closed Chelsea 2-5 West Brom

[Jase 43,479]

44 minutes ago, DDA said:

Why the fuck have we got ourselves a striker who doesn't solve the problem we face week in, week out?

That's the question for the board. Although Werner is a striker, he's not a classic #9 striker, which is the position we all want now it to be filled. So, I don't know exactly what Lampard and/or the board were thinking when trying to sign him, especially when we don't always utilize his strengths. Maybe they see him as a direct replacement for Pedro in terms of their position - a wide forward.

44 minutes ago, DDA said:

Timo needs space to operate... since for as long as I remember we have always faced the lower teams playing an extremely low block against us. He is basically useless in games like today. 

I also questioned the wisdom of playing Werner as the ST in this particular game but the ironic thing is, as it transpired, West Brom did not just sit back and camp in their own box like we were all expecting them too. Instead, they actually pressed high up and left space for us to exploit, which we did F all with it. We had a number of promising counter attacking chances throughout the game - you know the kind of situation that Werner thrives in - but the final pass was always crap and then Jorginho and Kovacic couldn't even control the game when we had the chance to maintain possession. On top of that, on the few occasions that we did get the ball into box especially in the first half, Ziyech and James decided to spam high crosses to the far post for Alonso even though we had Werner and Pulisic upfront. How do we expect Werner - or any other striker for that matter - to even do anything if we don't play to their strengths? How many times, for example, have we seen Werner making runs forward in games but he isn't spotted by the others with an early pass? Imagine if we have Giroud upfront and we try to play balls over the top for him to run onto!

The only reason I can think of on why Werner was used as the ST today and not on the left/right is that Tuchel wants someone with mobility, ability to link up play, pace etc leading the line. Think Havertz would have started had he not started all 3 games for Germany. Giroud, unfortunately, doesn't offer any of that and the West Brom defence wouldn't mind dealing with him at all. Abraham doesn't seem to be fancied either. That left only Werner as the option. 

44 minutes ago, DDA said:

To add to that, when he does get the space to operate in, he starts performing for the clown of the month award. 

Yeah...just like what happened against Liverpool at Anfield or the UCL second leg against Atletico... 🙄

[DDA 9,570]

41 minutes ago, Jason said:

That's the question for the board. Although Werner is a striker, he's not a classic #9 striker, which is the position we all want now it to be filled. So, I don't know exactly what Lampard and/or the board were thinking when trying to sign him, especially when we don't always utilize his strengths. Maybe they see him as a direct replacement for Pedro in terms of their position - a wide forward.

I also questioned the wisdom of playing Werner as the ST in this particular game but the ironic thing is, as it transpired, West Brom did not just sit back and camp in their own box like we were all expecting them too. Instead, they actually pressed high up and left space for us to exploit, which we did F all with it. We had a number of promising counter attacking chances throughout the game - you know the kind of situation that Werner thrives in - but the final pass was always crap and then Jorginho and Kovacic couldn't even control the game when we had the chance to maintain possession. On top of that, on the few occasions that we did get the ball into box especially in the first half, Ziyech and James decided to spam high crosses to the far post for Alonso even though we had Werner and Pulisic upfront. How do we expect Werner - or any other striker for that matter - to even do anything if we don't play to their strengths? How many times, for example, have we seen Werner making runs forward in games but he isn't spotted by the others with an early pass? Imagine if we have Giroud upfront and we try to play balls over the top for him to run onto!

The only reason I can think of on why Werner was used as the ST today and not on the left/right is that Tuchel wants someone with mobility, ability to link up play, pace etc leading the line. Think Havertz would have started had he not started all 3 games for Germany. Giroud, unfortunately, doesn't offer any of that and the West Brom defence wouldn't mind dealing with him at all. Abraham doesn't seem to be fancied either. That left only Werner as the option. 

Yeah...just like what happened against Liverpool at Anfield or the UCL second leg against Atletico... 🙄

I do feel as if our midfield is the bigger problem. The lack of creativity is laughable for one of Europe's elite. I completely commend Werner for his work rate and he has provided 10 assists this season I do believe but we need a striker who is going to score against the odds. Somebody who can bail us out and that doesn't seem to be Werner as of now.

[Jase 43,479]

25 minutes ago, DDA said:

I do feel as if our midfield is the bigger problem. The lack of creativity is laughable for one of Europe's elite. I completely commend Werner for his work rate and he has provided 10 assists this season I do believe but we need a striker who is going to score against the odds. Somebody who can bail us out and that doesn't seem to be Werner as of now.

The lack of creativity. The lack of intelligence. You name it. 

Agree with your point that about needing someone who can provide the X factor or someone clinical but that's only gonna cover up our attacking problems somewhat, like when we over-relied on Hazard during his time here. If we don't create clear chances consistently, we are not going to score enough goals. Even if we get someone clinical, we can't expect that person to just convert every chance because it's just not sustainable. 

Although he hasn't always played through the middle, you only have to go through our games and try to remember how many chances does Werner even get to score in each game. Yes, he's had bad misses and it's fair to criticize him for that but there have also been games that he's gone through without even getting a chance to score (or miss!) because we don't create enough overall and/or for him specifically, even though he makes the runs and all that.

We have played 15 games under Tuchel and only TWICE our xG, excluding penalties and own goals, has been higher than 2 - against Newcastle and West Brom, two of the worst teams in the league and that says a lot. We have been relying on penalties and own goals quite a bit since he took over. We don't create enough clear chances. We don't score enough goals...and that's not only Werner's fault either, if we're being fair. Abraham, who feels like hasn't played in ages is still our top scorer in the league with 6 goals for example, and that is the same total for Jorginho, who's scored all his 6 goals from penalties. It's quite laughable.

