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This blog was stimulated by recent experiences as Chelsea (CFC) fan. As background, I'm a longtime Canadian sports fan of hockey, baseball, NA football, and soccer, aka football in rest of the world. I've only been able to fully support Premier League's CFC since PL became available on TV in Canada.
As a Chelsea fan, what I've noticed for awhile now is how many CFC fans rush to diss individual players if they are not perfect. You'd think being a fan meant you support your club's players unconditionally, but you'd be wrong.
Mostly, it means you support manager Jose Mourinho because he gave you three Premier League championships in 2004-5, 2005-6, and 2014-15.
As soon as a player shows weakness, that he's not perfect, he's dissed by Chelsea 'fans' as shit. Current prime examples include Ivanovic and Willian, with many more targets in the wings.
I don't get it. Has Roman Abramovich's money made Chelsea fans so privileged, so pampered, that all players must be exceptional? By definition, exceptional is rare.
Branislav Ivanovic was one of Chelsea's best players in 2014-15, yet now fans want him out because he's had a bad start to 2015-16 season. Willian is a fantastic energy bunny who's saved Chelsea's arse many times with his defensive play. But because he doesn't assist on goals and score enough, he's called shit by many fans. They don't say he's a talented player who could improve offensively. Oh no, they call him shit.
My wish is that Chelsea fans reap what they sow. Namely, they're not perfect, indeed, many are shit fans who are just not up to the task of being perfect.
As a Chelsea fan, I know I have many weaknesses, one of which is writing blogs like this one. You can imagine how that endears me to my Chelsea friends and followers on Twitter at @eurofutball.
If you're looking for 'Chelsea's José Mourinho, a man of many faces, all of them true' it's the next post down.
This blog is a quickie based on observations over a few seasons as a Chelsea FC fan. I'm not a football expert but still have a brain.
A few changes I'd like to see for Chelsea's offense:
1. Eden Hazard pass more and quickly, instead of dribbling in circles, becoming a magnet for opponents, who then neutralize any passes he might have made.
2. Every Chelsea midfielder pass forward to strikers who have made runs instead of ignoring them for Barca-style tiki-taka that slows game and gives opponents time to set up a defense.
3. Every Chelsea midfielder pass forward more to strikers instead of going for glory by shooting from impossible positions. Juan Mata to his credit does it more than others.
4. Oscar, Rami and David Luiz pass instead of going for glory by trying ambitious long shots that invariably soar over the net.
5. Attacking midfielders spread out more and run into open space, instead of being Barca wannabees, congesting in midfield, playing short passes that keep possession with zero results.
6. Fernando Torres have fun on the pitch, take chances like he did as a kid, and not care if he makes errors that media and boo-bird fans will ridicule.
7. Strikers continue to make runs because sooner or later the midfielders will pass forward because manager Jose Mourinho, genius that he is, will tell them that passing to surging strikers is what they must do.
8. Strikers show more movement to draw defenders, leave others with more space.
9. Strikers play more in the box where goal opportunities abound.
10. Attacking midfielders improve ability to cross the ball to those in the box since it's a key skill that leads to goals.
If even a few of these changes happened, Chelsea FC would surely top Premier League in 2013-14.
