Overall 3 points away to arsenal is A very good outcome. Though I don’t think we were by all means that impressive. For some strange reason I feel that this results somewhat papers over the cracks. We are still in need of a few additions to the squad. LB, a winger and maybe even another striker. I would hope that we can at least go on some run as apart from this game and spurs our results have been nothing but abysmal, In the last month or so. 

Am sure Frank, the club and players know this doesn't change anything with regards to planning as we got played off the park by Arsenal for 30 minutes it's like they had 3 more players

19 minutes ago, DidierDrogbalala said:

Anyway apparently the Chelsea locker room ripped into eachother at half time, noticeably Zouma and Tomori.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/12/29/chelseas-players-ripped-stormy-half-time-inquest-helped-inspire/

looked like this kept going until the final whistle - I saw Rudiger & Kepa having some words with each other after Rudi made a sloppy clearance

 

Edited December 29, 20196 yr by robdog
I want to make it clear that I don't agree with the guy's tweet - I wanted to show the play

The team got through today with real spirit. Absolutely buzzing.

11 minutes ago, The Swan said:

The team got through today with real spirit. Absolutely buzzing.

Super Frank agrees with your sentiments

 

Arsenal has the highest number of yellow cards in the league, even in this game full of yellow cards they got away with some of them.

I'm not going to comment about whether or not Jorginho should receive a second yellow for that foul, but, when the incident happened, I felt really angry with Jorginho. Why on earth did you need to foul that guy cynically like that? We were in full control and even the guy that was to get the ball, we would still have dealt with the situation with what really happened, so, what was that foul for? 

Firstly, Jorginho knew he was on a yellow, why commit such a pure yellow card offence? The entire stadium clearly saw the pull, I think everybody in that stadium would have agreed with the referee if he had given him a second yellow card and then a red card, why commit such an offence?

Secondly, I think it underlines Jorginho's lack of pace. If he were a fast and strong player, he would have gone shoulder to shoulder with that player and initially give the player a chance to have the ball (since the player got to the ball first), but he would have run after the player and make it difficult for the player to do anything good with the ball instead of doing a lazy pull of the guy the way he did it. I mean because of Jorginho's lack of pace, he could not initially leave the player and later run after him, he had to resort to a pull on the spot because of his lack of pace. 

thirdly, our defenders were still behind Jorginho, why didnt he leave the guy for the defenders to deal with? Why did he pull him? 

However, I started watching the match from the moment Emerson was substituted, I didn't see anything that happened before that time, but what I saw when I started watching the match, I think Jorginho really did well when he came on. The only think I didn't like was that cynical pull, it was not needed. 

Edited December 29, 20196 yr by hephzibah

1 minute ago, hephzibah said:

I'm not going to comment about whether or not Jorginho should receive a second yellow for that foul, but, when the incident happened, I felt really angry with Jorginho. Why on earth did you need to foul that guy cynically like that? We were in full control and even the guy that was to get the ball, we would still have dealt with the situation with what really happened, so, what was that foul for? 

Firstly, Jorginho knew he was on a yellow, why commit such a pure yellow card offence? The entire stadium clearly saw the pull, I think everybody in that stadium would have agreed with the referee if he had given him a second yellow card and then a red card, why commit such an offence?

Secondly, I think it underlines Jorginho's lack of pace. If he were a fast and strong player, he would have gone shoulder to shoulder with that player and initially give the player a chance to have the ball (since the player got to the ball first), but he would have run after the player and make it difficult for the player to do anything good with the ball instead of doing a lazy pull of the guy the way he did it. I mean because of Jorginho's lack of pace, he could not initially leave the player and later run after him, he had to resort to a pull on the spot because of his lack of pace. 

thirdly, our defenders were still behind Jorginho, why didnt he leave the guy for the defenders to deal? Why did he pull him? 

However, I started watching the match from the moment Emerson was substituted, I didn't see anything that happened before that time, but what I saw when I started watching the match, I think Jorginho really did well when he came on. The only think I didn't like was that cynical pull, it was not needed. 

 

51 minutes ago, Brutos said:

He's lucky Kante is a honest player

I was praying Luiz wouldn't get sent off. With him in their back four it was only a matter of time. For our winner, when he ran after the ball away from the centre and was isolated 1 v 1 with Willian, it had goal written all over it....... or penalty.

I thought we were in control the minute Frank subbed Emerson and changed the formation. Never in doubt for me from there on except when Jorginho could have had a red for the tug on Genjulie. He was lucky there. He would have walked with most refs.

On Arsenal, I thought Abuymeng was huge for them. A fantastic striker with a fantastic attitude and work ethic. Him next to Tammy would be a dream.

looked like this kept going until the final whistle - I saw Rudiger & Kepa having some words with each other after Rudi made a sloppy clearance
 

Good I want to see passion and not accepting crap performances the players need to hold each other accountable

1 minute ago, hephzibah said:

I'm not going to comment about whether or not Jorginho should receive a second yellow for that foul, but, when the incident happened, I felt really angry with Jorginho. Why on earth did you need to foul that guy cynically like that? We were in full control and even the guy that was to get the ball, we would still have dealt with the situation with what really happened, so, what was that foul for? 

Firstly, Jorginho knew he was on a yellow, why commit such a pure yellow card offence? The entire stadium clearly saw the pull, I think everybody in that stadium would have agreed with the referee if he had given him a second yellow card and then a red card, why commit such an offence?

