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Chelsea The Mourinho Legacy

26th Sept 2007

Mourinho will not be missed by me as I made clear in the blog. However the most fascinating thing for me is that in the last 4 seasons with wages and fees Chelsea have spent half a billion to pretty much stay where they were if not worse than when the Ranieri reign ended - and indeed potentially going backwards now.

Ranieri in his first year added wastes of space Glen Johnson (sold), Veron (released), Mutu (Sacked), Duff (sold). He also added champions like Petr Cech* and Claude Makelele. Not to mention Arjen Robben* (sold at a rare profit), decent when fit Wayne Bridge and the extremely useful, to England at least, Joe Cole and the bog standard Geremi. Hernan Crespo never settled and played like a drain under Ranieri but was useful the year he played under Mourinho. Given Chelsea's squad was previously aging that means Mourinho started with a better squad than the start of the Roman era.

* Bought under Ranieri but did not play for him. I'll ignore bit artists like Jarosik and Smertin as they are unimportant.

Mourinho added in no particular order Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Didier Drogba, Michael Essien, Florent Malouda, Tiago (sold at a loss), Del Horno (Dreck given away), Ashley Cole, Phillips (How Much?), Jon Obi Mikel, Boulah-fool (a complete clown and whoever advised his buy should have been sacked without compensation as anyone who saw the Portugal Holland game at the world cup knew he was fucking rubbish).... Anyway position by position....

At Goalkeeper they have improved past every team in the world! Petr Cech despite the best efforts of the nutter Stephen Hunt is probably still the world no 1. Cudicini was worthy and a decent cat who was maybe best not the best under extreme pressure. A definite plus and one that despite injuries could be around for a while. Injuries mean though that Chelsea have gone back here with Cudicini no younger and without games.

At full back the right back slot is still horrible. Indeed Paulo Ferreira never settled but maybe had Mourinho shown more confidence in him things might have been better. Ashley Cole may be more stable than most here but is a small upgrade on Bridge. So overall a weak position little improved and indeed when Cole is injured, as he often has been, a weakness not present in past years. No gain overall. Not that they have not spent money here. Indeed when Gallas played full back they were better in the past.

At Centre Half it has been 2 years since JT looked as good as he was. In addition the reserves are now Alex and Ben Haim not Gallas. This is an area that peaked 2 years ago and is now in steep decline with Ricardo Carvalho's injuries. Indeed last year Essien looked the rear end of a pantomime horse playing here so desperate were Chelsea.

Defensive midfield has been a strength and a growing one especially in a 4321. Despite Makelele off his pomp and the accident waiting to happen Mikel it is much stronger than the remains of Petit in a 442 with Lampard. Nonetheless an area in decline albeit not terminal as Mikel gains strength.

Attacking midfield has been Frank Lampard. However this is not the 25 year old break out Lampard who never misses a game. This is 29 year old picking up knocks and played 68 games last year. Irreplaceable and maybe bound to decline as well as 2 years off the end of a contract. A definite step back from Ranieri's last team even with the alleged addition of Ballack.

Wingers, this peaked with Arjen Robben in the first year of Mourinho. However Robben proved too weak physically and mentally. The improvement of Joe Cole and the ludicrously priced a Phillips has added depth. Malouda is a step up from last year's Robben, I suppose. Duff gave one OK year before it became obvious if you know how to mark him he is rubbish. So it is better but not at a peak now. Kalou sometimes uses his lightweightness out here in a 4321.

Up front the halcion days of 60 minutes of Crespo/Drog and then the other replacing have gone. Indeed Chelsea often try a 442 to cover that without Drogba they don't have a top class forward. This has improved from Ranieri's year with Gudburger and Jimmy Hasselbaink but only when the Drog plays. Indeed even last year whilst the Drog stepped up the team went backwards as the forwards (and Lampard) had to cover for the growing dysfunction.

We can discuss the team as a whole but I think that it is clear from all the other writings it peaked as a 4321 team and the move to 442 weakens Lampard and Chelsea don't have a 2nd striker worthy of the name.

In conclusion much of the team has gone backwards from a peak a year or two ago and much of it through age and injury is unlikely to come back - it is going to get worse as Drogba and Lampard pass 30. There is no midfield cover for Lampard and no tactical re-jig to mitigate that loss - 3 holding players on Sunday being a joke.

Indeed if we were to be more detailed about this I don't know how I would select a balanced team without 11 particular fit players - the alternates no appeal. John Terry's decline means Chelsea have spending commitments to players barely 1st choice, peaked and ex managers to the order of 30 million a year. That is enough for most clubs to pay all their top players.

I might go Cech(+), Belletti (-), Terry (-), Ricardo Carvalho (+), C'Ash, Essien (+), Makelele(-), Lampard(++), Joe Cole, Malouda and Drogba(++). Not sure bar Phillips/Bridge I'd be rushing to bring on any reserves either. The smart will note the ages of the + players and the direction they are already going (backwards mostly or plateaued).

(-) Below level you'd expect for a top 4 team, (+) above level and (++) star players virtually irreplacable at any reasonable fee. No mark means OK player nowt special.

Chelsea have invested massively in youth but teams that want to bring young players in have to accept down years and not run out and buy Ballack, Sheva and bizarrely talk of serial lazy boy Ronaldinho. The club needs a manager to have a few years and a free hand and no demands for success. Indeed this approach would be a) cheaper b) easier to support - everyone loves their club's players more than recent buys c) not likely to end in a steaming pile of dung again in 3 years time.

I suspect more of the Abramovich foolery - Kenyon and Buck coming up with more and more pathetic visions and confabulations to square the impossible circle we won't see it get much better than now a dysfunctional team struggling for 4th.

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