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If we’re speaking in down to earth tones most Chelsea fans in this ‘bad moment’, as current manager Carlo Ancelotti annoyingly dubs it, believe we have throw away our chance of winning the title this season. Of course mathematically it can still be done – win our remaining 8 games and we WILL be Champions.
However back in the real world many of us are already looking at this summer and thinking: what can be done?
The more infantile, volatile and puerile of our supporters are baying for the manager’s blood – citing his seeming lack of ability to raise a reaction from his players on the pitch when things aren’t going our way. Whilst this is an irritating fact, it by no means highlights the reality of the issues currently surrounding the club.
First of all, a quick history check on our current senior playing squad.
Petr Cech – signed in January 2004, Claudio Ranieri’s final season with the club but never played under him and arrived officially that summer after Jose Mourinho’s arrival. £7.mill
Enrique Hilario - signed in summer 2006 by Jose Mourinho as ‘keeper cover. Free.
Ross Turnbull - signed summer 2009 by the Chelsea Footballing Board on a free.
Paulo Ferreira - signed by Jose Mourinho from former club Porto in summer 2004. £13.2 mill (includes Mourinho compensation fee)
Jose Bosingwa - signed by the Chelsea Footballing Board (or ‘Frank Arnesen’) days before Avram Grant’s dismissal in May 2008. £16.2mill
Juliano Belletti - signed in summer 2007 by Jose Mourinho as right-back cover for Paulo Ferreira. £2.5mill
Ricardo Carvalho - signed summer 2004 by Jose Mourinho upon his arrival for £19.85mill
Alex - signed by the Chelsea Footballing Board in summer 2007 (previously purchased by the club and loaned to PSV) for a reported £1.
Branislav Ivanovic - signed by the Chelsea Footballing Board in January 2008 for £9.mill
John Terry - Chelsea Club Captain - Youth Product
Ashley Cole - signed in summer 2006 by Jose Mourinho in a part-exchange plus cash deal (William Gallas going the other way to Arsenal) for £5mill.
Yuri Zhirkov - signed in summer 2009 by the Chelsea Footballing Board for £17mill.
Jon Mikel Obi - signed in summer 2006 by Jose Mourinho/Chelsea Footballing Board to join the squad long-term. £12mill
Michael Essien - signed in summer 2005 by Jose Mourinho for a massive £24mill.
Michael Ballack - signed summer 2006 by Jose Mourinho on a free.
Frank Lampard - signed summer 2001 by Claudio Ranieri for a bargain £11mill
Deco - signed summer 2008 by Luiz Filipe Scolari to usher in the era of ‘attacking football’ for £7mill.
Flourent Malouda - signed summer 2007 by Jose Mourinho to replace Madrid bound Arjen Robben, for £13mill.
Joe Cole - signed summer 2003 by Claudio Ranieri in the first flourish of Roman Abramovich’s largesse. £6.6mill
Salomon Kalou - signed summer 2006 by Jose Mourinho for £6mill
Daniel Sturridge - signed summer 2009 by the Chelsea Footballing Board for a tribunal fee of £3mill.
Nicolas Anelka - signed January 2008 by the Avram Grant/Chelsea Footballing Board for £17mill from Bolton Wanderers.
Didier Drogba signed summer 2004 by Jose Mourinho for a then club record £24mill.
Claudio Ranieri: 3 players - £24,600,000 (£11,000,000 pre-Roman)
Jose Mourinho: 11 players - £119,550,000
Avram Grant: 1 player - £17,000,000
Luiz Filipe Scolari: 1 player - £8,000,000
Chelsea Footballing Board : 8 players - £74,200,000
23 players signed by or partially by 4 different managers and the club. Any other key points to note?
Carlo Ancelotti isn’t on the list.
When you look at the above you start to realize what a messy picture the club presents. An ageing squad built by 4 managers and a chief of scouting, damaged mentally by various upheavals and results, physically by serious injuries to key players.
The fact we’re involved in the title chase at this point is testament to the quality of these players, but the drop off of fighting desire in key personnel in our must-win matches recently has been indicative of a far more deep rooted issue within this squad.
Considering Jose Mourinho left the club the lions share of 3 years ago now it is staggering that he was responsible for the purchase of 50% of the players in our senior side. 50% of this squad was built for Jose Mourinho’s system and approach.
It seems futile, then, to blame the current situation wholly on Carlo Ancelotti – the top and bottom of it is he’s using damaged, tired tools for a job they weren’t bought for. And it goes further than aged legs too – I’m talking mentally tired. Think of the controversy this playing side has faced in the last few years: a defeat in the CL final on penalties, exiting the CL to Barcelona after one of the most questionable and deplorable officiating performances seen in elite European football, losing Jose Mourinho.
It’s time for a change this summer Roman. This squad has come to the end of its cycle and the club must end it’s self destructive policy of under investment in the playing side.
Would it surprise anyone to know that in terms of transfer fees the club has essentially broken even on purchases and sales since the signing of Shevchenko in 2006?
There’s no doubt in my mind that this squad needs overhauling. If only to change the collective attitude. Deserved or not it really is no coincidence that Drogba was once again sent off in a key Champions League match going against us in part due to poor refereeing. It is no coincidence that our form has dropped off with the coming to light and subsequent haranguing of John Terry and his behavior.
Throw in long term injuries to Essien, Ashley Cole, Bosingwa, Cech etc and you start to appreciate just how ridiculous our supporters are being when calling for the managers head.
Chelsea, Roman – give this manager money to build a squad he feels is capable of achieving the targets you set. Allow him to repair some of the mental and physical damage caused by injury, controversy and serial under investment for the last 4 years. Then and only then can we judge Ancelotti.
The alternative is to push on and hope the current crop of youth comes good a la United’s class of the 90’s. Ok – fine – but as supporters we should expect no more bullsh*t about winning every competition we’re in, prices reflective of our adjusted global position and a little bit of honesty about things.
Above all we want to see leadership – the club has been run like Captain Mainwaring’s unit for too many years now, clear the dead wood and cobwebs and have a new start.
You raised the bar – now it’s time to reach it again.