Benitez, a new Chelsea

The sacking of Roberto Di Matteo as Chelsea manager is one of the harshest in recent memory; the man had just won the Champions League, the FA Cup and rescued a season that seemed destined for disaster.

It again shows, for all their investment, the disconnect today’s mega-rich owners can have with clubs and fans. But, this has come to be the way at Chelsea.

The new boss at Chelsea
Rafael Benitez

The man to replace Di Matteo is former Chelsea foe Rafael Benitez.

A number of Chelsea supporters have already voiced their displeasure at Benitez’s appointment with protests by certain sections even mooted.

While not wishing to justify Di Matteo’s sacking or show the Italian as a bad manager, the hiring of Benitez could in fact be a boost for Chelsea. Benitez will certainly introduce a more organised game, which is what Chelsea probably need at the moment.

Chelsea have not been at the races defensively this season and in Benitez they get one of the very best tacticians in Europe.

Though not quite Pep Guardiola, Benitez is also a revolutionary and visionary of the game. He is a football teacher, something vividly visible through his personal website which is a pantheon of football analysis.

Benitez is a man of ideas and strategy. He is credited with introducing the 4-2-3-1 formation in its now standard form of using an attacking midfielder behind a centre-forward instead of a second striker dropping deep – perfecting this with Pablo Aimar at Valencia and then Steven Gerrard at Liverpool.  

Winning La Liga twice, in arguably its most competitive ever era, as well the Uefa Cup with Valencia, then winning the 2005 Champions League, the 2006 FA Cup, reaching the 2007 Champions League final, and finishing second in the Premiership in 2009 (with 86 points), is an excellent record by any measure.

While Chelsea have been good to watch this season they have been ripped apart several times, notably against Atletico Madrid in the Uefa Super Cup and in the first 30 minutes of their 3-2 loss to Manchester United in the league. Those displays were a worry. The two players in the centre of midfield (normally Mikel and Ramires) were often overwhelmed and it was unsustainable to believe Chelsea could win enough games over the course of a season in this manner, especially with Fernando Torres misfiring upfront.

Juan Mata, Eden Hazard, and Oscar are exciting players but they are not yet consistent defensively, in terms of helping out in their own half for a full 90 minutes. This will undoubtedly be one of the first areas Benitez will look to address; and if his track record is anything to go by, it may mean one of the Mata, Hazard and Oscar is not included for some games with a more traditional or steady wide player preferred.

Another of the reasons it seems Benitez has been hired is because he’s worked so well with Torres in the past. Torres, speaking last year, stated that Benitez had been the only manager able to get the best out of him during his career. Under Benitez, Torres scored 33 goals in 46 appearances during his first season at Liverpool (2007/08), 17 goals in 38 in his second and 24 in 32 appearances in the pair’s third and final campaign together – by far Torres’ most prolific period as a striker.

Happy Times...
Torres and Benitez... at Anfield

One of the worries of Chelsea fans, perhaps, is their team will become defensive under Benitez. However, it would be harsh to label Benitez as overly defensive, rather his teams are well-organised – which the first key to success at the highest level. His record at Valencia also shows they were progressive over time in terms of their offensive output. Even at Anfield, things started off with a solid, almost counter-reactive side before Liverpool blossomed into quite an enterprising team.

At Valencia, Benitez’s first league winning team of 2001/02 had a return of just 51 goals in 38 games. Two years later in their second win Valencia scored 71 goals while conceding the same amount (27 goals). A similar story unfolded at Liverpool with the 2008-09 version of Liverpool well-oiled offensively, resulting in some memorable performances including a 4-0 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages and a famous 4-1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford in the league.

So Benitez can be adept at both styles, which is what makes him such an interesting and successful manager.

Of course, things could go the other way like it did at Inter Milan where Benitez was unable to shake Jose Mourinho’s considerable shadow and where he didn’t have a great relationship with the players.

Again at Chelsea he will to some extent have comparisons with Mourinho and he will have to deal with a team of stars. Throughout his career Benitez has succeeded with relatively low-key players whom he had bought and elevated to a world-class level. Examples are Mista at Valencia, and Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano at Liverpool, all of whom were highly-regarded prospects when Benitez signed them but not the dressing room giants he found at Inter and will encounter now at Chelsea.

