closed Valencia 2-2 Chelsea

[LAM09 6,555]

I know it's all ifs and buts, if only Barkley hadn't fucked that penalty against Valencia, we would have been through by now. A draw in the first group game would have set our path a lot easier. 

True. I was just emphasising the point that Ajax aren't some side that ought to be viewed any different than seasons prior to last.

Ajax reach another CL semi, I'll rethink.

[Superblue 6,331]

18 minutes ago, Jason said:

This! I hope it was just a case of Lampard trying to solidify the midfield (not that it worked out great) and not him trying to shoehorn Jorginho/Kovacic/Kante into the starting XI for whatever reason. 

I think it's the former. It made sense to try and pack the midfield against City and similarly away at Valencia, it just simply hasn't worked.

To be honest I'm not against Kante being the one who misses out against West Ham. We need to get back to a pre international break when we were dominating teams in midfield (and as a result leaving ourselves much less open defensively) and creating more clear cut chances with the four attacking players.

[Laylabelle 9,302]

12 minutes ago, Jason said:

I know it's all ifs and buts, if only Barkley hadn't fucked that penalty against Valencia, we would have been through by now. A draw in the first group game would have set our path a lot easier. 

Yeah that was really silly. We haven't won at home yet in this competition so hopefully won't be annoying in a few weeks time. N like you say if can't beat them then we don't deserve it. Only going to get tougher if we do qualify 

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

1 hour ago, DanP2311 said:

I don’t think Bats is awful, despite today’s performance.  Seems like the main thing is that some sort of help is needed in the connecting midfield area, whether that’s a personnel issue or a formation issue I don’t know. 

Ive found Bats burner account.

[Tomo 21,681]

1 minute ago, Superblue_1986 said:

I think it's the former. It made sense to try and pack the midfield against City and similarly away at Valencia, it just simply hasn't worked.

To be honest I'm not against Kante being the one who misses out against West Ham. We need to get back to a pre international break when we were dominating teams in midfield (and as a result leaving ourselves much less open defensively) and creating more clear cut chances with the four attacking players.

It's a big/good problem this midfield situation.

Kova has to play right now, his level has simply been world class since the 2nd international break. So it's between Jorginho and Kante for the other spot at the minute.

[!Hazard! 3,394]

3 minutes ago, Tomo said:

It's a big/good problem this midfield situation.

Kova has to play right now, his level has simply been world class since the 2nd international break. So it's between Jorginho and Kante for the other spot at the minute.

Can we play without Jorginho tho? At least every time he's subbed off we seem to lose control of the game completely. If we had CBs who could actually pass the ball he wouldn't be as necessary as he is now

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

3 minutes ago, Tomo said:

It's a big/good problem this midfield situation.

Kova has to play right now, his level has simply been world class since the 2nd international break. So it's between Jorginho and Kante for the other spot at the minute.

Thing is every time Jorge doesn't play we seem to get exposed even more, no control whatsoever 

[Tomo 21,681]

4 minutes ago, !Hazard! said:

Can we play without Jorginho tho? At least every time he's subbed off we seem to lose control of the game completely. If we had CBs who could actually pass the ball he wouldn't be as necessary as he is now

That's a good point, which promotes a question that would have been deemed unthinkable 6 months ago!

[Jase 43,479]

5 minutes ago, !Hazard! said:

Can we play without Jorginho tho? At least every time he's subbed off we seem to lose control of the game completely. If we had CBs who could actually pass the ball he wouldn't be as necessary as he is now

 

3 minutes ago, Vybz Kartel said:

Thing is every time Jorge doesn't play we seem to get exposed even more, no control whatsoever 

 

1 minute ago, Tomo said:

That's a good point, which promotes a question that would have been deemed unthinkable 6 months ago!

With the way we play, it feels like Kante is not really needed against the lesser sides, especially at home and that's something unthinkable months ago!

[communicate 2,703]

45 minutes ago, Jason said:

 

 

With the way we play, it feels like Kante is not really needed against the lesser sides, especially at home and that's something unthinkable months ago!

I disagree. I like kante + Kovacic midfield. Other than from set pieces, I didn't feel like conceding at all. We were extremely secure everywhere 

[communicate 2,703]

53 minutes ago, Vybz Kartel said:

Thing is every time Jorge doesn't play we seem to get exposed even more, no control whatsoever 

Watch Palace game 

[communicate 2,703]

56 minutes ago, !Hazard! said:

Can we play without Jorginho tho? At least every time he's subbed off we seem to lose control of the game completely. If we had CBs who could actually pass the ball he wouldn't be as necessary as he is now

With double pivot, you don't need you CB to be brilliant passer. You have two dm that will play close to them.

[NikkiCFC 7,595]

6 minutes ago, communicate said:

I disagree. I like kante + Kovacic midfield. Other than from set pieces, I didn't feel like conceding at all. We were extremely secure everywhere 

When? Against Valencia we played last 25 minutes like that and they had so many great chances. 

[communicate 2,703]

6 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

When? Against Valencia we played last 25 minutes like that and they had so many great chances. 

Watch Palace game.

Against Valencia, It was Emerson for Jorginho, 343 = you don't care about possession and you control the game by being solid at the back 

[communicate 2,703]

5 hours ago, Jason said:

Based on our last 2 CL games (Ajax and Valencia), we're gonna get smashed badly IF we do get to the R16 and face one of the big sides.

We won't get smashed but I am not confident at all even if we get easy draw, I mean we got Valencia and Ajax. Both are good but not exactly upper echelon good. Ajax maybe last year but we all know how Ajax operate. 

 

 

 

[DanP2311 65]

3 hours ago, Vybz Kartel said:

Ive found Bats burner account.

I’ve found Giroud’s wife’s burner account

[cosmicway 1,260]

We should go through now with 2nd place more likely than not and I don't see us getting smashed that easily by anyone in the round of 16.
It does look however that PSG this year are a cut above the rest.

[Tomo 21,681]

54 minutes ago, communicate said:

We won't get smashed but I am not confident at all even if we get easy draw, I mean we got Valencia and Ajax. Both are good but not exactly upper echelon good. Ajax maybe last year but we all know how Ajax operate. 

It depends on the night.

I feel it's a little harsh to say if we play like we did tonight or at home Vs Ajax we would get hammered, while that's technically true I can flip that round and say if we play like we did in Amsterdam and Istanbul we have a chance against almost anyone, which is also true.

The reality is we're an inconsistent team right now and we won't be troubling Liverpool and City in the title race for that reason, however if our 'on' nights can fall on CL ties you just never know, if Tottenham's stagnant side can make the final it's certainly not completely beyond our reach.