What we lack in abundance is composure. We never look in control (Palace away, maybe). That might be a confidence thing. We also lack a certain amount of quality. We are where we are, the table doesn't lie. It's difficult to see a way out at the minute, we don't have the players to turn this around.

In making the change the Board have contrived to in effect make very little change.

Fab & Costa have improved, or maybe just started to try

when they were put under the microscope as having had issue with the last manager. Mikel has been given a shot and sort of profitted it from his chance.

The defending is now laughable, never mind getting in a striker this is the teams Achilles heel with midfield defending not that far behind.

Home games seem to exaggarate these weaknesses, unless Palace were really sub par last week (they did lose to villa so maybe their fortunes are changing), because the team were good value for the 0-3 result.

It seems that it's going to be a relegation scrap until May.

Six unbeaten but its a meaningless stat when you look at the bottom half of the table.

Up next the blue mousers and most of our starting 11 have played 3 matches in a week and a half, based upon today's showing not confident.

Wake me up in June please !!!

So next 3 are Everton (H), Arsenal (A), Watford (A). 

 

On paper a tough set of fixtures, but given how this season is shaping up it's difficult to predict anything.

3pts, 5 would be good

They played to their strengths, can't fault them for that to be fair. Arsene Wenger complained for years about the physicality before conceding that he needed to sign Giroud.

 

Physicality is fine if it's legal, the Premier League is too soft on teams that are cynically fouling other teams. You see it every week now and it's damaging the league. We seem to get only a handful of games a season that you can say had top quality football these days.

So next 3 are Everton (H), Arsenal (A), Watford (A). 

 

On paper a tough set of fixtures, but given how this season is shaping up it's difficult to predict anything. 

 

3pts, 5 would be good

2 -4 points, 1 at Arsenal and 1-3 at Watford. 

How does Terry still start games? It's like Rooney with us. Players playing on past merits, not current form. Why can't managers grow some balls and drop them? The sooner you are rid of the likes of Terry and we are rid of Rooney then our clubs will once again evolve. This won't go down well here but these two players are cancers of their dressing rooms and need shipping out. Remember, no player is ever bigger than your club. Terry wouldn't get in the West Brom side so how he still starts for the champions I will never know. Managers are afraid of him it seems and that isn't right.

Costa needs to go as well IMO. Vastly overrated and a complete and utter c**t. Spends too much time arguing with refs and other players. He reminds me of Suarez.

Edited January 13, 201610 yr by RAWK Meltdown

As I posted earlier I and no faith in this ref tonight and sadly that feeling was shown to be right. The only thing he could have done more to help them was send off Diego. That is the only slack he cut us. That is all I will say on him directly though, it is clear most of us are rather upset with him.

 

On to our opposition. 2 nice things to say about their side today. For one excellent work ethic and rate, cannot question that. For the other 2 very well taken goals, but I am leaning towards viewing them as 2 flukes because otherwise West Brom were garbage ability wise (baring Fletcher), absolute thug footballers (including Fletcher) who went out of their way to spoil this game. The got away with foul after foul, Yacob should have walked the first half. That second "accident" was a clear, blatant trip. The fact he got away with another one that forced Pulis in to a complete admission of guilt tells its own story.

 

Unlucky for us with the ref, unlucky for us that such a poor side scored 2 beautiful flukes against us. In spite of that not unlucky us to draw this, in spite of it all we were just not good enough at the back or up front to come away from today and say we deserved to win. Cheaply losing the ball up front, in midfield and at the back. A better side, such as we have seen with Liverpool, Palace, Saints and even Bournemouth, would have beaten us today. Palace was a rare glimpse to the Chelsea of last season, today we saw our current side in all their "glory".

 

Only part of the defense that can have no blame is Courtios. His only error, a missed punch, led to nothing. He had no chance on either goal. JT got done a couple of times by Rondon, but for West Broms sub standard team attacking we would have been punished more. Brana and Dave got exposed a few times, and were let off again by poor West Brom crossing. Zouma was decent for me until they drew level again and then he forgot how to play.

