25 January 2008

View From The North Stand: Chelsea F.C.

Dan Davies from the innovative Chelsea F.C fansite: CFC.net answers a few pertinent questions prior to our 4th round FA cup tie against his team at the JJB tomorrow.......

*How do Chelsea fans view the FA cup? Does this differ from the view Chelsea FC has of the competition? How high is it on your list of silverware priorities?


It's number three on the list behind the "Big Cup" and the Premier League but the fact that we are the current holders makes us all the more keen to keep hold of it.

*Will your tactics/line-up change in anyway from that of a league match?

Probably not initially, though should we find ourselves behind or level going into the last half an hour you could perhaps see us a little more "gung ho" than we would be in a league match, as sometimes the management have felt that it's better to lose as a result of going for the win, than to subject the players to a replay and another match in a busy schedule.

*What do Chelsea fans really think of Wigan? Be honest! Plucky underdogs who’ve fought their way from lower-league obscurity against the odds with a small but passionate and loyal fanbase? Or dirty Northern peasants who have ridden their luck for long enough with a terrible fanbase who can’t even fill their stadium?

Credit has to go to everyone who's turned the team around in the last 30 years - and at least you're one of the few clubs not to chant the pathetic "You've got no history" at us! We probably learned to respect you a little more after we needed to rely on Hernan Crespo's last minute wonder goal in your first Premier League game. Keep letting us take 6 points a season from you and we're happy to have you in the top flight for as long as you like!

*Which Latics players would make a useful addition to the Chelsea squad?

The gulf in class in the Premiership means that sadly, I can't suggest anyone. It's nice to see Mario Melchiot back in English football however.

*Do you think you can do enough to overhaul both Manchester United and Arsenal at the top of the table?

It's what football managers of a certain generation call "a big ask", and realistically to do so we'll need to beat both sides when we play them at Stamford Bridge in the second half of the season. Honestly, I don't think we've been quite up to the standard of Man U this year, and so would be happy to see us bag second place when Arsenal self destruct!

*Do you think that Grant has adequately filled the shoes of The Special One? Would you have Mourinho back?

He's doing a better job than we expected when we digested the news of his appointment. How much is down to him and how much Steve Clarke and Henk Ten Cate have to do with it is open for debate. Mourinho was absolutely fantastic for Chelsea, and we certainly needed someone with his "win at all costs" mentality to turn us from perennial underachievers to Champions twice on the spin. The nature of the man meant that he was never likely to stay as long as Ferguson or Wenger, and he perhaps wasn't the man to fashion us into an exciting, fluid, open & attacking force. Is Avram Grant is that man? I'm not sure.

*What do you think of The African Cup of Nations? How much will you miss Drogba with the arrival of Anelka? Do you think they will play as a partnership when Drogba returns?

Whilst I understand why it has to be played in January, I'm frustrated by the fact it takes place every two years and not every four (like the European Championship). Anelka stands to be the perfect buy and he's certainly intelligent enough to form a potent force next to Drogba - perhaps not for every game, but certainly at home or against weaker opposition.

*What do you make of Steve Bruce? Do you think he can keep us up?

Whilst it was nice to see our old boy Chris Hutchins get a chance at the top level, he never looked likely to form you into a cohesive winning outfit. Steve Bruce would win few awards for loyalty but is certainly an improvement. You're definitely better than Fulham and Derby, so I guess it's down to you, Sunderland and Bolton to battle to avoid that last relegation spot.

*Who will win the league?

Manchester United unfortunately!

*And the FA cup?

John Terry will be lifting the trophy again come May :-)

*Finally, a score prediction please.

2-0 to the visitors, just like last time.

Many thanks to Dan for taking the time to answer these questions.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There isn't a single Latics player who wouldn't make it into the entire Chelsea squad?

The sheer arrogance!