Closed Shakhtar Donetsk 2-1 Chelsea

[nachikethas 1,154]

is there anyway that we could hire a striker for few games

[meetdoscar 335]

That is just fucking bullshit. I would bet my life that if Danny was given HALF the trust and chances Torres has been getting, he would do TWICE as good.

Well then be ready to die by your mouth bcoz as yet sturridge doesn't even have champions league experience. Better and more experience strikers like rooney, van persie, aguero really struggle in the champions league and yet you mention sturridge like he is a Godsent saviour or kingpin for chelsea fc. If torres checks out then we need falcao because sturridge is as good as a back up for a team like chelsea may be next 2 years if he improves further he could be no. 1 but not now.

Sturridge is no No. 9 even AVB saw that, yes he is nimble and has a good shot but imo best suited on the wings or as a second striker. Did u see how small and sandwiched he looked as a lone striker vs shaktar he did not even look a big enough presence to be picked out by a pass and had to move to the wings. He is not a target man exactly like torres period. We need falcao to present a different kind of option for us up front.

[joshmercury 20]

2 problems

1. The no of shots that both Spurs and Shakhtar were allowed to take was unbelievable. Very poor in closing down and defense sitting very deep . While the goals were individual errors and from setpieces those can be sort out but the fact that we are getting torn apart in counterattack is the worrying problem.We need a proper ball winning midfielder not Mikel who relies on positioning and recycles the ball someone who chases and muscles the ball.

2. Torres not good enough to lead line - already voiced by many .

Coming to Shakhtar they were definitely good but they are not a worldclass team, any team worth its salt would have scored more than the 1 we scored especially considering the chances they gave.

[meetdoscar 335]

I can't believe we were outplayed like this.

Everyone except cech had a bad or average day.

Cech - 9: saved 3-4 goals

Ivanovic- 6: nice assist but got a 6 becos lost more of the ball

Terry - 4 horrible for the 2nd goal, too slow for my likin

g

Luiz- 5 could have slid in to prevent the 2nd goal

Cole-6 average peformance

Mikel - 7 our only better player, on the pitch

Ramires-6 average, confused in his positioning sometimes

Oscar - 6- Horrible first half, was one of the worst players on the pitch in the first half. Played better in the 2nd

Mata- 6 he dissapeared, he was marked out, I didn't just see anything except a few dribbles

Hazard-7 I know he caused the 2nd goal with terry but, he was our only threat in this match

Sturridge-6 made better runs than torres and didn't lose the ball all the time at least. Nice pass to hazard, unlucky not to hav an assist.

Torres - 3 - worst player on the pitch

Anytime mata or hazard passes to torres, he falls then shaktar are on the counter.

He couldn't trap any ball well though out the match.

He lost possesion almost more than he kept it

He can't shoot, I'm almost about to give up on him

He produced his qpr peformance again

Shakter out pressed us and kept possesion in our 18yard box. Like WTF

I was so mad seeing them play like they were barcelona in front of our 18yard box.

This just exposed the disadvantages of playing our 3 attackin mids. None of them tracked back, especially oscar. I was dissapointed dimatteo started oscar, he clearly needed a rest, he didn't track back or move around in this match at all.

Bad match, horrible

Your opinion seems to overrate hazard, mata, sturridge, ashley cole and underrate oscar and ramires. Whatever

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Your opinion seems to overrate hazard, mata, sturridge, ashley cole and underrate oscar and ramires. Whatever

Nope

The whole team bar cech was average.

Didn't just see anything. Ramires probably was the only one I misjudged but we let them have 16 shots and 10 on target and so he cannot avoid critisizm.

Didn't overate any one, I gave oscar a six because he was a 3 in the first half, he misplaced so many passes.

Mata was no where to be found

Hazard made a mistake for the goal but he was our only threat up front the other three(torres mata oscar) were invisible at doing their jobs(attackin), except oscar in the 2nd half so they got the right ratings.

[Aussiedan 154]

Give credit to Shakhter Donetsk, they were brilliant. Pass and movement was great. Ferandinho, Adriano, William and Mkhitaryan all quality players.

