Chelsea FC - Double Champions! Season Review 2011/12 [DVD]

Unlike the other review (at the time of writing) I own this DVD. I enjoyed our win like other fans, but everyone deserves to know what this PRODUCT is like before buying.

First, the positives - every goal scored by, and against us, in the 2011/12 season is here. All are widescreen, and all goals we scored get a replay so you can really enjoy it. All games are shown chronologically, so you get to experience our building success in the cups, and gradual failure in the league. It's good to see the likes of Anelka again, as he contributed quite a bit last term, even if he left us early. It's easy to forget his contribution.

The negatives - the commentary is from Chelsea TV, and Sky, the BBC, and even ITV have nothing to worry about in that regard - competition it's not! Important events, such as the Torres miss against Utd, are missing. In fact, they show Terry getting sent off against Barcelona in the CL Semi, but never show the reason why or the incident at all! A bit of a whitewash. Of course they gloss over off-field issues with Terry as well.

Worse is the "extras". One is simply the trailer that was on this (Amazon) site to help sell the the thing (runs around 3 minutes). The other is interviews with three players - Cech, Ivanovic, and Kalou - all done BEFORE the Champions League win. Kalou even mentioned the game is "on Saturday". Given that we won, which is a big deal, and that on top of that once we did Kalou was let go, it's a bit embarrassing to say the least! All the interviews are done in around 15 minutes combined. That's your lot for extras! Nothing from Lamps, Terry, and for goodness sakes - we're wishing farewell to Drogba, but NOTHING is mentioned about it, and no interview with him - let alone Torres, David Luiz, Mata etc.

Also, as I said, the commentary is not up to scratch, with over-used phrases such as "he buried it", and "Get in there!" getting repeated over and over. For the first part of the CL final they sound like they're in an echo chamber.

The season review runs for a little under two hours. It's decent. And they even have a few of the pre-season games in there (from Malaysia) although they're in a lower resolution. People must accept that the club do not put together these DVD's, the company that does makes them for many teams. So they're a bit generic, and rushed. But it's a decent little round up. A booklet would have been nice.

In the end this is a okay, and is an "Official" product. One can't help thinking they should have spent a bit more time making a big deal out of us winning the CL for the first time. Sadly, there's not even any behind the scene footage at all. So basically, this is bare bones and a bit of a missed opportunity. However, as a generic round-up, it works. Just.

EDIT: 14/06/2012 - What's going on? Man City and Liverpool fans both got TWO DISC sets! Yet we got this! Horrid.

I am becoming so tired of the generic nature of these DVDs. Some of the most important/exciting/both moments in club history have been poorly handled (the VHS from the 90s was better in many ways) and they will never rectify them. Crushing. On a side note Chelsea TV online have the original Sky commentary for the Champions League, so we can enjoy that for a few months at least.

One thing I will add on a positive note is that they have removed the overblown dramatic music from the actual matches (again, 2007. Woeful) though it's in abundance in several introduction sequences. Gone also are ridiculous camera angles and bizarre close ups.

As mentioned previously the extras are hugely lacking, running at around 15 mins and appear to be interviews made just after the FA cup win. I noticed that this DVD was released at the same time as every other clubs' DVD. Just because their seasons ended earlier, doesn't mean ours did!! Fancy leaving out the post match celebrations/parade. This wasn't a problem in the past (2010 'Double' DVD features extended highlights of such) so why now?

To its credit every penalty is shown from the European Cup final. Chelsea TV online only show the final two.

4 stars for what the DVD shows, not how it's presented. Every season it's the same for the makers. MUST TRY HARDER!

The potential is there, but it doesnt quite do it when it matters.
The compilation has all the attributes - all the goals and quite nicely put together. But when it gets down to it it leaves you feeling more than a bit unsatisfied.
Okay, all Chelsea fans will buy this, but this could have been so much more.
I would have expected a DVD dedicated solely to the European Campaign, with perhaps the Barca and Munich Final shown in full. It would also have been nice to have the FA Cup Final shown in full.
And yes, that would have cost more, but fans would have paid it, Chelsea fans especially.
In my opinion this has the air of something that has been rushed out to make a quick buck rather than something for the fans to cherish. And in a season like this one, where Chelsea turned disaster into an ultimate, all-conquering triumph, the video makers (and quite possibly the club too) have sold themselves very short.
It may be the club have plans to release a Cup-Double dvd sometime soon - I certainly hope so, for three reasons. First, it would be a good money-spinner for the club; second, it would mark the grit and determination, the skill, style and attitude of the players and coaching staff; and third, because the fans deserve more than this pretty feeble effort to commemmorate a remarkable season.
So much potential - not exactly wasted, but not exactly well-thought out and considered either.