ESPN is a joke but today they got it right, I mean no one I’ve seen has another opinion but this is very direct.

 

3 hours ago, dansubrosa said:

Giroud sent Kovacic through on goal, and also scored a beautiful header. He made the team click again, whereas Batshuayi we can’t even get an attack going, it almost looked like wee were playing with defenders and two mids. Willian, Pedro and Bats nowhere to be seen, I think the whole team works with Giroud better. Bats can’t pass, he can’t shoot, he can’t hold the ball up, he can’t stay onside, in fact what the hell can he do?

The bigger question us why is he still on the field? Who puts him there?

Hold on I knew the ref was a manc but the guy on VAR duty Chris Kavanagh is a manc too? No one saw that as a conflict of interests ? Then we see the decisions that came...f**king stinks  

As much as I'd like to blame the refs and VAR for costing us the game, you can't deny the fact that we were toothless in the final third. So many misplaced passes, lost possession and no killer instinct whatsoever. The fact that we didn't try to strengthen the squad in January is going to weigh us down. I'd be mighty surprised if we manage to hold on to the 4th spot by the end of the season... going by current form/squad, it ain't happening.

Putting the blame on lamps and the bench not complaining enough for the VAR team to do their basic f**king job and call one of the most blatant red card offences you will see is actually fantastical leaps in trying to defend a broken system.

They got it right against Spurs and today the refs association should be answering for clear and obvious mistakes but nope as usual they shut up shop and disallow any criticism of their incompetence and we are left actually trying to make it out like its our own fault. 

49 minutes ago, Girish said:

As much as I'd like to  Who blame the refs and VAR for costing us the game, you can't deny the fact that we were toothless in the final third. So many misplaced passes, lost possession and no killer instinct whatsoever. The fact that we didn't try to strengthen the squad in January is going to weigh us down. I'd be mighty surprised if we manage to hold on to the 4th spot by the end of the season... going by current form/squad, it ain't happening.

Spot On.

Yes, the ref and VAR certainly didn't help us last night and I went to bed fuming, feeling we were very hard done by.

But that said. as soon as I saw the line up and the very uninspiring bench, I did fear it was gonna be one of those nights. Who honestly saw that front three of Willian, Pedro and Batshuayi and thought we were in for a night of great attacking football?

We should have won last night or at least not lost but once again, a lack of leaders and real quality has cost us. Defence always look likely to concede, especially from set-pieces, we had some decent approach play but no-one in the midfield looks capable of playing the killer pass and even if they were capable we had that front three that wouldn't get in any other top side.

If others players return from injury, I really don't expect to see Batshuayi, Willian or Pedro feature for Chelsea again.

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by Nibs

8 hours ago, enigma said:

Where? Best players on the field are the young players. Pedro, Azpi, Willian, Batshuayi, Kovacic, Jorginho, all been poor to mediocre. 

Thats my point. If some of the first string young players are injured then why not give a chance to the second choice youngsters given that many of the old players aren't doing much and will leave at the end of the season.

Don’t matter who we have up front they struggle to stick the ball in the net...

However, this time we scored twice and VMR, for me ruined the game.

2-2 would have been the right result, for me.

Man Utd. got the rub of the green, yet again.

Injuries have cost us this year, definitely and continue to do so.

i think Spuds at home may be a draw...

Still have faith but we need a bit of luck too.

 

 

34 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Spot On.

Yes, the ref and VAR certainly didn't help us last night and I went to bed fuming, feeling we were very hard done by.

But that said. as soon as I saw the line up and the very uninspiring bench, I did fear it was gonna be one of those nights. Who honestly saw that front three of Willian, Pedro and Batshuayi and thought we were in for a night of great attacking football?

We should have won last night or at least not lost but once again, a lack of leaders and real quality has cost us. Defence always look likely to concede, especially from set-pieces, we had some decent approach play but no-one in the midfield looks capable of playing the killer pass and even if they were capable we had that front three that wouldn't get in any other top side.

If others players return from injury, I really don't expect to see Batshuayi, Willian or Pedro feature for Chelsea again.

I felt the same. The starting XI was uninspiring and the bench didn't augur well either. I would love to know why Frank thinks that Batman is a better striker (laughs !!) than Giroud. I really do think that Frank has fallen out with Giroud, as a blind man can see that he is the better option.  Batshuai should NEVER start for Chelsea again !!

