closed Chelsea 2-2 Man Utd

[Vesper 30,261]

9 minutes ago, Ledgi said:

 

This. I really don't get it why he's constantly taken off in games like these which are still very close.

We seem to lose control of the midfield every time it happens. It happened during the Liverpool game and yesterday too.

Other thing is, Barkley may have took his chance with 2 goals in 2 games but this game + the Liverpool one, he was largely at fault for two goals. You can blame Alonso being high up on the pitch for United's second but there was such a big hole between him and Luiz which should've been covered a lot better.

I like Ross a lot and I think he can thrive under Sarri but I don't think he should come on for Kovacic in big games, but it seems Sarri likes to stick to his 4-3-3 under any circumstances, and Jorginho is undroppable. If he took off Kante everyone would go for his head.

This why I am begging for Sarri to try Barkley at RW as long as Pedro is carrying a knock. He surely cannot be as bad as Willian. Barkely isnt a ball hog who slows up play.

[coolhead23 1,147]

10 hours ago, Ledgi said:

 

This. I really don't get it why he's constantly taken off in games like these which are still very close.

We seem to lose control of the midfield every time it happens. It happened during the Liverpool game and yesterday too.

Other thing is, Barkley may have took his chance with 2 goals in 2 games but this game + the Liverpool one, he was largely at fault for two goals. You can blame Alonso being high up on the pitch for United's second but there was such a big hole between him and Luiz which should've been covered a lot better.

I like Ross a lot and I think he can thrive under Sarri but I don't think he should come on for Kovacic in big games, but it seems Sarri likes to stick to his 4-3-3 under any circumstances, and Jorginho is undroppable. If he took off Kante everyone would go for his head.

Getting in Ross is suppose to put pressure on the opposition when our midfield starts tiring ... combine with the fact that we dont have anyone else. The improved Barkley provides us muscle in the center and being attack minded is a threat in the final third. Yes I would agree that Ross is not great while doing defensive work however when Ross comes in Kante can always become (should become) defensive (which he is brilliant at) while allowing Ross to take more advanced role. For me it makes sense to get in Ross for Kovacic in any game. 

Coming to conceding the second goal, the blame should be on the Luiz who had a brain frat moment which created a hole behind and it opened up everything for us. Luiz is suppose to be the last line of defense and that was absolutely a huge No-No. 

And yes we would soon be coming at a situation where Kante might end up on the bench if Ross and Kovacic keep delivering. Said it before the advanced role for Kante might not work for him (although I'm praying he makes it his own at the earliest). 

[mccg 1,528]

On 20/10/2018 at 5:03 PM, Magic Lamps said:

I think we are not even that far away and that is actually the most frustrating. We are those 4 players away. And the best is we got decent replacement for all of them already in the squad. I think we are one world class striker away from a team capable of winning the league and maybe 1 world class cb, 1 world class striker, 1 good winger and 1 good left back. away from being a world class team. We just need to splash some cash but then again when we splash some cash we usually fuck it up it 50% of cases. And in normal clubs you pay shitloads of money to be sure you get a world class player.

Sad to see yourself and many like-minded people can see how close yet so far away from this vision ,yet our club seem to not share this (the summer recruitment strategy again manager+players was haphazard)sell a good chunk of the deadwood loanees for a start will pay for 1 maybe 2 players 

[mccg 1,528]

WATCH: The Matthew Harding Stand goes wild after Barkley’s last-minute equalizer

https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2018/10/21/18005290/watch-the-matthew-harding-stand-goes-wild-after-barkleys-last-minute-equalizer

Priceless for everything else there's mastercard

[Cosmin 2,484]

So we've managed to stay unbeaten after playing Arsenal, Liverpool and United. Granted, we were the host for all of these games, but still it's a very strong start for us. 

Let's keep in mind that the objective for this season is implementing Sarriball and finishing in the top 4. We are in a great position at this point.

Well done to everyone. 

[Special Juan 28,182]

Great seeing JM fuming Saturday...

Not the ideal result but it certainly was on the 96th minute.

