Looking for Comfort – Leverkusen Preview

By dixon9
November 23 2011

An AWOL defence, a squad that can’t seem to get the hang of attacking whilst ensuring defensive cover will be quickly provided if necessary, and a ball watching, bunching midfield, have made for depressing times for the Stamford Bridge faithful recently.  We are looking for the beginning of the recuperation for  tonight’s match – and some much needed comfort for our wounded souls.

The press have predictably put the pressure on Villas-Boas’s position (not unsurprising considering the amount of managers we have gone through in recent years) but I believe and hope that the majority of supporters are still behind our young coach. 

Let’s not forget, player transfer policy in terms of buying and selling is by committee at our club (a continental model which has been established in recent years) and I trust that Villas-Boas will have maximum input and influence in January. The transition that we are currently experiencing will be as painless as possible if he is given time and faith.

Abramovich, like us, wants his cake and to eat it – win pots whilst playing attractive, expansive, attacking football. It is clear that this pretty much aligns with Villas-Boas’s philosophy and we can’t expect this to happen overnight.  True, we have been attempting to start this transition since the appointment of Scolari, so this state of change is hardly in an embryonic stage - so why aren’t we further down the line with this?  My answer (being an expert at “stating the bleeding obvious” perhaps!) is that new player purchases haven’t been as efficient as they could have been – not totally the “committee’s” fault, as they have attempted to lash out and spend on Modric for example – but we do need to get the right players in and the right dead (or just plain frustrating) wood out.  I don’t like slating certain players too much but we know the 2 or 3 that need to go and the 1 or 2 positions that need to be addressed.

I don’t really mind being in transition.  It’s worth it in the end.  But we do need to ensure that top 4 finish.  One could also argue that all teams have a blip and that we are having ours now, whilst for our rivals it is yet to come.

So, patience, understanding and yes, fingers crossed.  Hopefully the comfort will start tonight with a nice, solid performance and a confident, attacking, high-scoring win at the weekend.

Come on Chels!