Closed Chelsea v Shakhtar Donetsk

[Stingray 9,441]

No, I know that Torres sucks, but it is no reason not to watch a Chelsea match, especially such an important game, because you would miss 90% of games this season in which Torres will inevitably start.

Oh, and a striker is rarely the reason for losing. You can have a crappy striker and a good defence and the game will end 0-0, but you can have a good striker and a shit defence and the game can end 4-5. So if you are afraid of us losing, you should be worried about our shakey defence, not Torres.

Well, of course I will watch the game. That is called figure of speech :-)

But, I do think Torres is in the way of being a really great team. Johan Cruyff said offense is the best defense for a team and I agree on that in the sense that without a sriker ... well, you loose so much of your potential, even your defensive potential (even if only for pressing, having a threat so defenders stay, etc.).

On our defense, I am confident we will sort this out with the players we have. Our offense (striker position) on the other hand, I do not believe for a second we will sort that out with Torres,

Again, friendly hail to you!

ps: Damn sure I will watch the game :-) Wouldn't miss it for the world even if we lose :-)

[TheCount 146]

Cahill was absolute shite against united.

? what the.... if your on about the 1st 20mins then everyone was poor, he had a great game after that.

[Land 331]

? what the.... if your on about the 1st 20mins then everyone was poor, he had a great game after that.

Didnt mark RVP on the second goal

[Backstreet09 499]

Iva - Terry - Cahill - Cole

Ramires

Mata-Oscar- Hazard

Sturridge - Torres

[TheCount 146]

Didnt mark RVP on the second goal

hazard(?) didnt track back, cole then didnt close down the cross, david luiz closed in but to close enough and let it through his legs and then cahill didnt mark him, it was poor all around, no one marked anyone properly.

[Land 331]

hazard(?) didnt track back, cole then didnt close down the cross, david luiz closed in but to close enough and let it through his legs and then cahill didnt mark him, it was poor all around, no one marked anyone properly.

So he didn't have a great game

[TheCount 146]

So he didn't have a great game

I said he had a great game after the 1st 20mins where everyone was shit, fuck me does anyone actually read posts or they just decide what people have said and comment....

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I said he had a great game after the 1st 20mins where everyone was shit, fuck me does anyone actually read posts or they just decide what people have said and comment....

He was also at fault for the play Iva got sent off for. Was out of position, got too close to RVP and allowed him to turn and play the through ball.

[Jase 43,479]

A couple of stats and facts to throw in...

1. Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo will officiate the Chelsea v Shakhtar Donetsk match at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.

2. Carballo has previously officiated 2 Chelsea matches in the Champions League - the Blues 2-0 victory over Spartak Moscow in 2010 and their 3-1 loss to Napoli.

3. Shakhtar Donetsk have not won any of their 4 previous visits to London in European competitions - D1 L3.

4. Shakhtar manager Mircea Lucescu has tasted victory in London before. His Besiktas emerged 2-0 victors at SB back in the 03/04 Champions League.

5. Besiktas are ONE of the only FIVE sides to have ever beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League.

6. In fact, Besiktas are the last side to have beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League group stage, in the 03/04 season.

7. Chelsea have won 70.6% of their matches at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League group stage - P34 W24 D8 L2.

[TheCount 146]

He was also at fault for the play Iva got sent off for. Was out of position, got too close to RVP and allowed him to turn and play the through ball.

I dont think Iva should of been got sent off tho so that would kind of make cahill being out of position irrelevant for me, tho other then that he had a great game. Now if ya take into consideration either, young keeps goin i think cahill has enough time to make one of his trademark slide tackles or indeed just intercept the ball, cole to, cech could also of came out and closed the angle, and the other where young goes down as he did and the ref waves play on and we all laugh at how ridiculously easy he went over and use it as an example of how not to be, but of course that's a dream situation lol.

[Ollie 4,400]

Probably our first 'must win' of the season. A real pressure game and a real test. I'm actually pretty worried about this lot but i reckon we can just about do the job. Certainly won't be easy or comfortable.

[Land 331]

I said he had a great game after the 1st 20mins where everyone was shit, fuck me does anyone actually read posts or they just decide what people have said and comment....

RVP scored at the 12th you idiot.

[TheCount 146]

RVP scored at the 12th you idiot.

Good christ i do hope this is just a language barrier.....or your the only idiot here.

What part of he was good AFTER the first 20mins of the game do you not understand?

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

I dont think Iva should of been got sent off tho so that would kind of make cahill being out of position irrelevant for me, tho other then that he had a great game. Now if ya take into consideration either, young keeps goin i think cahill has enough time to make one of his trademark slide tackles or indeed just intercept the ball, cole to, cech could also of came out and closed the angle, and the other where young goes down as he did and the ref waves play on and we all laugh at how ridiculously easy he went over and use it as an example of how not to be, but of course that's a dream situation lol.

Regardless of the outcome of that play, it wouldn't erase Cahill's mistake. Cech could have made the save or Young could have hit the bar so hard that it went flying back into his own net. It still would have been a Cahill mistake. Cahill had a horrible game, everybody did. No one is saying he's to blame for the loss, but he made his fair share of mistakes amongst the mistake-ridden backline on that day.

[TheCount 146]

Regardless of the outcome of that play, it wouldn't erase Cahill's mistake. Cech could have made the save or Young could have hit the bar so hard that it went flying back into his own net. It still would have been a Cahill mistake. Cahill had a horrible game, everybody did. No one is saying he's to blame for the loss, but he made his fair share of mistakes amongst the mistake-ridden backline on that day.

Im not saying it wouldnt erase his mistake, im saying bar his mistakes, made mostly when everyone eles was poor as well,he's didnt have a bad game.

[Reddish-Blue 2,506]

Im not saying it wouldnt erase his mistake, im saying bar his mistakes, made mostly when everyone eles was poor as well,he's didnt have a bad game.

The entire defence had a bad game.

I'm not sure about the Cahill-Luiz partnership in general, they just don't look convincing to me.

[Henrique 9,133]

Luiz must start ths game. We missed him against Swansea.

Huge test for RDM, but I dont see us losing this game, otherwise no doubt soon we will see Guardiola at SB.

[Tomo 21,751]

Has to be Terry and Luiz for this one, Luiz is not the sort of player you leave out when chasing a tie (which we are effectively doing given that we could finish level with Donetsk meaning head to head record will come into play).

This is practically a second leg tie and the impetus is on us to attack and we need Luiz to start attacks from the back.

[TheCount 146]

The entire defence had a bad game.

I'm not sure about the Cahill-Luiz partnership in general, they just don't look convincing to me.

Oh my sweet jesus, i have already said twice the whole defense was bad, fucking hell, go read my dam post's how many times must i repeat myself.

[Tomo 21,751]

I'm more concerned about Luiz than I am about Torres, I think the defence is more solid without him.

With Luiz playing: 62 games, 65 goals conceded, 22 clean sheets

Without Luiz playing (since his arrival): 32 games, 40 goals conceded, 7 clean sheets.

So with Luiz we keep a clean sheet every 2.8 games and concede 1.04 goals per game where-as without him we keep a clean sheet every 4.5 games and concede 1.25 goals per game.

Despite his flaws our defense is clearly better when he plays.