Hindsight being what it is I'm disappointed with Conte today. With Alonso out the balance that makes the 3-4-3 so effective was missing but Conte chose to persist with the tactic instead of trying something different (4-5-1, 4-4-1-1 etc). Too many square pegs in round holes cost us the game.

Edited April 16, 20179 yr by the special one

34 minutes ago, comtrend said:

Alot of our troubles would have been solved by playing 3-5-2, with Pedro and Hazard as strikers. We would have had 3 against 3 in midfield, Herrera wouldn't have been able to mark Hazard without giving us advantage in central midfield and we would have played with 11 men (no Costa).

Totally agree with this, Conte had the chance to move to this once he knew Alonso was unwell. Having had the advantage of seeing the oppositions teamsheet he could have countered its strengths. Personally without having had Ake as an option, Pedro was the most able to play LWB with Hazard playing off Costa( who may or may not have got involved in the game more positively if he had been involved from the start instead of starved of any ball). 

Edited April 16, 20179 yr by charierre

This quote from weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com sums it up perfectly for me :

"This Chelsea side has done a magnificent job over the course of the season, which is why they’re still favourites for the title. The players have done their jobs very well. But today, they embarrassed themselves and embarrassed the club, setting themselves up for the chance of total ruin at the end of the season. There are six games left, and it would be totally unacceptable for this form to continue."

I am seriously starting to question the desire of our team to win this title. Such performances really make me wonder, I just don't think they really want it. How can they played like this? 

why dont you all stop moaning, we will win the league still, one bad game what do you expect? we have improved so much from last season

 

get a grip and calm down

 

conte knows whats best for the team

1 minute ago, Dave+T said:

conte knows whats best for the team

evidently not today

20 minutes ago, just said:

The injuries didn't help for sure but we have mostly been unaffected by losing players to injuries this year. Besides, apparently Alonso reported feeling unwell this morning so Conte must have planned for that.

The one thing I am certain Conte didn't anticipate in any shape of form was Mourinho leaving out Ibra. It proved to be an astute move as Lingaard and Rashford exposed us with their movement, especially Rashford. The man-marking of Hazard was a gamble from Jose as it is incredibly hard to do perfectly for 90 minutes. It takes a  certain type of player and an exceptional level of concentration. In a situation where there is a 60/40 ball and you are the closest player, the instinct is to go for the ball. Most players will just react instinctively in that situation and leave their man. A player like David Luiz could never do a man-marking job like Herrera did on Hazard today.

As in any football match there are so many variables and all a manager can do before the start is try to predict them and plan accordingly. I thought that was the old Jose today, gambled a bit, nullified our key strengths in Hazard and Kante, and definately, 100% definately, had them tracking back far quicker than they have done in our previous games.  I have refused to criticise Conte for anything he has done so far this season, but is becoming clear Costa is a problem he seems reluctant to tackle.

Have to agree on that Just. There is the old argument of trying to play players back in to form but he has been abysmal for too long now and at times is a liability. There is no way when someone is under performing as badly as Costa is, that they should still be playing 90 minutes. It's sending out the wrong message. I can see him being poor again at Wembley next week and wouldn't be at all surprised if the Spurs players wind him up and he sees red. Gonna be at the game with my son next week and really not looking forward to it.

3 minutes ago, the special one said:

evidently not today

you probably never been to a game mushroom

Small margins today we didn't play well but   If we are honest it was on the cards. The mouriho factor ect ect! Keep the faith people, the open top bus will be travelling down the Fulham road this year not that sh*thole of a seven sisters road and I will be drunk as a monkey hanging off a lamppost with a bottle of scotch in my hand! KTBFFH!

Just now, Dave+T said:

you probably never been to a game mushroom

Up until a few years ago I had a season ticket and travelled whenever I could thanks.

Like most on here I have faith in Conte but he or the team are not immune to criticism

8 minutes ago, Dave+T said:

why dont you all stop moaning, we will win the league still, one bad game what do you expect? we have improved so much from last season

 

get a grip and calm down

 

conte knows whats best for the team

 

4 minutes ago, Dave+T said:

you probably never been to a game mushroom

Two posts in and he's already having a go at people. Great way to introduce yourself to the forum. 

