All the controversy is correct (extra-added time, the non-sending off), but our problems in this game are the same as at the start of the season, a disorganized defence and a timid attack.
Good news ... Norwich stil have to play citeh so it looks like we've secured 15th spot, (for the time being at least)
In the end, the other team, no matter who it is, seems to a be able to take every chance. While Chelsea can't take any. I'm just honestly not sure how you coach against that. At least he's willing to try things with both matic and fab sitting. I think we have to see baba being the next one. Whatever. Sad naps all around. I've lowered hopes to not relegation.
The team, hence, the manager seem bereft of ideas - I wish I could say it was just because of Coutinho's brilliant shooting abilities, but it's not, they were running for 90 mins and pressuring us and making great runs of their own - there seemed to be a free man everywhere, and they seemed to be finding it! For us, it was a case of plodding along, no one making runs, no one making tackles, hardly surprising - maybe we should write off this season and just let the young uns play.
that has to be a yellow on lucas.. why dont they interview the ref after so we can understand the thought process they used to decide? I mean: a)It's a foul. b)It's a yellow if he doesnt have one.. so why not a second yellow? We should get an answer... or the BS that will be concocted to excuse it.
Yeh - the argument for that would be, if he wasn't already on a yellow, he would have received a yellow - but then where was Matic's leniency last week? Refs have to be consistent.
That was the point Mikel was making to him. Mikel got a yellow on his first bad challenge just before that, then he goes right back to keeping the card in his pocket. It took Can 3 bad challenges before his first card.
Supporting this team is killing me. Literally. My heart cannot take much more of this. I'm going to have to start thinking about another more gentle pastime to engage in. Sudoku and herbal tea. . . a little gardening - something with a water feature and some koi carp. I need to find my happy place Breathe. Relax. SHIT !!!! SOME FCUCKING SCALLIES HAVE JUMPED OVER MY FENCE AND KNICKED ME FCUCKING FISH they were lucky to get their first goal so close to half time. IF only Oscars sensational effort went in. Whatever. You make your own luck. We were too casual. Sat back too far. We brought Kenedy on and alongside Costa he seemed to be doing well. Why did we bring on Falcao? Why did we sign Falcao? Why move Kenedy into the defence? Mikel was on a yellow and we should have brought on Matic instead of the Barca reject - him and Pedro would rather be in Barca. . .ciao baby. Today it has to be said that Jose got the tactics wrong.
Yep. Jose . . . Jose has to do something . . .and if he cannot figure it out. . .well. Football is a harsh reality. You're only as good as your last few games. I wonder if Avram Grant is available? :sigh: Jose got it wrong again today. Does Jose have the capacity to change?
Willian made runs, made tackles and he was creative. . . Ramires also put some effort in. So did Costa. Hazard was very weak - again. Oscar had some touches and a great effort. But Oscar was still sub-par. Kenedy came straight on and was in the thick of it until he was bizarrely moved to defence. . .Falcao is so pointless. Completely and utterly the most pointless player we have in the squad. Zouma is awesome - but he is not a right back. Jose got the tactics wrong again. Hiddink?
Jose usually gets the first half right...its the second half that everything goes to shit. The subs are panick subs and not very tactical. Why didnt Remy come on instead of Falcao? Why did azpi come off for an attacking winger to be pushed back to a lb position? And why does Fab continue to get game time? I though about the keeper situation and if TC would be a difference maker....but I just dont know
Mou and the coaching staff had a meeting at the center of the pitch while the players did their cool down. Many sad faces...doesnt look good.
This sucks so much.....Coutinho is a fabulous player. Well done to him. We just simply didn't pressure them as much and I will say that the 3rd goal is on Terry 100%. He goes up to win the header, gets his timing all wrong and then doesn't track back as fast.
he seems to be a totally beaten man http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/34688781 anyway back for him? The media - will they feel sorry for him?
That's almost as annoying as the lack of form, tbh. If we were lying 15th because we were blooding RLC and the rest of the kids, only throwing on the experienced fellas fleetingly, we'd be in the same position but we'd know a hell of a lot more about who's worth keeping from the kids. As it is we're giving fellas like Falcao the minutes THEY should have. I mean, what's the POINT?!
I don't understand why Jose is getting all the blame. Take out the production of key players from any team and they will not get results. Combine that with the hatred for Chelsea from everyone aside from a Chelsea fan and the poor luck that we have been getting (Lucas should have been sent off, 30 sec over 2min stoppage time for goal, 2 goals they scored were deflections) and you will have very poor results. Jose does say many stupid comments and causes issues with any club he has been in but you cannot replace him with anyone better mid season. Even in the summer, the only person who I think is at Jose's level is Pep. Having said that Pep has won the CL 2x with Messi while Jose has done it with Porto and Inter. Let's start making the players accountable.
Oh I agree completely. Hazard is a shell. Fabregas is awful. The players are making mistakes. But I've just never seen such a long consistent run of bad luck and skewed officiating. I'm truly baffled by the situation. I just don't think a new manager will fix the situation right now. Unless for some reason it changes our luck or convinces refs to not treat the team like the current Chelsea, whatever is going on. I'm not saying there is a conspiracy, but the calls are operating way out from the mean of standard deviation as far as missed or wrong calls go.
For the nth time this season I wonder what the hell is going on behind the scenes that players that last year looked world-class look like cellar dwellers now? Klopp must have some sympathy given the scary bad start that Borussia had last year. Oh the irony. That could be silver lining - but will Mourinho last until then? He's not at Borussia. I doubt it. I think the end is nigh for Mourinho here at Chelsea. Not just the loss today - but the way it came, at home, again. I think he's done this week. Either he quits or he gets thrown. And now the management wonders - should they have tried to get Klopp 1st?!
I'd like to see Oscar in the creative role with RLC and Matic alongside him. Oscar has more skill than Fabregas and he can also tackle. Oscar needs more confidence. Then Willian and Kenedy supporting Costa. Kenedy can run at defenders - as Willian does. Speed and aggression. Make me things happen. Matic-----RLC -----Oscar Willian------Kennedy -------Costa this is a 2-1-2-1 formation OR a 2-3-1 when we are attacking OR a 5-1 when we are shutting up shopor could even try a 4-4-2 with Kenedy playing alongside Costa . . . . Remy is better. but both of them should only get the nod if Kenedy is unavailable. that Kenedy kid is the real deal, so what are we waiting for? play him. and not a freaking left back.
this. and this. and this. i'd been struggling to put my thoughts into words, but these three posts kind of do it for me. the established players are fat and happy with last year's trophies. at this point, this season is a failure, so it's time to see what the young ones can do. we're not going to get to 4th, and no one cares about playing in the EL next season, so let's see who's worth keeping around for next year. replacing jose now is silly if he was going to be the guy for the next 10 years or whatever. he didn't forget how to coach over the summer. if you sack him for this run of bad form and bad luck, you may get a few more points over the next weeks, but long term? who are you going to get to replace him? it's on the players to get back into it, get their confidence back, and start winning games. these guys remind me of milan's squads in the late 2000s. everyone had a case full of medals at home, and they didn't have the hunger to give that little bit extra that it takes to get more. they were aging and on fat contracts, and they played like it. it's scary how similar it looks to me.