Really? I remember Mane running from the left flank, passed our other forward and over to the right flank to close the ball down.
I actually think Oliver is our best referee. Well until he gives a throw-in the wrong way against us, anyway.
Is this because of his knee? It didn't seem to effect his gait when running. I'm amazed we're even using him if it is that bad.
Running? He was so slow I wouldn't call it that. The knee injury is still there btw. I heard he is ok playing for the moment, but it will effect him (no pain atm). We basically messed him up by playing him with the injury too long. It's why Pelle started to do the crap backhills, he was trying to think of something that he could do to get at Chelsea. The guy was average/slow before, it's worse now.
If we messed up then we should all be supporting him now not looking to get rid (not that you suggested that). Back to the game, despite the ref, the histrionics and the penalty, I still think Chelsea deserved to win. Had other things gone our way we might have squeezed a point out of the game so in my book it's one point dropped at most!
Looks like the curse of the programme cover may have struck again. This was the wrong time to put Fraser on the front.
I don't buy papers Sunday or Monday after a loss....also avoid football programmes where I might accidently see the goals....also avoid certain people for days. Glad there is a game Tuesday....at least, I hope I'm glad
Back up, dude. You were the one who jumped into the middle of a conversation. Keep in mind, you responded to one of my posts, not vice versa. So I'm not changing what you said, it's that what you said is not actually the topic. So to me what you are actually doing is inadvertently is twisting what I'm saying. You and I are not actually disagreeing about much, if anything. We are approaching it from different contexts is all.
There were more twists coming in that conversation than you and my Dad doing the Chubby Checker at the George and Falcon!!!
So, my take 24 hours on. Costa made a big difference. He riled our players into three bookings in three minutes and we lost our balance. He's a very calculating cheat. He knows just how to make it look like he's losing his rag but he's totally in control - it makes the opposition think that another foul might just send him over the edge so they kick him and get booked. His decision to chase down the sportsman's pass to Fraser was inspired, as it got the crowd really abusing him and tempted the team to lose their collective rags. Detestable but effective. Refereeing was pretty inconsistent. By all means throw out yellow cards from the outset but do it to everyone evenly. By all means overrule your assistant but use your headphones and admit your mistake if you made one. Romeu. What a delight to watch. He was still chasing it down after 94 minutes. Clasie. Unobtrusively excellent. Davis. Ran himself off his feet. What a midfield! Pelle. I love the big fella but we were crying out for someone to come on and hold the ball and he just didn't. Fraser. It happens. On balance we deserved to lose. Their goals were coming for a long time. If we'd kept our heads we'd have held it but then if my Auntie had had knackers, she'd have been my Uncle. So, we march on. Vin
FTR FLT, THIS is the point of debate. Not whether Pelle played well-- he didn't-- but whether he was the cause of the loss. Long had to come off. He was pointing at the bench and motioning for a sub and it now appears he pulled a hamstring. So that point is moot, in a way. Or perhaps we could say it was the absence of Long rather than the presence of Pelle that was part of the difference. I do not think Mane or Tadic was the answer either, but perhaps JWP or another defender might have been better than a like for like position sub. I also agree that you can't give the ball away cheaply against Chelsea which Pelle did. Davis also had a bad one right after the first goal which frustrated me, so I know what you mean. Austin had a bad one a bit later. Not trying to pile in on Davis or Austin, just acknowledging your point. Mostly I think it was Pelle giving the ball away and that was a problem without a doubt. I was annoyed by that as well. But... you also can't give up a horrendously soft goal against Chelsea. You also can't let Ibramovich get space for a header off a set piece. Although tbf, that was a pretty nice delivery and header. Not a horrendous mistake by VVD, but he could have done a bit better. So while you say you can't blame Pelle for the mistakes of others, by saying he lost the game you kind of are. It is fair to blame everyone--Pelle included-- for their own mistakes. But if you do, then it was not just Pelle who lost the game. Another thing I haven't mentioned yet is that Clasie was visibly gassed at 75 minutes. Which I don't blame him for at all, he had his hands full. But because Wanyama was unavailable there was no sub off the bench. That hurt us as well. I'm neutral. I don't think we would have lost that game regardless of who played. But I also don't believe we would have won that game but for Pelle. It was a close game that could have gone either way, with Both teams playing fairly well. And in the end the difference was decided on a freak goal. Just the way the ball bounces. Going forward, I tend to agree with Beefy that Pelle looked so bad there is likely a physical ailment. And Austin is the future going forward anyway. And Forster isn't going to let goals like that in more than once or twice a season. So not really much to worry about or change going forward. We lost a close one, it sucks, but we're in good shape and we just move on with what we are doing.
Wow, so the topic of the debates is decided by you and I am not to post my views? Really fella? Come on. Let it go. Now you are now just being deliberately provocative. I didn't realise that we couldn't post our opinions without clearing the topic with you first. I backed out once as you asked. Howe about you back out now? PS. Is the bit about blaming Pelle aimed at me of Lff? this bit below: So while you say you can't blame Pelle for the mistakes of others, by saying he lost the game you kind of are. It is fair to blame everyone--Pelle included-- for their own mistakes. But if you do, then it was not just Pelle who lost the game.
Are you sure you aren't talking about VVD? I'll go back and see where Pelle was on that set piece, but VVD was marking Ivanovich and that's who he beat for the header.
Can't find much on that band your Dad was talking about. He said they had a website but I can't seem to find it - can you DM me something? Cheers.
Dave is referring to Pelle being stood in the space in front of Ivanovic and the ball came over him without him jumping. Dave said, not FLT said
