Chelsea vs Southampton (PL) 15/03/2015 KO: 13:30 GMT

[robdog]

I'm surprised more hasn't been said about Djuricic's spiteful stamp/kick on Willian's achilles which wasn't even an attempt to play the ball, and led to Willian hobbling off a minute later.

 

Djuricic did receive a card for this. I remember him shaking his head like this card was unjust & the commentators were saying he has no right to argue the card & could have been more if it was a different ref. Good Shout there. BTW any news of Willian? I hope the challenge on him didn't result in a worse injury.

[charierre]

I think Jose missed a trick yesterday , his second sub was late and possibly it was a game for Didier. Southampton had dropped very deep and we were crying out for width in our play instead of the incessant penchant to play intricate football on the edge of the box trying to score the perfect goal. With this in mind I'd have liked to see Luis brought on for Willian and moved Hazard out wide right both whipping balls into the box either lofted or low and hard.

[Jonty]

Poor first half that we were lucky not to go behind in. Much better second half that we were unlucky not to win. We had enough chances. But a draw was probably fair on balance of play. Bear in mind that they are actually 6th in the league, so not it's not a terrible result and it does increase our lead on City, and still with that game in hand.

 

Will we ever get a penalty in the PL?

 

I'm surprised more hasn't been said about Djuricic's spiteful stamp/kick on Willian's achilles which wasn't even an attempt to play the ball, and led to Willian hobbling off a minute later.

I'd forgotten about that, if he'd done that intentionally that should be a red.

[Upsetter]

If anything, I think the first half performance - following the Mike Dean gifting Southampton a penalty, revealed a touch of mental fragility, The second half proved that we do have hidden reserves, that we (or should I say Jose) can turn things round, because on our second half performance we were hugely unfortunate not to come away with a win. Play like we did in the second half and we can do it, play like we did for most of the first half and we could blow it big time.

 

It's been a long gruelling season in which we've been top of the league virtually from the off. Despite a dip in form, we're still six points clear of City in second, and we've still got a game in hand. In other words, we can afford a couple more slip ups, we can afford to relax occasionally. CIty can't, City need to go hell for leather, they need to win every single one of their remaining games. Not that it's impossible for them to do so, but on City's recent form, it does look a little improbable.

 

And so, despite a plethora of dodgy decisions, despite the occasional upset, loss of form, suspensions and injuries (the normal wear and tear of a Premiership season), as far as this year's league title goes, we are still very much in the driving seat.

 

Put it another way. At this stage of the season would you rather be in our position or in City's?

[The Brit]

Every time I see Southampton's penalty and pundits galore queuing up to say it was a right decision, I have to laugh cos you know if that was Costa at the other end they'd be saying he was looking for it, not a pen, big discussion on dark arts etc

.drives me nuts...also know that in the other box, Dean wouldn't have given it

[ForeverCarefree]

Every time I see Southampton's penalty and pundits galore queuing up to say it was a right decision, I have to laugh cos you know if that was Costa at the other end they'd be saying he was looking for it, not a pen, big discussion on dark arts etc

.drives me nuts...also know that in the other box, Dean wouldn't have given it

But it did happen to Costa at the other end and they did say he was looking for it...

[The Brit]

Yeah, you're right!

[Upsetter]

For anyone in doubt over the Southampton penalty award. Matic made contact with the ball, not just "some" contact, but a good contact. It was a quite excellent tackle. The Southampton forward, beaten to the ball, leaning towards Matic, arches his back and throws himself to the ground. If by some chance, The giveaway is in the arching of the back.

 

Never a penalty. Even the Daily Mail during the course of their hatchet job of a match report stated that it was "unclear". And for all the talk of the Southampton's brilliant response to going behind, it was that dodgy penalty that gave them the impetus, and it was that same dodgy penalty that knocked us off our stride. This is what I was referring to above when I mentioned a certain mental fragility, a feeling of "oh no not again", a feeling reinforced when Ivanovic gets his heels clipped only for Mike Dean to dismiss our appeal with a decisiveness equal to the eagerness with which he awarded the Southampton penalty.

 

Comparing the second half with the post-penalty decisions first half performance speaks wonders for the strenght of character, and for Jose's Mourinho's managerial ability, to turn a game where we looked to be falling apart at the seams, to a game in which we were massively unfortunate not to have come away with the three points.

 

And it's the nature or this turnaround that fills me with confidence for the remainder of the season.

[robdog]

But it did happen to Costa at the other end and they did say he was looking for it...

 

I was thinking the same thing. It was almost a carbon copy of the pk given to Southampton. I was thinking a pk for a pk, but unfortunately it doesn't work out like that. Also that shout for the Brana pk was a good one. I saw in the instant replay that the Saints defender stepped on Brana's ankle. However not sure if that could be seen w/ the naked eye. I could only see it w/ a replay.

[The Brit]

Must admit, I thought Ivan dived at the time only to see when I got home it was a pen...don't think Ivan helped matters with way he fell so spectacularly, but it seems to pay off for mane

[Bobbywoodhogan]

I was thinking the same thing. It was almost a carbon copy of the pk given to Southampton. I was thinking a pk for a pk, but unfortunately it doesn't work out like that. Also that shout for the Brana pk was a good one. I saw in the instant replay that the Saints defender stepped on Brana's ankle. However not sure if that could be seen w/ the naked eye. I could only see it w/ a replay.

Spot on

[Scott Harris]

Must admit, I thought Ivan dived at the time only to see when I got home it was a pen...don't think Ivan helped matters with way he fell so spectacularly, but it seems to pay off for mane

 

On Sky they said that the ref probably didn't give the pen because of Ivanovic's reaction. They said it like it was a good enough reason not to give the penalty. I don't understand why they think it was a fair decision by the ref, the Southampton player stepped on Ivanovic's achilles, it's a penalty. He could roll around and and scream and shout pretending he was in agony, but it would still be a foul.

Edited March 18, 2015 by Scott Harris

[Bobbywoodhogan]

On Sky they said that the ref probably didn't give the pen because of Ivanovic's reaction. They said it like it was a good enough reason not to give the penalty. I don't understand why they think it was a fair decision by the ref, the Southampton player stepped on Ivanovic's achilles, it's a penalty. He could roll around and and scream and shout pretending he was in agony, but it would still be a foul.

Exactly Scott, does my head in. Glen Hoddles stupid suggestion about players play acting or surrounding the ref should mean the freekick should go the other way was a ridiculous notion too and right out of this school of thought.

[dkw]

On Sky they said that the ref probably didn't give the pen because of Ivanovic's reaction. They said it like it was a good enough reason not to give the penalty. I don't understand why they think it was a fair decision by the ref, the Southampton player stepped on Ivanovic's achilles, it's a penalty. He could roll around and and scream and shout pretending he was in agony, but it would still be a foul.

and all that with no mention of the saints player throwing himself all over the place. Strange that.