Stand Up To The Fantastic One!

While Chelsea were breaking premier league records this season, there was one record that went unnoticed – that was the number of times anyone ever used the word ‘fantastic’ in a season. You can’t blame Ancelotti. Given his limited vocabulary in English and the way the season has gone, he had to use it 257 times. It was a fantastic season as we won in a fantastic league thanks to the fantastic players and their fantastic commitment. So how fantastic has he been? How well has Ancelotti done? It’s not a question whether he has delivered because he indeed has. I would never doubt a winner. If a coach has won the league title that has spanned over 38 matches, over 10 months, in a competitive league such as this, you have to give it to him. Did he live up to the expectations is a better question. So here we go . . .

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It was expected of you & Chelsea, Mr. Ancelotti!

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This was to be Chelsea’s season right from the beginning. Man Utd had lost Ronaldo and were missing Tevez. They were relying big time on Rooney while they had an ineffective Berbatov. Nani or Valencia was not expected to replace Ronaldo in this season. Liverpool were never going to be a threat for the league title under Rafa Benitez, probably even kops know it. Arsenal might go on an open top celebration tour as long as they get their champions league spot. Man City weren’t going to be a title winning side this season. So basically, this was a season where Chelsea were best placed to win the title.

If Carlo had won the title in April, with a few matches in hand, he’d have done a great job. The reason is, such was the gulf between Chelsea and Man Utd this season. The fact that the table shows just a point separating us and them is so misleading. This is not a season that we should have been run so close by Man Utd. This is not the season to be won on the last day. We should have had this wrapped up by April.

Chelsea have had set backs this season against sides that they should have had no trouble. Though we have always come back strongly from set backs, there is something that did not impress me. All our come backs are ‘inter-match’ recoveries and not ‘intra-match’ recoveries. Basically the come backs are after a draw or a defeat and not so much after a conceded goal or after having a player sent off etc, if you know what I mean. This lack of intra-match resilience is what made teams dominate us in certain matches while we were beaten. This was new to Chelsea as we were always known for our intra-match as well as inter-match resilience. This leads to my gripe about some of our painful defeats this season.

Losing 2-4 to Man City at Stamford Bridge was unbearable. Particularly, given the circumstances and media attention at that time, losing heavily at home to Man City was truly the last thing we wanted. Having dominated Man City for a whole half to lose it 2-4 at home is unacceptable. The manner in which we lost our lead thrice against Everton at home was horrendous and that counts as the most disappointing match this season for me. We were all over Everton but could only get one point out of the match. That 3-1 defeat at Wigan was another match that showed our lack of intra-match resilience.

Chelsea was always expected to beat Inter in the champions league over two legs. While we were unlucky with some decisions at San Siro, I won’t say we deserved to progress ahead of Inter. By JM’s admission, it was after their win at Stamford Bridge, the Inter team started believing in themselves that they can go distance in this champions league. We were the clear favourites to beat Inter and we simply failed. We did not rise up to the occasion while Inter did. All that we needed at Stamford Bridge was a 1-0 and we couldn’t do it. There is no other word to this than ‘failure’.

Just when we were getting closer to the title, we were beaten fair and square by Tottenham. It was a match that further showed that this Chelsea team is unable to pick themselves up from the adversities during a match. Moreover, we didn’t appear to have prepared well for the match. That’s one other thing I noticed. Our preparation is not top notch. That happens when we rely completely on our strengths and not rely so much on capitalising on the opponents’ weaknesses. You just can’t lose such key matches especially when you already hold the lead in the table.

Probably it’s forgotten now that we had massive issues with set piece defending in the first half of our season. For a team like Chelsea, known for its structure and organisation, now with an Italian manager with an illustrious career, the number of goals and points that we shipped due to bad set piece defending, was just not good enough.

While Chelsea were growing old, you can’t deny the fact that we had the most stability as far as the players are concerned. We had no big player leaving or joining. We had a good team spirit and camaraderie. In a way, you can say that if Carlo hadn’t won this league title this season, he would have failed miserably.

