Post match thread - City v Chelsea

[Graceyboy]

Very interesting comments from Vinny about how we set traps all over the pitch.

That is exactly how it seemed, allowing Chelsea to play in certain areas of the pitch, and knowing what they would do when they got into those positions.

We're seeing it unfold with Sterling in the team. He's actually tucking in, rather than an outright wide man.

It's allowing Silva to move so freely and Sterling is absolutely crucial, simply because teams fear his pace.

In addition, it's also improving Kolarov, who knows he's got someone diligent enough to cover his attacking forays.

With KDB on the right, the options and movement is on Barcelona's level, outside of Messi being a freak of nature.

One thing I will say, I have no clue why we keep telling Joe to play that wide kick out to Sagna. Yes, Sagna won it every time, but it's just cheap gifting of possession because we have nobody around for the knockdown.

It's bizarre when you consider how careful and measured we are with the actual football.

Hart needs to be much more alive to rolling the ball out down the centre or sending Sterling away on a test of pace down the other side.

Vinnys comment is a controlled way of saying to the other 18 sides, "Hey, look, this is the way you beat 'em, you do the same." No point keeping the analysis you have done on a team to yourself, let the other clubs exploit it too. The more teams that learn how to beat the Rentboys, the better for us.

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

.... Fair play to them, some know they were well beaten.

http://shed.chelseafc.com/chat/posts/thread.shtml?127350717

Another thing is City have successfully roughed up and unsettled Costa in two
consecutive games at the Etihad.

He likes a physical battle but I'm afraid he's come off second best against Kompany and Mangala, even if some of the tackles have been over the odds in terms of legality.

No. It has been shown that he likes a physical battle only when he knows he can win it.
The bollocks at half time on the way to the tunnel was like one of those pricks outside pubs who is hard as nails because he is being held back by his mates. In open play when he had to compete, he turned into a sulking brooding fanny

 

[Guyvxt]

.

We're seeing it unfold with Sterling in the team. He's actually tucking in, rather than an outright wide man.

It's allowing Silva to move so freely and Sterling is absolutely crucial, simply because teams fear his pace.

In addition, it's also improving Kolarov, who knows he's got someone diligent enough to cover his attacking forays.
.

I think a huge benefit of Sterlings presence was keeping Ivanavic trapped in his own half. As soon as Sterling was sub'd Ivanavic was able to get forward and put crosses in.

 

[BigOscar]

No. It has been shown that he likes a physical battle only when he knows he can win it.
The bollocks at half time on the way to the tunnel was like one of those pricks outside pubs who is hard as nails because he is being held back by his mates. In open play when he had to compete, he turned into a sulking brooding fanny

Aye, no coincidence that he was looking for a fight with Fernandinho, yet didn't seem so keen on fighting Vinnie or Mangala. Absolute shithouse

 

[Florida Blue]

Not sure if this has been posted before or not, Costa hits Fernandinho with an elbow but he just gets on with it, no rolling around on the floor so it didn't become a big incident that it maybe should have, they had words after the incident too..

 

[DruntBlunt]

Excellent! Fernandinho MotM. Very happy to see our defence work as a single unit now and I imagine Zab and Clichy will have to impress greatly in training to break into the current lineup.

 

[aguero93:20]

Not sure if this has been posted before or not, Costa hits Fernandinho with an elbow but he just gets on with it, no rolling around on the floor so it didn't become a big incident that it maybe should have, they had words after the incident too..

We all saw it at the time and unlike Dinho's that's a stonewall red (to anyone apart from Shearer and Maureen anyway). Don't expect anything to come of it though and to be honest I'm looking forward to Yacob/Gardner v Costa next week.

 

[bluemoon98]

http://bcove.me/53pbzatt

 

[Stephenhakin]

not sure if anyone seen this but....

 

[domalino]

Very interesting comments from Vinny about how we set traps all over the pitch.

That is exactly how it seemed, allowing Chelsea to play in certain areas of the pitch, and knowing what they would do when they got into those positions.

We're seeing it unfold with Sterling in the team. He's actually tucking in, rather than an outright wide man.

It's allowing Silva to move so freely and Sterling is absolutely crucial, simply because teams fear his pace.

In addition, it's also improving Kolarov, who knows he's got someone diligent enough to cover his attacking forays.

With KDB on the right, the options and movement is on Barcelona's level, outside of Messi being a freak of nature.

One thing I will say, I have no clue why we keep telling Joe to play that wide kick out to Sagna. Yes, Sagna won it every time, but it's just cheap gifting of possession because we have nobody around for the knockdown.

It's bizarre when you consider how careful and measured we are with the actual football.

Hart needs to be much more alive to rolling the ball out down the centre or sending Sterling away on a test of pace down the other side.

Sterling's dedication to getting back was incredible yesterday. Have to credit Rodgers for that I suppose. He was tearing back every time we lost the ball.

I have a slightly different view on him attacking though - I think the fact he is staying wider than Nasri would means Silva has more space to drift around in, and it means Kolarov's 1-2's to get round people and down the flank are only 5 yards long instead of 15 - which means he's keeping the ball better and we're seeing end product instead of getting frustrated by him losing it trying to get past someone.