Closed Chelsea 2-2 Southampton

[The only place to be 11,313]

Well the shit of firing managers, having no playing philosophy and the general transfer merry-go-round has finally caught up with us.

Yes firing managers in the past has worked - but this time it hasn't!

What we need now is a period of consistency! Get a manager in for 2-3 seasons regardless of results and build a team and educate the players in a system that works.

We haven't done that since Mourinho - and now the old guard have gone, we are being exposed...

The season can't end quick enough for me - if we don't make CL we don't make CL!

Calling for RB to be sacked now, is just crazy and will only compound the issues mentioned above.

Most of us knew these days were coming, now is the time to support the team - through thick and thin. Yes most don't like RB, but he's here until the summer, so get behind the team.

We need the 12th man from the supporters (11 if Torres is playing).

I'm not critiscising anybody here - just saying what I think CFC needs!

A. We can't stick by managers regardless of the results. If they're not performing, they get sacked. They get paid millions a year to produce results. I'll defend any sacking made by Roman with the possible exception of Mourinho (although the working relationship broke down completely) or Ancelotti (even though that sacking could be seen from February before it happened and he simply seemed to fall out of love with managing us).

B. Mourinho came in and won. Simple as that. If a guy comes in and does that, he'll get time.

C. I don't want us to sack Benitez,but if he decided to quit and we put Steve Holland in charge I wouldn't be that upset.

D. The fans always have a right to voice their opinion. They were in good voice last night but that second-half performance was absolutely shit. People get frustrated at games and they get angry when they see their club in turmoil. I was fuming last night, but I've calmed down a bit now. People at the games don't deserve any criticism for their instant reactions to what they saw last night.

[jayuk20 2]

Drawing against a side like Southampton is simply not good enough, im glad Pep has chose Bayern as it shows Abramovich cant just throw money at everything and expect to get it.

We still need to spend is this window to enforce the squad but i do worry who makes these signings its certainly not the manager.

[Slam Dunk 1,442]

Well, Benitez fucked us again. I may sound harsh blaming him, but we were good enough to beat this team. 2-0 up at home and you simply don't come out for the second half??

And some people on here want to have a pop at the people who went out on a freezing cold night having spent their hard-earned money on this? Here's a tip for you guys. A lot of Chelsea tickets go on either general sale or to members. In fact I didn't take up all the tickets I could've had so I'm always there if you need one.

If you don't like what's being sung by people who actually go to matches on shitty nights in January then you turn up and start singing different songs. I personally don't like haranguing the team but if you've bought a ticket and sung your voice out then you have the right to criticise shit like that when it's served up to you.

I've got no problems with booing after a poor performance, but while the game is going on, you're 2-0 up and then you concede one, the away fans are jubilant, chanting, cheering their team on, it's essential that you score the next goal to stop the other teams ascendency.

Obviously it's never as black and white as that, our conversion rate has been shocking recently, as has our defending on the break. The performance was not good enough. A lot of that I feel is down to the players, rather than Benitez, who didn't really have many options on the bench.

Nobody is blaming the draw on the atmosphere (at least I hope not), it could just be a contributing factor. If we want to make SB a fortress again, the fans will play their part.

[The only place to be 11,313]

I've got no problems with booing after a poor performance, but while the game is going on, you're 2-0 up and then you concede one, the away fans are jubilant, chanting, cheering their team on, it's essential that you score the next goal to stop the other teams ascendency.

Obviously it's never as black and white as that, our conversion rate has been shocking recently, as has our defending on the break. The performance was not good enough. A lot of that I feel is down to the players, rather than Benitez, who didn't really have many options on the bench.

Nobody is blaming the draw on the atmosphere (at least I hope not), it could just be a contributing factor. If we want to make SB a fortress again, the fans will play their part.

So were the fans a contributing factor in the first-half when we were winning but not the second-half? Did the atmosphere play a part in their first goal?

Was it one of the fans giving a dirty look to Ramires that affected his ability to get back and defend? Did someone in the crowd fart and put both Luiz and Cahill off, giving Lambert a chance?

It seems strange having to explain this, but fans aren't robots. They have feelings and they have fears. When a shit team starts coming back just a couple of weeks after a 1-0 home loss to another shit team, people remember. They get worried and they get frustrated.