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Shame you’re not arrogant, because you are a fantastic one!

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As I said, I would never want to doubt a winner because there is no reason. Carlo is the champion and it’s not easy to be a champion in any league, let alone the English premier league. History does not remember the points difference or the goal difference – it only remembers the champions. And Carlo is one. For any manager to come to the premier league and win the league title in his first season, is an amazing achievement.

We can say a lot about how our rivals weren’t a match to us and that we should have won earlier but how does it matter exactly? There was a league title to be won and we did just that. We need to keep in mind that this was a season where Chelsea lost its key players to African Nations Cup. Weren’t we supposed to succumb in January? Didn’t January turn out to be the most productive month of the season?

The new Chelsea relies a lot on our full backs. This trend started particularly last season. We were so full-back-driven that at one point of time, our opponents thought that if they stopped our full backs they’d get a result. For a team so reliant on full backs to lose Bosingwa for the whole season and Ashley Cole for a good part of the season definitely was a big blow. But Carlo was not ruffled. He continued with our style and in most times we ended up playing even a 3-5-2 with Mikel dropping back between the centre backs while the full backs operate like wingers.

Carlo’s unrelenting approach was rewarded with a record 103 goals scored in the league campaign. Now, scoring 103 goals in the league has nothing to do with Ronaldo not being there at Man Utd or Arsenal and Liverpool being managed by Wenger and Benitez respectively. Basically, no matter how weak your rivals are, to score 103 goals in a 38-match league is phenomenal and must be respected and appreciated. You just have to give it to King Carlo!

The John Terry issue came at the most inopportune time for Chelsea. When it was still in the headlines, we had to play none other than Man City themselves, which was sandwiched between the home and away champions league matches against Inter. That was indeed tough. We have shrugged off the controversy and also the champions league disappointment admirably to retain our focus on the premier league. Carlo must take the credit for having led the troops in a calm and collected fashion and also reiterating what he cares about – football.

I like it when managers beat their rivals and win those big matches. I love it when they create a fortress at home and beat the rivals at their back yard. Carlo is a top manager. His double over our rivals is a further testimony to that. I’m happy that he has won the league which represents the performance of the team and the coach, more than champions league.

The huge impact that Carlo has made is also the respect that he has earned for Chelsea. He has won the title, he’s scored the goals, he’s playing in a way that the media cannot call ‘boring’, he has been absolutely uncontroversial. He has certainly improved Chelsea’s image. But the credit should also go to the club management. The decision to stop the big spending has been a good decision. This is not a bunch of players who are playing for money. This is a team full of life and energy and these players fight for the club, fellow players and the fans. You only have to look how Chelsea defended against Wigan on the last even after going 6-0 up.

One might say that this is Jose Mourinho’s squad. While that’s true, this success belongs to Carlo Ancelotti. That’s because while the fundamentals are from the TSO, the style and swagger patently belongs to the TFO. Don’t take anything away from the TFO. Let’s not even compare the TSO and TFO – both are winners and both are distinct. What Jose Mourinho did to Chelsea cannot be undone or bettered by any manager. Mount Everest has been climbed by more than 3,000 people now but Sherpa Tenzing and Edmund Hillary are remembered for a reason. JM’s achievement was very special. It’s like the birth of your first child. It’s very special but it no way undermines the memories of your later ones.

The reason why Man City would never win the title without a top manager is this – to win titles, the players and the team needs to believe. This thing called belief is what the top managers instill in players. With every win they make you believe you can do it. That’s what Jose Mourinho gave Chelsea. That belief has stayed with us. Without belief, no money or superstars can bring you success.

Let’s appreciate TSO and TFO for their respective achievements without having choose one over the other. The circumstances were different and so were the objectives and challenges. I’d like to say this again – this success this season belongs to Carlo Ancelotti and we should take nothing away from him.

So . . . stand up to The Fantastic One!