Duffer

[tiktok]

Mourinho has not been around long enough to judge him on his level of success, I am judging him on his style of play and his buys, both of which I think are woeful.

First off, I don't think Chelsea will win anything this season, they've scraped past their first two opponents and the luck they're riding will not last.

Mourinho was manager of Porto for three seasons, they consolidated the first year...
Then he won the league and the UEFA cup
Then he won the league and the Champions league

Houllier won the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and League Cup in one year and won nothing for his other five/six at Anfield

What more can you ask for? There's no comparison. Mourinho's got a far better track record

[fergalr]

That greedy b*****d abramovich must have money to burn if he can afford to shell out 17 million for someone who then plys his trade by warming the bench!! Waste of money and a waste of Duffs time
Duff should have stayed at Blackburn. At least there he was guaranteed a first team place.
It's mind bogling how Mourinho can play the likes of smertin instead of him
With the arrival of Robben imminent, reckon a move to one of the other big three would be the best for him.

O dear! How can RA be greedy when he is spending so much? Duff moved to Chelski cos he wanted to play at the highest level and with the best players - that can only be good for him and for Ireland. Remember Duff is not yet fully match fit - he'll get his games soon. And just so you're up to date - Robben arrived weeks ago - he's not playing cos he too is injured. Finally - I'm curious as to who the other "big three" are!

[fergalr]

Why?

I said I wanted JM to play Duff up front - half in jest but half because I personally believe that he's best in the free role in the hole in a 4-2-2-1-1 or a 4-3-1-2. Same approach would work well for Ireland especially as we only have one decent striker.

Alf was right - wingers are a thing of the past.

[eirebhoy]

I am one of those that believes Mourinho is not interested in playing Duff and he says what he does to please the fans. Although, when you think that Wedensday was the first time Duff played 90 minutes since he got injured for the second time, maybe Mourinho didn't want to push him straight into the team 3 days later. They have a match tomorrow so maybe that was also on his mind. If he doesn't play a part tomorrow there's something up.

BTW Carnstein, since when did Porto have an average side under Mourinho?

V.Baia, J.Costa, Carvalho, Valente, Ferreira, Mario Silva, Pedro Mendes, Costinha, Deco, Alenitchev, Tiago, Maniche, Jankauskas, Derlei, Carlos Alberto, McCarthy.

And his buys were shít? Kezman (a better record than RVN in Holland), Ferreira (Portuguese international and CL winner), Carvalho (first choice for Portugal, Cl winner), Drogba (France's top scorer last season).

[Slash/ED]

I said I wanted JM to play Duff up front - half in jest but half because I personally believe that he's best in the free role in the hole in a 4-2-2-1-1 or a 4-3-1-2. Same approach would work well for Ireland especially as we only have one decent striker.

Alf was right - wingers are a thing of the past.

No it wouldn't it's been tried and failed. Whatever about what Alf says Duffs done pretty alright on the wing for us, when managers have worked up the brainpower to play him there.

[4tothefloor]

Liverpool will never win anything again, surely Duff's better than that?

I bet you any money that Liverpool and Rafael Benitez will finish above both Man Utd and Chelsea this season. And mark my words, Benitez will follow a similer path to Arsene Wenger in the premiership. Mourinho won't last long at chelsea if he continues the way he has started, cos the fans and Abramovich won't stand for the rubbish tactics that he's attempting to play at the moment.

eirebhoy - Paulo Ferreira is very average and IMO will prove to be a complete flop and the biggest waste of money in the history of the english game (apart from Veron of course ). Djibril Cisse was the top scorer in the French league last year, not Didier Drogba.

fergalr - are you a Chelsea supporter? Didn't know that they had many fans over here, seeing that they are practically the Glasgow Rangers equivelant of the Premiership.

[eirebhoy]

Djibril Cisse was the top scorer in the French league last year, not Didier Drogba.

I said France, not the French league.

BTW, Mourinho could choose almost any RB in the world and he chose a player who he worked with and knows more about than any of us. Therefore, I would say he is certainly above average.

