Valencia 1-1 Chelsea

[Badboy 1,526]

I thought we played well yesterday, i really hope this has sealed Kalou's fate though as he has been a liability for this club for years now.

[didierforever 7,349]

^ I'd take Kalou's departure if it meant he was a makeweight in a new deal for bibs, tbh.

BIBS??? do u mean bibotelli... i think tats another disaster...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Yet more evidence of Frank Lampard's decline - his replacement gave the penalty away.

Hahaha. I think that's the Daily Mail's headline today!

[Madmax 9,219]

BIBS??? do u mean bibotelli... i think tats another disaster...

Bib =

[bombayblue™ 55]

Torres shouldn't have been subbed but may be it was to give Anelka some playing time as I expect now Drogba and Sturridge to start at the weekend.

I was surprised why was Kalou brought on for Lampard but what AVB said in post match at least justified the thought behind it albeit it didn't work.

In this team, which plays according to AVB's philosophy, the attack starts from the very back. So when you expect defenders to provide offensively (not translating into assists or goals particularly) through direct forward play, I think Mikel's work is only glass half full.

Look at peers around us who use the similar formation and tactics.

Barca, Pique starts play, runs up with the ball, is Busquets role restricted to just covering up for Pique's forward runs, mind you they even have Dani Alves in their team. We obviously don't enjoy their kind of possession yet because we are still a work in progress but the attacking ethic has to be there, however small or puny in nature, and it should translate into Mikel's game play.

Like AVB said, a draw before the match wouldn't have been a bad result but when you give away 2 points like that it is really very frustrating. Anyways the team seems to getting better in play every passing game and that is even after accounting for the host of changes made to the starting XI so all in all its positive.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Torres shouldn't have been subbed but may be it was to give Anelka some playing time as I expect now Drogba and Sturridge to start at the weekend.

I was surprised why was Kalou brought on for Lampard but what AVB said in post match at least justified the thought behind it albeit it didn't work.

In this team, which plays according to AVB's philosophy, the attack starts from the very back. So when you expect defenders to provide offensively (not translating into assists or goals particularly) through direct forward play, I think Mikel's work is only glass half full.

Look at peers around us who use the similar formation and tactics.

Barca, Pique starts play, runs up with the ball, is Busquets role restricted to just covering up for Pique's forward runs, mind you they even have Dani Alves in their team. We obviously don't enjoy their kind of possession yet because we are still a work in progress but the attacking ethic has to be there, however small or puny in nature, and it should translate into Mikel's game play.

Like AVB said, a draw before the match wouldn't have been a bad result but when you give away 2 points like that it is really very frustrating. Anyways the team seems to getting better in play every passing game and that is even after accounting for the host of changes made to the starting XI so all in all its positive.

Good analysis A.

There is a work in progress going on with this new attacking style, and its not the finished article yet.

The finishing left a lot to be desired last night, Ramires, Torres, Anelka at the end - but then again their goalie was something else !!

[didierforever 7,349]

Bib =

hahahh

[Henri 115]

Everybody blames Kalou, right so!. But how about ship some anger on Boas, what the fuck is he thinking!.

Replacing some of the best player on the field, then he lets Kalou play in such important match, when the

lad has hardly played a half hours last 5-6 matches, except carling cup where he also was shit. Im blaming the

coach 100% for this point loss, wrong sub Boas!.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Good analysis A.

There is a work in progress going on with this new attacking style, and its not the finished article yet.

The finishing left a lot to be desired last night, Ramires, Torres, Anelka at the end - but then again their goalie was something else !!

Except for the Torres-header-save, which was out of this world, I thought all their keeper did was get his positioning right. Our strikers didn't work the angles right and made his job a lot easier.

[bombayblue™ 55]

Good analysis A.

There is a work in progress going on with this new attacking style, and its not the finished article yet.

The finishing left a lot to be desired last night, Ramires, Torres, Anelka at the end - but then again their goalie was something else !!

If Ramires can be just a little more clinical, I'm sure he would threaten the 20 goal mark for the season.

The Keeper Deigo Alves doesn't even start games in La Liga for them, so he played out of his skin, kind of akin to Cudicini and Cech when Cech first arrived.

Except for the Torres-header-save, which was out of this world, I thought all their keeper did was get his positioning right. Our strikers didn't work the angles right and made his job a lot easier.

I thought the save from his own player (Ruiz not sure) to avoid and an own goal was top notch too.

[MetsajCFC 1,255]

Are all people in NA that touchy with that word?

