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Chelsea stars losing confidence in Grant
Leo Spall26 Feb 2008
Avram Grant's position will come under growing scrutiny today as the Chelsea players return for training for the first time since Sunday's Carling Cup Final defeat by Tottenham.
The manager is facing a crisis of confidence over his leadership and tactics, while unrest is growing within the squad about the Israeli's treatment of players and his decision to stick with a formation that caters for only one striker.
Senior players are privately questioning Grant's approach on and off the pitch, and the faith earned by his good start in the job has been undermined in recent weeks. It was dealt a serious blow by the defeat by Spurs and some players are even hoping the club's owner, Roman Abramovich, or his powerbrokers at Stamford Bridge will pressure the Israeli into changing tack.
Grant's decision to delay naming his team until just before Sunday's match is believed to have increased tension at the club to such an extent that skipper John Terry had a blazing row with coach Henk ten Cate 24 hours before the Wembley showpiece.
The omission of Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole two hours before kick-off has also left them demanding to know why they failed to make the starting line-up.
Both had been playing regularly in recent weeks and the German captain had been displaying his best form since arriving at the club.
Florent Malouda, Joe Cole, Claude Makelele and Frank Lampard have also been among the surprise omissions in the last two games, and the unexplained selection choices have been a source of great frustration.
There were also suggestions today that Grant had been so worried about Spurs finding out what his side was that the first team did not practise their formation at all in training during the week.
Grant is a student of sports psychology and the feeling is that his squad rotation is designed to keep everyone happy, but it is backfiring badly when frustrated players are seeking a strong leader.
Nicolas Anelka's deployment wide on the left with Lampard replacing Ballack and Wayne Bridge in for Cole at Wembley puzzled most of the players and there is increasing backing within the squad for adopting a traditional 4-4-2 formation.
Grant still retains some support but there are many fans who are now bemoaning the sacking of Jose Mourinho earlier in the season more and more. Saturday's Premier League game at West Ham is crucial for the Blues if they are to remain in the title race.
Terry now wants everyone to pull together before it is too late.
The captain said: "On a bad day we should be good enough to beat Tottenham. No disrespect to them but we have got a lot of talent. I am bitterly disappointed for the fans.
"These chances don't come along very often and it is down to myself, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba to pick people up and get everyone going."
Champions League success would now appear almost imperative if Grant is to remain in charge at the club, even though Petr Cech has defended the Israeli's team selection and approach against Spurs.
The keeper said: "If Joe Cole and Michael Ballack played, then Frank Lampard would not be in and Salomon Kalou or somebody else not in.
"We have a large squad at Chelsea and top players - 27 top players - and the manager has a difficult choice to choose the 11 who play.
"He does it with his best mind and does what is best for us. He chooses the 11. If we had won the game no-one would ask questions."
Reader views (3)
Why is it when a team put on a display as useless as Chelsea did on Sunday, the manager is blamed? The players were the ones on the pitch, not trying to win the ball back or attack Spurs. The Chelsea players allowed Spurs to win! I've never seen anything like it in a cup final.
- Glenn, Boston, UK, 27/02/2008 01:28
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Perhaps he was left out because he isn't as good as Wayne Bridge.
- Gill, Zurich, Switzerland, 26/02/2008 14:08
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The players were responsible for the defeat, the goal-keeping error springs to mind immediately.
- Darren, London, 26/02/2008 13:59
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