Closed Chelsea 1-2 Sunderland

[The only place to be 11,313]

everything wasn't eto'o's fault. way too much blame on the strikers when the attacking mids had an average game in truth

and btw, chelsea had a lot more than 6 shots from outside the box

Oscar was awful, but I do wonder what it's like for him when Eto'o fails to make a simple run across the box to take a defender away. It's a basic movement that any striker should make but he simply doesn't.

Are you talking about shots on target or off target? We were talking about shots on target so lets not move the goalposts now, ok?

[The_Flash 1,144]

With JUST ONE DECENT STRIKER we would have won the league FACT !!!!

[The Skipper 20,593]

So our 0-0 draw away to United wasn't anything to do with the lack of a striker? OK.

A striker should help to create chances by dragging players out of position and creating space. Eto'o doesn't do that. Ba doesn't do that. Torres doesn't do that.

Nor do they provide a rough ride for defenders through their physicality. Nor do they provide a decent aerial threat for crosses.

We do struggle against teams that defend deep against us, but I think the problem lies with our clearly inadequate strike-force. I've explained this to you time and time again. I can't explain it any more clearly so I think I'll just stop bothering.

And I've explained to you that I also believe we need a proper striker, but it runs deeper than that. Our approach needs to be more adventurous and we need a creative CM and another attacking full back so we can implement that approach.

[zolayes 14,489]

The likes of Sterling and Henderson have showed more quality this season than Willian and Oscar. Yet people rather focus on poor officiating, which wouldn't have mattered if we had done our job. We put ourselves in this position and the team only have themselves to blame. Jose also has to take some part of the blame too, he's the one that coaches these players after all. Ramires looks a shadow of the player he was last season (and he wasn't much of one to begin with). Oscar has actually regressed, Hazard has only made small progress albeit not much. Matic hasn't the slight clue what he's supposed to be doing out there and his talent isn't being put to good use just like Oscar's and Hazard's. While our strikers are poor but the truth is, you put them in any other top side and I guarantee they would probably score more goals. We make it so difficult for them. How the hell are they to build any momentum when they have to feed off scraps? When the attacking play is so poor and the quality in the final third is non-existent?

Really hoping we improve next season.

WHEN you say We .. who do you mean ?????

[The_Flash 1,144]

I feel sick and ready to cry I'm such a girl

Someone give me a hug

[Strike 7,222]

Oscar was awful, but I do wonder what it's like for him when Eto'o fails to make a simple run across the box to take a defender away. It's a basic movement that any striker should make but he simply doesn't.

Are you talking about shots on target or off target? We were talking about shots on target so lets not move the goalposts now, ok?

eto'o is not the scapegoat here. costa coming in won't magically solve the problems in attack. the attack needs to be better with quicker and decisive plays.

re: shots - if you mean only among the shots on target? that sounds right but overall almost 12-15 shots from outside the box. whatever happened to breaking a defence down

[Special Juan 27,432]

I feel sick and ready to cry I'm such a girl

Someone give me a hug

I'm with you, I got this.

[edetarod 2,155]

Chelsea :heart:

even if the whole world is against you, you will always have my support

[Jambo 231]

I feel sick and ready to cry I'm such a girl

Someone give me a hug

You should be immune to the heartbreak this game causes and the ups and downs that come with it by now especially after the last few years. But whether it's up the road, or down the road, we always come out at the other end firing on all cylinders.

[The only place to be 11,313]

eto'o is not the scapegoat here. costa coming in won't magically solve the problems in attack. the attack needs to be better with quicker and decisive plays.

That's the thing. I'm not asking for magic from our strikers, but just regular striker play. You ever heard the phrase 'the striker made his mind up for him'? Well our's don't do that. They simply stand there. They don't make the runs a proper striker should so where's the option for our attacking midfielders?

Where's the space from the strikers dragging defenders out of position (Torres actually did that away to Fulham....pretty much the last example I can think of)?

Or am I wrong? Are our strikers actually doing this? Are they making these runs?

[The_Flash 1,144]

You should be immune to the heartbreak this game causes and the ups and downs that come with it by now especially after the last few years. But whether it's up the road, or down the road, we always come out at the other end firing on all cylinders.

Very true I am old enough to have seen many heartbreaks also with few weeks Rangers have had but still kills me guess I just really care

Where's my hug??

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

With JUST ONE DECENT STRIKER we would have won the league FACT !!!!

Not when Oscar and Willian fuck up chances like they did today

[The_Flash 1,144]

It's my own fault I crazily had vision of my first time at the bridge us being champs, crazy dream

[Jambo 231]

Very true I am old enough to have seen many heartbreaks also with few weeks Rangers have had but still kills me guess I just really care

Where's my hug??

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Our problem lies deeper than just the the lack of a striker. We do not create enough chances, we have fullbacks playing wrong positions, we have a CM who cant give a decent pass for his life, we have a manager who is too arrogant to change tactics and we have strikers that arent confident in front of goal.

[zolayes 14,489]

I feel sick and ready to cry I'm such a girl

Someone give me a hug

you only ever need to ask ...

[Strike 7,222]

That's the thing. I'm not asking for magic from our strikers, but just regular striker play. You ever heard the phrase 'the striker made his mind up for him'? Well our's don't do that. They simply stand there. They don't make the runs a proper striker should so where's the option for our attacking midfielders?

Where's the space from the strikers dragging defenders out of position (Torres actually did that away to Fulham....pretty much the last example I can think of)?

Or am I wrong? Are our strikers actually doing this? Are they making these runs?

ofcourse the strikers are not playing well. i wish we'd signed Rooney or anyone in the summer not Eto'o

but it is also a myth that with a better striker chelsea have a beast attack that can break down any side. the decisiveness and speed in the attack is not there yet especially in games like Sunderland. against a Schalke or Arsenal, the team stays compact in defense and presses the hell out of the opposition. you can't do that to Sunderland who are more than happy to let you have the ball.

[zolayes 14,489]

without Hazard we are about 60% but what has happened to Oscar???