Closed Chelsea 2-2 Swansea

[Hostedenis 556]

Hat off to Swansea, they played very well. Montero was dangerous, and their new signing Ayew or whatever you spell it could turn out to be a hell of a player! There were positives and negatives to be seen in this match. What does get on my nerves are the many negative people on here. Yes we didn't win. But we didn't lose either.

I thought Oscar played a great game, and I'm not his biggest fan (not against playing him either, kinda neutral). I thought Willian played well, not horrible as some of you are saying, but he had a brainfart when he played Gomis onside. Can't believe the acceleration he still has after 85 minutes. Hazard was invisible, until the last 15 minutes when he switched on the engine (too late). I thought Courtois made some great saves, right up until he as well had a brainfart that led to his red card, the penalty and ultimately the draw. Biggest positive of the match: Begovic. He can win us some points and (although based on 1 match) I already feel a little more comfortable with him in the goal. I liked Costa's play, Azpi en Matic were good as well. Iva was horrible.

A point is won, we didn't lose, on to the next match. Sure, three points would've been better, but what're you gonna do?

[zolayes 14,489]

Im not sure why I am pissed off .. I won money on this ,, Bet on Chels to win ... cashed out when we took the lead ,,, then bet on a draw or a Swans win ..

I AM STILL PISSED OFF

[kellzfresh 7,229]

This match just proves our defenders are shit and slow, even Gomis is running in behind our defenders even pique and Mascherano (who faces far more one on one situations) is better than all our centerbacks.

Only Azpilicueta is good in one on one situations. Every one else needs the team to protect them, because of this we look suspect at the back when Mourinho let's us attack.

[supporter 3,088]

It has been a horrible day!

1. Ivanovic is absolutely disastrous right now. We need another right-back like Fabinho (Monaco now - former Real Madrid player in Their Academy With Jose) or placed as a right-back Azpilicueta with Baba (if he comes) as left-back. Ivanovic can not continue in our starting eleven.

2. Fabregas and Hazard? What happens to them? Both have been missing. Hazard has made some good plays, but he has been highly intermittent. And Fabregas is completely lost on the pitch, which is very worrying.

3. Zouma ... This guy has to be in our starting eleven in place of Cahill or JT.

4. Begovic. At least one good news. Very good goalkeeper.

5. Oscar. He is better and better as CM this season. I would not have changed him...

6. Jose ... friend, sometimes I can not understand your approaches. I love you as a father, but we can do other approaches on days like today. And he has to talk with Roman and make four signings before the market close: A left-back (Baba?) one right-back (Fabinho?) one centre-back (John Stones?) and one CM (Please, Koke).

I am very sad today. We have a great squad, but we need three or four new pieces to improve our performance or the season can be made very long.

Regards.

[nullabletype 987]

Think Michael Oliver was probably correct with the red card and penalty decision, but I'm fed up watching referees watch Costa get pushed all over the pitch and just wave it off. Costa going full clip toward the end of the second half and he gets pushed with zero interest from Oliver as he stands watching it. Yet he draws the whistle like the Man with No Name the moment we look near a player.

First half I was happy enough other than the conceded goal. It's very us to give away a lead. Thought we dominated and looked up for it.

Second half was woeful. I don't like how we often struggle against 10 men yet fall to bits when it happens to us.

[The Chels 2,502]

Agreed, made the point earlier. There are teams, where when a red card produced, who can handle one less man and still be an organised composed team. Then there's Chelsea, if anything we like to dig a bigger whole than we're usually in. I'm surprised we didn't have second. In previous games where we've had a man sent off, QPR & City we've ended up with 9 men.

True, and it was only yesterday that PSG played away to Lille with 10 men for the majority of the game and ended up winning 1-0. There's also our disastrous 2-2 with them last season but they aren't even the crème de la crème of European football either as was shown by their games against Barcelona. We are a long way off the top and seem to be accepting it for some reason.

[DYC. 7,542]

This match just proves our defenders are shit and slow, even Gomis is running in behind our defenders even pique and Mascherano (who faces far more one on one situations) is better than all our centerbacks.

Only Azpilicueta is good in one on one situations. Every one else needs the team to protect them, because of this we look suspect at the back when Mourinho let's us attack.

The most sluggish and unathletic backline among the top sides in Europe for sure. It infuriates me.

[zinctek 469]

Well we were dominating prior to the sending off. So unless you can find a way to add players to the pitch after receiving a red card and inform the club, we won't do much better given the exact same thing happening.

No we didn't play well until that goal, as soon as we came out the second half we were shocking! What game did you watch. They had loads of changes at the start of the second half and we didn't start at all after half time. You must have watched the wrong game

[LDN Blue 7,903]

True, and it was only yesterday that PSG played away to Lille with 10 men for the majority of the game and ended up winning 1-0. Then there was our 2-2 with them last season but they aren't even the crème de la crème of European football either as was shown by their games against Barcelona. We are a long way off the top and seem to be accepting it for some reason.

