closed Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea

[Fulham Broadway 16,411]

9 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Those are two different cases tho. Rooney and Kane would still contribute to their teams overall play. Their quality as footballers and team players has been proven before. Even without scoring, there was value in playing them. Those two in particularl are/were decent playmakers besides being goalscorers.

Lukaku however has only ever been a half decent goalscorer and never really a good footballer. His problem is not scoring enough. Not even now when he has scored his lowest in half a season for almost 10 years. His contribution besides goals goes to 0 and that has always been the case. He never really developed enough as a footballer in youth and only got scouted bc his natural athletic ability.

when Rooney and Kane were in a rut, they might have stopped scoring but were still decent footballers in a rut. Lukaku right now is not in a rut. He is being his regular self in regular form. The player we are seeing now is simply the player he is. if he had scored that one shot were he was offisde he would have still maintained an ok goal record despite playing awful and just having 7 touches. Maybe next game he delivers the same performance, scores one goal and will feel vindicated. Goals or no goals he never was and never will be any better than what we are seeing right now.

Osgood was worse at other playing attributes apart from scoring.  Tending not to write him off - though the omens dont look good. Think Tuchel is protecting the board/Marina whoever, and therefore protecting himself. Bit of a Catch 22 in as much as if he doesnt play him then it would be 'of course he doesnt score you dont play him' It all depends on the timescale 97 million is given longer than 20 million. I would say he has two mitigating factors - doesnt get hardly any service, and draws defenders, usually 2, away. Three mitigating factors -scored to make us World Champions.

[Vesper 27,350]

1 hour ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Osgood was worse at other playing attributes apart from scoring.  Tending not to write him off - though the omens dont look good. Think Tuchel is protecting the board/Marina whoever, and therefore protecting himself. Bit of a Catch 22 in as much as if he doesnt play him then it would be 'of course he doesnt score you dont play him' It all depends on the timescale 97 million is given longer than 20 million. I would say he has two mitigating factors - doesnt get hardly any service, and draws defenders, usually 2, away. Three mitigating factors -scored to make us World Champions.

"Out from the Shed, came a rising Young star! Scoring goals past Pat Jennings from near and from far! and the Chelsea won, as we all knew they would! and the star of that great team was Peter Osgood.. Osgood.. Osgood.. Osgood, Osgood! Born is the king of Stamford Bridge..!"

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Vesper

[Magic Lamps 11,452]

1 hour ago, Fulham Broadway said:

Osgood was worse at other playing attributes apart from scoring.  Tending not to write him off - though the omens dont look good. Think Tuchel is protecting the board/Marina whoever, and therefore protecting himself. Bit of a Catch 22 in as much as if he doesnt play him then it would be 'of course he doesnt score you dont play him' It all depends on the timescale 97 million is given longer than 20 million. I would say he has two mitigating factors - doesnt get hardly any service, and draws defenders, usually 2, away. Three mitigating factors -scored to make us World Champions.

You can't compare him to a player from the 70ies either. BAck in the day striker would get away with being only a goalscorer. More recent guys like Roy makaay, Pippo inzaghi were not much more either but today strikers are supposed to do more.

Sure he is playing bc of the price tag. But at some point we have to try without him and will miraculously look improved.

Also I have never written him off. He is not underperforming based on his ability, he just is not any better. I don't doubt he will score another 5-10 goals, maybe some important ones. Counting non-penalty goals only it is an average scoring season for the player. But thinking he will suddenly become a well-rounded footballer and provide more than just goals at almost 29 when he has never been one his entire life is just delusional.

[Fulham Broadway 16,411]

33 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

You can't compare him to a player from the 70ies either. BAck in the day striker would get away with being only a goalscorer. More recent guys like Roy makaay, Pippo inzaghi were not much more either but today strikers are supposed to do more.

Sure he is playing bc of the price tag. But at some point we have to try without him and will miraculously look improved.

