closed Crystal Palace 0-3 Chelsea

[quickpassnmove 924]

happy with the win, but I'm not celebrating anything yet. a) we'll see what the weeks ahead bring and b. I can't make an assessment of the opponent due to not viewing much PL this season and barely seeing CP play so far.

We need more options at fullback. 

good match from Mikel, Fabregas and Oscar nonetheless.  we'll see how our MF gets tested and whether CM and FB get rotated in the coming weeks.

[Rhino's Skin 972]

Seriously?

Guus is trying to build a team and get somestability, he lost one experienced and arguably our best player to injury and yet we still bossed the game 

The youth will get their chance - but this really wasn't the game for it! 3 points was the only requirement 

Just my opinion, we've played a lot of football lately without much rotation. The game was won, we do need to use our squad, this is the perfect opportunity to give them time and it wasn't taken. 

Cup match will be the ideal match

[cfcs most wanted 657]

Really great match !! The first time in months I have actually enjoyed how the players played. Good job

[cfcs most wanted 657]

I do have one qualm though I don't want to spoil the mood but the way players go to the referee each time a team player is fouled is just embarrassing and the manager should stop the players from doing that.

[Muzchap 8,964]

17 minutes ago, cfcs most wanted said:

I do have one qualm though I don't want to spoil the mood but the way players go to the referee each time a team player is fouled is just embarrassing and the manager should stop the players from doing that.

Give Guus time

Rome wasn't built in a day and all that...

[CHOULO19 24,332]

16 minutes ago, cfcs most wanted said:

I do have one qualm though I don't want to spoil the mood but the way players go to the referee each time a team player is fouled is just embarrassing and the manager should stop the players from doing that.

Completely agree with that. Especially annoying since the ref, if anything, got more 50-50 calls in our favor than in Palace's. Cesc and Oscar seem to do it the most. 

[DYC. 7,542]

2 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

Completely agree with that. Especially annoying since the ref, if anything, got more 50-50 calls in our favor than in Palace's. Cesc and Oscar seem to do it the most. 

I'll always remember Ballack for this.

Old Chelsea would surround refs all the time.

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

Enjoyed the day! I, along with others that predicted it in the pre-match, nailed the 3-0 win

The team started out average in the first 10 minutes but then slowly built confidence and absolutely controlled midfield in the second half as well as controlled the match. Mikel was MoTM! Not sure he can maintain such a performance throughout the year, but so far in his appearances after Jose departure, he has really looked solid.

The players looked like they were enjoying the second half more and more as the match wore on. You could see chemistry building and the shackles of non-attacking football going away. Is Willian not the heart and soul of the forward attack!? So happy he got in there to put us ahead 2-0. That was a huge goal. Thought Pedro showed a lot of hustle, even though he missed on a couple of key passes. Fabregas even showed some signs of the old Cesc we knew from early last year.

The biggest thing that jumped off my TV screen was the hustle and aggressiveness by EVERYONE, especially in the second half, by coming up and intercepting midfield passes or dispossessing players right after they gained possession. They were all flying around. 

Can't forget Courtois and the backline. Courtois had a key save just 60 seconds before Willian put us up 2-0. Zouma showed some quickness getting back on a couple of occasions to snuff out opportunities for Palace. Glad to see Azpilicueta okay after the early kick in the head.

I want to spend more time to comment on Diego. Best all around game he has had in many, many months. He played defense. He dispossessed the opposition, he disrupted the Palace attack, he was selfless with a beautiful assist, he found the net AND he did not throw a tantrum. He may be the most improved player so far (and Mikel) post Jose. He has shown some emotions here and there BUT nothing like under Jose. He was the main player I wanted to see how he would respond after the manager change. I was curious if all of the ridiculous diving, pounding the ground, trouncing opposing players, picking fights, etc was his true disposition or was he taking on the persona as directed by Jose? So far, we have seen the "skilled" and "team player" Diego after the change. I hope this is not just a short term switch and is the real Diego. He can be such a difference maker with play like today and the prior 2 or 3 games. Really missed "this" Diego vs United. Time will tell, but this Diego is winning me back. The theatrics from the past 12 months were way over the top and embarrassing. This Diego looks like a leader.

