Chelsea Thread 2013/14 (continued)

[supercrystal7]

if by sharper you mean set up better and wanting it more, i agree :)

City would have been favourites and may have won the game had both teams been rested or not, but the tiredness of the Chelsea players had an effect on the game. It takes a lot of energy to play the high pressing game Chelsea impose. Willian and Hazard especially have looked leggy and as Castiel said this was notable in the West Brom game. Yes Luiz should have not let go of his man against West Brom, but the Chelsea team just could not press the West Brom players enough to relieve the pressure.

 

[woolleyback blue]

if by sharper you mean set up better and wanting it more, i agree :)

City would have been favourites and may have won the game had both teams been rested or not, but the tiredness of the Chelsea players had an effect on the game. It takes a lot of energy to play the high pressing game Chelsea impose. Willian and Hazard especially have looked leggy and as Castiel said this was notable in the West Brom game. Yes Luiz should have not let go of his man against West Brom, but the Chelsea team just could not press the West Brom players enough to relieve the pressure.

If Chelsea are "leggy" this early in the season then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the PL campaign. These are supposed to be super fit footballers.

 

[supercrystal7]

if by sharper you mean set up better and wanting it more, i agree :)

City would have been favourites and may have won the game had both teams been rested or not, but the tiredness of the Chelsea players had an effect on the game. It takes a lot of energy to play the high pressing game Chelsea impose. Willian and Hazard especially have looked leggy and as Castiel said this was notable in the West Brom game. Yes Luiz should have not let go of his man against West Brom, but the Chelsea team just could not press the West Brom players enough to relieve the pressure.

If Chelsea are "leggy" this early in the season then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the PL campaign. These are supposed to be super fit footballers.

That's football and you are right it does not bode well. The CL may play decisive for the league title. Mourinho deserves the blame for not rotating against West Brom. This is the weakness that high pressing teams have. They cannot keep it up when they have a number of games. Look at Dortmund. It's not the players wanting it less, but being short of the energy to run so hard for the entire match.

 

[City Raider]

mistakes cost chelsea the game, aspa followed milner and couldnt get back and luiz stopped running to appeal for offside - nought to do with tiredness

 

[woolleyback blue]

City would have been favourites and may have won the game had both teams been rested or not, but the tiredness of the Chelsea players had an effect on the game. It takes a lot of energy to play the high pressing game Chelsea impose. Willian and Hazard especially have looked leggy and as Castiel said this was notable in the West Brom game. Yes Luiz should have not let go of his man against West Brom, but the Chelsea team just could not press the West Brom players enough to relieve the pressure.

If Chelsea are "leggy" this early in the season then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the PL campaign. These are supposed to be super fit footballers.

That's football and you are right it does not bode well. The CL may play decisive for the league title. Mourinho deserves the blame for not rotating against West Brom. This is the weakness that high pressing teams have. They cannot keep it up when they have a number of games. Look at Dortmund. It's not the players wanting it less, but being short of the energy to run so hard for the entire match.

Doesn't Mourinho trust his squad enough to play some of the lesser lights against West Brom knowing he had another tough trip to City?.

 

[Rammyblues]

Probably scared about failure if they lost to West Brom with other lesser players. :-)

 

[supercrystal7]

If Chelsea are "leggy" this early in the season then it doesn't bode well for the rest of the PL campaign. These are supposed to be super fit footballers.

That's football and you are right it does not bode well. The CL may play decisive for the league title. Mourinho deserves the blame for not rotating against West Brom. This is the weakness that high pressing teams have. They cannot keep it up when they have a number of games. Look at Dortmund. It's not the players wanting it less, but being short of the energy to run so hard for the entire match.

Doesn't Mourinho trust his squad enough to play some of the lesser lights against West Brom knowing he had another tough trip to City?.

Obviously not. Whether it means certain players will be let go again in the summer who knows.

 

[moomba]

It always makes me laugh when managers (not just Chelsea ones) complain about players being tired. You're the ones that select them, and it's easy enough nowadays to monitor plays health and fitness levels before the game and select your team accordingly.

 

[Marvin]

if by sharper you mean set up better and wanting it more, i agree :)

City would have been favourites and may have won the game had both teams been rested or not, but the tiredness of the Chelsea players had an effect on the game. It takes a lot of energy to play the high pressing game Chelsea impose. Willian and Hazard especially have looked leggy and as Castiel said this was notable in the West Brom game. Yes Luiz should have not let go of his man against West Brom, but the Chelsea team just could not press the West Brom players enough to relieve the pressure.

I agree

The physical condition of the City team, and injuries, was a huge factor going into the recent league game, and this time the postponement of the Sunderland League game benefited City. At some time in the future we will have to play that game again, and that might cost us depending on the state of our squad at the time

Mourinho after the game compared his strikers to City's saying that Jovetic is a 4th choice striker. This is a good point. But Chelsea have strength in midfield that allowed them to sell Mata. Arsenal also have a huge number of midfielders but little cover up front

Mourinho should not complain about his lack of striking resources. He has had two windows, and let Lukaku go

 

[supercrystal7]

I agree

The physical condition of the City team, and injuries, was a huge factor going into the recent league game, and this time the postponement of the Sunderland League game benefited City. At some time in the future we will have to play that game again, and that might cost us depending on the state of our squad at the time

Yes this is the two edged sword about going for all the major trophies. If you were playing a game every week then I would have you favourites for the domestic treble and with a shout for the quadruple, but you won't be. Pellegrini is going to have to rotate the squad well.

Mourinho after the game compared his strikers to City's saying that Jovetic is a 4th choice striker. This is a good point. But Chelsea have strength in midfield that allowed them to sell Mata. Arsenal also have a huge number of midfielders but little cover up front

Mourinho should not complain about his lack of striking resources. He has had two windows, and let Lukaku go

I think Chelsea still have a weaker midfield than City, but are younger. I would take Toure, Fernandinho, Garcia and Rodwell as a four over Matic, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard and Van Ginkel. It's the attacking midfield where things are closer, but Chelsea play 3 where as City play 2. The Chelsea players are younger, but it's close between Hazard, Oscar, Schurrle, Willian and Salah over Silva, Nasri, Milner, Navas and Jovetic.