With the season that was now in the can, it’s time for everyone to sit back, take a long hard look at themselves and pontificate wistfully on whether the last 10 months or so was really worth it or not. Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for several clubs end of season reviews, told by those who really experience it – the fans.
Edition One stars CollinsBeans co-founder Mr James Platt and the club that started out last September as the country’s reigning league champions, yet ended it emulating the US X-Factor with a high profile sacking of a former darling...
1. If your clubs season could be summed up perfectly by likening it to a celebrity who would that be?
Cheryl Cole.
Last year everything was rosy – lots of success, increasing popularity, top of the tree and only better things to come.
But this year – fallen out of favour, out of fashion, unable to repeat the highs of 2010 and ultimately a high-profile sacking…
2. Like everyone who’s anyone (and Darron Gibson) Collins Beans is on Twitter. Give an appraisal of your season in 140 characters or less
Started well, went badly wrong in the middle, resurgence and some pride late on, but ultimately disappointment. Can we have Guus back please?
3. How’s your [delete as appropriate]; Manager/Head Coach/Caretaker/Director of Football/Sporting Director/Head of Player Recruitment/Technical Adviser/Strategic Soccer Coaching Co-ordinator/Executive Director (Football) performed this season? Happy for them to continue?
Well, on paper Mr Ancelotti didn’t do very well. He won the Double in his first season – a fantastic achievement – and this year he delivered nothing. So you could say he was asking for a sacking, but I think it was all a tad harsh. And while I’m using the parlance of Ray Wilkins, I also think the sudden dismissal of super Ray says a lot. We were going along quite nicely when Ray got booted out, and whilst I don’t think he was any sort of master tactician, he was obviously someone well liked and respected by all the players, and Ancelotti himself. The whole thing didn’t make much sense.
Really though, it all depends on who comes in. If it’s Guus Hiddink (which now looks almost certain), then I’ll be very happy as I reckon that’s an upgrade. If it’s Avram Grant or Marco Van Basten, then I don’t really see the point.
One last thing to say is that while Ancelotti clearly comes across as a decent, humble and very likeable man, that’s not really the issue. Too many times I hear people saying that how can such a dignified man be sacked? Well, I don’t really care how nice a bloke you are – if you’re not doing a good job, you need to go. Now I’m not saying Ancelotti did a rubbish job, but saying he’s a nice guy doesn’t really have anything to do with it. I thought he seemed like a top bloke, but I was always slightly wary of his ability.
Nonetheless, he secured the only Double in the club’s history, in his first season, and for that reason I think Chelsea fans will always remember him fondly.
4. Who are your teams star men this time out?
My Chelsea player of the season (and the winner of the fans’ award) is Petr Cech, who I think has been outstanding and has thankfully returned to his very best after the disgraceful actions of Hunt the C**t a few years ago.
Other players to have impressed this season are Ramires (after a shaky start) and Josh McEachran, Also John Terry has been a rock, as ever.
5. And who would you pay to have an all expenses one way loan trip to MK Dons?
Salomon Kalouless. He’s a decent squad man, but I’m sick of the sight of him and he’s incapable of playing well twice in a row. We need to move on.
Jose Boswingwa also needs to go. He’s ok going forward but is one of the worst defenders I’ve seen for a while. When he plays, I yearn for Paulo Ferreira. Which probably sums it up.
6. Indulging in some Fantasy Football, who are the name(s) that would take your team to that magical ‘next level’ next season?
We have never really replaced Arjen Robben, and I think we desperately need a creative player. Wesley Sneijder would be absolutely ideal, and I’d love to see his passing ability added to the side.
We also need a right back, although I don’t see many of them around who I like. Apparently, we’ve lined up Gregory van der Wiel from Ajax, but I’d be lying if I said I knew an awful lot about him.
It would also be nice to have a better back-up keeper than Ross Turnbull.
7. Which opposition players caught your eye when you played them this season...and who should a taxi have been called for?
The pitiful 3-0 demolition at home by Sunderland (yes, Sunderland) was orchestrated by Asamoah Gyan, who looked a class act.
Wayne Rooney was horribly influential in the big games towards the end of the season and rather amusingly, Fernando Torres was excellent when we lost to Liverpool in November.
I’ve seen worse players for sure, but given the amount of hype he gives himself, Joey ‘The Best Midfielder in England’ Barton was distinctly average in a rather dull end of season encounter at the Bridge. He couldn’t pass the ball to anyone on his team. In a similar vein, Gareth Barry was completely overrun when we played Man City and I didn’t really see what he’s meant to be good at. Liam Ridgewell was another who didn’t exactly impress.
8. Finally, in 12 months time your club will be...
Back at the top of the table, but still no closer to the Champions League.
I know people have been saying for a couple of years now that Chelsea are an aging team and that a downturn in fortunes was bound to happen but the side that played last season was basically the one that won the Double the year before. Senior squad players (Ballack/Cole/Deco etc.) were let go, leaving the squad thinner and it’s disappointing that a number of ‘Arnesen’s kids’ haven’t really stepped up (although in some cases that may be down to a lack of opportunity) but still the fact remains, Chelsea really did have the team to win the title and they started off really well.
ReplyDeleteWhat has yet to be really explained is why such a dramatic slump in the middle around Christmas time? For a spell something very odd was at play that seemed, to me anyway, little to do with tactics or personnel and more to do with the atmosphere in the camp. It will be interesting to see how this is dealt with moving forward.
There are some very interesting points raised about Ancelotti. As Mr Platt has pointed out, media consensus is that a nice guy has been terribly dealt with, but the fact remains, as you have highlighted when the slump came he seemed completely incapable of making any changes or making any impact on turning things round. To be honest (and harsh) he seemed a bit lost... I think this as much as anything was why he was removed at the end of the season.
Chelsea player of the season from a neutral point of view; definitely Cech. Really did look back to his best this year.