[Slash/ED]

Average would have been an overly kind description of his efforts at Euro2004 though, but I'll wait before judging him, he has to be better than Johnson.

[eirebhoy]

Average would have been an overly kind description of his efforts at Euro2004 though, but I'll wait before judging him, he has to be better than Johnson.

He has played hundreds of matches in his career, you can't just judge him on a half match against Greece.

[carnstien]

Average would have been an overly kind description of his efforts at Euro2004 though, but I'll wait before judging him, he has to be better than Johnson.

Scan Glen Johnson is only 19, remember Asley Cole when he was that age? He has turned out very well and I'm pretty sure Johnson will too.

As for Feirrera, 20 million was a ridiculous ammount to spend on a right back, especially one who looks as average as him.

[Rathfarnham Utd]

I bet you any money that Liverpool and Rafael Benitez will finish above both Man Utd and Chelsea this season. And mark my words, Benitez will follow a similer path to Arsene Wenger in the premiership

I'll take some of that action!

[NeilMcD]

I dont like Mourinhio and his style of play but to say he is a crap manager is nonsense. Of the last 6 compeititions he has entered he has won five of them. That is including a Uefa Cup and a Champions league. The only other side to win them back to back is Liverpool. That is over two seasons with Porto. Arsene Wenger has never won a European trophy or retained the championship but is called a great manager. Mourinhio has won 2 European trophies with a side coming from a League which is not in the top five leagues in Europe.

[Littlest Hobo]

O dear! How can RA be greedy when he is spending so much? Duff moved to Chelski cos he wanted to play at the highest level and with the best players - that can only be good for him and for Ireland. Remember Duff is not yet fully match fit - he'll get his games soon. And just so you're up to date - Robben arrived weeks ago - he's not playing cos he too is injured. Finally - I'm curious as to who the other "big three" are!

Robben hasn't yet arrived on the scene, you smart arse
When he does, Duff will be looking at a handfull of games

[gspain]

Apparently Joe M told 2 or 3 Chelsea players to prepare for tonight's game rather than last saturday. Any money one of them is Duffer?

If he is not invovled tonight and/or saturday then I would be concerned and it would be vital from our perspective that he get a move asap - however any move he makes will be a step down - Arsenal don't need him nor do Man Utd so that leaves a Newcastle or Liverpool who were closer to Wolves than Arsenal last season and are unlikely to be much better this time round although at least Liverpool are in the champions league.

Having said that Duff was Chelsea's best signing last season is very well regarded by the fans and has something whuch has been clearly lacking in JM's first 2 games - flair.

[Bowsy]

I just keep telling myself Mourinho can't be fool enough to overlook a talent like Duffer. I personally dislike him as a manager but he is talented and must know losing Duff would be madness. I don't see how Duff fits into his current system but his current system has yet to bowl me over. He could just as easy have no points instead of 6. I'm sure Duff will get his chance and seize it. Just hope it's sooner rather than later.

[carnstien]

Arsenal don't need him nor do Man Utd

Boss Man U need him a hell of a lot more than Liverpool do. Giggs is Man U's only recognised left winger, he is the wrong side of 30 and in my opinion is crap anyway. Liverpool have Kewell and have just signed Luis Garcia, there is no way they will be going after Duff.

[Bowsy]

All the top teams in England have a quality left winger - Robert, Pires, Giggs, Kewell. I'm not saying these players are better than Duff but i can't see them splashing out extravagant amounts of cash when they have other areas that need more attention.

[eirebhoy]

Robben hasn't yet arrived on the scene, you smart arse
When he does, Duff will be looking at a handfull of games

Robben has a broken ankle and will be out for at least 6 weeks. Its certainly enough time for Duffer to cement him place in the team.

[eirebhoy]

Duff didn't even make the bench yet again tonight. Chelsea made 5 changes to the team but none of them included Duffer. I really hope Chelsea lose tonight. G'wan the Palace!

[tricky_colour]

I suppose you could argue that Duff is being 'spared' for bigger matches,
although that seems unlikely.
I would love Palace to win but I think that is pretty unlikely too,
more likely that they get hammered although its 0-0 after 23 minutes.