Barbara

I'm ambivalent about Iva to be honest. I was in the bandwagon when he was supporting our attack really. He continues to be useful there, but the exposition he keeps leaving behind is difficult to handle with. As I said a few pages ago it's impossible for him to be at the two places at the same time, but nothing forgives his sloppiness in the goal yesterday. If he's so essential in the set-pieces, maybe you guys defending him to replace Cahill in the CB may actually have a point. I just don't see Mourinho doing it at all. He's been a liability indeed, completely irresponsible and sloppy in the back. I'm surprised Mourinho pretends not to see it.

if Chelsea lose the league for two points it means we lost at least another five (as we are three points clear at the top of it). So why are you going to choose to blame those two points and not the other five? Why are those two points lost more meaningful or directly responsible for losing a title than those other five points? And that's supposing Southampton or Aston Villa win it, because if it's Arsenal, then it's six points and for it to be City it has to be seven more lost points. This makes no sense, mate, sorry.

There are all kind of reactions in the thread. Polarized positive, polarized negative and middle ground. Maybe I do sound in the polarized positive, but I'm actually looking at the positives and accepting the negatives. I said somewhere else that I expected us to do better when they were down to 10 men, but they were still a big team and sometimes they run the extra mile. It isn't as easy as it is on paper to dominate a team just because we have one more man in the pitch. Mourinho was labeled a few things here, the moaning is constant and sometimes extreme, if it's not about the defense, it is about the attack and those demanding balance should give time for it to happen. Maybe I'm too complacent with this, but in the big scenario of things, that's not a match I think will tell the story of our season. I'll definitely have a problem if, for example, in February, March when we play UCL playoffs, the team continues to take this coward approach. We're a big team and we should play as such, even when our opponents may be better than us or have the home advantage, but right now, in this new style, while the team is still making adjustments, I think it's too much to ask. That's the opinion I've had for weeks. I've had a discussion about it a few weeks ago when people were demanding in our 2nd or 3rd match of the season to show a smooth, silky convincing football. It's not time for that imo, it's time to get the results and keep working on improving the team and making the necessary adjustments so we look better defensively and can carry on polishing the style. I expect us to be an oil machine in a couple of months, but there are some areas I hope to be worked this month already, one of them, our midfield positioning. And I think Costa struggled with how physical both Mangala and Kompany were. More times than in any other match he lost the ball, possession, fell, asked for a foul the referee didn't call not because he was isolated, but because he couldn't get rid of either of them. He was rarely double marked at those moments. I felt he struggled to win the personal duels with both of them, but maybe it was only me.

people who wanted a different approach would be moaning here about our shaky defense (they already were before this match) that would probably have conceded more and gave City unnecessary confidence to try to catch up. But hey, let's play more offensive football. It's the same old discussion... until you're balanced there isn't the fine line in the between. We aren't ready, we aren't sharp yet, we aren't the well oiled machine I can see us being in a couple of months. There are a lot of adjustments to do. Mourinho did what he had to do, we didn't have a trustworthy defense coming to this match, release our attack players against one of the best defenses there and we could be frustrated by not scoring and also conceding a couple. Diego Costa struggled A LOT with both Mangala and Kompany. Yes, he's scored seven goals in four matches, but today he was up very physical defenders and he actually struggled. We don't know if Cesc and Hazard had been released of some of their defensive work how things would work ou. Our own defense looked better today, but that's because it was too protected. To find the balance between attack and defense to play against the big teams will take a longer while. This reminds me a lot of Mourinho's second season at Real Madrid... he's made mistakes - exclusively about DD imo - and the team was quite affected by Lampard's goal. We could have gone 2-0 if Diego's shot had not hit the post... it wasn't as bad as some are making it out to be imo. So Pellegrini called us a small team as Stoke... the smalls teams led him to drop 2 and 3 points respectively and one of them is 5 points ahead of his big team. Let's give the team and Mourinho time, I'm more than satisfied with a point away at Etihad. People seem to forget that we were City's little bitch until Mourinho came back. Of course I wanted the win and I think we should have capitalized when we were playing against 10 men, but people think we were playing Burnley or QPR down to 10 men instead of the current champions... why so quick to jump on the manager? why so quick to talk bollocks? I've read all kind of shit in this thread. Just like in the Lampard episode, I'm glad the fans that actually go to the stadiums chant Mourinho's name a few times through every match instead of the shark jumpers we have around here. Forget the amazing transfer window, forget the more attacking minded style he's putting in place, forget being top of the table with by far the best attack, forget that we have key players still reaching fitness, forget it's been only five matches and forget the season started barely a month ago. Forget everything about common sense and let's react emotionally after a draw away at the current champions. Writing this last paragraph gives me feels about stupidity. Either I am too stupid or the people forgetting all those things are. One of us has to be.

