Closed Crystal Palace 1-0 Chelsea

[BlueLyon 9,359]

City didnt realy ''blew'' their game today vs Arsenal. Compared to yesterday, they are even one point closer to us with 2 games less. Title is well gone now, City might lose to Lpool, but we will to Stoke, Swansea, Cardiff, Norwich and Sunland if we play like today. Lpool away will be much harder than usual big games, I fear them more than City/United/Arsenal away. They have something special on their stadium and with current form, they wont give up easily. Only City can save us now, and I hate to win title because other team fucked all up...we simply didnt show up.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

The conversation between Mou and the ball boy:

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

I missed the game (seems we lose every game I miss)

So why do you miss games then?

These guys work their socks off for a week so that you can miss games? Stop missing games mate! You are ruining us!

We're out of the title race because of you. I think I'm more pissed at you right now than I'm at Torres.

[kingofchelseadom 41]

Good old chelsea. Think we fall asleep against weaker opponents. Aston Villa now Crystal palace. We are not the only team to have dropped points to lower teams either. We have a habit of losing games we need to win! Especially games that are in our favour.

[Rubber bullets 1,183]

Bamford might actually not be that good. He was a reserve striker and he did well, so he got a chance in League One. He did well there so he got a chance in the Championship. He's done well there so next what? Third striker spot for us where he gets no chances? How about a Premier League loan to find out, ooh I don't know, if he can put the ball in the back of the net at that level??

Now If you'd have said Lukaku then I might've agreed.

Yes because Matic, Zouma and Salah are all approaching retirement age aren't they? Should we organise individual testimonials or have a joint one for the three old boys who have played about a dozen games between them for us?

i support Jose because I think he's the best man for this club.

And what about your golden ball Chalobah? Funnily enough you were one of the posters who were incredibly critcial about the whole loaning out our young players on the lines that it can also be a negative orce in their developement and constantly showed anger about the fact that he seemed to be heading towards the path like our other young players, constant loaning out without ever being given a chance. What makes him different then Bamford who you now seem to whistle a different tune? At the end of the day you have to take a risk with young players like Chalobah and Bamford, something that Mourinho never seems to want to take.

And that connects with your second point. Yes the likes of Salah and Matic are not nearing retirement, but we had to pay hefty prices to get them in (more frustrating with Matic becuase he was already on our books once) instead of giving someone in our youth squad a chance, and its not like these players (with the exception of Zouma) are teenagers who don't have much top flight European expeirence. We are still doing what we have been doing ever for the last decade or so, buying ready made talent rather then scouting for young talent that we can mold our own. Mourinho has so far shown no attempt to change this method and is still using his old method that is based on short term aquisitions to bring instant succes. He may be the best man for short term success, but as someone trying to develope a long term stragety that actually invovles changing the way the club operates and developes players? There has been bugger all in that department.

He will always be a short term manager to me, that is why I feel he has to win trophies now or very soon, becuase there is no point since he will probably leave after 3-4 years.

[Yeboii 1,844]

So why do you miss games then?

These guys work their socks off for a week so that you can miss games? Stop missing games mate! You are ruining us!

We're out of the title race because of you. I think I'm more pissed at you right now than I'm at Torres.

They should stop showing every Chelsea game at 15:00 UK time on saturdays!!!

It's not my fault

[The_Flash 1,144]

I don't even know what to ******* say.

Beat Arsenal 6-0

Lose to Palace 1-0

Terrible, Terrible

[Starman60 1,343]

Well that really was a pile of shite today. I think that the only club that Jose has convinced that "Chelsea wont win the league" is Chelsea. The guys have just stopped performing away from home. To say we were awful would be being kind, because we were even worse than that!!!!!!!

I said in earlier posts that whatever happens for the rest of the season I wouldn't care as we have performed above and beyond expectations. But today I saw a team that didn't fight for the jersey. We were slow, sloppy, unimaginative, uninterested and performed way below what is expected from a club of Chelsea's caliber

Today we blew the league and perhaps even the runners up spot. Had we won, City had dropped more points and the nerves would have kicked in, we could have had a decent bit of breathing space. But alas, it's not to be.

AND DONT GET ME STARTED ON OUR STRIKER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .

[Bluesky1 1]

Tonight I am very disappointed and angry.

We had a really gold chance to gain some very valuable breathing space at the title race from both Arsenal and Manchester City, and we lost to Crystal Palace!!!!

What can I say, what can I say!!!

[Stingray 9,441]

Aaaah blame everyone, drama queen and fuck mou, hazard, matic, luiz.... Time and time again.

Ps: torres really sucked however :-)

Im just sad we lost the title spot, but it wasn't ours to take. We did NOT play enough good decisive, dominant football this season to warrant the title. In that i support Henrique.

Carefree though, because we are building and have quality. The mix now 1: between too young to be consistent and 2: too old to be in prime 3: having two major wholes in the team (striker/dpl), we are set.

Build Mou, build! But plzzzzzz .... sexy footie can be effective as well.

[Reddish-Blue 2,224]

Pathetic performance...these games should be Chelsea's bread and butter.

