Champions League: Group E - Matchday 5 - November 23, 2011 - Bayer Leverkusen v. Chelsea FC [R]

Watching the match now...it is painful. I had not followed Leverkusen for a while but now I see how the manager can play Ballack and Rolfes without sacrificung the incredible talent in Lars Bender (his twin brother plays in Dortmund - and had his jaw broken in the 1st 15 minutes today vs Arsenal today).

Rolfes and Bender play a double six with Ballack in the whole. When we talked about the diamond formation at Chelsea I always wanted to see him there.

But back to Chelsea...30 minutes in and the players look tired already. Lazy passes and little composure. AVB fielded a good side..these guys are simply not producing. I wonder if we have changed line-ups so often that there is little chemistry going on here.

We have Luis and Torres and then Miereles, Mata and also, Sturridge is back. I mean, how much "clean-up" do we need to do for a "fresh" squad?

Watch out for Bender, either of them; Sven or Lars. Both would be starting for the NT if Schweini, Khedira and Kroos weren't so cemented in with Loew in that double six position. Incredible players that are both solid DM's and can switch to agressive box-to-box mids with the flip of a light switch.

 

This is where we release Lampard and immediately turn to our lord and savior Josh McEachran to act as a catalyst for a Chelsea resurgence.

 

It seems like the issue with Lamps and Drogs, both of them, is that when they are "off" the whole team falls down a level. When either of these two are missing, it is almost as we are playing a man down. Drogs has at least the excuse of being a striker and 5 seconds of brilliance maybe all he needs to turn a match around.

Do we rely to much on their influence when either of them is on the pitch? I don't know...

 

Just saw Drogba's goal...Torres would not have been able to do this. Then again, with Torres on the pitch it may have been a different match all together anyway.

By the way, is Lamps afraid to take some of his power shots? There was a moment which had a typical Supah goal write there in the script and he passed it wide instead.

Bosingwa on the left is strange...I am still trying to figure out the formation. Was Miereles on the left flank were Malouda normally plays?

 

Ash needed a rest i suppose, hence Bos over there . And Meireles played in front of the CB's, where Mikel usually is. I prefer him further up the field in either Franks or Ramires position.

AVB talks about Josh having the potential to be one of the best mids in the world , play the lad ffs!

 

62 nd minute...before I go on, on Chelsea's poor display, I have to add that Leverkusen are playing very well. This side is really starting to gel after the departure of Jupp Heynckes. I don't know if any of you followed last years BL but Robin Dutt was responsible for making Mainz an incredible young team last year that made it to the qualifications for the Europa League. Credit to Leverkusen for playing some pretty nice free flowing ball.

57th, Malouda for Mata. He didn't do to much today - did he?

 

It's very possible/likely and maybe only natural. I mean really, those two have or at least were the two most influential players in our team the last 7~ years other than JT. The problem is due to lack of stability with our managers, we've failed to shift that influence, and imo completely failed to shy away from the 4-3-3 or at least do anything to properly compensate for an off Lampard or Didier, especially Lampard who defines our 4-3-3.

 

Josh for Mata would have been a great opportunity for the youngster. he needs minutes. It is amazing how many other teams would have given that kid a chance to earn some minutes.


Goal for Leverkusen.


Actually, they looked like Germany's NT on a counter there for a sec. I'd love to see Sidney Sam in place of Malouda.

 

Gokhan Tore would have been good for Malouda. The kid has completed the most dribbles in Europe this season , young , creative , plenty of pace , and we let him go for peanuts .

 

While everyone else is starting to develop a variety of the 4-2-3-1 system, Chelsea seems keen on staying with their 4-3-3. Why are our managers having such hard time to shift us away from this formation, or at least create a successful plan B? Are our players that rigid?

The 4-3-3 does not work, at least not with the players we have at hand.

We need some variation and I truly thought AVB had the balls to incorporate this. It seems like a case of the tail wagging the dog and he plays this because the players feel comfortable with this.

These are some of the changes I hope to see with a young manager like AVB.

 

Agreed...I would actually prefer Marko Reus over anyone right now. I know, it sounds biased but I follow the BL like a hawk - always have, so I am obviously more familiar with players in the Bundesliga than in any other league.