 

Cesc was passing well, I do not recall him giving it away cheaply and he was working hard, and sadly it proved a mistake that Guus brought on Matic for him. Matic offered no additional shield for us and we only lost the ball more. Mikel did not put a foot wrong second half but was draw in to their "failing down at the slightest contact" game in the first half.

 

Willian, as good as he has been this year, was absolutely useless today. Every corner was sh*t, his free kick was way away, his link in the attack was poor and Guus should have brought him off. However somehow the invisible Oscar was even worse and a clear better candidate to be sacrificed for defensive needed than Cesc. I dare say Remy and RLC would have done no worse than these two today.

 

As for Pedro, well that got well covered at HT. No need to say more.

 

Guus got this one wrong, badly wrong. We were not good enough and again we cannot win back to back league games. Still very much in the relegation battle.

 

Jose's name started to be sung again at the end. 6 games unbeaten since he left, but it seems like 1 step forward and 2 steps back after tonight.

 

 

How does Terry still start games? It's like Rooney with us. Players playing on past merits, not current form. Why can't managers grow some balls and drop them? The sooner you are rid of the likes of Terry and we are rid of Rooney then our clubs will once again evolve. This won't go down well here but these two players are cancers of their dressing rooms and need shipping out. Both are two big for their boots. Remember, no player is even bigger than your club.

I will take this one. Because Cahill is the other option and JT is still way better than him.

How does Terry still start games? It's like Rooney with us. Players playing on past merits, not current form. Why can't managers grow some balls and drop them? The sooner you are rid of the likes of Terry and we are rid of Rooney then our clubs will once again evolve. This won't go down well here but these two players are cancers of their dressing rooms and need shipping out. Both are two big for their boots. Remember, no player is even bigger than your club.

 

Terry wasn't that bad tonight, i would say Zouma was much worse. Defensively we got it all wrong as a team tonight, it wasn't one person that was the problem. I have seen you come out and say this a few times about Terry this season, but you can't just point the finger at one person because he is getting older, espeically when the rest of them are playing worse. If Terry is bad because you think he is old, what is the excuse for the rest of them ?

 

Also, did you see us when we dropped Terry for a few games earlier in the season ? we were even worse. So it's not Terry that is the problem, it's the team as a whole that is the problem.

Edited January 13, 201610 yr by Scott Harris

As I posted earlier I and no faith in this ref tonight and sadly that feeling was shown to be right. The only thing he could have done more to help them was send off Diego. That is the only slack he cut us. That is all I will say on him directly though, it is clear most of us are rather upset with him.

On to our opposition. 2 nice things to say about their side today. For one excellent work ethic and rate, cannot question that. For the other 2 very well taken goals, but I am leaning towards viewing them as 2 flukes because otherwise West Brom were garbage ability wise (baring Fletcher), absolute thug footballers (including Fletcher) who went out of their way to spoil this game. The got away with foul after foul, Yacob should have walked the first half. That second "accident" was a clear, blatant trip. The fact he got away with another one that forced Pulis in to a complete admission of guilt tells its own story.

Unlucky for us with the ref, unlucky for us that such a poor side scored 2 beautiful flukes against us. In spite of that not unlucky us to draw this, in spite of it all we were just not good enough at the back or up front to come away from today and say we deserved to win. Cheaply losing the ball up front, in midfield and at the back. A better side, such as we have seen with Liverpool, Palace, Saints and even Bournemouth, would have beaten us today. Palace was a rare glimpse to the Chelsea of last season, today we saw our current side in all their "glory".

Only part of the defense that can have no blame is Courtios. His only error, a missed punch, led to nothing. He had no chance on either goal. JT got done a couple of times by Rondon, but for West Broms sub standard team attacking we would have been punished more. Brana and Dave got exposed a few times, and were let off again by poor West Brom crossing. Zouma was decent for me until they drew level again and then he forgot how to play.

