Villas-Boas sacked!

That was quick!

What a joke.

I'd have him at Spurs when Redknapp leaves

Was bound to happen after yesterday. It couldnt go on and Abramovic is obviously too matey with the players..so hey ho. He had done a fairly poor job so far.

They've made Di Matteo manager until the end of the season

Better than panic-appointing Rafa Benitez I suppose, but will Di Matteo really get more out of LampardTerryColeDrogbaCech FC than AVB was doing?

Deary me.

Copying over my post from the Chelsea thread yesterday:

fcb wrote:

Jaime wrote:

fcb wrote:Chelsea need at least 5-6 new signings. 3 as first team starters, and some more to bolster the squad unless they have some youngsters who AVB is willing to give a chance.


GK: Cech, Turnbull, Hilario

RB: new signing, Ivanovic

CB: Terry, Luiz

CB: Cahill, new signing

LB: Cole, Bertrand

DM: Romeu, Ramires

CM: Essien, Meireles, McEachran

AM: Modric/Sneijder, , Lucas

RF: Sturridge, new signing

CF: Cavani, Lukaku

LF: Mata, new signing


Sell/release/loan: Bosingwa, Ferreira, Torres, Drogba, Mikel, Kalou, Malouda, Lampard


I have no idea how they'll do this and still meet FFP regulations though.

I don't really think Modric or Sneijder will go if they are playing Europa League. Besides, they can easily play Mata in the hole rather than out wide. Plus you they could play Sturridge centrally imo. So look for some dynamic wide players and a decent ball playing CM to partner Romeu.

I forgot about Hulk, who AVB has admitted is on their shortlist. Swap Sturridge to CF and put Hulk in for Cavani, but on the right side of attack.

Surely now is the time to appoint Terry-Lampard dual player-managers. They act as if they run everything anyway, and maybe then we would finally stop seeing 'a Chelsea source has exclusively revealed to the Sun...' articles every time the manager has the temerity not to fall to knees in genuflection to a 34 year old footballer.

To a cabal of the 'strong characters' in the dressing room.

Sheffield gunner wrote:Surely now is the time to appoint Terry-Lampard dual player-managers. They act as if they run everything anyway, and maybe then we would finally stop seeing 'a Chelsea source has exclusively revealed to the Sun...' articles every time the manager has the temerity not to fall to knees in genuflection to a 34 year old footballer.

And Drogba and Cole too. For years this group has been running the club. They can talk the talk, let's see if they can walk the walk

He gets sacked but McLeish lumbers on

fcb wrote:Copying over my post from the Chelsea thread yesterday:

fcb wrote:

Jaime wrote:

fcb wrote:Chelsea need at least 5-6 new signings. 3 as first team starters, and some more to bolster the squad unless they have some youngsters who AVB is willing to give a chance.


GK: Cech, Turnbull, Hilario

RB: new signing, Ivanovic

CB: Terry, Luiz

CB: Cahill, new signing

LB: Cole, Bertrand

DM: Romeu, Ramires

CM: Essien, Meireles, McEachran

AM: Modric/Sneijder, , Lucas

RF: Sturridge, new signing

CF: Cavani, Lukaku

LF: Mata, new signing


Sell/release/loan: Bosingwa, Ferreira, Torres, Drogba, Mikel, Kalou, Malouda, Lampard


I have no idea how they'll do this and still meet FFP regulations though.

I don't really think Modric or Sneijder will go if they are playing Europa League. Besides, they can easily play Mata in the hole rather than out wide. Plus you they could play Sturridge centrally imo. So look for some dynamic wide players and a decent ball playing CM to partner Romeu.

I forgot about Hulk, who AVB has admitted is on their shortlist. Swap Sturridge to CF and put Hulk in for Cavani, but on the right side of attack.

Dont you have to pay something mental like £80m to get Hulk? Surely the most ridiculous fee ever..he's not worth £20m, nevermind £80m.

Sheffield gunner wrote:Surely now is the time to appoint Terry-Lampard dual player-managers. They act as if they run everything anyway, and maybe then we would finally stop seeing 'a Chelsea source has exclusively revealed to the Sun...' articles every time the manager has the temerity not to fall to knees in genuflection to a 34 year old footballer.

To a cabal of the 'strong characters' in the dressing room.

Whilst I'm not so sure it's as black and white as that, it's still not wide of the mark.

AVB didn't help himself though with what appeared to be building a Portugues speaking faction within the club.

It's an English club, like it or not. And there are ways of phasing out the old guard without causing fractions in the dressing room, which is what happened.

Besides, Abramovic has more control at Chelsea than I imagine even the manager or players have, so it's he who has to decide which is more beneficial to the club. If he were firmer Daniel Levy type he'd have shipped out Lampard / Terry / Cole/ Drogba a long time ago, not least because financially they are a burden whilst being clearly past their peak.

christmasborocooper wrote:Dont you have to pay something mental like £80m to get Hulk? Surely the most ridiculous fee ever..he's not worth £20m, nevermind £80m.

