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One step at a time - Andre Villas-Boas' 2012 Chelsea revival shows signs of gradual progress at Stamford Bridge
Beyond the shadow of the John Terry and Anton Ferdinand handshake saga, the Stamford Bridge outfit notched their fourth victory in five games as match-winning nous returns
29-Jan-2012 2:13:00 PM
Getty Images
COMMENT
By Jay Jaffa at Loftus Road
Chelsea's 1-0 win over QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday certainly lacked panache but speak to Andre Villas-Boas and he'll tell you that it's the winning that matters right now.
Fresh from a five-day break in Majorca, Juan Mata and co. provided the kind of professional performance that was so often registered under Villas-Boas' mentor Jose Mourinho.
Yet the 'Special One' never had to contend with the problems the club currently have and it's worth tipping the cap to the man charged by Roman Abramovich to revolutionise their style.
Though the recent revival has been welcome, to suggest it has been stylish would be foolhardy, but with Champions League qualification far from certain, not even Abramovich will care.
Initially Villas-Boas shot himself in the foot and was widely criticised for his naivety in pushing his new troops towards an entirely different defensive set up. The high pressing model that worked so brilliantly at Porto last season failed spectacularly during the early stages of his reign – most notably in their 5-3 loss to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The much-maligned Fernando Torres morphed into the proverbial ball and chain, curbing the attacking flair Abramovich hoped Villas-Boas would bring to the club.
The old guard, so dependable under Mourinho, have reached their sell-by date, but how do you dispose of a clique as influential as the core of Chelsea? After all, it was the breakdown in relationship between Mourinho and John Terry that led to his departure.
Following his summer arrival Villas-Boas needed to recruit a few disciples. He required players from Porto who could preach to the stalwarts at his new club the wisdom of his methods and instil trust in the system he looked to implement.
After all, his record in Portugal spoke for itself: it was the mark of a supremely talented young manager – precisely the poster boy Abramovich wanted to improve the on-pitch spectacle.
But the failure to capture either Luka Modric from Tottenham or Alvaro Pereira from his former club ensured he would have to earn the trust of his players through results.
The rapid change in style asked too much of a back-line too set in their ways and although the club hovered around the top four positions, it became clear that a frailty had enveloped the team for the first time in years.
So Villas-Boas adapted to meet the challenge the Premier League offered. His defence is more rigid and operates at a depth more comfortable than what was seen in 2011. The home defeat to Aston Villa could be the last time his team are exposed when chasing a win and the QPR victory on Saturday was a sign of a renewed professionalism in the ranks.
Sure, the winning goal came courtesy of a very soft penalty decision, but Chelsea were the dominant team throughout and the Terry-inspired defence restricted the home side to speculative half chances. Since the Villa loss, Chelsea have kept a formidable four clean sheets in five games – surprising given the myth that this side cannot defend.
Fernando Torres may not have scored in 16 games but with his one year anniversary steadily approaching, fans are finally beginning to notice the spark that was last seen at Anfield return. As Villas-Boas nurtures the striker back to form, this January has allowed him to make his first moves in the transfer market.
Two members of his squad, Nicolas Anelka and Alex, have left the club following rumoured criticism of his methods, whilst Gary Cahill made the move to London two weeks ago. It is a more gradual process than Villas-Boas may have preferred but he is beginning to mould the squad to his desires.
The key to this project may well be his longevity. Abramovich is notoriously impatient but in 34-year-old Villas-Boas, Chelsea have the first manager since Mourinho capable of building a dynasty.
This catch-22 situation means he must retain Champions League football with the current squad and delicately impose his philosophy on those prepared to be part of his project.
That is why victory at any cost has become the current objective for the Chelsea manager. Even losing Ramires to injury for four weeks will not dampen the mood in a camp growing in confidence.
How the team deal with a tricky away day in Wales on Tuesday will indicate how far they have evolved under Villas-Boas. Swansea have taken points from the west London outfit's nearest rivals Tottenham and Arsenal, and perhaps this fixture will provide the litmus test for the 2012 edition of Chelsea.
The glint in Villas-Boas' eye as he was asked about their FA Cup chances, suggested this is a competition he will be targeting with maximum gusto. Who can blame him?