Also, calling someone a mushroom is one of the worst attempts at insulting someone i have ever seen  

1 minute ago, the special one said:

Up until a few years ago I had a season ticket and travelled whenever I could thanks.

Like most on here I have faith in Conte but he or the team are not immune to criticism

i do think its mostly you armchair fans that like moaning about the team the most, personally i think you arm chair fans should just be quiet - most people never thought  we would be top from how it was last season - we lose to place and man utd and you all acting like a bunch of fools

most of you at the start of the season would of took top 4

so just be proud not so kind of morons

I'm suprised Zouma played when he got taken off at half time against Palace. I thought it would be quite simple to replace like for like and have Ake at LWB. Left footed and will be solid at least, you also won't have to mess around with the back 3 either.

Costa us the title

1 minute ago, ChelsaePirate said:

Costa us the title

The title is still very much within our own performances. If we are good enough we will win it. I'd much sooner be in our position than Spuds,just the margins are a little thinner now.

If we don't win it we don't deserve to win it. As simple as that.

i would have taken top 4 at the start so anything is a bonus really.

 

lets just keep cool and see what happens.

 Just one horrible day. Friends Kodi box wouldn't work and 5 streams went down on me. Plus all that you've mentioned above. Head F*ck of a day.

You don't know how lucky you were!

7 minutes ago, charierre said:

The title is still very much within our own performances. If we are good enough we will win it. I'd much sooner be in our position than Spuds,just the margins are a little thinner now.

Spuds are rampant & we  are expecting the media to wax lyrical over tottenham to increase the mental pressure on our players.

 

Not bottling it at this stage for sure

But our player must understand that the title can be won once in a row...Leicesetr way last season is an example..also we have 5 previous title trophies

2 hours ago, Brutos said:

Spurs will get the same treatment at OT like we did they have Arsenal palace Hull and West Ham all big matches

And Leicester away

what is there to say now. pick ourselves up and go again, and hopefully the players prove they have the mentality to win the damn league. our performances have definitely been starting to dip for the last couple months, but hopefully we have enough in us to get over the line.  

21 minutes ago, charierre said:

The title is still very much within our own performances. If we are good enough we will win it. I'd much sooner be in our position than Spuds,just the margins are a little thinner now.

Exactly right, if we are good enough we will win it. However of late we have not been good enough. 

As mostly happens, the team with the hunger win and United were totally up for it, playing better than I've seen them this season. We can't win every match so we will have to take it on the chin and get on with it. Sometimes a defeat can have a galvanising effect and in some ways it's a pity that it's the FA match next week, that and the firm Spurs are in, makes for an interesting few weeks coming up.

P.S. Costa, who is not in good form admittedly, is not the reason we lost today - our midfield was overrun, Hazard was controlled and our passing was abysmal at times.

Just now, axman2526 said:

Exactly right, if we are good enough we will win it. However of late we have not been good enough. 

This may be true, we do have four home matches left ( 2 who will be probably relegated by the time we play them and 2 who will be thinking of their jollies) and an away match against a West Brom side that were atrocious today. Those matches alone should give us the title with a saver against Everton. I maintain that 87pts will definitely get the title this year, we now need to regroup and play a six game season. 

34 minutes ago, Dave+T said:

i do think its mostly you armchair fans that like moaning about the team the most, personally i think you arm chair fans should just be quiet - most people never thought  we would be top from how it was last season - we lose to place and man utd and you all acting like a bunch of fools

most of you at the start of the season would of took top 4

so just be proud not so kind of morons

Dave, go sober up.

2 hours ago, just said:

Someone might post #alternativefacts.

Me personally, I think you have a very valid point.

 

Aside from personnel how different were the tactics from the FA Cup match? Herrera marking Hazard instead of Jones? The opening goal changed the game and we had no ideas how to attack them for the rest of the half