Chelsea Thread 2013/14 (continued)

[Castiel]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Not to rub it in or anything but these two gave spectacular individual performances. Matic vs Toure was fascinating to watch since Toure has just owned our midfield for years now, people who rate him certainly weren't kidding. Hazard was just sublime, but I wish he'd shoot more!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9mbOcNZS8o[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF_b8xvNQI8#t=0[/youtube]

 

[Proelia]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Not to rub it in or anything but these two gave spectacular individual performances. Matic vs Toure was fascinating to watch since Toure has just owned our midfield for years now, people who rate him certainly weren't kidding. Hazard was just sublime, but I wish he'd shoot more!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9mbOcNZS8o[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF_b8xvNQI8#t=0[/youtube]

Matic didnt stop yaya goin forward he still went through ya's on numerous occassion and we all know yaya is a poor defender

 

[Castiel]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic didnt stop yaya goin forward he still went through ya's on numerous occassion and we all know yaya is a poor defender

The point was more that I don't think anyone in the league has stood up to him so well before (and on his first start). Not to my knowledge anyway. Toure used to absolutely boss our midfield, he was a big reason you had the better of us so consistently over the last few years. We just couldn't compete in the middle. They had a fascinating physical duel, Toure won some, Matic others - but he certainly couldn't boss us like he used to with Matic there.

 

[SiMCFC]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

I think Matic was great but he had Ramires and Luiz helping him, think Yaya did well considering

 

[Proelia]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic didnt stop yaya goin forward he still went through ya's on numerous occassion and we all know yaya is a poor defender

The point was more that I don't think anyone in the league has stood up to him so well before (and on his first start). Not to my knowledge anyway. Toure used to absolutely boss our midfield, he was a big reason you had the better of us so consistently over the last few years. We just couldn't compete in the middle. They had a fascinating physical duel, Toure won some, Matic others - but he certainly couldn't boss us like he used to with Matic there.

Tbf it was 2 on 3, injuries really have made it tough for us but chelsea deserved their win and hazard was fantastic like ive always said but full 11 vs full 11 i think we win still

 

[Matty]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic didnt stop yaya goin forward he still went through ya's on numerous occassion and we all know yaya is a poor defender

The point was more that I don't think anyone in the league has stood up to him so well before (and on his first start). Not to my knowledge anyway. Toure used to absolutely boss our midfield, he was a big reason you had the better of us so consistently over the last few years. We just couldn't compete in the middle. They had a fascinating physical duel, Toure won some, Matic others - but he certainly couldn't boss us like he used to with Matic there.

Matic played really well, and certainly gave Toure some troubles. I think he was aided by the fact Toure's partner in central midfield was a 33 year old centre half, with no pace whatsoever. Matic could, essentially, ignore Demichelis as he wasn't going to be going anywahere in a hurry, and concentrate solely on Toure. If Fernandinho had been in there too he'd have posed a real threat so Matic would have had to give Toure a bit more room so he could watch out for Fernandinho more. Fernandinho missing, and Aguero missing too (who would have cause Terry and Cahill a host of problems, he's exactly the type of striker they hate playing against, smaller, quick, strong and willing to run at you with the ball, basically everything Dzeko isn't!) went a long way towards causing last nights defeat (as, admittedly, did Chelsea putting in a very strong, pressing display).

 

[Castiel]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic played really well, and certainly gave Toure some troubles. I think he was aided by the fact Toure's partner in central midfield was a 33 year old centre half, with no pace whatsoever. Matic could, essentially, ignore Demichelis as he wasn't going to be going anywahere in a hurry, and concentrate solely on Toure. If Fernandinho had been in there too he'd have posed a real threat so Matic would have had to give Toure a bit more room so he could watch out for Fernandinho more. Fernandinho missing, and Aguero missing too (who would have cause Terry and Cahill a host of problems, he's exactly the type of striker they hate playing against, smaller, quick, strong and willing to run at you with the ball, basically everything Dzeko isn't!) went a long way towards causing last nights defeat (as, admittedly, did Chelsea putting in a very strong, pressing display).

