AVB -world class manager or next Chelsea fatality?

Andre Villas-Boas has had far from a glorious introduction to the premier league - 25 points and 5th place is hardly realising the limitless ambitions a club the size of Chelsea demands.

And don't think the champions league is a respite for the blues, who are going into the last game needing a win or a goaless draw at Valencia, a big ask for anyone.

There’s no doubt that Chelsea have had a poor start to the season, but it’s far from disastrous. Chelsea still have six months left to turn it around, but the question is; does Villas-Boas?

Villas-Boas is a good, tactical manager and advertises an easy on the eye, attacking style of football. He proved his worth at Porto and is trying to bring that treble winning formula to Chelsea.

This fluent offensive style is all very well in Europe, but wont work one jot with Chelsea or in England.

This Chelsea team is still a predominantly Mourinho side, players used to playing defensively and keeping clean sheets. This group isn’t the right sort for the possession, Barcelona brand of football AVB is trying to introduce.

He insists on playing a high, offside-trap line which is also new to this Chelsea back four. The Mourinho team would play a much deeper role and Bosingwa, Cole, Terry and Alex are all struggling to adapt. This high line requires pace at the back (for example, Barcelona play it with Puyol), and an ageing Chelsea defence just cant keep up with the quick, counter attacking football that is so common in the English game. Particularly Terry who's lack of pace is becoming evident, 17 goals in 13 games is more than that successful Mourinho side conceded in one season.

From only two seasons in management, it’s hard to really tell weather or not Villas-Boas is a top class manager. Sure he achieved dizzying heights with Porto, but can this offensive philosophy really work in the English premier league?

If AVB is the tactical genius that helped Porto to that golden treble winning season, and convinced Roman to pay £13 million for him, he must adapt his style to the English game. He must take Chelsea back to what they do best, nicking 1-0s and most importantly, keeping clean sheets. The defensive line must drop to accommodate Terry, and Drogba should be deployed as a loan striker. He should do this at least until the summer when he can make the signings he needs to play 'the beautiful game' he so wishes too.

But will AVB be given the time he needs? Or will he be added to the long list of Abramovich rejects?

Finley Hazlewood

Comments

[Alan Frank]

AVB 'a good tactical manager', don't make me laugh FFS! This is the numpty that took Frank Lampard off versus Valencia and substituted him with that clown Kalou who then gave a penalty away! This is the numpty that cannot stop 'rotating' players for the sake of it rather than keeping a settled team and poor old Ranieri gets the title of tinkerman? None of this matters anyway as our up and coming fixtures will prove. Once it has sunk in to Roman that AVB has already lost the dressing room and that Chelsea will not only NOT win anything AGAIN this season but also finish outside the top 4 AVB will be sacked. I just hope people wake up sooner rather than later. Watching AVB's teams playing against a very average Liverpool team twice recently and comparing those teams to Jose's team, as a life long Chelsea fan just made me want to cry. For those that believe this is not AVB's team and that he needs time to build tell me why he didn't even try to buy Aguero last summer? Oh, his reason was that he wanted the summer to get to know his players? My deceased granny could have told him that Aguero was better than Kalou! After Newcastle, Valencia and Man City hopefully the numpty will be out, leave it any longer and we will deffo finish outside the top 4 this season....

[Alan Frank]

By the way Finley, when you talk about Barca playing a high back line you are talking about a team that often uses Mascherano as a central defender. Barca can do this as they invariably enjoy 70/80% possession of the ball with the world class midfield and forwards they have. Unless you have the midfield and forward players to dominate a game and put the opposition on the back foot you will be crucified in the Premiership trying to play with a high back line with or without speedy defenders! I suggest that you take a peek at the 'latest' La Liga table and this seasons results in Spain to see exactly what Jose Mourinho and some other Spanish teams' managers have done to combat the Barca style of play....

[Finley Hazlewood]

I'm not arguing the case for Chelsea playing Barca football, I'm saying that it isnt working for Chelsea and they should go back to the mourihno style which is seeing Real top La liga... I'm not saying AVB is right to play it as he blatantly isnt. What good is throwing another manager out the window going to do? Chelsea should stick with him at least until the end of the season. Doing the normal Abramovich thing (sack a manager purely based on a poor run of form) hasnt got Chelsea anywhere these last few years. The only way Chelsea will be succesful long term (something Roman doesnt understand), is if they get a young, fresh manager with new ideas, and give him the time to build a squad molded to his ideals... Success wont come instantly but given 3-4 years i think AVB can make this team a consistently successful side.

[Finley Hazlewood]

I'm not arguing the case for Chelsea playing Barca football, I'm saying that it isnt working for Chelsea and they should go back to the mourihno style which is seeing Real top La liga... I'm not saying AVB is right to play it as he blatantly isnt. What good is throwing another manager out the window going to do? Chelsea should stick with him at least until the end of the season. Doing the normal Abramovich thing (sack a manager purely based on a poor run of form) hasnt got Chelsea anywhere these last few years. The only way Chelsea will be succesful long term (something Roman doesnt understand), is if they get a young, fresh manager with new ideas, and give him the time to build a squad molded to his ideals... Success wont come instantly but given 3-4 years i think AVB can make this team a consistently successful side.