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1 hour ago, Kev56 said:

Because he was only ‘leaning on him’

Of course he was only ‘leaning on him’...

11 hours ago, Paddy said:

Gary ‘I’m not biased’ Neville said something like;

..........it’s not a penalty cause Maguire is more resting his arm on Dave rather than pulling him down ..........

WTF ?

To quote Mr T. ‘The mans a fool!’  

10 hours ago, mojo said:

That save gets better every time you watch it.

Thought we played well defensively. Their only really good chance coming just before half time when Jorginho lost the ball in midfield and Mendy saved from Rashford. Slightly disappointed we didn’t go for it a little more in the first half with Martial, Greenwood and Pogba all out of the team I would’ve hoped we’d push for 3 points. 
Positives: Mendy, Chilwell, Silva, James.

Concerns: Our general play going forward. We created hardly anything all game, similar to our performance against Sevilla. We have no control in midfield whatsoever with Kante and Jorginho. We play some nice football to beat the press in our own half but then beyond that we don’t look like creating guilt edge chances because there aren’t any players in the box. 

I don't believe there is a need for our team to start in a 5-2-3 formation to be solid defensivly. Mendy, James/Azp, Silva, Zouma and Chilwell kept a clean sheet against CP and Sevilla. We would have never turned over our lead against Southampton twice with that defence. The only things we really need to improve is to find a better pairing in midfield (Kovacic+Jorginho, Kovacic+Kante, Mount+Kante or Kovacic+Mount) and not create huge spaces between our lines when pressing.

11 hours ago, Paddy said:

Probably do the other Becker at Wimbledon too 

Nah we can’t afford him to get injured playing tennis?

Just now, erskblue said:

Nah we can’t afford him to get injured playing tennis?

?? do you imagine his ‘shoulder injury’ is real or a face saving exercise ? I sorta feel sorry for him then I remember that he came to Chelsea under false pretences, I feel, and signed a 7 year contract @ almost 200k a week, every week for 7 f**king years !! 

My sympathies evaporate at this point - don’t wish him bad, just wish him gone.

1 hour ago, Paddy said:

?? do you imagine his ‘shoulder injury’ is real or a face saving exercise ? I sorta feel sorry for him then I remember that he came to Chelsea under false pretences, I feel, and signed a 7 year contract @ almost 200k a week, every week for 7 f**king years !! 

My sympathies evaporate at this point - don’t wish him bad, just wish him gone.

He is better off gone, I agree, but I'm puzzled by the first part of your post. What false pretences, what did he pretend to be? He is a goalkeeper, and was bought to be one. And if you were offered a very lucrative contract to do your job, would you turn it down, saying "Oh no, that's too much, and I will be a disappointment?" Like f**k you would.

11 minutes ago, Valerie said:

He is better off gone, I agree, but I'm puzzled by the first part of your post. What false pretences, what did he pretend to be? He is a goalkeeper, and was bought to be one. And if you were offered a very lucrative contract to do your job, would you turn it down, saying "Oh no, that's too much, and I will be a disappointment?" Like f**k you would.

There in lies the rub.

He’s a goalkeeper but not a very good one and certainly not one that’s good enough, I feel, for Chelsea competing to win the PL.

Your premise ;  "Oh no, that's too much, and I will be a disappointment?" ,  makes the assumption that I’m good enough in the first place to do the job for which you’ve employed me - I don’t object to anyone reaching for the stars, but you have to be able to back it up, I believe that Kepa’s issues are all to do with his level of ability, time and time again he is found wanting.

In spite of your assertions otherwise, I would never take a job that I know is out of my depth and then have to deal with the consequences when I’m found out, many might, Kepa certainly did, but I wouldn’t.

I’ve said many times that it’s not his fault that some fool from Chelsea said he was good enough and paid 70m for him, but I can’t help but feel that he knew his limitations and that he took the job under false pretences.

 

 

It is back to boring fooball. I know keeping the opposition to 0 is good but there seemed no urgency, or even interest, in getting a goal until 80 minutes again. (Why play the ball forwards when we can go sideways or  back?)

Even the substitutions were boring,  like for like. Why not two up front to try to create something?

 

5 hours ago, erskblue said:

That save gets better every time you watch it.

Note least because there were plenty of bodies in the way, so he probably couldn't even see the shooter ...

15 hours ago, Spiller86 said:

1 point and 4 goals difference from last year. I'd say that's an improvement. 

First things first - Best value signing of the summer was Mendy. Saved our bacon multiple times. Save at the end was a peach.

Credit to the rest of the backline, particularly Silva, James and Chilwell who didn't have an easy night but were up for it. Good to see us develop a little spine in defence.

I'd also like to pay a little credit to Ziyech in his cameo. Came on in a tough spot, chased every ball, was shouting instructions at others to get into position. I think he's going to be a real asset not just going forward. Sadly the same could not be said for Tammy who wandered around up front, put no pressure on the ball and let United's defenders carry into our half regularly in the last 10.

Anyway it's nice to have clean sheets again. 

Agree, one of Mendy or Chilwell has to be the signing of the season. Chilwell just seems an incredible player.

24 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Note least because there were plenty of bodies in the way, so he probably couldn't even see the shooter ...

I thought it had gone in and was gutted. Then realised he’d, saved it?

 

16 hours ago, erskblue said:

 How could this not be a penalty?

Glad you posted that as I had it saved on MS paint ready to paste in case any smart Alecs later on say we like to make excuses.

57 minutes ago, ashwin said:

Agree, one of Mendy or Chilwell has to be the signing of the season. Chilwell just seems an incredible player.

