Closed Stoke v Chelsea

[zolayes 14,489]

positives ,,good attacking play ..we are creating BUT ... big mistake from Petr

[calculatingInfinity 1,443]

I'm totally convinced so far this season that Cech's no longer world class. He's amongst the Boruc's and Begovic's and Diego Lopez's now it seems. I love Cech but really want Courtois between the sticks next season.

Boruc lol

I do agree with the overall point though, getting Courtois in to compete next season is needed. Lets see what happens. Will forever love Cech but change could be good.

[Rmpr 8,977]

It was a howler from Cech.

It wasnt only Chech though, our defense had a huge flaw on that corner as well...

Just because Cech is making mistakes, it doesnt mean our defenders have been playing well!

[remains of the day 564]

3 goals condeded off set pieces in the previous game and in the next game......

I think I already mentioned this already, but it's not just in this game or against sunderland. This season, set pieces and crosses into the box have been giving us more problems than it normally does. Quite a few of the goals we've conceded have come from crosses into the box. Off the top of my head, Basel (h), Norwich, West Brom, Newcastle are a few of the games where we conceded a goal from a set piece or a cross into the box. Having said that, I don't think it's anything to panic about just yet.

[Bir_CFC 3,455]

Dumass goal to concede. Wtf was Cech doing?

[Hutcho 8,443]

Anyone got a good stream for me?

[Azpinator 2,325]

Good display but Torres and Ramires need to get their shit together in front of goal. 1 mistake led to a corner goal again..

[GhanaBoy 104]

I love how everyone forgot. Cahill's man was crouch. If Luiz had made the same error he would have been slaughtered

[Pizy 17,860]

Ramires is an absolutely brilliant finisher when he's running onto the ball. He's terrible when trying to set it up himself.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Can't blame Ramires for those misses - that's WHO he is, that's what he does. He has an inconsistent touch and will misplace passes and balloon shots over the bar, but he won't stop running all day. Personally I'd rather have a more composed presence in that spot and lose a bit of athleticism but we don't have that choice at the moment.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Even I can't defend Cech for that absolute brainfart.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

I would be tempted to put on Lampard for Ramires right now.

Same here, Stoke are fucking park walkers, no pressure at all, put on Lampsy to seize chances.

[Jase 43,479]

Oh gawd. This is just absolutely pathetic. Dominated the entire first half, created tons of chances but not incisive and decisive enough in the final to increase our lead and suddenly Stoke are leveled out of nowhere when they didn't threaten one bit. What was Cech doing for the goal?! Why on earth are we looking vulnerable from set pieces?! It's like watching us playing under Scolari again!

[GhanaBoy 104]

And Cahill losing his man?... Imagine if that was luiz...

[Sheva. 5,373]

Ramires should just stay back in the 2nd half, he's ruining more attacks than he is helping.

[Kish9 50]

Ramires's finishing and decision making cost us, Torres also doesn't time his runs correctly inside the box and once against set piece defending is bloody awful.

Still Stoke are drawing against the run of play, if we play like this in the second half we should still win this match - but I think it's time to bring on Ba, Torres hasn't reacted the way he should to his awful display midweek. We don't need someone to be passing the ball - we need a poacher to be in the right place to finish off the chances we create.

If Torres the faster striker couldnt get to Hazards crosses then i doubt Ba would have gotten closer, Torres is slightly better technically so as there is not much point crossing into Stokes box i would rather keep Torres to bring other players into the right areas

[Phil Driver 503]

We have dominated that game so far but look a little short when we get around their box with no link from midfield .

Those who want Cech pensioned off are knee jerkers.

Mikel is not needed in this game as Stoke are giving us posession and we need to be quicker with it and we need some quality link play with Hazard/Mata/Torres ,I am sure Jose will do the sensible thing at H/T and their is no way we do not win this game with the right change.

[The Skipper 20,593]

Not only that, our defense had a huge flaw on that corner as well...

Just because Cech is making mistakes, it doesnt mean our defenders have been playing well!

I know what you mean but defensively we were okay for that. Cech has to take the majority of the blame for that goal.

You're right that in general though, our set piece defending has been shocking recently.