Closed Brighton Vs Chelsea

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I didn't see the match. Hell I don't know what the score is. The question I have to ask is if anyone got hurt??? That is the only thing I am caring about atm. Injury reports. Hopefully only minor stuff.

Torres broke his leg

[Sheva. 5,373]

The whole "it's preseason" excuses doesn't count anymore, it's been 5 games of preseason. That excuse only applies to first couple games when everyone is still not sharp.

And i don't even care about the results (before someone attacks me lol) because like i said already, we have been playing the same team as last season, so you can't expect drastic changes.

When the season starts, and we have Hazard, Mata, Oscar, and hopefully our new striker up there, then make your judgments.

[Stats 7,142]

As long as its Pre Season ?.....Gosh looking at the reactions here, it looks like this is a champions league Knock Out stage game.

Since we have a bunch of new players, it takes time for them to get used to each other. Secondly, the pre season is about finding the right formation, tactics, and game plans that suite the players and team.

I see people complaining about 4-3-3. Its a FUCKING PRESEASON and he can play any fucking formation he wants. so SHUT IT

I don't think you have seen what I have posted then.

"Three games lost in a row, does this look good going into the season, NO. Remember just before beginning of 10/11 we lost three consecutive friendlies against Ajax, Frankfurt and Hamburg. Oh, the guess what, we had the community shield a week later against Man United. What was the score, 3-1 United.

Did we go on to win anything that season? No we did not, so we can't just ignore pre-season games, judging by what I have seen a lot of work needs to be done and as shown in previous years as I have mentioned, we need to look at these games and see where we went wrong. Because judging by our defence pre-season, even against the likes of Seattle was appalling and imagine against the likes of Silva, Tevez and Aguero. Hope we improve starting from next week"

[CHOULO19 24,332]

How about making sure we have a solid defence so that our attacking players won't be under pressure to score? Some of the goals we conceded may have been unlucky but some of the defending before that have been utterly hopeless!

At this level the attackers are ALWAYS under pressure to score. TBF, the defending has been good in organization, it's just been some random personal mistake by someone that is costing us the goals, but I agree that it is happening too often. What was hopeless today, however, was the performance by the front three. I don't even know where to start. Lukaku, in the last 15 mins, gave Torres a lesson of what he should have been doing all evening.

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Are people actually blaming the formation? I missed the game but I could've told you that a midfield three consisting of Lamps, Meireles and Essien can only go wrong. So could my 12-year-old nephew's hamster.

Of course the 4-3-3 depends on which players are on the pitch. With those, it can only be horrible. IF the same players would have played today id rather see:

Cech

Iva - Cahill - Terry - Cole

Essien

Meireles - Lampard

Ramires - Hazard

Torres

[Sheva. 5,373]

On the formation, there's nothing wrong with the 4-3-3, the problem was we had no width. Hazard kept cutting inside and Ramires was just fooling around.

[TrippingStep 336]

I 100% agree. Before people start posting the 'Over reaction' speech and oh were not proper fans because we criticize what was a horrific performance by our standards. We should take a look at the way we played through this pre-season and ask ourselves, are we ready for this season? And I would have to say no! I'm not sure weather it's the players or the managers lack of awareness. The two defensive midfielders can't defend to save their lives and neither can pass forward into the whole behind the striker if their life depended on it, it really is quite embarrassing. The lack of pace to our game isn't because of individuals all being slow at running it's because they take about 4 touches before they release the ball, even on a counter attack.... What's that all about?

Torres is absolutely isolated waiting for the ball for 15 minutes in which he only receives when he drifts out to the flank because by the time everyone has fucked about passing the ball sideways and back to the Center Backs he has 9 players surrounding him. Why can't RDM see this? Can he see this? Then why aren't we playing faster, quicker passes with 1, 2 interchanges?

Our defense was, well, it was just shit... and it has been all pre-season. I fear City are going to tear us to shreds unless we field 2 banks of 4 in front of the box like we did against Barca.

Our midfield without Mata is absolutely hopeless... He is the only one who passes quickly to Torres and forward into the channels and gaps. I hope to God Oscar get's a chance in this team because it feels like for most of the game it's the Lampard show and yea he has played ok but nothing special in the slightest.

I am normally the first one to jump to the defense of our players and manager... and don't get me wrong I'm not bringing out any kind of jury on RDM because the geeza won us the CL but please give Josh a chance, please up the tempo in our play and for fuck sake please tell Mikel to pass forward!

I think the lack of 1-2 interchanges and poor defending have the similar issue. When players move out of position, you don't see other players fill in the positions.

Many players aren't used to this style of play.

[Jase 43,479]

On the formation, there's nothing wrong with the 4-3-3, the problem was we had no width. Hazard kept cutting inside and Ramires was just fooling around.

Ramires is not even a RW to begin with. RDM's persistence to play him there is becoming annoying.

[OneMoSalah 8,886]

Have to be honest, Oscar has got to start in Lampard or Ess' role if hes going to be used as a CM. Lampard and Ess slowed everything good (wasn't much but yeah...) we did down today.

Lamp's goal was good but everything else he did was very average, slowed everything down along with Essien. The one Lamps picked up and played to Torres was an example, say Hazard, Mata or Ramires had the ball in that position they would of took the defender on and shot.

