Villas-Boas takes responsibility, and if he fails again he must take the consequences!
That is my task, to inspire these people and to motivate these people, to change our faith. The work we’ve been doing is good and the talent of the players is immense, but the overall responsibility is mine and it’s up to me to inspire them to a win.
In the aftermath of Chelsea’s unlucky defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, Blues manager Andre Villas-Boas believes that the Blues do have what it takes to make it through to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League.
Dider Drogba gave the visitors a dream start with a headed goal in the 48th minute, before an equalizer from Eren Derdiyok and a last-gasp match-winner from Manuel Friedrich dashed any hope of topping the group. The game was also beset by on-field problems as Ashley Cole was taken off with an ankle injury which could rule him out of Saturday’s Barclays Premier League clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, and was replaced by Jose Bosingwa, who played in an unfamiliar left-back role. David Luiz was also taken off at half-time with an illness, although he could shake it off and return to the starting line-up this weekend.
Chelsea’s defeat at the BayArena means that they are currently level on points with 3rd place Valencia, who thrashed Genk 7-0 to take their goal difference to a superior +8. Chelsea have to hold them to a goalless draw or claim a victory to make it through.
Knowing the importance of the final group game when the Blues host Valencia at Stamford Bridge, Villas-Boas said,
“This result changes the nature of the group, and now we go to the final match against Valencia to decide our fate.
“Valencia are a team on the up in terms of results, and we will need Stamford Bridge fully behind us in order to find the right intensity, but it is in our hands and we expect to do our job. It’s our responsibility and we don’t want to let the fans down.”
But right now, upon their return from Germany, Chelsea face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Barclays Premier League, knowing that only a victory would keep their title hopes alive.
“We believe a lot in the players’ talent, and they believe in us as well. When you are experiencing a run of results as we are now, we go into every little detail and try to get them right, and we just have to continue to work, and believe that the win is close.”
Chelsea go into this weekend’s game at Stamford Bridge lying 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, who remain the only team to be unbeaten this season and if by any chance Andre Villas-Boas fails again, surely his days at Chelsea are numbered…..
Abromovich should not sack this coach,we should learn to be patient,sir just try patient these day since we are talking of revolution in the club,what u have to do is to support him to buy good players to replace our old age players like lampard,terry,ashley cole,malouda,droba,and anelka. Together with bosingwa who is not doing well pls trade with caution,speak to the players they are not comitted,to me I think there is conspiracy to sack these avb he is a good coach remember we lost mourinho bcos we are not patient enough,even if we don’t qualify for champions league or finish bad in the table jus keep d fate I believe in avb thanks
AVB calling a defenceless team “attacking style” – that worried me;
attacking style means:
1. really think of schemes to counter-attack extremely fast; patters of play, attitudes, speed;
2. get people to pass accurately and creatively in the final third (killer passes, moves through the shoulder of the defence);
3. get extremely good finishers: the likes of etoo, aguero, van persie, cavani, david villa etc;
(good move for torres – but not working, or crespo , schevchenko in the past again did not work); need to keep trying new players (other teams also had flops: berbatov at man utd, etc)
4. the second striker should also be very good in the mould of: suarez, hulk (not ‘cheap’ pseudo footballers like kalou, anelka – really do you think with these strikers chelsea could have one CL???)
5. defend by attacking -> get the midfielders to do the pressing; i have seen none of this as if AVB is afraid to ask them to press ;
etc etc
for AVB it seems “attacking style” means only ‘a high defence line, and right backs should go forward’?????
** this particularly dangerous without pressing and with back passes to the adverse strikers;
mr abramovic sholud stick with AVB. the players are the ones to blame though also AVB has to take blame for his high defence line. this is the premier league. he should employ a deep defence line and then let the mid field do its job of helping in attack. he should drop the likes of mikel and use oriol romeu.