Not a bad result in hindsight, realistically it would have been tough keeping PSG goalless in the second leg, so either way we would have had to score at home.

Also really irate at how their first goal took a deflection but onwards and upwards.

Edited February 17, 201610 yr by Teritus

seems like indifferent view regarding players among posters here.. overall, they played quite well especially azpi and baba.. both cahill and hazard were pretty good, cavani goal's wasn't cahill's fault, it should be ivan's.. hazard did what he could under that circumstances so I don't know why he's been single out that much.. If I have to pick someone for rather disappointing performance then it would be costa, apart from that header, his contribution was minimum and he lost possession quite a lot!! 

You're right to give some stick to Costa, but hazard was just as bad...felt like he passed the ball more to PSG players than his own

Both first options in central defence out and lost only 2-1 with a very good performance. Honestly nothing to complain about IMO. See them at the bridge!

shame it was guus' first loss with us. if it had stayed a draw the confidence may have been even higher after last night. i think we can take a lot from the game though especially considering we had our two best central defenders missing (though in some ways is a breath of fresh air considering how we can set up the back four now), and matic suspended, as well as being very limited on the bench. 

Edited February 17, 201610 yr by enigma

Understandable though given that we basically had Oscar on the bench when they could bring on Cavani, Pastore and Rabiot.

 

Who is Rabiot? I could argue he's basically a player of the calibre and potential of Traore or Kenedy, but given a chance to prove himself in the first team.

Well I apparently have a different opinion to this game then most, mainly because I thought Hazard had a good game and for the first 50-55 minutes he looked like one of our better players his vision was good he looked good on the ball his link up play and fluidity were there as well. He did look to tire in the second half though but he is lack of fitness just coming back from injury and that was a tough game on the legs. He was also pretty decent defensively in this game at least for him and he did a lot more work tracking back than I expected.

I'm not sure where this Hazard bashing comes from with Hazard, Is it just he keeps being linked away and has been on poor form but even when his performances are starting to get better he is still being bashed. Is it just that we now expect him to be the best player in every game and aren't allowing him time to re find his legs and form again as by the looks of things he needs support and encouragement as he looks a little low on confidence and not animosity as that just makes the situation harder to overcome. I would also say that for me he didn't lack drive in this game he was certainly putting in a shift in the first 55 minutes when he started to tire, so I personally think those having a go at his drive are just looking for a stick to beat him with especially one that suggests he doesn't want to be here.

He didn't set the world alight last night but he certainly wasn't bad, or playing as though he didn't want to be here.

I also think that Cahill and Ivanovic were immense at the back and liked the team structure with Baba at LB who also had a very decent game.

I thought that Pedro played really well in the first 60 minutes and had a great defensive display and looks to have taken the mantle from Ramires as our work horse in the big games. However he also looked to tire later on into the game and started to leave holes down that right side.

Overall I though the side played very well and every one looked determined and up for the fight, 2-1 is not a bad result but we had the chances to get a second. Bring on the second leg we can have this one. 

I'm not sure where this Hazard bashing comes from with Hazard, Is it just he keeps being linked away and has been on poor form but even when his performances are starting to get better he is still being bashed. Is it just that we now expect him to be the best player in every game and aren't allowing him time to re find his legs and form again as by the looks of things he needs support and encouragement as he looks a little low on confidence and not animosity as that just makes the situation harder to overcome. I would also say that for me he didn't lack drive in this game he was certainly putting in a shift in the first 55 minutes when he started to tire, so I personally think those having a go at his drive are just looking for a stick to beat him with especially one that suggests he doesn't want to be here.

 

He's altered the perception of himself because he's been poor this season, but rather than do his talking on the pitch he does it off it and pisses off a very large section of the support.

 

As for his level of drive, what the f**k is a player who earns £200k p/w doing starting the season clearly overweight? He wasn't the only one (Costa!) but he's literally wasted a whole season of his career.

 

That is exactly why he will never be the best in the world. He doesn't have the attitude needed and that's fair enough. He's still a brilliant footballer, doing what he loves and then going home to a lovely family. But when you do that, and then give an interview where you wiggle your arse at other teams you have to expect some disgruntled fans.

Disappointed at the result. However we got a vital away goal and hopefully we get through.

I would have taken the result before the match - so pleased with the away goal - and at the end I felt we were good for a draw at least. I still think we can do 'em at the Bridge. Kudos to Dave as always, Willian (surely our POTS), Brana/Cahill much better than I expected. I also like the look of Baba, he definately provides a useful attacking option although defensively he still needs to improve.

 

I agree with a lot of posts here in that Guus needs to fully utilise the substitutions and earlier.

