Closed Chelsea 1 - 4 Atletico Madrid

[Tricky 301]

Fuck off... MOM? Seriously?

Right hand side was toilet, the pivot might has well had been a privy and our service up front reminder me off the worst of last year. So predictable.... Which would be shit (at best) but our full backs and wingers (Ramirez and Iva) couldn't hit the twelve yard box yet alone someone's head.

Fuck it I chose Torres.... My reasoning? Because he bothered to come out in the second half despite the shower of shite that was playin behind him.

[Kez 2,727]

Term X was actually posting such stuff on Twitter smh...

I know he's been exposed for the plastic fan he is.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Ok it's bad enough to have to name a motm but 16 voting for Mikel? All his passes were behind players runs and Atletico walked through him nearly scoring 8 times. Like it or not, Hazard again was by far our best player and even he did nothing because of how shit we were as a team.

Go watch the match again.

[Las7 951]

• Simply put Hazard; Ramires; Mata and Torres need to do a lot more defensively if they want to make this formation work in big clashes, there were times where they were strolling a long the field instead of trying to put pressure on the AM defense. To me as a guy who has witnessed players like Drogba; Eto'o play as left backs when times called for it. This is not something that I would like to see from virtually our whole forward line. Ramires tried to help but still him and Ivanovic were possibly the two worst players out there. Hazard at least kept the ball - while Mata was completely invisible for 80 minutes and needs to be dropped for a couple of games till he regains fitness.
  
• The midfield pivot did not work, AM were transition very quickly from defense to attack and Mikel and Lampard proved too slow to keep up with them. Ramires might have been of more use in this situation than Lampard, who's struggling at the moment and shouldn't be starting every game. Oscar did pretty well when he came on but his sustitution was still a strange one, Romeu should have been brought on for one of the attacking midfielders around the 30-40 minute before Madrid's 3rd goal. Mikel was so-so, just needs a faster partner like Essien of old or Ramires out there otherwise his pace would always leave him exposed especially when facing sides that have quick guys like Falcao.
  
• Defense was complete shambles, they were absolutely pathetic and lets not kid ourselves this has been the case for nearly all our matches this season - something needs to change drasitcally there because with these players we should be doing a lot better.
  

• Last RdM, it was his first major failure in a big game - he waited far too long to make a change - when a team starts off against you with 4 clear chances(2 goals 2 woodwork 1 on 1 against your keeper); you need to make change, in either the formation/instruction to the players or a substitution. He failed to do this and by half time it became too late. His tactics were a mess tonight and he keeps playing Ramires in the wrong position while not adapting his formation to the realities on the field. He must also bare the negatives of our defense, the defense that won us the CL last season is virtually unchanged but the level of their performances have hit rock bottom - this is something which must be addressed whether it's in training or one on one with our defensive players and the offensive ones which are supposed to be helping them out.
  

Overall, the only thing that I can say that's positive is Oscar's performance, he surprised me after coming on and should be starting more of our games in place of Lampard.

And Falcao, what a player - that's what a top striker is, gulf of class between him and what we have up top with Torres sheer class in all of his finishes.

[Tricky 301]

Go watch the match again.

Voting for Mikel would be like voting between contracting crabs of Hep A.

To be fair he was the best STD on the pitch bit I'd rather not contract it.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I haven't seen the game as I was working, and i WAS going to ask for a highlight video, but dont worry...

As much as i love Frank, this surely tells RDM that he should now rarely be played. maybe come on as a sub every other game and start against some of the lower tempo type teams.

So, let me get this straight. You didn't watch the game but are still blaming the loss entirely on Lampard? In other words, the logical progression goes something like this:

1) We lost

2) Therefore it was Lampard's fault

3) Therefore Lampard shouldn't play anymore

I could see last year how he was already becoming the scapegoat, but this year, it's been taken to another level.

[Hysteria 159]

Calm down. I think we should not ban anyone for express their opinions.

Back on topic: We lose in a shameful way today, seems like every team that counter attack us = rape.

[Henrique 9,133]

I know he's been exposed for the plastic fan he is.

Terminator is far from being plastic, actually he is one of the most passionate fans we have in this forum.

[Henrique 9,133]

Go watch the match again.

Ollie is right. Mikel was bad, just watch the goals and you will find huge defensive mistakes made by him in 3 of them.

