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Wednesday 22 February 2012

AVB On Shaky Ground At Chelsea

Andre Villas Boas has come under renewed criticism for his team selection following Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat in Napoli last night.  As well as Fernando Torres, he left out Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien from the starting 11, 3 of the most experienced and senior players in the changing room.

Was he trying to prove a point?  Is he trying to show he has control of the changing room by dropping stalwart players?  All this comes after a weekend where it was alleged that Dider Drogba gave the halftime talk, something AVB dismissed as ‘ridiculous’ and which has since been refuted by Drogba himself.  But there isn’t smoke without fire.

Andre Villa Boas is on very shaky ground at Chelsea

Chelsea have now won only 3 of the last 11 games, a record that doesn't sit well with players or the owner who are used to better, much better.  While AVB continues to concentrate the long term project he is developing at Chelsea, there is no doubt he is trying it at a club where the owner is notoriously impatient and who demands instant results. 

Some may argue that Abramovich would have already got rid of AVB by now, and that he must be persuaded in some way by the Portuguese man’s vision for the club.  In any case, if things continue as they are, surely the owners patience will crack and something will give.  The key point may be the return leg against Napoli at Stamford Bridge.  If Chelsea fail to go through, which is far from certain, that just may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

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