Chelsea post match thread

[Marky]

Any pics from the match?

[meffin]

Was great hearing the Star Sports pundits circle-jerk over Chelsea's squad and flowing game before the match for them to eat their words afterwards and suddenly come out with things like "well i was always a bit worried about chelsea"

all their team predicted chelsea wins, one even 2-0!! cock.

and before the match even started they were talking about how liverpool had come to play negative defence and hope for a draw

[lfc1394]

To be fair anyone who knows anything about football will give us huge credit for the performance. We out thought them, out fought them and out played them. They had no answer for Rafa's tactics we were simply awesome today.

[Craig_H]

Any pics from the match?

I took this video at the final whistle:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uL1aHEHa0sU

[TartanTerror]

I still find it most interesting that we see off both Manu and Chelsea sans Torres. Last year all the pundits droned on how we lived and died by his ability. . . . and we did to an extent. What is the difference between the squad that we fielded today vs last year? Riera? Dossena wasn't even in the line-up. To be fair, Keane offers something different to Torres, but certainly not better. I think the squad's understanding of Rafa's system must be the key and it makes me wonder if anymore big name signings are necessary. Not that a big signing wouldn't be nice, but another Riera type signing to provide width on the right and an upgrade at right back if Arbeloa doesn't ultimately become more consistent.

[slimbimjim]

Great write-up from The Winter.

Absolutely buzzing. This is seriously exciting and I really believe now. We have become a well-oiled machine - everyone knows their job inside out and we have swashbuckling brilliance in front of our rock solid base. Our passing is now resembling that of Benitez's Valencia - crisp, incisive and quick. I ****ing love it. Alonso is now playing like the midfield general he always threatened to be, and is like a new player for us.

That was a performance of champions today. When you're top of the league and in a title hunt every game is a Cup Final and Portsmouth is another must-win. Can't wait.

**** me Shaggy this is getting a bit spine tingling. I might even invest in a satellite subby to watch the reds on the big screen!

We are finally in a position to add one world class (funds permitting) player per season rather than a raft of shoe ins. Although I don't think we will see this as Rafa's youth system is about to step up and start producing.

I fully expect to see Nemeth come in next season and the key was waiting for the first team to start playing to Rafa's Valencia system. Putting the lad in while we weren't playing to this system would affect his football education.

Playing to a team ethos rather than being a team of individuals means players are far less likely to leave and are far more likely to exude confidence and show their true attributes. In Nemeth's case, this is ****ing exciting

[DannyMan2006]

I still find it most interesting that we see off both Manu and Chelsea sans Torres. Last year all the pundits droned on how we lived and died by his ability. . . . and we did to an extent. What is the difference between the squad that we fielded today vs last year? Riera? Dossena wasn't even in the line-up. To be fair, Keane offers something different to Torres, but certainly not better. I think the squad's understanding of Rafa's system must be the key and it makes me wonder if anymore big name signings are necessary. Not that a big signing wouldn't be nice, but another Riera type signing to provide width on the right and an upgrade at right back if Arbeloa doesn't ultimately become more consistent.

The competition for places could be having some effect. Everywhere you look players are having to perform to keep their place. Only Arbeloa is on easy street at the moment due to the injuries to Degen, maybe a fit again Degen will raise his game.

Mind, I don't think Arbeloa is as poor as some people make out.

[SB]

http://www.newsnow.co.uk/A/307673163?-11194

There was an air of predictability about the game yesterday that had me quiet and reflective long before Howard Webb's whistle brought an end to our magnificent home run. It pains me to say it, but it pained me more to see it, that Liverpool deserved their win at the Bridge, and I saw it coming a mile off. They deserve to be congratulated. It hurts but its true.

We cannot make excuses. Yes, we had half our first team out with no Joe Cole, Drogba, Essien or Ballack,no wonder they lost, they don't even know how many players in a team but our so-called strength in depth should have meant that we would have coped with injury problems, and we should note that Liverpool were without their only real threat, as Torres was out injured. Yes, Liverpool were fortunate in many respects, whilst nothing went right for us and none of the decisions went our way. It happens. Good teams make their own luck in some ways. Their goal was a hideous deflection but Lord knows we've scored enough of those in our time. Yes, their fans were absolutely vile all game (although i'm sorry to say we sunk to their level with some of our replies). Yes, they were kicking us off the park, diving, timewasting and niggling all over the place, and a stronger Ref than Webb might have done something about it, but again, we do it as well and to point the finger, no matter how unsavoury it looks to our blue-tinted eyes is probably hypocritical if we are honest with ourselves. We had all the possession and created absolutely nothing. You can point the finger at Liverpool's very negative, pack-the-middle-and-kick-Chelsea-off-the-park tactics, but you cannot say they were not brutally effective. They say being able to win ugly is a hallmark of Champions, which is something else we know a lot about, and their win at the Bridge yesterday was as ugly as it gets.

