Article:Avram Grant is Barry Switzer - on Chelsea's problems

he papers today are suggesting that Frank Rijkaard might be interested in the Chelsea job in the not-entirely-unexpected event of it becoming available, and the British press have turned on Avram Grant now after their Carling Cup final defeat to Tottingham. So what's up at Chelsea and do they really have problems and aren't they alright really and how come when they're RICH?

I think they've got genuine problems. To put that in prespective, there's only so far they can fall - their squad is one of the five best in the league in terms of talent and their players are strong-minded and used to winning titles. If I was suddenly made manager tomorrow they'd still be too good for teams like Wigan and Derby and Birmingham and Fulham.

In American Football (and, to be honest, I've no idea whether to write this for a UK or US audience, so you're both going to have to bear with me for the bits you already know, apologies) in the 90s the Dallas Cowboys had an amazing team built by a Head Coach called Jimmy Johnson, but after winning back-to-back superbowls JJ and the owner (er...who also has the intiials JJ), fell out. Johnson was sacked and a new man called Barry Switzer was put in charge. By some reports, several senior players had no respect for Switzer, and he certainly never renewed the team and would never coach another NFL team. Yet his Cowboys went 12-4 twice and won a superbowl, simply because of the abundant talent on the roster (after which they fell to 10-6 and then 6-10). The simliarities with Avram Grant are striking. Grant's CV doesn't warrant the job he now holds - previous roles were at Maccabi Haifa and the Israeli national job - and he's been put in place partly thanks to his good relationship with the club's heirarchy.

But Chelsea's previous manager, Jose Mourinho, instilled an extraordinary tactical discipline in the side (partly by consistently substituting players who ignored instructions), and while it wasn't pretty to watch, it meant that they were suprerb effective in shutting opponents down (as when they beat Barcelona in the Champions League, and in last year's FA Cup Final which they won on pens after refusing ever to send more than 3 men ahead of the ball). Grant, tasked with making them more attacking, is gradually losing this discipline. It's evident in the fact that Belletti is playing regularly (when he simply cannot defend), and it was evident in the Carling Cup final on Sunday when Drogba failed to track Woodgate properly when he headed the winner. Chelsea's midfield used to play a ferocious pressing game when opponents got near their box, but it's slipping now. Makelele's legs have gone, and though Mikel is far more talented (and very strong on the ball) he's indisciplined and makes bad decisions. Add Ballack's occasional misdemeanors to the nasty streaks of Terry and Essien and Chelsea have also got too much volatility in the side, meaning that they will have problems with suspensions. Besides that, Robben was one of the most explosive and effective attackers in the league and Malouda has not been an adequate replacement. Terry is paying now for his macho insistence on playing with minor injuries with lots more injuries, Ashely Cole is a shadow of his old Arsenal self and Man Utd and Arsenal have both found consistent, effective, settled sides. Despite all this, Drogba and Anelka and Lampard and Joe Cole are going to win them games, but if they're anywhere near the reckoning for the Prem or the Champions League this season I will be very surprised.