 

I have heard many things about him , I think Germany crop from 1987-1992 is full of gems. Some of the talent and depth they have is just unbelievable.

 

He is turning into a fantastic player. Loew certainly has some depth with Reus, Holtby, Sam, Goetze, Schurrle, Poldi, Marin, Mueller and Oezil in the attack.

Just finished watching the match. Deserved win by Leverkusen. Let's face it, this was never going to be an easy match and I think we lost our chance of getting through at Genk with the 1-1 tie. That should have been a match in which we took all 3 points. Not over yet but it's going to take some serious improving - mostly mentally.

Leverkusen played some very nice football and we never really controlled the match - not to mention Leno had some great saves.

I am really not sure, just based on this match as I have seen very little of Chelsea over the last couple months, that AVB is at fault. The Malouda sub would have been brilliant if he made his chance count while the Mikel sub was simply to help control the midfield which was over running us and allowing us to start generating our own pace from the back but it simply did not happen - Leverkusen were simply in control and they dictated tempo. They wanted it more and it showed.

 

When did Robin Dutt ever coach Mainz

 

OMG...Freiburg, I don't know how I confused him with Thomas Tuchel. It is that late right now and tomorrow is the 1st time in months that I will be able to sleep in so the scotches have been free-flowing.

Apologies, I am off to bed.

 

I happen to rate Dutt too. But really this Leverkusen side was very beatable for you guys. Valencia will be very difficult to defeat.

 

I think the only reason that Meireles was subbed with Mikel was the fact that Meireles was on a yellow and Mikel is simply his natural replacement.

 

Permutations : We need to beat Valencia OR keep a clean sheet to advance. Simple.

The likely scenario : We can't keep a clean sheet these days so we have to score at least two against Los Che to win. Assuming BL beat Genk then we finish second and you just know we'll be drawn against one of Real, Barça or Bayern.

I've accepted we're in transition so I'm not hugely upset at what is going on, but still, as a Blues fan of many years standing the Valencia game is HUGE. The Bridge will be sold out, fantastic atmosphere, big buzz on the Fulham Road.

I fully expect AVB to treat this as a one-off game. Enter center stage young man. Now what have you really got in that locker of yours ?? If you're the messiah now is the time for miracle no.1 !

 

I miss a fit and in-form Michael Essien.

 

bad moment?

 

In deed Carlo,

It was honestly difficult to watch the wasted opportunities and lackadaisical movement/passing that was going on. These are supposed to be experienced players that step up to the plate during difficult times, yet we seem to fold so easily lately. Zero sense of urgency or taste of blood when playing nowadays. To consistently concede goals late in the game when up is just unacceptable at this point. AVB mentioned in the post match commentary that if need be he will take training a step further. Or should i say backwards, as someone mentioned earlier, the players need to go back to basics. The elementary mistakes that are happening need to stop. Stand your fcuking ground and cover your partner.

Man im starting to miss the "boring" Chelsea when it had to be truly magic to get one past us.

 

I don't think we did enough, Fern. They hit the woodwork twice and forced Cech into a couple additional great saves. Leverkusen also appeared to control the tempo of the match throughout the 90 minutes.

No, I don't think we did enough to win the match. We were sloppy with passes, we looked lost trying to go forward, we let Leverkusen mid-field boss us around and we scored a goal on one of the few moments in which we actually played as a team.

Very interesting.


wondering if this would work if we continue to push it;


-------------Drogs/Torres----------------
-
Meireles-----------Mata------------Danny
-
-----------Mikel----------Lamps

 

So you want to push Lampard into a role that requires him to run and tackle a lot while having Meireles playing higher up the wing and Sturridge(!?!?!?!) playing on the wing further away from goal? I we trudged that out, we'd struggle to finish in the top half of the table. Sturridge's best attribute is goal scoring - his worst is wing play. Why would we make him play more on the wing further away from goal???

We should play a flat 4-3-1-2 with Meireles, Ramires and Lampard, Mata further up and tell the fullbacks to get up the pitch as much as possible (with Meireles/Ramires covering for them). That way we can actually employ Sturridge up front, where he belongs. But that would make sense and it wouldn't stick Sturridge out wide where half this forum still bizarrely thinks he plays well, so it won't happen.