And there lies the problem in making a lack of any major signings. Big clubs, they continue to put pressure on their established stars so they can continue pushing themselves. PSG just bought Di Maria, they probably don't need him but he puts pressure on guys like Lucas Moura for example. As someone said previously, our stars are starting to get comfortable, Cesc's complacency was highlighted a lot today.

We're in the Premier League's elite, but we're slowly creeping out of Europe's.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

The most sluggish and unathletic backline among the top sides in Europe for sure. It infuriates me.

We must park the bus before any of them have a good game. It's a trend I've noticed since last season.

Imagine them playing for Barcelona where messi,Suarez and Neymar don't come back to park the bus for them.

[DoubleO 192]

Begovic is actually better than Courtois

[xPetrCechx 13,571]

Last season I had good feeling from the start...

this season there is a difference...

seems things don't go our way...

[The Mak 4,459]

Im not sure why I am pissed off .. I won money on this ,, Bet on Chels to win ... cashed out when we took the lead ,,, then bet on a draw or a Swans win ..

I AM STILL PISSED OFF

And I see your rage has made you ironically vote for Brana as MOTM!

[Stats 7,145]

And there were people on here who were ridiculing those fans who vented our frustrations in pre-season matches, claiming the easy comeback of "it is only pre-season". The pre-season signs were there. Even before the sending off, they were well on top of us and had much more shots on target than us. The only thing I take from this is that when they scored that pen and we had a man down I thought we were there for the taking. So I will take a point in the circumstances. But based on this performance, it is quite obvious to see that our pre-season form was not just something that we could ignore. Ivanovic got a roasting today. Azpi had a tough time too and did not offer us width when going forward. Oscar had a good game though and hopefully he keeps that up. We really need to pick ourselves up for the City game though. Our midfield/defence looked so vulnerable when defending. Not good enough considering this was a team when we were in full throttle last season we beat 4-2 and 5-0.

Wonder how many of those who ridiculed those fans for taking things too seriously in pre-season will start thinking different now. When we lost to NYRB kids in that friendly few weeks back it was obvious that there were signs to be worry. But on the other hand, I am sure we will come back stronger but seriously the board will be ludicrous to not bring in any more signings.

[zolayes 14,489]

True, and it was only yesterday that PSG played away to Lille with 10 men for the majority of the game and ended up winning 1-0. There's also our disastrous 2-2 with them last season but they aren't even the crème de la crème of European football either as was shown by their games against Barcelona. We are a long way off the top and seem to be accepting it for some reason.

well we arent spending money so that's a BIG PLUS

[zolayes 14,489]

And I see your rage has made you ironically vote for Brana as MOTM!

NOT ME CMS has stolen my identity

[The Mak 4,459]

well we arent spending money so that's a BIG PLUS

For the board! Screw investing in the team, bonuses for the lads at the board! Hurray!

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

Well, where to start after this one? Thought we were play "okay" and good enough to win until the red. Weren't playing stellar, but well enough for the three points. How many times did we look completely out of sync on our passes in the box? Must have completely misfired 10-12 times.

This team needs 2 or 3 more players and some fresh blood. Not enough quality depth.

We'll start with the bad and the transition to the good.

Where have you gone Cesc Fabregas? Since January 1st, he has been just lost. Poor decision making. Poor skills. Looked like vs West Brom late last season. Surprised others have not been crushing his performance today.

Diego since the 2 goals vs Swansea last January has not been the same. He cannot reach long balls or get into space. The hamstring is not letting him stretch out or he is afraid to reach. With the hamstring issues, he is no better than Torres or Eto'o from 2013-14.

Those two above were the key pieces that pushed us to a higher level August-December 2014. Without them at their top game, we slip a notch or two back down.

Nothing to say about Ivanovic that has not been said. I like the guy. He's had some big games for the Blues, but he was targeted and beaten badly today.

Defense in general was poor. Cahill was a bright spot on a couple of plays.

I am optimistic we will get the ship righted. But we have got to sign a couple of contributors. No more Cuadrados please.

Oscar and Begovic were bright spots. Thought Oscar looked the best on free kicks anyone has since Lampard.

I know Schurrle was not Jose's type, but man I miss his offensive movement.

Time to regroup. Go get at least one point at City I suppose, be down 4 points and start chipping away. Meanwhile, sign some players.

Come on you Chelsea!! :blue scalf: :blue scalf:

[Special Juan 28,141]

Not one new player in the starting 11 for a team that is looking to retain a PL and make a push for the CL

I want to be not worried, but I am.

[Pizy 18,918]

A huge worry for the season as a whole is that the blueprint to beat or give us an extremely difficult game is out there for every club to see. Just as it was as the season wore on last year.

If you press our slow midfield who are both sketchy with the ball at their feet under pressure and constantly run with pace at our defense you'll kill us.

And then you see another huge issue- when we do play exciting attacking football like we did at times in that first half it leaves our defense so exposed that teams look like threatening our goal with every attack.

I think a new fullback combination would go a long way. If we had Azpi playing in his natural position and signed a natural LB who can also defend at a high level (like Baba) rather than a CB shoehorned in at RB we'd look more comfortable. But everyone knows Ivanovic won't be dropped.