessions."
Notice the word above 'sessions' in plural, when you read the following 'Anco' quote regarding JT's situation.
He said, "Terry trained yesterday but at the end of training he had a pain on his nerve in his hamstring, and he had a test this morning and was not able to play. I don't think he will be able to play for the national team, but I expect him to be back on the next Chelsea game."
Is what 'Anco' saying, Chelsea trained this morning with Ferreira at centre-back?
Somehow I don't think so.
Ray Wilkins departure maybe insignificant to Mr A and the board to the tune of saving £135,000 per year (how significant at the end of the season will that decision be?) and as JT said in today's programme notes, "On Thursday Ray Wilkins left the club and everyone is sad to see him go. It was an unexpected decision but we have to move on and stay calm.
"Ray has been brilliant since he came in, from day one, not only as a coach but as a man as well.
"He is someone we all respect for what he did in the game and what he's done since his playing career"
Now the following words from JT, stuff the comments made by Ron Gourlay straight back down his number crunching throat, who thought Wilkins wasn't worth the money he was paid.
JT said, "Ray was a great person to have around the football club, he would pick you up when you were down and, if there was a problem for any players or staff, he would be the first one to call them to make sure everything was okay and to ask if there was anyway he could help.
"And all that came alongside his knowledge and coaching ability on the football field.
"All the players and staff want to thank him for everything he's done here and for the work he did during the club's most successful season ever.
"He can take alot of pride in what he did to help us achieve that."
JT at war with the owner and the board?
After today's result, Birmingham and Newcastle away do not appear to be the forgone conclusions that the media will want you to believe, and beware the media meltdown in the coming days.
They must be rubbing their hands and other body parts as I write this, waiting to rinse us!!
Tin Hat time LOL LOL LOL
I could go on. Ivanovic on a yellow card, Bruma still on the bench at the start of the 2nd half. Kalou on for Malouda and Kalou missed his first touch inside Sunderland's area.
At least Josh and Gael came on - too little too late.
I suspect Mr A will have his own questions of 'Anco' to ask in the morning.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Cole, Ramires (McEachran 68), Mikel, Zhirkov (Kakuta 74), Anelka, Drogba, Malouda (Kalou 57)
Booked: Ivanovic 39
Sunderland: Gordon, Onuoha, Turner, Bramble, Bardsley, Richardson, Henderson, Cattermole (c), Zenden, Welbeck, Gyan (Malbranque 82)
Goals: Onuoha 44, Gyan 52, Welbeck 87
Booked: Turner 28, Bramble 61
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Why have Bruma on the bench? Now a Dutch international and Paulo as CB?! And yes, my thoughts exactly...Why have the youth on the bench? They were brought on far too late.
I´m sure the players were a bit down after Ray´s harsh and sudden dismissal but I fear there´s something more fundamental afoot...
Without either/or Essien and Lampard in midfield we are FAR TOO LIGHT. It happened at Anfield and it´s happened again! Ramires will, I´m sure, turn out to be a very important player for us but he is still finding his feet and is carrying too much responsibility on his own at the moment. Lampard will be out for another few weeks at least (and will take another few weeks to get match fit) and Essien will miss the next two league matches. We therefore have a problem. My only solution is for Anco to sit down with Josh, tell him he has at least the next two league games + Zilina where he will start - no matter how he plays. Boost his confidence...We just might see confirmation of the little jewell we have on our hands.
All that said, I have no complaints with Sunderland taking the points. They deserved the win and earned it. Some great finishing.
S--t happens!
Dust ourselves off and start again. And isn´t it a sign of the times that despite two bad performances (Liverpool and Sunderland) we are STILL top of the league?
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:15:07:30:29 by dixon9.
I am a Paulo Ferreira Fan and I think he's been very good at right back this season. If he'd been selected at left back I am sure he would have done a good job as well. But when I found out that he was going to play centre back my heart sank. He did okay for the first 10 minutes or so to be fair but I really expected Paulo to come off at half-time! Okay, there were problems in midfield and we do have a problem up front at the moment (difficulty in finding the back of the net) but it would have been reasuring to see a proper centre back come on.
When I heard Ancelotti's explanation for selecting Ferreira rather than Bruma I got really angry. He cannot be disappointed with Ferreira's performance, claiming to have expected more of Ferreira after seeing him in training. Because, as the writer of this article has pointed out, it is very unlikely that Paulo trained as centre back last week! So what now? Paulo doesn't not selected at right back anymore because he disappointed as centre back?
I am sure Ray Wilkins' dismissal played a part in yesterday's result. Obviously players should be professionals and just get on with the job at hand but they are only human...no matter how much money you pay them. It's not so much the fact that the Club decided they no longer need Ray's services, it's the manner in which this decission was executed. Very bad style.
Let's hope Lampard and Terry will be able to play after the international break and let's stay positive. We had a couple of bad results last season and still won the Double.
I am sure if I was Jeff Bruma this morning at Cobham I would be asking questions as a Professional footballing centre-back, why wasn't I picked or at least come on in the 2nd half, bearing in mind, Ivanovic had already been booked.
Our main problem when JT doesn't play and he is sitting in the stands, we do not have a leader, even when Super Frank plays takes over the armband.
And Martina (good points and comeback) I share your view hoping that yesterday's result wasn't the result of Ray's departure and our next two league games - Birmingham and Newcastle will be tough.... very tough!!
I have said it before Chelsea need to groom a player to be a leader when JT is not there. He won't go on forever.
I know Didier was captain yesterday but the afternoon was primed for Ashley Cole to become the pitch 'leader' and he is recognised as the best left back in the world, but obviously the word 'leadership' is not in his vocabularly.
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