Chelsea - FA Cup SF | Post-Match Thread

[BluechesterCity]

With Sterling, it's undeniable that his form has deteriorated dramatically in just a few months (think in contrast how well he played against Lampard's Chelsea in January) but I have come to believe that some of the criticism of him is rooted in racism. Why? It's in large part because he is persistently accused of being lazy, which is a classic racist trope directed at blacks. As I have said repeatedly on forums in addition to this one, Sterling is capable of instant control, sublime dribbling skills and terrific shooting, and at the same time of appalling inability to control the ball, hopeless attempts to dribble past players, and incredible misses when presented with simple chances in front of goal. The word for that is inconsistency: laziness has nothing to do with it, and as any honest observer would admit Sterling tries if anything too hard to make up for his failings during the course of a match.

Bull <cough> shit!

 

[failsworthblueboy]

It's not the rotation that's a problem; It's the amount of rotation. The GK and back four should very rarley change unless it's injury or loss off form, you can shuffle the others about but two or three changes not eight and nine changes. You then use substitutions if you want to rest players.
We lose our momentum and players need games, this science and rest is over played, they are not dragging people out of pubs to play, they are young men athletes who are looked after better than any other sports person in the country.
Pep threw us under the bus yesterday, and opened the door ever so slightly for the Rags against Leeds.
I can't help thinking that we are subject to Peps ego his obsession with winning the CL, Personally I would sooner win the PL.
We need to play our best eleven against Villa and try to win the PL as quickly as we can. The same against Spuds, the best eleven available must start.
We would then as a club be in better physical and mental shape for the challenge of PSG.

 

[GSW Blue]

A very poor team selection.End of thread !!!

And piss poor game management. Short corner with seconds left at end of first half, available subs not used. End of thread!!!!

 

[red 2 hats]

The morning after the night befere, and having calmed down and gathered my thoughts, I've come to the conclusion, that performance and selection was turd.
Eight changes, similar to the week before against Leeds, same shit show and result.
Double pivot, resulting in Kev running himself into the ground and subsequent injury, worse than the result itself.
Two out of form fullbacks, one you can potentially carry in a game, but not two, their fullbacks will never have an easier game.
The front three were absolutely useless, I'm struggling for one positive from them, none of them played in their strongest position, apart from constantly being offside or sat on his arse or running away from goal, what does Gabby do. Sterlings form and lack of confidence is a major concern, he's supposedly in contract negotiations, he could be the first player in history to go from £300k per week to £19.50. Then we have the hologram that is Torres, new country and surrounding doesn't excuse a total lack of effort and commitment.
Why didn't Pep make changes, we were allowed 5 subs, we used only two and one of them was forced with Kevs injury, we've gotta go strong against Villa where anything less than a win will get arses twitching, it's getting to the business end of the season and we can't afford any more mass changes or playing out of form players on reputation alone.

 

[Lunablue]

I’m sorry but Pep is to blame for that. Shit side against leeds, shit side against Chelsea. If we don’t watch out we could ruin what could have been a great season. I’d love to know who our scouts are? They are useless. Mendy/Ferran wouldn’t get in most premier league sides. Nevermind pay a daft amount of millions for them!!
Sterling isn’t arsed anymore, hopefully pep has realised he’s finished. Shocking and hopefully doesn’t go to the euros! So many other who are better than him. Furious with that last night!!!

 

[Fordyboy46]

Torres, Sterling, Jesus, Mendy and possibly Cancelo cant start in the big games again this season.
Would it hurt to start Delap if rotation is going to be so heavy

Not at all, but he didn't score in his one brief prem appearance against Leicester earlier in the season, so Pep discards him straight away. Can do no worse than Jesus at present, but Pep won't take the gamble

 

[Cornish_Blue]

With Sterling, it's undeniable that his form has deteriorated dramatically in just a few months (think in contrast how well he played against Lampard's Chelsea in January) but I have come to believe that some of the criticism of him is rooted in racism. Why? It's in large part because he is persistently accused of being lazy, which is a classic racist trope directed at blacks. As I have said repeatedly on forums in addition to this one, Sterling is capable of instant control, sublime dribbling skills and terrific shooting, and at the same time of appalling inability to control the ball, hopeless attempts to dribble past players, and incredible misses when presented with simple chances in front of goal. The word for that is inconsistency: laziness has nothing to do with it, and as any honest observer would admit Sterling tries if anything too hard to make up for his failings during the course of a match.

Put the glue down. He’s been absolutely comical for ages.
As for the ‘classic racist trope’ quote, you need to fcuk off mate. We are CITY, not dippers. Take that chip elsewhere!

 

[Fordyboy46]

The morning after the night befere, and having calmed down and gathered my thoughts, I've come to the conclusion, that performance and selection was turd.
Eight changes, similar to the week before against Leeds, same shit show and result.
Double pivot, resulting in Kev running himself into the ground and subsequent injury, worse than the result itself.
Two out of form fullbacks, one you can potentially carry in a game, but not two, their fullbacks will never have an easier game.
The front three were absolutely useless, I'm struggling for one positive from them, none of them played in their strongest position, apart from constantly being offside or sat on his arse or running away from goal, what does Gabby do. Sterlings form and lack of confidence is a major concern, he's supposedly in contract negotiations, he could be the first player in history to go from £300k per week to £19.50. Then we have the hologram that is Torres, new country and surrounding doesn't excuse a total lack of effort and commitment.
Why didn't Pep make changes, we were allowed 5 subs, we used only two and one of them was forced with Kevs injury, we've gotta go strong against Villa where anything less than a win will get arses twitching, it's getting to the business end of the season and we can't afford any more mass changes or playing out of form players on reputation alone.

I'll give Torres the first year syndrome, but as you say there's absolutely zero excuse for not trying which he mastered yesterday to a tee. What is his problem?

 

[bobom]

All this piling in about team selection...It feels fairly obvious to me that Pep chooses the best team from those that are available. "Being available" does not include "able to run but blatantly knackered from a midweek game".

With a fixture list as busy as ours, he has no choice but to play other members of the first team squad, right? You can't just run your first choice players into the ground.

It's totally fair to get angry about the performance, but I just don't get the anger at team selection. This is one of the reasons why clubs don't win quadruples. Am I missing something obvious or are the people complaining about this just spoiled?

 

[Fordyboy46]

Put the glue down. He’s been absolutely comical for ages.
As for the ‘classic racist trope’ quote, you need to fcuk off mate. We are CITY, not dippers. Take that chip elsewhere!

Always one who plays the race card because we have the temerity to call Sterling shit. It doesn't matter if they're white, Black or Pink, if they're playing utter shite they'll get called out