Five academy graduates in the starting line up and Hamza captain. Pretty special night for the club in more ways than one.
Off Topic The General Chat Thread.
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Well, we certainly managed to throw that chance of going up the table away. Thoroughly blown away in the first 20 minutes by an Arsenal team that moved the ball quickly from defence to midfield and attack to get at our defence before we had time to react. Complete contrast to our slow, predictable playing across the back three while waiting to get the ball to Soumare or Tielemans to start our own attack, by which time opponents have all 11 players behind the ball. We have to find a quicker way to get the ball forwards so that we don't give teams time to get into their defensive formation, and allow Tielemans to get forward to help Maddison create chances.
Any chance of a Kasper clean sheet soon?
Any chance of a Kasper clean sheet soon?
... combination of things ... how Michael Oliver missed the foul on Soumare in the build up to the corner they scored from beats me ... then we were a bit unlucky with the second ... Luke Thomas sticking his leg out lays it on a plate for Smith-Rowe ... Arsenal then rode their luck and had a keeper who had a blinder ... we made enough chances and dominated especially when Barnes and Lookman came on ... unfortunately our final ball was lacking far too often.
Can we please sort out our defending at corners. Surely the coaches can see there is a massive problem, as we look like conceding from every corner we face.
Remember when we won the league? We would leave 2 sometimes 3 players on the halfway line when defending a corner. This meant the attacking side had to put 4 players back, plus the 1 taking the corner, that left a max of 5 players in the box. That then gives Kasper space to come and collect the corner……..not that he ever does now!
Remember when we won the league? We would leave 2 sometimes 3 players on the halfway line when defending a corner. This meant the attacking side had to put 4 players back, plus the 1 taking the corner, that left a max of 5 players in the box. That then gives Kasper space to come and collect the corner……..not that he ever does now!
Arsenal may have had the rub of the green for the second goal, but we got a massive boost from the ref not giving Evans a straight red for his assault on Aubameyang. The first goal was conceded by poor defending of the corner. Harborough makes a good point about clearing out the 6 yard box to combat the threat we have problems dealing with.
But it wasn't the ref's decisions that cost us the game, it was our endless faffing about across the back and slow build-up play. Our players will struggle to find any space when the opposition are given time to set up in their defensive formation while we play the ball back and forth across the back.
What a shocking performance again Chelsea, especially in the first half. I don’t think we made 4 consecutive passes in the first 45 minutes!
Chelsea were several classes above us. They were purring with the ball. They passed and moved where we didn’t pass and didn’t move.
Yet another goal conceded from a corner, which came from our own free kick in our own half.
We are very stale at the moment. I hate to say it, but has Brenda taken us as far as he can?!
Chelsea were several classes above us. They were purring with the ball. They passed and moved where we didn’t pass and didn’t move.
Yet another goal conceded from a corner, which came from our own free kick in our own half.
We are very stale at the moment. I hate to say it, but has Brenda taken us as far as he can?!
The set up seems too defensive, by half time they'd had nine shots to our none. We're the home team, we should at least show some intent. I'd sooner we die trying rather than feebly rolling over.
Chelsea are a very good, well drilled side, and they have a definite game plan. Their passing out of defence is quick and decisive and they aren't afraid to go long, unlike our usual aimless passing from side to side. It was doing that that led to the opening goal, getting caught in possession and giving away a corner. In the first half their movement was so much quicker than ours that the player receiving the ball always had time and space, while they closed us down very quickly so we always ended up being forced to pass to a team mate under pressure.
Who is looking after the defensive side of things? Stevie Wonder? We were so busy ball watching rather than going with runners that we looked like a lower league side. When they had free kicks on our left we had Albrighton marking 2 players at the back post, one of which was always Rudiger. Schoolboy stuff.
Better in the second half, and we should have punished them on at least 2 occasions but our final ball was hit and hope rather than clinical.
We badly need a win in order to gain confidence and put some space between us and the teams below.
Who is looking after the defensive side of things? Stevie Wonder? We were so busy ball watching rather than going with runners that we looked like a lower league side. When they had free kicks on our left we had Albrighton marking 2 players at the back post, one of which was always Rudiger. Schoolboy stuff.
Better in the second half, and we should have punished them on at least 2 occasions but our final ball was hit and hope rather than clinical.
We badly need a win in order to gain confidence and put some space between us and the teams below.
Abject. In performance and attitude today.
Chelsea are very, very good but we've a team that previously would've at least given them a game.
I thought with our significant injuries, particularly in defence, that was our issue but it's deeper than that. Something just doesn't seem right.
We've gone from exciting attacking football to backwards Puel ball. I don't want to be all 2 top 5 finishes and all entitled but we know we can play better than we are, that's what is so frustrating.
Chelsea are very, very good but we've a team that previously would've at least given them a game.
I thought with our significant injuries, particularly in defence, that was our issue but it's deeper than that. Something just doesn't seem right.
We've gone from exciting attacking football to backwards Puel ball. I don't want to be all 2 top 5 finishes and all entitled but we know we can play better than we are, that's what is so frustrating.
