Closed Hull City 0-2 Chelsea

[lionsden 4,689]

I thought Luiz was average, he was spraying wayward passes everywhere.

Imagine Bayern sticking Boateng in midfield. it won't ever come to that.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Lahm?

[lionsden 4,689]

That is why I only complained about pivot... Which bothered you.

So I wonder..What moaning about pivot in the certain game has to do with the fact that it has been said thousand times before?

So has been that Torres is shit, and people are saying it tirelessly again and again.

Or that Hazard is great, such a amazing player, we all know it, but you read about it in every match thread. etc..

People's opinion about something depends on result or what one looks at the moment. And than he praises or blames whoever he holds responsible, regardless of how many time it has been said before.

I'm not naive to believe exciting and inspiring football will happen overnight. But I also don't think that high pressing game or brilliant defence are enough to move us in that direction. It will take more, much more, and I'm looking to see the rest.

I'm not thinking that pivot is the only improvement needed but having one playmaker would have help us a lot in this game or the others. During this transition.

Never mind, I want this club to match quality of football with spendings .It could only help in increasing fanbase, sale of kits, revenue etc.

In the short run three points are the most important. But in the long run style of football is important for this club's legacy, stature, even ability to become self sustainable .

@ The only place to be

Neutrals are potential fans or other football fans who don't support you but respect you nevertheless. I'm not neutral, but that doesn't mean their opinion doesn't matter.

It's no coincidence that we have been battered to submission in midfield by teams with technical superiority in that position for the past 4 seasons dating back to Ancelotti's 2nd season where the sale of ballack, deco and essien's injury/decline signalled a downward spiral. all the technical teams we have faced since the double winning season have played us off the park domestically and in Europe.

For me, I'm not convinced our current midfield options can produce quality attacking football to the level of top European teams even if we show full commitment towards the philosophy. the one common denominator amongst teams that play such style of football is the balance and quality in central midfield.

Barca have Xavi and Busquets, Bayern-Bastian, Martinez and Alcantara, City-Yaya, fernandinho

Dortmund- Gundogan, sahin and so on.all technical players with the ability to retain possession and control the tempo of play and excellent distribution. none of our midfielders can do this to any satisfactory level and until we fix this issue . . . . . . .

[lionsden 4,689]

Lahm?

Lahm is one the most versatile players of all time and Pep played him in midfield in one game where they were short of options due to injuries to their midfielders which also coincided with the sale of Gustavo to wolfsburg. Luiz is no where near as versatile or as technically and tactically gifted as lahm. Atleast pep had a genuine excuse for playing a defender in midfield. what was jose's when we had a fully fit mikel (coming off the back of a solid game against derby) and Essien at his disposal.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Lahm is one the most versatile players of all time and Pep played him in midfield in one game where they were short of options due to injuries to their midfielders which also coincided with the sale of Gustavo to wolfsburg. Luiz is no where near as versatile or as technically and tactically gifted as lahm. Atleast pep had a genuine excuse for playing a defender in midfield. what was jose's when we had a fully fit mikel (coming off the back of a solid game against derby) and Essien at his disposal.

Mikel didn't train on thursday and friday. He just flew back from nigeria (8hrs journey) from the african player of the year awards.

That's the only reason luiz played

[Korea 734]

Lahm is one the most versatile players of all time and Pep played him in midfield in one game where they were short of options due to injuries to their midfielders which also coincided with the sale of Gustavo to wolfsburg. Luiz is no where near as versatile or as technically and tactically gifted as lahm. Atleast pep had a genuine excuse for playing a defender in midfield. what was jose's when we had a fully fit mikel (coming off the back of a solid game against derby) and Essien at his disposal.

Lahm starts there...

And rafinha plays rb......

[Starman60 1,343]

I'm amazed to read some negative comments on here after our superb win over Hull today. Okay, our first half performance was lukewarm, but we were like the bullfighter, just probing for their weakness and I was 100% sure we would score in the second half. Remember Hull are not the pushover they used to be some seasons ago and what we did to them today was a very efficient, professional and workmanlike performance and I for one was very happy with the 0-2 scoreline. We are starting to slip into gear now and if we maintain the level of performance we have provided in our last couple of games I'd say the future looks bright.very bright.

I think we can beat anyone at the moment........Well done Jose They are starting to put in the type of performance you demand

[lionsden 4,689]

Mikel didn't train on thursday and friday. He just flew back from nigeria (8hrs journey) from the african player of the year awards.

That's the only reason luiz played

Still. . . . Essien is still a better midfielder and midfield option.

[lionsden 4,689]

I'm amazed to read some negative comments on here after our superb win over Hull today. Okay, our first half performance was lukewarm, but we were like the bullfighter, just probing for their weakness and I was 100% sure we would score in the second half. Remember Hull are not the pushover they used to be some seasons ago and what we did to them today was a very efficient, professional and workmanlike performance and I for one was very happy with the 0-2 scoreline. We are starting to slip into gear now and if we maintain the level of performance we have provided in our last couple of games I'd say the future looks bright.very bright.