Chelsea are a club in transition and even the biggest upheaval requires the momentum only victory can bring. Villas-Boas has had his critics but he has emerged wiser for it and aware that if he is to be the architect of long-term change, he must ally it with short-term success.
By Jay Jaffa at Loftus Road
Chelsea's 1-0 win over QPR at Loftus Road on Saturday certainly lacked panache but speak to Andre Villas-Boas and he'll tell you that it's the winning that matters right now.
Fresh from a five-day break in Majorca, Juan Mata and co. provided the kind of professional performance that was so often registered under Villas-Boas' mentor Jose Mourinho.
Yet the 'Special One' never had to contend with the problems the club currently have and it's worth tipping the cap to the man charged by Roman Abramovich to revolutionise their style.
Though the recent revival has been welcome, to suggest it has been stylish would be foolhardy, but with Champions League qualification far from certain, not even Abramovich will care.
Initially Villas-Boas shot himself in the foot and was widely criticised for his naivety in pushing his new troops towards an entirely different defensive set up. The high pressing model that worked so brilliantly at Porto last season failed spectacularly during the early stages of his reign – most notably in their 5-3 loss to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The much-maligned Fernando Torres morphed into the proverbial ball and chain, curbing the attacking flair Abramovich hoped Villas-Boas would bring to the club.
The old guard, so dependable under Mourinho, have reached their sell-by date, but how do you dispose of a clique as influential as the core of Chelsea? After all, it was the breakdown in relationship between Mourinho and John Terry that led to his departure.
Job done | Mata's controversial penalty sent the Blues through in FA Cup
Following his summer arrival Villas-Boas needed to recruit a few disciples. He required players from Porto who could preach to the stalwarts at his new club the wisdom of his methods and instil trust in the system he looked to implement.
After all, his record in Portugal spoke for itself: it was the mark of a supremely talented young manager – precisely the poster boy Abramovich wanted to improve the on-pitch spectacle.
But the failure to capture either Luka Modric from Tottenham or Alvaro Pereira from his former club ensured he would have to earn the trust of his players through results.
The rapid change in style asked too much of a back-line too set in their ways and although the club hovered around the top four positions, it became clear that a frailty had enveloped the team for the first time in years.
So Villas-Boas adapted to meet the challenge the Premier League offered. His defence is more rigid and operates at a depth more comfortable than what was seen in 2011. The home defeat to Aston Villa could be the last time his team are exposed when chasing a win and the QPR victory on Saturday was a sign of a renewed professionalism in the ranks.
Sure, the winning goal came courtesy of a very soft penalty decision, but Chelsea were the dominant team throughout and the Terry-inspired defence restricted the home side to speculative half chances. Since the Villa loss, Chelsea have kept a formidable four clean sheets in five games – surprising given the myth that this side cannot defend.
Fernando Torres may not have scored in 16 games but with his one year anniversary steadily approaching, fans are finally beginning to notice the spark that was last seen at Anfield return. As Villas-Boas nurtures the striker back to form, this January has allowed him to make his first moves in the transfer market.
Two members of his squad, Nicolas Anelka and Alex, have left the club following rumoured criticism of his methods, whilst Gary Cahill made the move to London two weeks ago. It is a more gradual process than Villas-Boas may have preferred but he is beginning to mould the squad to his desires.
The key to this project may well be his longevity. Abramovich is notoriously impatient but in 34-year-old Villas-Boas, Chelsea have the first manager since Mourinho capable of building a dynasty.
This catch-22 situation means he must retain Champions League football with the current squad and delicately impose his philosophy on those prepared to be part of his project.
That is why victory at any cost has become the current objective for the Chelsea manager. Even losing Ramires to injury for four weeks will not dampen the mood in a camp growing in confidence.
How the team deal with a tricky away day in Wales on Tuesday will indicate how far they have evolved under Villas-Boas. Swansea have taken points from the west London outfit's nearest rivals Tottenham and Arsenal, and perhaps this fixture will provide the litmus test for the 2012 edition of Chelsea.
The glint in Villas-Boas' eye as he was asked about their FA Cup chances, suggested this is a competition he will be targeting with maximum gusto. Who can blame him?
Chelsea are a club in transition and even the biggest upheaval requires the momentum only victory can bring. Villas-Boas has had his critics but he has emerged wiser for it and aware that if he is to be the architect of long-term change, he must ally it with short-term success.
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