Chelsea (a) post match thread

[Paulmcfc2703]

Maybe you could add comedian to yours?

What do you feel he should have done differently?

Many things throughout the season. Some as simple as making a substitution about 20 mins before he usually does.

 

[cleavers]

Frustrating night, but I thought we played pretty well overall, against mourinho mkII, and as bus parking goes, Conte seems to have polished a turd, and even mourinho would be proud it could be improved on. Fair play to them winning the title this year, after being so shite last, but I'm thankful I won't ever have to watch us win a title playing that way. Yes they are pretty clinical on the counter attack, but to play a home game as top of the league, and have little or no ambition to attack is pretty poor fare, especially when you think what people pay to watch Chelsea.

Anyway enough about them.

I was pleased with how we kept trying, right to the death to get something from the game, and it was nearly rewarded, but we were the only team playing football, and all the after match stats say so (apart from the ludicrous foul count again). Walking back to the station, we were discussing our performance, and while nobody stood out for me, it would be hard to mark anyone less than 7 out of 10.

As usual we got the wrong end of some poor refereeing, Silva in particular being targetted almost on rotation, and when he finally lost it, he was the one getting a talking to, yet Pedro (great worker that he is), was allowed to get away with snide foul after foul. That it took until the 93rd minute for a Chelsea player to get a booking was ridiculous, given that we had 3 booked.

As disappointing as the result was, I thought we played pretty well overall, and there were a number of positives, Vinny getting through 90 minutes probably topping it, but I thought bar a couple of touches KdB was improved on recent games, Sane again looking strong, Navas again looked OK as back up RB, and I also thought Fernandhino had a decent game, apart from the stupid tackle for the penalty. I was surprised that Delph started, but his contribution was positive I thought.

 

[Blue Hefner]

Many things throughout the season. Some as simple as making a substitution about 20 mins before he usually does.

Who would you have brought on yesterday ad when would you have brought them on?

We had very few options. Yaya was shit against Arsenal and I have no reason to believe he would have been any better last night. Sterling did very little when he came on as his close control isn't the best and there was no space for him to run into

Like I have said elsewhere. There is only so much he can do with this squad

 

[blueinsa]

Frustrating night, but I thought we played pretty well overall, against mourinho mkII, and as bus parking goes, Conte seems to have polished a turd, and even mourinho would be proud it could be improved on. Fair play to them winning the title this year, after being so shite last, but I'm thankful I won't ever have to watch us win a title playing that way. Yes they are pretty clinical on the counter attack, but to play a home game as top of the league, and have little or no ambition to attack is pretty poor fare, especially when you think what people pay to watch Chelsea.

Anyway enough about them.

I was pleased with how we kept trying, right to the death to get something from the game, and it was nearly rewarded, but we were the only team playing football, and all the after match stats say so (apart from the ludicrous foul count again). Walking back to the station, we were discussing our performance, and while nobody stood out for me, it would be hard to mark anyone less than 7 out of 10.

As usual we got the wrong end of some poor refereeing, Silva in particular being targetted almost on rotation, and when he finally lost it, he was the one getting a talking to, yet Pedro (great worker that he is), was allowed to get away with snide foul after foul. That it took until the 93rd minute for a Chelsea player to get a booking was ridiculous, given that we had 3 booked.

As disappointing as the result was, I thought we played pretty well overall, and there were a number of positives, Vinny getting through 90 minutes probably topping it, but I thought bar a couple of touches KdB was improved on recent games, Sane again looking strong, Navas again looked OK as back up RB, and I also thought Fernandhino had a decent game, apart from the stupid tackle for the penalty. I was surprised that Delph started, but his contribution was positive I thought.

Great summary mate.

 

[M18CTID]

Someone needs to say it as it was.

Mancini like Pellegrini had one decent season and the rest was mainly fucking turgid. It wasn't that long ago not to remember the crap performances and defeats yet its like history is being re written on here yet again.

Fans constantly longing for his return are a complete fucking embarrassment and i will tell you why. Not a fucking peep from any of them when things are going well, not one peep yet as soon as we lose a game they are back on moaning and whining.

