10 hours ago, Zeta said:

The Conference league squad tonight then. Let's hope it doesn't backfire.

It Did !!!

40 minutes ago, Deino said:

Also, this was the game to introduce Acheampong

And Guiu, but no, play Nkunku and Disasi out of position.

Didn't Poch get roasted on here for doing that with players often, like Colwill?

1 minute ago, coombsie said:

It Did !!!

Real shot in the arm for Ipswich, I bet they were beginning to wonder if they were better than Shamrock Rovers, FC Noah and Astana. 

Now they know!

As my late Dad used to say almost weekly, "Just when you think that Chelsea cannot let you down any further - they will surprise you "

Leicester fans too have been warning us that this would happen with Maresca. Have a look at what happened to them post Christmas, it is very worrying.

He has started playing players out of position, Disasi at RB is a f**king disaster, we miss Lavia badly, Colwill had a shocker as did Nkunku, whose mind seems elsewhere (Barcelona ??) The defence is just not good enough at the top level, Midfield got over-run last night and frankly, if Palmer has an off night, we offer very little.  Ipswich wanted and needed it more than we did, Maresca, by telling everyone we are not title challengers, got the excuses for these three shocking results out there nice and early, so he must have seen a drop in levels at training. But,  similar to his various predecessors, he doesn't not seem to have a Plan B or C that works.

37 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

And Guiu, but no, play Nkunku and Disasi out of position.

Didn't Poch get roasted on here for doing that with players often, like Colwill?

Yep. Guiu should have been in.

If it was a 2-0 loss because we tried something different, I'd have stomached it better.

3 PL teams set up a low block and a mid block, suddenly we become toothless?

If we don't win the next 3 PL games, we're in crisis mode. 

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Jorgensen dived in and gave him the opportunity to go down with slight contact.

Is on Jorgensen for making that dum challange.

Yes we do. Fulham deserved to beat us, as did Ipswich. Arguably Everton did as well.

That's a crazy thing to say. The keeper has to react. If he stays on his line and Delap passes the ball in, probably at his near post he gets hammered. It's so close to him and the goal line he doesn't have the opportunity to step out and make a big shape.

I am still not convinced there is contact.

This is still one of the weakest areas where VAR is failing. There has to be context drawn into these reviews. How can we have a situation whereby Tosin has a player in a bear hug from a corner and their appeals after the player falls to the ground is denied, yet the minimalist of contacts, if at all, results in the player pitching himself to the floor and a penalty is given. It's totally wrong.

The context is that Delap had virtually exhausted his move and was moving to an acute angle. We had players approaching the goal line behind the keeper. The keeper takes a position but doesn't initiate contact. The ball and Delap pass the keeper. If, a big if, there is minimal contact as Delap exits the challenge space and he embellished his fall rather than try to score.

No way can the keeper be blamed for his actions here, there was nothing reckless in his approach. If so, we need to rip up the coaching manuals and retrain all of the kids coming through.

All successful sides have a swagger about them where flicks, round the corners and nutmegs come off. The speed of thought gives the opportunity for something creative that can often be the difference.

But

This swagger, this confidence is derived from a foundation of hard work, rapid movement,  energy and a tempo that bypasses opposition midfielders unwilling to track back and unnerves opposition defences pushing them into a cycle of poor decision making.

Playing players who kill the tempo of the game (Madueke, Tosin, Felix, Colwill, and Gusto when he came on) invites the opposition to reform into their tight shape and sucks all of the energy and tempo out of the game. You are then left with Madueke, Felix, Palmer, Nkunku, trying to thread ridiculous low percentage balls into non moving players, or trying the same flicks and nutmegs that now look infantile and stupid.

Throw in a clown like Disasi who shouldn't even be on the pitch and it's a recipe we have seen over and over again.

6 hours ago, axman2526 said:

My word that Nkunku miss...

How much clearer does he need to make it he does not want to be here anymore? 

He is too good a finisher to miss that.

What are you talking about? Have you actually watched it back again? It is a split second reaction from a fast rebound coming at him from an angle. N'kunku has thrown himself into the challenge with a defender in a bid to get a foot on it. He hasn't got time, he hasn't got balance, he hasn't got a free hit. 

