Chelsea 3-1 AC Milan

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Anyone knows where I canbwatch/download this? Cheers. 

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

5 minutes ago, CHOULO19 said:

Anyone knows where I canbwatch/download this? Cheers. 

It's on youtube. Not the best of quality but it's still good. Commentary's in spanish though.

 

[Special Juan 27,103]

Not a clue on the performance as I was in bed after 10 cans of lager. Pleased we won, now lets see some transfers for areas needed.

[Hybrid Angel 2,130]

Couldn't watch the match, can somebody tell me who was playing as the deep midfielder when we were using 4-1-4-1?

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

11 minutes ago, Hybrid Angel said:

Couldn't watch the match, can sonebody tell me who was playing as the deep midfielder when we were using 4-1-4-1?

Kante 

[Melanicus 5,208]

Kante and Chalobah in the midfield. We'll win the league.

[Diego 433]

5 hours ago, Beepu said:

What are your concerns?

He always seems to be off balance and never looks like he has control of the ball. Also he doesn't look confident in front of goal.

Though i'm aware its only pre season and these things may change.  

[OhForAGreavsie 5,776]

5 hours ago, petre.ispirescu said:

This defence is the recipe for disaster. If Conte thinks he can improve this shower then he is out of his mind.   

Our defenders unuestionably need upgrading but upgrading only those players will not, on its own, have the desired outcome.

Antonio can't improve those defenders but he can improve our defence. Our defence consists of 11 players, not four or five. Improve the front six and the efectiveness of the back four is automatically lifted.

Keep the ball better and not only is the average position in which opponents recover possession less dangerous but our defenders are afforded vital extra moments to recover shape.

I believe that we have improved our defence because we have, with the additions of Michy & N'Golo, improved the front six. Antonio has simply not chosen as yet to put his first choice front six on to the pitch at the same time. Whether that's because he's felt unable to, or because he wants to keep his powder dry, I don't know.

We need a great deal more progress, but there is a better side in this squad than we have yet seen in this preseason.

[Paviour7 5]

3 hours ago, CHOULO19 said:

Anyone knows where I canbwatch/download this? Cheers. 

http://www.fullmatchesandshows.com/2016/08/04/ac-milan-vs-chelsea-highlights-full-match/3/

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

1 hour ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

Our defenders unuestionably need upgrading but upgrading only those players will not, on its own, have the desired outcome.

Antonio can't improve those defenders but he can improve our defence. Our defence consists of 11 players, not four or five. Improve the front six and the efectiveness of the back four is automatically lifted.

Keep the ball better and not only is the average position in which opponents recover possession less dangerous but our defenders are afforded vital extra moments to recover shape.

I believe that we have improved our defence because we have, with the additions of Michy & N'Golo, improved the front six. Antonio has simply not chosen as yet to put his first choice front six on to the pitch at the same time. Whether that's because he's felt unable to, or because he wants to keep his powder dry, I don't know.

We need a great deal more progress, but there is a better side in this squad than we have yet seen in this preseason.

I do not agree with you and let me tell you why. Take the Real Madrid and Milan 1st halves - look at that space between defence and attack, you could throw a nuclear bomb in there. Mildfielders have to basically do everything - defend, attack, take the ball from deep and bring it to the attackers, press high up the pitch, try to close the chanels etc. all this while the defence sits incredibly deep because of two players IMO - Cahill and Terry.

You could see perfectly in the Real Madrid match how the pressing game works - centre backs very high (Varane & Nacho), with the full backs (Carvajal & Marcelo) taking attacking positions. This is it. Can't press high up the pitch and play with high intensity (as Conte likes to say) if your defence is nowhere to be seen and midfielders and attackers are left for dead.

