UF POWER POLL: Now That's Just Wrong.

Dear readers, I hope you enjoyed the introduction to the UF Power Poll which featured yesterday. Bigus had an issue with the voting criteria that allowed a certain, sliding, nonperforming club, to appear in the top ten. I lodged my complaints formally and provided a compelling argument to state my case. In fact Perry Mason would have been proud.

Alas, the UF crowd denied my request to remove the votes for Chelsea based on my research. Instead my blog-eagues implored me to follow up with a post. Follow me after the jump to find out why Chelsea FC's inclusion in the top ten of our Power Poll for European football is just outright ridiculous.

First of all, let's take a look at Chelsea over the last couple of months. They have a manager who clearly cannot communicate with his team, evidenced by some fallouts with key players (see: Drogba, Didier). Scolari is a man with little league experience and none in the top leagues of Europe, a man who often looks confused in front of the press.

They leak goals and futz with new defence routines that the players cannot understand (see: Southend highlights). They are playing an unfamilar formation with players out of position (see: Malouda, Florent and Kalou, Salomon) They have lost their coach (Steve Clarke) whose impact was pivotal to their success. Their defence leaks like a sieve, while Clarke's new team (West Ham) look defensively sound and unbeaten in six.

Meanwhile, their owner and bankrolling fantasy football tzar Mr Abrahmovich, appears to have lost interest. He spends more time worrying about his financial affairs than those at Stamford Bridge, something that's clearly demonstrated by his absence at games and lack of financial support in the transfer window that just closed. Chelsea just loaned a player who appears (to many of my friends) to have failed elsewhere. Quaresma appeared very little for Inter Milan this year and Jose sent him packing. Chelsea have sold in January and spent nothing in return, while European rivals splash the cash and enjoy good form on the pitch. Domestically Aston Villa have strengthened, Arsenal too.

Now let's look at the football. Over the last 2 months they look uninspired, lazy and lack any kind of creativity in the final third. The lack of any width is evident and it has damaged them greatly. The creativity to create chances has gone. Even during games that they have won, it has not been there. They hold plenty of possession but offer nothing in the final third of pitch.

Last weekend they could only offer a paltry 2 shots on the Liverpool goal and were bossed around with 10 men AND with 11. Their previous game, against Boro', was no different. They needed late goals at home to beat a side struggling to stay in the Premiership. They were manhandled at Old Trafford. Slapped around. They just managed to scrape through in the Champions League also, beating CFR Cluj 2-1 at home. This ain't the Chelsea of last year. Not close. This is a team on the skids.

The Blues have also won just 3 of their last 8 Premier League games. West Brom, Stoke (a game in which they needed a late injury time winner from Lampard) and Middlesbrough, three teams that are struggling around the relegation places of the Premier League. They also failed to win at home against Fulham and West Ham.

Two months, 12 points. Terrible form for a team that sits in the UF European Power Poll at number 9, above Arsenal no less. The Gooners may have had a ropey season but they are currently unbeaten in the last 2 months, after losing 4 of their best players to long-term injury to boot.


Dazed and confused: Scolari demostrates how Alex and Terry should stand still at corners

So where should Chelsea really be in the standings of Europe? Well let's look at the form of teams in the top four European leagues, Italy, Spain, Germany and England.

The below is the order of points gained over the last 8 domestic fixtures:

Barcelona WWWWWWWW 24 points
Manchester United DWWWWWWW 22 points
Aston Villa WWDWWWWD 20 points
Real Madrid LLWWWWWW 18 points
Hertha Berlin DWWWWLWW 19 points
Genoa WDWWWDDW 18 points
Roma WLDWWWWD 17 points
A C Milan WLWDWWDW 17 points
Inter Milan WWWDLWWD 17 points
Bayern Munich WWWDWWDL 17 points
Cagliari WLDDWWWW 17 points
Juventus WWWWDWLL 16 points
Hoffenheim WLWWWLDW 16 points
Hamburg LWLWDWWW 16 points
Atlhletic Bilbao LWDWWWLW 16 points
Everton WDWWWDDL 15 points
Fiorentina WWWLLLWW 15 points
Arsenal DDDWWWDD 14 points
Liverpool DDWWDDDW 14 points
Wigan WWWWLLDD 14 points
West Ham DLWWDWWD 14 points
Sevilla WWDDWWLL 14 points
Malaga LWDWWWDL 13 points
CHELSEA DDWDLWWL 12 points

Chelsea are currently the TWENTY-THIRD best team out of the top 4 leagues in Europe based on form. West Ham are better than Chelsea right now. Oh Bigus? What's against the French? They have representatives in the Champions League?

That's what French football fetishist and UF scribbler the NY Kid is going to argue.

Ok Kid. Now let's add France:

Bordeaux DDWWWWWD 18 points
PSG WLWWDLWW 17 points
Lille WDDDWWWD 16 points
Nantes LWWDDWLW 14 points
Toulouse LDDWDWWD 13 points
Rennes DWDDWWLD 13 points
Nancy DWLLWWLW 13 points
Lorient WDWWLDDD 13 points

So out of the top FIVE leagues in Europe...Chelsea are the THIRTY-FIRST best team in Europe... THIRTY-ONE!

I could add the top sides from Portugal, Holland, Czech Rep or any other nation that allows Champions League entry for its elite. But if I did that, Chelsea would likely disappear from the top 40.

But Bigus, that's just two months, what if you make it 10/12 games? Want that instead, Chelsea fans?

I doubt it. I would have to include a home draw with Newcastle and a home defeat by Arsenal, a team who are unbeaten in 11, signing a top player this month (Arshavin) and just 5 points behind Chelsea in the EPL table. So if I add those results along with their win against the mighty West Brom, it is likely that Chelsea will slide further down the European form rankings.

Look, don't get me wrong. Chelsea have been a big side in Europe over the last few years, especially last year. After reaching the Champions League final and challenging for the Premier League title they would have been in the top 4, but now? Really? Top Ten?

My original point here was to prove that currently, through form and circumstances Chelsea FC do not belong in the Power Poll top ten. I was called a fu*ktard by my good friend and UF's very own Chelsea rep, Autoglass. But research prevails, It appears that they should rank way outside of the top ten, let alone be ninth! Who's the fu*ktard now?

Am I nuts to conclude this and ask for a team's current form to be considered as criteria for the top ten? Shouldn't results count for something? Am I crazy to ask for Chelsea's removal from the UF PP? At the expensive of Juventus? Bayern? AND Roma, who have taken 17 points in the last 8 and have won 4 of their last 5? The same Roma that beat Chelsea in the Champions League 3-1 in November?

You decide...Comment below.

-Bigus

By the way I used www.Soccerway.com for my research.