Chelsea 0-1 Man City

[Reddish-Blue 2,504]

8 hours ago, Superblue said:

Surprised at the reaction on here tonight, although on reflection maybe I'm not. This forum, social media, etc is so negative at present it becomes a grind just to bother trying to interact and have constructive discussions about the club.

We've lost 2 attackers to injury in the first 15 minutes today, to now bring it to an even 10 players out. It's not just a couple of squad players out, we've got 6 or 7 players injured who'd be locks to start in our strongest set up, and it's getting stretched every passing week. When Liverpool had injury problems 2 years ago they were in a similar position to us now and just about built momentum when players returned late in the season to save a top 4 spot. When City struggled to keep key players fit they finished about 20 points off Liverpool the one season. I think a bit of context is needed when considering just how depleted we are across the pitch at the moment.

Could have easily folded tonight but I thought we played well up to the penalty area. Kovacic and Zakaria both were excellent not just individually but looked like they complemented each other very well and it made a difference having their legs together in the middle compared to Jorginho. But thought the football was pretty pleasing on the eye in phases, being brave from the back and midfield to play out of City's press and it opened them up at times. We just lack a cutting edge - it doesn't help when we have a few attacking options out injured and our two full backs, but it does probably run deeper than that and longer term we need a couple of additions in those areas to create and finish chances in the final third. To be honest watching us tonight, we looked a lot more like Potter's Brighton - trying to gain control of the game and playing comfortably on the ball but lacking a killer instinct in attack.

I personally though come out of tonight's game more pleased with the performance despite the loss, than I do the draw against Forest for example where we were awful. 

City was always going to be a struggle and will be again at the weekend, the key will be can we play a bit more positive like this against Fulham and Palace because we'll find it easier to open teams like that up and hopefully offer a greater goal threat than we did tonight.

The way Fulham are playing at the moment, get the feeling that they will be all over us.  Could be a bad scoreline. 

[Blue Armour 4,439]

33 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

The way Fulham are playing at the moment, get the feeling that they will be all over us.  Could be a bad scoreline. 

Yeah, -  even though I'm pleased with how we performed in this match given all the chaos with injuries and behind the scenes, this City game is not a good metric for our future performances.

We've seen Chelsea teams raise their game in big fixtures plenty of times in the past 3 seasons, only to fall flat in the next game.

Plus, very few teams in the league actually play like City., who give us a lot of space on the counter.

[YorkshireBlue 3,277]

8 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

I’m really not buying into the injury crisis notion. 
 

Bar James and Kante, our “starters” and depth options have been shit this season. 
 

Seemingly the young lads are the only ones looking to make a difference. 
 

 

James, chilwell , Kante , pulisic , fofana , sterling , broja , mount, your not buying into the lnjury crisis?

[OhForAGreavsie 6,073]

On 05/01/2023 at 06:09, TheHulk said:

That's exactly what they planned to do and accept thus the discussions and meetings but that dumb cunt backtracked on his verbal agreement and lowballed smh.

I've seen nothing which indicates beyond doubt that this is accurate, and I've seen some reports that outright state that it is false. Because of this I don't think we have enough information to form a strong opinion about how CFC negotiators have behaved.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

2 hours ago, YorkshireBlue said:

James, chilwell , Kante , pulisic , fofana , sterling , broja , mount, you’re not buying into the lnjury crisis?

This. It’s impossible to overlook. We have lost 5-7 possible starters. A loss this grave would blunt city and wreck every other team in the league. None is missing this many key players atm. One can argue we should have better back ups lined up with the money we spent but to say there is no injury crisis impeding us big time is just nonsense 

[Vesper 30,175]

2 hours ago, OhForAGreavsie said:

I've seen nothing which indicates beyond doubt that this is accurate, and I've seen some reports that outright state that it is false. Because of this I don't think we have enough information to form a strong opinion about how CFC negotiators have behaved.

Nope, Benfica confirmed what happened.

I am not going to let revisionism take hold and the gaslighting start without some serious pushback.

We discussed FFP-friendly installment payment terms based off the release clause (where do you think that overpay figure came from?? come on!), but then, when the official offer was made by us, we low balled the RC by 35m euros, after also winding up Enzo by agreeing to personal terms.

It was a cunt move. End of story.

Marina, for all her faults, NEVER would have done that.

I can totally understand us not wanting to spend the full €120m, absolutely I can, and would have completely accepted that, no problem, but don't play games and string them (including the player) along, then insult them with an offer you KNOW is never going to be accepted.