The Jackson miss in the second half was a million times worse. Ran offside and then missed a straightforward 1 on 1 with the keeper by some distance. That was the sitter, not the N'kunku effort. Jesus, I often wonder if you have played football yourself. Here, you can watch it again.

 

Delap said he felt something but wasnt sure it was Jorgensen, he had already stumbled and was on his way down and tried to stay on his feet and then goes flying when the keeper gets close to him...it was a dive

2 hours ago, just said:

What are you talking about? Have you actually watched it back again? It is a split second reaction from a fast rebound coming at him from an angle. N'kunku has thrown himself into the challenge with a defender in a bid to get a foot on it. He hasn't got time, he hasn't got balance, he hasn't got a free hit. 

The Jackson miss in the second half was a million times worse. Ran offside and then missed a straightforward 1 on 1 with the keeper by some distance. That was the sitter, not the N'kunku effort. Jesus, I often wonder if you have played football yourself. Here, you can watch it again.

 

I'd agree.  Nkunku was atrocious yesterday (and id argue wirse than any Jackson performance) but i don't blame it for that miss. It was an instinctive thing and you just have to hope with those.

Jackson's miss was far worse and I don't buy the claim that the offside flag saved his blushes.  

Aim for the stringy stuff between the two white things Jacko!

13 hours ago, Scott said:

Just another Chelsea Holiday Season.

It's December, so we continue our proud tradition of being sh*t. On the upside: we usually start this early in November, and this season we didn't. Up the Chels!

1 hour ago, loz said:

I'd agree.  Nkunku was atrocious yesterday (and id argue wirse than any Jackson performance) but i don't blame it for that miss. It was an instinctive thing and you just have to hope with those.

Jackson's miss was far worse and I don't buy the claim that the offside flag saved his blushes.  

Aim for the stringy stuff between the two white things Jacko!

Are we talking about the same Jackson? The one who has put amazing performances this season such as...

6.5 vs Man City

6.4 vs Bournemouth

6.8 vs Brighton

6.7 vs Forest

6.6 vs Villa

6.2 vs Spurs

6.3 vs Everton

6.8 vs Ipswich

and lets not forget the beauties from last season : 

 

40 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Are we talking about the same Jackson? The one who has put amazing performances this season such as...

6.5 vs Man City

6.4 vs Bournemouth

6.8 vs Brighton

6.7 vs Forest

6.6 vs Villa

6.2 vs Spurs

6.3 vs Everton

6.8 vs Ipswich

and lets not forget the beauties from last season : 

 

Well if that's how simple it is...

 

 

3 minutes ago, loz said:

Well if that's how simple it is...

 

 

Different rating system....

for transparency Sofa score gave Chris a 6.5. Not great by any means. But Jackson has been consistently bad - over and over again. 

 

This is a bad run. Hopefully a blip. We are still the youngest and most inexperienced team in the league. It shows. The clock was ticking and all we got from the chelsea lads was petulance and theatrics. When they should have been playing with urgency and increased tempo. And pride.

it was never a penalty.

Delap to Chelsea in the summer if Ipswich get relegated?  Delap has tenacity and will power. He knows how to read the game - he knows how to dive.

Would McKenna have been a better boss than Maresca?

30 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Different rating system....

for transparency Sofa score gave Chris a 6.5. Not great by any means. But Jackson has been consistently bad - over and over again. 

My point was that online rating systems are a ridiculous way to make a point. Especially as people apply  bias on them based on their preconceived opinion.

I am basing my opinion on watching the games.  Jackson has been terrible many many times. No disputing that.  Nkunku hasn't had the chance to be that terrible on multiple occasions as he hasn't been selected.  But when he was (against credible opposition, not the butcher, the Baker and the candlestick maker) he put in a performance equally as poor as any of Jackson's and, in my opinion, worse. Jackson  misses far too many chances but at least tries to get into positions to get them.  Nkunku walked around the pitch yesterday without the remotest interest in busting a gut.  

 

Give me a new centre forward first and foremost but if that doesn't happen I'll take a misfiring Jackson over a strolling around Nkunku

7 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

That's a crazy thing to say. The keeper has to react. If he stays on his line and Delap passes the ball in, probably at his near post he gets hammered. It's so close to him and the goal line he doesn't have the opportunity to step out and make a big shape.

