closed Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

Anyone querying why Salah was offloaded got a clue today,  he played this afternoon like he played when he was at Stamford Bridge

[Starman60 1,343]

i wll be the first to admit that I wasn't full of confidence coming into this game,and reading the pre=match comments of some people on here I wasn't alone. But having watched the match I have to say Conte got his tactics spot on today. I know we weren't very adventurous and soaked up a lot of pressure, but we were never really troubled by Liverpool. A couple of long range efforts and that was it. If we had gone gung-ho, Salah, Mane and Firmino would have crucified us on the break. But as it was Salah had arguably his worst game in a pool shirt and Firmino never got a sniff.. Mane got a couple of long range shots, but that was all. So lets give Conte a bit of praise for his tactics and the result. It may not have been pretty, but it was effective. If Conte stays i wont be unhappy, but let him buy the players he wants, not the ones the board chooses for him.

[The Skipper 20,609]

2 hours ago, LAM09 said:

 

 

Hazard wouldn't score 40 even at Barca, so this line needs to drop. He lack of consistency has nothing to do with the supporting case but more to do with his application regardless of the occasion.

 

Hazard isn’t really a prolific goal scorer. 

[Iggy Doonican 4,186]

18 minutes ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Anyone querying why Salah was offloaded got a clue today,  he played this afternoon like he played when he was at Stamford Bridge

I'm convinced he'll be a one season wonder FB and I've posted this before but this is his Chelsea career in a nutshell

 

[Unionjack 7,531]

22 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

Hazard isn’t really a prolific goal scorer. 

Where did you get that idea from lol

Hes said it himself tho so we shouldntt knock each other for saying the same thing

38 minutes ago, Starman60 said:

i wll be the first to admit that I wasn't full of confidence coming into this game,and reading the pre=match comments of some people on here I wasn't alone. But having watched the match I have to say Conte got his tactics spot on today. I know we weren't very adventurous and soaked up a lot of pressure, but we were never really troubled by Liverpool. A couple of long range efforts and that was it. If we had gone gung-ho, Salah, Mane and Firmino would have crucified us on the break. But as it was Salah had arguably his worst game in a pool shirt and Firmino never got a sniff.. Mane got a couple of long range shots, but that was all. So lets give Conte a bit of praise for his tactics and the result. It may not have been pretty, but it was effective. If Conte stays i wont be unhappy, but let him buy the players he wants, not the ones the board chooses for him.

Would peeps be happier if we played a more sat back, no posession but won each game 1-0 or a fluid fast pretty game but had to fught every year to get in top 4 or win any type of trophy?

[LAM09 7,056]

Hazard isn’t really a prolific goal scorer. 

I know but I was getting at his overall game. He isn't consistent enough

[The Skipper 20,609]

2 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

56 minutes ago, The Skipper said:

Hazard isn’t really a prolific goal scorer. 

I know but I was getting at his overall game. He isn't consistent enough

That’s unfair to say. He’s actually one of our most consistent players. Apart from 14/15, he’s always been at least a top 2 performer. Sure he has dips but what player doesn’t?

[The Skipper 20,609]

30 minutes ago, Unionjack said:

Where did you get that idea from lol

Hes said it himself tho so we shouldntt knock each other for saying the same thing

Main point really is that we shouldn’t look at him as a goal scorer. Sure, he’ll chip in with about 20 goals a season but apart from that, his game isn’t about scoring really. Just elite attacking flow is what we get from Hazard. 

[LAM09 7,056]

That’s unfair to say. He’s actually one of our most consistent players. Apart from 14/15, he’s always been at least a top 2 performer. Sure he has dips but what player doesn’t?

We can't compare him to our current crop and then slag them off for not being up to his standard the next.

 

He should be head and shoulders above the rest 35-40 games out of 50 a season (Kante comes to mind). Why did he go missing for large parts of our title defences?

 

Application or lack of is another thing he could be slated for.

 

Do you think he's improved massively in 6 years?

 

[Superblue 6,372]

1 hour ago, The Skipper said:

Hazard isn’t really a prolific goal scorer. 

This. Hazard is a fantastic player and when he's in full flow he's one of the most enjoyable players I've ever watched. But his goal output at Chelsea has never been his strongest suit and he is relied on at times to both create and score when we're struggling which is a difficult spot for him to be in.

In an ideal world, we would have Hazard on one wing to go out and do what he does best and a Salah type on the other wing who isn't nearly as creative but scores goals and has a much more ruthless streak.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

3 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Anyone querying why Salah was offloaded got a clue today,  he played this afternoon like he played when he was at Stamford Bridge

Thats just ridiculous haha. 

Dont tell me that based on one shit performance we were smart to sell Salah, same guy who scored 31 goals in PL and 10 CL goals this season.

Their front 3 clearly lacked the energy after Roma game, but we also had good plan indeed. Another time and we might concede 3 in first half.

3 hours ago, Iggy Doonican said:

I'm convinced he'll be a one season wonder FB and I've posted this before but this is his Chelsea career in a nutshell

 

Im convinced he wont be. He was already good in Roma last season. Maybe he wont score 40 goals again, but he is pretty much guaranteed 20 goal man who also proved in key matches. Its not like he scores only tap ins against shit teams. 

Are yout two actualy believing that he will be one season wonder based on reasonable facts or is all this just to downplay Pool player just because he isnt here anymore?

[BlueLyon 9,359]

2 hours ago, LAM09 said:

We can't compare him to our current crop and then slag them off for not being up to his standard the next.

 

He should be head and shoulders above the rest 35-40 games out of 50 a season (Kante comes to mind). Why did he go missing for large parts of our title defences?

 

Application or lack of is another thing he could be slated for.

 

Do you think he's improved massively in 6 years?

