Chelsea (H) | Post-Match Thread

[goater1985]

Stupid team selection as many have said. More the god awful formation, rather than perssonnel for me.

But some of the stuff being spouted on here is even more stupid. We will win the league and it will be a completely different side in the final and will have no bearing on that outcome whatsoever.

Pep made an error, serg made an error, VAR made an error. We lost. Accept it, look at the bigger picture, move on.

 

[Revolver]

Aguero scores the penalty and / or the penalty is given for the foul on Sterling and we likely win. We can be like Liverpool had constantly play our best 11 and go for one trophy per season or we can try and win as much as possible. If so we have to rotate. Hence we get games like yesterday. Far too many changes were made but Pep has got us this far so as irritating as the game was it’s importance should not be overstated.

 

[Keeper!]

Looks like Pep is the villain here from the last few posts I have read. The game I watched, we were the better side in the first half and should have gone in 2-0 up at half time, except Aguero wanted to play for himself.

Score from that pen and the game is a totally different one.

I didn't like the team selection at all when it was revealed, but it could easily have won.

Aguero takes the hit for me, not Pep.

Not the villain, he just contradicts himself sometimes.

"Winning the title is everything to this club" then makes 9 changes against the form team of the league, 90 minutes from winning the said title.

Walker, KDB and Bernardo I can understand resting, but the rest?

 

[Theo555]

You don't try new formations when you are 90 minutes from winning the championship.

You don't take the piss and try and become the hero when taking a penalty, hit the target, hit it hard and make the keeper work.

Win yesterday and you have 4 games to do as you please.

Pep is a genius but shows enormous arrogance at times.

Totally agree

 

[mosssideblue]

Not the villain, he just contradicts himself sometimes.

"Winning the title is everything to this club" then makes 9 changes against the form team of the league, 90 minutes from winning the said title.

Walker, KDB and Bernardo I can understand resting, but the rest?

As I said, Aguero takes a proper pen and scores, then in all likely hood it would have been party time last night.

I didn't like the line up, but that team should have won

 

[Bayblue]

I was down yesterday so didn’t post then. This morning I feel quite good.
We all know that’s not the team that we will play in the CL final but I think Pep will have leaned loads from the game.
In terms of just the match we were unlucky to lose. If Serge’s pen goes in we most likely would have won. If Sterling’s pen was given we would have at least drawn. Fine margins. Despite our line up we played better I thought than in the cup semi.
In terms of the bigger picture I think we saw Chelsea play how they have played under Tuchel, and how they will play in the final. They press high up the pitch. They are confident to play out from the back and when they attack can spring 5 players forward quickly, bypassing midfield if there’s a chance.
City have to counter this by keeping enough defenders back not to be outnumbered but also having enough weight up front to press them and stop them playing out. Pep did this via a literal 5-1-4 formation so we could keep defenders back but press them high as well. In the first half we had lots of success in building up play by Raz and Torres dropping back into midfield and taking the ball forward. If you think back to the Palace game he tried a slight variant by having Fern drop into the CBs to make a de facto back 3 on occasion.
I think these things will go into the game plan Pep will use for the final, ie press them high AND avoid being outnumbered at the back. However imagine the energy and pressing and retention levels of Bernie, Gundogan, Foden, KDB and Mahrez as the front 5 and Fern dropping back to help the CBs, plus full backs who can both defend and push into the middle when required.
Chelsea are an excellent team. In particular their defensive record is amazing under Tuchel and they pose a huge threat on the break. Pep is trying to find a way to counter these strengths and I think both the two Chelsea games and the CP on give us some big hints on how’s he’s thinking about it.

 

[bluemoon32]

The final will be a tough game, can't go much on this game as neither side played their strongest line up

 

[Blue Maverick]

What if he hits the bar or post?

Then the power he hits it with he will get back in time

 

[Groke]

Hopefully the defeat yesterday will eliminate the possibility (however small) of going 3 at the back in the final.

 

[KnaresboroughBlue]

pep took the piss with that formation(not necessarily the players) against a top in form team and paid the price

james had mendy on toast all game and it was 30 mins too late when he took him off

whatever mendy had its all gone now

its has to be first choice 11 from here on in no excuses

I didn't feel they were at all dangerous until the last 25 mins or so when we seemed to tire. I suspect we'll go full strength until we have the league won and then we'll rotate but maybe just 3 or 4 per game. We have to try and keep players match fit but also rested.