Re: Carling Cup Final
 

True the League Cup isn't the most glamorous tournament but they lost that, they won't win the league, I can't see them getting progressing much further in Europe so I suppose all they've got left is the FA Cup. Or maybe they'll just end up with another empty season like last year.

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

Maybe they will end up empty handed but then I doubt they were banking on winning the League Cup, to call their season a success, unlike Fergie last year

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I don't remeber him ever saying last season was a success :confused:

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I do


But Ferguson insisted: "Winning one trophy is good, I'm telling you. "No matter what it is, you have to take that as a successful season"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...td/4746394.stm

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

So he did.

I suppose he is right in a way though, there are only four trophies available and even if you win the lesser of the four it's still a success.

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I suppose winning the League Cup alone doesn't constitute success, however we came second last year to the team who bought the title so yeah, add those together and I'd call that fairly successful.

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

Fergie begs to differ

But Ferguson insisted: "Winning one trophy is good, I'm telling you. "No matter what it is, you have to take that as a successful season"

I doubt he will ever call coming second a success though

I also love the way you keep saying they bought the title, nobody has ever bought the title, Liverpool have invested hundreds of millions over the years and never won the prem, where as Arsenal have made a profit overall and won it a few times, Chelsea have made a massive investment this season and look like falling short, money is just one aspect and with the league unlike the cup you genuinely get what you deserve

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I decide for myself what I call success, thanks very much!

Notice how Chelsea suddenly became really successful when the russian took over?

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

Yes but unlike Fergie you don't decide what Man Utd call a success

Yes I did notice the Russian's effect, I noticed how team's gave up, settled for second best, played for draws against them etc. Money is important but it's not the be all and end all, you get what you deserve, my team will almost certainly get relegated now, I could say that we have been unlucky, how we play team's of the pitch until they score and then fall to pieces and it would be true, it still doesn't mean we don't deserve to be at the bottom though

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

And if you check my posts, I did not say that I do!

So you agree that Chelsea's resurgence was based on money?

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

At least when Man Utd won it, they won it fair and square and with some really good football. Chelsea play crap football and are only where they are now due to the massive instant cash injection. The likes of Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal have had lots of cash over the years, but not all in one go. They've had to be careful with the money, unlike Chelsea.

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I didn't say you do, just pointing out that your team's manager disagrees with you

I would actually suggest the foundations were laid by Claudio Ranieri, and built upon by current good management, there is no denying money helped them greatly in achieving success but if it were simply down to someone signing cheques, why bother with a manager at all

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

I think most managers in the position of Mourinhio would have achieved the same things. Other teams need to choose new signings carefully but Chelsea can just bring another player in if the first one fails. An example is Sean Wright-Phillips, he didn't fit in properly, so they just buy more players in his position until they get one that fits in well. No other club would be able to do that and shows how Chelsea's money has got their success.

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

How many managers do Real Madrid get through?

Re: Carling Cup Final
 

Was a good game. First half was all about Arsenal's youngsters, and I was glad to see Walcott bag a goal (even though I'm a Chelsea fan). Pity he was the only youngster on show for England though. Arsenal's team was all about the future of 'World' football.

Chelsea, IMO, owned the second half. Experience, strength and stamina prevailed.

I felt sick when JT hit the ground like a sack of spuds, though relieved he was back in the dressing room after the match. Hard as nails! :cool:

Anyone who says the Carling Cup is worthless, is just bitter. At the end of the day, its the first piece of silverware in the cabinet. The players yesterday, on both sides, certainly didn't think it was worthless.

As for the 'Chelsea bought their trophies' and various other money related bull**** comments - meh. Chelsea were on the up for years prior to Abramovich's involvement and the previous couple of managers were slowly building a fantastic framework at the club. Of course the Russian's money helped but it wasn't the answer to everything. Look at Real Madrid - perfect example of a rich club with money spent on world class players, but you can't throw them together without any good direction and force them to gel. They certainly aren't winning trophies left, right and center. When Mourinho joined the club we peaked. He's a good manager, and good managers make a difference.

Back-to-back title winners - that's no easy achievment. If the money makes a difference, how come all of a sudden this year Utd are leading the pack?

Money isn't everything. A lot of football is all to do with injuries, performance levels, moral and above all - a large portion of luck.