When I saw the team selection I knew immediately we wouldn't win, I had hoped we could get a draw but we didn't show up and that's what happens. The Mourinho speculation as I feared has clearly unsettled us, and more importantly now that Benitez has caught wind of Mourinho rumours it's become clear he just wants to bolster his CV, after all not finishing top 4 doesn't affect him in the slightest (perhaps financially as I'd imagine there's a clause in the contract). Aside from giving Arsenal hope, not much has changed but it now means Fulham away for a second season running is now a must win game for us when it could have just been a non-entity. A win today and Saturday could have ended any realistic hope Arsenal had of catching us with Spurs fate being well and truly in our hands. Monday is massive now in terms of momentum. Winning breeds confidence, look no further than last season when we hammered Spurs 5-1 which was the turning point for both clubs, despite fixture congestion we still beat Barca and held our own against a full strength Arsenal with spirits high everywhere. I'd be more concerned if we played our best team and lost today but with the exception of Azpiliceuta & Mikel, all our best players were on the bench or in Mata's case absent. The team United face will be totally different to that pile of dross put out today. We've had countless opportunities to seal the deal with top 4 and failed so I've no hope we can do it ourselves (even though its in our hands) but sooner or later Spurs and Arsenal will run out of games. Haven't seen GD yet but Reading losing so heavily definitely doesn't help as it might come down to that to finish above Arsenal. Typical Chelsea eh? Can't ever do anything the easy way
I went today and we were very bad. Why the **** did Rafa make so many changes after admitting Southampton have really good home form? He makes no sense. He would just rather have a trophy for the CV and couldn't care about the top 4 which is opposite to us fans... Bringing Benayoun on for Oscar when needing a goal is plain idiocy. I can't wait until he leaves this club.
Surely the CL place would've been the priority before today even without the daunting prospect of having to beat both Manchester clubs to have a chance to play in the cup final ? For Chelsea's immediate future & impending transfer recruits a top 4 finish is much more important than the waiter adding another cup to his tally
i posted on here earlier that i had a sick feeling in my stomach when i saw the team sheet and i was right totally inept team selection anyone who has watched us all season would know Lampard and Mikel in the same team never works.
i was going to listen on 5 live, when they read out the starting line up i turned off and went to work instead
It better be a good performance on Monday to make up for that shower of **** today. Mata had a virus so fair enough but to then leave out Rami & Hazard already knowing Mata couldn't play was a horrific decision. WE NEED TO FINISH IN THE TOP 4.
Hi, as a Saints fan it was great to see no Hazard or Mata or Ramires until late on. I thought Mikel and Marin were poor and Torres was very isolated in the first half. Once you used the whole of the pitch and stopped letting us get in behind you on the wings you looked the better team, but fortunately for us it was too late. As for Oscar, the game bypassed him by a bit.
We HAVE to forget about winning everything and concentrate on the most important 2, top 4 and PL. It's too late this year, and won't be much fun watching the CL next year with us not in it. Get this ****er out the door today, and maybe, just maybe, we can still get 4th place.
don't get Rafa tbh.. CL spot is equal to 50m a season.. is equal to attracting best players and even best managers .. and Chelsea need CL to meet FFP how on earth a chance in FA is considered a better option ?
well shwan, because he's leaving at the end of the season and won't really give a **** what happens to us next season. the FA Cup and Europa League are going to look far better on his CV than 3rd/4th place
That is precisely what I've been saying all along! Jeez! I wish I could take over from FSW for the remainder of this season
Saints fan here, why do you want to bring back Mourinho so badly? The grass isn't always greener.. I know he has a great track record, but surely it's time Abramovic went for a young, long term manager, sort of how AVB signed for you lot, and just stick too it for a while. This method of constantly changing managers worked initially, and admittedly worked very well, but it's becoming more and more clear that, it isn't the way forward. 1 year out of the CL could do a realm of good, as from where i stand, your squad needs some serious chopping, and bring in some of them youth prospects all across Europe who are playing very well! (De Bruyne, Lukaku and Courtois especially) Would also be a good excuse to get rid of some of the overpaid inflated egos who really arn't that great (Benayoun, Mikel, Torres)!