Even so, there was much to admire about Liverpool, which is certainly not something we know a lot about. Gerrard bothered to turn up against us and we were (mis)treated to a masterclass in him spraying the ball all over the park. His direct, bustling, physical style, coupled with awesome range of passing was firmly in evidence yesterday, and our own Frank Lampard was left somewhat in the shade. With Deco completely overrun and off the pace in the middle, and Mikel excellent but pinned back, Lampard was being picked off at will by Mascherano and Alonso, and we had no answers to their strength and aggression in the middle. Frank was never allowed to settle, and starved of service, Anelka was completely marked out of the game and nullified utterly by the excellent Jamie Carragher and Daniel Agger partnership. Anelka could scarcely have had a more impotent game, whilst Kalou in particular was dominated physically and had a game which he, and we, will want to forget. Malouda tried hard but could not cope with the raw power and aggression of the massed ranks of red and spent most of his time on the half-way line with two red-shirted players closing him down. With very limited resources on the bench as a result of our injury plague Scolari had little chance to change the game, and although the introduction of the popular Belletti improved our ball-retention if nothing else, we still looked toothless going forward and never really threatened.

It seems strange to say we miss a player who does not even play for us, but we missed Robinho yesterday. Not getting him may prove to be our downfall this season, and if that doesn't, then you strongly suspect the Drogba injury could do. If we finish the season empty-handed, one of those factors will be a major reason why. It is far from time to start panicking though. Personally, I still think we are in a great position. The papers are full of phrases like "psychological blow" and "wait is over" and as far as I am concerned, let them talk. Liverpool got a major win yesterday but people are talking like we are out of the title race and Liverpool celebrated yesterday as if they had just won it. We are three points off the lead with almost half our team out injured, and having been beaten just once this season so far. Liverpool will fancy themselves and that suits us. If they can go take points off us they can take them off Arsenal and Man United as well, so we cannot complain. They are still some way behind us in terms of strength in depth, and are still conceding too many silly goals to be really convincing. Fine player though Gerrard is, he cannot win a title on his own, and an injury to him would be absolutely catastrophic for them. We know all too well that title wins are not won at the grounds of your title rivals so much as winning week in week out at places like West Ham, Spurs, Villa, Everton, Man City and Newcastle. I still do not think they are good enough consistently to seriously finish above United and ourselves come the end of season reckoning. Yes, it was a huge win for them. They played excellently, and we were awful. Minus a host of top players, all of whom we missed badly yesterday, they played out of their skins and did us. The run was bound to come to an end sooner or later and I think we all knew deep down that it would be them to do it. We should have no fear about going to Anfield and winning there, as we are easily capable of doing, will square things up. I am not worried, put it that way.

I know many of you will be expecting a torrent of anti-Liverpool bile and an article laden with heavy doom and gloom prophecies, but although I am gutted about the game yesterday it is the end of our home record that I am devastated about. The actual result in the scheme of the Premiership run of things means little at this stage of the season, no matter what the Scousers or the pro-Scouser press may say. Make no mistake, they are closer and getting closer all the time, but they aren't there yet. One home defeat does not a season destroy, and we are bang in the running still. Six points against Hull and Sunderland will help, but a slip up in either of those games will be more costly than yesterday in my view. Onwards and upwards I guess.

Carefree!!



Happy to read that I am

[slimbimjim]

What a bitter cunt. Negative tactics my arse. We defended well and attacked even better.

Admittedly their missing players did affect their performance but they have an excellent team without them.

**** off.

[Mike]

He is so bitter, why cant he see what Hanson sees ffs.

The reason Bright is never on MOTD, well... He has just shown us why.

[Joe King]

Enjoy

http://www.redcafe.net/f7/their-year-222952/

[Joe King]

Rushy on SSN now

[Joe King]

Rushie wasn't as boring as he usually is. When asked whether Torres is better than Rush, Rush jokingly replied: 'He has a long way to go.' He went on to say, 'Torres has everything, I wish he scores a lot of goals, as much as I have scored. If Torres scores as many goals as I did, it means Liverpool will win trophies'

[Skillz]

That'l do, pig, that'l do.

Sorted!

[Marky]

Rushie wasn't as boring as he usually is. When asked whether Torres is better than Rush, Rush jokingly replied: 'He has a long way to go.' He went on to say, 'Torres has everything, I wish he scores a lot of goals, as much as I have scored. If Torres scores as many goals as I did, it means Liverpool will win trophies'

what a guy.
Rush, Thommo and Hansen are Liverpool men through and through. You can tell when they're talking about us on the telly.