Yep, he's been sloppy in that goal... but at least Azpili is back on form. He's made a flawless match. Iva needs to put more effort defensively... his actions in the attack can't make up for his shortcomings defensively. I admit I jumped on his bandwagon, but I think it's a matter of him fixing his positioning, putting more effort, I wouldn't call for his head yet. He just needs to balance his game more. I don't know about the CB thing. I prefer him as a FB and I've been having some problems with Cahill (I lost account of how many times he backtracked from the City players today instead of going towards them), so it could be a nice change, but Iva does seem a bit sloppy now marking. So wouldn't it be exchanging six for half a dozen? If he isn't focused on defending all the time, then he could cause problems in the center defense even worse than he one he causes in the flank. He needs to get his shit together, regardless of where he plays.

did you miss the part where I said he's that TOO, but he isn't just that as you labeled him? You can bring a lot of examples where he reacted and I can bring you a lot of examples where he took the risks and jumped at the gun. What's the point? Are we going to keep changing that? My point is that you can't label him as only that when he showed character to take matters into his team's hands many times - many of them against stronger teams - when he had to. He's a manager that will make everything he needs to win. React, be pro-active, play mind games and come up with unexpected tactics, still you reduced him to simply a 'reactive' manager. I'm not the one who's been deceived here.

our manager gets what being a Blue means: “He got a good reception and this is England and this is Chelsea. Chelsea people never forget what Chelsea people do at the club. It happened to me when I was manager of Inter. It is Chelsea’s culture and beauty.” ~ José Mourinho at Frank Lampard.

are you aware he was brought AFTER we conceded, right?

well, if you choose to feel like Frank Lampard stole us three points... go ahead, I won't stop you. We failed as a team twice: dominating properly when we had one more man in the pitch, and failing to mark Milner. Frank Lampard had a great finish. We had a great counterattack. I'm not pleased by that goal, I'm not happy for Lamps, I'm not supporting him over Chelsea. I see that goal was yet one more we conceded this season that should be credited more to our mistakes than the opposition's merits.

nah, there are some Pep' ball suckers around here. They love Pep. Pep singlehanded destroyed Bayern's amazing football, but hey, at least he won the high competitive Bundesliga. Bayern fans had had enough of him last season already. Many of them can't stand him with good reason imo. You don't destroy a team like that because of your stupid personal philosophy. He's the one pony trick manager, but somehow some people call Mourinho that... okay then.

he completed that pass, then Costa hit the wood. Then we conceded to a Lamps' goal and the whole team collapsed...