Secondly, I think it underlines Jorginho's lack of pace. If he were a fast and strong player, he would have gone shoulder to shoulder with that player and initially give the player a chance to have the ball (since the player got to the ball first), but he would have run after the player and make it difficult for the player to do anything good with the ball instead of doing a lazy pull of the guy the way he did it. I mean because of Jorginho's lack of pace, he could not initially leave the player and later run after him, he had to resort to a pull on the spot because of his lack of pace. 

thirdly, our defenders were still behind Jorginho, why didnt he leave the guy for the defenders to deal? Why did he pull him? 

However, I started watching the match from the moment Emerson was substituted, I didn't see anything that happened before that time, but what I saw when I started watching the match, I think Jorginho really did well when he came on. The only think I didn't like was that cynical pull, it was not needed. 

If nobody commits those fouls for the team we concede goals. Proven already, our backline often falls to the most simple versions of counter attacks.

I was praying Luiz wouldn't get sent off. With him in their back four it was only a matter of time. For our winner, when he ran after the ball away from the centre and was isolated 1 v 1 with Willian, it had goal written all over it....... or penalty.
I thought we were in control the minute Frank subbed Emerson and changed the formation. Never in doubt for me from there on except when Jorginho could have had a red for the tug on Genjulie. He was lucky there. He would have walked with most refs.
On Arsenal, I thought Abuymeng was huge for them. A fantastic striker with a fantastic attitude and work ethic. Him next to Tammy would be a dream.

Agreed on Aubameyang. Don't think he gets the plaudits he deserves because he is at Arsenal who have flattered to deceive for donkeys now.

Wouldn't say it was never in doubt for me but I was certainly confident we were back in the game and had a fighting chance. At half time I posted that I was just glad to be in just one down with the change already made. Still in the game and now looking the most likely.

25 minutes ago, loz said:

 

 

Agreed on Aubameyang. Don't think he gets the plaudits he deserves because he is at Arsenal who have flattered to deceive for donkeys now.

Wouldn't say it was never in doubt for me but I was certainly confident we were back in the game and had a fighting chance. At half time I posted that I was just glad to be in just one down with the change already made. Still in the game and now looking the most likely.

 

It's funny, because Aubameyang has been criticised for being lazy this season. He worked harder than any Arsenal player today from what I seen. Maybe it was just a reaction to the criticism he has received and today was just a one off from him.

Cracking picture.

 

Aubameyang is such a great player. If they had 2-3 of his quality they'd be challenging for the league. Same goes with Kane and Tottenham. Leaders and excellent players. For them it is sad they have to drag the entire team and end up with nothing.

I think we have better quality in players although we are maybe lacking that brilliant player without Hazard. Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic and Willian are experienced and quality players.

Great win anyway. This season is up and down and it will be. Young manager with young players read rollercoaster.

26 minutes ago, Gol15 said:

If nobody commits those fouls for the team we concede goals. Proven already, our backline often falls to the most simple versions of counter attacks.

Can’t agree with you on both today’s incidents. In the one he got carded and the other were I think almost everyone thought he was walking. First case started in their half right on the byline. A lazy weak effort of a tackle which ended up pulling back the attacker while we were 3-1 in defence. 
The second tackle in the centre circle is a nothing situation, again weak in the tackle.

Jorginho has many attributes in his play with his getting players out of trouble and distributing the ball but he has to stop these stupid nothing bookings. He is weak in the tackle, has no pace, so he should learn to deal with that because it’s not going to change at his age.

Im not against a good tactical foul or block but not many of Jorginho bookings are that.

 

21 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

It's funny, because Aubameyang has been criticised for being lazy this season. He worked harder than any Arsenal player today from what I seen. Maybe it was just a reaction to the criticism he has received and today was just a one off from him.

Seen a lot of him this year and he certainly isn't lazy. The Arsenal fans love him. He's their one world class player. 

5 hours ago, enigma said:

I'm always scared with those stats when they come up, such as when Arsenal score first they end up winning and never losing, or once we have conceded first this season, we have won none, drawn none and lost 6. Today proves stats aren't always right. 

This makes no sense. The stat is correct up until the opposite eventuality happens so I don’t understand you saying what you did...

Just got back from game, left home 6:55am, beer, train, rail replacement bus, more beer,  I love you Chelsea!!!!

Just got back from game, left home 6:55am, beer, train, rail replacement bus, more beer,  I love you Chelsea!!!!

And you only live in Woking. The Tube is a f**king mess.

3 hours ago, robdog said:

Then you have this challenge by Side Show Bob

To be fair to Luiz there’s probably a lot of pent up anger at the sheer size of Kantes tab at his restaurant...

1 hour ago, evissy said:

Aubameyang is such a great player. If they had 2-3 of his quality they'd be challenging for the league. Same goes with Kane and Tottenham. Leaders and excellent players. For them it is sad they hav e to drag the entire team and end up with nothing.

I think we have better quality in players although we are maybe lacking that brilliant player without Hazard. Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic and Willian are experienced and quality players.

Great win anyway. This season is up and down and it will be. Young manager with young players read rollercoaster.

Aubameyang is decent and always their biggest threat but I was glad to see Martinelli not feature today 'cos he has looked very decent too when I have seen him.

Ironic too that I think one of their best players is Leno and I would take him over Kepa, yet it was Leno who handed us a way back into the game. With a bit of tweaking Arsenal could be dangerous but their defence makes ours look good! 

We were bad enough in the first half that we probably deserved to lose today but we massively improved in the second half.  There was still lots of frustrating passing outside the box, if teams identify that there's only one player who's likely to take on a chance themselves, we become much easier to defend against, hopefully that can be remedied short term in the transfer window and the younger players can get the experience and confidence up.