I love it when a player shuts me up. I was one of those who was against signing Chilwell because i thought he was English hype. It didnt help that there were rumors he would cost 80 million but honestly i just thought he was a hyped up Englishman like Drinkwater. He has shown class and proved to be a massive upgrade on Alonso

Overall 0-0 was about right, though I would have thought there would have been a couple of goals. Defences on top for both sides but you should have had a penalty. We were clearly looking for one when Rashford went down easily. Better point for you than for us I think.

2 hours ago, Strider6003 said:

Glad you posted that as I had it saved on MS paint ready to paste in case any smart Alecs later on say we like to make excuses.

No problem. Still can’t believe it wasn’t a penalty.

2 hours ago, The Don Antonio said:

I love it when a player shuts me up. I was one of those who was against signing Chilwell because i thought he was English hype. It didnt help that there were rumors he would cost 80 million but honestly i just thought he was a hyped up Englishman like Drinkwater. He has shown class and proved to be a massive upgrade on Alonso

Agreed,he’s definitely proved  to be a massive upgrade on Alonso.

 

On 25/10/2020 at 13:06, Paddy said:

There in lies the rub.

He’s a goalkeeper but not a very good one and certainly not one that’s good enough, I feel, for Chelsea competing to win the PL.

Your premise ;  "Oh no, that's too much, and I will be a disappointment?" ,  makes the assumption that I’m good enough in the first place to do the job for which you’ve employed me - I don’t object to anyone reaching for the stars, but you have to be able to back it up, I believe that Kepa’s issues are all to do with his level of ability, time and time again he is found wanting.

In spite of your assertions otherwise, I would never take a job that I know is out of my depth and then have to deal with the consequences when I’m found out, many might, Kepa certainly did, but I wouldn’t.

I’ve said many times that it’s not his fault that some fool from Chelsea said he was good enough and paid 70m for him, but I can’t help but feel that he knew his limitations and that he took the job under false pretences.

 

 

"He knew his limitations", are you serious? Setting aside your attempt at mindreading, you probably underestimate the self confidence of a man who has played in the Primera Division for years, and whose performances earned him a place in the Spain national squad. Cech among others - goalkeepers and outfield players - followed a similar career path to top clubs. Both Cech and Kepa made the step up to a higher level, and that is an obvious move for ambitious players. Some of them are a success, some not so much. To accuse the not so successful ones of accepting under false pretences a good contract for a job that is basically the same they've been doing for years is silly.

If you want to express your disappointment in Kepa, feel free, because criticism is part of the game. However, I suggest you base your criticism on how they play, not on your theories about they might possibly deviously plot to pull the wool over everybody's eyes.

6 minutes ago, Valerie said:

If you want to express your disappointment in Kepa, feel free, because criticism is part of the game. However, I suggest you base your criticism on how they play, not on your theories about they might possibly deviously plot to pull the wool over everybody's eyes.

Indeed. Assuming a top class athlete has the mindset of "maybe I'm not that good" is absolutely ridiculous.

On 25/10/2020 at 12:06, Paddy said:

There in lies the rub.

He’s a goalkeeper but not a very good one and certainly not one that’s good enough, I feel, for Chelsea competing to win the PL.

Your premise ;  "Oh no, that's too much, and I will be a disappointment?" ,  makes the assumption that I’m good enough in the first place to do the job for which you’ve employed me - I don’t object to anyone reaching for the stars, but you have to be able to back it up, I believe that Kepa’s issues are all to do with his level of ability, time and time again he is found wanting.

In spite of your assertions otherwise, I would never take a job that I know is out of my depth and then have to deal with the consequences when I’m found out, many might, Kepa certainly did, but I wouldn’t.

I’ve said many times that it’s not his fault that some fool from Chelsea said he was good enough and paid 70m for him, but I can’t help but feel that he knew his limitations and that he took the job under false pretences.

 

 

He was a Spanish international keeper coveted by many of Europe's top teams, of course he felt he was good enough, what a bizarre thing to say.

On 25/10/2020 at 08:47, comtrend said:

I don't believe there is a need for our team to start in a 5-2-3 formation to be solid defensivly. Mendy, James/Azp, Silva, Zouma and Chilwell kept a clean sheet against CP and Sevilla. We would have never turned over our lead against Southampton twice with that defence. The only things we really need to improve is to find a better pairing in midfield (Kovacic+Jorginho, Kovacic+Kante, Mount+Kante or Kovacic+Mount) and not create huge spaces between our lines when pressing.

We are find our way into the season. Conceding so many goals had to be addressed and against Utd away I would have taken 0-0 before hand. I even posted as much. 

I was very nervous during the game about conceding and was on the edge of my seat anytime they came close. Not too often as it turned out. I agree with your point about finding a new midfield pairing. I understand why Frank went with Kante and Jorge on this occasion as a clean sheet was everything. Frank would have been under a lot of pressure if we had conceded. We had our best defense out and conceding would have left him nowhere to go other than admitting a tactical error. After the two clean sheets we have proven we can defend but it appears to be at the cost of scoring. So as you say we need to improve our attacking play from midfield and I thought during the game that Kovacic would have run through the Utd midfield an a couple of occasions. I just think he offers more going forward than Jorge. Keep Kante to block out the midfield.

I'm not going to knock Frank for not bringing Kovacic on as the clean sheet was more important.

On 25/10/2020 at 15:31, Stretford Ender said:

Overall 0-0 was about right, though I would have thought there would have been a couple of goals. Defences on top for both sides but you should have had a penalty. We were clearly looking for one when Rashford went down easily. Better point for you than for us I think.

It was a better point for Chelsea but neither manager will be overly happy. An away point at Old Trafford is not to be sniffed at.

Both managers have got problems with defense so 0-0 was not a surprise.