Something really has got to give after that disgrace of a match.

We are becoming a laughing stock and there's no denying it.

All this turning the corner rubbish and still we see such slow tempo and zero creativity. Yes we had lots of possession but we bugger all with it.

Our support seemed embarrassingly bad. I could hear a bit of home support early on, but Liverpool drowned us out for the vast majority of what I heard anyway. This match meant so much more to Liverpool than it did to us, they had spirit in the stands and on the pitch. We were beyond grim.

I am so sick of this sh*t.

The first 3 need sorting first & foremost. Pathetic.

Players grow up playing 442 - we play 443 and do it (usually) well, good players should/need to adapt to a formation change, that is no excuse inu book.

Support will always be what it is.

Lack of ideas is painfully obvious, need some fresh, creative legs in the middle.

we play 443 and do it (usually) well,

not surprised with an extra man....

not surprised with an extra man....

It seems to be a trend here today, that's the second time I've seen an extra man put in.

are we missin' something????

Think we missed Ramires a lot yesterday.

Ah my bad!!! We do need that extra man though...!

Swap Mikel forTiote.

Proof that we're playing really badly right now - people insisting on fielding 12 players.

Proof that we're playing really badly right now - people insisting on fielding 12 players.

And losing!!!!!

Please back to 4-3-3 !

i have been saying this from last season-----the italian way of slow build-up does not suit the players we have--not technically gifted enough to see a pass on 1st touch (lamps apart) or have the intelligent runners up front (drogs is mostly static this past while)

just take yesterdays abysmal display alone---cech throws the ball to the centre half, takes2--3 touches, he plays obi or ess,he takes 2--3 touches, sideways pass to ash/bos, another few touches, back to obi/ess couple more touches, look for pass ahead for nico/lamps----the f**kn liverpool team were behind the ball and ready for us when the pass went to ash/bos and we still hadn't made it past the half way line---

------torres made his name at scumpool by having reina/carragher/gerard launch a pass 50--60 yards for him to run onto before the opposition could look around and see what position everyone was in. yesterday they crowded everthing and hustled anyone who got the ball in there half--what could torres do...everywhere he ran were two red shirts--his strike partner hardly fcukn moved. every long quick kick cech done, drogs hardly bothered attacking, when he did carragher either out muscled him or swept up what he missed controlled..

essien just wants to hold the ball and charge forward,thus giving opposition time to reorganise. i'm not advocating playing `long ball` football...but a change of tactic now and again may do something---our play is so repetitve its bordering on the boring,,,not much wonder there is no fear from the opposition anymore..

just another point---yes, i'll finish on this-----if the game plan is not working after 20mins----it prob won't be after 40 unless something fortunate happens----pool got time to get comfortable in the system they played (new to them too) and they grew in confidence cos we caused them no bother---------jose or guus would have changed it after 20-30 mins not wait til 60 or so like carlo (have we no plan B or players who can adapt to different positions/system during a game)

i'm still fuming, i thought we had turned the corner, got it out of our system and with results going for us on saturday the urgency and desire and purchase of two top class players we would have rattled the league til may.........how fcukn wrong and disappointing (maybe torres is thinking the same!!)

I think we have to offload one of Lampard, Essien and Mikel in the summer and buy an attacking midfielder who can pass the ball.

Definately think our midfield is lacking drive and quality forward thinking passes if lampard doesn't improve I hope we go after de rossi. He's got a bit of bite about him plus he's strong and creative, perfect for the premier league. essien is becoming a massive concern for me, I'd play defensive midfield now because he doesn't contribute going forward. if we are gonna stick to a diamond I'd play

Cech

ivanovic luiz terry cole

essien

ramires malouda

lampard

torres anelka

drogba doesn't deserve to be in the team at the moment. Although lamps didn't look comfortable in the tip of the diamond, I'd play him there, he doesn't look like the box to box midfielder he was. Maybe if we took away some of his defensive duties he can use energy trying to unlock defenses.

It has been a nightmare few days living up here in Chester surrounded by Liverscum fans. I hate everything about them, fans, club, ground, attitude. It was made worse because I taunted them about Torres.

