Veteran Chelsea defender’s scathing comments – talks about club needing better strategy in place
BY PAUL LAGAN
paul@slpmedia.co.uk
If Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly thinks recent Premier League matches were embarrassing, then he will be having words with centre-back Thiago Silva.
The Brazilian veteran defender has not held back in a scathing assessment of the owners’ decisions and the players’ performances which he fears could see a repeat of this season’s horror showing.
Following the 2-0 defeat in the Champions League on Tuesday, interim manager Frank Lampard has lost all four games since being placed in charge.
Silva, 38 said: “I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made. We can’t be blaming the managers if we don’t take responsibility. It’s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision.
“Change of ownership, new players arriving – we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad.
“A positive point is that there are amazing players in the squad but, on the other hand, there are always players that are going to be unhappy.
“There is always going to be someone upset because not everyone can play.
“The manager can only pick 11 from a squad of 30-something – that’s tough.
“Some can’t make the squad. We signed eight in January. We need to stop and put a strategy in place, otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes.”
“Everybody talks too much about replacing managers. We, as players, must also take responsibility.
“We have had three managers this season, plus a fourth with Bruno (Saltor) where we failed to win. We have lost against Real Madrid and with Lampard, we have failed to win.
“Everybody is talking about the manager but we must look at what has been done wrong and try to change.”
They say it’s the hope that kills you. For Chelsea it’s the hopelessness in front of goal that has killed their league season and seen them dumped out of the Champions League.
The 2-0 home defeat to Real Madrid, added to the 2-0 defeat in Spain last week, saw the Blues exit at the quarter-final stage with more than a whimper but well short of a roar.
Lampard said: “For 60 minutes you probably saw why I picked the line-up. We had big energy, a big organisation in the team and caused Real Madrid a lot of problems.
“The only thing that was missing from our game was a goal.
“The first half was a strong moment for us.
“This team can always give you problems in transition, of course, because they’re a fantastic transition team amongst other things.
“Our game was exactly how I wanted it and one goal or two goals in that 60 minutes would change the face of it. We didn’t do that and at this level, they’re so clinical.”
Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes continues the club’s odyssey in Europe with a Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge tomorrow.
Hayes will be without Millie Bright, Fran Kirby and Kadisha Buchanan. Pernille Harder returns to the squad after a long-term hamstring injury.