Chelsea Post Match

[Marvin]

I'm not biased (honest) but after watching Match of the Day 2 I can't believe that BBC don't have a love in with Utd and Chelsea. The missus watched the show and wondered if she'd imagined our total dominance of Chelsea in the first half. They showed Chelsea's two attacks and then moved on to the second half so they could so their goal. Just shows how with a bit of editing Chelsea were made to look better than they actually were!

Sorry, but I've not be able to get over it so posting on here helps.

MOTD are looking for goal mouth action and chances. Lots of passing under pressure, or tackling isn't going to get featured unless it ends up with a an attempt on goal and we didn't have many of those

 

[Chris in London]

So positive about our team in the coming weeks.

Bossed it and think the introduction of a fit Jovetic would have asked even more questions.

When Fernando is back, it's going to take something very special to get through our lines.

Yep. I see it too. Coming together all the time. There's an agression and solidity which Mangela adds to, which will give a real platform for the forwards.

We are going to retain the title, and that will elevate this team to the ranks of a truly great team. I'm not a betting man but am half tempted to stick a grand or two on us at 10/3 for the title. A superb bet, that.

I'm a bit more pessimistic than you about retaining the title. I'm not saying we won't, I just think it's much too close to call.

I think yesterday proved that we are the best football team in the league, but Chelsea to me have the look of a team that will avoid getting beaten in the big games and will get their points from matches against teams who are going to finish outside the top 5. United had a season where they won the league having taken 58 points from 60 against teams that finished in the bottom half of the table and that seems to me to be the way Chelsea are hoping this season will pan out.

That said, they are not going to go through the season unbeaten. Someone unexpected will beat them, they will draw a game you would expect them to win when they get an early red card, they will have off days, and they will get on the end of some bad decisions. At some point injuries and suspensions will mean they have a 2-3 game spell when they look distinctly wobbly.

But these things are going to happen to us, too. In a way they already are - injuries to key players, the fluke defeat by Stoke, and four penalties that should have been (but were not) given in the last 4 games.

All in all, I think the league will be decided by very tight margins. I think it will be between us and Chelsea, and two points will decide it either way. But the team that wins the league will be the one that gets the most breaks (or fewest bad breaks, however you look at it) along the way.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

So positive about our team in the coming weeks.

Bossed it and think the introduction of a fit Jovetic would have asked even more questions.

When Fernando is back, it's going to take something very special to get through our lines.

Yep. I see it too. Coming together all the time. There's an agression and solidity which Mangela adds to, which will give a real platform for the forwards.

We are going to retain the title, and that will elevate this team to the ranks of a truly great team. I'm not a betting man but am half tempted to stick a grand or two on us at 10/3 for the title. A superb bet, that.

I'm a bit more pessimistic than you about retaining the title. I'm not saying we won't, I just think it's much too close to call.

I think yesterday proved that we are the best football team in the league, but Chelsea to me have the look of a team that will avoid getting beaten in the big games and will get their points from matches against teams who are going to finish outside the top 5. United had a season where they won the league having taken 58 points from 60 against teams that finished in the bottom half of the table and that seems to me to be the way Chelsea are hoping this season will pan out.

That said, they are not going to go through the season unbeaten. Someone unexpected will beat them, they will draw a game you would expect them to win when they get an early red card, they will have off days, and they will get on the end of some bad decisions. At some point injuries and suspensions will mean they have a 2-3 game spell when they look distinctly wobbly.

But these things are going to happen to us, too. In a way they already are - injuries to key players, the fluke defeat by Stoke, and four penalties that should have been (but were not) given in the last 4 games.

All in all, I think the league will be decided by very tight margins. I think it will be between us and Chelsea, and two points will decide it either way. But the team that wins the league will be the one that gets the most breaks (or fewest bad breaks, however you look at it) along the way.

Yes, it will be between us and Chelsea. I believe yesterday proved we are a better team than them, so I believe we will win the league. What I reslly agree with is that we haven't had "the rub" yet, but we will. I'm expecting us to go on a serious winning run, and soon, and that will pile the pressure on them. We need them to progress in the cups and Champions League or that will give them an advantage.

