The Chels

Haha well usually when we're facing a smaller side like Palace that we're just expected to win against, the match isn't televised here (UK) and so the default time for it to take place is Saturday 3pm. So I guess we always seem to do bad at that time (which you miss) because it's when we play against the smaller sides, the type of game we fare worst in. I'm not saying Guardiola is a better manager than Mourinho but you have to admire how after having won the Bundesliga in record fashion with the best team in the world, they followed that by a draw which left him demanding improvement (http://www.fcbayern.de/en/news/news/2014/hoffenheim-reaction-290314.php). That's not to say Mourinho doesn't want improvement, but he does seem somewhat stubborn in his approach; as you say not many risks have been taken from the start and as such there's been very little to no improvement in terms of our performance in these games. Not all that can be blamed on the lack of strikers.

Didn't he take a knock towards the end of the game after which he was hobbling as he tried to get up? That could be why he was on the floor rather than because he was upset - not sure though.

Just something random and interesting that I read... According to Christophe Lollichon, Chelsea's goalkeeping coach, 7 of the club's employees will be working on analysing PSG before the game. (Link is in French: https://fr.sports.yahoo.com/news/chelsea-7-personnes-vont-travailler-190234783--sow.html)

I think it's harsh of Jose to blame the loss on the players not having 'balls' when we've seen this type of performance over and over this season, and he's not exactly done much to rectify it. Main recurring problems he CAN change: 1. The lack of width: Ivanovic at right back offers very little offensively and is constantly exposed defensively - how many times has he crossed the ball for an opposition throw-in and how many times have we conceded from crosses on his wing?! Azpilicueta also offers little offensively on his weaker side so I don't understand why Jose continues to persist with this pairing. Cole/Bertrand (yes I know he's on loan) and Azpi at RB would add another dimension to our currently impotent offense. 2. Little/no set piece routines: we have so many corners and to a lesser extent free kicks in these types of games, and yet we never offer anything different for the opposition to deal with. 3. Lack of movement from attacking players.

Azpilicueta getting done time and time again!

Even United played well against Palace lol SMH

Luiz to play behind the striker! Haha I don't think he'd do too badly at all.

Schwarzer's probably injured.

An early goal is always crucial in a game like this. It forces the opposition to attack more than they otherwise would, which is perfect for our team with its strong defensive and counter attacking abilities.

I think it's a shame that the one transfer window in which the club will FINALLY be spending big on a striker since Torres is the one transfer window in recent times in which there are no real world class strikers available. Just our luck really!

Hindsight eh! If we had to play United after everyone, including themselves, realised they were crap we'd probably have got the 3 points. Let's not forget that we hit the crossbar in both those games though - Schurrle v. United and Lampard v. Arsenal. Fine margins.

Funny how other fans and the media are talking about our 'easy' run-in, when in reality we have to face teams that will sit back and allow us the initiative - the type of game we fare worst at. I think I would be more confident if we had a more 'difficult' fixture list!

He'll hopefully make the home game on that estimate and Torres would have been selected for PSG away anyway.

Hopefully the management actually work on the players' movement in the week's preparation leading up to this game. You see the way in which Liverpool, City and LOLArsenal break through smaller teams parking the bus, and a lot of it depends on the players making runs, opening gaps, stretching play and creating options as opposed to our usual more static ball-to-the-feet approach.

Is it any surprise that our (arguably) best 2 results this PL season against Man City away and Arsenal at home have come with a Luiz-Matic pivot? They really work well together and Luiz successfully hit more long-range passes than Ramires has all season. It was great not having to get frustrated at a midfielder constantly giving the ball away!

Might seem a random point but I think our stadium really doesn't help with building the 'massive club aura'. It's relatively small, with a very narrow pitch and only 40k or so seats. It's the type of stadium and atmosphere players would associate with mid-table sides as opposed to the biggest clubs in the world.

You'd think if a CM had such a low % pass accuracy that they'd have had a poor game but would have been trying many difficult cross-field passes or through balls. With Ramires though most of his failed passes were ones that even a toddler could make. Shockingly bad and this game makes me more grateful for his 3 game suspension and makes Mourinho's soft spot for him all the more surprising.

Completely agree. And you know a player is awful when the club's fans are glad he gets banned!

I don't think the performance was too dissimilar to others recently, like vs. Everton, Fulham and Tottenham. In all of those 3 games we had a poor first half, and then upped our tempo in the second half but still didn't play really well. Against Everton we were lucky to grind the win so late, Fulham collapsed defensively pushing way too high, and Tottenham practically gifted us the goals. I've been really disappointed with our performances of late and this result hardly comes as a surprise.

Liverpool game could be very dangerous.

Ridiculously poor decision by the referee to send him off but I thought Willian was having a poor performance anyway. His ability to take on a player from a standing start is practically non-existent, as is his ability to cross the ball beyond the first man in corners more than 50% of the time. It was good to see the team making use of the short corner in the second half instead. Willian seems to only really play well when the match is end-to-end and with a fast-paced tempo, but even then he can be poor in making a final pass.

At least for the next 3 (or more possibly) PL games we will have a technically able midfielder in Luiz/Lampard alongside Matic. I won't be surpised if Ramires' absence results in better performances, particularly in the 2 games after the next, Crystal Palace and Stoke, in which we will likely be having to break down a deep-lying defence.

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11065/9206843/chelsea-goalkeeper-thibaut-courtois-link-to-real-madrid-dismissed-by-father

It's fake mate lol. Hopefully we see Sky Sports actually tweeting this in the summer though!

Remember his left-footed cross in the 0-0 against West Ham? Deary me, as bad as it gets.