Just because I said there wasn't much of an improvement doesn't mean I think we played badly. Indifferent doesn't mean bad. Again my annoyance wasn't at the performance but at the fact we gave away two goals that could have been easily dealt with

 

yeah, right, because this professional football thing is so easy, right?  Particularly in the Champions League.  Against international footballers of great experience. You wouldn't have let in the free-kick or let Cavani beat your offside trap, would you?

I'm disappointed with the result because I really thought a draw would have been fair. Chelsea applied themselves really well especially towards the end of the first half. I think they can hold their heads up high, except Hazard who I think everyone will be happy to sell.

 

Here's hoping PSG don't get an away goal first at the Bridge.

 

I like the fact that we need to score, though. That urgency and being at home will replicate a Napoli feel. We can pull it off again. In fact, the last time the Bridge was atmospheric was probably the 2-0 win against PSG. Let's see that again.

I'm disappointed with the result because I really thought a draw would have been fair. Chelsea applied themselves really well especially towards the end of the first half. I think they can hold their heads up high, except Hazard who I think everyone will be happy to sell.

 

Here's hoping PSG don't get an away goal first at the Bridge.

 

I like the fact that we need to score, though. That urgency and being at home will replicate a Napoli feel. We can pull it off again. In fact, the last time the Bridge was atmospheric was probably the 2-0 win against PSG. Let's see that again.

 

I wouldn't be happy for us to sell Hazard, i just want the guy to get back to his best.

Hugely disappointed with the result mainly because of Guus

 

PSG started getting the upper hand in the 2nd half and that was the time to make changes to get fresh legs on and Guus as usual went to sleep & we conceded the 2nd and were lucky not to go down 3-1 

 

Games such as these drain so much out of the players and are mainly decided by minor details and unfortunately we've given them an inch and I just hope they don't end up taking a mile. 

I don't really understand everyone bashing Hazard. When he got subbed off PSG came into the game more and managed to get a goal. Fair enough he isn't skipping through players like last season but with him on the pitch it takes two players to close him down because of the threat he possesses. This frees up space for other players to run in to. Bringing on Oscar for him was a huge mistake as it changed our shape and the way we played massively. 

Might be a good idea for our fans to boycott Paris in the future, their police are absolute disgrace, spraying tear gas because our fans dared to celebrate, this is not the first time they've done this to people, nothing gets done about it.

PSG deserved to win this one, no doubt. Their second half performance earned them the victory. We didn't play badly, in fact I thought we were very good, especially our defending (and not just our defenders). Hiddink said last week that a team needs three days to recover/prepare and he is correct - you could see we had nothing left at the end. It gives me no pleasure to say Hazard was below par, again. Perhaps he is still recovering from his injuries so let's give him the benefit of the doubt for the moment. I thought Pedro did a great defensive job and on another night Costa might have got a goal. It was a good team performance and that is always good. My head tells me that PSG are just stronger than the present team but my heart tells me that Chelsea will give it their all at the bridge, so 50/50 is how it stands.

Hey there,

 

I usually come to this forum to see how the other side view the game (I'm french, PSG Fan). 

Yesterday night, good game from both sides, really. 

I think the score is quite fair, but from all the matches we see in France, Chelsea is improving. 

 

Willian at a really high level, poison Diego Costa (and this time i must admit : very fair-play). Hazard not in his best performance. Good defense. 

 

Overall, it's gonna be a tough game (again !) in stamford bridge. But really awesome games overall.

 

@Floyd : Yeah, french police is quite hard, as you know, french police have become tougher since the emergency state ...

 

Good day :)

Who is Rabiot? I could argue he's basically a player of the calibre and potential of Traore or Kenedy, but given a chance to prove himself in the first team.

Rabiot is only 20 years old but has made nearly 100 appearances already for PSG. He's much further along in his development than any of our equivalent youngsters. Plus he's having to compete in a quality midfield and a larger squad.

But Blanc still only gave him a cameo appearance last night preferring his more experienced players in such an important game. He could call on the likes of Cavani and Pastore from the subs bench while Hiddink really only had Oscar.

Simple fact is the quality of their bench far exceeded ours and Hiddink said as much after the game.

Rabiot is a young player formed at PSG.

Been loaned a couple of times. 

He's 4th in hierarchy. 

As Paris play always 3 midfielders, Matuidi, Motta and verratti are in front. But he starts playing quite well. 

 

You've got a strong bench as well, i think

Rabiot is only 20 years old but has made nearly 100 appearances already for PSG. He's much further along in his development than any of our equivalent youngsters. Plus he's having to compete in a quality midfield and a larger squad.

