Closed Man City 2-1 Chelsea

[Blue Armour 4,168]

It was also the match we took the lead in and could've won to close in to Spurs by 2 points.

We took the lead through a fluke goal, and survived with a clean sheet till that point even with our best defenders Terry and Ivanovic absent.

If you were dead sure of a win before the match, then I can't console you.

[Superblue 6,331]

Disappointing given the late goals. I felt RDM set us up well. A lot of us (me included) were getting carried away before the game wanting us to play two up top, etc and take the game to City, but packing the midfield and trying to keep things tight and organised was the best way of getting a result, and frustrated City for large periods.

I felt starting with Torres was the right call as well. He worked hard, and surprisingly won his fair share of headers against Richards. Took the pressure off us at times. Drogba didn't do anything when he came on - didn't even chase down the defence. I know he's 33/34 but he was only on for 20 mins!

I do agree with the remarks about our midfield. I don't think Mikel did too bad, but Meireles and Lampard were dreadful tonight, and Essien also poor when he came on. We do miss Ramires' energy in the centre when he doesn't play there. Unfortunately the goals could have been avoided. The penalty was a tad harsh but Essien was always running the risk having his hands up and Lampard didn't track Nasri sufficiently.

I said before the game 4 points from City and Spurs would be required to keep up a push for top 4 but that was with the expectation that Spurs would win tonight. 3 points Saturday is a must and then the pressure really will be on Spurs.

[Kojo 4,676]

Di Matteo has still done well regardless, don't let this result bother us, infact i'm glad we only lost 2-1, i was fearing much worse with Cities fire power. We have to forget this though, just get it out of our system, go into next game and play.

Not putting Sturridge on was a good decision in my opinion, he's not a good player when it comes to wanting to defend and such.

[Krypt 241]

Embrace the Europa league... Runs

[Blue Armour 4,168]

His positioning is not poor. Torres is a poacher, he always move around looking to move into channels because that is how a poacher play

Yes, but even poachers run forward, rather than wait by the side for a pass.

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

Embrace the Europa league... Runs

maybe it would do us some good

[Blue Armour 4,168]

Embrace the Europa league... Runs

lol... Not while we still have a CL fixture to take care of...

[BlueSunshine 672]

It's easy to complain about RDM sub mistake after the game. At that point we simply could not hold the ball at all. We need somebody up top to hold the ball for us so that our defender can have time to rest and Drogba is better at holding the ball compare to torres.

I don't complain about the sub after the game,i was against it during the game aswell.Torres didn't have a good game but we needed him if something went wrong and we had to score another goal.Now if we had another sub then it would make more sense to me but RDM wanted to play safe and replaced one striker with another with his last sub.Lampard should have been subbed instead with Ramires taking his place in the midfield and Sturridge in the right wing

[Sheva. 5,373]

I thought Mikel did rather well.

[Blue-in-me-Veins 4,067]

Service a la Sturridge? Are you kidding? Did you miss the Leicester game? Or any other game Sturridge has featured in really..

Well would be better than what Ramires offered, with really only one great genuine cross. Atleast with Studge he creates mismatches and hey never know it will rebound to Torres or he will actually cross. Best we got at moment, and he cretes his own luck that we would need vs a team like man city at their place. Prob could have worded it better however!

[chrismada9 1,948]

Here's my article on the game...

http://chrismada9cfc.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/man-city-2-1-chelsea-premier-league-back-to-reality-cfc/

[nullabletype 987]

If we beat the Spuds on Saturday we're laughing.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Di Matteo has still done well regardless, don't let this result bother us, infact i'm glad we only lost 2-1, i was fearing much worse with Cities fire power. We have to forget this though, just get it out of our system, go into next game and play.

Not putting Sturridge on was a good decision in my opinion, he's not a good player when it comes to wanting to defend and such.

Who are you and what have you done to the real Sloth?!

[Krypt 241]

lol... Not while we still have a CL fixture to take care of...

With barca after... Don't think we will win it. I thought we played well tonight but the better team won I'm afraid

[Kieran. 6,317]

Mikel MOTM

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

Just watching real play ....envy

[communicate 2,703]

Yes, but even poachers run forward, rather than wait by the side for a pass.

He tried to run forward a couple of times but the ball never came, our mid for some reason simply cannot do a lob through pass.

Torres always2 want a through ball but our players always pass the ball to his feet.

There is no point complaining about this, this has bee a problem for our mid and torres all season.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

If we beat the Spuds on Saturday we're laughing.

We'd still be 2 points behind them and our fixtures are:

Villa (A)

Wigan (H)

Fulham (A)

Arsenal (A)

QPR (H)

Liverpool (A)

BlackBurn (H)

vs Tottenham's:

Swansea (H)

Sunderland (A)

Norwich (H)

QPR (A)

BlackBurn (H)

Villa (A)

Fullham (H)