Anyway on the game I was devestated by the lack of urgency and tempo. It has happened too often this season and to me at the moment it is quite easy to play against chesea. There is nobody who can play that killer pass apart from Lamps and to me he has struggled for fitness all season, so we cannot just rely on him. We are so narrow as well, everything is central, it would be great if we could spread the play, get a few ball in the box, instead of playing it backwards and forwards between defence and attack for 90 minutes.

I am extremely concerned with Essien, looks a shadow of the player we all know he is, maybe as someone else has suggested in this thread we should move him back to defensive mid. I love Didier but he has had a rotten season, I rekon he may well go in the summer and if he doesen't buck his ideas up should be dropped. Luiz looked very good when he came on so hopefully Carlo starts him alongisde Terry, with Ivanovic going to right back instead of Bosingwa, who I think is awful.

I have never been Carlo's biggest fan, but he needs to show why he is paid so much money now. I am sick of him saying we are in a bad momnet still, you get paid £6million a year to be in a good moment, so sort it out.

It is frustrating not being able to see Chelsea as much as I would like, but even more so when they play like that in a big game.

Heres an aticle from Pat Nevin, I always like to read what he says and again in my opinion he has this spot on, I think the injury to Yossi has had a bigger impact than could be imagined being thathes hardly played but he could have filled in in a lot of positions when the injuries hit as well as having a few tricks up his sleeve that we have nobody else capable of.

The last paragraph is spot on and what I have already said, the mood on here could have been so different had it gone like that.

PAT NEVIN: LOCKED OUT

Posted on: Tue 08 Feb 2011

A week most definitely felt a long time in football on this occasion as delight turned to disappointment. Pat Nevin chronicles the last seven days in this week's column and remains optimistic...

What a week of football that was. The Nevin troupe pitched up all together for the Sunderland match that turned out to be as entertaining a Chelsea performance as we have witnessed in many months. Both kids and the wife were delighted with the 4-2 score line that scarcely told the half the story, with so many chances created by the Blues on the night that it could have easily been eight. Sunderland played their part by being open and positive, no doubt trying to mirror what they achieved at Stamford Bridge back in November.

It was the precursor to a weekend of pure football delight in the Premier League. There appeared to be a secret gentlemen's agreement between all the managers that they would just go for it and to hell with the consequences. The goals rained in from St James' Park to Goodison Park with unimaginable twists and turns. With Man United losing late in the game it just got better and better.

On Sunday at midday I was at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, for the even-more-than-normally uber-hyped Rangers v Celtic Scottish Cup game. In astonishing and deafening atmosphere there was a first-minute screamer from a teenager, three more goals, two sent off, seven bookings, crossbars hit, phenomenal saves, huge refereeing controversies, and not one bad performance from any players as the quality threshold was miles above the norm.

There was El Hadji Diouf making his debut as a player for Rangers and being cast as pantomime villain of the day before behaving almost impeccably throughout, a 17-player argument just to whip the fans up further in the dying minutes and the promise of doing it all again in the replay.

In short, like many others the build up to the most anticipated game of the week had me not only hoping for, but expecting a classic at Stamford Bridge. Well let's be honest, the Chelsea v Liverpool game was a long way from being a classic. In fact it could well have been the worst game of the week to watch.

Clearly Kenny Dalglish had failed to receive the missive regarding the Devil-may-care tactical approach that the rest of the Premier League managers agreed to adhere to. The three centre backs, which led to a 5-4-1 formation when they lost the ball was never going to allow for an open game. Of course I don't blame Kenny, it was the absolutely the right tactic for the occasion, but what a let-down it was for those watching. It was no surprise really when one of their breaks led to the only goal, even though Chelsea had the vast majority of the possession and a much bigger percentage of the shots at goal on the day.

The silence around the ground near the end echoed what most thought, an equaliser was unlikely as the life was slowly strangled out of the game. Chelsea didn't play well, this is not an excuse, and the plan of the diamond with Nicolas Anelka at the tip with Didier and Fernando in front played right into the Reds' hands. Carlo spotted this and hence the changes with Kalou and Malouda but by then Carragher and co. had the Chelsea attack in what amounted to a death grip.

