Chelsea v Newcastle - Official Build Up / Match Day Thread

I can't believe this tosser is singling out Yanga-Mbiwa again, the first opportunity he gets. He's never picked out Taylor for criticism, no matter how many errors that gormless bastard makes. The fact that we were 2-0 down and the game pretty much over by that point just makes it all the more galling. It's like he's looking for an excuse to play Taylor ahead of him.

 

3 games no goals no point, some one tell the fat prick the season ends in may on January

 

You on holiday last weekend ?

 

Fully expected this.
We move on.

 

Yup. All things considered, we did alright today. As has been said, the season kinda is over. We should get to around 50 points easily enough which - given that's 23 points from where Villa are (who got whipped by West Ham), hard to see us going into free fall.

 

I feel like that too! Season over! Nowt to play for! I imagine the players feel the same!

 

Does not really encourage you to renew although the cut off date has already passed so I am going to have to suffer for another season at the very least!

Have to say that it does knock the stuffing out of you and you almost despair and feel totally helpless and it almost makes you feel like you just don't care anymore whatever the outcome although we all new we would get beat today I'm sure. But I do start to wonder where the points are going to come from.

I have a bad feeling Ashley is going to sell up at the end of the season or when the summer window has opened and seriously asset strip us before he does a runner have a really bad feeling about it all.

 

Some of our stats since January make me totally depressed.

Played 7 Won 1 Drew 1 Lost 5. Goals scored 2 Against 12. During those 7 games we have failed to score in 5 of them and our last 3 games show no goals. Only 4 points out of 18. Will it improve against Spurs on Wednesday, I doubt it. Injuries are coming thick and fast now and Debuchy is certain to be missing.

Thankfully we are in a safe position and teams below us are blowing points to one another. I see any 3 of the bottom 10 could still go down .
Managers are getting sacked for form like this.

 

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Yep, but before this poor run we had a cracking run.
Got to give Pards And the team some credit for that if you are going to pick them up for this.
We had a good run, we're having a bad, things even themselves out and we should still finish 8th

 

Unfortunately although we tried today I thought it highlighted that we have taken a big step backwards losing Cabaye. We were missing others today as well but we've lost our swagger completely. We have no player capable of pulling the strings. Prior to Christmas Chelsea would of seen this as a very very difficult game. As it was today was pretty much a piece of p*ss for them.

 

Frankly, I was predicting Newcastle to be beaten 7-0, so to be defeated by only 3 is a bit of a bonus.

 

A bit like winning 4-3?

 

I had us down for a 4-0 Hazard to score first... double blow for losing the game yesterday.

 

On to Wednesday and Spurs and to be honest not expecting much so I would be happy with a draw. It's how the team come out and play,after derby we deserve a performance.

 

No shame in this result or performance.

However Pardew's team selections are beginning to baffle me. Our long term future at CB is Mbiwa and it's clear he's yet to fully adapt to this league. It's also clear that he has all the raw attributes such as strength, speed, composure on the ball etc to be a fine defender for us. Given that we're in no danger, surely he should be an automatic pick so that he can adapt without the pressure of "needing" a result. It's criminal to pick Taylor ahead of him.

Santon as a holding midfielder? Never in a million years. He's weak in the tackle and lacks physical presence. Him and Anita were never going to be able to compete against a midfield as athletic as Chelsea's.

I don't agree with people saying Ben Arfa is a luxury either. Nobody was saying this when we signed him or when he was tearing teams apart from January onwards in the season we finished 5th. He can be accommodated, we're (Pardew is) yet to find away to do this.

A tough game coming up against Spurs and with Debuchy out I'd go for the following line up:

Krul
Santon (RB)
Williamson
Mbiwa
Haidara (LB)

Anita (DM)
Sissoko (DM)

Ben Arfa (RW)
Marveaux (No 10/Free Role)
Sammy (LW)

De Jong (CF)

It shows how woefully short we are though now Cabaye has gone. We're now only ever two injuries away from having no substitutes bench whatsoever.

The fact Marveaux and Gosling are now in and around the first team proves this. Just as importantly how are they meant to play with any sort of confidence when they know Pardew clearly doesn't trust them, especially in Marveaux's case.

Pardew has done a decent job this season. He's been stitched up by Ashley/Kinnear. As a result he should use the remaing 13 game so get Haidara, Mbiwa, De Jong and Sammy up to speed for next season.

Each of the above players should play every game from now until the end of the season. If they have the odd shocker then stick with them. We won't go down, we won't get Europe. Let them play without pressure and in their natural positions. Let them make mistakes and learn from them.

Haidara is our long term left back, Mbiwa our long term centre back, Sammy unproven but with glimpses of talent and a run of games would finally show us if he can cut it at this level and let De Jong have a 13 game audition to see if he's worth a permanent move.

Our season is all but over, but could still play a key part in developing our team for years to come. Those four players are all 23 or under, we need to start giving our younger players every chance of carving out a successful career with us.

It won't happen though, Mbiwa will play at right back and Taylor will keep his place. As for Pardew singling out Mbiwa that was poor management for me. Maybe he made the mistake because you dropped him despite him playing fantastically well in consecutive victories over Chelsea and Spurs Alan (where we kept two clean sheets). Maybe by dropping him you killed his confidence Alan.

Put some faith in him, play him in his natural position. Tell him he's Colo's long term successor and watch him flourish. The lad has some serious talent and anyone who watches French football will know just how good he is and how much better he can be.

 

Agree with the above with exception of continuously playing Haidara at LB, where does that leave Santon? If Santon isn't the long term LB then fair enough.
Definitely let the other 3 play every game though... unless they start slacking off as a result

 

I don't rate santon to be fair, poor defensively and creates very little down the left due to being right footed. I put him in direct competition with Debuchy.

Dummett and Haidara competing for LB and Santon and Debuchy for RB.

Alternatively start playing santon further forward.