It will also be interesting to see how he will deal with the Chelsea hierarchy. Benitez ended up at loggerheads with the bosses at Valencia and Liverpool, eventually leading to his departure on both occasions. It’s no secret Benitez likes authority and full control; but this isn’t necessarily how things work at Chelsea for the manager.

Ultimately, though, the Chelsea job gives Benitez the ultimate opportunity to build something special. It is the ‘project’ he has been waiting for since leaving Inter. He has a club with funds to buy players.

Benitez, the Thinker
The Champions League, Chelsea's eternal obsession

The job is on an interim basis, but that’s not how Benitez will be thinking for sure. Guardiola is Roman Ambramovich’s dream choice but it remains a long shot that he’ll end up Chelsea. Benitez could be the new Chelsea.

Monday Musings: Spurs Confusion

Spurs confusion

Three loses in a row and now it’s really problems for Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas. The problems, though, are of his own making.

Since taking over AVB has come across as uncertain of his plan, and whatever the reasons for selling Rafael van der Vaart and Giovani dos Santos are, they better be very good.

Tottenham are a fine team with quality players in every position. However, Villas-Boas has regularly appeared unsure in the league this season.

One problem for Spurs has become the player who plays behind the main striker – a position in which van der Vaart and Giovanni specialise.

                                  

With Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson not yet performing to top four standards this season, it is Tottenham’s main weakness and has muddled issues even more in terms of who the team’s front two should be.

Off you go!
The turning point... Adebayor sent off against Arsenal 

It was always a moot point regarding who should start up front, new big signing Emmanuel Adebayor or in-form Jermain Defoe. After initially opting for Defoe, Villas Boas seemingly gave in to pressure from Adebayor and started the Togo striker last weekend against City. And after Dempsey’s limp display at the Etihad, he compromised again against Arsenal by starting both Adebayor and Defoe.

To be fair to AVB, the match against Arsenal changed on Adebayor’s early dismissal regardless of Spurs manager’s assertions to the contrary, including claiming Tottenham had dominated from the first to last minute.

However, this just shows the folly of picking Adebayor in the first place, a very combustible player at the best of times. That and playing Hugo Lloris in goals are worrying signs of a coach who is unsure and is easily swayed – from making the signings in the first place and now to picking a consistent first eleven.

Spurs had done quite well until Defoe was sacrificed for Adebayor and Lloris took the place of Brad Friedel in goal.

Against Arsenal there was also a lack of tactical discipline and fortitude from Spurs after they went down to ten men. Gareth Bale didn’t help Kyle Naughton enough on the left against Theo Walcott and Tom Huddletsone, in particular, was very sloppy in midfield, surprising because he’d performed quite well this season.

For Arsenal there was a ruthlessness which they should take forward. Although Arsenal were playing 10 men, and even though there was a period of worrying nervousness when Spurs pulled it back to 4-2, you can’t argue with a 5-2 final score.

For Tottenham, they face West Ham next with the shadow of three consecutive losses, a run that didn’t have to be had Villas-Boas had a clear idea.

Chelsea’s problems begin and end with Fernando Torres

Chelsea’s problems begin and end with Fernando Torres. While it is a bit unfair to put so much blame on one player Torres is the focal point, and if they are to compete, Chelsea need to get a dangerous centre-forward.

It is truly perplexing what has happened to Torres. Even if the system and style of play has changed from Liverpool – which are reasonable factors – or even the pressure of the huge price tag, Torres looks nothing like the player that was Europe’s best striker in the 2007/08 season.

Another bad day at the office for Fernando Torres...

He seems to have lost his ability and at times looks like an amateur, harsh as that sounds. There have also been worrying comments attributed to Torres, none more so than a recent remark in which he said there were times he didn’t care last season.

That’s a pretty shocking thing for a top professional to say. World-class form and determination aren’t things you can turn on and off like a tap, and the worry is Torres will never be the same again.

Chelsea at times are playing with one less player because of Torres’ ineffectiveness.

