Chelsea (a) post match thread

[edinburgh123]

Pep is the best in the business and over the coming years you will look back at nights like this and think of your over reactions and just laugh!

How is he the best. Because he took the biggest team in Spain to the title or the biggest team in Germany to the title.

 

[blueinsa]

Some deluded people on here

At least your not alone though.

 

[Charlesfarsbar]

I'm struggling to get my head around a fair bit of what is being written here. It's obviously frustrating that we lost, all the more so coming on the back of essentially tossing two points away at Arsenal. But the performance today was far better. First half, some of the football was excellent, and we were cutting through their lines almost at will. Conte was obviously worried about it, hence why he brought Matic on. But we played into their hands by gifting them two goals through poor individual mistakes (as ever).

Once they managed to get in at half-time ahead (undeservedly) and make the sub, it was always going to be difficult in the second half as they just dropped deep, closed off any space behind and tried to keep us at bay. And it's something they're fucking good at- it's one of the reasons they've been pissing the league since Autumn. The idea that we should be able to carve them open at will when they're playing like that is unrealistic. And yet we did still create opportunities - Fernandinho missed a gilt-edged chance, Stones did too, and had a clear header he should have done better with, Vinny hit the bar, and Aguero had the chance at the end. That's five good/very good chances in a single half against the top side in the country, away from home, when they're just set up to defend. And it leaves aside the other 'half' chances where we got in, put balls acroos the box but they were dealt with through good defending.

So the criticism today seems a bit misplaced to me. There was nothing naive about the way we played - had we been more 'pragmatic', defended deeper, stuck Fernando in midfield to 'shore things up' etc., there's still every chance that Willy would have been called on to try to save a simple shot straight at him, or Fernandinho to judge a tackle in the box. No system is ever going to stop that.

You could perhaps argue that he might have made the subs earlier. That's fair enough. But we were well on top, and there was fuck all space for Sterling to try and run into anyway. So I can understand why you would want to keep on those players who can produce something from in front of their defence - i.e. Silva, De Bruyne.

Shit, even the criticism of our set-pieces, which is usually warranted, wasn't tonight - three of our chances in the second half all came directly from corners or free-kicks.

Absolutely right , unfortunately we have some bellends on here that can't separate the performance from the result

We were the better team throughout , as we have been in the last three games

 

[oddfellows]

fantastic player, but a little snide. spurs dont need to sell and would therefore cost us £70 million plus. not worth it imo

He's 21 in a week - don't give a shite if he's a snide (like Danny Rose) it's what he does on the pitch that is measured maybe that's why they act like they do and what drives them?

For me £70m is nothing if he is ours for 10 years. Look at Sterling £50m and Mangala at £40m chalk and cheese. Alli ticks all the boxes.

In my opinion of course.

 

[Gabriel]

I fully back Pep but have to say he is making so many mistakes this season. Biggest disappointment has been his use of subs from bench. We don't seem to have a plan B. Really disappointed Sterling wasn't brought on much earlier, ditto Yaya and the decision to jettison hart looks worse with every game we play as caballero poor for both goals tonight. Oh well, that's the tough 3 game run done, let's get top 4 nailed and an FA cup win. Happy with delph performance tonight, looked better than Fernandinho who has been poor for months.

The guy saves a penalty and he's 'poor' for that? :-0

 

[Phil1]

Some deluded people on here, we have been shite for ages but Pep can do no wrong. Nothing is his fault apparently! Happy clappers unite!

Nah, Pep,will make errors like every other manager. The difference is there's some who see it as his first season with a squad top heavy with ageing out of contract players and learning a new league and there's others, well, there others..

 

[taleofbluehalves]

Yes - but they were ones we missed it easy for keeper. I agree we had more chances - what I meant was we didn't make the keeper work enough and that's the frustration

Agree with that. It's mental and a lack of belief for me. Spurs, Liverpool, Arse plus Chelsea home and away could and should have given us maximum points with the chances we had. As it is we got 3 measily points.

 

[TheRisingoftheNorth]

Long balls up field cause us all sorts of problems... bit worried about the Derby now.

If long balls are a problem , United will stuff us - they are the new Wimbledon

 

[borassic]

He told us how much he earned once and how successful he is so maybe?

haha really? reckon we should give him the top job then eh!?

 

[Stoned Rose]

Yeah. Frustrating isn't it?

I live on planet earth mate so no, no frustration here.