For the record, Dave is a Right Back by trade who is consistently being played as a left back, So it is no surprise that in that position his weaker foot is getting exposed. The reason he is revered is because - despite him being an RB playing in an LB role, HE still manages to defend very very well and also make some great runs. Also watching our other 3 defenders struggle (2 CBs and 1 RB), It has made us appreciate what Dave does even more. Sadly, the LB is the only position that does not need immediate upgrade for Chelsea. 

 

Should Eden Hazard start over Oscar or Pedro for this game ? 

About Dave, he's World Class in everyone's eyes just because he is hard to beat one on one and always gives his all. Does that make him a world class fullback? He is not particularly pact or skillful or a great passer or crosser. Very solid but we need our fullbacks to contribute more offensively. Dave barely does. It is almost a fad to revere Dave.

Just putting this view out there. I still really rate him!

 

You don't have to be great offensively to be a world class full back. Azpilicueta is a world class defender. Ashley Cole was better defending than he was attacking and a lot of people see him as one of the best LB's of all time.

For the record, Dave is a Right Back by trade who is consistently being played as a left back, So it is no surprise that in that position his weaker foot is getting exposed. The reason he is revered is because - despite him being an RB playing in an LB role, HE still manages to defend very very well and also make some great runs. Also watching our other 3 defenders struggle (2 CBs and 1 RB), It has made us appreciate what Dave does even more. Sadly, the LB is the only position that does not need immediate upgrade for Chelsea. 

 

Should Eden Hazard start over Oscar or Pedro for this game ? 

I would go with Hazard Oscar, Pedro and Willian unlike under Jose they are not shackled anymore with matic and Mikel in the middle Mikel can hold and let Matic help the front four ...when not in possesion we become a 4 -1 -4-1 keep in tight united will try play through the middle one of the front 4 stays up on the last defender give them something to thing about. Then when in possesion let the front 4 express themselves with Matic joining in.United are there for the taking..one downside if we win is that Van Gaal probable gets sacked and Jose takes over.

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by Brutos

Football needs a rule change.

10 players take turns kicking chunks out of the same player, knowing they each might/get a card but not a red.

I think the keeper would have got in on the act too, if he was close enough.

I think he's done here. I barely saw him run all game. Every time utd had it at the back he was literally either just walking very slowly, or standing there. He got very little support from the rest of the team, but he just looks like he doesn't even care any more.

I would go with Hazard Oscar, Pedro and Willian unlike under Jose they are not shackled anymore with matic and Mikel in the middle Mikel can hold and let Matic help the front four ...when not in possesion we become a 4 -1 -4-1 keep in tight united will try play through the middle one of the front 4 stays up on the last defender give them something to thing about. Then when in possesion let the front 4 express themselves with Matic joining in.United are there for the taking..one downside if we win is that Van Gaal probable gets sacked and Jose takes over.

 

Looks like Hiddink was on the same page with you ;)

i think he showed glimpses of his abilities, but no one was making runs and oscar, willian and pedro not on the same wave length at times. he got the ball in the final third but then no one was around and he was left vs 3/4 utd defenders; he can't do everything.

 

he is still in poor form and just back from an injury, he should have come off in the latter end of the second half because he looked battered, bruised and tired. the reluctance to play kenedy and traore is hurting us because we are still relying on hazard to come up with something special even when he's out of form. pedro is like schurrle (even salah) mark 2 and willian & oscar at times are poor at decision making. 

Edited December 28, 201510 yr by enigma

Prob annoyed on how defensive we set up. Why so defensive? we have nothing to play for.

He was our best player today, but was afforded little protection from Mr Atkinson.

 

I was disappointed that JT didn't stick up for Hazard more, he did approach Atkinson once, but Hazard was kicked all over the pitch today and JT could of had several words with Atkinson today.

Yeah. You could tell he was fed up. Kicked about by so many different players and barely any support all game.

Not blaming Hazard for his performance, today.

Traore or Kennedy should have been on.

I think he's done here. I barely saw him run all game. Every time utd had it at the back he was literally either just walking very slowly, or standing there. He got very little support from the rest of the team, but he just looks like he doesn't even care any more.

 

Negative. He is not match fit - You could see towards the end that he was huffing and was not even running. Also, Let us not forget that United players were kicking the sh*t out of him. If Atkinson had the balls to show a United player (Herrera) 2 yellows and send him off for consistently fouling cynically then maybe the rest of the players would have behaved, but no - he had to be MR Softy. Also,  we do not have physical players up front who can keep the defenders busy and also like you pointed- our team was not helping him much. I remember one chance where Willian had the ball and we were countering with Hazard on the right asking for the ball, but Willian slowed down and passed left. 

Yeah. You could tell he was fed up. Kicked about by so many different players and barely any support all game.

Not blaming Hazard for his performance, today.

Traore or Kennedy should have been on.

Agree with you, as I tend to a few times on here.

 

Side was negative, changes were negative. Clearly that story about Guus needing to play youth was BS. 

