I know a lot of us are disappointed with the result - but are we really really surprised ? Be honest with yourself.

We knew coming into this season that we have not strengthened our squad significantly. We knew coming into this season that we will have mid week games which will affect our player performance unless we rotate smartly. And we saw the lineup midweek and we saw the lineup today and can any of you tell me honestly that u did not expect fatigue to play its role ? It did. Second to every ball, slow to react, misplaced passes, not tracking back, not in sync, lack of concentration - everything on display when an almost same team that played midweek displayed a dominant performance. That is what fatigue can do to you.

Conte risked his hand with an almost same line up and we see Moratta having hamstring problems. We should be glad that not more players had the same problem. I was worried for players like Azpi, Alonso and a few others as they did quite some running and could have succumbed to the same mishap and that could have really hurt our season.

For people saying that if we started Zappacosta/ Kennedy we would have lost much worse - I doubt it. They, while being more gullible atleast will have the fresh legs, pace and the strength to track back and get back into the defensive shape. Also Hazard is just getting back from injury and starting him in back to back games in a span of 3 days? Pedro and Willian (who had a horrible game - u guys think Zappacosta will be worse than him ? ) should have started or maybe Musonda (I think any fresh legs not named Willian is a better bet offensively - yup, my opinion is skewed). 

Conte needs to rotate and I hope this game teaches him that valuable lesson. 

pep had a gameplan and the players carried it out to perfection. the score flattered us tbh. they were the better team - simple as that. 

Just now, Osgood is Good said:

No thick blue tinted glasses or a blindfold here, however as soon as we lose you criticise Cahill. News Flash we didn't lose because of Cahill, but yet here you are singling him out again as the problem. In my book that's a vendetta.  And yes you are getting quite irritating to be honest with your constant moaning. Give it a rest fella.

Where did I single him out as THE problem? Where did I say he's THE reason we lost? You're making up things that don't exist now. You really haven't got a clue. Go a few pages back or even click my profile to see my post history and you'll see that I blamed this on Conte and I pointed out other problems we had today. WHERE in this thread have I singled out Cahill and pointed to him as THE problem? Stop letting your blindfold prevent you from using logic and objectivity for f**ks sake! At this point, I don't even see the point in responding to you any further. Have a nice day.

It is quite bitter to admit that the fight for the PL tittle is over already in September.

Playing Bakayoko and Cesc after Wednesdays game was a mistake i think, maybe we would of got away with playing one of them, but not both, they looked slow, tired, off the pace and out of the game.

We allowed citeh to use their back line to move the ball about with no pressure from us at all.

We allowed them to press our back line and virtually starve us of any ball.

Our defence did ok considering.

I think a more attacking line up would of rattled them.

Moses      Dave    Andreas      Cahill      Alonso

                          Kante          

         Willian        Hazard       Pedro

                         Morata

4 minutes ago, brownindian said:

I know a lot of us are disappointed with the result - but are we really really surprised ? Be honest with yourself.

We knew coming into this season that we have not strengthened our squad significantly. We knew coming into this season that we will have mid week games which will affect our player performance unless we rotate smartly. And we saw the lineup midweek and we saw the lineup today and can any of you tell me honestly that u did not expect fatigue to play its role ? It did. Second to every ball, slow to react, misplaced passes, not tracking back, not in sync, lack of concentration - everything on display when an almost same team that played midweek displayed a dominant performance. That is what fatigue can do to you.

Conte risked his hand with an almost same line up and we see Moratta having hamstring problems. We should be glad that not more players had the same problem. I was worried for players like Azpi, Alonso and a few others as they did quite some running and could have succumbed to the same mishap and that could have really hurt our season.

For people saying that if we started Zappacosta/ Kennedy we would have lost much worse - I doubt it. They, while being more gullible atleast will have the fresh legs, pace and the strength to track back and get back into the defensive shape. Also Hazard is just getting back from injury and starting him in back to back games in a span of 3 days? Pedro and Willian (who had a horrible game - u guys think Zappacosta will be worse than him ? ) should have started or maybe Musonda (I think any fresh legs not named Willian is a better bet offensively - yup, my opinion is skewed). 

Conte needs to rotate and I hope this game teaches him that valuable lesson. 

That and the rest of your post but especially THAT counts as moaning on here. It's not allowed anywhere near this forum. We don't tolerate objectivity here.

Just now, JPH said:

It is quite bitter to admit that the fight for the PL tittle is over already in September.

Overreacting a bit much aren't we ? Keep your chin up bro. Conte learns fast and i am sure he realizes the flaw in his plans.

1 minute ago, JPH said:

It is quite bitter to admit that the fight for the PL tittle is over already in September.

still too many games to go. too many variables to say so and so will win the league with 30 league games left to play along with cup games etc. 

