07 May 2018 11:15:16
I've been thinking about the match yesterday, how people are saying how awful we were, how tired we were how there was no creativity, sideways passes etc and though I agree to some extent, that was as Chelsea/ Conte type of a performance you can get.

They went a goal up in by far the most open part of the game and then were happy to sit, for the most part. They played to their plan perfectly and we simply had no answer. Sometimes, you can only pass sideways with 22 players in one third of a pitch. We can invite them out to come and play football with us, but what would be their reason for doing so? They already had their way to victory.

Mo had his worst game that I've seen for us, Firmino couldn't pass or hold the ball up. Sadio was being Sadio, but had no help. Everyone else behind them was too square or too deep to make a difference. Trent and Robbo couldn't cross. But for all that, Chelsea, to be fair to them, were on it.

Kante gave us nothing, the defence were compact and positionally sound, and I lost count of the amount of times Hazard got the ball with his back to a defender and managed to front him up then emerge the other side of him with the ball. When he is on it, he's simply the best in the world at keeping the ball at his feet, in my eyes.

I saw that when Chelsea have gone a goal up under Conte they have gone on to win 44 out of 51 matches. It takes a hell of a lot to get the match back off them when they have control, you don't just need a good performance, you need a top one and this game suited them perfectly, no matter how badly we played.


1.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 14:05:17
Brdzo, you could tell after the first 5 mins. that Chelsea were not interested in coming out against us. They let us have the ball, waiting for us to make a mistake and then pounce. Credit to us for cutting them open and creating the better chances. Now as soon as they scored, I knew how the game would go and it went the way it did. Had we scored first, their plan would have gone out the window and that would have played to our strengths on the counter. It was not to be and it is VERY difficult to play your best if you are physically and mentally shattered vs an already good team who play that system to perfection. Our boys gave their all and I cannot fault them cos they are right on the edge physically and mentally. Anyone slating them w/ o considering these circumstances, should just give his/ her head a wobble. They need us now more than ever before this season so the fans this Sun, should make it a CL atmosphere out there and cheer the boys. Bring it home, lads!


2.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 14:38:04
Great post BRover

It's been a very intense and tiring few days for the players.
Thankfully they've got a full week to prepare for Brighton and then two weeks to prepare for the CL Final.
I'm sure they'll all be well rested and fired up for these last two huge games.
We need another great atmosphere against Brighton to help the lads get over the line, and to give them a great send off for Kiev!


3.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 14:48:32
Brilliant post, LL. Here's to hoping we can bring this home come Sun. YNWA, my friend!


4.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 15:28:23
BRover
How can you say that? This was the game Chelsea had to win! Just coz they sat deep doesn’t mean they had no interest in beating us!


5.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 15:30:31
Yea, you're right fellas, and also, there's not a team in Europe that wouldn't struggle with only 3 fit midfielders for the push at the end of the season. Trent has been playing in a different position all season and is not quite ready for that spot in the middle either. Chelsea are on a good run, we're running on fumes. I'm just glad there's only one more match before the final. We need to play the main guys so they stay sharp, but I think that two week break will be welcome for them as well.


6.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 15:43:25
That is why you could give some credit to Chelsea and pragmatic way of playing the game. A lot of teams play this way. now add some quality of players and you get a Chelsea or UTD. First goal was the key and we should have scored given all the possession we had. This is a game Chelsea had to win. so they were not sitting for the sake of snatching a draw. They had to win and had to score and thanks to the way we play, we will always concede.

So how do we break such unbreakable teams?

1. Full backs. If you want to stretch teams that make a double or tripple ducker bus then you need offensive, top class full backs who will drag players and hit the byline on a regular basis.

2. Move the ball quick and do not allow the opposite teams to regroup and come back to their shape when they are drawn out. This is the duty of CM’s.

3. Players who can score from distance. We don’t have one.

Unless you don’t slove the above 3 we are not going to break some very good Atletico Madrid teams!


7.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 16:49:28
Yea I pretty much agree, Harry. Credit to Chelsea, they played their game perfectly and I have no problem with that. If any of our guys could cross yesterday, we'd have been a lot more dangerous. Wijnaldum takes far too many touches. At least 3 whenever he gets it and no one shoots from distance in those games. It does irritate me because then we're always so predictable and rarely get the luck that a bobble or a spillage or rebound can create. I do think it will be addressed in the summer, however. (And luckily it's the other Madrid team we've got in the final) .


8.) 07 May 2018
07 May 2018 19:57:29
Commuter/ HArry, I know you like fawning over Chelsea whenever you have a chance (boring, really) but just a question. Could you please, show me in my post where I explicitly said that Chelsea did not need to win the game?