Closed Chelsea 1-1 Schalke

[The Skipper 20,593]

Going by a few comments on here you'd think Schalke dominated us and had chances upon chances upon chances and were unlucky not to win. Stop overreacting guys.

[Jase 43,479]

Of course but a average or poor performance was always coming. So the many chances in such a performances is a positive sign. Just need to finish.

I honestly didn't think the defending was that bad. Schalke mostly came up with long shots. But yeah, the concetration tends too slip a bit too often.

That happened because our pressing was hilariously bad again. Didn't press as a unit and got passed around way too easily at times.

[Dion 2,476]

Like I have said before when the rumours began, I still don't see how having brought Drogba make us stronger and it will possibly just tarnish his reputation. Not that he will cease being a legend or anything, legend he's always going to be but I'd have preferred that my last memories of him were his last games in our UCL campaign than looking at him on the pitch and wondering whether it is Torres or DD playing.

[OneMoSalah 8,778]

You can't be serious. They didn't nearly beat us at all. If we stuck away our chances it could've easily been 3 or 4-0. It's not like we played bad today, we actually created plenty of chances. Has we still kept the same team and had Remy up front from the start instead of Drogba it would've been a comfortable result.

You've got to be kidding if you think that team we put out there wasn't strong enough to beat this Schalke team.

I didn't say that.

I said everyone who thought (including yourself may I add) that we'd be able to comfortably beat Schalke were wrong and that was our strongest team except for Drogba. They are a good side, if we had rotated more than Costa then who knows what would of happened?

Then there was posters who said we could afford to rotate 2 or 3 other players against Schalke because our squad is very good (which don't get me wrong it is) but its hardly like Salah is the same level as Willian or Zouma the same level as Cahill/Terry.

[Stats 7,056]

lol, get over it.

You're acting like Zouma has never played against good teams before. Why? This would have been the perfect match to ease him in as I've said before. Saying Zouma should start is treating this like a carling cup game is ridiculous. He's not a bad player at all, he would have done better than Cahill anyway

Zouma has made a big step up by joining Chelsea. You don't throw your two best CB out for a 19 year old kid because it is a "perfect match" to see him. No.... this is not a friendly or a cup game like I said. This is the Champions League. Zouma is a very promising defender but also still raw which is natural. If Mourinho suddenly takes out Cahill or Terry for Zouma that is underestimating the opposition. Has he done so in the league so far? No. So why would he do it in the UCL? We have to go out with more or less our best team. Cahill was not bad tonight anyway. It was not his fault why we conceded. Fabregas lost the ball for a start and it did not help that we struggled to put the game to bed.

[DYC. 7,542]

Going by a few comments on here you'd think Schalke dominated us and had chances upon chances upon chances and were unlucky not to win. Stop overreacting guys.

Agree. I'm frustrated by the amount of chances the boys squandered. Chelsea was easily the better team.

And Drogba was poor. But he also had games like this in his prime. Frustrating but it happens. Get over it.

[jeronimo 130]

People are overreacting like crazy. They're making it out as if we couldn't of beaten them up unless we played our 100% strongest line up. Our only mistakes was starting Drogba and keeping him on that long.

I think if we started remy we could of honestly rested other players and still win. But hey today we didn't take our numerous chances and got the draw.

[zolayes 14,489]

Agree. I'm frustrated by the amount of chances the boys squandered. Chelsea was easily the better team.

And Drogba was poor. But he also had games like this in his prime. Frustrating but it happens. Get over it.

THIS was ONE of his poorest games ever . he looked OLDER than Me

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

Should have been an easy win, but that doesn't matter anymore, Chelsea will top this group with ease.

Hazard motm. Cesc, Filipe and Matic had a good game too. Bring on City!!

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

I'm annoyed at him and the team, but I'm also very annoyed at people on the forum. Everyone is entitled to have their opinions, but some people's concept of supporting our players is baffling. Cesc is going to become the scapegoat - undeservedly - the moment he goes two matches without scoring. He played a part today in the draw - by missing a clear chance, and being tackled in their goal. But he's one of the players that contributed the most defensively, being everywhere, tackling like there was no tomorrow, and he continued to create good chances. Still the posts I read in the live match could make one believe he was wearing the #11 shirt today...

.

There's a difference between making a scapegoat out of a player and believing a player didn't play well in one game, dear. Personally, I felt he didn't play well without the ball but neither did some others as well. I thought Ramires was pretty poor as well. Both offensively and defensively. Worse than Fabregas was. But as much as I like Cesc, I'm not going to say he's had an even decent game when he didn't. Goal aside (which shouldn't have stood)

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

I'm worried. And in all honesty it had nothing to do with drogba.

We haven't had amazing strikers for years now ( bar these last few games) but we always had a solid defence and a midfield that could shore up when we were under pressure and step up to take control. Seems we have lost a large chunk of that.

Take Drogba away and what do you have? A cesc goal, and cesc miss, a Remy shot and terry header off the line. Plenty to win a match.

From Cahill through to our midfield through, it was nothing like what this club has been for the last 10 years. Bloody hell, all they had to drop deep for the start of the second half to absorb the pressure. I'm not seeing much variety in this midfield - seems great at some things but quite poor at others.

Just to get in first, this is not a knee jerk reaction. Everton was terrible, the more these games happen, much longer can it be shrugged off as just 'one of those games'? Leicester and Swansea were cutting through us like butter. Literally through the middle.

[The Skipper 20,593]

I didn't say that.

I said everyone who thought (including yourself may I add) that we'd be able to comfortably beat Schalke were wrong and that was our strongest team except for Drogba. They are a good side, if we had rotated more than Costa then who knows what would of happened?

Then there was posters who said we could afford to rotate 2 or 3 other players against Schalke because our squad is very good (which don't get me wrong it is) but its hardly like Salah is the same level as Willian or Zouma the same level as Cahill/Terry.

I still think we were pretty comfortable today, just lacked the clinicality. If we put away our early chances it's a run away game, but obviously if you miss chance after chance after chance the other team will grow in confidence.

[The_Flash 1,144]

Very disappointing result, really expected more. Too many wasted chances we could have scored like five goals. That is how we lost the league, we must score and finish the game off.

We must play better against City

[DYC. 7,542]

THIS was ONE of his poorest games ever . he looked OLDER than Me

I know. But a poor Drogba is not enough to make Chelsea not win. Match should've been regardless of his performance.

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve criticism, his performance aggrevated me as well but some take it too far.

[MrExcalibur100 7,124]

Like I have said before when the rumours began, I still don't see how having brought Drogba make us stronger and it will possibly just tarnish his reputation. Not that he will cease being a legend or anything, legend he's always going to be but I'd have preferred that my last memories of him were his last games in our UCL campaign than looking at him on the pitch and wondering whether it is Torres or DD playing.

You could see how upset he looked when he got subbed off. He was thrown into the fire today and should have been off by half-time. Hopefully, he get's a chance to shine vs Bolton (the game he should have started)

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Regarding Fabregas, I don't care about his stats with assists. I want him to provide control with the ball. To keep it sometimes and illustrate attacks at others. He is smart enough to know when to do which.

I want decent defensive duty, not amazing because he is just not the type of player. His pressing can be worked on in terms if timing but what about just holding the teams shape?

[bababoom 4,478]

We will still top this group with ease, everyone's on 1 point.

I also like to think Mourinho will make sure everyone is ready for Sunday now especially after today.

[zolayes 14,489]

OK TWO positives Luis and Remy