PAID: Chelsea v Manchester United Official Match Thread

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We're conceding 2 goals a game at the moment. You quite simply can't do that and expect to get anywhere. It needs addressing..and quickly.

Very true, but we concede more when we're being defensive.

The time we were least vulnerable today was the middle of the match where we scored and we on the front foot.

If our defence is weak, we should probably rely on it less.

We actually defended ok today. Young shackled Hazard quite well, all things considered and we were largely untroubled..... but we completely switched off twice from two simple crosses into the box. Once again, we've failed to do the basics.

shocked that jose attacked some innocent passerby in the tunnel in his anger over the result (according to press reports)

Originally Posted by armchair

shocked that jose attacked some innocent passerby in the tunnel in his anger over the result (according to press reports)

I don't quite see how Mourinho is being blamed for any of that when the Chelsea assistant quite blatantly runs into United's technical area and goads the entire bench?

Just watching the highlights on MOTD... Did we just not bother defending headers all afternoon then?

Absolutely crazy the amount of free headers Chelsea got this afternoon. You can't defend like that, mental.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We're conceding 2 goals a game at the moment. You quite simply can't do that and expect to get anywhere. It needs addressing..and quickly.

Good job we didn’t sign an experienced commanding centre back in the summer tbf.

Woodward

Originally Posted by AK14

Good job we didn’t sign an experienced commanding centre back in the summer tbf.

Woodward

Or Harry Maguire

Originally Posted by AK14

Good job we didn’t sign an experienced commanding centre back in the summer tbf.

Woodward

Letting chelsea players just waltz about the penalty area unmarked on every set piece has nothing to do with signing centre backs, it's basic defending.

That first goal isn't the first we've conceded this season from a corner where we've just not bothered to mark players. I notice Pogba was the one who let him go as well, another thing he keeps doing all the time.

It's about concentration and mental focus. Something our team lacks in £#%&!ing spades.

would've taken a draw at the start. we were brilliant second half.

mourinho was brilliant in his post-match interview. he showed the class the chelsea lot lacked.

onwards and upwards. up the reds

if, by brilliant, you mean not that good, I agree. otherwise, not so much. chelsea will be kicking themselves for not getting five.

That incident has got to be THE most Chelsea thing ever.

There's so much attacking potential in this side. All that talent in the starting line-up with Sanchez on the bench. On the occasions that the threat of embarrassment draws the players into saying £#%&! it and having a go, you see the variation and options we have.

But relying on this instead of an actual pattern of play will get us nowhere. Sometimes we'll pull it off, sometimes we won't. We will probably be 10th on Monday night and seven points off 5th place. Playing well for a third of games won't address that.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

I don't quite see how Mourinho is being blamed for any of that when the Chelsea assistant quite blatantly runs into United's technical area and goads the entire bench?

It is quite funny.

Mou probably shouldn't have reacted as he did, but at least half the managers in the league would have done the same. Sarri handled it well tbf but if Rui Faria had done that at Old Trafford after a late goal, he and Mourinho would have mugshots on the back pages today.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

There's so much attacking potential in this side. All that talent in the starting line-up with Sanchez on the bench. On the occasions that the threat of embarrassment draws the players into saying £#%&! it and having a go, you see the variation and options we have.

But relying on this instead of an actual pattern of play will get us nowhere. Sometimes we'll pull it off, sometimes we won't. We will probably be 10th on Monday night and seven points off 5th place. Playing well for a third of games won't address that.



It is quite funny.

Mou probably shouldn't have reacted as he did, but at least half the managers in the league would have done the same. Sarri handled it well tbf but if Rui Faria had done that at Old Trafford after a late goal, he and Mourinho would have mugshots on the back pages today.

Agree with all of that.

We play well reactively. It's still not in our nature to do it. We can't keep going behind to provoke it, it needs to be inherent in our play.

Some of it is so simple too. For both goals, we had four or five players in the attack. Stretching defenders and providing options for the man on the ball. It provokes errors. It's not rocket science.

As for Jose, I've been as critical as anyone, but £#%&!ing hell what is he supposed to do there? The issue is an opposition member of staff celebrating directly in front of the away teams dugout. Plain and simple. But ofcourse it's Mourinho's problem for not sitting there quietly the whole time.

Then there's Sky and their embarrassing questions post match. Pathetically fishing for a quote, a bit of gossip and drama like a bunch of teenage girls.

Originally Posted by Clownbones

As for Jose, I've been as critical as anyone, but £#%&!ing hell what is he supposed to do there? The issue is an opposition member of staff celebrating directly in front of the away teams dugout.

he should have done this....

7 points off 4th. Can't see us putting any sort of run together tbh. That first half was absolutely pathetic.

Originally Posted by Coracao

7 points off 4th. Can't see us putting any sort of run together tbh. That first half was absolutely pathetic.

I've watched the extended highlights and I don't see how anyone can argue that Chelsea weren't well worth a point.

Our defending is absolutely pathetic, especially from set pieces.

One of the greatest managers at organising a defence we've seen in the last 20 years, how the £#%&! is he presiding over such a cluster £#%&!?

Also, Lukaku needs £#%&!ing dropping. Put Martial up front.

How many players do Utd have who are actually good in the air. Plenty of size but perhaps only Fellaini and Smalling who can consistently win an aerial challenge. Pogba lacks the focus to mark someone, Matic the aggression, Bailly can't time a jump, Lindelof is afraid of contact, none of the full back options seem to have that ability either.

Construction of the team has been bizarre. It looks like Mou tried for a modern version of his early Chelsea with a physical, powerful side who would play compact and dominate set pieces but the guys like Pogba, Lukaku and Matic just don't use their size effectively in those areas.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

How many players do Utd have who are actually good in the air. Plenty of size but perhaps only Fellaini and Smalling who can consistently win an aerial challenge. Pogba lacks the focus to mark someone, Matic the aggression, Bailly can't time a jump, Lindelof is afraid of contact, none of the full back options seem to have that ability either.

Construction of the team has been bizarre. It looks like Mou tried for a modern version of his early Chelsea with a physical, powerful side who would play compact and dominate set pieces but the guys like Pogba, Lukaku and Matic just don't use their size effectively in those areas.

said this yesterday, how the £#%&! can we have so many big powerful players, yet barely ever win a header sick of the sight of pogba and lukaku neither of them can judge the flight of a ball.

Doesn't help De Gea doesn't like coming off his line. It's the only area of his game he hasn't improved on.

Originally Posted by Buck

Doesn't help De Gea doesn't like coming off his line. It's the only area of his game he hasn't improved on.

Kicking?

When we talk about poor distribution from the back De Gea needs to take some responsibility.

Originally Posted by Tiberian

Kicking?

When we talk about poor distribution from the back De Gea needs to take some responsibility.

I think he hoofs by design (tactics). He was quite accurate with his long passing under Van Gaal. And for Spain he shows good passing but strangely worse shot stopping.

Originally Posted by Buck

I think he hoofs by design (tactics). He was quite accurate with his long passing under Van Gaal. And for Spain he shows good passing but strangely worse shot stopping.

He has always been a little erratic striking a moving ball, has had a tendency to hook back passes low up the middle. Ederson is something of a gimmick but he does provide an easy out, defenders pass it among themselves, opposition push up, back to Ederson who picks out someone in midfield bypassing the press.

For Spain I think his low key personality might be a factor, for all his talents he is not that dominant presence among a group.