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Sarri – Forty Thousand Spies Watch Your Team Every Other Week. Ask Them To Help You.

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But in this moment of turmoil, we must search for solutions and not create more division and angst. I’m in the wait and see camp for now because we are heading for more public humiliation if we sack Sarri.

Many of these players have been through it all before and whilst there is no doubt in my mind they have a huge role to play in the shortcomings at Chelsea over the years, the managers must take their share of the blame.

I don’t wish to waste time on previous coaches and what happened to them. Sarri is the present incumbent and so I’ll focus on him. Accusing the players of mental ineptitude does not excuse your intransigence

With half the season now passed and our chances of top 4 diminishing after every passing game, I would have thought that a coach of Sarri’s experience would have known the folly of speaking out against the players in public. It is not normal to air one’s dirty linen in public. What goes on behind closed doors should stay at Cobham. That is the sanctuary where the group of coaches and players must sort things out.

In giving his statement yesterday, Sarri has weakened his own position. Why do I say that?

In Sarri’s opinion, the most important cog in his system is Jorginho. According to him, he is technically superior to most players in the team. But last week he also said that he was beyond further improvement.

Really?

When we go to Stamford Bridge and watch from the stands, most supporters note the weaknesses and strong points of our heroes performing on the pitch. Most know the game very well, many don’t but support the team anyway and some don’t care what the tactics are so long as it’s a good day out with a Chelsea win.

From the stands, we have an enormous advantage over the coaches and the players because we can see the pass or the defensive risk before you or the players can. Why doesn’t Sarri come up and join us one day and sit in the four stands to get different views of his failing system? I would suggest that if he does take another perspective, he’ll never believe his eyes.

Last week I wrote an article Click Here, about the problems with our left flank using the 4-3-3 system that you use and still, we persevere with Alonso, Kovacic with only Jorginho to cover the defence. IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK. Any opposition coach worth his salt, would block and then attack our left-hand side. It is so obvious.

Our game is predictable and slow. Half a season has lapsed and still will see Luiz and Rudiger playing slow ball to each other (unless if Luiz just takes the initiative and makes one his spectacular long passes) or giving it to Jorginho who gives it back to them. Pathetic.

I do not believe that Sarri’s system is the problem on the pitch. I believe it is Jorginho. I do not think that the players have stopped playing for Sarri. I think that they don’t want to play with Jorginho.

Why you might ask?

Well from where I sit, I can clearly hear Jorginho bark out the orders to the team and point where everyone should be. At time Barkley has the chance to move forward but just as he is about to, is physically called back by Jorginho. So basically Barkley has to get back in line and quell his instinct to attack.

Many supporters who have not seen this live, think that Barkley is playing negatively when actually he is doing what Sarri’s general is dictating to him.

I do not think that the other players think that Jorginho is that superior to them that he can dictate play especially because Azpiliqueta is the captain. And I think that it is this lack of respect for Jorginho that the others are finding hard to accept. I think Jorginho should be taken out of the firing line for a while so that he can work in the gym and get more acclimatised to the English game. I base this assessment on the fact that he is just as ineffectual when playing for Italy but was a monster playing for Napoli (so good that Manchester City wanted him).

From the stands, you can hear Luiz losing his rag at Jorginho because he has passed backwards. Luiz also shouts at Azpiliqueta because he too turns back passes backwards.

Sarri says that the team is not ready to adapt to a new system but I would suggest that the “new” system is something that most of the team is already used to from previous seasons. Please let me give you an idea to change the present failing 4-3-3 formation to a 4-2-3-1 that could be built on by the professional coaches as below:

(From right to left)

• Kepa (GK)
• Rudiger (RB)
• Christensen (RCD)
• Luiz (LCD)
• Azpiliqueta (LB)
• Kante (RDM)
• Ampadu (LDM)
• Barkley (RAM)
• Hazard (CAM)
• Callum Hudson-Adoi (LAM)
• Higuain (ST)

Other better-skilled supporters will have their own thoughts and I would be intrigued to study their ideas too. I would respect any suggestion that makes our club harmonious again.

You see, I am a Chelsea supporter, end of. I have no personal desire than to go to Stamford Bridge and watch my beloved team, win, lose or draw. But I do have a problem when our manager cannot see that defeat to Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United are not just defeats that can be clouded by some ill-thought-out post-match tantrum.

For us the true supporters, every other Saturday is a pilgrimage and not something to be taken lightly.

So I will support this team till I die but it so pains me to see that professionals are so absorbed in their own glory that they forget the supporters. A few of them can go onto pastures new for lots of money but we the supporters still have to save our coins to pay for the next Season Ticket (s).

We want to feel part of the team but the players apart from a couple of exceptions do not feel the bond with the supporters.

We can see what is happening but we are not allowed to point out the deficiencies. Such a waste of 40k spies in your midst.

I am prepared to do whatever it takes to help my club get through this which includes showing patience, are you?

Contribution by Navid Deen

Previous article by Navid Deen

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