They will lose games as you say. There is a chasm of difference between our centre half pairing and theirs, for a start.

 

[Damocles]

In regards to the title, I do think that not enough people are considering the quality of opposition each of us has played so early into the season (and after a World Cup year).

We have already played Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the league with a trip to possibly the best team in the world currently sandwiched in between.

Chelsea have played Leicester, Burnley and a struggling Everton.

I think our start could have obviously been better but those writing us off this earlier after our start should at least wait for a couple of months. I'd be surprised if we lost another game before Xmas, it's plain sailing all the way to January now and the next time around our signings should have bedded in, the fitness levels will be back and we might even have grabbed another striker.

 

[cleavers]

In regards to the title, I do think that not enough people are considering the quality of opposition each of us has played so early into the season (and after a World Cup year).

We have already played Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the league with a trip to possibly the best team in the world currently sandwiched in between.

Chelsea have played Leicester, Burnley and a struggling Everton.

I think our start could have obviously been better but those writing us off this earlier after our start should at least wait for a couple of months. I'd be surprised if we lost another game before Xmas, it's plain sailing all the way to January now and the next time around our signings should have bedded in, the fitness levels will be back and we might even have grabbed another striker.

Excellent post Dam.

It shows how well we played, that despite not winning this thread has only managed 34 pages.

Best team performance in quite a long time for me, its never easy playing chelsea, but when they have an extra man in defence, its doubly difficult, that they ended up with 2 more than us, and we still deserved the win is very pleasing, not a single player of ours yesterday had a below par game, and Vinny, Mangala, Milner, and Dzeko first half, were all top class.

My only real worry was that again we didn't really test the opposition keeper enough.

 

[Chippy_boy]

In regards to the title, I do think that not enough people are considering the quality of opposition each of us has played so early into the season (and after a World Cup year).

We have already played Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea in the league with a trip to possibly the best team in the world currently sandwiched in between.

Chelsea have played Leicester, Burnley and a struggling Everton.

I think our start could have obviously been better but those writing us off this earlier after our start should at least wait for a couple of months. I'd be surprised if we lost another game before Xmas, it's plain sailing all the way to January now and the next time around our signings should have bedded in, the fitness levels will be back and we might even have grabbed another striker.

Excellent post Dam.

It shows how well we played, that despite not winning this thread has only managed 34 pages.

Best team performance in quite a long time for me, its never easy playing chelsea, but when they have an extra man in defence, its doubly difficult, that they ended up with 2 more than us, and we still deserved the win is very pleasing, not a single player of ours yesterday had a below par game, and Vinny, Mangala, Milner, and Dzeko first half, were all top class.

My only real worry was that again we didn't really test the opposition keeper enough.

Agree with all of that.

Can we send Silva on a corner-taking course? Or just get Kolorov to take them on the left and Milner on the right. Dave's corners have been wank for as long as anyone can remember and yesterday because we had so many, it was plain for all to see. No point in trying to win corners if we offer zero threat when taking them.

 

[OB1]

Yep. I see it too. Coming together all the time. There's an agression and solidity which Mangela adds to, which will give a real platform for the forwards.

We are going to retain the title, and that will elevate this team to the ranks of a truly great team. I'm not a betting man but am half tempted to stick a grand or two on us at 10/3 for the title. A superb bet, that.

I'm a bit more pessimistic than you about retaining the title. I'm not saying we won't, I just think it's much too close to call.

I think yesterday proved that we are the best football team in the league, but Chelsea to me have the look of a team that will avoid getting beaten in the big games and will get their points from matches against teams who are going to finish outside the top 5. United had a season where they won the league having taken 58 points from 60 against teams that finished in the bottom half of the table and that seems to me to be the way Chelsea are hoping this season will pan out.

That said, they are not going to go through the season unbeaten. Someone unexpected will beat them, they will draw a game you would expect them to win when they get an early red card, they will have off days, and they will get on the end of some bad decisions. At some point injuries and suspensions will mean they have a 2-3 game spell when they look distinctly wobbly.

