This was beyond dire...no ideas whatsoever. Impact subs? I guess we got none. Or Bournemouth is just a super organized team. WHam, Everton. and Bournemouth...that should have been 7 points. I doubt we'll see CL next season. I also wonder how many more losses Frank will get to see before seeing the axe.
Pretty amazing conclusions being drawn here about us despite still being in 4th. We’ve been playing like crap for a few games now and even gotten some results in spite of it. Frank appears to be hyperaware of this and will react accordingly.. we started the season off with a 4-0 loss and eventually got on our feet. Gone off the rails a bit now but unlike with Conte or Sarri, we will see the system get adjusted. Then hopefully some signings in January to give this squad a firm kick in the ass. Too many guys who need competition for spots atm
Are we allowed to question Frank’s decisions on this forum now? Or is that still taboo and/or verboten?
Which conclusions? You don't think Frank is on thin ice? Every Chelsea manager after Jose #2 have been on thin ice and you know Roman is not afraid to cut his losses short at any time. As folks have said, the honeymoon is over and the fact we're still in 4th place is really more to do with the rest of the league. Just as was the case with AVB and Scollari, it seems teams have figured out how to play Chelsea. As of right now, I can't see Frank adjusting the side to address the opposition adjustments.
WOW steady on! He is still doing a fabulous job! Dont forget the 'experts' had us finishing in the bottom half of the table this season! Sometimes 'some' fans seem to assume a club has a 'right' to finish top 4! (I don't mean you), people have to realise there is a LONG way that a club can fall, ask N.Forest fans or Sunderland fans! The club has hit a bump in the road for sure, Lampards first perhaps but what counts is how the club (including Lampard) responds. I still think we finish top 10 which is still better than predicted and still perhaps on schedule.
I’m still living in the dimension where we lost our best player in Hazard, couldn’t sign anyone in the summer and are starting youth players. So no, I don’t think he is anywhere near being on thin ice. What honeymoon period is anyone even on about ? Our season kicked off with a 4-0 loss to United. It took a bit to eventually go on a good run and now thats come to an end. FFS we did just qualify for the round of 16 in the CL this week. Things aren’t looking so hot in the league RIGHT NOW but jeez.. we’ve looked like shit today, sure, am I worried about Frank? No. There’s a solid chunk of deadwood to clear out personnel wise, we’re in 4th despite plenty of injuries this season and we get to try and sign some bodies in Jan.
I think that decision will be made at the end of the year. But I also think he somewhat screwed himself with the timing of this bad run, because it will make the board less likely to agree to spend on his targets in the winter. Of course, I don’t want the board to, but that’s another topic.
Unfortunately, we don't have anyone who can unlock these kind of teams. One change I would have done was bring on Reece and move Azpi to the left as Emerson was just terrible. Tammy could have benefited with better crosses into the box. Our other attacking midfielder is Ross Barkley who is seen only in nightclubs these days. It will be interesting in Jan if Frank can find someone to improve the first team but not holding out too much hope. I don't think Frank is in any immediate danger as he has overachieved so far and it is probably our mistake that we realigned our expectations based on our form. Still will be happy with top 6.
Let's not forget that this same team beat us 4-0 earlier this year under Sarri. That said, I thought it'd have ended in a draw. It had all the symptoms of a draw.
I only skimmed the thread, but the crisis narrative seems like a stretch. This is the team we thought they were. Our early run will keep us in the top half. Will be interested to see what we do in January and this summer. A top six finish with a ton of young talent is a great position to be in. Come back in off the ledge. So Chillwell then? Emerson was rough today. Has Timori been injured? Also feels like Mount has tapered off.
Frank is safe as long as they finish in the top half. Even if they somehow drop below that (is that even mathematically possible?), he's probably still safe for another season. He needs to get new players in over the next year. Team is just lacking quality, experience or both in certain positions compared to the other "top" teams. Until now they've outperformed low expectations and set a high bar.
This isn’t really true. We’re still in 4th. All is this “lucky to be top half” nonsense is just that - nonsense. We finished third last year, and while we lost Hazard we brought in Pulisic and 6 players back from loan (including a striker that’s better than anyone we had last year). We should finish in the CL spots.
I don't agree. They have yet to get a result against a top club, and have accumulated no points from 3 games they should have won against bottom table teams. I think it's going to be a struggle to stay in top 4 with the schedule they have coming up, and the other teams like Spurs and ManU continue with an uptick in form. Hopefully they make changes in January and can bring in players.
Bournemouth lucky to get the win, but the game was destined to be a 0-0, which is also a bad home result for us. Three bad results. West Ham, Everton, Bournemouth. Every season has a bad run of form. Hopefully this is it. Frank needs to do something for sure. But for me this is the fault of the players - all of them. They should be doing better than this. 68% of the possession against Bournemouth, 70% against West Ham. The players have no excuses at all. Frank is open to criticism but the team he is picking at the moment is probably the best available that he can pick.