closed Middlesbrough 0-1 Chelsea

[Unionjack 7,531]

21 minutes ago, Special Juan said:

Some pictures from the hotel and after the game yesterday.

Sounds like you had a great time mate. Memories like that will stick in yer lads head forever,

 

I think Alonso had a good game. He put alot of crosses in but there were nobody there to meet them.

Diego might 'just' be a finisher but he picked that ball up yesterday in the middle of 5 bloody Boro. He managed somehow to stick it in the net. It left the players agog just looking at each other thibking WTF!!! You cant teach that. I fuckin love him. Any team in the world would kill for their own Beast

Theres no way on this tiny earth I can see us osing to Spuds..

 

I think

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

Great win...especially as three of our rivals dropped points this weekend. And fantastic to hear 'we're top of the league'' being sung again

..to be honest, I'd happily come away with two points from the next two games. We've got a nice little run of fixtures once we have played City....

 

 

[Unionjack 7,531]

1 minute ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Great win...especially as three of our rivals dropped points this weekend. And fantastic to hear 'we're top of the league'' being sung again

..to be honest, I'd happily come away with two points from the next two games. We've got a nice little run of fixtures once we have played City....

 

 

We do sing it quite well eh. Not got difficult lyrics.

[ManchesterMatt 52]

Another very good display. It was always going to be a nervous finish (with it being only 1-0), but the only opportunity of note was Negredo's shot.

Comparing how we played under Mourinho, we have so many more options on the wings. The amount of time the ball was quickly switched out to Moses or Alonso (particularly Moses) just goes to show that teams at present aren't able to cope with our new system in that our tactic (keeping Moses for example out wide all the time) is unable to be countered or stopped.

It's obvious how playing 3 at the back has helped our forward play too. They have enough options along the back to play it between themselves and when there's space to move forward (helped by the opposition's wingers having to mark Moses and Alonso out wide) they can bring the ball up themselves and then play a simple ball into Costa, Hazard or Pedro. This tactic also helps to spring quick attacks (think about how many times Hazard or Pedro (particularly Hazard)) received a ball to feet from one of the centre backs, turned and then ran directly at their back line.

I certainly haven't seen us play this well for years and years and years!

Just a final point and it's one I noticed from the game yesterday - there's the potential for us to be caught out when both Moses and Alonso are 'forward' but the ball is still at the back. I recall Gaston Ramirez having a chance in the second half when Middlesborough won the ball high up the pitch and towards our left back position. As Alonso and Moses were pushed higher up, as the ball got passed by Middlesborough across the edge of the 18 yard box it fell to the feet of Ramirez who had time to pick out a shot (albeit it went into the stands) - in a 'normal' 4-4-2 the right back would have likely been a lot closer to the centre backs and would therefore have picked up Ramirez. - Only a very minor concern though!

 

[Roquila 1,335]

Champions stuff here lads. 

Champions win games like these like this. Not a good performance but still a win. 

I can't complain, can't beat 'em all 5-0 or 4-0.

[Special Juan 28,141]

Boro fans sang "Town full of rent boys"...so we sang back "Adam Johnson he's one of your own"

 

[Tautvix 1,321]

18 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Great win...especially as three of our rivals dropped points this weekend. And fantastic to hear 'we're top of the league'' being sung again

..to be honest, I'd happily come away with two points from the next two games. We've got a nice little run of fixtures once we have played City....

 

 

There's no way we can be happy with 2 points. We won 6 games in a row without conceding ffs. Why would we want only 2 points? Tottenham are more than beatable at home as long as we play "our" game... I would take a point at City tho. So 4 points would do it for me.

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

3 hours ago, Tautvix said:

There's no way we can be happy with 2 points. We won 6 games in a row without conceding ffs. Why would we want only 2 points? Tottenham are more than beatable at home as long as we play "our" game... I would take a point at City tho. So 4 points would do it for me.

It's not a question of ''wanting 2 points''. If the run continues all well and good. However I am a realist. We are going to drop points at some juncture

[Tomo 21,751]

5 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Great win...especially as three of our rivals dropped points this weekend. And fantastic to hear 'we're top of the league'' being sung again

..to be honest, I'd happily come away with two points from the next two games. We've got a nice little run of fixtures once we have played City....

 

 

City fair enough but Spurs will be two points dropped if we don't win, at Stamford Bridge with no Rose and no (or at worse not a fully fit) Alderwierld in my opinion their two best defenders, we should be looking to cash in on that.

[The Skipper 20,609]

21 hours ago, Rekin said:

I also think that while Costa is in great form, he is a finisher. He relies on others creating either space, or opportunities, for him (not to say he never creates something out of nothing).

You say this but he's actually been one of most creative players this season. His all round game has been great. 

[The Skipper 20,609]

@Special Juan why is your lad the same height as Kante?

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

26 minutes ago, Tomo said:

City fair enough but Spurs will be two points dropped if we don't win, at Stamford Bridge with no Rose and no (or at worse not a fully fit) Alderwierld in my opinion their two best defenders, we should be looking to cash in on that.

Hopefully yes. I am going to this one.

[Unionjack 7,531]

@ManchesterMatt

Great to see Manc Blues! Ive never seen many coming down from your way in big numbers. Its normally London sending our lot upto the Rags

 on the Cockney Reds specials. Not sure if they actually have any supporters from Manc land. But its always a good craic running into them and taking the piss.

[Special Juan 28,141]

1 hour ago, The Skipper said:

@Special Juan why is your lad the same height as Kante?

 I think my lad had the edge.

[ManchesterMatt 52]

16 hours ago, Unionjack said:

@ManchesterMatt

Great to see Manc Blues! Ive never seen many coming down from your way in big numbers. Its normally London sending our lot upto the Rags

 on the Cockney Reds specials. Not sure if they actually have any supporters from Manc land. But its always a good craic running into them and taking the piss.

I normally make all of the 'northern' games and then a few of games in the midlands too. I need to pluck up the determination to go to some of the more southern games!

Struggling this season to get any tickets at all though as previously I've shared a season ticket with family who live 'dawrrn sarth', but they've gone travelling for a year or so and have therefore forfeited their season ticket. It means I'm at the bottom of the pile with applying for tickets (new membership) and therefore it's almost impossible to pick up tickets anymore! - I'm praying for a mid-week FA/League Cup game at a northern league 1/2 club as I think that's the only chance I'll get at any tickets!

Oh, and it doesn't help when people buy tickets and then flog them to overseas buyers! Ruins the atmosphere in the away ends and annoys those who couldn't get tickets the legitimate way!

[Rekin 835]

18 hours ago, The Skipper said:

You say this but he's actually been one of most creative players this season. His all round game has been great. 

Not sure I agree with this. My impression is that he is similar to Pedro in terms of creativity. He can link up with some neat one-touch passes, but overall I do not think he creates much. 
It is to be expected of a striker on his level to sometimes offer a nice pass, but I would absolutely disagree that it is one of his strengths. 

If you look at the statistics, he has one of the lowest amounts of passes per game in the squad, and also the lowest pass success out of everyone except Thibo. 
He does contribute with a respectable amount of key passes, but once again it comes from the way Chelsea are playing now. 

My point previously was that while Costa is capable of scoring from what seems to be a safe situation for the other side, he rarely does what Hazard can, which is to grab the ball from a good distance away from the box, and through a quick dribble/sprint suddenly create a dangerous situation, and do this consistently. Pedro does not do this either, which is why we need someone who can help us rely less on Hazard to be the main threat  against defensive teams.