I've not seen any highlights from the game and not long returned but it was nothing to run to the hills about nor anything to pull hair out over. I thought we shaded the first half and QPR were better in the 2nd. Draw was fair IMO but we wasted some good chances. As for the penalty decisions I think the Bertrand one (from the set piece) looked stonewall to me but the Hazard one was give or take. I don't think it was a pen but it wasn't a dive either. It's a shame we always seem below par in Local Derbies like these against Fulham and QPR, but usually raise our games for the bigger games v Spurs, Arsenal, Liverpool etc. I think we need to have a degree of professionalism a bit like United and City have. There seemed to be no urgency or desire from us at all. I'd put that down to the International Break mainly. Lampard shouldn't have played 3 games in a week. As for Torres people blaming him are silly, he has 2 bad games (so does the whole team) and he's **** again. I rarely defend him but he was isolated and we looked like Chelsea of old. Someone needs to tell Cech to stop hoofing the ball 50 yards to him, it's useless. I'd rather Cech kick it out for a throw in. There will be tougher tests but looked defensively solid against a potent Premier League side. The only thing at worries me and is what I was saying to CFC fans on Twitter before the game, is I don't see where the goals are coming from. Juve is massive, if wedo t win all of a sudden the pressure is on. As long as we beat Stoke we go into the derby with Arsenal ahead of them, that's all that matters to me
I was there and it was a good day out as it always is for a West London Derby. I agree with you in the way I wish they upped their game for these rivalries. I don't know if they understand how much they mean to the fans!? I thought we were quite good in the first half and should have scored. Hazard had a great opportunity early on. The ref was shocking. 2 blatant penalties but it wasn't just that. Granero pulled back one of our players and got away with it. Ramires does the same thing a minute later and gets booked. Loads of their challenges went unnoticed which also frustrated me and other fans in my section. I thought the atmosphere was very good indeed from both sets of fans and it was a cracking affair. Though it was 0-0 it was never dull and I enjoyed it. I thought Moses should have started ahead of Lamps and put Ramires in the middle. Anyway a point is not a bad result at Loftus Road for this game with the atmosphere and the tension and it's a point more than last season. We move on and we need to beat Stoke and hopefully Juventus. I can't wait for Arsenal away now!
In fairness I suppose if you are a player your big games are City and United, followed by Arsenal and Spurs. I was crying out for RDM to put Ramires in th centre. Until RDM acknowledges Ramires isn't a right winger we will get nothing out of him. I wish I'd gone Arsenal away instead of QPR away now just couldn't justify the £62
Yeh Ramires should have been played in the middle... do you think our vocal support was good today? Yeh I'm looking forward to the Arsenal game
I've seen better. I didn't think ours was great but I didn't think QPR's was either. I dunno really, maybe it's just me. Both were vocally decent though. Best atmosphere I heard last season was probably Birmingham away in the Last 16 replay, that was legendary support and as loud as I've heard Chelsea home or away in ages. Get yourself down to Arsenal, Spurs or West Ham if you can, that's Chelsea away at their best, WHL is early kick off this year which will kill he atmosphere a little but it'll still be good. WHL and Upton Park under the Lights are something special
I thought we were good. Then again our away fans are great almost everywhere. I'm going to Arsenal and will go to Spurs and West Ham this season. Im going to make a real effort to do most/ if not all of the away ones this season. WHL under the lights is special when we play them. Unfortunately I didn't go to that replay at St Andrews but I watched it and it was a brilliant atmosphere. I'm trying to think of another game in the last couple of years where our away support has been phenomenal. Any other ones you can think of? Also where abouts were you sat today?
The reason Ramires got booked was because the ref pointed to a challenge on the edge of the box he had already been warned for. If you look he specifically points to it. Minutes later he went 2 footed through the back of a player so could easily have been sent off. Ref got a few things wrong today, possible penalty for us to. On the whole things balanced out and draw was right result.
I was sat in the Upper Tier Y5. The side closer to Ellerslie, I was near the front and had a good view. I didn't go but Preston away a few years back looked brilliant, we had over 6k there for an early BBC televised kick off. The best I experienced was Birmingham last season and Spurs away in the 10/11 season. I much prefer the games when we are doing badly (not often these days) more passion and we get behind the team. Best home fans I've experienced were probably Spurs 09/10 and West Ham 09/10. I can't stand them but they both have good proper fans, far more of a buzz there than around the Emirates which is more corporate. My Mate I go with says Napoli is the best he's experienced, surprisingly he said Villa were good as well
I was in the Lower Tier Z2 closer to the South Africa Stand. I also had quite a good view. I much prefer going in the lower tier compared to the Upper Tier. I went to that Preston game. 6000 of us made the trip which was insane and you're right the atmosphere was great. Really impressive. My last time to WHL was when we drew 1-1 and Didier missed a last minute penalty. It was a superb atmosphere and I look forward to going back. I've never been to Upton Park but will go this season. It's also meant to be a very good away day. The Emirates is very quiet and only good if you are in the away end where you make all the noise! Villa are OK. They aren't too bad but will have to think up of a new chant instead of that 'where's your european cup' one. Stoke are loud at home and WBA aren't bad. I always think our support at the Birmingham clubs are very good. I'm sure our support at Southampton, Reading, Norwich and Swansea will all be good as well. I do love the FA Cup away days at lower league opposition. For me they are some of the best due to the fact that you get more tickets and they are cheaper. Always a good atmosphere.
I much prefer lower tier at any ground. I dont like being up in the heavens I've been to WHL last 3 years running, we should have won both 1-1's. Both games in 09/10 were the most one sided games of football I've seen, WHL was worse though. 2 early goals left our fans deflated. Upton Park is my favourite away day, probably because it was my first as well. The 3-1. Few years back was probably the best away day out I've had. Perfect weather and finding out United had conceded 2 injury time goals to Everton. I much prefer away games when fans are all together rather than spread out over two tiers
Yep I agree with your last point as it's hard to generate an atmosphere... The worst is like at Wolves though where you are along a side stand. It's impossible to create a decent atmosphere! I'm looking forward to Upton Park. Been told the coppers are a real pain there though and it's a very dodgy area I've been told.
No area is as dodgy as WHL. I remember when I walked in on a guy in Tottenham Tesco toilet snorting what I think was Coke I've heard no away ground/surrounding area is as dodgy as Burnley? How West Ham do depends on the coppers. If West Ham lose they are pricks, if West Ham win or draw they are usually alright as it means less trouble, less arrests and most likely less paperwork for them
DL --Can I just say , your summary of events today was spot on . I didn't get to the match, because my brother who lives in Canada, returned after many years and I hosted a get together over the past couple of days! So tonight, after he left I've had to catch up! Not a good day-but lets hope we now have a bad one out of the system!
Blue that's good to hear, you didn't miss much and hope you enjoy your reunion with your brother, that's far more important
That's what I am doing DL. £62 to watch Arsenal is better than £50 to watch a bunch of girls squabbling over handshakes
That'll be the bunch of girls you failed to beat despite a number of your players individually costing more than our squad!! Haha! Enjoy the library!
Fair enough if that's the case, but missed out on one of the better nil nils I've seen. Entertaining stuff in a great atmosphere.
QPR has the added bonus of being 3 loyalty points and Arsenal just 1. The club have no common sense at times. QPR (5 miles at best there and back) is worth the same amount of points as Sunderland (450+ miles there and back)