Also I have never written him off. He is not underperforming based on his ability, he just is not any better. I don't doubt he will score another 5-10 goals, maybe some important ones. Counting non-penalty goals only it is an average scoring season for the player. But thinking he will suddenly become a well-rounded footballer and provide more than just goals at almost 29 when he has never been one his entire life is just delusional.

So, it was a mistake buying him then. 

Youd think theyd learn after Torres, Shevchenko, Sutton.

Still they must have known after hours and hours of study via scouts, videos etc that he was not a 'well rounded footballer', yet still thought it was worth splashing out 97 million for.

[NikkiCFC 7,595]

3 hours ago, milka said:

It was like years since we enjoyed a Chelsea game .

0:3 vs Leicester , 4:0 vs Juventus , 0:3 vs Spuds .

Probably our 3 best games this season. But even in these defenders delivered and break opponents. Kante, Rudiger and Silva scored against Spurs.

Rudiger and Kante first 2 goals agasint LC and against Juve Chalobah and James. Even on our good day attack is useless.

[Blue Armour 4,168]

7 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Feel Havertz and Pulisic need to switch. 

I was moaning about this entire 2nd half lol.

Havertz was just wasted being shunted out wide.

All that pre-match talk about Havertz and Lukaku forming a partnership and we end up playing Pulisic in the no.10 role. And the latter was awful today.

Should have brought on Werner to play wide and move Havertz infield. 

[Blue Armour 4,168]

6 hours ago, milka said:

Ziyech from Ajax  has finally been delivered .

Our best player once again .

Bit of a shame to toss him into a WB position.

But its better he plays WB than an inside forward . Either play him as a pure winger or WB. Just play wide.

[Fulham Broadway 16,411]

Chelsea 'will thrust Conor Gallagher straight into their first-team plans next season' after his impressive loan spell at Crystal Palace...

Good

[cosmicway 1,260]

7 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Bit of a shame to toss him into a WB position.

But its better he plays WB than an inside forward . Either play him as a pure winger or WB. Just play wide.

Ziyetch is a 75% of Willian imho - with his ups and downs.

[Seymop 78]

I know that I will be in the minority and most want shot of Lukaku. But yesterday was a prime example that it’s not all down to him. Match of the Day highlighted the many times when we had chance to play him the early, forward ball. Instead Time and again our midfield went sideways or backwards. There is just no point paying £90+ million for somebody and then not trying to play to his strengths. We don’t score enough goals and the way we play it wouldn’t matter who we had at centre forward, they would struggle to score consistently 

[coolhead23 1,146]

Lucky win at best! Not sure what's wrong with our service, we hardly put the ball in dangerous space or create one. Ziyech was the MOM and was the only player who was trying to put the ball in. 

I believe we need to change the way we play the game, when U see other teams they constantly try to create gaps even when the bus is being parked. But us I m not sure we dont invite players to leave their positions, our forwards/midfielders hardly take long shots, we dont physically beat them, at times long balls whose success ratio is nothing to write off. We go from side to side and wait for a miracle to happen.  

Hope we improve that all I can hope & pray. 

[bigbluewillie 1,807]

We totally lack any creativity.

I look at City and Pool with their World class teams, and then look at ours, we've got only 2 world class players, one is a 37 yo and the other is Mendy.

That's the problem we just do not have the class in our squad, we really do need a complete overhaul in the summer if we are going to try to take on them 2 for the title.

And I never at any stage and from the very beginning did I think we had any chance of making a challenge, the other 2 are just too powerful, god I hate saying that😒

[Seymop 78]

I think Rudi has been “world class” but we seem to be doing our best to loose him, also N’Golo can still be “ world class” when fully fit. As for the rest , we have some good Premiership players, but they have not shown themselves as “world class”, yet !! I hate to say it, but agree with comment that we are miles behind City and Pool — they both play football that any neutral would want to watch. In contrast we are predictable, boring and  so, so slow in our build-up

[Seymop 78]

Also agree squad needs complete overhaul in summer . Goodbye to Loftus-Cheek, Barclay,Alonso, Pulisic, Christiansen and for me Jorginho. Bring back Connor G and Broja and sign at least 2 “world class” players. Also stop messing about and sign “Rudi” to a new deal.

