Closed Milan vs Chelsea

[themightyblue 443]

I know it's only pre season, but if Ramires is our starting right winger next season, then we'll get nowhere. It's all well and good when we're looking to play on the counter, but other than that he's nit good enough there

[Nando 106]

We need Mata back soon.

[cchuka 99]

We played well in the first half of the first half

Meireles is the definition of "Surplus to requirement"

I look forward to watching Mata and Oscar in their games today to remind myself that the best is yet to come

[Peace. 4,352]

I am failing to understand why everyone is so suprised that we are playing an awful football, and why you all are going berserk about it. People, did you thought we would playing in a Barça-esq fashion, because we won the Champions League and because we signed few exciting prospects (Hazard, Oscar, Marin) ? I believe we are being decieved by those facts.

Actually, we won the Champions League, but it wasn't because we played well, it was because of our mental strength. And as of today, we have the same core of players ! The only new players are young talents, and are yet to be world class. It will take time for them to be important for the team. Which means the team isn't that good at all. It's time to lower your expectations, people, and get used to the fact we will still see boring football for some time. Rome hasn't been build in one day.

[bababoom 4,478]

Poor, poor game. Our squad is overrated, if we will think that we're European Champions and sleep on this glory then it will be deadly for us this season.

Our defence plays like they never played together... Bring Azpilicueta and Hulk.

Who is overrating them? We've bought many youngsters with great potential, we have to give them time instead of moaning if they don't play well.

[diskoviolente 425]

Don't understand why some people are so panicked with our pre season results.RDM wants to experiment things out and patience is the key for success.

Patience, something a few Chelsea fans don´t understand as a concept.

[Strike 7,489]

seriously, some of you guys need to have a look in the mirror and ask yourself why on earth are you guys so hurt after a pre season loss? good lord. did you see the players faces? they were smiling, laughing and shaking hands. nothing to see today.

the interesting thing to notice is the statistics and what de matteo is trying to do in the long term. we had 60 % possession and completed 200 more passes then milan. i know it's a useless statistic but instead of looking at the result, try seeing the bigger picture, we are building something special. this is just a practice session to get our rhythm more in-tune. we have the talent, the facilities, the dough and the mentality. all we need now is time, and patience. caaaaaalm.

the result has not caused this reaction. i thought it was a good performance today, especially in the second half.

the reaction is based on the fact that the pre-season tour has come and gone by with no real indication as to where the club is heading towards in terms of formations and tactics. the 4-2-3-1 has its limitations and di matteo has stuck by the 4-2-3-1 even though it doesn't suit our new players. the lack of a plan B is another factor for the "overreaction" there are a lot of issues yet to be sorted and the club hasn't used pre-season to sort it out. the result is not as worrying as the performance (second half especially)

[Kojo 4,676]

Anyone here think, Sturridge can take over if Torres does shit?, i have some faith in Sturridge.

[themightyblue 443]

the result has not caused this reaction. i thought it was a good performance today, especially in the second half.

the reaction is based on the fact that the pre-season tour has come and gone by with no real indication as to where the club is heading towards in terms of formations and tactics. the 4-2-3-1 has its limitations and di matteo has stuck by the 4-2-3-1 even though it doesn't suit our new players. the lack of a plan B is another factor for the "overreaction" there are a lot of issues yet to be sorted and the club hasn't used pre-season to sort it out. the result is not as worrying as the performance (first half especially)

Mate you really have a problem/obsession with the 4231. The formation is just a guideline, 4231 is just a hybrid of 433. Its the players, not the formation

[Strike 7,489]

Mate you really have a problem/obsession with the 4231. The formation is just a guideline, 4231 is just a hybrid of 433. Its the players, not the formation

my obsession is with the double pivot actually. think its way too deep. should drive forward. 4-2-3-1 is being used to good effect by ManC, Bayern etc and Toure, Schweinsteiger supplement the attack for them. we have 2 mids who basically defend

[Strike 7,489]

Anyone here think, Sturridge can take over if Torres does shit?, i have some faith in Sturridge.

