Closed Chelsea 2-1 Aston Villa

[Tomo 21,680]

They were the better side at 1-1 and creating more chances when we should have had a man sent off. They would probably had scored had the ref made the right call. Then that same man goes and scores the winner from an offside position. And he should have been sent off again after the goal for a second yellow but the ref booked Benteke instead for taking a kick to the head.

Performance wise, Villa were the better side apart from the opening 10 mins. They defended much better and they created more than we did. They had 4-5 clear goal scoring opportunities and we were lucky that Cech made three excellent saves (and that three of those chances didn't fall to a striker). On the other hand, we scored from an own goal and an offside. I can't remember us creating a single chance other than those two in the first 80 mins. Only in the last 10-15 mins when Villa pushed for an equalizer and left spaces at the back did we manage to create something and even those were only half chances.

It was a terrible performance, there are no two ways about it, and in a normal game where we do not get as much luck as we did last night, we'd most probably lose.

Cech is part of the defense, so if he made excellent saves, then he makes excellent saves.

Teams with world class keepers tend to get more "luck", it's not a coincidence.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

They were the better side at 1-1 and creating more chances when we should have had a man sent off. They would probably had scored had the ref made the right call. Then that same man goes and scores the winner from an offside position. And he should have been sent off again after the goal for a second yellow but the ref booked Benteke instead for taking a kick to the head.

Performance wise, Villa were the better side apart from the opening 10 mins. They defended much better and they created more than we did. They had 4-5 clear goal scoring opportunities and we were lucky that Cech made three excellent saves (and that three of those chances didn't fall to a striker). On the other hand, we scored from an own goal and an offside. I can't remember us creating a single chance other than those two in the first 80 mins. Only in the last 10-15 mins when Villa pushed for an equalizer and left spaces at the back did we manage to create something and even those were only half chances.

It was a terrible performance, there are no two ways about it, and in a normal game where we do not get as much luck as we did last night, we'd most probably lose.

Yikes. Thats a bit of a mouthful. I thought they were good but not better than us. We dominated the possession and also dealt with their counter extremely well. They had maybe three or four goal scoring opportunities (Benteke's goal, Weimann back post which was half a chance really there was no angle, Weimann inside the box, and Agbonlahor's shot outside the box) Aside from that we dealt with very well.

On Ivanovic's high boot Benteke actually elbowed him FIRST before the high boot. Brana didn't elbow him either they were jockeying for position, it was a war but I couldn't see a reason for Brana to see red.

And for the record we are a counter attacking team. If teams sit deep(like Villa) and then lump it up the field to their target man the game will be very similar to the one we saw yesterday. We couldn't press them and they had 10 men behind the ball while defending. If the team doesn't come out and play us it'll be tough for us to exploit the small gaps. That's what I saw anyway.

[Pizy 17,860]

Anyone else find the number of long balls we play annoying? We have all of these flair and possession keeping players, yet we still heave the ball up to an offside Ba over and over again.

When Luiz plays we see it even more. We just bypass our awesome midfield and more often than not just give the ball away.

Guess this is one of the main reasons Jose wants Rooney so badly. Can get the ball deeper and play closer to the midfield instead of isolated on an island up top like Ba and Torres are.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Anyone else find the number of long balls we play? We have all of these flair and possession keeping players, yet we still heave the ball up to an offside Ba over and over again.

When Luiz plays we see it even more. We just bypass our awesome midfield and more often than not just give the ball away.

Guess this is one of the main reasons Jose wants Rooney so badly. Can get the ball deeper and play closer to the midfield instead of isolated on an island up top like Ba and Torres are.

We didn't play that way against Hull or in the preseason. It was a tactic employed in the early part of the game because they were playing a high line. Had Ba got his timing right and had Lamps been Lamps we would've been fine with it. I don't want to see that tactic employed often though

[Stef 15]

I know deep inside Mourinho would love a strong physical attacker such as benteke or others that would fit that profile

[Jase 43,479]

We didn't play that way against Hull or in the preseason. It was a tactic employed in the early part of the game because they were playing a high line. Had Ba got his timing right and had Lamps been Lamps we would've been fine with it. I don't want to see that tactic employed often though

Another reason for that approach play is likely because the attacking 3 behind Ba wasn't able to create anything of note and nothing came from the pivot either. And we sort of then just jumped it forward. The tragic thing was Villa played a high line yesterday and we hardly even exploited it. Just awful.