Cesc was passing well, I do not recall him giving it away cheaply and he was working hard, and sadly it proved a mistake that Guus brought on Matic for him. Matic offered no additional shield for us and we only lost the ball more. Mikel did not put a foot wrong second half but was draw in to their "failing down at the slightest contact" game in the first half.

Willian, as good as he has been this year, was absolutely useless today. Every corner was sh*t, his free kick was way away, his link in the attack was poor and Guus should have brought him off. However somehow the invisible Oscar was even worse and a clear better candidate to be sacrificed for defensive needed than Cesc. I dare say Remy and RLC would have done no worse than these two today.

As for Pedro, well that got well covered at HT. No need to say more.

Guus got this one wrong, badly wrong. We were not good enough and again we cannot win back to back league games. Still very much in the relegation battle.

Jose's name started to be sung again at the end. 6 games unbeaten since he left, but it seems like 1 step forward and 2 steps back after tonight.

I will take this one. Because Cahill is the other option and JT is still way better than him.

Cahill isn't better than Terry. Cahill can actually run for a start.

Terry wasn't that bad tonight, i would say Zouma was much worse. Defensively we got it all wrong as a team tonight, it wasn't one person that was the problem. I have seen you come out and say this a few times about Terry this season, but you can't just point the finger at one person because he is getting older, espeically when the rest of them are playing worse. If Terry is bad because you think he is old, what is the excuse for the rest of them ?

I haven't watched your match tonight mate and I mean no disrespect but Terry has been a liability nearly every time I have watched you play this season.

Same for the likes of Rooney and Fellaini for us - utter sh*te.

What I don't understand is that the players are just so static all of the time, there is so little movement from them it's pathetic. We desperately need the summer to come so we can get rid of the deadwood and hopefully we get a manager that wants to play some decent football.

How does Terry still start games? It's like Rooney with us. Players playing on past merits, not current form. Why can't managers grow some balls and drop them? The sooner you are rid of the likes of Terry and we are rid of Rooney then our clubs will once again evolve. This won't go down well here but these two players are cancers of their dressing rooms and need shipping out. Both are too big for their boots. Remember, no player is even bigger than your club. Terry wouldn't get in the West Brom side so how he still starts for the champions I will never know. Managers are afraid of him it seems and that isn't right.

JT might be in rotation with Cahill at the moment but we won't know until more games are played and we see the selection pattern.

And we can't compare JT with Rooney, JT is a legend to us and offers leadership and defensive organisation but Rooney is probably marmite to United fans, at this minute marmite that's gone off too.

Every game this season, when our players get possession of the ball, only a few players would give me a feeling that something might develop further. Ivan can not pass or cross, and just kicks the ball without any target in mind, very often straight into an opposition's defender. Zouma is very nervous with the ball, and has to orientate his whole body to line his foot with the direction of his pass. When attacked, he just panics and kicks the ball aimlessly. Mikel prefers passes across or back. Matic does not have vision or imagination, so performs most obvious passes - easily read by opposition. Terry plays safe - I think indoctrinated by Jose's "kill the game" mentality all the time, no real adventure there. Pedro - very hit and miss, no real understanding with other players around him. Costa plays a different game to others. His passing intentions are just baffling - why? what for ? to whom?. Azpi, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar and Hazard are the only guys who raise hope in me that we can actually PLAY FOOTBALL, create a chance, get a combination going, show individual skills, entertain me as their supporter. To stay in the elite of European football Chelsea needs to invest heavily, but wisely, probably bring in 3-4 new decent players in their early twenties and top it up with 3-4 players from our youth academy. KTBFFH.