But if people really want to criticise the support, maybe they could do with this link.

http://www.chelseafc.com/tickets

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

So were the fans a contributing factor in the first-half when we were winning but not the second-half? Did the atmosphere play a part in their first goal?

Was it one of the fans giving a dirty look to Ramires that affected his ability to get back and defend? Did someone in the crowd fart and put both Luiz and Cahill off, giving Lambert a chance?

It seems strange having to explain this, but fans aren't robots. They have feelings and they have fears. When a shit team starts coming back just a couple of weeks after a 1-0 home loss to another shit team, people remember. They get worried and they get frustrated.

But if people really want to criticise the support, maybe they could do with this link.

http://www.chelseafc.com/tickets

Exactly. The narrative of the home support causing all these problems just doesn't hold up. It's not like supporters are booing throughout the game. They give support for 90 minutes and because of awful results, they boo at the end and quite frankly, it's deserved. This is not the one-off bad game, this is three games at the Bridge against QPR, Swansea, and Southampton and being outscored 5-2. Three teams who were promoted within the last two years.

[Milan 17,835]

87 - Chelsea's PL record when 2+ goals up at half-time is W87 D1 L1, with the only defeat coming v Norwich in Sept 1992. Cruise

[YouNameIt 1,511]

I saw a few issues:

1) SOTON made substitutions. In came quick legs and they were all hungry to score. It was a huge mistake not to bring on 2 players (Marin+Terry perhaps) and take off someone like Oscar and perhaps Ramires.

2) Our bench is SO thin. I laugh every time I see people posting in the transfer section, "we dont need another midfielder". We need another everything! That doesnt mean we have to splash big on every position, but fact remains we got people loaned out etc.

3) Torres is a cancer.

[NishC300 1,865]

Missed this shit! Due to the exams.

But seriously wtf? We can't win @ home????

btw wtf do we miss so many chances?

[David Lenton 1]

I can't comment in too much detail on the game itself as I didn't get to watch it last night. I'll try to catch it on Sky Sports today as I'm certain they'll be replaying it - they normally do.

From what I've read in various match reviews first half was textbook in terms of what I was expecting. Chelsea dominating, converting chances, scoring freely and the midfield creative and getting goals. By the sounds of it some better finishing in the second half and the game would have been out of sight?

I'm also surprised Southampton were able to play a counter attacking style with success. Chelsea have good pace in midfield, especially in Ramiers even though he seems to have come under fire in this thread, but I guess the lack of Ivanovic and JT caused problems at the back.

Pretty funny that Atkins would say 'We came with a game-plan to be compact and frustrate the opposition' in his post match interview. Pretty sure that went to shit in the first half and they got lucky in the second - tactical genius!

Onward to Arsenal and I'm expecting a better result.

As for my tips which were posted pre match here ...

- Chelsea to win both halves (6/4) didn't come in even though it was looking good at half time.

- Over 3.5 goals did come in, although admittedly not as I would have necessarily expected.

Tips and a preview of the Arsenal game coming soon.

[sainttourist 68]

Playing two games a week with no squad depts. We are lucky Hazard Mata Torres(before Ba arrived) didn't get injured playing already more than 20 games. Hazard play almost in every game this season! I just scared what if..., still half a season ahead. And in january we already lost two - Danny, Lucas and got only one - Ba. With Moses and Mikel out, we axtremly short. Only Marin and half of Bertrand on Hazard Mata Oscar, only Luiz, who we need at the back, on Lampard and Rami, one Ba, Cole and Azpi played every game in recent weeks. We playing with - 4231 - and dont have any proper right winger(Oscar not a solution, and I feel sorry for him, wasting his talent there), no proper dms in pivon. All season long we have only two players who made about 90% of our attacks - Mata and Hazard, if they not good enough, we stuck and got punished. Dont want make more darkness, but it could turn into disaster.

[Hutcho 8,443]

Having a night to think about it now the problems for me came down to:

Attitude in the second half as we seemed complacent

Benitez made 1 change which saw him take off a great chance of scoring for torres. Ok he and marin are our only attacking options on the bench but if you have to put them on there are better ways of doing it.

Southampton made 3 changes, we made 1. Even if its just switching out our defence to get some fresh more experienced legs on there it may as well happen.

Squad depth

Missed Chances, if i remember correctly there were 18 chances 3 on target.

Wateful in the final third.

