Off Topic The General Chat Thread.

That should have been the easiest half time team talk ever. “Right lads, keep doing what you are doing. Don’t change a thing”

Oh Brenda, you really f***ed it up!!!

 

Talk about send in the clowns. Bournemouth looked determined to self destruct and hand us the game without us ever having to create anything ourselves. Fuchs is no wing back. He offered nothing going forward against a team that was there for the taking. James Justin was not much better but at least he tried.

Then it was Kasper's turn to become the comedian. While his shot stopping has been superb since the restart, his distribution has been very poor and has put us in trouble at least once in every game. Thankfully he had the decency not to blame Wilf for failing to control that pass.

Can't condone Soyuncu's actions but I can imagine the frustration when you've given your all for the team again in pursuit of Champions League football and some of those around you are just giving it away.

The annoying thing is that, while this outfit doesn't look fit to play in the Champions League, this same group looked world beaters up until the end of last year. If they can finish the season with 3 fighting performances and wins (which looks unlikely) they will go some way to redeeming themselves.

 

Man City have had their ban over turned, I saw a number of suggestions yesterday that this was more the expected outcome.

Manchester City overturn two-year ban from European competition on appeal to Cas - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53387306

Champions League for top 4 only. It certainly won't be including us now.

Obviously we'll still finish in our 2nd best ever League position and Europa qualification would've been considered a great achievement at the beginning of the season. Having not been out of the top 4 since September, it's going to feel disappointing. However, you get what your results deserve. I'm actually nervous about Europa now.

 

With wolves v Chelsea and us v Man U last game of the season at least it is still mathematically in our hands

 

Ah, the old 'it's still mathematically in our hands' argument - the last refuge of the scoundrel (or, in our case, the illogically optimistic).

 

Brenda admitting that substituting Iheanacho was tactical and he wanted to give his defence more cover from midfield ... so he brings on Dennis Praet ... we have got a terrific combative defensive midfielder in Hamza Choudhry who might have done that ... but DP? ... be real Brenda ... yes Kasper and Cags had a mare but so did the manager.

 

Maybe the players didn't execute his plans. There have been knobheads out there in social media land calling form Rodgers to be sacked. The same ones no doubt calling him the messiah when we were beating teams 5-0 and 9-0. The slide for whatever reason has been on for a while. Started with Wilf getting injured and then Ricardo. People cant expect to build a champions league squad in one season. Rodgers and co got this one wrong, but come the end of a bizarre season we will still be reasonably happy I believe. Biggest disappointment was not beating Villa over two legs not failing to qualify for CL if that is how it ends up.

 

Rodgers couldn’t help the players having a meltdown in those two minutes yesterday. From being comfortable the game was lost in two minutes. Some of his tactics in recent weeks have been odd, but yesterdays match just went in the blink of an eye. I expect he was as shell shocked as the rest of us.

 

Rodgers is getting a really easy ride on here. The mentality comes from the manager and Rodgers is fragile and that passes to the team. Of course Kasper has to take responsibility which he did (he saves so many more points for us than he loses) and Soy for the red mist but the game was done at that goal 10 or 11 men. Rodgers set them up to fail by going ultra negative.
We’ve turned into everything I found hilarious from the outside about Spurs a few years ago.
The ‘but we’d have taken this position’ doesn’t wash for me. Of course we would but expectations change. No matter whether you’re second and drop to 6th/7th or 10th and end up getting relegated, ****ing up a 15 point lead in half a season is inexcusable. Any other line of work the manager is on a performance plan for his staff’s performance falling off a cliff.
At this point it’s more about momentum into next season and transfer targets. Who will want to come to us right now and I can’t see us being anywhere near the top half next season. I can see a similar situation to when Puel took over from Shakespeare.

 

Right lads, you have been given a lifeline. Grab it with both hands and don’t **** it up this time!

 

Really need Burnley to beat Wolves and Newcastle to beat Spurs tonight!

 

That went well
We’re actually going to finish 8th aren’t!

Spoke slightly soon with Wolves there!
I’d take a draw tomorrow if offered as that would put Sheff Utd from overtaking us, a draw with Spurs does the same then doesn’t matter what happens on the last day as we’ll be 6th. That should be Europa unless Arsenal win the FA Cup

 

Well,what a result. Nervous times when they get missing those chances second half. Wes was good old Wes and thought Yuri was man of the match, gave a top performance. But Luke Thomas, what a debut, simply outstanding.

 

Arsenal, Spurs and Wolves can't finish above us now ... Wolves could mathematically with a huge goal difference turn around ... so not a bad season whatever the final outcome

 

I really didn't see that one coming! Much better tempo and attitude for the whole 90 minutes. It was good to see Barnes stepping up to the plate in the first half. He was very positive and direct and caused some real problems. But he still lacks composure when it comes to the final killer pass or when he's in front of goal. He needs some serious work in that area to make him a top player. And also good to see Vardy holding the ball up and picking out a safe pass rather than just lashing the ball hopefully across the area and giving possession away.

I had serious concerns when I saw big Wes on the teamsheet, but United lacked anyone with real pace or guile to take advantage of his lack of speed. I don't fancy him so much against Son, Lucas and Kane in the Spurs game. I can see us going 3 at the back and Choudhury starting to try and disrupt them and play on the break. Always a dangerous game, but we are running out of options. That is a game we cannot lose.

Tielemanns had his best game for a long time, and that was an impressive debut from Luke Thomas. However, the last 2 games will be much tougher and he'll probably be targeted as a weakness by the opposition. If he comes through those games okay, then he could cement his place for next season if Chilwell goes.

It's all going to end up tight and it's not inconceivable that Chelsea could lose both remaining games. But so could we!

How do you all see the last 2 games going for Chelsea, Man Utd and us?

 

I think we can get something at Spurs ... those 3 centre backs are formidable and a threat from set pieces and the pace of the two young full backs compensates for the lack of pace of the 3 ... Justin's challenge from the pull back early doors was a good example and a key moment ...if we had gone 1 down that early with our fragile confidence?

Spurs tend to struggle against robust teams ... hope so.... I'd take going into the last game with the same points as United.

 

If Thomas comes through Spurs and Man U with the level he displayed last night would you begrudge him starting the season ahead of Chilwell? Subject to pre season showings I guess.
In terms of the last two games, so hard to say. I think the aged central defence was more suited to Sheff Utd but Kane isn’t blessed with pace. Bournemouth aside we’ve had good performances in 3 of the other last 4 so at least some shoots of confidence are back. Winning both is unlikely with the depleted squad and a tough ask though. If it’s a straight shootout last day do we really think it won’t go exactly the same was as their game last night in terms of the decisions against Palace?

 

Not much chance of this, but it is possible!
"Leicester are above Manchester United by +3 goal difference (with four more goals scored). If they finish level on points, goal difference and goals scored, and are fourth and fifth, then it goes down to head-to-head record (factoring in away goals). United won 1-0 at home in September. If the Foxes win 1-0 on the final day - and they are level on points, goal difference and goals scored, then they would need a play-off to decide who finishes fourth."

 

First off Chelsea have two very tough games, depends what Wolves have left to play for. Whilst we have had recent success against Spurs it wasnt that long ago we got a 6-1 spanking and Kane has scored more against us than anyone else. Having said that they are where they are for a reason so we can go there with confidence. Last day shoot out with Utd would be great, how awesome would it be for Vardy to get a winner and golden boot.

 

Who do we blame for this, players, refs, VAR, tactics or just bad luck?
https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/clubs/penalty_conceded