[Tricky 301]

• Simply put Hazard; Ramires; Mata and Torres need to do a lot more defensively if they want to make this formation work in big clashes, there were times where they were strolling a long the field instead of trying to put pressure on the AM defense. To me as a guy who has witnessed players like Drogba; Eto'o play as left backs when times called for it. This is not something that I would like to see from virtually our whole forward line. Ramires tried to help but still him and Ivanovic were possibly the two worst players out there. Hazard at least kept the ball - while Mata was completely invisible for 80 minutes and needs to be dropped for a couple of games till he regains fitness.
  
• The midfield pivot did not work, AM were transition very quickly from defense to attack and Mikel and Lampard proved too slow to keep up with them. Ramires might have been of more use in this situation than Lampard, who's struggling at the moment and shouldn't be starting every game. Oscar did pretty well when he came on but his sustitution was still a strange one, Romeu should have been brought on for one of the attacking midfielders around the 30-40 minute before Madrid's 3rd goal. Mikel was so-so, just needs a faster partner like Essien of old or Ramires out there otherwise his pace would always leave him exposed especially when facing sides that have quick guys like Falcao.
  
• Defense was complete shambles, they were absolutely pathetic and lets not kid ourselves this has been the case for nearly all our matches this season - something needs to change drasitcally there because with these players we should be doing a lot better.
  

• Last RdM, it was his first major failure in a big game - he waited far too long to make a change - when a team starts off against you with 4 clear chances(2 goals 2 woodwork 1 on 1 against your keeper); you need to make change, in either the formation/instruction to the players or a substitution. He failed to do this and by half time it became too late. His tactics were a mess tonight and he keeps playing Ramires in the wrong position while not adapting his formation to the realities on the field. He must also bare the negatives of our defense, the defense that won us the CL last season is virtually unchanged but the level of their performances have hit rock bottom - this is something which must be addressed whether it's in training or one on one with our defensive players and the offensive ones which are supposed to be helping them out.
  

Overall, the only thing that I can say that's positive is Oscar's performance, he surprised me after coming on and should be starting more of our games in place of Lampard.

And Falcao, what a player - that's what a top striker is, gulf of class between him and what we have up top with Torres sheer class in all of his finishes.

Ref RDM,

Tough call. They hit us on the counter and scored virtually everytime. But having said that he should have made a change at half time. Since I'm dunk my judgement maybe a little off, bit Iva and Ramirez were woeful (have been since preseason) And the left hand side were not much better. Would be easy to blame our DM bit our full backs should take a little bit of ownership. Bombing forward like a twelve these old expecting (someone) cover was suicidal against a team like AM (that's you Brana).

Not sure why you are bashing Torres, not sure he was provided one clear goal scoring chance in the entire game(maybe rose tinted glasses). Falcao had a dozen..

[Rowan_Osborn 58]

I would of liked to seen Azpicuelta start the game. RDM must of been aware of Adrian Lopez's pace and Ivanovic could not keep up. It might of worked if we had scored first, but as we were chasing the game and Ivanovic was pushing up, we were constantly exposed.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Not sure why you are bashing Torres, not sure he was provided one clear goal scoring chance in the entire game(maybe rose tinted glasses). Falcao had a dozen..

But Falcao also gets himself into areas where he can get scoring chances. Torres is awful at that. I'm not blaming Torres for the loss at all, but service is a two-way street. Torres expects the ball to be played at his feet in the centre of the box and that's really not going to happen very often. You have to create chances in other places/ways as well.

[dumps 284]

So, let me get this straight. You didn't watch the game but are still blaming the loss entirely on Lampard? In other words, the logical progression goes something like this:

1) We lost

2) Therefore it was Lampard's fault

3) Therefore Lampard shouldn't play anymore

I could see last year how he was already becoming the scapegoat, but this year, it's been taken to another level.

Don't be a piece. yes, i didn't watch it and it is bad of me to go by what others are saying but from what i read, it seems as if he played just as he has recently: not really in the game, shootings not what it was, passing is average (I haven't seen him play a successful killer ball from recently) and i've noticed he may be getting frustrated as he seems to be commiting many more irrational challenges leading to yellow cards.

i wasn't saying lampard shouldn't play anymore, i was just stating RDM shouldn't be seeing him as a key player anymore.

and not once did i say it was lampards fault we lost. i was just picking up on it as i think it is a change that would improve the team greatly (look at the last game vs Newcastle...)

just chill out bro, just putting forward a suggestion i think would make our team better off instead of just salgging everyone off and moaning, you could have atleast responded with an arguement stating why you disagree with me...

