FA Cup: Chelsea (A) 4-2 Post-Match Thread

[MPH]

3 hours ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

Um... He was at least in the right place and at least forced the player to beat him. Not to mention that Jackson is lightning quick and will beat plenty of centre backs 1-1.

 

Vesty isn’t even a medium paced defender though..he is SLOW.  We will definitely need defenders with a bit of pace if we are going to survive next season. That’s assuming we go up, of course!

[Dan LCFC]

I can't really accuse us of some of the usual things, mainly the lack of fight etc... but I thought that was a largely pretty awful performance. If we went up and didn't make significant investment into this defence (which we won't because we can't) we'd ship 75+ goals I think and quite frequently be looking at 4/5. They tried but we look a team in decline. It's all gone a bit last two years for me with the general chaos and sieve defending.

 

It was a fun second half but I don't think we're good.

[TeaMen Tom]

If they can give that type of effort 9 more times this season they'll be promoted. Where's that version of KDH been? 

[erlee]

No.23 too slow  for first 2 goals.. bin him

[Tom12345]

While I really wanted us to win, given we lost this after a red card, it is not all bad. We can make ourselves believe we performed ok against decent PL opposition and were unlucky that we got down to 10 men. Hope that won’t shoot our confidence down further. We can now concentrate on the League and try to win every single game from here. No distraction and no more bloody game manage please. Just go all out attacking and pressing until the final whistle. We have the players to do it. We just need to believe and not fear.

[The Doctor]

13 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

I think people are being harsh with Dakas headed chance, back pedalling makes it difficult. 

People on FT, being unnecessarily harsh towards Daka? I'm shocked.

[Claudio Fannieri]

There starting XI coat nearly £500m against ours which was around £80m.  Whilst Chelsea aren’t quite gelling the individual quality and level of player they had at their disposal, I felt we gave a reasonably decent account of ourselves. 
 

Yes we looked exposed at the back, however we also showed that our style can be effective even against top quality opposition, we played well in possession and on numerous occasions we beat their press and got into good positions only for poor decision making or a lack of quality in the final ball letting us down. 
 

Being honest, whilst this is a barometer for next season should we go up, the reality is we will not be competing with the Chelsea’s of this world, the guage was Bournemouth and we showed we can go toe to toe with them in the last round. What yesterday showed me, was the gulf in class against the big six and this is what will continue to happen to most clubs. If we go up I think we will give a decent account of ourselves and our target should be to try and be the best of the mid to low range teams and then move from there. Yesterday was an absolute free hit and one where we came out with a huge amount of praise, credit and pride. 

[SemperEadem]

I largely thought our performance was pretty rubbish yesterday. Defensively awful.

[CosbehFox]

How bad Chelsea are managed was evident when they didn’t just keep using the channel as seen in the first goal. With a hard working striker and more brain, they’d have consistently just hit the space left by our full backs 

[Terraloon]

1 hour ago, SemperEadem said:

I largely thought our performance was pretty rubbish yesterday. Defensively awful.

I rarely comment on here but whilst I wouldn’t say it was rubbish it showed just what the gulf is. 

 

Chelseas current form actually isn’t that bad although their performances are far from convincing they are a  young squad and every team can say well it would be different if this player or that player had been available you can only judge by what is on the pitch.

 

I think most would agree that Dewsberry Hall was the player that displays the most potential and probably was the top performer on the day for Leicester here is a simple fact he is older than 7 of the starters for Chelsea. He is close to his prime and unless he gets a gig either with Leicester or indeed a move to a PL club 
 

What we did see yesterday as I say was the gulf and that mainly revolves around pace and the evolution of the PL over the last few years means that players that bring that extra yard of pace are expensive and a necessity 

 

If promotion is achieved , and that’s a big if based on current form, then the squad will need a major injection of players and that probably would entail huge expense 

 

 

[goose2010]

6 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

I can't really accuse us of some of the usual things, mainly the lack of fight etc... but I thought that was a largely pretty awful performance. If we went up and didn't make significant investment into this defence (which we won't because we can't) we'd ship 75+ goals I think and quite frequently be looking at 4/5. They tried but we look a team in decline. It's all gone a bit last two years for me with the general chaos and sieve defending.

 

It was a fun second half but I don't think we're good.

Tend to agree we weren't great and looked vulnerable at the back Not sure i am a fan of Doyle to be honest although i didn't realise Palmer was playing until he scored! 

 

Was a bad time and way to concede our 2nd go in a 1-0 and i think we would have stood a better chance. 

 

Regarding investing in the defence, there are plenty of loan players that could help us out. We dont need serious investment to survive in the prem, it isnt all that especially the bottom half. 

[Leicesterpool]

Vestegaard back to himself, being crap again. Had a decent spell halfway through the season but hes useless again.

[Terraloon]

Just now, goose2010 said:

Tend to agree we weren't great and looked vulnerable at the back Not sure i am a fan of Doyle to be honest although i didn't realise Palmer was playing until he scored! 