sturridge in a central role may be an improvement over last season. he's got good balance and a ripping left-foot combined with pace and skill. certainly has the potential. just a matter of applying it this season

[themightyblue 443]

my obsession is with the double pivot actually. think its way too deep. should drive forward. 4-2-3-1 is being used to good effect by ManC, Bayern etc and Toure, Schweinsteiger supplement the attack for them. we have 2 mids who basically defend

If anything our pivot has been too advanced, which is why we kept on getting done on the counter. Lampard particularly was almost playing as an attacking midfielder at times, which was leaving us open. The whole point of it is that the two are meant to working in tandem, with one attacking while the other holds, but at the moment both of them were just attacking without thinking about defence. In terms of attack they were fine, it was just the 4 players in front of them that were the problem

[Strike 7,489]

If anything our pivot has been too advanced, which is why we kept on getting done on the counter. Lampard particularly was almost playing as an attacking midfielder at times, which was leaving us open. The whole point of it is that the two are meant to working in tandem, with one attacking while the other holds, but at the moment both of them were just attacking without thinking about defence. In terms of attack they were fine, it was just the 4 players in front of them that were the problem

that was in the second half. that's how a driving midfielder works. without the midfield backing the attackers, the attacks will dissipate before we enter their final third.

and i don't think Mikel attacked at all during the game apart from the second half where he got that one left footed shot away. even in that attack, he only ventured forward because someone in attack passed the ball back to him

[Colio Degenerio 1]

My only fear is with RDM, i've never really had much faith in his managerial competence (technical in particular). I believe the champions league and fa cup wins were largely down to the players fighting spirit and not technical competence (which is what really matters fo a sustainable successful run). I'm certain RDM is over-rated and appalled that the sentimentality of fans eventually forced Abrahamovic's hand to reward him with a new contract (as opposed to confidence in his innate competence).

His reactions to disappointing results always leave me deflated (bereft of force or energy), CFC fans need to brace up for a more bizarre season than the last, we've got a real flukist on our hands full-time now (as opposed to the gambler we had for the most part of last term).

[themightyblue 443]

that was in the second half. that's how a driving midfielder works. without the midfield backing the attackers, the attacks will dissipate before we enter their final third.

and i don't think Mikel attacked at all during the game apart from the second half where he got that one left footed shot away. even in that attack, he only ventured forward because someone in attack passed the ball back to him

That's not how its meant to work in a 4231 though. If you both pivot players driving forward then we get absolutely destroyed on the counter because the defence gets exposed. This is what i mean by they have to work in tandem, if one of them goes forward, the other has to hold his position so that we stay strong in attack and defence. Why do you think we've been getting destroyed on the counter in the past 3 games? Mikel was just going forward and making himself available for the pass, but he was straying out of position in doing so

[BleedsBlue 1,549]

I think people here are concerned more than panicked.

I wasn't too bothered about the pre-season neither, but, after four matches there's no glimpse of improvement which makes me worried.

It feels like the guys don't know what to do on the pitch rather than some sort of gelling. I dunno it's their fitnesses let them down or RDM hasn't got a clue.

[KonohasOrangeFlash 2,607]

I don't know about others but my expectations are not too high for this season. 3rd place finish at best. 4th at Lowest.

[Jase 43,479]

Couldn't watch the game but another game, another defeat. Judging from what I've read, seems like it was another poor performance. This is getting worrying.

And oh, have seen a few fellas saying "Can't wait for Oscar to come back" and that is really another example of people overhyping another youngster. No doubt he would add something different to our team and has potential BUT he is nowhere near a finished article and would need time to settle in. For our sake, I too hope that he can have an immediate impact but people really need to stop expecting too much from our young purchases so far. Oscar is only 21 FFS!

[Colio Degenerio 1]

Give the best ingredients to a poor cook and expect the "spectacular", a 4th place finish at best is what i think.

[Jase 43,479]

I don't know about others but my expectations are not too high for this season. 3rd place finish at best. 4th at Lowest.

Same. However, in the cup competitions, I certainly expect or hoping at least we can win 2 of the 5 we're in this season and that excludes the Community Shield.