Imagine the side without Kante, we'd get dominated massively.

Hope we see Morata in second half, surely he will offer more than Batshuayi? He has tried but he's not really making any difference.

Would like to see Musonda too. Boring 1st half with barely any chances, hopefully we will be sharper and more dangerous in next half.

i expected arsenal to be a bit fresher considering they finished playing in that emirates cup a few days ago and we've had a relatively short preseason. i would love to see musonda or boga feature in this game, but i reckon conte would desperately want to win this cup. i hope he does feature though he gave us great energy and directness when he came on in preseason. 

Not really impressed with our first half, we're not really dangerous, but we also don't give Arsenal a lot. We've to be careful, let's hope for a better second half, can't really find our best players this half. Luiz and Cahill were the better ones this half, very good defensive football by them. 

COME ON CHELS!!!!!!

I suggest that if a player wrongly risks getting suspended for two games by a referee the referee should also risk being suspended for as many games when he messes up.

8 minutes ago, TheFunkeyGibbon said:

I'm sorry but that was a penalty all day. Belerin's knee catches Willian and causes him to fall. Booking him was a dirty decision and Clattenberg calling it the right decision just shows how pointless he is.

Agreed. But it's also easy to see how the ref missed it. In Australia now you would get video replay for that and eventually the correct decision. 

Alonso and Moses needs to switch on. Alonso seems like he tries too hard, he'll make a good interception then loses the ball far too quickly. Moses is the worst thrower of a ball I've seen in a Chelsea shirt and he needs to work on maintaining composure

lol... THey just showed Lazca hitting the post. Guess where Fabregas was?

Thought Moses has been fine except for one throw. 

 

2 minutes ago, ozboy said:

Agreed. But it's also easy to see how the ref missed it. In Australia now you would get video replay for that and eventually the correct decision. 

it's more the fact clattenburg agreed with the decision after seeing it which is the issue here. if this was a prem game and that led to a sending off, the player would be suspended because the refs are incompetent of noticing a blatant non-dive even when it's in front of them on a screen. 

Edited August 6, 20178 yr by enigma

We look listless in attack, zero real chances. If we show up like this in a couple of weeks we'll be 2-0 down at half time.

2 minutes ago, ozboy said:

Agreed. But it's also easy to see how the ref missed it. In Australia now you would get video replay for that and eventually the correct decision. 

It really baffles me it's taking so long to get that in to football over here, it's clearly needed. The officials get decisions wrong far too often as we seen last season and this season it's started already.

Arsenal look like they're on cheat mode, a yard faster all over the pitch. Only Kante and Pedro showing anything like form. First twenty minutes looked like we had retired from defending, Fabregas doesn't work in a two man midfield. Bats again looking too lightweight leading the line, always likely to get a goal but his link play especially with his back to the goal is poor. Time to experiment a little in the second half, maybe 3/5/2.

It may be a penalty, it may not be, but it certainly wasn't a dive. Simple as that really.

*Vietnam Style Flashbacks of the Community Shield before 2015/16 season.  

4 minutes ago, ozboy said:

Thought Moses has been fine except for one throw. 

And his signature move letting a forward jump uncontested between him and dave at the back post, if he can't jum as high needs to put his body into them so they cant get purchase, can't just leave them to do a dele alli 

conte's fortune has to change in cup finals (?) soon. 

10 minutes ago, BordeauxBlue said:

No it's instint to feel the slightest of touches and fall over.

Doesn't make it right - hate seeing sh*t like that. Stay on your feet!

 Maybe you did not study at school, so I will explain in simple terms. If you are stationary, and I clip you your foot - you will likely remain upright. If you run at high speed and I clip your foot, your momentum will keep you moving, but now without balance, and you will fall over.  Ask your friends to do it to you, and then come back and comment again.

Not great. Although I was really expecting anything different. We struggled in the fa cup final against arsenal playing this system, and we have a weaker team out today. 

Arsenal seem to play out of our press alot easier than we play out of theirs. 

Batshuayi has struggled to hold the ball up. We haven't really looked like scoring. 

Hoping to see musonda, morata, and rudiger in 2nd half. 

With 6 substitutes i think we'll see a few changes. Just gotta make sure you still have some penalty takers up your sleeve.

4 minutes ago, EdinburghBlue said:

It really baffles me it's taking so long to get that in to football over here, it's clearly needed. The officials get decisions wrong far too often as we seen last season and this season it's started already.

It'll be like the confed cup. Ref does the same thing and decides not to use the video.

We look very lacklustre all over the pitch. Michy is not getting any service whatsoever, Hopefully this is not a sign of the times.

Plot Twist!
The Tottenham v Juventus game was a set up!
Half-Time ends!
Alex Sandro (who had been hiding in the stands) jumps into action, rips off his Juve shirt to reveal a royal blue Chelsea kit.
Scores the winning goal and kicks the sh*t out of Xhaka 

Imagine if we had signed Sandro. He'd make our attack so much better!

Im really hoping for some changes otherwise I fear it may just be more of the same.

1 minute ago, Stim said:

It'll be like the confed cup. Ref does the same thing and decides not to use the video.

I think it should be mandatory for any penalty, red card or dive. It would literally take seconds. The argument it slows the game down is daft, the game will already be stopped. It's more important these crucial decisions are correct.

2nd Half coming up. Hoping we have more to show for it.