I kept thinking back to Mourinho's Inter Milan at the Bridge. That night I felt even if the referee adds two hours injury time, we probably wouldn't score. This can happen with well-drilled teams, who know their jobs and have the doggedness and the spirit to stick to their tasks.

In my 150th column on this website I hope I can be forgiven just a little self indulgence and maybe even some personal bias on this occasion. What we needed was a lock picker, someone whose speciality is receiving the ball in extremely tight areas in the final third with defenders all around, but who is still capable of threading a ball through or teasing out a rash tackle in the box.

This is the same sort of player who has a trick or two that will get him to the by line to deliver a cross, precisely the type of cross most likely to result in a goal. To have that type of option, even if only from the bench, would be extremely beneficial.

Yes I know this sounds awfully like a description of an old-fashioned winger and there aren't too many good ones around these days. It also sounds like a perfect description of Lionel Messi, but he would cost three times what Fernando cost, even if he was for sale. In actual fact the self-indulgence is that it is also a perfect description of one of my favourite players around at the moment. Along with David Silva at Manchester City our own Yossi Benayoun (featured helping to create goals in the video above) would fit this bill very nicely indeed. In short Chelsea probably had the answer to Liverpool on Sunday; sadly he just happens to be injured at the moment. I just hope we can get him back soon. Maybe then the plans B and C can be utilised against the less forgiving defences.

Fernando had a quiet game, in a role that didn't suit him. There was no space to run in to as Liverpool defended deep, but it certainly isn't time to worry. He will score goals and plenty of them when he settles in and he gets to know his team mates' strengths and they get to know exactly where and when he wants the ball. Having said all that it was an opportunity missed and if he would have scored with his first half-chance I reckon the opposition would have capitulated, their game plan scuppered.

Heres an aticle from Pat Nevin, I always like to read what he says and again in my opinion he has this spot on, I think the injury to Yossi has had a bigger impact than could be imagined being thathes hardly played but he could have filled in in a lot of positions when the injuries hit as well as having a few tricks up his sleeve that we have nobody else capable of.

The last paragraph is spot on and what I have already said, the mood on here could have been so different had it gone like that.

PAT NEVIN: LOCKED OUT

Posted on: Tue 08 Feb 2011

A week most definitely felt a long time in football on this occasion as delight turned to disappointment. Pat Nevin chronicles the last seven days in this week's column and remains optimistic...

What a week of football that was. The Nevin troupe pitched up all together for the Sunderland match that turned out to be as entertaining a Chelsea performance as we have witnessed in many months. Both kids and the wife were delighted with the 4-2 score line that scarcely told the half the story, with so many chances created by the Blues on the night that it could have easily been eight. Sunderland played their part by being open and positive, no doubt trying to mirror what they achieved at Stamford Bridge back in November.

It was the precursor to a weekend of pure football delight in the Premier League. There appeared to be a secret gentlemen's agreement between all the managers that they would just go for it and to hell with the consequences. The goals rained in from St James' Park to Goodison Park with unimaginable twists and turns. With Man United losing late in the game it just got better and better.

On Sunday at midday I was at Ibrox Park, Glasgow, for the even-more-than-normally uber-hyped Rangers v Celtic Scottish Cup game. In astonishing and deafening atmosphere there was a first-minute screamer from a teenager, three more goals, two sent off, seven bookings, crossbars hit, phenomenal saves, huge refereeing controversies, and not one bad performance from any players as the quality threshold was miles above the norm.

There was El Hadji Diouf making his debut as a player for Rangers and being cast as pantomime villain of the day before behaving almost impeccably throughout, a 17-player argument just to whip the fans up further in the dying minutes and the promise of doing it all again in the replay.

In short, like many others the build up to the most anticipated game of the week had me not only hoping for, but expecting a classic at Stamford Bridge. Well let's be honest, the Chelsea v Liverpool game was a long way from being a classic. In fact it could well have been the worst game of the week to watch.