But Blanc still only gave him a cameo appearance last night preferring his more experienced players in such an important game. He could call on the likes of Cavani and Pastore from the subs bench while Hiddink really only had Oscar.

Simple fact is the quality of their bench far exceeded ours and Hiddink said as much after the game.

Well statistically 49% of teams recover from a 2-1 away loss in the first leg, (thanks OptaJoe) and based on our display last night, I do think we could snatch a 1-0 or 2-0 at the bridge, PSG were good, no doubt, but Thiago Silva and Luiz aren't the strongest pairing in my opinion, and can be gotten at. 

Hazard was a disgrace in my opinion, don't hate me for saying it, but he honestly looked like he just wasn't arsed except for one decent run. I'd drop him and play Kenedy, at least the kid shows some real desire when he plays. 

Good morning guys!

 

What a game is was last night... We played very well, and we could win If Costa was in big night.

What a performance from our defenders (Except in the second goal, but I blame more Courtois than the defenders, Courtois should've anticipated Cavani's mouvement)

Baba impressed a lot of french journalists yesterday, so you too I think, he was very impressive. His cross for Costa was just wonderfull...

2-1 isn't a bad result, yes we lost but I'm confident for the 2nd leg, I think we can do it. But we'll need a big Costa this night, a big duo WIllian-Costa and the same performance from our defenders..

 

I evaluate 55% 45% to PSG, I heard british journalist evaluate it to 50-50 and here (I'm french)  french journalist evaluate it to 70-30 to PSG, they are very confident about the 2nd leg, more than the 3-1 in 2014, because they remember the 2-2 of last season.

 

I am confident for the 2nd leg, why? Because this time we will have to attack, to put pressure on them start to the minute one.

 

But It's forbidden to concede a goal, If they score I think It will be terminated to us. 

Rabiot is a young player formed at PSG.

Been loaned a couple of times.

He's 4th in hierarchy.

As Paris play always 3 midfielders, Matuidi, Motta and verratti are in front. But he starts playing quite well.

You've got a strong bench as well, i think

Exactly. He's fourth choice at PSG but he has played many more games than any of our youngsters combined. PSG can afford to rotate him into the side and give him the necessary experience probably because of the level of domestic competition that PSG face. Plus when he does start he's playing alongside two out of three top quality midfielders which gives him the space to impress.

I don't think our bench was on the same level as PSGs last night.

Result was fair in the end. We played better than I expected. I still would make PSG favourites to go through but at least we've given ourselves a chance.

Edited February 17, 201610 yr by Socrates

Exactly. He's fourth choice at PSG but he has played many more games than any of our youngsters combined. PSG can afford to rotate him into the side and give him the necessary experience probably because of the level of domestic competition that PSG face. Plus he's playing alongside two out of three top quality midfielders which gives him the space to impress.

I don't think our bench was on the same level as PSGs last night.

Result was fair in the end. We played better than I expected. I still would make PSG favourites to go through but at least we've given ourselves a chance.

Competition is poor in france, you've got a fair point. 

But as PSG is still playing all cups, he'll have time (we have 2 cups in france). 

 

Your bench is decent, maybe not as good, but the team is good. 

Luck for PSG : Verratti played. Without him, psg play way worse. That's the player you want to stop. 

 

As for chelsea, we never except this team to be bad. It's experienced, great players. We don't have the same UCL experience as chelsea players do. I fear way more chelsea than city for example. Way more experienced players in UCL

 

50-50

 

But again, psg can't only defend. We don't know how to do that. I Think (hope?) that we will score in stamford bridge, it's rare we don't score while playing away. But as you pointed out, our defense, as good as it might be isn't the strongest in Europe atm. 

I thought Baba played really well, and that allowed Azpi to continue to boss the game from the right - this should definitely be our wing-back setup for the rest of the season. Pedro also really impressed me more than he has in any other game since his debut. 

 

On a more unfortunate note: the amount of hate thrown at Mikel for his mistake on this thread and in this forum is honestly shocking. He's a Chelsea man through and through and has performed brilliantly since Matic has dropped the ball. He's been one of our best players this season - and I absolutely loved the poetic justice his goal provided - he stepped up and took it really well for someone who rarely scores.

 

Someone on here was calling him a 'useless c*nt who's been a liability his entire career' or something along those lines - even in the heat of the moment, how you can talk about one of our players, who's been at the club for so long, given everything and won everything is beyond me. Some people really need some perspective. 

 

I can see us beating this PSG side - we'll need a stroke of luck and ideally a clean sheet, but its' doable. UTC