Closed Chelsea 2-0 Newcastle

[bluephoenix 1,125]

are you kidding?

i hope Liverpool win tomorrow, they are no threat to us at all

for sentimental reasons wouldn't mind a borini goal

[Jase 43,479]

Have to say, as much as we controlled the game & didn't let Newcastle get into their stride, they were quite disappointing. Had expected a little bit more from Newcastle really. Not taking anything away from our solid performance though.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Very routine in the end, Newcastle were poor (Ben Arfa aside - He's a class act). Hazard was outstanding yet again, also thought Bertrand/Meireles/Mikel were excellent. Maybe we could have gone for it a bit more second half, but i'm not complaining.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Have to say, as much as we controlled the game & didn't let Newcastle get into their stride, they were quite disappointing. Had expected a little bit more from Newcastle really. Not taking anything away from our solid performance though.

Did you watch them against Spurs? they were pretty poor in that too, and their 2nd team were also not very good in Greece.

[Naked Mole Rat 437]

Good game all round. We looked very comfortable all throughout the game while Newcastle was poor.

My ratings:

Cech (6) - Not a whole lot to do.

Ivanovic (5) - Lost the ball cheaply on several occasions and delivery into the box was poor.

Cahill (6) - Didn't have a whole lot to do, but solid when called for.

Luiz (5) - I like Luiz, but I wish he'd stop thumping the ball forward like an idiot.

Cole (6) - Did well to get forward, but again, poor delivery.

Mikel (8) - Simply majestic. The Newcastle midfield provided no trouble for him, and he was surprisingly quick with transition.

Meireles (7) - Tidy distribution and good support for Mikel as well as for the back four. Made some pretty nice passes as well.

Hazard (8) - One word: SEX

Mata (6) - Decent game, I guess, but I'm a little bit disappointed with how his influence has decreased.

Bertrand (6) - Okay.

Torres (8) - Clever play to win the penalty, and a fabulous strike on goal for our second. The sexy rabona in the second half wins him an MOTM vote from me over Hazard (sorry and love you Eden)

---

Ramires (5) - Poor.

Lampard (nanananananananana)

[edetarod 2,155]

don't let Luiz take free kicks anymore, seems like we don't have anyone anymore without Drogba for that

Hazard maybe?

[Jype 6,398]

don't let Luiz take free kicks anymore, seems like we don't have anyone anymore without Drogba for that

Hazard maybe?

I miss Alex's free kicks.

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

Hope Oscar starts to get more time soon, far to classy a player to be on the bench for 90 mins. Thought mikel and Raul did well today too, cringed when I seen the two of them in the middle but they were pretty faultless ,especially mikel.

[ulsterchelsea 3,213]

I miss Alex's free kicks.

yep or more importantly didi's. Need to get someone else over the frees cause DL ain't the man. Fairly sure Mata would have been all over it had he still been on but I'd give Eden a go. He's brimming with confidence so why not.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Have to say, as much as we controlled the game & didn't let Newcastle get into their stride, they were quite disappointing. Had expected a little bit more from Newcastle really. Not taking anything away from our solid performance though.

Yeah, they were poor. They were without Tiote which hurt, but I think their attempts to get Ba and Cisse in the same lineup are not working. They were also very lucky last season. They are more of a mid-table side than one that should be challenging for a Champion's League spot.

Also, can't understand how anyone could call Bertrand's game excellent. He was basically invisible aside from a couple of touches in the box and one shot late in the match. He just wasn't involved in the game for most of the match. Don't blame him at all, he's not an attacking midfielder and I assume once Marin, Oscar, and Moses are ready to go full time, he'll rarely play up front.

[Jase 43,479]

Did you watch them against Spurs? they were pretty poor in that too, and their 2nd team were also not very good in Greece.

I did. They did improve in the second half when Pardew changed things around but overall, they were hardly impressive as the media seem to making them to be. Didn't exactly like create anything great and they only won the game through a moment of individual brilliance from Ba and a penalty from Ben Arfa.

[Jase 43,479]

Yeah, they were poor. They were without Tiote which hurt, but I think their attempts to get Ba and Cisse in the same lineup are not working. They were also very lucky last season. They are more of a mid-table side than one that should be challenging for a Champion's League spot.

Found it strange to see Pardew started with 4-4-2. Was overrun by Spurs in the first half last week with that against their 4-2-3-1 before switching to a 4-3-3 to even things up a little.

Also, can't understand how anyone could call Bertrand's game excellent. He was basically invisible aside from a couple of touches in the box and one shot late in the match. He just wasn't involved in the game for most of the match. Don't blame him at all, he's not an attacking midfielder and I assume once Marin, Oscar, and Moses are ready to go full time, he'll rarely play up front.

A bit harsh there. He was mainly brought in to stifle Ben Arfa and did his job well as the latter was almost annonymous in the entire game. And also, don't think he's used to be playing higher up the pitch on the LW.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Also, can't understand how anyone could call Bertrand's game excellent. He was basically invisible aside from a couple of touches in the box and one shot late in the match. He just wasn't involved in the game for most of the match. Don't blame him at all, he's not an attacking midfielder and I assume once Marin, Oscar, and Moses are ready to go full time, he'll rarely play up front.

RDM said he put him in the team to mainly help out with Ben Arfa and he did his job pretty well.

[Jase 43,479]

RDM said he put him in the team to mainly help out with Ben Arfa and he did his job pretty well.

Credit to RDM for that and bringing off Mata for Ramires in the second half. Mata was coming inside too often and left Ivanovic exposed at RB to Ben Arfa, Santon, Gutierrez etc. Ramires came on and provided a little more stability and protection down that right side.

[dave30 728]

i think Cech needs to start to throw the ball or look for a short pass more 80% of his goal kicks wen't straight into their possession and allowed them to build up from the back.

[Sheva. 5,373]

Credit to RDM for that and bringing off Mata for Ramires in the second half. Mata was coming inside too often and left Ivanovic exposed at RB to Ben Arfa, Santon, Gutierrez etc. Ramires came on and provided a little more stability and protection down that right side.

Agree and credit to Ivanovic, he was good today.

[cousin benson 76]

What a start...get in!

[DDA 9,570]

i think Cech needs to start to throw the ball or look for a short pass more 80% of his goal kicks wen't straight into their possession and allowed them to build up from the back.

I've been saying this for yonks now... For someone who has the I.Q of 160 and speaks 9 different languages....one would think he could work out how dumb it is to keep kicking the ball to the oppositions center backs. His ball distribution for a goalkeeper is up their with the very worse in the league....and that's not being harsh, that's just how bad it is.