If we're going to continue to cross balls in, then we need a striker with some ariel ability and some more numbers running into the box.

[Azpinator 2,325]

pushing Ramires out on to the wing (yes we all know that he can play there but he hasn't played there once this season),

Actually that's not true, before having Oscar in the starting XI (pre-Juve match), RDM played Ramires on the right wing and most of us hated that.

[Tomo 21,751]

Completely ignoring the fact that Torres had been defending the corner, booted the ball forward from our own half and still was able to run all the way to join up with the counter.

Don't let something as simple as that, get in the way of your point though...

So? Drogba has gone from defending corner's to being on the end of a ball within second's during his time here. An instinctive forward hungry to score would have sensed a opportunity the moment Juan mugged Walker.

How about last year against Bolton Lampard's goal (our 3rd) at Stamford Bridge, Lampard got in on the end of the cross, where was Torres? on the edge of the area.

[meetdoscar 335]

Nope

The whole team bar cech was average.

Didn't just see anything. Ramires probably was the only one I misjudged but we let them have 16 shots and 10 on target and so he cannot avoid critisizm.

Didn't overate any one, I gave oscar a six because he was a 3 in the first half, he misplaced so many passes.

Mata was no where to be found

Hazard made a mistake for the goal but he was our only threat up front the other three(torres mata oscar) were invisible at doing their jobs(attackin), except oscar in the 2nd half so they got the right ratings.

On ramires we were chasing a lead so it is expected that we will be caught out against the potent attack of shakhtar

The misplaced passes were more from hazard not oscar. Hazard came on and played for himself and not with the team also loosing possession when there were options to pass for the second goal so he can't be 6 with oscar

Oscars job is to create and he did so by providing 2 exquisite passes for torres in the first half on another day torres scores and oscar is king also he scored in the second half which is the aim of the game in the first place.

What runs did sturridge make? Him a.cole and mata can't obviously have the same rating as ramires or Iva WTF

[CFCRazor 49]

Actually that's not true, before having Oscar in the starting XI (pre-Juve match), RDM played Ramires on the right wing and most of us hated that.

Oh yes sorry I do remember that, because I was slating him at one of the matches that I went to where he was on the wing being extraordinarily greedy. My apologies, just have got so used to the deadly MAZACAR three that I momentarily assumed that they would have always been starting together. But I guess you understand what I was getting at with the post in general...?

[YouNameIt 1,511]

Well then be ready to die by your mouth bcoz as yet sturridge doesn't even have champions league experience. Better and more experience strikers like rooney, van persie, aguero really struggle in the champions league and yet you mention sturridge like he is a Godsent saviour or kingpin for chelsea fc. If torres checks out then we need falcao because sturridge is as good as a back up for a team like chelsea may be next 2 years if he improves further he could be no. 1 but not now.

Sturridge is no No. 9 even AVB saw that, yes he is nimble and has a good shot but imo best suited on the wings or as a second striker. Did u see how small and sandwiched he looked as a lone striker vs shaktar he did not even look a big enough presence to be picked out by a pass and had to move to the wings. He is not a target man exactly like torres period. We need falcao to present a different kind of option for us up front.

You sir know nothing. He hasnt got the experience because he hasnt been given the chance. He is hindered by Torres and his pricetag.

Sturridge isnt suited more at RW, hes good there but he is better as CF. He would prolly even do well in a striker partnership at the right side.

[Las7 951]

Yeah it boggles my mind Sturridge hasn't got experience - what experience did Chicarito have arriving at MU?

Slotted right in and played ahead of Berbatov.

What experience does Welbeck have last year?

Slotted into the lineup and played big games for MU last season.

Without playing a player how exactly do you expect him to gain experience, saying a left footed striker who was never taught how to cross from the right wing is better there instead of the position he has trained all his life is a JOKE.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

Watched the game. They just outplayed us. Our front four was awful. Didn't track back properly and our midfield was overwhelmed. Not sure how anyone could vote for someone other than Cech or maybe Mikel as MOTM. Oscar was atrocious. Hazard had a few good moves, but was terrible. Mata was invisible. Torres was useless. Our front four was also dispossessed a ridiculous 13 times. Not all that surprising as I see this game as a continuation of our problems against Spurs where we gave up 25 shots to a team missing a few of its best players. RDM definitely needs to do some tweaking to limit the number of chances we are giving the opposition. Not time to panic at all, but work needs to be done.

