Closed Sunderland 1-3 Chelsea

[Corner 456]

dissapointed with Oscar

that's now 16 premier league games without a goal, can't remember him giving any assists either

another average game from Hazard too

What game were you watching?

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I hate to be the pessimistic cunt (that I am ) but today really could have been another West ham. It certainly was similar in terms of performance. We literally only controlled a third of the game: the starting 15mins of each half and we got battered for the other 60 mins. If it weren't for Larson gifting us the penalty just before HT and Mata scoring just after we could have been looking at another defeat imho. If it weren't for Luiz being brilliant and winning every header in the box and Cech's two amazing FK saves we would have definitely conceded more.

I generally agree with you. As I've said before, people tend to get too down when we lose and too up when we win. We've mostly been the same team all year and that's a team with talent and potential but holes and a lack of depth. (the sort of team fighting for a Champions' League spot.) We'll likely do very well over the next month because we have about 10 games in a row we should win, but I don't think we'll really turn things around until we bring in some new players and a long-term manager.

[AnythingForJim 0]

Sunderland really pushing for an equaliser: a series of attacks thwarted only by last-gasp defending.

[BluesChick 1,260]

I am happy we won and hope the trend continues. I hope the team continues to meld together and hopefully what ever fire Rafa has lit under Torres stays lit… but I will wait and see, it is early yet.

I will also pray that no one gets injured in Japan like David Villa did last year. I don't like games that take players so far away and out of the "normal routine". That flight from England to Japan (and back) plus the time change is going to be rough in such a short amount of time. I hope the do well but I hope there isn't an impact on the season.

[TrippingStep 336]

I'm wondering if it would not be better to play David Luiz as a defensive midfielder. Azpilicueta as right back and Ivanovic as central defender.

Against West Ham, Sunderland and against Shaktar, our team seemed to have no answer when they were playing long to a man just in front of the central defense. Luiz often goes forward from his position but a bit late, is beaten in the duel, a full back covering in central defense and it messes us up big time, leaving big gaps on one side of the defense the full back has given to cover for Luiz.

I think it must be the number one priority of our staff to have an answer to this sort of play.

As Kojo said, we really need to buy defensive midfielders.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Hmm that ONLY happened once Romeu went off and we lost our DM, the key lynchpin in the WHOLE formation!

Agree with other posts we need a DM or 2 at CFC, without it, teams like Sunderland can get back into games...

Up until Romeu went off we looked unplayable - without Mikel...

So it really looks like he does slow things down as Kojo et al suggested...

[The only place to be 11,313]

Hmm that ONLY happened once Romeu went off and we lost our DM, the key lynchpin in the WHOLE formation!

Agree with other posts we need a DM or 2 at CFC, without it, teams like Sunderland can get back into games...

Up until Romeu went off we looked unplayable - without Mikel...

So it really looks like he does slow things down as Kojo et al suggested...

I mentioned this earlier and I agree with you - losing Romeu was a major blow yet it still took something extremely special/lucky for them to score. Yes they were missing key players today, but we looked to lose all structure when Romeu went off as both Ramires and Oscar seemed to drift out of position much too easily.

[Clevemayer 764]

Hmm that ONLY happened once Romeu went off and we lost our DM, the key lynchpin in the WHOLE formation!

Agree with other posts we need a DM or 2 at CFC, without it, teams like Sunderland can get back into games...

Up until Romeu went off we looked unplayable - without Mikel...

So it really looks like he does slow things down as Kojo et al suggested...

so what tells you that when Mikel would've come on we would've lost so much of our shape? no discredit to romeu but he was on the pitch for what, 17 Min.? what tells us we wouldn't have lost the controll with him too?

you can't just tell that from 17 Min. onwards, I thought we've been still decent untill after the break... Oscar's stats where good enough for me, only downside was combination of him and Ramy...

[Muzchap 8,966]

so what tells you that when Mikel would've come on we would've lost so much of our shape? no discredit to romeu but he was on the pitch for what, 17 Min.? what tells us we wouldn't have lost the controll with him too?

you can't just tell that from 17 Min. onwards, I thought we've been still decent untill after the break... Oscar's stats where good enough for me, only downside was combination of him and Ramy...

My eyes are the only thing telling me...

We looked unplayable and fluid for the first 17 minutes.

Mikel is a great squad player, but just think he slows everything down too much, Romeu has much better forward passing, perhaps Mikel is better defensively? I'm not sure, but attack is the best form of defence in my personal opinion.

As much as I love Ramires, he also really needs to learn composure on the ball - sometimes a little wayward and getting booked needlessly

[kellzfresh 7,226]

My eyes are the only thing telling me...

We looked unplayable and fluid for the first 17 minutes.

Mikel is a great squad player, but just think he slows everything down too much, Romeu has much better forward passing, perhaps Mikel is better defensively? I'm not sure, but attack is the best form of defence in my personal opinion.

As much as I love Ramires, he also really needs to learn composure on the ball - sometimes a little wayward and getting booked needlessly

True. Ramires misplaced so many passes that made me scream.

Romeu seemed to pass foward quickly, even in the build up to our goal, we intercepted the ball and romeu QUICKLY PASSED FOWARD TO MOSES who passed to hazard to cross.

I think many DM's will spoil the counter and PASS TO THE SIDE which is annoying.

[The Jackall 1]

True. Ramires misplaced so many passes that made me scream.

Romeu seemed to pass foward quickly, even in the build up to our goal, we intercepted the ball and romeu QUICKLY PASSED FOWARD TO MOSES who passed to hazard to cross.

I think many DM's will spoil the counter and PASS TO THE SIDE which is annoying.

[The Jackall 1]

Great victory yesterday Torres looked a lot sharper than he has looked in a while good to see the blues back winning

[LayZ 201]

A quick glance at the stats told me that Sunderland committed 14 fouls and had 1 player booked,we committed only 5 and had 3 players booked....we are not being smart enough...

[The Jackall 1]

A quick glance at the stats told me that Sunderland committed 14 fouls and had 1 player booked,we committed only 5 and had 3 players booked....we are not being smart enough...

Hope that wee prick Oneil gets the sack to much to say IMO

[Blue Armour 4,165]

My eyes are the only thing telling me...

We looked unplayable and fluid for the first 17 minutes.

Mikel is a great squad player, but just think he slows everything down too much, Romeu has much better forward passing, perhaps Mikel is better defensively? I'm not sure, but attack is the best form of defence in my personal opinion.

As much as I love Ramires, he also really needs to learn composure on the ball - sometimes a little wayward and getting booked needlessly

Mikel maybe slow and ponderous on the ball, but I don't think Romeu's passing is in any way better than his. His workrate though, is far better than Mikel's.

[Rambo 1,729]

Let's hope Torres can keep this up, I've been impressed with his performances of late.