[Jase 43,479]

lol Sounds so casual after getting spanked by one of the worst teams at home...

[Jase 43,479]

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/04/03/statement-on-racist-abuse

CHRIST! Here we go with the racist idiots again...

[Laylabelle 9,296]

53 minutes ago, Jason said:

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2021/04/03/statement-on-racist-abuse

CHRIST! Here we go with the racist idiots again...

Urghhhhhhh what is the bloody point of some people!

"It is deeply disturbing that scoring two goals in a football match can provoke a reaction of this kind," a club statement added.

It really is!!

Edited April 3, 2021 by Laylabelle

[Jase 43,479]

Tuchel’s quotes on Pulisic’s injury (via the 5th Stand)...

'Christian did a sprint when he came back out for the second half and said that he felt his hamstring would not survive the game if he continued.

'So we had to make the decision to substitute him straight away.'

[cosmicway 1,255]

I looked at Werner with a different eye yesterday.
He seems to be incredibly slow when he has to connect with the ball.
Starting with the James cross early on in the match his reactions were slow. That one was flagged offside but it does n't matter.
 

[coolhead23 1,146]

Cant even describe the feeling after watching yesterday's game. The way they kept hitting goals was a joke whereas we kept toiling on their side. Whatever we achieved in the last 10 odd games just went out of the window and suddenly u dont know who were u watching yesterday .... was the games before yest were a myth or was yest game the reality ... I want to believe that we r so much better than what we put up on display and it is just the worst day in office ( trying to console myself) 

[Special Juan 27,103]

All on TT this one, rested too many players and starting players like Jorginho is laughable.

We need to replace Mendy in the summer, he is laughable.

[MoroccanBlue 5,199]

The only mistake for me was not starting one of Havertz or Tammy at ST. Other than that, this was a team capitulation spearheaded by Jorginho. 

[Jase 43,479]

I don't know if this Matt Law pushing the wrong button again on Rudiger but...

Antonio Rudiger dismissed from Chelsea training early after Kepa Arrizabalaga bust-up 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2021/04/04/antonio-rudiger-dismissed-Chelsea-training-early-kepa-arrizabalaga/

Thomas Tuchel sent Antonio Rudiger in from training on Sunday after the defender was involved in a bust-up with Kepa Arrizabalaga less than 24 hours after the Chelsea head coach had warned his players not to lose their heads following their 5-2 loss to Wrst Brom.

Tuchel saw his 14-game unbeaten run smashed by West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and responded by reiterating the need for calm.

But tempers boiled over in training on Easter Sunday, as Kepa and Rudiger were involved in a heated argument that resulted in a pushing match between the pair before Tuchel sent the German into the changing-rooms five minutes before the end of the session to calm down.

Sources claim the argument was sparked in a small-sided game, in which defender Rudiger went in late on Kepa, who reacted and the heated argument quickly escalated into pushes being exchanged.

Tuchel reacted immediately and decided that Rudiger was not calming down quickly enough to take part in the final five minutes of training, so sent him in early to cool down with goalkeeper Kepa completing the session.

Rudiger is understood to have apologised to Kepa off his own back later on and Tuchel is understood to be happy that the incident is now closed and there will not be any lasting resentment.

Rudiger and Kepa were not the only players to fall-out after the West Brom defeat, as captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Reece James are also said to have been involved in a frank exchange of views in the dressing-room immediately after the game.

James was partly at fault for West Brom’s second goal in their 5-2 success, while the Chelsea defence as a whole suffered a nightmare afternoon.

But having been involved in an argument, James and Azpilicueta later spoke in private to settle their differences and there was no issue between the defenders in training on Sunday.

Rudiger and Kepa did not play in Chelsea’s capitulation, instead watching the game from the substitutes’ bench, but Rudiger is one of the most passionate members of the squad and is known to take defeats particularly badly.

Given he apologised to Kepa, it is not expected that Rudiger’s behaviour will be taken into account when Tuchel picks his team for Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first-leg against Porto.

But the row, together with Saturday’s result, is not ideal preparation for what is the biggest game of Chelsea’s season so far and has perhaps given Tuchel an insight into some of the problems his predecessor Frank Lampard faced.

Following his sacking, stories emerged that Lampard had been shocked by the speed at which the Chelsea atmosphere had turned after the club’s 17-game unbeaten run under him had been ended by Everton.

And Rudiger has since repeatedly denied claims that he was a source of trouble, following numerous stories by different outlets - one of which was a Telegraph Sport report that he had clashed with Azpilicueta.

Rudiger was frozen out of the Chelsea squad by Lampard at the start of the season, but he has been one of the club’s best performers under Tuchel and he was missed at the back against West Brom.

In the immediate aftermath of tasting his first defeat as Chelsea head coach, Tuchel said: “We cannot, after 14 games, lose our heads and this cannot take away the trust in the players,” said Tuchel. “It was a moment to be calm and honest (in the dressing room) and it will be a hard afternoon and evening for everybody.

“We have to accept the loss together and it is important to deal with it together, and I am part of it. Nothing will change, there was no scheduled group day off apart from for individual players who had travelled a lot, and nothing will change.”

[Fulham Broadway 16,393]

^Good. Bit of passion is needed on the pitch as well !

[King Kante 1,300]

Don't worry boys and girls, agent Batsh*t just did us a massive favour!