Hope Hazard can get fit as well. A healthy Eden could bolster this attack just that much more. I like the rotation we have in attacking midfield of Hazard, Pedro, Oscar and that man Willian is beginning to show signs of something special.

And those loud fans at Selhurst Park today, great job by you all!

Come on you Chelsea!!

[CHOULO19 24,332]

5 minutes ago, DYC. said:

I'll always remember Ballack for this.

Old Chelsea would surround refs all the time.

Tbf, I'll never forgive Michael for not knocking him out...

Surrounding is annoying but everyone does it. Waving imaginary cards on the other hand.....not pretty.

[mannyfreshh 164]

 Finally an away win 

[lionking 10]

Azpi, my man of the match today

[The Skipper 20,593]

First away win since?

[Chelsea4 1,521]

Just now, The Skipper said:

First away win since?

August when we won againts West Brom.

[Nero 1,794]

Cesc "Pass Master" Fabregas is back!

[bluephoenix 1,125]

2 hours ago, Muzchap said:

Bamford went on loan, never got a game and came back to Chelsea this week 

aahhh !!!! that makes sense.

 

[y10edn 185]

My post after the Watford game below, Guus will trust the 3 players he worked in his first stint, with the trust and love Iva, Mikel, Terry would standup/react positively and would rally the new boys. This would create competition for Matic, Mikel, Ramires and the team would be the better for it, Falcoa to be released in January for Bramford to get into the squad would be great:  

 

Chelsea 2-2 Watford

in The Match

Posted 26 Dec 2015 · Report post

Was at the game has all Home games this season and observe thus:

 

Guus H lineup: He is getting to know the team that is in a mess mentally at the busiest time of the season and would get some decisions wrong like any other manager but with some luck we won't get punished before he knows his best 10 outfield. At the moment he has only worked with Terry, Iva and Mikel from his last stint, he would rely on them to rally the troops get ready to see these trio unless they one of them really mess up the opportunity.

 

Although I would have preferred Oscar subbed rather than Pedro, seeing Cesc subbed was deserved and refreshingly we probably would have conceded more with Fabregas on the pitch in the 2nd half.

 

The 2 goals we conceded were avoidable but I can't fault Matic for purpose and commitment today, lets move on.

 

The Penalty: we lack an effective taker since Lampard and Drogba, Hazard and Oscar wait for the keeper to move and ones the keeper doesn't commit they become jolted: Hazard and Oscar are poor penalty takers.

 

This was a much better performance and the Sub affected the game positively for us, Hazard for Pedro and Mikel for Cesc offered more, won a penalty, balanced the play and put us in the front footing.

 

Another observation is that Watford came respecting us hence the 1st 15 minutes of good possession we had in the 1st half, we had lost that respect from Away teams before now.

 

Costa finally got back to scoring but got booked unnecessarily and would miss the Man U match, I wonder how Watford would have coped if Remy had come in to pair Costa when we were chasing the game.

 

Ivanovic: we are riding our luck with him, he lacks pace defending and got caught out a couple of times; Attacking he offers little crossing and made the wrong decision in the box twice when Willian laid it on.

3 would have been better but we wouldn't have achieved 1 point in this match last month. 

 Fernando and  CHOULO19 like this

 

 

 

[Cosmin 2,484]

Yesss! Finally! As I said before the game, we cannot afford to "settle for a draw" against anyone anymore. We have to win. I hope that this is just the beggining. 

Mind you, though, I think that we were pretty sloppy before the first goal. Sometimes, our players look old and disconnected. I don't know why we lack speed so much, considering the fact that Oscar, Pedro, Hazard, Costa and Willian are all capable of making good runs. 

Anyway, I am very happy for John Obi Mikel. I always liked the guy and I consider him very important for us. He was here when we lost that final, he was here when we won the last 3 leagues, I think, he was here when we won that other final. He and JT are the only ones connecting us to those performances. The guy deserves more respect than he's given. 

We must win the next three games, the one in the cup and the others in the league. It's time to get a good run and bounce back to the decent side of the table. Come on, Chelsea! 

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

We sang Jon Obi for about 40 mins and after the game hahaha good away day