MrExcalibur100

Let me just type my piece. I know some posters will accuse me of being anti-Mourinho but then again, I could care less. The way we're playing against Liverpool is all Mourinho. It's not Iva or Cahill. The unforced errors and misplaced passes is as a result of the negative tactics. Same thing at City. Even Cesc was misplacing them too. Even if we lost this game, say 2-1 and at least came out to play FOOTBALL, I won't be typing this now. First and foremost, what some seem NOT to realize is that Mourinho is the one responsible for setting this team up offensively and defensively. In the latter, he's great, phenomenal even. His ability to organize a defense was almost revolutionary in English football in his first spell here. Let's remember in his first season here, we only conceded 15 goals in the league. First and foremost above anything else, he's a defensive minded manager. There's nothing wrong with that, but it seems a contradiction to the current group of players at his disposal. In the former however, he's a one trick pony. That's what many people don't get and that's why I feel this group of players don't match his management style at all. Mourinho just doesn't know how to set up his sides to play decent, possession based football. We just press and hope for the best. When the press doesn't work, we retreat to our shell and play "counter-attacking" football. Except it isn't actually that, it's the football of cowards. And when defend and hope for the best doesn't work, we invariably lose or if we're lucky, draw. The only time we come out to play and express ourselves on the pitch is against mediocre sides and even that is once in a blue moon. That's the pattern I've seen in his second spell here, especially in the so-called "bigger" games and it worries me greatly. I hoped and prayed that Mourinho would have become more sophisticated with his tactical approach 2nd time around but it's the same shit over again. It's the worst football of any Chelsea manager I've ever seen in my life with the players at his disposal, both on the pitch and on the bench. We might win the league, but we won't win the Champions league. Once we face a Barca or a Real especially, we'll get killed. We don't have the same defensive minded team that we had a few years ago and I can't imagine Cahill and a 34 year old Terry being able to defend for 180 mins vs the best attacking players in the world.

Deserved!!!

The only reason he has problems is because we can't even get out of our own half. He has to run many yards just to come out and there are no passing outlets except Costa. Blame Mourinho.

Only one team has come to play football and it's not us. Embarrasing to watch and I feel for the fans who traveled north to watch this boring, defensive crap. Mourinho should be ashamed of himself. Might as well have played Zouma and Ramires and left Hazard and Fabregas on the bench if we came to play Rugby.

WTF is Ivanovic doing??

Absolutely shocking the way we're given the ball away and trying to rush everything. We're looking terrible so far.

I missed the game and I just watched the replay now. How Willian didn't score those chances he had, I will never know.

So many drama queens here.

Blocked. Copyright.

So are we going to respond by signing anybody or are we going to continue to baby sit the likes of Schurrle and Salah?

A truly terrible performance that was just good enough to beat an injury ravaged, managerless team like Newcastle. That first half performance was befitting of a relegation contender and not a championship contender. Second half was meh, and boring and we still couldn't control the game. I'm just looking at this team and I fear we might just have run out of steam and ideas. Costa, Fabregas and Hazard are the only genuine quality in that attack. It's not good enough. Remy can do a job too, but I fear we will fall short to Man City again because of the lack of quality of some players and our average attacking & possession football. They just have better players than us and that will be fully cemented when they sign Bony. They also always seem so in control of games because of their quality in possession and they create chances at will. We're 2 points clear now, but we should be more. City haven't got out of 3rd gear all season. At this stage, I give them the advantage in the title race. We have a favourable 2nd half, playing the better teams at The Bridge, that's what I hold on to the most now. I hope I'm wrong, but admit it, we've had so many halves like that first half today. The question is why? What was that about? Anyway, 3 points is 3 points. Let me go follow the chess in Netherlands.

Very very unconvincing despite the goal and assist papering over the cracks. I literally couldn't believe how poor his all round play was. Oscar has rode on the coattails of Fabregas and Fabregas held his hand, but that mini partnership is now non-existent. He's back to last season mediocrity now. He lacks so many things and I've even noticed some selfishness in his play. Just like Willian and Schurrle, I can't trust him anymore. Not a dependable player for me.

And the Judas comes on for Man City

Sick play from Costa there.

Oscar, Willian and Schurrle are never good enough for Chelsea. Never good enough. They'll cost us this season again.

We had a week to practice this game. What exactly were we doing in training?

Maybe Luis will give the team more balance now. But one man can't just magically turn around this shower of shit.

Of course he has. When our best player is free, you'll think the likes of Oscar and Willian will actually pass the ball instead of trying to play hero ball, but apparently not.

If we don't win the league, it's because we have a couple of players who aren't good enough and Man City have better players. It's that simple. Once they add Bony to what they already have, we could be fucked.

HAHAHAA, You guys can't tell when I'm taking the piss, lol

Alexis will disrupt the balance of the team. We need hard-workers like Willian and Oscar in our attack! These players are so underrated to the success of the team!

It won't sound like it if you did the same for Schurrle.

Though you have a point, you're over-simplyfiying it too much. We didn't defend that deeply at all vs United until the last 20 mins of the game. It was a fairly open game. And against Liverpool. Neither a high or low defensive line, just a standard one. Most of the goals Spurs scored were from individual defensive mistakes.

Good suggestions. I'm a fan of all 3. But even signing any of them in January will be very difficult.

Knackered from minute 1.