Decent games again for Fabregas and Costa, definitely a step above the Jose part of the season. Still disappointing that we couldn't hold on to either of the leads. Think we are due a WIllian free kick any day now :) Can't seem to get one on target recently

Every game this season, when our players get possession of the ball, only a few players would give me a feeling that something might develop further. Ivan can not pass or cross, and just kicks the ball without any target in mind, very often straight into an opposition's defender. Zouma is very nervous with the ball, and has to orientate his whole body to line his foot with the direction of his pass. When attacked, he just panics and kicks the ball aimlessly. Mikel prefers passes across or back. Matic does not have vision or imagination, so performs most obvious passes - easily read by opposition. Terry plays safe - I think indoctrinated by Jose's "kill the game" mentality all the time, no real adventure there. Pedro - very hit and miss, no real understanding with other players around him. Costa plays a different game to others. His passing intentions are just baffling - why? what for ? to whom?. Azpi, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar and Hazard are the only guys who raise hope in me that we can actually PLAY FOOTBALL, create a chance, get a combination going, show individual skills, entertain me as their supporter. To stay in the elite of European football Chelsea needs to invest heavily, but wisely, probably bring in 3-4 new decent players in their early twenties and top it up with 3-4 players from our youth academy. KTBFFH.

Agree. Except about Mikel. Our defence has absolutely no composure.

Highlights - http://bit.ly/1TW8geO

Highlights - http://bit.ly/1TW8geO

 

That'll be just the two goals and a couple of half chances from Costa then.

Cahill isn't better than Terry. Cahill can actually run for a start.

Ramires can run too mate, a lot, you cannot make an argument about player x being better than player y just cause player x can run.

Couple of thoughts on getting back just now:

 

1) The ref deserved the abuse he got, let them get away with a stupid amount of time-wasting even after setting a precedent by booking their keeper. Seemed to delight in jabbing us with small snide decisions, like giving them what must have been a 30 second advantage after a foul late on and also blowing for half time despite us having a 3 on 2 counter-attack.

 

2) We're still sh*t.

 

3) f**k the ref again.

I'm sorry, Robert Huth scoring a winner in a top four title challenge, a player who wasn't good enough for us, it just sums up the standard that this league has fallen too. From Keane, Viera, Lamps, Gerrard, to watching Drinkwater trying to help Leicester win the league, also the future champions can't stop the worst Liverpool team in years score three against them. The rest of Europe are laughing at the state of this league (including some of the worst referrees in world football) and were lying in 14th, still no new signings and time ticks on, but I wonder who would pick the premier league over la liga, Serie a, or even the bundesliga, not too many anymore, watching MOTD has become like watching a joke that's ran on for too long.

Edited January 13, 201610 yr by Floyd25

I am surprised the West Brom fans didn't boo McClean, only anti Irish Catholic when it suits them, though he irritates me more than them as he is happy to represent a club who treated him so badly, if I was James I would move to the US league or somewhere, have some self respect.

Edited January 13, 201610 yr by curtis---

We are pathetic as a team, particularly our D.

 

Jose is gone and we're still useless, makes me wonder if we got rid of the wrong person...

We are pathetic as a team, particularly our D.

 

Jose is gone and we're still useless, makes me wonder if we got rid of the wrong person...

 

Surely you don't have to 'wonder' about this do you? Sounded to me during the latter stages of the game given what was being sung by a fair few of our match going supporters that they had no doubts. 

Edited January 14, 201610 yr by youlots

Two teams in the bottom half of the table battle it out for a 2-2 draw. Nothing to see here.

 

Game just about summed up our season. A lot of false hope then brought down to earth with the reality that we're just not good enough.

 

WBA are an average side but we still conceded two which is pretty worrying.

 

At least we're not losing under Hiddink so if we carry on we'll be good enough to get into mid-table

 

Nothing is going to really change without a serious overhaul of the squad. And that's going to have to happen without the prospects of Champions League football.

 

No wonder Abramovich looked depressed at the end. I think the reality has just hit him.