There is NO chance Benfica would have talked to us for so long if they knew we were coming in with an offer that was wilfully €35m light.

To suggest otherwise beggars belief, sorry.

Edited January 6, 2023 by Vesper

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

3 hours ago, YorkshireBlue said:

James, chilwell , Kante , pulisic , fofana , sterling , broja , mount, your not buying into the lnjury crisis?

Chiwell has never looked anywhere to form

Broja hasn't done a thing this season.

Mount has been poor for year. 

Fofana has been no better than Chalobah

Sterling has been shit since Potter arrived. 

 

Again, not buying it. An injury crises to me means players that can actually influence the team are missing. That is only Kante and James for me. 

[YorkshireBlue 3,277]

4 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Chiwell has never looked anywhere to form

Broja hasn't done a thing this season.

Mount has been poor for year. 

Fofana has been no better than Chalobah

Sterling has been shit since Potter arrived. 

 

Again, not buying it. An injury crises to me means players that can actually influence the team are missing. That is only Kante and James for me. 

Chilwel over cucu all day long 

Broja was our plan B, fast aggressive forward,

Mount, has been poor but can change a game at the drop of a hat 

Fofana has had no time at all to show his quality,

Sterling, would be much more effective with a.creatove midfield and with some one like broja up top or chilwel behind him. 

 

With all these players the team is different and stronger, 

 

 

[Vesper 30,175]

2 minutes ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Chiwell has never looked anywhere to form

Broja hasn't done a thing this season.

Mount has been poor for year. 

Fofana has been no better than Chalobah

Sterling has been shit since Potter arrived. 

 

Again, not buying it. An injury crises to me means players that can actually influence the team are missing. That is only Kante and James for me. 

every player you listed IS INJURED!

and Chilwell and Fofana are fucked atm (quality wise) due to multiple injuries (especially Fofana), which is likely going to be the case for Broja too, when he comes back in late 2023 or early 2024

 

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

50 minutes ago, YorkshireBlue said:

Chilwel over cucu all day long 

Broja was our plan B, fast aggressive forward,

Mount, has been poor but can change a game at the drop of a hat 

Fofana has had no time at all to show his quality,

Sterling, would be much more effective with a.creatove midfield and with some one like broja up top or chilwel behind him. 

 

With all these players the team is different and stronger, 

 

 

I disagree. Haven't seen anything from them this season that I can indefinitely say "They would've influenced us"

48 minutes ago, Vesper said:

every player you listed IS INJURED!

and Chilwell and Fofana are fucked atm (quality wise) due to multiple injuries (especially Fofana), which is likely going to be the case for Broja too, when he comes back in late 2023 or early 2024

I'm not ruling out that Chilwell will never be the same player we saw post ACL tear. Cucurella has been poor but i'm still not even convinced Chilwell was that good for us before his hamstring tear this season. 

Chalobah has been better than Fofana this season and like Chilwell, who knows if he will ever be the same player before his leg break and now knee injury. 

 

I'm also not going to pretend Broja is some established player when he is still very, very raw and couldn't even influence a match against Brentford. 

[Vesper 30,175]

1 minute ago, MoroccanBlue said:

I disagree. Haven't seen anything from them this season that I can indefinitely say "They would've influenced us"

I'm not ruling out that Chilwell will never be the same player we saw post ACL tear. Cucurella has been poor but i'm still not even convinced Chilwell was that good for us before his hamstring tear this season. 

Chalobah has been better than Fofana this season and like Chilwell, who knows if he will ever be the same player before his leg break and now knee injury. 

 

I'm also not going to pretend Broja is some established player when he is still very, very raw and couldn't even influence a match against Brentford. 

Chelsea players “concerned with the situation” as injury crisis gets ridiculous

https://www.Chelsea-news.co/2023/01/Chelsea-players-concerned-with-the-situation-as-injury-crisis-gets-ridiculous/

Chelsea lost two more players to injury in last night’s game, taking the total of Blues out of action to ten.

That’s an astonishing number, and puts us clear of the competition as the most injured club in Europe over the last two years according to Nizaar Kinsella’s article in the Evening Standard today.

A few months ago the club doctor and team physio were both sacked by the new owners, but our fortunes haven’t changed – and in fact the appointment of a private physiotherapy firm more used to dealing with pop singers has only made things worse.

Worryingly, Kinsella claimed that “players are concerned with the situation” – who could blame them? A couple of years ago N’Golo Kante was the best defensive midfielder in the world, and now it’s not even certain he will get a new contract because of how little he’s featured, with setback after setback.