Clearly the focus for Chelsea this season is on offence. Mata, Hazard and Oscar are good creators but with Torres this strategy is ultimately rendered obsolete because he is the spearhead. So unlike with Van Persie for United for example, Chelsea won’t always outscore their opponents.

There are other fundamental problems with the Chelsea team. The midfield is way too loose and it allows teams to get at the defence, a situation quite similar to that at Manchester United. Opposition players are able to get in between the line of midfield and defence with ease, and the opposing striker can find himself with time to be isolated with the defender, which is what Shane Long exploited a lot for West Brom on Saturday.

The defence also isn’t the sure unit it was once was even though it still contains capable defenders.

But ultimately it is the lack of threat of their number nine which is Chelsea’s biggest worry. And now since losing to United, Chelsea’s Premiership season is falling apart quick. Two points from a possible 12 is a mini-crisis and Chelsea need a striker to fire them out of their misery.

Newcastle flounder in bad tactics

Newcastle are starting to flounder. Alan Pardew has done a fine job at St James’ Park and may continue to do so, but he is not a tactically astute manager at all. The combination of Ba and Cisse (or such similar box strikers) is one that cannot work on a consistent basis. Firstly, they are too similar, and because none drops deep with regularity, this puts too much pressure on the midfield.

It is worrying that there are so many managers in the Premiership who seem to lack a coherent plan and/or system this season.

Kevin Nolan and West Ham are going upwards,
Newcastle seemingly headed the other way...

For Mancini at City, his problems have largely arisen because of unnecessary experimenting. This has cost him throughout his reign and it comes to a head in the Champions League where it is more about consistent team organisation than a collection of players.

Mark Hughes, meanwhile, at QPR doesn’t seem to have an idea of what he is trying achieve tactically.

One manager that has impressed, though, is Sam Allardyce. He is doing a fantastic job at West Ham. He is a manager of vast experience and he has learnt from his past mistakes. His team is watchable while organised. David Moyes too does a superb job at Everton, while serious credit should also goes to Tony Pulis at Stoke. At least he has a plan.

Manchester United midfield minefield

Man United have serious problems in the centre of the park. The midfield is not strong enough and this is where all problems start for any team. When Rooney is absent there is no one who can make up for the deficiencies of the midfield. Rooney is almost two players in one.

United’s most recent era of success (2006 to 2010) came when Hargreaves and then later Fletcher were scavenging in midfield. United need a player like that in midfield, a Mohamed Diame, Lassana Diarra, or Celtic’s Victor Wanyama (who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford) – a player who’s more mobile and able to cover space and also offers a platform from midfield.

With the offence they have United are usually able to make up for this deficiency, but it is unsustainable to think they can do it all the time, over the course of a season.

Norwich pile the misery on United
as Van Persie and co. fire blanks

United have capable defenders but defending is not done in isolation, it is a team game. No defence, no mater how good, can cope if it is always being exposed from the centre. A case in point is United’s 3-2 loss to Tottenham in which two Spurs goals came from players running virtually straight through the middle. That pretty much sums up United at the moment, and something needs to done about that central midfield two.

The King - Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba

Lesotho Premier League: Results

Weekend Results

Saturday, 17 November

Lioli 1-0 Likhopo

Sunday, 18 November

Qoaling Highlanders 0-1 LCS

Vodacom Premier League

		P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Lioli	8	5	1	2	10	4	6	16
2	LCS	8	5	1	2	11	8	3	16
3	Bantu	7	4	1	2	15	11	4	13
4	LDF	8	3	3	2	10	6	4	12
5	Linare	8	3	3	2	10	6	4	12
6	Likhopo	8	4	0	4	8	7	1	12
7	Joy	8	3	3	2	15	16	-1	12
8	Mpharane Celtic	8	3	1	4	14	19	-5	10
9	Nyenye Rovers	8	1	4	3	6	11	-5	7
10	LMPS	8	2	1	5	3	8	-5	7
11	Matlama *	7	3	0	4	9	10	-1	6
12	Qoaling Highlanders	8	1	2	5	6	12	-6	5

* Matlama docked three points