[Milan 17,835]

[iceboy 992]

[Ankit 3,176]

LOL, dafuq Jose?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Cech is part of the defense, so if he made excellent saves, then he makes excellent saves.

Teams with world class keepers tend to get more "luck", it's not a coincidence.

He was also a bit lucky the shots were straight at his feet, especially the Lowton chance; had that fell to a striker it would have probably ended in the back of the net.

Yikes. Thats a bit of a mouthful. I thought they were good but not better than us. We dominated the possession and also dealt with their counter extremely well. They had maybe three or four goal scoring opportunities (Benteke's goal, Weimann back post which was half a chance really there was no angle, Weimann inside the box, and Agbonlahor's shot outside the box) Aside from that we dealt with very well.

On Ivanovic's high boot Benteke actually elbowed him FIRST before the high boot. Brana didn't elbow him either they were jockeying for position, it was a war but I couldn't see a reason for Brana to see red.

And for the record we are a counter attacking team. If teams sit deep(like Villa) and then lump it up the field to their target man the game will be very similar to the one we saw yesterday. We couldn't press them and they had 10 men behind the ball while defending. If the team doesn't come out and play us it'll be tough for us to exploit the small gaps. That's what I saw anyway.

Possession accounts for nothing if you do nothing with it. Swansea had something like 65% possession in their 4-1 defeat to united. And it's not like Villa were fighting us for possession. They were more than happy to let us have possession around the half way line. Villa had four goal scoring chances, but we created next to nothing. Apart from the goals, one of which was an OG and the other an offside, we created nothing.

Villa executed their game plan much better than we did.I think they out performed us.

[Kostas 1,468]

the other an offside

Are we certain about that?

All I saw was a marginally, the sort that is and should never be called, advanced Brana on a replay paused wrongly.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Are we certain about that?

All I saw was a marginally, the sort that is and should never be called, advanced Brana on a replay paused wrongly.

Yes. The match studio on Al Jazeera analyzed it and his shoulder, head and half his body was offside. Not exactly a tough call for the linesman as he was looking right across the line and Iva was offside all the time, meaning he was not onside and then ran offside just before the ball was played.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

He was also a bit lucky the shots were straight at his feet, especially the Lowton chance; had that fell to a striker it would have probably ended in the back of the net.

Possession accounts for nothing if you do nothing with it. Swansea had something like 65% possession in their 4-1 defeat to united. And it's not like Villa were fighting us for possession. They were more than happy to let us have possession around the half way line. Villa had four goal scoring chances, but we created next to nothing. Apart from the goals, one of which was an OG and the other an offside, we created nothing.

Villa executed their game plan much better than we did.I think they out performed us.

But it didn't fall to a striker because he was well marked.

I agree it wasn't a masterclass but you can't say they deserved to win the game, their game plan produced very little for them as well. I would say at best the game was a bit of a stalemate and we were able to nick it because he had just a bit more quality.

In the end it was a game I'm glad is over and we came out on top of because truly, as ugly as Villa play, they will give a lot of teams problems with that style.

[Kostas 1,468]

Yes. The match studio on Al Jazeera analyzed it and his shoulder, head and half his body was offside. Not exactly a tough call for the linesman as he was looking right across the line and Iva was offside all the time, meaning he was not onside and then ran offside just before the ball was played.

Well no offense but I'd rather trust my eyes unless I see screengrabs that prove the opposite.

[robdog 2,084]

Sorry I can't. Started a new job and have training.

One of these days we need to link up for a match. What about Friday during the Super Cup?

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNZVzdxKF-I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NN9T5I8bxE

[kellzfresh 7,226]

Another reason for that approach play is likely because the attacking 3 behind Ba wasn't able to create anything of note and nothing came from the pivot either. And we sort of then just jumped it forward. The tragic thing was Villa played a high line yesterday and we hardly even exploited it. Just awful.

We couldn't have exploited it when BA was in offside mode.

[robdog 2,084]

Yes. The match studio on Al Jazeera analyzed it and his shoulder, head and half his body was offside. Not exactly a tough call for the linesman as he was looking right across the line and Iva was offside all the time, meaning he was not onside and then ran offside just before the ball was played.

That was from the studio. Different when it's real time & I am 100% sure that the linesman had a better view than those talking heads. If your want to base you opinion on that, then go right ahead. I will enjoy our time ON TOP OF THE TABLE!!!