I don't think we will make top 4 now. Spurs, United and even Arsenal and Sheff Utd all want it far more than we do. I don't include Lamps in that, Our squad is threadbare with injuries and we have lost the spirit and passion of early season. I expect that we will now end up 7th or 8th, with more difficult defeats to come unless we can get Pulisic, Abraham, RLC and CHO fit quickly.

1 minute ago, Zeta said:

• Start well for 15 minutes? Check
• Struggle to create anything? Check
• Waste the few good chances we get? Check
• Concede a header from a cross/set piece? Check
• f**k VAR? Check

I've seen this match before. Can they release the new season already, instead of airing these repeats all the time?

I think you’ll be disappointed as it’s going to be the same story rehashed.

I will keep saying that I love Frank Lampard and hope and pray that he remains our boss, for years to come. To do that he will undoubtedly need success.

But, I have to admit that there is a slight concern creeping in at the back of my mind, regarding tactics and game management. I suppose it needs saying, but he is not very good at either - yet! I really do think he needs some experienced coaching help as I am not convinced by the set up he has around him. Brilliant at Academy level yes, but do they have the ability/balls to say to Frank, "listen old mate, I think you are going wrong here"  I have no doubt that Frank has the brains, personality, gravitas, playing history and charisma to be a great coach/manager, but does he have the tactical nouse and man management skills to get the best from a squad? If he doesn't, then it won't really matter who we buy in the Summer ? Therefore, I think that we should be looking for a master tactician who can quickly spot the errors with selection, formation, in-game management and organisation.  Maybe someone like Neil Warnock, Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit or Guus Hiddink………………………………...OK I'll get my coat !!

8 hours ago, robdog said:

The VAR officials & Anthony Talyor should be held accountable for this missed call

A clear sending off, but not according to the ref !

Shocking decision. Clear incompetence by the ref .

My thoughts,

Batshuayi was very poor and missed a clear cut chance in the first half.

Why we didn't start with Giroud...

The VAR goals we had disallowed, thought we were hard done by for both.

Their second goal by the Thug. Apart from the fact he shouldn't have been on the pitch.

Why don't we have men on the posts at set pieces?

Poor passing and lack of creativity in the final third of the pitch cost us, again.

8 minutes ago, coombsie said:

I will keep saying that I love Frank Lampard and hope and pray that he remains our boss, for years to come. To do that he will undoubtedly need success.

But, I have to admit that there is a slight concern creeping in at the back of my mind, regarding tactics and game management. I suppose it needs saying, but he is not very good at either - yet! I really do think he needs some experienced coaching help as I am not convinced by the set up he has around him. Brilliant at Academy level yes, but do they have the ability/balls to say to Frank, "listen old mate, I think you are going wrong here"  I have no doubt that Frank has the brains, personality, gravitas, playing history and charisma to be a great coach/manager, but does he have the tactical nouse and man management skills to get the best from a squad? If he doesn't, then it won't really matter who we buy in the Summer ? Therefore, I think that we should be looking for a master tactician who can quickly spot the errors with selection, formation, in-game management and organisation.  Maybe someone like Neil Warnock, Glenn Hoddle, Ruud Gullit or Guus Hiddink………………………………...OK I'll get my coat !!

I think the squad he has is just terrible. Sarri is a master tactician and struggled in similar fashion. Difference is that he had Hazard and Higuain after Jan. We are in so much trouble. No goals in this team and that is the worst part. Worst than our defensive and goal keeping problem. 

A few hours to cool down to give some cold hard reflection:

1. We were better for most of the first half. Kovacic ripped them apart and Kante and he covered the wingbacks well. We created chances to score and should have scored.

2. Linked to the above we have become Arsenal. We dominate the play create good chances and then lose. That is a lack of mental and physical toughness.

3. Christensen typifies that. Gets a blood nose goes off and then immediately loses his man to concede a goal. JT was very critical at half time on thr international feed and rightly so. He should be heading off somewhere on the continent in the summer. I don't care if you can pass. If you're soft and not up to the physical battle you have no place in England. We desperately need a strong experienced organising centre half in the summer. Shame that Sarri froze out Cahill we could have used him.