[Laylabelle 9,539]

Really should've been a win but could've easily been a loss. Important point seeing as teams around us aren't dropping points either. 

[mccg 1,528]

Sarri costs the Blues two points?

https://www.thechelseachronicle.com/analysis/main-takeaways-from-chelsea-2-2-manchester-united/

[El P. 1,354]

18 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

This video says something important in the last 2 mins of the video. Alonso attacks leaving space behind but Kovacic provides defensive cover so that Luiz doesn't have to come out of shape. But Barkley doesn't have the mindset to man mark so when we lost the ball with Alonso high up the pitch, that forced Luiz to chase Mata and lose out which lead to Martial's second goal. Kovacic's absence contributed a lot to what made us start hoofing the ball in the last 30 mins like Sarri complained about after the match.

Barkley is the goal threat while Kovacic is the ball control and defensive cover. 

Once we buy good striker, or/and goal-scoring right winger, Bakley will be no match for Kovačić I think.

In this set-up we are in a need of goals SO much, and that's why Barkley sometimes seems more useful than Mateo.

[mccg 1,528]

Chelsea helped by amazing luck this season according to one astonishing stat

https://www.chelsea-news.co/2018/10/chelsea-helped-amazing-luck-season-according-one-astonishing-stat/

Everybody likes abit of magic around helloween don't they?!

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

On 20-10-2018 at 10:07 PM, Robguima said:

Our star player is not a big game winner.

Really ?  We've played 4 big games( Arsenal, Liverpool twice and United) this season. Hazard scored 2 goals and got 1 assist in them. The assist got us 3 points against Arsenal, goal against Liverpool in the cup won the game and knocked out Liverpool. The goal against Liverpool in the PL would have won us the game if it wasn't for Sturridge his wonder strike couple minutes before time and Hazard did that in 243 minutes as he only started 2 out of the 4 games. 

[Special Juan 28,182]

10 minutes ago, Belgiannutt said:

Really ?  We've played 4 big games( Arsenal, Liverpool twice and United) this season. Hazard scored 2 goals and got 1 assist in them. The assist got us 3 points against Arsenal, goal against Liverpool in the cup won the game and knocked out Liverpool. The goal against Liverpool in the PL would have won us the game if it wasn't for Sturridge his wonder strike couple minutes before time and Hazard did that in 243 minutes as he only started 2 out of the 4 games. 

You don't need to justify Hazard to anyone, what that poster put was absolute tosh.

[Jase 43,479]

22 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

Alonso attacks leaving space behind but Kovacic provides defensive cover so that Luiz doesn't have to come out of shape. But Barkley doesn't have the mindset to man mark so when we lost the ball with Alonso high up the pitch, that forced Luiz to chase Mata and lose out which lead to Martial's second goal.

Kovacic may provide better defensive cover but even when he was playing in the first half, United still found space to attack down our left because Alonso went AWOL defensively. You can point the finger at the LCM for the lack of defensive cover but if the LB doesn't have any defensive awareness (worse if he doesn't have any pace!), then we're gonna be in trouble most of the time because let's not forget, Kovacic isn't there just to provide defensive cover, he's also there to link up play in the final third. Can't expect him to be charging up and down the field when he's not a box-to-box midfielder. One tactical option Sarri could maybe consider is shift Kante to the left side of the midfield but then again, not sure if that would work.

22 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

Kovacic's absence contributed a lot to what made us start hoofing the ball in the last 30 mins like Sarri complained about after the match.

No, it didn't. We started lumping the ball forward aimlessly when Giroud came on. Sarri clearly didn't want that approach judging by his post-match comments. So the players lost their composure and reverted to type with the route one football. Even before Kovacic went off, we already lost control of the game, we stopped passing the ball around and looked clueless going forward. And by the way, Kovacic came off in the 69th minute...

[robsblubot 3,595]

4 hours ago, Special Juan said:

You don't need to justify Hazard to anyone, what that poster put was absolute tosh.

Thanks and I also disagree with your opinion.

And if he does not do that (justify hazard) what the hell will he write about?

