Rival Watch™ 2013/2014

Absolute masterclass from Mourinho. How to beat City at home: Defend, defend, defend, then attack like lightning on the break!* Park the bus, sure, but make sure the f*cker is fitted with nitro's!














*It's possible this might only work when Aguero is injured, though

 

I think Fernandinho was a bigger miss than Aguero. I can definitely see why they wanted to sign Fernando in January!

 

I do hope Rodgers learnt a lesson in the art of defending and tactical discipline tonight, and the types of players we need at the back and in midfield.

 

Well if we can beat arsenal the worst we will be is 6 from top with 13 to play! People will play it down but that's right in the mix and there's no denying that.

Big if mind

 

Very important game for you, you are now six from third but only three from sixth, i think this game may be a draw but if there is a winner it will be Liverpool.

 

that game last night was cheslea playing their no 1 11... and city playing a donkey in midfield. dimichelas was all over the shop and pulled city's system apart. There was a very narrow margin of success and failure there and that was it.

that and the fact silva wouldn't go wide at all and thus cheslea had the run of their right side.

also chelsea are dirty... they hacked at silva all night and they foul up the pitch and laugh as they all get back in position. masterclass... its a replay or real madrid dirt v barca... next thing you'll hear someone pokes someone in the eye.

 

I know you hate the chavs and most of us do but they could have won 4-0 yesterday, played well I thought.

 

Ever since Demichelis joined City I've thought he's one of the worst players I've ever seen in a top division team and the thought of him winning multiple trophies in a season has even Champions League winner Djimi Traoré laughing his arse off

 

yes they could have first half but 90% of it was chaos in the midfield partnership. city could have ad a few first half if a couple had fallen the right way.

they did play well and had their first team out bar perhaps oscar.

City played body as they moved a guy who did ok passing it on the ball but woefully positionally into CM and you can see the gaps in the half time analysis of the goal... in short... small margin.

yeah they hit the bar and post. sure. city with a midifelder standing in the right slot would not have been so haky IMO .

but you cannot deny that luiz was assigned to silva and several chelsea players kicked him. Nor can you deny the amount of simle fouls in advanced areas chelsea committed in the second half to prevent breaks

 

Yeah I agree about the cynical fouling etc (something we were also subject to on Sunday) - but I think it goes further than just Demichelis being **** - for me Negredo and Dzeko miss kicked every opportunity or half chance they got too.

The difference was Hazard - he was sublime.

 

It's scary how thick/biased you actually are.

 

We need to learn to be nastier and those cynical fouls can make a difference.

I'm not saying we have to become the old Leeds and adopt this tactic every match, but we need to add it to our game.

 

Whilst you deserved your win, there is some truth in what MITO had to say especially in relation to the 'special attention' given to Silver during the game. I believe that he was also right in commenting upon the effect of moving Demichelis into midfield - not only did it dramatically slow City attacks but also seemed to unbalance their midfield defence.

 

I did say cheslea had their first team out and it showed. taking oscar out enabled the game plan and exploiting the massive gap silva drifting left down the right was no mistake

it was a tight game decided by one or two decisions and i did agree that it could have been 4 before city got a grip.. but city could have got a goal first too... then they might have shut down in midfield maybe.. we'll never know.

the 3 points ends the juggernaut that was running away and has made a 3 way for the title..

 

well lucas does it all the time, pushes lads over constantly. being nasty is not a bad attribute in a winner takes all sport.

i think the flopping by defenders which i hate is something we've well learned.. i hate seeing johnson as once example flop about in his own half.

I have also lost count of the times i've screamed hack him down at an lfc player allowing a player break from a corner or such when its patently very dangerous.

look at how many west brom fouls were committed to stop our players running

 

It sounds as if he feels we didn't deserve it based on a number of factors, when we definitely did deserve it as you said. They were just as rough on Hazard as we were on Silva and there's nothing wrong with playing physical. Man for man we were better last night, not just in midfield mate! Although I do agree the exclusion of both Fernandinho and Aguero will have hampered their chances but that City side should be beating anyone on their own turf and it's nobody elses fault but their own that they don't have enough depth in the middle of the park.

 

As a 'neutral' I did think that you side did do to Silver what the whole of the Baggies side did to us on Sunday. We both know that there is a difference between a deliberate strategy and playing physical. Having said that, it was up to City to rise to the challenge and they failed to do so.

My solace is that if wasn't for 2 appalling refereeing decisions, we would have beaten both you and City on their own turf.

 

Chelsea were awful last night. They played anti-football, parked the bus, fouled at every opportunity and should have had at least two penalties against them, never mind the red cards for Terry and Oscar!

PS...I may not have seen the game​

 

Not so sure about that Dave, but I don't think we'd have lost.

 

Only saw the first half..
First 10-15mins, it was all City, they should have scored then, when on top.
Last 30mins, Chelsea got back into the game and from that point, it looked like they were the only ones capable of scoring.

Agree, with all the money they've been throwing around on players recently, forgive me if I don't feel sorry for them when they have a "couple" of injuries.

Didn't see the second half, but by all accounts is was similar to the second? If so, and despite Maureen's, mind games, the best team won and looks like they should be considered one of, if not, the favourites for the title now?