How many of you were saying the lineup is bad before the start of the game compared to the amount of people saying Conte got the lineup & tactics wrong? 

I hope Conte can turn it around but don't expect to see any 13 game win streak. If we're still in the title race in January and not more than 2-4 points behind, I'll actually be impressed. We have a lot of work to do.

2 minutes ago, Slojo said:

How many of you were saying the lineup is bad before the start of the game compared to the amount of people saying Conte got the lineup & tactics wrong? 

Everybody said it when Willian was bought on and Hazard pushed up.

That for me was the start of us getting completely over run.

Sh@t happens. Some of you need to take up smoking. :)

1 minute ago, Blue Exile said:

Everybody said it when Willian was bought on and Hazard pushed up.

That for me was the start of us getting completely over run.

I don't recall seeing anyone complaining about the lineup before the start of the game, which is my point. Hindsight is truly a wonderful thing. 

2 minutes ago, Blue Ballet said:

Sh@t happens. Some of you need to take up smoking. :)

I prefer to have good lungs mate 

9 minutes ago, JPH said:

It is quite bitter to admit that the fight for the PL tittle is over already in September.

Have you ever watched a league from start to finish? 

25 minutes ago, zes said:

City need a couple of good defenders, hope he hasn't said anything funny to Andreas. Pep is sly and sneaky

Yes. I wouldn't be surprised if he has said something to turn get into his head, more than just a 'well done'.

I see Willian and Cahill are once more scapegoats on here. Neither of them were hugely influential in bringing about this poor result, imho.

4 minutes ago, Barrettinator said:

Where did I single him out as THE problem? Where did I say he's THE reason we lost? You're making up things that don't exist now. You really haven't got a clue. Go a few pages back or even click my profile to see my post history and you'll see that I blamed this on Conte and I pointed out other problems we had today. WHERE in this thread have I singled out Cahill and pointed to him as THE problem? Stop letting your blindfold prevent you from using logic and objectivity for f**ks sake! At this point, I don't even see the point in responding to you any further. Have a nice day.

Mate you question my logic, that's a f**king joke reading your posts. Unfortunately you bring nothing to the table apart from moaning continuously. As you don't like to sugar coat it mate, I won't either, you're an absolute c*ck. And please don't respond as I'll be busy watching paint dry.

Set back with Morata going off so early, did not help the cause. Having said that I cannot remembered a team in years coming to the bridge and outclassing us like that ..City look the part this season and they are a better team than us this season . KDB ..what a goal what a player . Hopefully things can turn for the better as it did last season. 

2 minutes ago, Slojo said:

I don't recall seeing anyone complaining about the lineup before the start of the game, which is my point. Hindsight is truly a wonderful thing. 

To be fair to myself (pat self on the back ), as soon as I saw Azpi as wingback in a 3-5-2 I thought this is going to invite trouble, setting up to defend 90 minutes and scrounge a few chances here and there. 

 

5 minutes ago, DonAntonio said:

Have you ever watched a league from start to finish? 

Don't get your point. The performance of our today was so poor compared to the performance of City that it is hard to believe us being on top of them in the end of the season.

Us playing in Europe this season with the depth of our squad is even worsening our changes (IMO).

Yes, I have watched the league from the start till the end tens of years. I might be wrong ( and I hope I am) but the difference in our performance compared to the City's one is quite big.

The worst thing about this defeat....we made Delph look like a f**king world class left back...

4 minutes ago, Womble said:

The worst thing about this defeat....we made Delph look like a f**king world class left back...

He had plenty of room. City pushed their wingers out wide and as far forward as possible, and our LWB/RWB could not venture forward enough.

Ok, for me playing City in this form Fabregas should have been on the bench and instead either Luiz or Drinkwater in midfield.

Yet as we know one suspended and the other injured.

Edited September 30, 20178 yr by Strider6003

12 minutes ago, JPH said:

Don't get your point. The performance of our today was so poor compared to the performance of City that it is hard to believe us being on top of them in the end of the season.

Us playing in Europe this season with the depth of our squad is even worsening our changes (IMO).

Yes, I have watched the league from the start till the end tens of years. I might be wrong ( and I hope I am) but the difference in our performance compared to the City's one is quite big.

Is a good point. We heard all last year how no European football offered us help in staying fit and focuses going for the title. Now after a big game in Madrid a limp defeat at home.

2 European games followed by 1 draw and 1 defeat.

Edited September 30, 20178 yr by axman2526

59 minutes ago, Barrettinator said:

You're definitely not a proper Chelsea supporter for pointing any of this out. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Just saying how i feel. My blood is blue and Cahill is trash