Is it not the same as the Sanchez challange on, whoever the United forward was, at OT?

Narrow the angle, stay big, only make the challange if you are sure you can get the ball. 

He did not get the ball, he did (barley) touch the man, gives the ref every opportunity to give the pen.

Stays big Delap slips and the ball likely goes out for a goal kick.

6 hours ago, just said:

What are you talking about? Have you actually watched it back again? It is a split second reaction from a fast rebound coming at him from an angle. N'kunku has thrown himself into the challenge with a defender in a bid to get a foot on it. He hasn't got time, he hasn't got balance, he hasn't got a free hit. 

The Jackson miss in the second half was a million times worse. Ran offside and then missed a straightforward 1 on 1 with the keeper by some distance. That was the sitter, not the N'kunku effort. Jesus, I often wonder if you have played football yourself. Here, you can watch it again.

 

Nico missed a sitter as well, not using Nkunku missing one to defend him at all.

Nkunku is an instinctive finisher, like Costa was. A well treated, happy Nkunku scores that with no thought needed, no issue with a defender, he is that natural finisher. An unhappy, unfocused Nkunku, does not. 

His overall display showed we have an unhappy, unfocused Nkunku.

10 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Nico missed a sitter as well, not using Nkunku missing one to defend him at all.

Nkunku is an instinctive finisher, like Costa was. A well treated, happy Nkunku scores that with no thought needed, no issue with a defender, he is that natural finisher. An unhappy, unfocused Nkunku, does not. 

His overall display showed we have an unhappy, unfocused Nkunku.

I agree that N'kunku is unhappy at how he has been used. He has a valid point IMO  and certainly isn't the only who probably feels that way. But how he feels makes no difference to whether he finishes that rebound or not. There's no thought process involved. It was an instinctive, reactionary lunge to try and get a toe on it before the defender, which he managed. He certainly didn't have time and space to think about where to put it!

24 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Is it not the same as the Sanchez challange on, whoever the United forward was, at OT?

Narrow the angle, stay big, only make the challange if you are sure you can get the ball. 

He did not get the ball, he did (barley) touch the man, gives the ref every opportunity to give the pen.

Stays big Delap slips and the ball likely goes out for a goal kick.

Yes it was. The was wrong as well. It always has been. Even back in the day of Andy Johnson sprinting  thumping the ball into the stands and running into the keeper and getting penalties every time. Some of the decision making by refs for what constitutes a penalty is really poor tbh.

6 minutes ago, just said:

I agree that N'kunku is unhappy at how he has been used. He has a valid point IMO  and certainly isn't the only who probably feels that way. But how he feels makes no difference to whether he finishes that rebound or not. There's no thought process involved. It was an instinctive, reactionary lunge to try and get a toe on it before the defender, which he managed. He certainly didn't have time and space to think about where to put it!

But don't you think his mentally, his overall happiness and attitude, can subconsciously affect how he reacts to such situations?

That is what I am saying. It is not a matter of him thinking how to score from there, it is his underlying unhappiness meant he did not score.

It is because I rate Nkunku, and his finishing especially, that I believe a happy and settled Nkunku scores that chance.

I'd bet my life that had that been Lamps in his pomp right there, that is a goal. 

6 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Yes it was. The was wrong as well. It always has been. Even back in the day of Andy Johnson sprinting  thumping the ball into the stands and running into the keeper and getting penalties every time. Some of the decision making by refs for what constitutes a penalty is really poor tbh.

But Goalkeepers know, and have known for some time, that the Johnsons and the Harry Kanes of this world will do that, and refs will give the pen time after time. So don't give them the chance to.

3 hours ago, nonotnowjim said:

Different rating system....

for transparency Sofa score gave Chris a 6.5. Not great by any means. But Jackson has been consistently bad - over and over again. 

If you are going by Sofascore then they have Jackson as our 5th best ranked player PL season to date with a 7.12 average rating. Last season they had him in 8th.

So by no means our best player, but better than many others !

 

17 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

If you are going by Sofascore then they have Jackson as our 5th best ranked player PL season to date with a 7.12 average rating. Last season they had him in 8th.

So by no means our best player, but better than many others !

 

Surprising he isn't 1 or 2 best ranked with the amount of minutes he gets and the amount of chances we create for him....

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