v Chelsea (A): Post Match Thread

[Slinky Skills]

Yeah down the road we can look at that but our defence has actually got better this year, we've only conceded 3 more than the two manc clubs and 6 more than Arsenal and 4 of those were in the away game against them. Its all about goals scored in this league, goals will get you in the top 4 even when you concede 50 at the other end as we saw, get goals, get CL, get more money as a result, sort the rest later. We aren't going to out defend Chelsea over the season so we have to be different, outscore them.

We don't have the money to do both so buy the thing that will be guaranteed to improve you. Goals.

Looks like Ings is coming in so that's a start somewhat.

[G]

It's not even close to a start. If we buy one top class striker our options are the new man, Sturridge, Origi and Ings. If the new man doesn't work out or gets injured and Sturridge carry's on like he has then we'll be fielding Origi and Ings a fair bit next season. We have to buy at least 2 top class forwards this summer.

[Roboklopp]

We won't though.

[G]

@ViktorFagerLFC: Rodgers on bringing off Gerrard: "It was just to give him the acclaim on what will probably be the last time he played at Stamford Bridge."

Eh?

Absolute bonkers reason to sub him, he's away from home in a ground full of mongrels who despise him. I'd like to see it again but I watched as he got to Brendan and it looked very much like he just went past him when Brendan offered his hand and didn't even look at him.

[G]

We won't though.

I know

[danperkins]

It's not even close to a start. If we buy one top class striker our options are the new man, Sturridge, Origi and Ings. If the new man doesn't work out or gets injured and Sturridge carry's on like he has then we'll be fielding Origi and Ings a fair bit next season. We have to buy at least 2 top class forwards this summer.

Ings and Origi should be squad options only.

[Tee]

Gerrard should have stayed on and Henderson gone off. He was the one who played like he is leaving the club in a couple of matches.

[McDermotX]

@ViktorFagerLFC: Rodgers on bringing off Gerrard: "It was just to give him the acclaim on what will probably be the last time he played at Stamford Bridge."

Eh?

Absolute bonkers reason to sub him, he's away from home in a ground full of mongrels who despise him. I'd like to see it again but I watched as he got to Brendan and it looked very much like he just went past him when Brendan offered his hand and didn't even look at him.

Yeah......I know managers talk usual guff after match, but that's pretty ridiculous.
About 15mins left in the match, Gerrard didn't look majorly chuffed about it either, so it didn't look to be planned etc etc

Might have been better to say he was carrying something, or just needed the rest........or better yet, just say he was replaced for footballing reasons. Nobody believes that one Brendan.

[Leyton388]

Rodgers asked why he subbed Gerrard. (in the 79th minute) “Just purely, as I said, Stevie, he’s worked brilliantly and it was more just to give him the acclaim of probably his last time playing here at Stamford Bridge and it was a great reaction by the Chelsea supporters to him, so, he was outstanding, got his goal, and a real general he’s been for the team today."

So letting the Chavs have a chance to clap Stevie off was more important than keeping him on and gong for the win? Taking Stevie off I can live with but to take him off for Lucas when we needed a goal was baffling.

[DannyMan2006]

So letting the Chavs have a chance to clap Stevie off was more important than keeping him on and gong for the win? Taking Stevie off I can live with but to take him off for Lucas when we needed a goal was baffling.

THIS.

Ive backed Rodgers but that was crazy. I honestly think he had a mental block and didnt want to lose so we are still in with a shout.

But all hes done is put us in the same position as last year, needing to score a dozen goals to overhaul a club from Manchester.

[danperkins]

Rodgers looked a man under pressure in his interview. Should have put Lucas on and moved Stevie further up closer to goal. He's clearly a goal threat and it moves him away from the donkey work and the weak defensive side to his game. That position does absolutely nothing for him and nothing for us, can't understand why we haven't played to his strengths. It's been hard watching such a legend struggle this season being played in that position.

[fidget]

More bollocks from Rodgers.
I'd rather us have gone to 2-1-7 and get beaten 4-1 than do what he did.

[Marvel]

THIS.

Ive backed Rodgers but that was crazy. I honestly think he had a mental block and didnt want to lose so we are still in with a shout.

But all hes done is put us in the same position as last year, needing to score a dozen goals to overhaul a club from Manchester.

We needed to win and we take off the guy who is our top scorer so he could get acclaim from the crowd.

What about winning the match ?

[MrMichael]

I thought we did pretty well today after the first 20 mins or so. Decent game once it got a bit less dirty, we gave it a good go in the second half. Not a huge amount to complain about for me.

FSG need to loosen the purse strings and pay the wages the top players want. Without that we will consistently struggle to compete.

Its all well and good saying that Leyton, however you aren't explaining actually how we do so. We have the 5th highest revenue in the league and pay the 5th highest wages. They've been pretty successful so far in increasing our turnover and shown they are prepared to spend what we generate. How, in simple business terms, particularly with the limitations of FPP that do regulate spending on wages relative to turnover (and which we just only scraped through already), are we supposed to do more than that?

[Leyton388]

I thought we did pretty well today after the first 20 mins or so. Decent game once it got a bit less dirty, we gave it a good go in the second half. Not a huge amount to complain about for me.



Its all well and good saying that Leyton, however you aren't explaining actually how we do so. We have the 5th highest revenue in the league and pay the 5th highest wages. They've been pretty successful so far in increasing our turnover and shown they are prepared to spend what we generate. How, in simple business terms, particularly with the limitations of FPP that do regulate spending on wages relative to turnover (and which we just only scraped through already), are we supposed to do more than that?

TBH I'm looking forward to seeing some big earners leave the club in the summer which will no doubt free up the wage bill. Wanting us to pay bigger wages at this moment in time is more hope than expectation as i serious believe we will not be doing this until the main stand is complete.

The fact that we are still one of the richest clubs in the world despite not bein the the CL for a good few years must be credited to FSG. If you look at the Forbes rich list of clubs we are the only one in the top 10 that hasn't been in the CL on a regular basis which in itself is very impressive.

One top striker this season or even Remy and we would have been sitting in the top four comfortably now. On the whole we are where we should be in terms of revenue, wages ext but better footballing decisions last summer and we could have been further along which is the most frustrating aspect of the whole thing.