4. What has Giroud got to do to start? Michy was awful missed chances and added nothing. Giroud made an immediate impact and needs to be the man we turn to when Tammy is injured

5. Frank wasn't wrong about the market putting us behind the eight ball. We're in the 4th place fight now and this was wholly unavoidable.

Also VAR seriously? Both goals we were pedantic at best yet Harry kicks Michy in the nuts and gets nothing. If you want to be pedantic then don't do it by half measures.

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by Spiller86

13 hours ago, KonaKai Blue said:

He won't be missed. I feel like he's way off where we expected him to be at this moment in time.

agree with u on that mate! He is a good player but he just isnt premier league ready yet.

9 hours ago, Dean said:

I’m kind of glad Maguire wasn’t sent off. Wouldn’t have guaranteed a different result and imagine how apoplectic the mood would be if he was sent off and we still lost. 

It would have guaranteed him not scoring the second goal.

31 minutes ago, Andy North said:

It would have guaranteed him not scoring the second goal.

Yeah it was kind of tongue-in-cheek

10 hours ago, BadBlue said:

What i meant and it didn't come out clearly in my message was: given Chelsea's history with sacking managers if someone else, not Frank would have been the manager, i wouldn't have been suprised if he was replaced by now. Our board has not been a patient one for so many years. 

That doesn't mean. I agree with it. It was just our reality for many years. 

Fair enough.

3 hours ago, Nibs said:

........, the ref and VAR certainly didn't help us last night ...................................

What you actually mean @Nibs is that the ref and VAR actually robbed us of 3 points last night.  Neither disallowed goal should have been, and Maguire should not have been  on the field to score their second.  Ref also bottled a couple of reasonable chances to give second yellows to mancs, whilst managing to book Zouma for a perfectly good challenge because their girly-tart rolled around on the floor a lot.

I'm not a great one for conspiracy theories, I simply believe that a weak and partisan referee from Manchester took whatever chance he could to influence the game in their favour, much like Clattenburg admitted to against the Spuds a few seasons ago.

1 hour ago, london is blue said:

agree with u on that mate! He is a good player but he just isnt premier league ready yet.

He never will be. He’s had plenty of time to get ready for premier league and he hasn’t delivered yet, it’s time to stop wasting our time and cut him loose.

A bit sick of the excuses though to be honest, I know the refereeing was terrible, but if it's not that, it's "we didn't finish our chances". 

It's always the same, happens every game now. 

We had a few good chances in the first half, but what shocks me is none were on target. Out of 17 shots, only 1 (!!!!) was on target. That is awful. By comparison United had 9 shots, 3 on target and two goals. 

Of course the Ref and VAR screwed up, but that shouldn't define our game. At times United were awful last night, giving the ball away constantly, misplacing passes. We should have jumped on the opportunity to counter, but were sluggish. I hope the team realise this and don't just feel aggrieved about the referee. The game should have been out of sight in the first half.

A depressing and pathetic performance. We got players fallen off like flies before and during the game, the likes of Batshuyai, Pedro, Christensen got no business to play in this team, and  nobody is really surprised. Because of what's at stake in this game, we were neither going for it like a home game, or we play counter and safe, we kind drive in third gear and wait for it to happen, and not surprised we pay the penalty first. VAR is a f*wit as usual, not much anyone could do about it apart from liverpool. As a team, the only player stood up was James. People been talking up about Jorginho and Kovavic, granted they were not bad, but as soon as Kante was off, Fred took over and worked us over with work rate and tenacity. Just like the other half a dozen home games before, we found a way to miss chances, and let the easy goals in. Let's face it, Newcastle or Norwich would have done us this game, probably without VAR help. Many said it, we can not hold on to the 4th spot without reinforcement in January, and it's fast proven to be right.

Who is talking about Jorginho? Surely nobody is claiming he had a good game. Even his mum wouldn't look him in the face this morning!

46 minutes ago, Slojo said:

A bit sick of the excuses though to be honest, I know the refereeing was terrible, but if it's not that, it's "we didn't finish our chances". 

It's always the same, happens every game now. 

Why can't we debate the VAR decisions without people assuming were doing it to 'excuse' the teams performance ? I'm not excusing anyone.