That's his buyout clause, but they won't necessarily sell him for that much. If Chelsea can convince the player to leave, then Porto will be forced to negotiate.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA

If I was a Chelsea supporter I'd be bitterly disappointed. This reiterates the fact you are at the mercy of a man who has no idea how to run a football club. What is the point of sacking AVB and then having di Matteo as an interim manager? And it's a hollow victory for Terry-Lumpard-Drog- etc knowing whoever will come in in June will start off by throwing them out.

I agree with borocooper, Hulk is better at self-promotion than he is at football. I don't think he is good enough to be a permanent replacement for what Drogba offered over the years. Abramovich needs to invest heavily to replace the core of players who have been there for the last 6/7 years and who are ageing now, but his short-termism is severely problematic for this. A gradual process would have been achievable in recent years if only there hadn't been so much chopping and changing in the managerial staff. If he can invest in a blueprint for revitalising this team, and allows someone the freedom to re-invent the style of this Chelsea team they will be back up at the top. It's unlikely that he will though, because he demands instant success and self-interested parties need to be placated even though they're not part of Chelsea's future. Abramovich deserves this mess for his meddling.

I think it was always going to be tough for Villa-Boas because of the age thing. When you're the same age as the players, hard to have same level of authority. He needed to bring through a young team, but when all the guard are still around that is difficult.

I guess they would have got Hiddink in again if he hadn't just taken that job in Russia.

So who next? I doubt if Maureen would be stupid enough to take them on again, especially in the mess they are in now. Ditto Guardiola. Benitez, and the guy from Dortmund maybe?

Bring back Hiddink? If they can get him to quit that Russian club in the summer.

Sheffield gunner wrote:I agree with borocooper, Hulk is better at self-promotion than he is at football. I don't think he is good enough to be a permanent replacement for what Drogba offered over the years. Abramovich needs to invest heavily to replace the core of players who have been there for the last 6/7 years and who are ageing now, but his short-termism is severely problematic for this. A gradual process would have been achievable in recent years if only there hadn't been so much chopping and changing in the managerial staff. If he can invest in a blueprint for revitalising this team, and allows someone the freedom to re-invent the style of this Chelsea team they will be back up at the top. It's unlikely that he will though, because he demands instant success and self-interested parties need to be placated even though they're not part of Chelsea's future. Abramovich deserves this mess for his meddling.

Why are you comparing Hulk to a striker ?

debaser wrote:Bring back Hiddink? If they can get him to quit that Russian club in the summer.

If Moneybags wanted him he wouldn't have let Hiddink take that job in the first place surely.

Whilst as Debaser mentions, the age thing can hardly help, his replacement is 41. They've hardly put that issued to bed.

Frank "model professional Lampard.

Torres transfer has really ruined Chelsea, far beyond the fact that he isn't very good.

You'd have him playing from the right wing?

Whenever I've seen him play against Arsenal in previous years he's tended to play up through the middle more from what I remember. In any case, Chelsea have a decent enough player for that position, but are in desperate need of a central striker (or two), so I wouldn't go for him anyway.

TheCrazy58 wrote:

debaser wrote:Bring back Hiddink? If they can get him to quit that Russian club in the summer.

If Moneybags wanted him he wouldn't have let Hiddink take that job in the first place surely.

Anzhi have an owner in the same ballpark of wealth as Abramovich.

debaser wrote:

TheCrazy58 wrote:

debaser wrote:Bring back Hiddink? If they can get him to quit that Russian club in the summer.

If Moneybags wanted him he wouldn't have let Hiddink take that job in the first place surely.

Anzhi have an owner in the same ballpark of wealth as Abramovich.

Yes but Moneybag's boss can invade Anzhi if he wanted

Sheffield gunner wrote:You'd have him playing from the right wing?

Whenever I've seen him play against Arsenal in previous years he's tended to play up through the middle more from what I remember. In any case, Chelsea have a decent enough player for that position, but are in desperate need of a central striker (or two), so I wouldn't go for him anyway.

Hulks best position is as a winger,preferably on the right so he can cut in on his left foot.Because Porto sold Falcao last year and didn't get a good enough replacement they have had to play Hulk up front a lot where he has been average.

If your going to pay £30 Million for Hulk it would probably be worth it but only if you play him as a winger because he's wasted playing as a striker.

Anzhi are much richer than Abramovic.

TheCrazy58 wrote:

debaser wrote:

TheCrazy58 wrote:

debaser wrote:Bring back Hiddink? If they can get him to quit that Russian club in the summer.

If Moneybags wanted him he wouldn't have let Hiddink take that job in the first place surely.

Anzhi have an owner in the same ballpark of wealth as Abramovich.

Yes but Moneybag's boss can invade Anzhi if he wanted

Kerimov is just as bad http://rumafia.com/person.php?id=62

Abramovich really is an idiot, he should never have fired Ancelotti.

Why doesn't he make himself the manager?

I thought the players hated Di Matteo too?

That's why this is a stupid decision.