Ipswich Preview: One Man, Two Banners, No Dog
COME ON CHELSEA
By Since66
January 9 2011
I suspect for a lot of Chelsea supporters, this week has seemed somewhat surreal. Last minute shambolics against Villa on last Sunday, minutes into the game against Wolves on Wednesday more Carry On craziness and another defeat, fans being ignored by the best part of the team at the end of the game, then the wait.
The wait that is....... Carlo Ancelotti...... has been sacked.
But for the 'hardcore' fans these times are still brilliant times (Glorious Unpredictability) with a few blips thrown in along the way.
If you are a newbie, a virgin to the Chelsea cause, read your Chelsea history and concentrate on the 80s, because if you think today's times are bad then you have no appreciation of the heartache the 'hardcore' fans, including me have been through.
But no. Thursday came, business at Cobham went on as normal and Thursday went.
The reserves stuffed the cockerel 7-3, with Danny scoring FIVE, including a 10 minute hat-trick, Friday arrived and 'Anco' is still about, then he laughed off the solitary One Man, two banners but no dog protest on his way into work, then news broke that Ipswich's manager, Roy Keane was sacked!
The forums and twitter are in total support for Carlo. After all, what has he done wrong?
Nothing really.
The players are the same as they were when we won the DOUBLE last season, our freefall, our decline simply has to be contributed to the departure of Ray Wilkins.
How one man - a Chelsea legend - can almost bring down a world famous football is almost beyond belief and quite staggering.
I would love to turn back time to the day Wilkins was sacked and see this latest drama unfold with him still as No.2.
I bet things would be so so different.
But time won't go back and we have to accept what has gone on before and get behind the team, starting with Ipswich who are our first obstacle in our attempt to win the FA Cup for the third successive year.
A record that will match Blackburn Rovers who acheived the feat between 1884 and 1886.
Whatever is going on at Stamford Bridge and Cobham I have my own theory or two.
The first theory is that Chelsea simply cannot afford to sack Ancelotti as they try to become self-financing because of UEFA's new rules from 2012 to compete in future Champions League competitions.
Ancelotti was brought in to win the Champions League. He failed last season no thanks to a certain Jose Mourinho but Carlo did go on to win the Double for the first time in Chelsea's history.
Retaining the title looks difficult with our current situation.
I believe for as long as Chelsea stay in the Champions League, Carlo has a job.
In Chelsea's eyes the FA Cup (being the greatest domestic cup competition in world) is a side issue, a wonderful side issue at that and it would be brilliant to win it for the third successive year.
I hope I am wrong. I like Carlo and he loves Chelsea and I hope he stays at Chelsea for many years to come.
COME ON CHELSEA