I absolutely agree that you were terribly unlucky with injuries. You can cope without Aguero. I believe Negredo looked unfit? If he was fully fit he'd have made more of an impact IMO. But you have to question why losing Fernandino is such an enormous hit to a squad like yours. He's the equivalent of Ramires for us and we've done without him for some big games as well. It seems shifting Barry was a costly mistake. It didn't help that your setup played right into our hands either, you should have lined up like you did at the Bridge. As I said it'll be interesting to see what changes he makes next week for the cup.

 

[Happy Feet]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Hazard was immense and a joy to watch

 

[supercrystal7]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic played really well, and certainly gave Toure some troubles. I think he was aided by the fact Toure's partner in central midfield was a 33 year old centre half, with no pace whatsoever. Matic could, essentially, ignore Demichelis as he wasn't going to be going anywahere in a hurry, and concentrate solely on Toure. If Fernandinho had been in there too he'd have posed a real threat so Matic would have had to give Toure a bit more room so he could watch out for Fernandinho more. Fernandinho missing, and Aguero missing too (who would have cause Terry and Cahill a host of problems, he's exactly the type of striker they hate playing against, smaller, quick, strong and willing to run at you with the ball, basically everything Dzeko isn't!) went a long way towards causing last nights defeat (as, admittedly, did Chelsea putting in a very strong, pressing display).

I absolutely agree that you were terribly unlucky with injuries. You can cope without Aguero. I believe Negredo looked unfit? If he was fully fit he'd have made more of an impact IMO. But you have to question why losing Fernandino is such an enormous hit to a squad like yours. He's the equivalent of Ramires for us and we've done without him for some big games as well. It seems shifting Barry was a costly mistake. It didn't help that your setup played right into our hands either, you should have lined up like you did at the Bridge. As I said it'll be interesting to see what changes he makes next week for the cup.

Aguero being out was a huge blow, but the biggest blow was Fernandinho. Even with him in the team they would have struggled to deal with the pressing, but would have dealt far, far better with the Chelsea counter attack.

This is actually the sort of game where Barry would be useless and exposed. Lacks the technical ability to be able to pass quickly under intense pressure, lacks the speed to cover a quick counter attack and lacks the physical/dribbling to hold onto the ball under pressure.

 

[without a dream]

Re: Chelsea Thread 2013/14

Matic played really well, and certainly gave Toure some troubles. I think he was aided by the fact Toure's partner in central midfield was a 33 year old centre half, with no pace whatsoever. Matic could, essentially, ignore Demichelis as he wasn't going to be going anywahere in a hurry, and concentrate solely on Toure. If Fernandinho had been in there too he'd have posed a real threat so Matic would have had to give Toure a bit more room so he could watch out for Fernandinho more. Fernandinho missing, and Aguero missing too (who would have cause Terry and Cahill a host of problems, he's exactly the type of striker they hate playing against, smaller, quick, strong and willing to run at you with the ball, basically everything Dzeko isn't!) went a long way towards causing last nights defeat (as, admittedly, did Chelsea putting in a very strong, pressing display).

I absolutely agree that you were terribly unlucky with injuries. You can cope without Aguero. I believe Negredo looked unfit? If he was fully fit he'd have made more of an impact IMO. But you have to question why losing Fernandino is such an enormous hit to a squad like yours. He's the equivalent of Ramires for us and we've done without him for some big games as well. It seems shifting Barry was a costly mistake. It didn't help that your setup played right into our hands either, you should have lined up like you did at the Bridge. As I said it'll be interesting to see what changes he makes next week for the cup.

Fernandinho and Kompany are our key men, partly because they're so brilliant but also because the drop off in quality of the replacements is so huge. If we lose Aguero we can cope if we lose one of Nasri and Silva we cope but in Pellegrini's system having a mobile midfielder who is quality on the ball as well as defensively is key, particularly against the better teams and that's why we're after a centre half and a midfielder. Hopefully the Porto lads can make the difference.