[The Skipper 20,593]

Voting for Mikel would be like voting between contracting crabs of Hep A.

To be fair he was the best STD on the pitch bit I'd rather not contract it.

I was just highlighting that Mikel wasn't as bad as Ollie was trying to make him out to be.

I'm afraid that tonight's defeat was a tactical victory for Simeone more than anything else. Simeone got his tactics spot on. Atletico are known for their counter attacking prowess and tonight we really were exposed.

We approached the game wrongly. Ideally, we should've set up against a counter attacking team by playing a team that's more effective in the final third, and by stopping our full backs from flying up and down the pitch. That alone would've made our defensive performance a lot better.

Personally I would've started a team of Torres, Hazard, Mata, Sturridge, Oscar and Mikel, let Mikel sit deep, let Oscar and Mata link up play and let Hazard and Sturridge penetrate their lines in order to create the chances for Fernando.

Mikel was our only midfielder who looked assured in possession, only player that looked decent but overall it was a really bad team performance.

We missed JT marshalling the defence today, we missed it a lot. Hopefully this game opened the eyes of people (and our players) expecting us to steam roll through teams. It won't happen all the time, and it'll take some time for this team to realise its full potential.

Lampard... I don't know. I've said he doesn't work with Mikel in the midfield because he's too attacking orientated and leaves the team exposed too much (due to not being effective in attack). Lampard instigated quite a few of Atletico's counters. He'd be good against more possession based teams but against teams who are deadly on the counter we'd suffer overall as a team.

MOTM for me was Mikel, and Hazard and Torres were okay. The rest were quite poor.

Ollie is right. Mikel was bad, just watch the goals and you will find huge defensive mistakes made by him in 3 of them.

In what world? I'd like you to point out to me all of these three huge defensive mistakes Mikel made during 3 goals we conceded. Please.

[The Skipper 20,593]

DP.

[Las7 951]

Not sure why you are bashing Torres, not sure he was provided one clear goal scoring chance in the entire game(maybe rose tinted glasses). Falcao had a dozen..

I'm not really bashing Torres based on this game. He was "ok", but Falcao is World Class and Torres is no where near the quality you'd expect from a first choice striker at a top club.

City have Kun; Tevez;

MU have RvP; Rooney

Those are our main rivals for the EPL and their first choice forwards are miles better than ours.

[Rowan_Osborn 58]

In what world? I'd like you to point out to me all of these three huge defensive mistakes Mikel made during 3 goals we conceded. Please.

I agree Mikel was the best player today. He can't be blamed for the pace of AM attack and lack of support given to the defence by Lampard and the wingers.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Don't be a piece. yes, i didn't watch it and it is bad of me to go by what others are saying but from what i read, it seems as if he played just as he has recently: not really in the game, shootings not what it was, passing is average (I haven't seen him play a successful killer ball from recently) and i've noticed he may be getting frustrated as he seems to be commiting many more irrational challenges leading to yellow cards.

i wasn't saying lampard shouldn't play anymore, i was just stating RDM shouldn't be seeing him as a key player anymore.

and not once did i say it was lampards fault we lost. i was just picking up on it as i think it is a change that would improve the team greatly (look at the last game vs Newcastle...)

just chill out bro, just putting forward a suggestion i think would make our team better off instead of just salgging everyone off and moaning, you could have atleast responded with an arguement stating why you disagree with me...

I disagree with you because Lampard was excellent in that position last year for about 20 games. Chelsea are 2-0 in the league with Lampard starting in that position this year. Lampard was one of our best players last season over-all. I'm also sick of everyone picking on Lampard no matter what. He played poorly today but so did pretty much everyone on the team.

I don't know where this idea that Chelsea played so brilliantly against Newcastle comes from anyway. We were barely able to create any chances all game. We played fine and deserved to win but the same e leacould have been said in our games against Reading and WBA.

Also, you didn't say "Lampard shouldn't be a key player anymore", you said "Lampard should be a sub every other game" which is ridiculous.