[meetdoscar 335]

You sir know nothing. He hasnt got the experience because he hasnt been given the chance. He is hindered by Torres and his pricetag.

Sturridge isnt suited more at RW, hes good there but he is better as CF. He would prolly even do well in a striker partnership at the right side.

I beg to differ as you suffer from lack of knowledge.

Sturridge's gradual introduction into champions league games is how experience should be attained for a young inexperienced striker until he proves to be ready by proving himself in those cameos which are offered to him. That's what most managers do.

Like it or not torres is a proven striker and that's why we paid 50m for him. In champion league every game is a big one so we can't risk it. Except you think yourself suddenly more capable than RDM which i doubt its just a wish on your part anyway.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

On ramires we were chasing a lead so it is expected that we will be caught out against the potent attack of shakhtar

The misplaced passes were more from hazard not oscar. Hazard came on and played for himself and not with the team also loosing possession when there were options to pass for the second goal so he can't be 6 with oscar

Oscars job is to create and he did so by providing 2 exquisite passes for torres in the first half on another day torres scores and oscar is king also he scored in the second half which is the aim of the game in the first place.

What runs did sturridge make? Him a.cole and mata can't obviously have the same rating as ramires or Iva WTF

The whole team played average so similar ratings deserved unless you saw someone spectacular except cech and mikel, I wuld like u to mention pls.

Oscar was supposed to be better rated but I can't get past the poor first half he had, he was the worst on the pitch in the first half along with torres. If u didn't notice his misplaced passes then I'm confused.

Oscar stepped up in the 2nd half but his terrible first half brought down his rating.

I understand u said that hazard didn't play for the team, but he was actually more threatning than any other person.

And oscar lost more passes in the first half than hazard.

[Superblue 6,372]

It could be worse...

We could be City (i.e. fucked!)...

Or Arsenal (no hopers in every competition they compete in)

[Hutcho 8,443]

It could be worse...

We could be City (i.e. fucked!)...

Or Arsenal (no hopers in every competition they compete in)

Yep.. Its still in our hands. The next 2 are HUGE games. If we can win at home vs shak then we have a slight cushion going to juve. If we don't beat shak then juve have the lead and we have to go to their house and beat them which is a completely different story. 4 points in our next two games and we are fine (easier said than done of course).

[Superblue 6,372]

Yep.. Its still in our hands. The next 2 are HUGE games. If we can win at home vs shak then we have a slight cushion going to juve. If we don't beat shak then juve have the lead and we have to go to their house and beat them which is a completely different story. 4 points in our next two games and we are fine (easier said than done of course).

I mentioned it last night - The Oscar goal could be key.

We are perfectly capable of not just beating Shakhtar at home, but beating them by a couple. They are historically not the best travellers and I think if we can get in front against them they will wilt. By bettering this match, will give us the advantage in the head to head against them.

Hopefully we'll be in a position come the final game where a win will do it, and Shakhtar and Juve can slug it out between themselves for the other spot!

[Hutcho 8,443]

I mentioned it last night - The Oscar goal could be key.

We are perfectly capable of not just beating Shakhtar at home, but beating them by a couple. They are historically not the best travellers and I think if we can get in front against them they will wilt. By bettering this match, will give us the advantage in the head to head against them.

Hopefully we'll be in a position come the final game where a win will do it, and Shakhtar and Juve can slug it out between themselves for the other spot!

Love a bit of optimism...

[Tomo 21,751]

I mentioned it last night - The Oscar goal could be key.

Spot on, it could be one of those hindsight vital moments, like Cole's goal line clearance in Naples. I actually celebrated the goal because if we win 1-0 at home and finish level with the Ukraine's in 2nd, Oscar's goal will be the one that sends us through.