Chelsea (H) - Match Thread

[cream]

Much better today, against the best team in the country who look like they're gonna walk the league. We just need to keep everyone fit now and get back to winning ways.

[Fredo]

They didnt need to..
Let us pass ourselves into a mistake and counter, thats all they needed to do.

I haven't seen many teams dominate possession against us all year. Teams have to adopt a defensive attitude when they play us. With a bit more luck we'd have won today.

[CanadianRed]

It'll be nice to have Coutinho play a full 90. Ideally Mane should have replaced Can (or Firmino) but I'm guessing Couts isn't fully fit. Better energy in the second half but still missing some quality.

[Irishnev]

Yer wha?! He was excellent defensively but his passing was utterly disgraceful. He'd get destroyed on here if he was in a red shirt. It's hard to put in to words just how bad 66% pass completion for a midfielder who doesn't exactly play tough passes! Hendo by contrast (by far the best midfielder on the pitch was 80% with loads of long rangers)

Agree on Hendo but for me Kante was the most effective player on the pitch, he won 16 tackles snuffing out our breaks. 66% is poor though - seemed to use the ball well to my eye!

[ame="https://twitter.com/dankennett/status/826551814464102400"]https://twitter.com/dankennett/status/826551814464102400[/ame]

Hopefully a settled side from next week on and we go on a run

[Slinky Skills]

The sooner this season is over the done with the sooner we can get rid of the likes of Lovren and Mignolet. They really are poor ****ing footballers, really bad bad players.

I think the only players who look comfortable and natural on the ball are Coutinho, Firmino and Wijnaldum, everyone else looks laboured and awkward especially in tight and challenging situations, close ball control. It needs someone or a few players who can keep the ball, push a player away at arms length or knock them off the ball with strength, we don't seem to have that.

Alonso, Mashcherano and Hamman had it but we've lacked it massively since. I noticed some excellent runs into space tonight, Can had opportunities to ping one through but didn't. Again, we lack someone with the vision and creativity to pick some out.

Aaron Ramsey or even Fabregas would do a job there. We need a decent out and out striker as well, someone lethal who can **** one in from outside of the box or as a fox in the box.

[Roboklopp]

I thought we were good tonight, we were rattled for about 20 mins after the goal, but then we were back on it. Chelsea are decent, so we weren't going to piss it, but Firmino should have scored 2.

A tricky game against a good team, we get a point and deserved all three. We played a lot better than them tonight.

We need something different in the number 9 position. We either need Origi to come good or we need to get someone in.

Im encouraged.

That's fair. Some silly mistakes though but a much improved performance. Hopefully this is a turning point (in a non-Houllier sense) & we start to pick up again as Couts, Mane & Matip bed back in. They're all big players for us.

[Fredo]

The sooner this sooner is over the done with the sooner we can get rid of the likes of Lovren and Mignolet. They really are poor ****ing footballers, really bad bad players.

I think the only fewplayers who look comfortable and natural on the ball are Coutinho, Firmino and Wijnaldum, everyone else looks laboured and awkward especially in tight and challenging situations, close ball control. It needs someone or a few players who can keep the ball, push a player away at arms length or knock them off the ball with strength, we don't seem to have that.

Alonso, Mashcherano and Hamman had it but we've lacked it massively since. I noticed some excellent runs into space tonight, Can had opportunities to ping one through but didn't. Again, we lack someone with the vision and creativity to pick some out.

Aaron Ramsey or even Fabregas would do a job there. We need a decent out and out striker as well, someone lethal who can **** one in from outside of the box or as a fox in the box.

Not sure what Lovren did wrong today. Matip was far more wasteful than him (Chelsea's goal was his fault for conceding the free kick unnecessarily). Can is not the best with the ball but he he was much improved today. Mignolet was at fault for not hearing the whistle apparently but he saved us with the penalty save.

All in all, would you agree that you're overreacting? We're 4th and a point off second place ffs.

[Chris]

Agree on Hendo but for me Kante was the most effective player on the pitch, he won 16 tackles snuffing out our breaks. 66% is poor though - seemed to use the ball well to my eye!

https://twitter.com/dankennett/statu...51814464102400

Hopefully a settled side from next week on and we go on a run

Yeah he's ridiculous defensively!

Agreed, even if City and Utd win tomorrow we are still in a great position. In the top 4. Played Utd and Chelsea twice. No Europe which was where we got above the rest earlier in the season, got to take advantage of it now. Not getting top 4 (ideally top 3) from here would be a big failure for me.

[Fredo]

As for Kante, he's a superb ball winner but bar that, I'm not sure what he does. He's not a Klopp type of player in that position. Question of footballing philosophies really. We are a passing side and they are more of a defensively minded counter attacking side.

[Roboklopp]

Err Wio, don't forget Mascherano you camel faced cunt.

[danperkins]

As for Kante, he's a superb ball winner but bar that, I'm not sure what he does. He's not a Klopp type of player in that position. Question of footballing philosophies really. We are a passing side and they are more of a defensively minded counter attacking side.

He wins everything and then immediately gives us to someone who can do something better with it. Outstanding in his position. What I wouldn't give to have someone like that in front of our **** defence.

[Fredo]

He wins everything and then immediately gives us to someone who can do something better with it. Outstanding in his position. What I wouldn't give to have someone like that in front of our **** defence.

So would you swap him for Henderson? He plays with another holding player (Matic) while we play with one.

[Maxiedge]

I don't think we'll ever have an easier game against champions elect. Much the better side but we're missing a world class player to fit in with the obvious international class

[Maxiedge]

So would you swap him for Henderson? He plays with another holding player (Matic) while we play with one.

To be honest, I didn't notice Kanye much. I more noticed the good opportunities we had that were spurred with a careless pass.

[Fredo]

To be honest, I didn't notice Kanye much. I more noticed the good opportunities we had that were spurred with a careless pass.

I noticed him in the last 10 minutes when we started tiring. Maybe it says more towards his superb fitness levels after chasing the ball for 80 minutes and he was still running.

I'd have another a technical type player to complement Henderson but he is the undisputed No. 1 in his position at the moment, unless Klop changes formation next season.