Some are far more interested in being proven right on an internet forum at times than they are City doing whats required and moving forwards.

We played well last night. Some of the attacking play is on a different level to anything else seen in this league and but for some lax finishing and the final ball, we are not far off. Kun, Sane, Jesus, Sterling, KdB, Merlin gracing the pitch yet its moan fucking moan. "Should have backed Bobby" is the cry yet you all forget one thing. he would have spunked money on Van Persie and whilst it might have won a league, we can only guess he too would have been gone now and those players mentioned Merlin and Kun aside probably wouldn't be here and we would be watching the Ballotelli show week in week out or at least we would when he wasn't suspended.

We need new full backs, a keeper and a dominant CM. We can all see it, we have all said it and we have all acknowledged it will happen this summer when several contracts are up and players will leave that are just no longer up to it. What do you want Pep to do in the meantime? Play players he doesn't have? Chelsea barely mustered a shot 2nd half last night and but for a deflection and some poor goalkeeping and a lucky deflection yet again off the penalty save they have actually done fuck all. They didn't out play us, we out played them for large periods yet some just dont want to see it.

Pep came in and said we are going to change the mentality of the club. Not just the tam, the club and he said on several occasions its going to take time. We are competing against clubs with decades of experience at the very top when in reality we have been there for a few years. We went unbeaten at the start of the season but he kept telling us we would lose game, lots of games and he has been proven right. Maybe he knew then the quality in the squad wasn't of the required standard? He told us it wasn't a quick fix and that his job would take several years. Did anyone actually listen to what he said or was it in one ear and out the other?

Best owner in world football, some of the best talent in world football and without a doubt, the best manager in world football as shown by his record and for those that will harp on its easy when you are with Barca and Bayern, his job here is to turn us into those same sort of elite clubs that for the next 50 years will dominate the game because he has changed our mentality into the same as theirs. Winners!

The fans also need to change their mentality. Its not all about the next game or the next few weeks. it will take time but it will happen because everything our owner planned for when he came in and promised he has delivered and in Pep, he will deliver once more. If you cant see the improvements being made within the club as a whole i feel sorry for you. if you cant see what he is trying to do out on the pitch i feel sorry for you. Pragmatism is thown around here like confetti. You want pragmatism? Watch a Mourinho side or a Pulis side because that's pragmatism. Turgid, crap anti football that harps back to the days of muddy pitches, big lad up front and shouts of "get rid" from the sidelines and "get it up to the big man up front".

No fucking thanks because we are better than that and it might win the odd battle but it wont win the war because we will win the war.

Finally refs and linesmen are screwing us over every single game. See that for what it is and accept it and instead or turning on the team, direct some of that anger at them because they are costing us big time. Such fine lines in football and this season we have been royally fucked over and its costs us so many points its untrue. We get what we where due and the league table looks very different and the mood on here is very different. Its not Peps fault they are bent, nor is it Merlin's or Raheem's and like us, the players are fucked off with it as well but its a battle right now and we all have to take the fight to them and win the war.

Its a passionate game and we all love this club but some of the stuff written after a defeat is cringe worthy and downright disrespectful.

Great post, and sums up why I hardly ever bother with the post-match threads. I can understand people getting wound up in the heat of the moment while the game is on and an easy chance has been missed, or a bad mistake made but I can't be doing with some of the vitriol that spews forth afterwards. I think this business of playing past managers off against present ones is downright fucking stupid and, as you say, disrespectful. FWIW, I value highly the contribution that both Mancini and Pellegrini made (Christ, even Hughes at the start as he had a difficult job with all the shit going on with Dr Death), but Pep is the here and now and for me a better manager than either of those two. That said, I remember some of the disgusting shit that was lobbed around this forum when Pellegrini had only been in the job for a couple of months because he dared lose a few games early doors, while his abusers were conveniently forgetting we'd twatted United 4-1, Spurs 6-0, and Norwich 7-0 during the same period and were generally performing well even in the games we were losing.