 

Our team isnt exactly crap, but he realy doesnt have much benefit from playing with Chelsea for past few years when he didnt have single equaly good attacker, aside from Costa, nor the defensive game we play for ages.

Yeah he shown world class level many times and there is no excuse for his regular form breaks, but honestly he is playing with bunch of players who simply arent world class and dont have ambitons to win everything. 

For example imagine him being tutored by Didi, Lamps, Cole,...compared to Alonso, Cesc, Morata. 

Only outfield players of genuine class are Kante and Azpi, Willian is too hot-cold. Costa was great striker and no wonder Eden had his two best seasons playing next to inform Costa (sure everyone played better but thats the point; more quaity around you pushes you further). 

[communicate 2,703]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

Not today.  Given we were sitting deep and content to defend the lead, needed Giroud to be strong in his hold up play to relieve the pressure but he didn't really succeed at that. Did feel we needed someone quick at Swansea though.

To be fair, he has stopped falling often in the last few matches. He definitely has things that need to be worked on but I don't think he's been helped by the fact that Conte deploys him as a target man. I mean, he can hold up the play decently and link with others but that's not his strengths. That's why Giroud has looked at home in the XI because what Conte wants from the striker suits him more than Morata.

I am talking about the end of last game where clearly a faster striker with aerial ability is needed.

Giroud botched most of our counter attack which make sense because he is solely a target man. 

 

[communicate 2,703]

4 hours ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Anyone querying why Salah was offloaded got a clue today,  he played this afternoon like he played when he was at Stamford Bridge

In the beginning of the season, I was Salah skeptic but he has proved me wrong.

Yes he will score tons of goals again next season, he is just suited the way this liverpool play, just watch how firmino created that one opening for Salah where he drop deep and just suddenly release through ball for Salah. it was perfect for pacy winger like Salah.

[LAM09 7,056]

Our team isnt exactly crap, but he realy doesnt have much benefit from playing with Chelsea for past few years when he didnt have single equaly good attacker, aside from Costa, nor the defensive game we play for ages.
Yeah he shown world class level many times and there is no excuse for his regular form breaks, but honestly he is playing with bunch of players who simply arent world class and dont have ambitons to win everything. 
For example imagine him being tutored by Didi, Lamps, Cole,...compared to Alonso, Cesc, Morata. 
Only outfield players of genuine class are Kante and Azpi, Willian is too hot-cold. Costa was great striker and no wonder Eden had his two best seasons playing next to inform Costa (sure everyone played better but thats the point; more quaity around you pushes you further). 

He was playing with guys who were on the way done whilst he's supposedly amongst players in their prime now. We do have to remember he was involved in 40~ goals alongside Sow & Gervinho, so he's been around far worse.

I hope we do our best this summer to get the most out him this summer. I'm in agreement with several nonetheless that he's being held back one way or another too often.

[communicate 2,703]

2 hours ago, LAM09 said:

We can't compare him to our current crop and then slag them off for not being up to his standard the next.

 

He should be head and shoulders above the rest 35-40 games out of 50 a season (Kante comes to mind). Why did he go missing for large parts of our title defences?

 

Application or lack of is another thing he could be slated for.

 

Do you think he's improved massively in 6 years?

 

I think you need to watch more of our games and then watch the other big team especially what each team are asking their best attacking player to do. 

Salah for example, POTY this season. Against us today, did he pick up the ball deep and create or did he try to play on the shoulder of defender and run into space.

Sane for City, stay wide to create space for KDB and silva to create

CR7, a poacher.

Like i mentioned in previous post, I can only compare Hazard role to Messi role in Barca this season, at times you are asked to be the sole creator. The percentage is always against you

 

 

 

[LAM09 7,056]

I think you need to watch more of our games and then watch the other big team especially what each team are asking their best attacking player to do. 
Salah for example, POTY this season. Against us today, did he pick up the ball deep and create or did he try to play on the shoulder of defender and run into space.
Sane for City, stay wide to create space for KDB and silva to create
CR7, a poacher.
Like i mentioned in previous post, I can only compare Hazard role to Messi role in Barca this season, at times you are asked to be the sole creator. The percentage is always against you
 

I'm not disputing his role in any way, shape, or form. I just expect more from him on a regular basis (Barcelona tie sticks out like a sore thumb).

This constant talk about him being the only creative player we've possessed for a number of years is a stretch to say the least.

[communicate 2,703]

15 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

 

 

I'm not disputing his role in any way, shape, or form. I just expect more from him on a regular basis (Barcelona tie sticks out like a sore thumb).

This constant talk about him being the only creative player we've possessed for a number of years is a stretch to say the least.

 

Against Barca, I agree he was anonymous but we barely had a touch the whole game. But he wasn't the reason we lost, we made too many mistakes and it just happened to the ball fall on Mess. 

Not really. Who else? Only fab. 

Putting willian there is a stretch.  Mata was here but we weren't exactly considered contender back then

[Fulham Broadway 17,317]

2 hours ago, BlueLyon said:

same guy who scored 31 goals in PL and 10 CL goals this season.

Well unless our coaching staff can see into the future, you're being ridiculous. He was a bag 'o shite for us with 2 goals in 13 starts.

[Johnnyeye 7,510]

9 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

The real slip wasn't the last day, it was dropping home points by conceding a last minute equalizer to Wigan four weeks earlier. Had we beaten Wigan we'd have gone into the last game knowing the title was in our own hands. If that was the case I'm absolutely convinced that we'd have smashed Bolton on the last day.

i still remember fucking Heskey ruining everything for us with the late equalizer, fucking scouse cunt , in the end its our fault for not putting that game to bed. What could have been that season, we could have been crowned PL and CL winners instead of United, they just had lady luck for them in the end when they needed it, urghh it still makes me sick to the stomach we didnt win the CL that season.