Closed Chelsea 2-0 Hull City

[Chelsea? 892]

Can we add a link to watch the game in the op too?

[Reddish-Blue 2,509]

Good game overall. Brilliant first half, quiet second half.

The addition of De Bruyne and Schurrle will provide us with a plan B this season. (Glad to see Benayoun is no longer at the club)

[Hysteria 159]

Great first half. We did what we had to do.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Good read abt our tactical play last night http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/18/chelsea-jose-mourinho-tactics-hull?CMP=twt_gu

[edenhazard17 281]

Save some energy for Villa match. Btw, Schurrle looking good and promising.

[StrategiC 73]

Mou was right, we really need a striker who can play in tight spaces, which is a quality that all our strikers lack.

[Chelsea? 892]

thought is was disrespectful/unprofessional if the announcer at the bridge really did say he enjoyed presenting this manger more than the previous one.

[Ainsley Harriott 2,732]

thought is was disrespectful/unprofessional if the announcer at the bridge really did say he enjoyed presenting this manger more than the previous one.

Meh

[coolhead23 1,147]

Everyone saying the 2 half was kinda of slow ...
It was Jose's way of testing his team .. First half he tested his offensive which we know was fluid and good second half he tested his defense which came out good too ...

[borriske 330]

I love how the wall opens there - It's like 'Jezez, i'm not standing in the way of THAT'

Edited August 19, 2013 by borriske

[BluesChick 1,260]

thought is was disrespectful/unprofessional if the announcer at the bridge really did say he enjoyed presenting this manger more than the previous one.

If that was Neil Barnett, I can totally see him saying that because I have heard his opinion of Rafa first hand. He says things things that often surprise me but he's honest in his opinions. He is also a nice guy.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Special Juan 28,141]

Very professional performance, worked hard, closed down and put the game to be early. Some of out movement off the ball was tremendous.

Oscar worked like a horse all game, really puts in a shift that kid, you can see why Jose would like him, exactly his kind of player. Worried slightly about Torres, was caught ambling around the field once again I just hope this isn't the start of him being fucking useless again.

All in all a good three points and welcome back Jose.

[Barbara 15,149]

I love how the wall opens there - It's like 'Jezez, i'm not standing in the way of THAT'

kudos to Ivan who pushes them back, if you look closely

[borriske 330]

kudos to Ivan who pushes them back, if you look closely

not the one who is moving to the other side...

[Shakez 755]

I think the biggest problem we are gonna have is Oscar/Mata for the playmaker role. Hazard is a lock for the left wing, and i think De Bruyne/Shürrle/Moses are better suited for the right because of their pace, and De Bruyne's cross.

[Barbara 15,149]

Well, my posts ended up a bit disconnected, so this is where I stand.

Mourinho himself said he didn't like the 2nd half 5 minutes in - which really confirms the stats I've posts, he's changed, he's not the guy who conserves scorelines anymore. In one of his interviews during pre-season he said he wanted the team to play a football that would make the fans happy. The second half didn't make anyone happy starting with him. Whoever expects him to be the guy he was 6 years ago will be disappointed, especially because of the players we have.

“When I saw the second half going in another direction, at the beginning I was frustrated because I want more. But after five minutes I thought we didn’t because we couldn’t. We can’t play that way for 90 minutes. We had no physical energy and no mental availability to play that way. The three boys [De Bruyne, Oscar and Hazard] behind Fernando Torres were fantastic. In the second half they disappeared. All of them played national team matches last week.”

That's the reason I said in my first post in the thread, and that's the reason Mourinho gave himself.

The team dropped not because Mourinho asked them to conserve even energy. They had no energy (the mental I couldn't say), they were tired.

The article (which is posted in the Roman thread) hints that because of that he'll start team rotation, they conclude from this that because they played on Wednesday they were tired on Sunday and that's why he won't use them next Wednesday (as we have the match against Utd on Monday).

So let's give them (and Mourinho) a break, and wait for them to settle physically. The team showed in the first half the potential it has under Mourinho. Until they're totally fit, it's completely understandable and expected that they will drop the level in the second.

I believe Mou will change little the team for Wed, bringing only Mata if he's fit, but I believe he'll make the subs much earlier.

[DanishBlue 426]

Yeah, it's a shame that both Mata and Oscar like the number 10 spot and are at their best there. What do you think Mou will do with Mata? Play him as a right winger or a number 10?

[bushman 2,043]

Well, my posts ended up a bit disconnected, so this is where I stand.

Mourinho himself said he didn't like the 2nd half 5 minutes in - which really confirms the stats I've posts, he's changed, he's not the guy who conserves scorelines anymore. In one of his interviews during pre-season he said he wanted the team to play a football that would make the fans happy. The second half didn't make anyone happy starting with him. Whoever expects him to be the guy he was 6 years ago will be disappointed, especially because of the players we have.

“When I saw the second half going in another direction, at the beginning I was frustrated because I want more. But after five minutes I thought we didn’t because we couldn’t. We can’t play that way for 90 minutes. We had no physical energy and no mental availability to play that way. The three boys [De Bruyne, Oscar and Hazard] behind Fernando Torres were fantastic. In the second half they disappeared. All of them played national team matches last week.”

That's the reason I said in my first post in the thread, and that's the reason Mourinho gave himself.

The team dropped not because Mourinho asked them to conserve even energy. They had no energy (the mental I couldn't say), they were tired.

The article (which is posted in the Roman thread) hints that because of that he'll start team rotation, they conclude from this that because they played on Wednesday they were tired on Sunday and that's why he won't use them next Wednesday (as we have the match against Utd on Monday).

So let's give them (and Mourinho) a break, and wait for them to settle physically. The team showed in the first half the potential it has under Mourinho. Until they're totally fit, it's completely understandable and expected that they will drop the level in the second.

I believe Mou will change little the team for Wed, bringing only Mata if he's fit, but I believe he'll make the subs much earlier.

Well, if I may. One cannot expect the team to play the same for 90 minutes. I believe, because of the early part of the season, players are not ready to sustain so much energy...etc.

To me, a statement was already made in the first half. Obviously, the second half much easier pace & control was ordered.

Over all, I was impressed.

[Barbara 15,149]

Yeah, it's a shame that both Mata and Oscar like the number 10 spot and are at their best there. What do you think Mou will do with Mata? Play him as a right winger or a number 10?

RW, he already said as much...

[Kezza 1,965]

Holy shit Jose's entrance was emotional! The stadium sounded fantastic.

Oscar motm for me, Rami close behind. Those two bossed the game.

I think the second half was such a bore because the team absolutely lit up the first half. Watching anything after the first 20min to half an hour would be like watching paint dry.

Torres hasn't changed.