I don't get most of the posts here. Some people here NEVER watched Mourinho's Inter and Mourinho's Madrid. He took a lot of risks with both of those teams. He isn't just reactive manager - although he's that as well. He's a manager that tries to do everything he can to win and he makes a few mistakes in the way. I'm royally pissed at him for making me resent Didier. That's not Didier's fault. He tries and fights, and runs, and does everything he can in the matches, the problem is he can't do much, he's been shit lately, he's 36, he's a shadow of a footballer, not simply of his old self. That's Mourinho's mistake. We had a more than shaky defense for most matches so far, so he set up a team that would offer cover to that frail defense. We did a great job through and through defending. Iva/Schurrle made a mistake that cost us a goal, you can't blame Mourinho for that. I hate his insistence on playing Drogba in important matches and I hope he can let it go, otherwise I will be really, really disappointed, but other than that, I don't see what horrible mistake he did today. Costa was unlucky not to make 2-0. We played better when they were down to 10, Mourinho doesn't play in the pitch... we were only dominated with one more man in the pitch after Lamp's goal. It's a normal reaction if you ask me, that was awkward and difficult for the players to deal with. Mourinho made mistakes today, but the overreaction here is 1000x times worse than any mistake he's done. This shit, reactive manager that owned everyone in the transfer window has his team at the top of the league unbeatable and with 3 points ahead of flukes and 5 points ahead of the closest title contender. Get a grip or go support Bayern.

he didn't cost us 3 points. Our marking of Milner did... he just did what he's got to do... If we don't say Draxler cost us 2 points, but say Ramires, Cahill did, then why just because this is Frank Lampard playing for the opposition we now play this card? He didn't single handed carried City to the draw - a draw, not a win btw. We didn't win three points because we NEVER deserved them. We played bad for most of the match, we only had some resemblance of football when they were down to 10, we didn't create enough even then, we played a completely useless Drogba when we needed to score a goal. Frank Lampard cost us nothing that we weren't very willing to give anyway. A bit of perspective doesn't hurt...

Actually I meant the ones calling Lamps all names and saying fuck him. A normal reaction, in a goal that was mainly a mistake by us, is okay. We don't disregard what Lamps represent to this club because of a goal he's scored against us. Promises? He can't keep promises that don't depend on him. He's signed a contract with City - they would never accept a clause against playing for Chelsea. He follows orders, he was fit for the match, the manager played him in, he played his part as a professional footballer. What is there to be said against him as a professional and an human being? Absolutely nothing! It sucks we didn't win, it sucks Costa didn't make 2-0 and it sucks City scored, especially with Lamps, it sucks even further to see an useless Drogba being played by Mourinho's emotions when we could have tried something in the match. But we got 1 point, we're 3 points ahead of the second place flukes, 5 points ahead of the closest title contender. It's all good, although there's a little bad taste in my mouth. Not against Lamps, just against a shitty situation and a couple of stupid mistakes - none of which I would blame Lamps for.

wouldn't it be wiser to close this thread too? Those Chelsea fans at Manchester today represent the club, represent me as a fan, represent a club that is classy through and through starting with its supporters. The clowns in this thread don't represent me, the club, the support, nothing. They're just that... clowns. I'm ashamed for you. Secondhand embarrassment.

The shot by Costa on the post hurt me more than Lamps goal. Football is ironic, those things happen. If he was coming against us he would score against us. The 'football gods' don't forgive those things. You know which legend pisses me off and hurts me all much more these days? Didier fucking Drogba. What's been on Mourinho's head? Was that his attempt on fate also having something reserved for Didier. With all due respect to Didier, I love him, but he has no business playing even 30 seconds in a match like this. At least not with his current fitness. Mourinho has been trying to make me resent this signing more than I already do. I don't know what's the point of having Remy if we're playing Didier fucking Drogba when we need to score... That's the one thing that pissed me off the most in this match.

seriously... I can't watch Drogba playing for us now when we have Remy in the bench. I'm really pissed.

why has Mourinho been insisting on playing Drogba. Is he trying to make me resent this signing more than I already do?

I still want those three points. Come on, Chelsea!!!!!!!

Lamps scored... I can't believe it

can't believe that Costa shot hit the wood. I'm screaming until now

hahahahahahaha Pellegrini can't win in the pitch is trying to get into our nerves with Lamps. He doesn't know how to play the mind games Lamps adds nothing that City needs here...

I'm still at awe at how cool and technical Costa was dribbling in the middle and giving the ball to Hazard...

HOW BRILLIANT, HAZARD, COSTA, HAZARD HAVE BEEN THERE?

FUCK YEAH CHELSEA