 

[citymad]

Frustrating night, but I thought we played pretty well overall, against mourinho mkII, and as bus parking goes, Conte seems to have polished a turd, and even mourinho would be proud it could be improved on. Fair play to them winning the title this year, after being so shite last, but I'm thankful I won't ever have to watch us win a title playing that way. Yes they are pretty clinical on the counter attack, but to play a home game as top of the league, and have little or no ambition to attack is pretty poor fare, especially when you think what people pay to watch Chelsea.

Anyway enough about them.

I was pleased with how we kept trying, right to the death to get something from the game, and it was nearly rewarded, but we were the only team playing football, and all the after match stats say so (apart from the ludicrous foul count again). Walking back to the station, we were discussing our performance, and while nobody stood out for me, it would be hard to mark anyone less than 7 out of 10.

As usual we got the wrong end of some poor refereeing, Silva in particular being targetted almost on rotation, and when he finally lost it, he was the one getting a talking to, yet Pedro (great worker that he is), was allowed to get away with snide foul after foul. That it took until the 93rd minute for a Chelsea player to get a booking was ridiculous, given that we had 3 booked.

As disappointing as the result was, I thought we played pretty well overall, and there were a number of positives, Vinny getting through 90 minutes probably topping it, but I thought bar a couple of touches KdB was improved on recent games, Sane again looking strong, Navas again looked OK as back up RB, and I also thought Fernandhino had a decent game, apart from the stupid tackle for the penalty. I was surprised that Delph started, but his contribution was positive I thought.

Great summary, we gave it a good go but just couldn't breach that superb Chelsea defense.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Who would you have brought on yesterday ad when would you have brought them on?

We had very few options. Yaya was shit against Arsenal and I have no reason to believe he would have been any better last night. Sterling did very little when he came on as his close control isn't the best and there was no space for him to run into

Like I have said elsewhere. There is only so much he can do with this squad

Sterling was on for about 3 minutes. For what it's worth after 60 mins I would have taken Navas of for Sterling (well quite frankly I wouldn't have started him) and I would have taken Kev off for Iheanacho. I still can't get my head around why you wouldn't put a striker on the bench away to Chelsea and Arsenal knowing there is a strong possibility you would need to go and chase a goal

 

[Blue Hefner]

Sterling was on for about 3 minutes. For what it's worth after 60 mins I would have taken Navas of for Sterling (well quite frankly I wouldn't have started him) and I would have taken Kev off for Iheanacho. I still can't get my head around why you wouldn't put a striker on the bench away to Chelsea and Arsenal knowing there is a strong possibility you would need to go and chase a goal

This isn't necessarily my view but Guardiola could argue that we didn't need one if we would have got the penalty at the end of the Arsenal game, as some believe we should and John Stones not missed at the death last night

 

[inchy14]

Sterling was on for about 3 minutes. For what it's worth after 60 mins I would have taken Navas of for Sterling (well quite frankly I wouldn't have started him) and I would have taken Kev off for Iheanacho. I still can't get my head around why you wouldn't put a striker on the bench away to Chelsea and Arsenal knowing there is a strong possibility you would need to go and chase a goal

Iheanacho is shit mate, touch is awful. As for taking Navas off, where would putting Sterling on have helped?

The squad ain't good enough but it's a work in progress and the next season will prove it.

 

[hinchcliffes bulbous conk]

What about Stones free header on the edge of the six yard box that went straight at their keeper?

 

[Roy Hamilton]

As usual we got the wrong end of some poor refereeing, Silva in particular being targetted almost on rotation, and when he finally lost it, he was the one getting a talking to, yet Pedro (great worker that he is), was allowed to get away with snide foul after foul. That it took until the 93rd minute for a Chelsea player to get a booking was ridiculous, given that we had 3 booked.

Said the same here last night. The systematic fouling on Silva was blatant especially in second half - it was obviously an instruction at half time. Both Kante & Pedro should have been booked with half an hour to go.

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Iheanacho is shit mate, touch is awful. As for taking Navas off, where would putting Sterling on have helped?

The squad ain't good enough but it's a work in progress and the next season will prove it.

The way Chelsea play Hazard never tracks back, Sterling could have got in behind. Playing Navas basically negated that opportunity.

I agree Kelechi's touch is poor but he should be thrown on when chasing the game. You need to put attacking options on the bench

 

[OB1]

And that's the crux. He can't legislate for players being injured or just plain poor.

