Monday 18 April 2016

Guus Hiddink: 'Chelsea players thinking of Euros'


Photo credit: www.independent.co.uk

According to sport mole online news, Interim Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has suggested that his players may be saving their energy for this summer's European Championships with nothing to play for in the league.

The Blues were brushed aside by Manchester City courtesy of a Sergio Aguero hat-trick at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a result that left them tenth in the Premier League table.

Chelsea are now mathematically unable to qualify for next season's Champions League and must overcome a 12-point deficit with just five games remaining in order to finish fifth.

Guus Hiddink was quoted saying:


"I cannot blame the players for having a lack of attitude," Hiddink told reporters after the game. "Some players might think that, but I cannot look into their minds, in their brains. They might be thinking of the Euros.

"When there is nothing at stake then with some people there is a little bit of a lack of the ultimate work."

Chelsea are next back in action on Saturday when they travel to Bournemouth.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the only ever-present outfielder in La Liga this season


Photo credit: www.telegraph.co.uk


According to squawka online news, The Real Madrid superstar has been an ever-present thus far, featuring for 2970 minutes (excluding stoppage time), alongside Getafe goalkeeper Vicente Guaita.

After 33 matchdays of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo is the only outfielder in La Liga to have played in every minute of 2015/16.


Roberto Rosales of Malaga had kept pace with Ronaldo for 32 rounds of the campaign, but received his fifth booking of the season in last weekend’s draw with Granada, which has led to a one-match suspension.

Across Europe’s top five divisions, there are only two other outfielders who can match the Portuguese’s 100% record.

In the Premier League, Toby Alderweireld has completed an identical number of games to Ronaldo, whilst Dennis Appiah has endured 34 full matches in Ligue 1.




Ronaldo has experienced a rather memorable week, with the 6ft 1in attacker netting a hat-trick in midweek to secure a 3-2 aggregate win for Madrid over Wolfsburg in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Those strikes took his continental tally to 16 for the season – double the number scored by his closest competitors, in Luis Suarez, Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller.

The Ronaldo-led triumph sets up a tantalising semi-final fixture against Manchester City, whilst local rivals Atletico Madrid take on Bayern Munich in the other final-four tie.



On the domestic front, he leads La Liga with 31 goals this term, the most recent of which was scored in Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Getafe.

Meanwhile, Los Blancos’ goal-getting hero is only behind Zlatan Ibrahimovic (32) in Europe’s top five divisions.

Furthermore, in the assist rankings, Ibrahimovic (13) is one of only six players ahead of Ronaldo (11) this season, with Mesut Ozil (18) leading the way.

‘He has to accept the situation’ Chelsea boss explains Nemanja Matic benching


Photo credit: www.zimbio.com

According to London24 news online, Guus Hiddink says the midfield balance between Cesc Fabregas and John Obi Mikel is the main reason why Nemanja Matic has endured such a frustrating season but admits he must accept the current situation.

Matic was a key cog in the Chelsea side that romped to the Premier League title last season but he has played for 90 minutes in just three league games since January and has often been on the bench. Hiddink has made Mikel a key figure since returning for a second spell in interim charge and the Dutchman explained the Nigerian is a key reason why Matic has been an onlooker for long spells.

Guus Hiddink was quoted saying:


“Every now and then he has played, he has made his minutes as well in my period,” he explained.

“When you choose a midfield you can play with Fabregas, Matic and an attacking midfielder player like Loftus-Cheek did against Manchester City. But you can also play with Mikel and I have played him from the start and he is doing well.

“I appreciate Matic as well but they have to accept the situation as it is. Nevertheless, he has made his minutes.”

When asked about Matic’s training ground displays he replied: “I can’t complain about anything.

“But in some positions you have two strong players and then I have to make a choice. When we play Fabregas with his creative play, then we pick a player to compensate (defensively) like Mikel, who can cover but is also good at short passing.”

Guus Hiddink sends message to Eden Hazard and provides injury update


Photo credit: www.sportsmole.co.uk


Online news from London24 state that Chelsea interim boss Guus Hiddink will be intrigued to see Eden Hazard’s reaction to a “dark” season after imploring the Belgian to “play like a kid”.


Hazard won a host of individual awards last season as Chelsea lifted the Premier League title and Capital One Cup, but he and the Blues have had a chastening campaign. Reports have suggested Hazard, who is in line to play for Belgium at this summer’s European Championship, is agitating for a move, with Real Madrid and Paris St Germain interested.

But it is difficult to see Chelsea approving a transfer for a player whose value has plummeted and has four years remaining on his current contract. Hiddink says it is unfair to label Hazard disinterested due to his on-field performances, which have contrasted starkly with last season, and will be interested to watch the 25-year-old’s development.