Would really like to see KDB come back here as he has been playing great on loan and would provide a great option in a playmaker role, which we are especially short, as rely on lampard, ramires, and luiz atm.

[bushman 2,043]

As I see it, several posters in here admitted Chelsea´s thin bench. Hardly any option there.

Since, some of us see it, then my question as follows:

What could Rafa had done then ?

[NiclasCFC 2,582]

[Krypt 241]

Maybe Roman does not want to spend ? Maybe he does not trust Rafa as Interim manager to bring players in ?

Who knows. Our sqaud is light compared to alot in the league , you should never really go into a season with only two strikers and we are paying for it now. What did they think once Drogba left ? Torres would replace him ? on what eveidence. We shot ourselves waiting this long to buy a real striker.

We lack discipline and need to sort out this leaking goals asap. But its a young sqaud with players with limited PL experience , what we need is some older heads in there to tighten things up.

[Muzchap 8,966]

A. We can't stick by managers regardless of the results. If they're not performing, they get sacked. They get paid millions a year to produce results. I'll defend any sacking made by Roman with the possible exception of Mourinho (although the working relationship broke down completely) or Ancelotti (even though that sacking could be seen from February before it happened and he simply seemed to fall out of love with managing us).

Winning AND losing is part of football - as is judging managers too early, having recently inherited a team of 40 people it's taken me over a year to change attitudes and get philosophies across. Unfortunately there's no quick fix with humans, all of my guys are degree or masters educated - but it still takes time. I don't think football management is that different to any other management. Hiring Rafa as an interim was a mistake! It's the equivalent of a 'supply teacher' back in school - you know they don't have any real power and you're just waiting for someone else to come along. This is not conducive towards a 'team' environment

Just my opinion though!

B. Mourinho came in and won. Simple as that. If a guy comes in and does that, he'll get time.

Yup, but all our managers seem to do that, there's always a bounce effect - it's managing it after which counts. Agreed Mourinho does better than most, but he's an exception to the rule

C. I don't want us to sack Benitez,but if he decided to quit and we put Steve Holland in charge I wouldn't be that upset.

I'm not sure what that would solve, if anything, see my point in A.

D. The fans always have a right to voice their opinion. They were in good voice last night but that second-half performance was absolutely shit. People get frustrated at games and they get angry when they see their club in turmoil. I was fuming last night, but I've calmed down a bit now. People at the games don't deserve any criticism for their instant reactions to what they saw last night.

I have never said you don't have the right to voice an opinion, my comment was that crowd unrest and frustration seems tohave an impact on the players. I never once said that you don't have the right to be angry? I'm angry and frustrated and have only seen 2 games since moving over here live, CL final and vs Villa. Both cost me over £1000 by the time everything was added in, including my younger bros costs. So I agree - you do need to voice an opinion, but the cost of voicing it, may affect the players performance.?

Hope we're cool? Just my thoughts on your thoughts

[The only place to be 11,313]

Hope we're cool? Just my thoughts on your thoughts

Course. They're all perfectly valid points.

Part of me thinks that a fifth place finish and a chance to re-evaluate everything might be what we need in some ways. The CL win papered over a lot of cracks, partly because we had important players having one last hurrah before falling off a cliff performance-wise, or simply leaving.

What's clear is that we need to change how we do things. There are plenty of things we're doing right, mainly financially and the youth team, but what's on the pitch is suffering.

I actually wouldn't mind giving Steve Holland a go. He's respected, knows the club and he has got a decent pedigree. But he's massively inexperienced and it would look desperate.

Last night, the fans were in better voice than they have been for a while and it was a fucking awful night. But what came out on the pitch in the second-half was simply disgraceful and that is all down to the manager in my opinion. He may well be a scapegoat, but he's also symptomatic of everything Roman has done wrong (amongst a whole heap of good) in a long time. In context (previous home capitulations, the Pep issue, Torres) the fan's response was not surprising. Me personally, I don't like booing but I'll be honest and say I was absolutely sickened at the final whistle and looking over and seeing Rafa going down the tunnel did not help in the slightest.

[bushman 2,043]

Thin bench is the cause, not Rafa, I feel.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Thin bench is the cause, not Rafa, I feel.

The bench isn't as strong as it could be, but we were 2-0 at half-time against a weak team. Benitez sends them out for the second-half and we give that performance and he isn't at least partly to blame?