He’s made his money and is into his 30s – it’s the players in their early 20s who will be most worried.

[Fernando 6,585]

Obviously was a hard year because of all the games and the WC. 

That adds to the toll. 

Hopefully next season will be a bit better then this one. 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

29 minutes ago, Fernando said:

Obviously was a hard year because of all the games and the WC. 

That adds to the toll. 

Hopefully next season will be a bit better then this one. 

I would hope next season is not only "a bit better". 😭

 

[OhForAGreavsie 6,073]

3 hours ago, Vesper said:

Nope, Benfica confirmed what happened.

I am not going to let revisionism take hold and the gaslighting start without some serious pushback.

We discussed FFP-friendly installment payment terms based off the release clause (where do you think that overpay figure came from?? come on!), but then, when the official offer was made by us, we low balled the RC by 35m euros, after also winding up Enzo by agreeing to personal terms.

It was a cunt move. End of story.

Marina, for all her faults, NEVER would have done that.

I can totally understand us not wanting to spend the full €120m, absolutely I can, and would have completely accepted that, no problem, but don't play games and string them (including the player) along, then insult them with an offer you KNOW is never going to be accepted.

There is NO chance Benfica would have talked to us for so long if they knew we were coming in with an offer that was wilfully €35m light.

To suggest otherwise beggars belief, sorry.

I've read at least one report, perhaps posted by you 🙂, stating that Chelsea deny those claims.

As for the value of the offer, it is reported not to be cash only. Clearly Chelsea's contention will be that the permanent transfer of Ziyech, plus two youngsters on loan, are of equivalent value to the shortfall. Indeed, Chelsea will likely be saying that the inclusion of those three players more than makes up the shortfall and so represents better value for Benfica. Of course, even if Benfica are attracted to the idea of taking one or more of the players offered, they are going to argue that they are worth a total of €5m between them. In other words, both sides will play they game.

L:astly, I have also read reports claiming that negotiations are continuing which does not seem to me to be compatible with Benfica's reported stance. If Benfica are indignant, and if for them it has to be at least the full cash buyout, paid in a single upfront transaction, then what are they negotiating?

I think my stance is consistent. I do not take media reports as fully factual until I believe there is reason to do so. My position on this is therefore to remain sceptical while waiting to see. 

Edited January 6, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[OhForAGreavsie 6,073]

1 hour ago, MoroccanBlue said:

but i'm still not even convinced Chilwell was that good for us before his hamstring tear this season.

I am convinced that he was not.

[laura90 556]

Injuries are misfortune. They are affecting results. But they are just partly misfortune. Most of them we brought on ourselves. They are consequences of this club continuous wrong doing. Over relying  on couple of world class players. It started with Hazard. We had him, so we could afford having subpar players around him. It was good with Fabregas and Costa, but after they left, we only had Hazard and Kante who needed to work twice as hard for making average team look semi great. We were continuously getting average players and trailed after Hazard and Kante, who took major burden.

After Hazard left, we relied on Kante, and our youngsters, James and Mount to elevate team of average players to look better for some degree.  In CL year, we relied too much on Reece, Chilwell and Kante. Now they are injury prone. Surprise. OF course, in that season we hade Rudiger and Andreas in top form but that's not the subject.

We are losing our best players due injuries. That is not just because they played every game. It's because when they played, they needed to work twice as hard to cover for their teammates deficiencies. For some times we had average players but successful seasons. It could only last for so long before it backfired.

Second reason, we are getting crocked and old players. 

Broja is example of misfortune, but he wasn't good enough anyway. 

[Reddish-Blue 2,504]

8 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

I disagree. Haven't seen anything from them this season that I can indefinitely say "They would've influenced us"

I'm not ruling out that Chilwell will never be the same player we saw post ACL tear. Cucurella has been poor but i'm still not even convinced Chilwell was that good for us before his hamstring tear this season. 

Chalobah has been better than Fofana this season and like Chilwell, who knows if he will ever be the same player before his leg break and now knee injury. 

 

I'm also not going to pretend Broja is some established player when he is still very, very raw and couldn't even influence a match against Brentford. 

Put it this way, only two defenders can actually say they've performed well across their games this season (Silva and James).   Chalobah, KK and Cucurella have all been under par and Fofana seems like he didn't fully recover from that nasty injury he had whilst at Leicester. 

If Chalobah has been that good this season, there would be zero reason for the club to sanction the transfer of another young CB in January...that money could have been spent on a RB who could actually take the pressure off from James and let Azpi play games as needed...rather than watching teams target Azpi's flank as a weak spot.