Closed Chelsea 2-2 West Brom

[The Mak 4,459]

This often the only option too as our attackers, just like last season are static and they have no width. It's the reason Ivanovic gets the ball so much. He makes runs and gets himself open. Nobody else does.

But you really have to wonder why he's given the liability to go forward so often when he's so fucking dire at it...

[Blue Traveler 256]

In the first goal Iva was at fault not marking the opponent and after cech saved that ball Cahill and Lamp just were holding the opposition and JT was pushing and imagenary man but non of them didn't care to jump and clear the ball!!

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Hazard goes sideways too often. Fair enough, the goal came from that but he does it too much.

Ivan can' cross!

Lampard just doesn't offer us anything lately

Way too much passing between the CB's. Can have all the possession in the world but we have to use it better. We let teams get all their players behind the ball because we play it across the back 4 too often, even when it goes down the wing it often ends up coming back.

The wide players need to run at the full backs. I'm fed up with seeing Ivan do an awful cross or someone with a sideways pass.

Build up play is way too slow until we go a goal down

Jose has his work cut out.

[Alan Partridge 1,124]

Double post

[Jase 43,479]

Yes.

Considering West Brom were defending so narrow then and there were no spaces to pass through them (not like we were doing it earlier anyway) and the crosses aren't either(!), I wouldn't even put a blame on Mata for trying to give us something different offensively at least. It may not have worked out the way he and everyone of us wanted to but that is better than just watching us passing hopelessly sideways, backwards and doing things that aren't working at all, whether by our fault or just decent defending from West Brom.

[Special Juan 27,429]

Can't break-down teams that defend deep.

Wonder how many more millions and billions we need to spend to do so.

[robsblubot 3,508]

The reaction on here is more embarrasing then the performance.

Every season you have these sort of games. Steve Clarke knows Jose inside out, and came with a gameplan to stop us playing, which we did in our Champions League game. The first 60-65 minutes were poor, But I was actually happy with the urgency in the last period of the game. We created lots of chances and Myhill saved from a few attempts, aswell as Willian missing a chance.

Jose kept talking about transition, and how we need to be patient. At the minute we are changing our style into an attacking passing team as regards to the big physical team we were in previous years. We need to actually fucking back our manager for a change rather then be up in fucking arms EVERY November when things aren't going well.

We tried to bring in De Rossi in the summer to address our midfield problem but he wouldn't come, So hopefully we'll buy a similar player in January. No point in over paying on a player that isn't going to address our problem like United did with Fellani. You might call me crazy but I actually think if we held on to Raul Meireles he wouldn't be a bad choice in the pivot.

Credit to West Brom, made things very very difficult for us. Fair play to Steve Clarke aswell. Love to see him getting the Chelsea job when Jose is finished building this empire.

As for people saying they'd take a top 4 finish, We are definatly going to finish in the top 4. I still fancy us for the league.

People saying Jose got it all wrong, what do you want? Under Benitez and others when we were chasing a game he did things like replacing Lampard for Mikel and Azplicueta for Ivanovic. Atleast Jose goes gung-fucking-ho and has that will to win.

If today has showed us anything, Jose needs to work on things over the International break, and I have no doubt he will.

Also, we're fucking invincible at home under Jose, So for people criticising him, Put down your fucking FIFA and Football Manager, Its a far harder job that any of you could imagine, as is shown by the amount of managers who have failed.

You were the ones celebrating when we beat Schalke, City and Arsenal in one week a few weeks ago, Now stick with the fucking team when things aren't going right.

Come on Chelsea!

I hear you, but when we get Willian instead of (several CMs avail at that price) say Fernandinho, you gotta question whether our board and managers know what they are doing.

BTW, that was a ridiculous PK call. We actually lost the match; we didn't due to a technicality, and probably due to the "big club at home factor."

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

But you really have to wonder why he's given the liability to go forward so often when he's so fucking dire at it...

Because he has the space and the least, he creates space for others. besides, people are exaggerating how bad he is going forward. He actually forced a great save today (off a beautiful tackle and run) and had a bunch of good crosses that our attackers couldn't do anything with. Yes, his crossing has been very poor, but he's actually been one of our better players overall this season.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Against teams like WBA who are just playing a low block and sitting deep, we need to play Azpilicueta and possibly Bertrand too. It was unbelievable how comfortable they were with us passing the ball to Iva all the time. They know that he is no threat offensively.

Hopefully this game served as an eye opener for Jose, because we were utterly atrocious. WBA didn't even play well.

I said this in during our defeat to newcastle. It is now a main strategy for opposition to leave ivanovic free with the ball and mark the rest of the players. How he managed to impress coaches with his poor footballing and technical ability is stunning

[The Mak 4,459]

Yes.

I agreed with every other point except the Mata one.

I'm not sure what else he's supposed to do when there's 5-8 of our players constantly in their box. Clarke's team was just well organised.

[Blue Traveler 256]

Some one should send death threat letter to Andre Marriner for fucking up this game by not giving that foul on IVA leaded to 2nd goal!

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Putting Azpi at LB just reduces our attacking options on the left and Ivanovic ends up getting most of the ball which is a waste due to his terrible crosses-at least the case in this game.

[Shane 2,275]

Some one should send death threat letter to Andre Marriner for fucking up this game by not giving that foul on IVA leaded to 2nd goal!

Your attempt at trolling is pathetic real. Get a fucking life you loser.

[The Mak 4,459]

Because he has the space and the least, he creates space for others. besides, people are exaggerating how bad he is going forward. He actually forced a great save today (off a beautiful tackle and run) and had a bunch of good crosses that our attackers couldn't do anything with. Yes, his crossing has been very poor, but he's actually been one of our better players overall this season.

If that is true then I don't hold much hope for the rest of the season. That's great, but he was also at initial fault for the 2nd WBA goal.

You should have a gander at this:

http://eplindex.com/43776/azpilicueta-v-ivanovic-start-chelsea-stats-compared.html

[nachikethas 1,149]

Holy shit. I turned off tv after 85min and just now my football app alerts me we equalised(it was one hour slow)!!

what a crappy match i hate you November i really hate you.

[Blue Armour 4,290]

relax... its just the november curse...

Just for once, I don't want the "November" curse to derail our PL season...

The last time we did really well in November was back in 2009...

Seriously I hate this international break coming up...wish we could set things right again asap...

Just hope players come back with a fresh mentality and Torres fit again...

[Jase 43,479]

We have won only 3 of our last 15 Premier League matches in November - D6 L6 - and now winless in last 8 in the month - D5 L3.

[Rmpr 8,977]

Considering West Brom were defending so narrow then and there were no spaces to pass through them (not like we were doing it earlier anyway) and the crosses aren't either(!), I wouldn't even put a blame on Mata for trying to give us something different offensively at least. It may not have worked out the way he and everyone of us wanted to but that is better than just watching us passing hopelessly sideways, backwards and doing things that aren't working at all, whether by our fault or just decent defending from West Brom.

Definitely. That is why everyone of his passes found someone!