 

Was a bad time and way to concede our 2nd go in a 1-0 and i think we would have stood a better chance. 

 

Regarding investing in the defence, there are plenty of loan players that could help us out. We dont need serious investment to survive in the prem, it isnt all that especially the bottom half. 

The PL isn’t like the EFL you are only allowed two players in on loan and yes there is the option of taking additional players from abroad the problem is that the restrictions about  sending players abroad is getting tighter.

 

[smudger63]

I suppose we can give the game a positive spin, by remarking how we came back from 2-0 down, that at 2-2, the game could have gone either way, but that the red card changed the game, but we showed some resilience and were only beaten by two late goals, and we gave it a go until the sending off, all true of course, all be it against a currently pretty ordinary Premier league side.

As the manager and as a player, that is what they absolutely have to do, but If you look deeper at the game though, with eyes wide open, we should have been at least 4-0 down at half time, but for the dreadfull Sterling. 

Playing the defence so high, with such a lack of pace, against their pacey forwards was only ever going to end one way, and showed that if we do go up, and are not able to bring in more pacey defenders, then unless Enzo changes (he wont) then we will be screwed before we kick a ball next season.

That, despite some very good football between the two boxes when we had the ball, (KDH take a bow, but where have you been hiding for the last few weeks), we never really created much. 

Once again, the final ball and decision making was poor, when we were on really good areas and situations.

Ultimately, we only had 5 shots in the game, and only one of those was on target, we were never going to win that game with those numbers.

So, in the cold light of day, as much as we can spin it in a positive way, the truth is, we were perhaps not quite as good as some may think we were.

 

 

Edited 18 March by smudger63

[goose2010]

24 minutes ago, Terraloon said:

The PL isn’t like the EFL you are only allowed two players in on loan and yes there is the option of taking additional players from abroad the problem is that the restrictions about  sending players abroad is getting tighter.

 

2 players on loan is all we would need. 

 

There is options available. 

 

Which ever league we are in its going to be tough. 

[UniFox21]

 

Didn't get chance to see the full game, but the reaction of Hamza here is woeful.

 

 

[Philkeavo]

I hope yesterday’s performance is not informative of how we’ll fair if we get promoted. Looked good between the lines, Winks, KDH and Nididi all resembled Premier League players but honestly we were hopeless in defence and toothless in attack. That is exactly how Burnley look now. We’ll need a major squad rebuild which FFP is likely to scupper.

[Col city fan]

14 minutes ago, UniFox21 said:

 

Didn't get chance to see the full game, but the reaction of Hamza here is woeful.

 

 

What’s Hamza’s new contract? Did I read 40/50/60k per week?!

Is that Rudkin’s decision once again?

Amazing that the man is still in a job, he must be so far up Top’s arse that he can clean his teeth.

That amount of money for a player of Hamza’s ability is astounding 

[The boy Linacre]

54 minutes ago, smudger63 said:

I suppose we can give the game a positive spin, by remarking how we came back from 2-0 down, that at 2-2, the game could have gone either way, but that the red card changed the game, but we showed some resilience and were only beaten by two late goals, and we gave it a go until the sending off, all true of course, all be it against a currently pretty ordinary Premier league side.

As the manager and as a player, that is what they absolutely have to do, but If you look deeper at the game though, with eyes wide open, we should have been at least 4-0 down at half time, but for the dreadfull Sterling. 

Playing the defence so high, with such a lack of pace, against their pacey forwards was only ever going to end one way, and showed that if we do go up, and are not able to bring in more pacey defenders, then unless Enzo changes (he wont) then we will be screwed before we kick a ball next season.

That, despite some very good football between the two boxes when we had the ball, (KDH take a bow, but where have you been hiding for the last few weeks), we never really created much. 

Once again, the final ball and decision making was poor, when we were on really good areas and situations.

Ultimately, we only had 5 shots in the game, and only one of those was on target, we were never going to win that game with those numbers.

So, in the cold light of day, as much as we can spin it in a positive way, the truth is, we were perhaps not quite as good as some may think we were.

 

 

Everybody's right but we did beat Bournemouth away 1-0 too

[lcfc67]

Watched from the upper tier at the Shed end 

 

Thought our support was really good - Chelsea's home support made the KP look like a seething cauldron ffs

 

Defensively we look too slow and were vulnerable through-out but our passing through the midfield was excellent only let down by the forwards. Mavididi (great goal apart) was poor, Abdul trying too hard and kept losing the ball and for all Daka's pressing he never looks like scoring to me. From my view we could have really caused them big problems with a more effective attack as we built the play well only for the final third to fail

 

KDH was immense today and without him and Winks to pass and move the ball effectively we would have been battered I think

 

JJ seems to have forgotten how to play football, great shame as before his serious injuries I thought he was fantastic

 

Our defenders (esp Wout) seem to have decided to over-commit to win the ball at the moment causing huge problems when the miss and the forward is through as a result. Its becoming borderline suicidal

 

Hamza just makes too many mistakes eg running under that cross field pass late in second half !