Well that was considerably better and should fill the team with a bit more confidence. Barnes and Maddison much more like how we know they can play. Now to transfer it to the Prem and hopefully no happy return for Claudio.
It does look like the team is very susceptible to confidence swings, so let's hope this performance and result sways things in the right direction.
Horrible defensive performance yesterday ...
2 things stick out a mile ... you can't play both Wilf and Soumare in the same midfield as it slows us down too much ... and the opposition can outmanoeuvre them far too easily
Wilf and Ademola Lookman need some serious passing practice ... woeful yesterday
Positives? KDH was excellent when he came on and deserves a start ... and Madders appears to have rediscovered his mojo
2 things stick out a mile ... you can't play both Wilf and Soumare in the same midfield as it slows us down too much ... and the opposition can outmanoeuvre them far too easily
Wilf and Ademola Lookman need some serious passing practice ... woeful yesterday
Positives? KDH was excellent when he came on and deserves a start ... and Madders appears to have rediscovered his mojo
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I would also question playing Vardy and Daka together. Great pace, but too peas in a pod. How come Iheanacho can't take one of those roles? Good to see Maddison back to some kind of form.
Justin and Fofana can't come back quickly enough. Soyuncu didn’t even jump for their winner, I’m starting to think Amartey May be worth starting before him, Soyuncu just seems like an accident waiting to happen at the moment.
Right midfield still isn’t sorted, Lookman never attacked their full back once yesterday, he just kept coming inside and playing it short, I really wish we had gone for Bowen when we were linked with him, he looks a terrific player now.
Right midfield still isn’t sorted, Lookman never attacked their full back once yesterday, he just kept coming inside and playing it short, I really wish we had gone for Bowen when we were linked with him, he looks a terrific player now.
This is getting like Groundhog Day. No organisation in defence and awful selection decisions by the manager.
I used to think that Evans was the organiser of our defence. That no longer appears to be the case. How many times did Luke Thomas have 2 players to mark on the back post? Why didn't he, Schmeichel or Evans do something about it. They should be a collective unit. Why did Soyuncu not even get off the ground against Konsa for the second goal?
As for the manager's team selection, another baffling afternoon. Lookman should have been hooked off at half time. To be honest, I'm surprised he started. But to replace him with Vardy and move Daka to the right wing was crazy and an insult to Daka. Vardy never had a touch. And to leave Iheanacho off until 85 minutes was mystifying. He's so often been the one player who can turn a game for us and would have provided a different challenge to Villa.
There's all the fine words after the match about how the manager had talked to the team about defending properly and how they need to press and dominate (which, to be fair, they did for half an hour). But the performances on the pitch don't bear scrutiny. Reportedly Gerard was very vocal with his players at half time, and they responded. They came out and dominated the second half. It's about time our manager did the same and we got someone out on the pitch to show the same drive as McGinn and Buendia did for Villa. We were cowed and bullied second half.
What confidence is there that we'll get anything out of our next 2 matches? If we don't beat Newcastle next week then we really will have to start looking at teams beneath us rather than above us. And if the team comes out to the tune of "I got you, Babe" rather than The Post Horn Gallop then we know we can expect more of the same.
I used to think that Evans was the organiser of our defence. That no longer appears to be the case. How many times did Luke Thomas have 2 players to mark on the back post? Why didn't he, Schmeichel or Evans do something about it. They should be a collective unit. Why did Soyuncu not even get off the ground against Konsa for the second goal?
As for the manager's team selection, another baffling afternoon. Lookman should have been hooked off at half time. To be honest, I'm surprised he started. But to replace him with Vardy and move Daka to the right wing was crazy and an insult to Daka. Vardy never had a touch. And to leave Iheanacho off until 85 minutes was mystifying. He's so often been the one player who can turn a game for us and would have provided a different challenge to Villa.
There's all the fine words after the match about how the manager had talked to the team about defending properly and how they need to press and dominate (which, to be fair, they did for half an hour). But the performances on the pitch don't bear scrutiny. Reportedly Gerard was very vocal with his players at half time, and they responded. They came out and dominated the second half. It's about time our manager did the same and we got someone out on the pitch to show the same drive as McGinn and Buendia did for Villa. We were cowed and bullied second half.
What confidence is there that we'll get anything out of our next 2 matches? If we don't beat Newcastle next week then we really will have to start looking at teams beneath us rather than above us. And if the team comes out to the tune of "I got you, Babe" rather than The Post Horn Gallop then we know we can expect more of the same.
Cags confidence looks shot to bits... but Kaspar has also been pretty awful ... not commanding his 6 yard box, screaming at his defence and woeful kicking...
7 players missing for our Europa League game. Covid and illness. Marvellous!!
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Well what a right shower of **** that was ... 2 goals from shots that went between defenders legs and Bertrand stupidly playing them onside for the second ... he was also culpable for the third ... marking nobody whilst their sub was in acres of space on the right wing ...
We will continue to get stuffed unless we sort out the defending ... clueless.
We will continue to get stuffed unless we sort out the defending ... clueless.