[kellzfresh 7,229]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

Kovacic may provide better defensive cover but even when he was playing in the first half, United still found space to attack down our left because Alonso went AWOL defensively. You can point the finger at the LCM for the lack of defensive cover but if the LB doesn't have any defensive awareness (worse if he doesn't have any pace!), then we're gonna be in trouble most of the time because let's not forget, Kovacic isn't there just to provide defensive cover, he's also there to link up play in the final third. Can't expect him to be charging up and down the field when he's not a box-to-box midfielder. One tactical option Sarri could maybe consider is shift Kante to the left side of the midfield but then again, not sure if that would work.

Alonso is a cross Chelsea has to carry. We have to find players to accommodate his defensive weaknesses instead of trying to improve other areas. Even Hazard had to track back to commit a tactical foul on Rashford, because Alonso was caught out of position again. Every big team targets his wing, Mancity kept Mahrez and Bernado silva on that wing and scored two goals and created many, Arsenal kept Mykiterian and Aubameyang on that wing and created even more, Defensive Mourinho kept a quick Rashford on his wing and created all ManUnited chances from Alonso's side. He scores 1 goal every 8 games to make his contribution look so huge, how he has managed to con his way to become one of our key players baffles my mind constantly.   

[Jase 43,479]

4 hours ago, kellzfresh said:

Alonso is a cross Chelsea has to carry. We have to find players to accommodate his defensive weaknesses instead of trying to improve other areas. Even Hazard had to track back to commit a tactical foul on Rashford, because Alonso was caught out of position again. Every big team targets his wing, Mancity kept Mahrez and Bernado silva on that wing and scored two goals and created many, Arsenal kept Mykiterian and Aubameyang on that wing and created even more, Defensive Mourinho kept a quick Rashford on his wing and created all ManUnited chances from Alonso's side. He scores 1 goal every 8 games to make his contribution look so huge, how he has managed to con his way to become one of our key players baffles my mind constantly.   

It could get worse, a lot worse...

https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/alonso-to-sign-new-chelsea-contract-in-coming-days/l8rzsevh7ghg1vvn8nmg1zy8q

[Adnane 1,101]

The consistency of opinions in this board ( or lack thereof ) is incredible. 

One month ago Alonso was hailed as the best in the world, a real threat, a real asset, now he is the most useless players in the team and we should get worried if he extends. 

I don't have time to go back and look for those posts but I'm pretty sure a big portion of people changed voice so easily on his matter. 

I don't stand in either extreme camp tbf, dude has his limitations but isn't totally useless as some would suggest, in fact, with the right cover ( hence team organization ) he can look rarely out of place, as long as we're fielding Luiz-Alonso-Barkley-Hazard in the same flank, aka 4 less than average disciplined players position, we will  always be in trouble, and it can only improve by working on those specific mechanisms and triggers. 

[Vesper 30,261]

18 hours ago, Jason said:

It could get worse, a lot worse...

https://www.goal.com/en-sg/news/alonso-to-sign-new-chelsea-contract-in-coming-days/l8rzsevh7ghg1vvn8nmg1zy8q

Alonso is almost 28. His contract now runs until 2021.

In world football, there are only TWO world class LB's who are older than 28. Marcelo and Jordi Alaba.

This extension is more evidence the board is literally running the club into the ground. The only way this could possibly be of ANY good is IF we are going to sell Alonso in summer 2020 (when he will be months away from 30 and thus worth much less than he would have been this summer or January) so we have a bit of leverage.

BUT that also means 2 more years of Alonso as starting LB, and likely more, as we apparently have lost all will to sell deadwood and subpar players.

[Sideshow Luiz 2,310]

xG plot:

And pass map:

From this article:  https://betweentheposts.net/chelsea-manchester-united-2-2-tactical-analysis-sarri-mourinho/

[!Hazard! 3,394]

58 minutes ago, Sideshow Luiz said:

xG plot:

And pass map:

From this article:  https://betweentheposts.net/chelsea-manchester-united-2-2-tactical-analysis-sarri-mourinho/

That Kante-Willian-Azpilicueta triangle though....hardly any assists, goals or creativity in it. We can't keep being so dependent on the left side