 

Stolly - he's a great backup - how Ward got in ahead of him beggars belief

 

Genuinely thought at 2-2 with 11 vs 11 we would go on to win the game - they were rattled

 

 

 

[harpendenfox]

I'm not great at football tactics - I'm far too emotional and one eyed, but watching us yesterday and in recent weeks, I have an observation that I think is relevant.

 

My comparison hear is the 'Bazball' example in English cricket, which basically means full on attack, and it's proven very exciting over the last couple of years, but actually has come unstuck against the top nations. Many are calling for Bazball 2.0, where the ethos remains to attack, but you allow more orthodox players like Joe Root to play in the way that has bought them huge success for a decade.

 

Yesterday in particular we were torn apart defensively, and frankly it was predictable. But what would happen was reasonably obvious. Hamza (who most agree is a very limited player) moves forward when we are in possession. But the moment we lose possession he is out of position and we are defensively vulnerable. Similarly Wout loves a charge forward, but the moment he loses possession, we're massively over exposed (yesterday leading to the Doyle red card).

 

I don't think there is anything fundamentally flawed playing football the Enzo way, but we simply have to find a way of ensuring adequate cover if one of the four defenders is making a sortie up the field. Opponents aren't necessarily carving us open with their creativity. They're waiting to steal the ball from us half way inside their own half, moving it forward quickly, at which point they have an overload. QPR's first goal a classic example. A simple way to manage this would be to instruct Wout (or a replacement) to simply remain in our half at all times in open play.

 

I very much want Enzo to succeed with us. I admire him to sticking to his principles, but good leaders in all walks of life know when to swallow a bit of pride and evolve their thinking.  

[Chelmofox]

34 minutes ago, smudger63 said:

I suppose we can give the game a positive spin, by remarking how we came back from 2-0 down, that at 2-2, the game could have gone either way, but that the red card changed the game, but we showed some resilience and were only beaten by two late goals, and we gave it a go until the sending off, all true of course, all be it against a currently pretty ordinary Premier league side.

As the manager and as a player, that is what they absolutely have to do, but If you look deeper at the game though, with eyes wide open, we should have been at least 4-0 down at half time, but for the dreadfull Sterling. 

Playing the defence so high, with such a lack of pace, against their pacey forwards was only ever going to end one way, and showed that if we do go up, and are not able to bring in more pacey defenders, then unless Enzo changes (he wont) then we will be screwed before we kick a ball next season.

That, despite some very good football between the two boxes when we had the ball, (KDH take a bow, but where have you been hiding for the last few weeks), we never really created much. 

Once again, the final ball and decision making was poor, when we were on really good areas and situations.

Ultimately, we only had 5 shots in the game, and only one of those was on target, we were never going to win that game with those numbers.

So, in the cold light of day, as much as we can spin it in a positive way, the truth is, we were perhaps not quite as good as some may think we were.

For me, it wasn't about having the better stats to win the game. We were unlikely going to have more possession or shots. It was about if we could give a decent account of ourselves, and hand on heart I think that team did better at Stamford Bridge than Rodgers team did last season. In certain parts of the game i felt we did ok, and for big chunks of it you could see where we had problems. We looked no worse against them than Newcastle were on Monday. Chelsea are a basket case, and let us back into it (which they did to Newcastle as well), but just before we got to 2-2 i thought we were playing with more confidence and at times looked ok. The biggest issue was undoubtedly our defence facing pacy attackers, which Chelsea have in abundance. 

 

Regarding your last point about only having 5 shots, i need to remind you that QPR beat us 1-2 only having 3 shots in the game (2 on target). Middlesbrough beat us with 2 shots on target as well (5 shots in the game). If the sending off hadn't happened, the game 'could' have gone either way.

[rugbyblue]

12 hours ago, st albans fox said:

Momentum is a strange thing in football

we had it in the crucial period in the second half before faes went walkabout again and exposed vestergaard one on one with Jackson. 
 

id say that today showed that if we get up and can recruit cleverly, then we can have a good go at staying up playing this way.  Obviously having the same squad next season would not go very well with this style of play because the defence simply isn’t up to it. 

Cleverly played for us once before.  He was ok but he's knocking on a bit now to make a difference in the premier league 😀

[Number 6]

I know they're a "pretty average side" but a lot of that comment I think stems from how much they have spent. They're likely to finish in and around those Europa league spots and we are at least a few decent years off competing at that level again. Liverpool, Arsenal, and Man City all had to be content with a point from Stamford bridge this season.

 

I don't think it was a foregone conclusion that we would lose yesterday, but clearly we'd have needed Chelsea to be putting in one of their lesser performances for us to get a result.

[RonnieTodger]

Can’t fault the effort in the second half, but it papered over a disastrous first half.

 

If Sterling had his head screwed on, it could’ve been 5-0 at the break.