Exactly what I thought. Like Manpe mentioned, in Estonia we've got a word "neeger" which is politically correct and accepted, by no means offensive. So many "western" country citizens have this fucked up illusion about Balkan and Eastern-Europe. They've got some idea that we're all skin heads, wear tank tops and patrol streets to find subjects to beat the shit out of - no, that's all in your head. People are way too touchy about skin colours. When talking to a black man you can't watch him in the eye - hey, that might be racist. You don't know how to refer to him as - "black, dark skinned or the N word which in MANY countries isn't even racist", everything you do is dubbed as racism. What if I'm called paleface or white, should I file a report for racism?

Lots of over reacting over NOTHING here. He didn't mean it to deliberately offend every other race there is and surely you can't hold all of Balkan and Eastern-Europe countries responsible for his words. That's just a sick mind thinking up some stereotypes. Go out and see the world, keyboard warriors. Fuck sake.

As for the game, shame we drew but it's a good point when you're playing away to second strongest team in the group. If we focus and take all 6 points against the Belgians, we're right in there.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Everybody blames Kalou, right so!. But how about ship some anger on Boas, what the fuck is he thinking!.

Replacing some of the best player on the field, then he lets Kalou play in such important match, when the

lad has hardly played a half hours last 5-6 matches, except carling cup where he also was shit. Im blaming the

coach 100% for this point loss, wrong sub Boas!.

I don't blame AVB. It is easy to criticize when you have no idea how hard his job is. In a top team like chelsea, the manager has the mission impossible of keeping everyone happy. I bet AVB thought that an appearance in CL would silence kalou who no doubt has been whining about not playing. And it was for 5 mins, it's not like AVB counted on Kalou for the whole match. Who knew he would pull such a bonehead move?!

Besides a draw is a good result, and I think we would've all taken it before the match.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

Except for the Torres-header-save, which was out of this world, I thought all their keeper did was get his positioning right. Our strikers didn't work the angles right and made his job a lot easier.

Yup like I said, finishing left a lot to be desired -then again thats been a flaw with Chels since 1972...

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

If Ramires can be just a little more clinical, I'm sure he would threaten the 20 goal mark for the season.

The Keeper Deigo Alves doesn't even start games in La Liga for them, so he played out of his skin, kind of akin to Cudicini and Cech when Cech first arrived.

I thought the save from his own player (Ruiz not sure) to avoid and an own goal was top notch too.

Forgot about that one !

Ramires -incredible pace and fitness -hope a worrying trend could set in of him being hacked/injured though

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I thought the save from his own player (Ruiz not sure) to avoid and an own goal was top notch too.

Yeah but Ruiz really should've finished better..

[Ortiv 42]

Everybody blames Kalou, right so!. But how about ship some anger on Boas, what the fuck is he thinking!.

Replacing some of the best player on the field, then he lets Kalou play in such important match, when the

lad has hardly played a half hours last 5-6 matches, except carling cup where he also was shit. Im blaming the

coach 100% for this point loss, wrong sub Boas!.

You shouldn't be so hard on AVB. IMO Valencia were trying to make most of their play around Bosingwa and he tried to scare them off by having Kalou and Malouda on the same flank. This move was supposed to make valencia more cautious of a counter attack on that flank and reduce their attacking impetus. Shame it didn't work out but for no fault of AVB. Kalou was supposed to be running at the fullback, not practicing volleyball in our box.

[Henri 115]

I don't blame AVB. It is easy to criticize when you have no idea how hard his job is. In a top team like chelsea, the manager has the mission impossible of keeping everyone happy. I bet AVB thought that an appearance in CL would silence kalou who no doubt has been whining about not playing. And it was for 5 mins, it's not like AVB counted on Kalou for the whole match. Who knew he would pull such a bonehead move?!

Besides a draw is a good result, and I think we would've all taken it before the match.

Disagree. First of all. No doubt he got a though job being CFC coach, but shouldnt we agree on he new what he went into?- or the past of this club should have give him a clearly reminder dont you think?, so lets stoop whining. Second because a player is whining or whatever, a coach should give in and let him play, you gotta be kidding?. Kalou is just not good enogh for this club end of story!. And whats worring me is that Boas hasnt seen that yet. 5 min for a player out of confidence, whats the point tell me? . And no, a draw is 2 points lost, a win would have made us almost through, now the road is still though. Coaches makes mistake, and this one goes to Boas.

[Laylabelle 9,296]

Exactly people can make mistakes and its a learning thing and all...learn from it and move on.