closed Crystal Palace 2-1 Chelsea

[FabHazard 655]

I do think it is time for Conte to be more flexible..Try out new formations....atleast during the game...3-4-3 is restricting the player's freedom too much..I do not think we will score more than 3 goals per game with this formation in premier league..

[manpe 10,855]

21 minutes ago, Jason said:

We did that on numerous occasions last season but guessing we didn't do that today because Palace's up front - couldn't deal with them even 3 defenders and even Azpi struggled - we're lacking options - players injured and some horribly out of form.

Yeah, but we were losing anyway, we had nothing to lose except goal difference which means shit at this point. Need to be more adventurous when losing. Also severely lacking a target man with Morata's absence, had no option to play long balls in the dying minutes which is essential in such situations, meaning we wasted too much time finding space to move the ball to the box. Missing out on Llorente stings, but I think we should have moved Luiz to ST to win long balls... we didn't, have no idea why.

[FabHazard 655]

1 minute ago, The Skipper said:

I’m talking long term. We need players from the academy for European football and PL regulations and Abraham, Musonda, RLC and Christensen are our top talents. 

Bakayoko was one of the few players who actually played well today. Cesc is a specialist midfielder with a top footballing mind and also had a good game today. 

I do not think they will feature in our side..May be one or two..We will most probably buy players from other teams...Cesc is not suitable to long term plan

[Pizy 17,860]

7 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

I’m talking long term. We need players from the academy for European football and PL regulations and Abraham, Musonda, RLC and Christensen are our top talents. 

Bakayoko was one of the few players who actually played well today. Cesc is a specialist midfielder with a top footballing mind and also had a good game today. 

Cesc and Baka were both good individually but as a partnership in a midfield 2 it can't work. Without Kante buzzing around dominating our defense was completely exposed.

If we don't control and win the midfield battle we stand no chance. Even against minnows like Palace. Getting Drinkwater fit and in the team would be a godsend at this point.

[Johnnyeye 7,414]

Couldn't watch the game due to time difference as i am currently in Asia. i just came to check the result and to my big shock we lost to Palace again, and we lost Moses to injury, what is it with us making shit teams look like world beaters? specially a Palace team that had 0 points and 0 goals going in to this game, amazing isn't it? by reading comments here it appears we were that bad, im not going to comment further, such a shame we couldn't  beat this lot, so this must mean Palace season starts now and we go back to square one again. Not going to lose sleep over this as there are much more important things than football, but one has to worry because injuries are piling up and its 3 losses already (Burnley and City at home and Palace away) to teams that we beat on these corresponding fixtures last season, and we are still in October. Something has to change and fast, or else we will be in for a very hard season. Cheers and hoping for a quick response from us in the Champions League, and to Roma of all teams.

[The Skipper 20,593]

 

20 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Cesc and Baka were both good individually but as a partnership in a midfield 2 it can't work. Without Kante buzzing around dominating our defense was completely exposed.

If we don't control and win the midfield battle we stand no chance. Even against minnows like Palace. Getting Drinkwater fit and in the team would be a godsend at this point.

Cesc and Baka were fine today. See how much better we created and ran the midfield when we didn’t have ineffective Batshuayi and brain dead Willian in the second half? Conte got his selection wrong, and some key players like Hazard, Luiz and Azpi also had bad games. 

I don’t feel like we lost the midfield battle today per se - it was more to do with how bad the back three and front three were. Midfield actually played alright. 

[Strike 6,961]

The lack of a backup strike options is hurting the team. Would have loved to have someone decent to call upon today

[El P. 1,354]

58 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

Yep, all not good enough. People might say this is reactionary but honestly, we should be building our squad much better than this. 

Said it before but we need to build this team around these players exclusively: Courtois, Azpi, Luiz, Christensen, Rüdiger, Bakayoko, Kante, Fabregas, RLC, Hazard, Musonda, Morata, Abraham. Everyone else is just expendable. 

Agree, if you mentioned Fabregas as a super-sub, not starter.

[Georgy 439]

I can't be arsed anymore about football. Frauds like Willian should fuck off from a top club and go to Tottenham, fuck Mourinho for selling a good player for this fucking joke. Hijacked Tot my ass, we got rinsed with this guy. Travesty of a player, can't do anything good besides defending. Fucking joke of a winger. I will go in hiatus this season because there is no point. We ended as champions, sold a lot and bought nothing good except Morata and maybe Baka and actually expect something.

[El P. 1,354]

1 hour ago, Starman60 said:

This team is a shadow of last seasons side. Courtois is even not on form. We look clueless and lacking in any ideas how to break down what is only a hard working team. We dont like being hassled and cant cope with the tough tackles. Alonso never got going, Zappacosta has tried but doesn't look up to this level. Bakayoko is just strolling around .Fabregas has wasted and misplaced more passes today than he did all last season. Hazard hasn't played today and has been anonymous.Bats was not at the races and for me is not good enough anyway. Luiz and Aspi have tried and gave their all. But to be beaten by Palace is, in the end unforgivable.Hold your heads in shame Chelsea players, you were disgraceful

 

This team is EXACTLY like that team of last season, with two key players injured.

[The Skipper 20,593]

11 minutes ago, El P. said:

Agree, if you mentioned Fabregas as a super-sub, not starter.

Yeah I meant Fabregas can be a useful squad player. 

[El P. 1,354]

I just hope there aren't people who still think that we can win the league. Seriously, let's fight for that 3rd spot, develop this squad, play some good UCL games and try to win a domestic cup.

And hope next summer our board doesn't let us down, and Conte stays as manager.

[Fulham Broadway 16,393]

Way off the pace today, and it was their make or break day. We can't just blame the international break or injuries, sheer cantbearsedness about the team today and Palarse were good too

[Alabama 1,992]

The less you think about Chelsea... the better for your health....

[-Kaplan- 410]

Fully expect Conte to leave in the summer. If not sooner. 

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Even city only managed 1 goal..

Small bright side..Arsenal lost. Though Watford now above us..who we play next.

[Jase 43,479]

Down to 5th. Watford up to 4th. Watford at home next week. That should be fun. We didn't exactly fare too well against Marco Silva's Hull last season.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

2 minutes ago, Jason said:

Down to 5th. Watford up to 4th. Watford at home next week. That should be fun. We didn't exactly fare too well against Marco Silva's Hull last season.

And they've recently scored 3 last minute goals..hurrah