Closed Chelsea 1-0 Stoke

[francozola 2,040]

I think we played better when it was 11v11 lol. Ivanovic and Cahill with some great chances! Afterwards they just stuck everyone back and we couldn't find a way through.

If this is our "HONEYMOON PERIOD", wow! I am very worried indeed.

[Badboy 1,526]

That was bloody shit, if that was United or City they would of crushed Stoke by cutting them open consistently. Do not for one second allow Drogba's goal to paper over the cracks ! Raul is really pissing me off, he's just sooooo average and its not good enough. Kalou has got away with playing for this club for 5 seasons now and i think he has done well for himself because the truth is he's a lower premierleague standard player.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

While I congratulate Drogba on reaching the 100 mark. Let’s not forget that he was awful for most of the game if were not the sheer genius of Mata, then we would have probably drew the game.

I honestly did not celebrate when the final whistle went (or when Drogba scored) I feel sad that many will just use this game to paper over the massive cracks. Lampard was o.k, but how many games have we said that? Drogba was laboured and lacklustre yet will probably get to play 5 or 6 more games while playing cr&p before he is dropped. I just feel so depressed over our future. Insult me if you want we still need a massive overhaul where most of the old guard (including Drogba and Lampard) are gone. Otherwise they will give us another season of disappointment like they have given us the last two seasons.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Ivanovic was brilliant in the 1st half, why did he go off? Luiz did nothing in his place.

but as i say its hard to guage a game like this when Stoke for the most part park themselves in their box

This and only this. We're not creative enough to break down a side with fucking 9 men behind the ball.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This game reminded me of the Mourinho era. Good deffending, dominating possession, and a 1-0 win. Who needs mourinho when you got RDM?

[Madmax 9,219]

At the outset, happy with the result. But only that.

RDM's team selection hinged on the negative. Leaving out two of our biggest threats going forward when we're struggling for goals and inspiration upfront was baffling. Trying to match Stoke with like-for-like physical players is something I don't agree with. Space was going to be everything so to have players who can manipulate and utilize it should have been been the emphasis. Hopefully the Mata pass that led to the goal will serve as an eye-opener.

Performance wise, more of the same. Lack of invention, any meaningful pace or tempo. Would have been naive to expect instant changes but even so, what was on offer wasn't too encouraging. Confidence matters nevertheless, let's hope this gives us the impetus to try and make a match of it against Napoli.

I couldn't help but notice how every player who's openly supported AVB before and since the sacking was left out - Mata, Sturridge, Meireles (substituted 35 or so mins in) while the established set-up survived 90 mins.

[zolayes 14,489]

against 10 men we created very few chances , that is a major worry . Secondly some of our passing was abysmal.

my MOM was Cahill . thought he was superb

[bababoom 4,478]

I did not celebrate when Drogba scored or when the final whistle went. I feel sad that some will use Drogba's goal and Lampard's performance to paper over the massive cracks.

What? i swear some people on this forum just love it when we're losing or going through a 'bad patch'... we won ffs.

[Santiago. 1,500]

Wait....Kalou played the whole game?

[francozola 2,040]

We're not creative enough to break down a side with fucking 9 men behind the ball.

I agree with this. But it's not as if we're fucking Barcelona in the rest of hte games. This uncreative shite is the same that we see in every single game.

[Santiago. 1,500]

[Ollie 4,400]

Very good result and not a bad performance at all, Gary Cahill was a fucking wall today, was an absolutely fantastic defensive display. Didn't commit himself or do anything rash, contained and went in when he needed to. Ash was better today too, was a the Ash we all know and Lamps was also pretty good too. In some ways the sending off made it harder for us because it made Stoke's decision for them. They were simply gonna try n hold on, they were really poor today btw. Mata made the difference when he came on i feel and it was a great move by Robbie to get him on early after they went down to 10, we needed as much time as possible with the spanish genius on the pitch to break through.

We hit the woodwork 3 times too. The goal was nice, shit defending from their left side but Drogs finished it really nicely.

Big win, very satisfied.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

What? i swear some people on this forum just love it when we're losing or going through a 'bad patch'... we won ffs.

So apparently the last three months when these supposed experianced players played like shit does not bother you. Or the fact that they were shit today, were shit last season, and could easily be shit again in the future does not bother you? Are you happy that in the future we will just be shit with the same players?

[Bosnian Blue 2,471]

Had Drogba scored five today you'd still find something to criticize him for.

[Sheva. 5,373]

I'm going to give him a break just because he scored. But he was almost as shit as Kalou.

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

against 10 men we created very few chances , that is a major worry . Secondly some of our passing was abysmal.

my MOM was Cahill . thought he was superb

I said it when we signed him and he was getting shit for being 'only a Bolton player', I think he will surprise a lot of people and personally think him and JT look more solid than JT and Davy Lou (who i think will now jump to Barca the first bid they make). Good lad with a great work rate and not a bad attacking sense about him.

[francozola 2,040]

Mata, Sturridge & Torres ALL on the bench was a very poor decision by RDM indeed. You have to play at least one of them.

Torres shoulda played some part today. But with that rubbish first XI, we didn't have a choice. The substitutions that were made were necessary and I don't argue with them. But the problem was that if all 3 weren't left out, we could have saved a substitute and used it on Torres.

[Sheva. 5,373]

I agree with this. But it's not as if we're fucking Barcelona in the rest of hte games. This uncreative shite is the same that we see in every single game.

Because almost every team parks the bus against us

We make the job so much easier for the opposition manager, all he has to do is tell his team to put everyone back behind the ball and try to score from set-pieces or those stupid moments when Ramires and co give the ball away.