I thought today we were well matched with the way United played. They looked far more dangerous and deadly with the ball on the break and in the final third, but in the 2nd half we more than took the game too them. Torres is 'getting there' despite that awful miss today, what that would've done for his confidence and the team if he scored that . NOBODY forget we conceeded TWO offside goals today and those were the goals we lost by, **** the reasoning in which United "took their chances" **** that excuse, we lost by two offside goals end of story. Result was not reflective of both teams performances and what MOTD put on tonight will be absolutely laughable compared to what actually happened. It wasn't our day and in contrast to the above rant I just made I think UTD did deserve a win due to their other chances they missed aswell as ours. We're playing well and it's only 5 games into the season, our players have the experience to withstand CL games along with FA CUP, Carling Cup and PL games and to still progress. This UTD side are peaking too early, I'd bet my house on it . KTBFFH
The bright side is we've come along way to matching them now, last season in the champions league ties and the game at there ground near the end of season they ruined us, we was slow, predictable and all we did was pass it back and we put no pressure on them, today we played high tempo football, pressed them and attacked very good, so it's a big improvement, Anelka was outstanding again, sturridge didn't do much today think next game it should be mata-torres-anelka and mikel instead of ramires and luiz instead of ivanovic !!
Margin for error is small really, had he had scored it he would have won MOM and set up the game for a grandstand finish. Thought Torres was a handful today and is on the way back. Nice to hear the away support again making more noise yet again.
For the first time since Jose departed, I can honestly say the boys did really well today. We lost yes, but that doesn't tell the full story. I saw today a new Chelsea, one that I was hoping to emerge under Carlo, but it never happened. AVB has shown today that he is capable of playing expansive attacking football, and who against, probably the best team in the PL at the moment. If we keep the same ethic for the rest of the campaign, then the future is bright. The future is Blue. Carefree.
Very few teams are good enough to create the number of chances we did vs man u at old Trafford. Some of our finishing was awful. We look much better at keeping the ball and creating openings through intricate passing and smart movement. Mata is the most exciting signing we have made since robben, this guy is a classy player and his addition has already made a big difference to how we play. I'm vet disappointed that we lost today but the performance was very encouraging.
Excellent synopsis it didn't tell the whole story Chelsea could and probably should have been 4-1 up at half time. United were clinical when they had the ball, I reckon we were a few weeks off that and the team were unlucky with the two offsides and the deflected assist from Nani not to mention the soft penalty that fat boy missed.
The facts speak for themselves.We had more shots on and off target, more corners and as much possession as them.They were allowed 2 offside goals. The difference between us was was the quality of finishing. "IF" is a little word , but with a big meaning. If Drogs has been fit and in the line up the outcome would have been completely different.Having said that our back 4 seemed to think they were playing as strikers yesterday.
What Chelsea did with the ball was much better. We lost because what Man U did with it was much better. The flip of that is we were poor off the ball. Out wide Bossy and Ash were outclassed. Nani was surberb, and Bossy had no answer. Ash appeared to be getting angrier as the game went on when he realised he was coming second all the time with his match-up. To me the key fault of the formation, and no blame give to the player involved, was Meireles. When needing to win the ball back he simply isn't as accomplished as Mikel who has had that role beaten into him despite it not being natural to him. Mikel has been steel like since his family troubles. Maybe it killed a bit of the child in the man and has focussed him on his profession more. Who knows. I just feel that our back four aren't ready to do without a midfield enforcer yet. Maybe they never will and we will have to accept more chances will be created for the opposition, but for this game against that opponent (well aware I'm wearing my hindsight glasses but with the knowledge that when I saw the team selection just before kick off I commented in Dfer's Chelsea Chit Chat to the guys and girls that Mikel should be playing) Mikel should of been playing. No guarantee we'd win but surely if I can't use past performance to at least gauge a possible future one then I'm a penguin. Man U were good yesterday, the keeper caught my eye, a real gusty performance from him I thought. The full backs and the wingers seemed to cover each other better than ours, staying wider whereas Bossy and Ash (particularly Ash) operated five to ten yards away from the touchline a fair bit in comparison. Both teams tried to play a high defensive line which really squeezed both midfields, hence making the use of the wings much more important. Chelsea needed five in midfield and although the 4 1 4 1 should of gave us it, we were clumped together and were bypassed. Ramires disappointed me the most. He seemed to lose the ball the most. Ok that may just mean he is trying to use it more creatively, but he then didn't appear to be leading any charges to get it back. Mata did that, and so enthusiastically he gave away a few fouls just outside our box. I can't fault him for it, but he shouldn't be hunting alone and to say the others were denying passing space and marking is to make a mockery of playing Meireles instead of Mikel which is exactly what happened. I take solace from the fact that at least someone on the Chelsea bench (maybe Di Matteo since he was writing something all the time) noticed and eventually made the switch, but far too late.
So bored with officials and their **** calls (offsides), oh well defo used to it now http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI7AV6afNyc