He's definitely putting in the effort today, got kicked around a number of times without the damn referee do a thing, even got a booking himself for nothing. Hiddink just got it wrong today, he's not and never will be a striker, especially when we were aiming long balls towards his head

I wonder what the odd's are of him not scoring a single goal all season. With the way things are going i wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with none.

Ffs Dave is playing on the wrong side, he's right footed.....

I wonder what the odd's are of him not scoring a single goal all season. With the way things are going i wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with none.

Huge at the start of the season. Even if you said after the first 20 league games I reckon a tenner would have returned a lot.

He should have his lawyer send a letter of intent to the PMOG stating that if they continue to be negligent in their repsonsibilities, that Hazard will sue them for lost wages if he receives a serious injury due to refs just letting players kick lumps out of him with no recourse.

It's like Hazard not only has to be fouled to get a call, but also has to file an official appeal with the ref. It's a joke, it is not an isolated incident and I would have a CFC staff member with game video and a list of some very damning questions whent he PMOG next open their offices.

But no excuse for Hazard to have so many off days or feel its too much. He should do it with a smile for what he gets in return. Oscar and Zouma also suffered far worse and more harmful tackles if not suffering the same amount.

He should have been protected more yesterday by Hiddink.  

 

In the last 20 minutes, Eden was pretty much walking around the half way line, exhausted and certainly not tracking back like he was previously in the match.  I know that Eden is one of the few players that we have with enough creative spark to create something out of nothing, but I did feel he was a little exposed at the end, and we should have given Traore or Kennedy a shot in the final 15.

They just hacked him to peices.

 

https://vimeo.com/150260615

Edited December 29, 201510 yr by jack_super_class

Don't think I've ever seem a player fouled so much and so cynically in one game.

Hope this ridiculous no-striker nonesense is never used again.

Also, Hazard through the middle... That De Gae double save came through some Hazard wizardry with defenders not knowing which way he was planning to go with him playing through the middle.

They just hacked him to peices.

 

https://vimeo.com/150260615

That Herrera kick was a straight red, I think.(1m 52 on the video. The slow-mos are damning).

Also, having pulled him back twice as he ran away from him, Young had two kicks out at him as well. (1m02 on the video) I've seen players sent off for that. Atkinson didn't even give a yellow, which told Utd players that it was open season on Eden. Vardy did the same as well, which caused the injury.

 

Atkinson was an utter disgrace. As are most refs when it comes to protecting our players.

Edited December 29, 201510 yr by Backbiter

He should have his lawyer send a letter of intent to the PMOG stating that if they continue to be negligent in their repsonsibilities, that Hazard will sue them for lost wages if he receives a serious injury due to refs just letting players kick lumps out of him with no recourse.

It's like Hazard not only has to be fouled to get a call, but also has to file an official appeal with the ref. It's a joke, it is not an isolated incident and I would have a CFC staff member with game video and a list of some very damning questions whent he PMOG next open their offices.

But no excuse for Hazard to have so many off days or feel its too much. He should do it with a smile for what he gets in return. Oscar and Zouma also suffered far worse and more harmful tackles if not suffering the same amount.

Guus should do it. He's got an impeccable record with the FA so they can't dismiss it as the ravings as a madman, as they did every time José made a valid complaint. And we should take along footage of the Barnes leg-breaker on Matic that the same ref thought was totally legit.

Don't think I've ever seem a player fouled so much and so cynically in one game.

Hope this ridiculous no-striker nonesense is never used again.

Also, Hazard through the middle... That De Gae double save came through some Hazard wizardry with defenders not knowing which way he was planning to go with him playing through the middle.

 

It reminded me of the stick the two Neville's gave to Reyes. Luckily Eden is made of stronger stuff , as Reyes was never the same player again.

Have to agree Atkinson last night was a disgrace.

That Herrera kick was a straight red, I think.(1m 52 on the video. The slow-mos are damning).

Also, having pulled him back twice as he ran away from him, Young had two kicks out at him as well. (1m02 on the video) I've seen players sent off for that. Atkinson didn't even give a yellow, which told Utd players that it was open season on Eden. Vardy did the same as well, which caused the injury.

 

Atkinson was an utter disgrace. As are most refs when it comes to protecting our players.

 

 

The commentary team out in the US for NBCSN were basically saying that because Atkinson let a few challenges go earlier in the game, he gave the Man Utd team the green light to hack away.

 

The Rooney challenge was an over the top leg breaker.  However, he apologized after the tackle and again after the game in a post match interview so in the eyes of the media he's alright?  Again, had that been Costa they'd have been baying for a Red.

 

I hate when a game is over officiated, but yesterday was pretty shoddy in protecting anyone.  You could tell it was affecting Eden, and that's why he put that stupid challenge in on Young that got his yellow.

Think hazard has been working very hard over the last couple of games. The United game showed this, he did a lot of running and tried to pull of the false 9. However I think his best position is out wide running in at defenders. We should have gone with Kennedy up front against United.