Closed Chelsea 2-0 Real Sociedad

[Muzchap 8,966]

Gutted we stopped at 2-0 - but that was an amazing 20 minutes

Cesc was awesome sitting deep, helping the Tempo

Costa had great linkup play

I thought Oscar did ok - he was unlucky

Torres did better than expected

Ramires was good again apart from one stray pass

I loved MvG's crunching tackle near the end. SUPERB! I have a feeling he's going to be a really useful player this season and wish him all the luck in the World.

Just genuinely delighted with the Squad - so much strength and depth - just need the players to put in minimum 7/10 performances and as a team we should be contenders!

It's just so nice watching a forward run into the box for a change...

[Muzchap 8,966]

Ohh and forgot to add AKE was amazing - this guy has a big future at the club - athletic and comfortable defending and getting down the flank!

We have some amazing youth prospects to come - and with us inside FFP regs - we really do have a bright future

[zolayes 14,489]

Ohh and forgot to add AKE was amazing - this guy has a big future at the club - athletic and comfortable defending and getting down the flank!

We have some amazing youth prospects to come - and with us inside FFP regs - we really do have a bright future

you almost forgot the best part

[Rambo 1,729]

Full match for those who've missed it.

http://www.lastminutegoals.org/chelsea-vs-real-sociedad-pre-season-club-friendly-highlights-full-match/

[Barbara 15,149]

Way to introduce himself for the fans as a Blue. Costa was just superb. Really, really good. The link up, the pace, the goals, of course. And then we had to deal with Torres in the second and people wonder why the match was boring. I can't believe, I can't bring myself to believe that Mourinho thinks he can go through a whole season with Torres as a back up. DD is better, but marginally at this point. And injury prone it seems. It's too risky to depend only on Costa to bail us from the jail in around 50 matches (if we go deep in the cups). That's too much pressure and nearly unfair with Costa.

Moving onto the match though. Ake was amazing, he totally came of age football wise and if we need him during a match - because of injury or even to start depending the stage, he's ready for the job. If Bertrand played a UCL final and actually didn't compromise, Aké is ready to be used if we need him. Azpilicueta was impressive defending as usual, but still not impressive at all supporting the attack. For all the stick fans around here given to Iva as a FB I only see slight improvement on Cesar attacking wise (and that's not based on ps, that's my opinion on Cesar). Poor Iva. And that's all I'll talk about defense. They didn't have a midfield, let alone an attack to say we were even remotely tested. We weren't.

Cesc and Matic worked well again, although a few mistakes here and there - expected so early in the season. I think that's our pivot to go for nearly all matches. van Ginkel doesn't cease to impress me with all his vitality and energy. Talk about a virile young lad - even if he looks like Justin Bieber

Our AMs were very good in general. I still can't get over that Mourinho hasn't pointed 1) Cesc 2) Schurrle as our corner takers. I refuse to believe he can't see how useless WIllian is on them. I think Oscar had ups and downs. He played at least two very good deep through balls (although I think that might have been three) and he linked up well with Costa and Hazard at moments. In others though, he tried to win on pace (I had to laugh, poor thing, is he that innocent?) and of course, failed, and also misplaced a few passes, but among his ups and downs, I think he contributed positively. Nearly all players made mistakes here and there. Costa, Luís, Cesc, Willian all come to mind in a few moments. I do not worry about them and I think it's even expected.

The only striker worth mention took my first paragraph and he completely changes the dynamic in the whole team. Unbelievable as one single player can change so many things. He's presenting himself to link up with the AMs all the time. You don't see him stuck near the 18-yard box waiting for the ball, or just at the shoulder of the defenders waiting for a chance to run behind them. No! He's everywhere, he's moving all the time, he's linking up, he's presenting himself to receive the through balls, to play 2-1s, he's moving smartly, he's basically bringing life to the team. I keep saying - and I might consider changing my opinion - that our most important signing has been Cesc. But if Cesc has to pass the ball to Torres, Drogba, or to our AMs when they don't have lively people around them, what's the point? It's probably a combination of having both, but the more I watch from Costa, the more I'm convinced he completely changed the team. To say I'm surprised is the understatement of the century as I had my doubts. It seems like he's a contagious presence in our attack and he's bringing life to the others around him. Because he's there to receive their passes/assists, because he's there to drag markers, because he's there to link up and the tempo he sets and the way he links up spreads all over our attack completely changed us. He's the difference between today's match and many matches last year when we looked uninterested, uninspired and unresponsive. That happened for a helluva of reasons, but one single player comes and he has the ability to change it all.

Of course, Hazard, Cesc, Schurrle, Oscar, Luís are also very important, also stepped up (all the time or many times) and they will continue to do so. But in Portuguese we talk about a 'reference in the attack'. The guy that you know that is there to be the referential, the target, the tempo dictator, the thermometer and who has the power to influence not only a match, but the team posture. We missed that guy for a while now. Eto'o - our best striker recently (after DD left) could only help as much as his age allowed him to. Many times we talked last season about what a dream would have been to have had Samuel on his best days. While they're different (but they have a lot in common), and Eto'o is probably more technical than Diego (or maybe Diego doesn't get the credit he deserves for his peculiar and unorthodox technique), I think we got something in the mold of the old Eto'o. I wasn't expecting that at all from Costa. Like, at all. There are a few differences, but the output, the influence is very similar imo.

One further note. So that's the difference between what England sends to Europa League and what Spain does. Real Sociedad was a lousy team. No attack, unimpressive midfield and while they weren't exactly bad parking their bus, it was far from remarkable. We missed a couple of sitters, had a few other good chances but with bad finishing (I don't remember any impressive save by their keeper)

[Myself 793]

Barbara, I've asked this multiple times.

WILL YOU MARRY ME

[The_Flash 1,144]

A good performance in some hellish weather. I am so delightful to see Costa hit the ground running. Two good goals tonight at the bridge. Based on how everyone is looking I think he is our puzzle piece that we must try and really for it in the league and cups. We almost did it with no strikers.

Looking good chelsea, can't wait for Burnley game

[Barbara 15,149]

found those amazing brushed pics. Beautiful really

x

Players' introduction

[bluephoenix 1,125]

match highlights anyone ?

[didierforever 7,349]

Awesome performance. Should have been 4-0/5-0. Costa, rambo, hazard, schurrle, cesc were brilliant and most importantly we played like a team.

Ake was good except for the one mistakr. Luis put up a massive claim on the LB spot and would be intetrsting to see who jose chooses.

[bluephoenix 1,125]

first goal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y86_ufgMr38

second goal:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJS4UpWxJRI#t=36

[robdog 2,084]

match highlights anyone ?

see if this works for ya

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSHwIUbBVMM

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

Cant wait for the Burnley game

[The Chels 2,502]

Real Sociedad's upload:

[Madmax 9,219]

Sounds identical to our first home game last season (Hull in the league). We were awesome in that game. But then as the season went on, we kinda just plateau'd in terms of firey and purposeful starts

Hope that doesn't happen this term

Difference is this time we've got a much more balanced squad that'll provide us options and solutions to different problems. We suffered from starting last season with such a lopsided squad but saw our problems and went out and got the players that fix those problems instead of adding to the clutter.

[Special Juan 27,099]

Enjoyed it when Chelsea FC got their fucking finger out and sorted the problems.

Delighted for Costa and his two goals, really is all set for Burnley now.

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

KTF he WILL come good again

he's a brilliant player. Think hell be back to his best this season

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

Towards the end of the game on Chelsea TV, Ben Andrew said "...to keep the sheet clean"...

that boy makes my arse itch. Woeful