Andy Gray talks Chelsea, QPR and Tottenham exclusively to South West Londoner.
Sharethematch.com ambassador Andy Gray was talking to Sam Green, exclusively for South West Londoner….
Chelsea’s frailties at the back are clear for all to see but it’s not worth criticising the manager’s tactics, I think they should let Andre Villas-Boas get on with it.
Three months ago they brought him in from Porto to be a manager for around £15 million, so he’s come through a lot of pressure already.
Let him make mistakes. I’m sure he will lose some games but he’s got to be able to mould the team in his way.
I don’t think Chelsea have ever really been able to replace Ricardo Carvalho. They’ve not been able to find anyone who’s been a perfect foil for John Terry the way Carvalho was.
They are also struggling for a right back, so that’s two positions they have needed to cover in the back four for quite some time now, which is clearly affecting them at the moment.
There isn’t that creativity in midfield. Frank Lampard runs with ball, he’s a goalscorer but not a creator. Ramires is a runner, Raul Meireles is a grafter and Mikel just passes the ball to somebody.
They need somebody extremely talented because Ramires isn’t going to get you a goal often, Mikel will not get you a goal, so they rely on Lampard to score from midfield when he plays.
You can’t rely on Didier Drogba all the time. Juan Mata is settling okay, Daniel Sturridge scores sometimes. Chelsea are still getting to know each other, but leave the manager to sort it and they’ll get there.
I think the old campaigner himself at QPR, Neil Warnock, is doing what he always has, and he’s getting performances from his team that many people wouldn’t think possible.
I thought QPR might struggle this season if I’m honest but they look confident and they don’t look out of place. If they strengthen further in January they haven’t got a lot to worry about.
Tottenham have the ability to win the title, and I’m delighted Harry Redknapp has taken that belief, but I don’t think they will.
It’s refreshing because so often managers sit there and say ‘no, we can’t win the league, other teams are better than us.’
They are sitting third in the league and playing really well but what if they lost Emmanuel Adebayor or Gareth Bale or Luka Modric. Who do they replace them with?
Tottenham have just got to keep doing what they are doing and not worry about losing players. Keep working hard and winning games but Manchester City look like they will last the distance of a season.
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Andy Gray speaks to SW Londoner about Chelsea’s defensive problems