For me it is worrying, and it is my opinion alone, that the match last night was Terry's 5th consecutive one in which he played the full 90 minutes and also the 3rd consecutive one in which Terry, Cahill and Azpilicueta (LB) played together for the full 90 minutes. Terry to be given a new contract was such a big mistake IMO and I think that Conte would not have approved with this if it was his 2nd season in charge. But being in a new country, a new club, I get this weird feeling that he is afraid to drop the locker room leaders for now, although he was pictured as being a "hammer" in Italy and ruthless when it comes to team selection. I think he does not know what the fans' reaction would be should he drop the likes of Terry and Cahill, especially Terry after the fans advocated for a new contract, and I think he prefers to go safe in the beggining, let the fans see if this defensive line works, instead of reshaping it from the scratch.

Why I think Cahill - Terry partnership is a disaster? Because they offer nothing other than leadership and positioning. Moreover they restrict full backs from their attacking duties because they (full backs) have to stick to Terry and Cahill because them two lack pace, can't press and are so poor with the ball at their feet. Watch Cahill - amazing how this guy is still at a top club. Can't hit a forward pass for his life, a simple and calm pass. Everything is rushed, it's like a pack of wolves is always behind his arse, he either plays it sideways to Terry, or bombs it to the other GK. 

This defensive line would be perfect for the likes of Swansea or Crystal Palace, but for a club like Chelsea would be such a travesty to start the season with Cahill, Terry and Azpilicueta at LB. And probably Ivanovic, too. Since Conte won't have the guts to drop the other two, he won't do it with Ivanovic either. 

Chelsea will have big problems with every team that presses high up the pitch and has decent players that can pass the ball. The only way to fight this is by doing this as well, or either we'll see the same old shit again, with full backs that never cross the half line, with Hazard as a left back and a clueless defence that either bombs the ball out of the pitch, or forward in the hands of the opponent GK.

[Peace. 4,352]

53 minutes ago, petre.ispirescu said:

For me it is worrying, and it is my opinion alone, that the match last night was Terry's 5th consecutive one in which he played the full 90 minutes and also the 3rd consecutive one in which Terry, Cahill and Azpilicueta (LB) played together for the full 90 minutes. Terry to be given a new contract was such a big mistake IMO

There is an even bigger mistake, which is to have made him the indisputable starting center-back after that Benitez had benched him. Even if it was for the "wrong" reasons — which is what everybody seemed to believe back then, even though the turn of events suggests that Benitez did not bench Terry out of dislike toward him —, we should have taken the opportunity to start to phase him out and to introduce our new defensive spine. For a reminder, it was a period when transfer prices were still reasonable ; our club was not a joke and still had the aureola of the European Champion ; our defence was decent and was not yet the dramatic shambles that it is today. But no, instead of renewing our back line gradually, we kept hold onto the old furnitures — relics of the past — and we now see ourself facing an uncertain future and an uncertain back-line. The worst thing being that it has hindered the progress of our team for the last three years (and I am being generous and polite).....

[petre.ispirescu 4,928]

47 minutes ago, Peace. said:

There is an even bigger mistake, which is to have made him the indisputable starting center-back after that Benitez had benched him. Even if it was for the "wrong" reasons — which is what everybody seemed to believe back then, even though the turn of events suggests that Benitez did not bench Terry out of dislike toward him —, we should have taken the opportunity to start to phase him out and to introduce our new defensive spine. For a reminder, it was a period when transfer prices were still reasonable ; our club was not a joke and still had the aureola of the European Champion ; our defence was decent and was not yet the dramatic shambles that it is today. But no, instead of renewing our back line gradually, we kept hold onto the old furnitures — relics of the past — and we now see ourself facing an uncertain future and an uncertain back-line. The worst thing being that it has hindered the progress of our team for the last three years (and I am being generous and polite).....

Exactly. I know some might say that it's a normal thing for Conte to favour an old centre back in his team, like he did with Barzagli at Juventus and Italy NT, but that it is a completely different thing because Barzagli had two partners in Bonucci and Chiellini both comfortable with the ball, players that can press and build from the back and suited for a highline. Not to mention that a three man defence is completely different from a back four and Barzagli always had the help of a wonderful and tireless wing back, Lichsteiner. 

