Bournemouth 0-0 Chelsea

[Thor 2,712]

1 hour ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Why? 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

7 hours ago, Thor said:

Why? 

Maatsen’s agent is not being cooperative with the club to get a new contract complete. A lot of rumors he is trying to move him to Man City. If that is the case, why would we be giving him gametime?

[Special Juan 28,141]

Got 1-0 Bournemouth written all over this

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

10 hours ago, ZAPHOD2319 said:

 

Say hello to Colwill playing lb permanently cos chilly is now our no1 left winger 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

Imagine being a young attacking winger and seeing Ben Chilwell start over you whilst he's getting a 44% passing accuracy, providing nothing in attack and refusing to shoot when directly at goal. 

[SomethingSomething 17]

On 11/09/2023 at 20:06, Mhsc said:

I only see two sources of optimism:

1. The underlying stats suggest we are much better than results so far, over time our average results should start to line up with them

2. Poch has transformed Sterling back into the player we bought, and all of the players are publicly singing his praises - maybe, given time, he will bring a lot of these players to peak form

There are however many many points for pessimism and this season could become incredibly frustrating.

I have the sad feeling that Poch will put out an unaltered lineup.

One thing is, the lineups we throw are pathetic. This isnt progress, rebuild, getting to know team or whatever, this is Poch decision that makes no sense. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

6 hours ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Imagine being a young attacking winger and seeing Ben Chilwell start over you whilst he's getting a 44% passing accuracy, providing nothing in attack and refusing to shoot when directly at goal. 

Unless that "young attacking winger" is freaking Mudryk. 😅

Suspect Chilwell has quite a few more goals (Mudryk has never scored for Chelsea) and assists than Mudryk any way you look at it. Mudryk's shot accuracy is at around 33% given he cannot even shoot on goal most of the time. I know folks here are very selective with stats.

Edited September 13, 2023 by robsblubot

[Thor 2,712]

3 hours ago, robsblubot said:

Unless that "young attacking winger" is freaking Mudryk. 😅

Suspect Chilwell has quite a few more goals (Mudryk has never scored for Chelsea) and assists than Mudryk any way you look at it. Mudryk's shot accuracy is at around 33% given he cannot even shoot on goal most of the time. I know folks here are very selective with stats.

We've paid for him to come and play. A 22 year old has room for growth... by playing. At his natural position. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

4 hours ago, Thor said:

We've paid for him to come and play. A 22 year old has room for growth... by playing. At his natural position. 

Has he not been playing in his natural position in the many minutes he has played for the club? I'm fairly sure he will start as soon as he shows any signs of improvement. I trust the club will spot these signs as soon as, and if, they ever appear. I don't see them, but they do watch him at training.
We paid for Bakayoko. We paid for Luakaku. We even paid for Drinkwater.... so many others. They are all gone. Sometimes players aren't good enough at this level and there is only so much you can do about that.

That's not even my main point tho, but rather calling using Chilwell in the wing "crazy;" that's not crazy and quite commonly done esp when lacking options for the position. LWB and Winger aren't that different positions esp when you consider an attacking LWB with good attacking numbers to prove.

My point remains, the manager has the leverage, in my book, to opt for his only (heavily underperforming) winger, try someone else there (say Palmer), or stick with Chilwell esp in an away game. It's the manager's prerogative as to what he needs on that left wing to bring balance to the team. He may think that this away game is not the time to experiment, for example. And yes, considering Mudryk's abysmal attacking numbers, I'd consider him an experiment as well... tho I suspect it's the defensive side of his game that prevents him from getting more starts.

Edited September 14, 2023 by robsblubot

[DDA 9,941]

he is really worrying me with this Chilwell at LW bollocks. 

 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,819]

 

[Nero 1,874]

4 hours ago, DDA said:

he is really worrying me with this Chilwell at LW bollocks. 