But these things are going to happen to us, too. In a way they already are - injuries to key players, the fluke defeat by Stoke, and four penalties that should have been (but were not) given in the last 4 games.

All in all, I think the league will be decided by very tight margins. I think it will be between us and Chelsea, and two points will decide it either way. But the team that wins the league will be the one that gets the most breaks (or fewest bad breaks, however you look at it) along the way.

Yes, it will be between us and Chelsea. I believe yesterday proved we are a better team than them, so I believe we will win the league. What I reslly agree with is that we haven't had "the rub" yet, but we will. I'm expecting us to go on a serious winning run, and soon, and that will pile the pressure on them. We need them to progress in the cups and Champions League or that will give them an advantage.

They will lose games as you say. There is a chasm of difference between our centre half pairing and theirs, for a start.

Chelsea achieved their main objective yesterday, not losing, but unless they had a very cunning plan to lull us into a false sense of security, they must have gone away from the Etihad knowing that they are not the best team in the league. The question now is: will that notion settle into their subconscious?

 

[cleavers]

Can we send Silva on a corner-taking course? Or just get Kolorov to take them on the left and Milner on the right. Dave's corners have been wank for as long as anyone can remember and yesterday because we had so many, it was plain for all to see. No point in trying to win corners if we offer zero threat when taking them.

Its not just Silva, it seems to be a City thing in general. Sure, we got goals from corners without doubt, but that's because we get so many, not because we're good at them. Whilst a number of our corners yesterday were poor, we also put in a few good ones, only to have nobody on the end of the best ones. We also missed MD on corners yesterday as his movement in the box mixes things up. The club needs to get someone like Pullis in for a couple of weeks just for corners, not only taking them, but defending them too.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

I'm a bit more pessimistic than you about retaining the title. I'm not saying we won't, I just think it's much too close to call.

I think yesterday proved that we are the best football team in the league, but Chelsea to me have the look of a team that will avoid getting beaten in the big games and will get their points from matches against teams who are going to finish outside the top 5. United had a season where they won the league having taken 58 points from 60 against teams that finished in the bottom half of the table and that seems to me to be the way Chelsea are hoping this season will pan out.

That said, they are not going to go through the season unbeaten. Someone unexpected will beat them, they will draw a game you would expect them to win when they get an early red card, they will have off days, and they will get on the end of some bad decisions. At some point injuries and suspensions will mean they have a 2-3 game spell when they look distinctly wobbly.

But these things are going to happen to us, too. In a way they already are - injuries to key players, the fluke defeat by Stoke, and four penalties that should have been (but were not) given in the last 4 games.

All in all, I think the league will be decided by very tight margins. I think it will be between us and Chelsea, and two points will decide it either way. But the team that wins the league will be the one that gets the most breaks (or fewest bad breaks, however you look at it) along the way.

Yes, it will be between us and Chelsea. I believe yesterday proved we are a better team than them, so I believe we will win the league. What I reslly agree with is that we haven't had "the rub" yet, but we will. I'm expecting us to go on a serious winning run, and soon, and that will pile the pressure on them. We need them to progress in the cups and Champions League or that will give them an advantage.

They will lose games as you say. There is a chasm of difference between our centre half pairing and theirs, for a start.

Chelsea achieved their main objective yesterday, not losing, but unless they had a very cunning plan to lull us into a false sense of security, they must have gone away from the Etihad knowing that they are not the best team in the league. The question now is: will that notion settle into their subconscious?

That's what I think: Sunday was a moral victory for us. There was only ever one team going to win that game 11 v 11. And even with 10 we could have nicked it. They know we are better than them now. A Chelsea victory would have had the opposite effect.

 

[Danamy]

Mourinho yet again playing the aggregate game against the top sides, that's the way he sees it and always has done.

While Chelsea are still favourites they'd better hope Costa doesn't get injured all season otherwise they're fucked, that could be the difference.