I do have the utmost respect for the Stamford Bridge season ticket holders, but for me, and again my opinion alone, is that what they did, and I mean advocating for Terry to stay, was wrong and it might turn against them, and the team, as the season goes on. Should Terry be a regular starter, of course. I feel that the club, and Conte, maybe, had made an idea on Terry's future and that idea was for him to leave, but given Chelsea's horror season and the immense pressure coming from the fans, they had no other option but to extend his contract. 

For me, now it would be the perfect timing and I mean the absolute perfect timing to reshape the back line. Although Lukaku is one of my favourite players having watched him from his Anderlecht days, I do not get this obsession with buying another striker. And it is not because of the money because I do not care about finances, but isn't it ironic to spend 70m on (another) striker when in fact defence needs to be adressed ASAP?

70m would get you two VERY GOOD defenders (CB and LB) and paired with Azpilicueta and Zouma would give a new breathing to the whole team, not only to the back line. Whereas Terry, Cahill and Ivanovic could get plenty of time in the Cup competitions.  

[Unionjack 7,531]

7 hours ago, CHOULO19 said:

Anyone knows where I canbwatch/download this? Cheers. 

http://www.vipleague.is/football/23863/1/chelsea-tv-live-stream-online.html

 

Its on NOW!!

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

8 hours ago, petre.ispirescu said:

snip

I can't say I agree.

Terry is not the problem. The only person who has exposed him this pre season was Mane. Cahill and his RB have stuggled no matter the opposition to be honest. I think you undervalue our defence - Terry and Zouma as a pair work very well and before he was injured our defensive record recovered. It's all well and good blaming the CBs but the fact is that Azpilicueta is better on the left flank, where he can be a proper fullback. On the right his defending worsens and he's still crap going forward - not much better at hitting a cross than Ivanovic imo. Terry is good with the ball, he often plays the ball out of defence, it is a myth that he is not. The reality is that Terry is still the best of our defenders (yes, and Zouma) and letting him go would have been an incredible error of judgment not to mention being politically impossible with regard to the board's position with the fans. The RB position is a question which is a hard one to answer; there is not much available talent going around right now and probably breaking Aina in is our best option. I stand by my prediction that the club will hold onto Terry until the 17/18 season concludes. Cahill, on the other hand is not good enough to start for this club.

The grass is always greener philosophy here is at times unbelievably frustrating - Just now I saw someone suggest we should buy Lukaku to replace Costa because the latter's form has been erratic, disregarding the fact that he stopped scoring after the game against us back in Febuary! Our defence will be fine, though I will not deny our backup options could be improved. That's our weakest link.

Not to mention that our goalkeeper had the worst season of his professional career, all at the same time.

[Stats 6,981]

On ‎04‎/‎08‎/‎2016 at 4:21 AM, Sovieticus said:

Oscar raising his sale value. Also you'd rarely see Willian passing like that.

His passing is really underrated.

Just been looking at the pages and once again, it is amazing what pre-season does. Cuadrado now is everyone's favourite and based on couple pre-season games, is more deserving to be in the team ahead of Willian....

[Sovieticus 743]

2 hours ago, Stats said:

His passing is really underrated.

Just been looking at the pages and once again, it is amazing what pre-season does. Cuadrado now is everyone's favourite and based on couple pre-season games, is more deserving to be in the team ahead of Willian....

Nobody is saying that. What I said you'd rarely see such creativity from Willian. Remind me again on how many assists did he make last season?

[Stats 6,981]

17 minutes ago, Sovieticus said:

Nobody is saying that. What I said you'd rarely see such creativity from Willian. Remind me again on how many assists did he make last season?

Around 7 which is not great but the whole team was poor so that is a blur. My simple point was Willian is a decent passer. Just look at Costa's goal against Watford last season.

And btw my last comment in previous post was not aimed at you as I know you did not say that.