Congrats to City/Liverpool for winning the title

Mourinho hasn't changed anything...we're still rubbish at breaking down teams away from home.

[The_Flash 1,144]

I said it LAST NIGHT on here I had a feeling it's always the same. The strikers are awful and after all our great wins against the big teams we throw away points to the 'wee' teams.

I CANT believe we lost.

The thing about it is, there is nothing Jose can do.

One day his teams beats Arsenal 6-0 totally dominate and the bext they are terrible.

There is some games we can't stop scoring and others I KNOW we are not going to get a goal.

Chelsea you are breaking my heart

I really thought we were going to win it this year

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Well I really don't know what to say,but this is football I guess. It is just one of those days where everyone including Mourinho was off. I mean we played 4-3-3 for an entire half for absolutely no reason but to rehearsal for PSQ. That was a wrong move by Jose for sure. I am not going to talk about the players because everyone was bad in this game except for Cech and Salah. Maybe they were overconfident after that Arsenal game or maybe they weren't focusing on that game and they were thinking about PSG in the back of their heads, I don't know. I don't like Torres but to be fair who was better today. Everyone was at their lowest. The entire defensive line was bad. The midfield was bad and even pass. Wingers did not exist. I am not sure if either Eto or Willian would have made a change cause all our lines were just not performing.

Having said that I am proud of the team. I think it is part of their learning curve. I can only see them getting better. I can see Jose working with these players on certain aspects. As far as the title race is concerned I believe we are still in it. It is harder than before. Most people didn't expect city to drop points to Arsenal and expected them to drop points to Liverpool and Everton. Well we never know what happens, but what matters to me is this team working hard, going out their and give it their best. Winning and losing is part of this sport and I have to come to accept that. But of we are going to lose I would like us to lose with a good fight. What is done is done and I am looking forward to our match with PSG to redeem ourselves with a better performance and a stronger heart regardless of the ending result. My high expectations. start with next season

[dee25 1,044]

I'm really trying to find an ounce of progress made between our earlier performances against West Brom, Newcastle, and this one against Palace. Even if it's a smitten of progress. Just something for me to hold on to as solace for next season but the truth is, I don't see any change at all. We've made improvements overall, and the foundation of a system is in place (I guess that's the one solace) but against weaker sides the players look just as clueless on the ball as they did at the beginning of the season.

I get that the squad is not perfect and there are obviously weak areas but I'm worried that Mourinho has coaching weaknesses when it comes to setting up a team against compact defences. Maybe 'weaknesses' is not the right word but I don't think his coaching style/philosophy is one that favor sides that get men behind the ball. It was a similar story with his Real Madrid side.

Against sides like palace it just seems to me that we need better offensive tactics. Mourinho needs to take more risks right from the start. It would help if we had a player like Mata, Kdb etc in the team because we need that kind of skill set. Hopefully next season we can bring in someone like Kroos to play alongside Matic.

Title or no title there're many positives to take from this season but at the same time there're some red-flags.

[ChelseaUnite 26]

Still believe Chelsea win the League. Waiting for a miracle...

[Mohammed Seif 1,451]

Jose after the game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_haXR153FoU

[The Chels 2,502]

They should stop showing every Chelsea game at 15:00 UK time on saturdays!!!

It's not my fault

Haha well usually when we're facing a smaller side like Palace that we're just expected to win against, the match isn't televised here (UK) and so the default time for it to take place is Saturday 3pm. So I guess we always seem to do bad at that time (which you miss) because it's when we play against the smaller sides, the type of game we fare worst in.

I'm really trying to find an ounce of progress made between our earlier performances against West Brom, Newcastle, and this one against Palace. Even if it's a smitten of progress. Just something for me to hold on to as solace for next season but the truth is, I don't see any change at all. We've made improvements overall, and the foundation of a system is in place (I guess that's the one solace) but against weaker sides the players look just as clueless on the ball as they did at the beginning of the season.

I get that the squad is not perfect and there are obviously gapping holes but I'm worried that Mourinho has coaching weaknesses when it comes to setting up a team against compact defences. Maybe 'weaknesses' is not the right word but I don't think his coaching style/philosophy is one that favor sides that get men behind the ball. It was a similar story with his Real Madrid side.

Against sides like palace it just seems to me that we need better offensive tactics. Mourinho needs to take more risks right from the start. It would help if we had a player like Mata, Kdb etc in the team because we need that kind of skill set. Hopefully next season we can bring in someone like Kroos to play alongside Matic.

Title or no title there're many positives to take from this season but at the same time there're some red-flags.

I'm not saying Guardiola is a better manager than Mourinho but you have to admire how after having won the Bundesliga in record fashion with the best team in the world, they followed that by a draw which left him demanding improvement (http://www.fcbayern.de/en/news/news/2014/hoffenheim-reaction-290314.php). That's not to say Mourinho doesn't want improvement, but he does seem somewhat stubborn in his approach; as you say not many risks have been taken from the start and as such there's been very little to no improvement in terms of our performance in these games. Not all that can be blamed on the lack of strikers.

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

It hates blowing up the title we like we did today