Interim coach Guus Hiddink was quoted saying:

“The next period will be very interesting for him,” Hiddink said.

“Not now, just this season, but also the Euros and the upcoming season.

“I hope he uses his quality in a way that he doesn’t think too much ahead or back.

“Last year everything was beautiful and this year everything is, for him, dark.

The contrast is huge. “He was the number one and now he’s at the end of a long row of players.
That’s difficult.

What do you do? “We must not dramatise too much. Try to play like a kid. Try to think in the moment.”

“The last days I saw him training very spontaneously,” Hiddink said.

“You have to try to avoid a lot of thinking for yourself and look for causes that might not be there, try to get a little bit clean.”

Antonio Conte will likely be eager to get the best out of Hazard next term. But should Hazard be angling for a move elsewhere, Hiddink believes the Belgian must show his best for Chelsea.

Guus Hiddink Added by saying:

“If he is planning in his career, then he must show it where he is playing now and in the near future,” the Dutchman added.

Hazard, who signed for Chelsea four years ago this summer, has been struggling due to a hip/groin problem. He has been absent for the last four matches, but returned to training this week and should feature against Bournemouth next weekend.



Eden Hazard makes a decision on his Chelsea future


Photo credit: www.101greatgoals.com


According to 101 great goals online news, The Belgium international has gone from being the best player in the league, to having his own supporters question whether he deserves a spot in their starting XI.

Indeed, many Chelsea fans have called for the club to sell Hazard this summer, believing the playmaker has downed tools in west London.

But according to today’s update in the Times, that far from the case. Instead, Hazard is committed to the Blues cause, and he’s told incoming manager Antonio Conte that he wants to stay at the club next season.


Eden Hazard has told Antonio Conte that he wants to stay at Chelsea next season.

The Belgium forward is believed to accept that he has significantly underperformed during a season in which he has not scored in the Barclays Premier League and is intending to focus on regaining his best form over the summer, rather than pursue a move to Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea are also keen to keep hold of Hazard despite his poor campaign and are willing to give him the chance to show it was simply a blip in an otherwise stellar career.


Gary Cahill is right to slam Chelsea FC teammates


Photo credit: www.sportsmole.co.uk

According to fansided online news, Gary Cahill has come out with strong comments against his Chelsea FC colleagues and rightly so after a shambolic performance against Manchester City.

Chelsea FC limped to a pathetic 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at the weekend. They were taken apart by Manuel Pellegrini’s men who were more committed and simply more up for a game of football. Following the match, Gary Cahill has slammed his teammates for a dismal display.


The defender essentially criticised his colleagues for lacking pride, reminding them of the need to put in maximum effort despite the absence of material incentives.


We should have more pride in ourselves to go out and give a performance and at least run around and try to get close to people…you run around and if you make mistakes you make mistakes and you go again. I thought we lacked that in this game. – via ESPN FC

The Blues were woeful as they slumped to the second Premier League defeat of Guus Hiddink’s reign. After a decent opening 30 minutes, in which Chelsea looked likely to score, Sergio Aguero’s deflected strike to open the scoring was the turning point.

After that moment, the Blues rolled over for the visitors who clinically put them away. With Champions League qualification on their minds, City needed a result and they showed that in their spirited display.

Friday 15 April 2016

Hiddink defends decision to sub Loftus-Cheek after boos from Chelsea fans


Photo credit: soccer.nbcsports.com



According to Goal.com site news, The Dutchman's decision to replace the midfielder with Radamel Falcao was met with criticism in Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Swansea City


Guus Hiddink insists he was right to replace Ruben Loftus-Cheek in Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday.

The 20-year-old midfielder was substituted for Radamel Falcao with 14 minutes remaining as Chelsea looked for an equaliser at the Liberty Stadium, but the move was met with jeers from the away fans.

Interim Coach Guus Hiddink was quoted saying:


"They can be upset, but we do many things with 10 minutes to go," said Hiddink. "We have the right to change any player, any minute and of course they may be upset, but I would have changed him even if he had made a goal so that he could be applauded.


"The last game against Villa, he had a cramp on 70 minutes but rather than substitute him, we let him go to have this experience,” said the Dutchman.

“When there are more tight games in the score, when you’re 1-0 down, then we have the right, and I will do so, to change whoever it is.

"It’s important to understand that outside the efficiency and outside the action that he plays, that he must get used to the intensity of the games. Although some players might not be playing well, and I’m not just talking about him, we let them go and have the experience of 90 minutes.”