The levels of inconsistency within the squad must make selecting the team doubly difficult.

 

[mancity1]

Great post, and sums up why I hardly ever bother with the post-match threads. I can understand people getting wound up in the heat of the moment while the game is on and an easy chance has been missed, or a bad mistake made but I can't be doing with some of the vitriol that spews forth afterwards. I think this business of playing past managers off against present ones is downright fucking stupid and, as you say, disrespectful. FWIW, I value highly the contribution that both Mancini and Pellegrini made (Christ, even Hughes at the start as he had a difficult job with all the shit going on with Dr Death), but Pep is the here and now and for me a better manager than either of those two. That said, I remember some of the disgusting shit that was lobbed around this forum when Pellegrini had only been in the job for a couple of months because he dared lose a few games early doors, while his abusers were conveniently forgetting we'd twatted United 4-1, Spurs 6-0, and Norwich 7-0 during the same period and were generally performing well even in the games we were losing.

Not sure why people continue to refer to managers of the past irrespective of a good performance or otherwise in the match day threads.

Its meaningless in the context for a game under a new manager as it will be when Pep moves on.

Maybe they are big fans of Ian Anderson but there is a place for that on another forum.

 

[Rolee]

The way Chelsea play Hazard never tracks back, Sterling could have got in behind. Playing Navas basically negated that opportunity.

I agree Kelechi's touch is poor but he should be thrown on when chasing the game. You need to put attacking options on the bench

Isn't Sterling nursing a back injury?

There was attacking options, Nolito came on and set up a chance for Aguero, good save from Courtois.

 

[pudge]

The levels of inconsistency within the squad must make selecting the team doubly difficult.

Yet he persists with De Bruyne, who hasn't played well since George Michael was last out skiing.

That's on him.

 

[OB1]

Can't be arsed reading the full thread so some of this may have been mentioned.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
We aren't sufficiently clinical. We really should have made more of those two chances in the second half particularly the one right at the end for Stones.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
Thought Willy might have don't better with the first even though it got a nick off Vince.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
Thought Willy was unlucky with the penalty. All you can ask is that the original shot is saved.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
The game might not have been as exciting as the game at Arsenal but I thought the quality of play was higher; from both sides.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
Mike Dean wasn't as bad as some this season but he still needs a trip to Specsavers.
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
Chelsea will win the league at a canter and might be better next season. We need to strengthen in many areas and that means proper top four players not the likes of Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair
Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
All those who work for The Highways Agency, or Highways England or whatever they are called this week should be shot at dawn by a firing squad comprised of football fans who have been delayed trying to get home from long distance away games. - M40 shut from Warwick to M42, top of the M5 closed and the M6 round Walsall more fucked than a fucked thing. Thanks to Professor Google for his Maps. - Lots of speeding through places I'd never heard of and then up the Toll Road.
And did I mention: Tourists should be nowhere near the away section.
And the Tube was knackered after the game with major disruption at Fulham Broadway. At least Earls Court wasn't too bad when we got there and got back to the car at Hounslow West about 11-00.

Got on the tube no probs at Fulham Broadway and no, I didn't leave before the end but I did make sure I exited the ground swiftly.

What tourists?

 

[Paulmcfc2703]

Isn't Sterling nursing a back injury?

There was attacking options, Nolito came on and set up a chance for Aguero, good save from Courtois.

A bench of 7 and the 2 attacking options were wingers. Which he brought on way too late to get the most of them anyway

 

[OB1]

Yet he persists with De Bruyne, who hasn't played well since George Michael was last out skiing.

That's on him.

Yes, it is but KDB is a player who can at any moment make things happen and still leads the league in assists so the manager has to balance everything up and make a decision.

 

[Rolee]

A bench of 7 and the 2 attacking options were wingers. Which he brought on way too late to get the most of them anyway

1 keeper
2 defenders
2 midfielders
2 attackers

Nice balance there, pragmatic I would say.

I did feel he was a bit late in acting but at the same time we were dominating so can understand why he held off.

Anyone know if Sterling is still nursing that injury?