[Laylabelle 9,302]

1 hour ago, bigbluewillie said:

We totally lack any creativity.

I look at City and Pool with their World class teams, and then look at ours, we've got only 2 world class players, one is a 37 yo and the other is Mendy.

That's the problem we just do not have the class in our squad, we really do need a complete overhaul in the summer if we are going to try to take on them 2 for the title.

And I never at any stage and from the very beginning did I think we had any chance of making a challenge, the other 2 are just too powerful, god I hate saying that😒

Same. I thought we'd finish top 4. Never thought we'd win the title even with the good start. Like you say cracks appear and then injuries...City have dodgy moments but mostly good and Liverpool impressive in a lot of areas and new bloke scoring already and giving them a boost.

But both managers have built up their squads. Whereas even though its worked ish chopping and changing managers who all have different ideas and vision's makes it more mish mash.

[DDA 9,570]

14 minutes ago, Seymop said:

Also agree squad needs complete overhaul in summer . Goodbye to Loftus-Cheek, Barclay,Alonso, Pulisic, Christiansen and for me Jorginho. Bring back Connor G and Broja and sign at least 2 “world class” players. Also stop messing about and sign “Rudi” to a new deal.

Agreed with this. Need to let alot of the dead wood go. 

[NikkiCFC 7,595]

19 hours ago, Blue Armour said:

Bit of a shame to toss him into a WB position.

But its better he plays WB than an inside forward . Either play him as a pure winger or WB. Just play wide.

Saw also during the match people complaining why Sarr is playing WB. We did not play with wing backs yesterday. We played 4231 with Chris RB and Sarr LB. Pulisic AM. Havertz LW. All of them looked weird in those positions. Chris even admitted it after the game. I waited for a long time to see Havertz as AM in 4231 (last season early on with Lampard he played 5 games like that and did well) and now when finally TT is playing this formation and MM is not available he tossed him on the left side. Which ironically is also best Pulisic position who played in the middle. No idea what was Thomas thinking. 

[Magic Lamps 11,452]

55 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

Saw also during the match people complaining why Sarr is playing WB. We did not play with wing backs yesterday. We played 4231 with Chris RB and Sarr LB. Pulisic AM. Havertz LW. All of them looked weird in those positions. Chris even admitted it after the game. I waited for a long time to see Havertz as AM in 4231 (last season early on with Lampard he played 5 games like that and did well) and now when finally TT is playing this formation and MM is not available he tossed him on the left side. Which ironically is also best Pulisic position who played in the middle. No idea what was Thomas thinking. 

Yeah, got me fooled with that too. Needed more than half the match to figure out we were playing a back 4 with 4 CBs, 2 of which out of position bc it was shown as a back 3 in the build up and Ziyech and Sarr were our widest players. TT also confirmed it as 4-1-4-1 in the post match.

Ziyech is a very unorthodox winger with his lack of pace but you can see why he prefers the wing over an AM position. His left footed whipped crosses are just more effective from farther out, a position which also gives him more space to execute said balls. Just a shame Lukaku is oblivious to them.

Wasting Kai on the left wing is something i do not understand so far as well. By far his worst position in attak. Pulisic on the other hand gets felled far too often down the middle and has more space on the left wing, by far his best position. Maybe it is a tired attempt to confuse the opponent.

Sarr was terrible but he did create that one Kante chance which should have been a goal already. His performances are quite a bumpy ride but you can see how he learns something new every time at least. Still why did we bring back kenedy and allow harvey vale on the bench if we are never gonna play them even in these kind of matches and rather switch formation?