If Lampard is going to be the "heart" of the midfield this season we are done for. We are trying to play nice passing football but we can't when every time him or Essien gets the ball takes about 40 touches and then passes it.

If we're gonna play 4-3-3 Ramires has got to be in the midfield 3 as well rather than the front 3. I'd personally go for Mikel, Ramires and Oscar in the midfield 3 tbh, Oscar can dictate the tempo and be the deeper lying playmaker, Mikel as the holding man and Ramires being a box to box player where he can attack and defend. For the Community Shield we will have to improve but since a trophy is on offer I'm sure they will, we'll see though.

[The Skipper 20,609]

One thing that has to be remembered is that we didn't play a consistent team at all throughout the whole of pre season. We haven't played our best XI yet as we've got a couple of players missing.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Ramires is not even a RW to begin with. RDM's persistence to play him there is becoming annoying.

Indeed, i think because of what he did last season RDM wants to find a way to keep him in the side, but if i was a manager he wouldn't start most games, tbh.

I would rather have someone like Benayoun in there in place of Marin than Ramires. At least he can pass.

[Fulham Broadway 17,313]

One of the worst pre seasons i have ever seen,-.

But its over now -hopefully defensive lessons will be learned, I'll see a different side of the European champions on Sunday with the season curtain raiser.

CAREFREE !!!!!

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Excuse me? Of course that counts.

As the conversation progressed, it changed from "Stamford Bridge" to simply "Have you seen them live?".

I hope you knew that before entering this conversation, otherwise you shouldn't be in it.

Well then, watching them on a stadium and watching them on tv is not much of a big difference.

So using the excuse of not watching them in person is a poor argument!

[Sheva. 5,373]

One thing that has to be remembered is that we didn't play a consistent team at all throughout the whole of pre season. We haven't played our best XI yet as we've got a couple of players missing.

Good point, Hazard and Marin have only started one game together also. And it's been clear we play differently when they are both in the side.

[Jase 43,479]

Indeed, i think because of what he did last season RDM wants to find a way to keep him in the side, but if i was a manager he wouldn't start most games, tbh.

I would rather have someone like Benayoun in there in place of Marin than Ramires. At least he can pass.

You don't keep player in the side just for the sake it. RDM should realize that Ramires just doesn't work on the RW when our game plan is to attack the opponents and not adopting the counter-attacking approach. Ramires is only useful there if you play the ball into space for him to run with. Otherwise, when the ball is at his feet, he's not gonna beat his defender. Will just pass it backwards or sideways. And his crosses today were absolutely hopeless as well. Makes it even worse playing him at RW!

[Jase 43,479]

Good point, Hazard and Marin have only started one game together also. And it's been clear we play differently when they are both in the side.

Still no excuse for the performance today. Our lineup was pretty close to the full one bar Mata and maybe Marin. Also, it's funny how people have praised Marin for providing us something different attacking wise and yet, they don't have him in their starting XI...

In addition, it's a bit concern that even when we were struggling in this game, RDM has hardly looked to change things around and only sticking to the original formation and plan. Even the changes were like for like.

[Henrique 9,133]

Lets move on. Pre season game. Season really begins when the PL starts.

Time to stop the bullshit about FIFA 12 formations, or the talk about Hazard being one of the best players in the world. We have to build another team this season, and we will struggle in the first games of the season.

Our squads have young players, but some stupid guys were thinking we already had the best Chelsea's team ever.

[Justin_3d 1,140]

Well a very meaningless game.

We lost, bad pre-season, and I don't care!

Reminds me when we lost to Liverpool in the PL, after beating them in the FA Cup. A nothing meaningless result of a game!

The only thing to take notice is weather Hazard plays as a LW or behind the striker.

And that Ramires is not a good winger. He is far better when we counter attack.

But for creativity and trickery i take someone like Marin....and then that's the problem. Right now Marin is the only true winger that we got....or at least the only one that want's to play as a winger!

So we still need to solve the winger situation before the transfer window close.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Still no excuse for the performance today. Our lineup was pretty close to the full one bar Mata and maybe Marin. Also, it's funny how people have praised Marin for providing us something different attacking wise and yet, they don't have him in their starting XI...

In addition, it's a bit concern that even when we were struggling in this game, RDM has hardly looked to change things around and only sticking to the original formation and plan. Even the changes were like for like.

Actually it is an excuse, you saw how we played today, that is exactly how we played quite a lot of times last season.

Keep possession, fail to break down opposition, then concede on the counter. You can almost tell everything that is going to happen before the game even starts.

And when i saw the line up today i just had a bad feeling about the game.

As for Marin, he will/should surely play a lot, he gives us genuine pace and width. Just needs to be better in his decision making.

[Jase 43,479]

Actually it is an excuse, you saw how we played today, that is exactly how we played quite a lot of times last season.

Keep possession, fail to break down opposition, then concede on the counter. You can almost tell everything that is going to happen before the game even starts.

And when i saw the line up today i just had a bad feeling about the game.

As for Marin, he will/should surely play a lot, he gives us genuine pace and width. Just needs to be better in his decision making.

Then that makes you wonder, why didn't RDM look to change things? Everything was just so narrow going forward and even Hazard kept on coming inside and not even providing us some width!