 

I got Mourinho 15/16 vibes from this interview

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

23 minutes ago, Nero said:

I got Mourinho 15/16 vibes from this interview

And Potter Feb 2023. Maybe he is actually spelled

Pochttertinho

 

the only times putting a LB as LW has ever worked for us was when RDM did it vs Bayern 2012 so he could pocket Lahm and allowed us to defensively overload on the right. The other examples would be Raphael Guerrerio and Phonzie Davies who both are more or less better as LW than LB anyway and only play LB bc their competition at LW is technically so much superior

[Fernando 6,585]

I just want to see progress after a while. I don't expect it now. I expect that, up and down. 

Hence why I don't say much after every game. I remain calm. 

But by February if we are still bad then I will start to worry. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

3 hours ago, Magic Lamps said:

And Potter Feb 2023. Maybe he is actually spelled

Pochttertinho

 

the only times putting a LB as LW has ever worked for us was when RDM did it vs Bayern 2012 so he could pocket Lahm and allowed us to defensively overload on the right. The other examples would be Raphael Guerrerio and Phonzie Davies who both are more or less better as LW than LB anyway and only play LB bc their competition at LW is technically so much superior

Wasn't Bertrand playing left-winger in that game?

I don't disagree, but then again I need to point out we are down to the 3rd option as left-winger who happens to be an attacking player who's been at the club for 8-9 months and has zero (0) goals. Not to mention that the defensive side of his game does not look really that much better.

I have no doubt had Alonso still be in the roster and he'd be playing left-wing in every game. Perhaps switching positions with Chilwell occasionally, but just by the characteristics (not to mention experience and power).

[DDA 9,941]

Palmer and Mudryk smashing them in. 

Palmer looks 🥶 

 

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

1 hour ago, DDA said:

Palmer and Mudryk smashing them in. 

Palmer looks 🥶 

 

Everybody looks cold in training. They will still all be shitting themselves in front of goal on Sunday.

[Reddish-Blue 2,507]

1 hour ago, DDA said:

Palmer and Mudryk smashing them in. 

Palmer looks 🥶 

 

As if that matters, we'll do most things right, then Bournemouth will get 2 chances on the counter, bury both of them,  and they'll win 2-0 or 2-1. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

has anyone here played in front of a decent-sized crowd by chance? I remember my first time, amateur level, and it's simply incredible what happens to your mentality. Like legs suddenly operate at half strength, you question everything, miss 5-yard passes, simply run wrong.
I'm sure you get used to it in time, but I also imagine what must be like for professional players, and then professional players at an elite club like Chelsea.

It can't be a walk in the park, which is also a factor when we sign young players--physique being another.

[Blue Armour 4,442]

2 hours ago, robsblubot said:

has anyone here played in front of a decent-sized crowd by chance? I remember my first time, amateur level, and it's simply incredible what happens to your mentality. Like legs suddenly operate at half strength, you question everything, miss 5-yard passes, simply run wrong.
I'm sure you get used to it in time, but I also imagine what must be like for professional players, and then professional players at an elite club like Chelsea.

It can't be a walk in the park, which is also a factor when we sign young players--physique being another.

Yep - I've had that feeling of numbness in the legs. Especially the first time. It feels like everyone's watching your every move - which to be fair, is exactly what happens when you're on the ball.

I've often thought about how professional players manage it, but I'd go back to a quote from Michael Essien.

He said that in the most games, they pretty much blank out the crowds and don't even feel they're there - such is their focus on the game.

But players like Drogba & Essien are among the topmost of professionals.

I think younger players would feel the weight of the crowds even more. Especially when they have a lot more to prove at this level.

Talent means nothing, if you don't have the mentality to cope. IMO, that's probably what even affected a player like Mount. He was probably more confident at 21 than he is now. All those finals choking with missed penalties, can't have done him any favors.

That's why I also sympathize with the current squad. Too young and too much responsibility. You can have the most talented squad but still get mentally destroyed in games.