Clearly Kenny Dalglish had failed to receive the missive regarding the Devil-may-care tactical approach that the rest of the Premier League managers agreed to adhere to. The three centre backs, which led to a 5-4-1 formation when they lost the ball was never going to allow for an open game. Of course I don't blame Kenny, it was the absolutely the right tactic for the occasion, but what a let-down it was for those watching. It was no surprise really when one of their breaks led to the only goal, even though Chelsea had the vast majority of the possession and a much bigger percentage of the shots at goal on the day.

The silence around the ground near the end echoed what most thought, an equaliser was unlikely as the life was slowly strangled out of the game. Chelsea didn't play well, this is not an excuse, and the plan of the diamond with Nicolas Anelka at the tip with Didier and Fernando in front played right into the Reds' hands. Carlo spotted this and hence the changes with Kalou and Malouda but by then Carragher and co. had the Chelsea attack in what amounted to a death grip.

I kept thinking back to Mourinho's Inter Milan at the Bridge. That night I felt even if the referee adds two hours injury time, we probably wouldn't score. This can happen with well-drilled teams, who know their jobs and have the doggedness and the spirit to stick to their tasks.

In my 150th column on this website I hope I can be forgiven just a little self indulgence and maybe even some personal bias on this occasion. What we needed was a lock picker, someone whose speciality is receiving the ball in extremely tight areas in the final third with defenders all around, but who is still capable of threading a ball through or teasing out a rash tackle in the box.

This is the same sort of player who has a trick or two that will get him to the by line to deliver a cross, precisely the type of cross most likely to result in a goal. To have that type of option, even if only from the bench, would be extremely beneficial.

Yes I know this sounds awfully like a description of an old-fashioned winger and there aren't too many good ones around these days. It also sounds like a perfect description of Lionel Messi, but he would cost three times what Fernando cost, even if he was for sale. In actual fact the self-indulgence is that it is also a perfect description of one of my favourite players around at the moment. Along with David Silva at Manchester City our own Yossi Benayoun (featured helping to create goals in the video above) would fit this bill very nicely indeed. In short Chelsea probably had the answer to Liverpool on Sunday; sadly he just happens to be injured at the moment. I just hope we can get him back soon. Maybe then the plans B and C can be utilised against the less forgiving defences.

Fernando had a quiet game, in a role that didn't suit him. There was no space to run in to as Liverpool defended deep, but it certainly isn't time to worry. He will score goals and plenty of them when he settles in and he gets to know his team mates' strengths and they get to know exactly where and when he wants the ball. Having said all that it was an opportunity missed and if he would have scored with his first half-chance I reckon the opposition would have capitulated, their game plan scuppered.

The key to all this is, why did it take Carlo 70 mins to make the change we all could see was needed? I like Carlo but sometimes wish he could be a little bit more pro active with his tactical changes. If this failing had been a one off you could put it down to just one of those days. I'd like to see him on the touchline barking out a few orders , tweaking here and there in game , anything just to get the little extra thats needed out of our players.

The key to all this is, why did it take Carlo 70 mins to make the change we all could see was needed? I like Carlo but sometimes wish he could be a little bit more pro active with his tactical changes. If this failing had been a one off you could put it down to just one of those days. I'd like to see him on the touchline barking out a few orders , tweaking here and there in game , anything just to get the little extra thats needed out of our players.

I agree I used to look in in disbelief when Jose would make 3 subs at half time but it seemed to work . Now Carlo has some proven quality on the bench for a change I think we will see more of it i hope

we are best with 4-3-3 formation. we win premier league and fa cup last year with that formation.

Please back to 4-3-3 !

Good exchange till this post

I`ve not watched few games before Liverpool, which provides me an ability to give a fair judgement of the game, because I`m not "sick of this sh*t" yet.

I was surprised to see Chelsea lost the game, despite Torres had a first start for Chelsea and looked unsettled in the formation, of course.

Luiz looked brilliant.

In my opinion we played well and surely better than Pool. Chelsea need time and that`s all Chelsea need.

And I`m ready to swap CA for JM (or GH) any day of the week, of course.

I don`t want to watch poor Drogba plays at the age of 40. He doesn`t deserves that.