I think we can beat anyone at the moment........Well done Jose They are starting to put in the type of performance you demand

That's because some people are not only fixated on results but also analyse performance. I'm not seeing anything at the moment apart from high pressing off the ball, which isn't sufficient to garner praise, to suggests we are progressing and moving in the right direction.

[Jase 43,479]

Very sloppy in the first half but did well in the second half to get the goals without really having to click into first gear. Superb goal from Hazard to break the deadlock and once again, our defence have looked solid. Perhaps it's due to Hull's weak attacking issues but we hardly gave them a sniff apart from our charitable mood in giving the ball to them. It's now 5 clean sheets in the last 6 games. We kept 5 in 14 games before that. So, that's an improvement.

[Starman60 1,343]

That's because some people are not only fixated on results but also analyse performance. I'm not seeing anything at the moment apart from high pressing off the ball, which isn't sufficient to garner praise, to suggests we are progressing and moving in the right direction.

Do you not think that we have progressed from the Newcastle and Stoke away performances ? I think we have tightened it up at the back and seem to have gained a little more purpose and while I fully agree that we are not the "finished article" I think we are on the right road to get there. So today for me was a great result and a good performance. Rome wasn't built in a day

[Sheva. 5,373]

Still. . . . Essien is still a better midfielder and midfield option.

Nah, i don't think so.

This game did show the little things Mikel does and is unnecessarily criticized for - like making simple sideways passes and doing so at a high percentage, yet Luiz and Ramires miss these passes under little pressure.

Back to Essien though, i don't think he has the legs to keep up. Luiz made up for his sloppy passes with his defensive contribution - he got his head to the ball many times, played aggressively and won the ball back more than a few times.

[robsblubot 3,595]

Lahm is one the most versatile players of all time and Pep played him in midfield in one game where they were short of options due to injuries to their midfielders which also coincided with the sale of Gustavo to wolfsburg. Luiz is no where near as versatile or as technically and tactically gifted as lahm. Atleast pep had a genuine excuse for playing a defender in midfield. what was jose's when we had a fully fit mikel (coming off the back of a solid game against derby nobody) and Essien at his disposal.

DL played in the middle against Liverpool winning us the center of the pitch - directly involved in the setup of the second goal. Now once again today he's the one with a quick flick to Cole who sets up Hazard. Mikel has never been able to do that.

Going to the market for a proper world class CM is one thing, but comparing DL contribution in the middle to the likes of Essien (former great player) and Mikel (consistently below average) is essentially ignoring facts, which are the measurable contributions DL has been able to provide from the center of the pitch (last season too).

So, Jose is the second (in a row) manager to play Luiz in the midfield, but you are saying he did not have a genuine excuse to do that... Perhaps, you know, Jose and you don't really agree on Luiz?!

according to you David Luiz is not technically nor tactically gifted, not versatile... and yet, the top clubs want him and we slap a 35m price tag on this awful player. So, all the players you like ahead of him, are much less valuable players in the market. One of them doesn't even get to play cup matches.

The world must not make any sense through your eyes.

[Polo7 3,496]

Still. . . . Essien is still a better midfielder and midfield option.

Luiz generally has better passing, pace and also can strike some great free kicks. Rather have Luiz in midfield than Essien.

[De_ChrapQaa 192]

We were kinda poor at first half, but i'm getting used to it lately...

MOTM goes clearly to hazard, and i'm starting to think, where will he stops? winning match on his own?

Last matches finally showed we are really getting stronger, and we possibly can win title this year, with bit of luck or with adding a bit of strenght to our squad in this transfer period ( bring matic or somehow make lampard young again )

[thekid9 418]

His passing was horrible. He missed a couple easy passes and never connected a long pass.

He made up for it defensively though for me, he intercepted many balls and dominated in the air when needed.

He did, Amazing Pass to Hazard who made his only mistake of the game not controlling it , if he had controlled it he was one on one with the defender!

[blu35_army 551]

that backhill from Ash is just class,,shame his physicall appearence is going decline...

Hazard is on the way to be our CR7,,take a bow son....

Top of Table...

[lionsden 4,689]

He did, Amazing Pass to Hazard who made his only mistake of the game not controlling it , if he had controlled it he was one on one with the defender!

So 1 good pass out of the many unsuccessful ones he attempted somehow constitutes a good passing game or strengthens Luiz case in midfield? some logic that.

[The_Flash 1,144]

FINALLY I got the first goal scorer, I picked hazard, so happy!!!

[Bronco 4]

Luiz completed 78% of his passes and contributed 16 clearances. He also provided four interceptions and won 10 headers. He helped Ashley Cole out alot on the left. He had a good game and his distribution is better than Obi's. I love him as Chelsea great but Essien is a shadow of the Bison.