That game was far worse than the two 0-9 defeats because we had 11 good players and one decent manager all of whom failed to perform to their best. I’ll ignore all the knee jerk reactions and just say that what is glaringly missing are leaders on the pitch. We desperately need a noisy presence at CB and in midfield. It’s not unfair to highlight the performance of Bedders and Salisu but Chelsea had so many players picking up the loose ball in and around the area you have to wonder why the midfield were not tracking back.
Also, although it would have made very little difference to the result, what has consistently frustrated me this season is the delay from players out wide delivering that final ball. Stuey, Ely, Tino and KWP have all had decent seasons but they have to spot the runs by Adams and Armstrong and release the ball quickly. Or we need to get someone in to replace them.
Not as much no, which is why we're higher in the table. And Adam Armstrong is NOT a decent sub, not yet anyway. He's scored 2 goals all season. Stephens and Lyanco are CB's so not going to have much impact off the bench.
Well they will if a CB gets injured. And Armstrong is better than what we had last season; Walcott. We may be higher in the table, but points-wise we are about the same.
I think KWP and Stuey in the second half tried a little, but the rest were dog ****. First time for years I have been at a game and been bored, very very poor
Walcott did more last season than Adam Armstrong has this season. Genuinely. EDIT: You are probably talking about Stuey, damn samenames.
Got back about 45 mins ago. Bit **** really. The only players IMO that deserve their money this week are Forster, KWP and at a push Valery. I actually thought Valery was quite good when he came on - he did shore up stuff. Also, the way I saw it was his altercation with Salisu was him trying to pull apart Salisu & Bedders rather than him being the one that was arguing. At 2-0 I was screaming to change to 5 at the back, Ralph waiting until 4, but what do I know. No press today from us, but Chelsea were all over us. That is where the 6 goal margin came from. Oh and we seemed to give up at 3. Still not on the Ralph out side, but it was a bad day of football. JWP had possibly his worse game ever for us, Mo El was anonymous, Romeu looked half asleep. Stuart A huffed and puffed, but except for that great run in the second half, nothing from him. I forgot Che was on the pitch for the first 40 mins, Not sure how he missed that sublime on a total plate cross from KWP. Looks like Adam A is done here in Ralph's eyes, though I thought he did ok in the first half...though he didn't have much competition. Tino was Tino...ok in bursts, but also left huge holes for Cheslea to run at. Salisu & Bedders were absolutely woeful. I think they both need a 'rest' - maybe Bedders permanently. Forster actually had a good game for someone who let in 6. He kept saving them but they kept scoring the rebounds - for once the rebound goals weren't entirely his fault as we just had no defence anywhere. Ralph didn't react at all to Chelsea. Within a few minutes he should have been worried, but took until 4-0 down to change the shape. Looking forward to next week and the meltdown on here
Felt for Fraze today. He was constantly dragged into the wide open spaces where the CBs should have been, then left completely exposed.
I was at my nephew's first birthday party today so fortunately missed the carnage today. Probably why I'm so calm and level headed.
Jack Stephens btw, may not be quite up to PL standards, but I’d still start him before Bedders or Salisu next week, alongside Lyanco if he’s fit.
One of the perks of the season being virtually over is that we can do this with relatively low risk as well, I mean at worst they produce what Salisu and Bednarek did today (I would be amazed though that has to have been a contender for worst CB performance ever in the Premier League and I mean it seriously - it would have been over 10-0 without Forster having a good game and the post)
That is a shocking, shocking set of results. Played 6 won 0 drawn 1 lost 5. 4 goals scored 19 goals conceded.
