Chelsea (H) 28.08.21

[rudedog]

Yes. They've invested nothing. The transfer layouts are what we generate. The money they spent on buying the club they'll get back if/when they sell. The stands are loans that get repaid to the owners.

Meanwhile, we're relying on an 18 year old to play 90 against the Champions of Europe, Mane hasn't been right for a year, Firmino for nearly 2 years and Origi is still on the books while they try and get an extra million or two for him.

The squad is weak and that's on the owners. Klopp is an honorable man so I expect him to leave when his contract is up and the front three are in their 30s. FSG are coasting, they don't have the drive to push the club achieve its full potential.

What a load of twaddle, in the last 4 years under FSG we've won the champions League and EPL and came runners up in each competition. We've completed at the very top level during that time barring one dodgy 2 month spell due to a freak run of injuries.

And achieving that in a financially sustainable way, competing against bankrolled oil clubs somehow makes the owners a disgrace? I honestly don't understand how some people think.

[BobTheCharmer]

Hendo had a great chance 1st half also

One thing we did well when we won the League was raise the intensity and speed of our play when we needed a goal

Wasnt there for me 2nd half yesterday

I don't think it's realistic to expect practically the same set of players to suddenly raise their game like it's 2019 again. When has that ever happened? Peak, drop off and raise again?

[Paul12]

Chelsea have good defenders and are well-organised....I would though have liked to see a bit more evidence that we now know how to break down a team that has parked the bus. Otherwise I can see lots of games involving deep defending teams looking to get a goal on the break.

Good to see VVD, Fab, Hendo and Robbo taking sensible shots from distance but surely the key remains to get to the byeline sometimes.

Also, with Elliott in the team, TAA was noticeably playing not as wide but actually only got one shot away - and that was left footed. I wonder whether they should try playing with inverted full backs for a phase in these sorts of games; having TAA cutting in fom the left should frighten the life out of most defences.

[BigChief]

Just turning this on to Chelsea (title challengers elect apparently), why did they feel the need to sit so deep. Respect for us? Or just fear? Either way teams that don't take the gamble don't finish with 90+ points.

Say what we will about Pep, he's no chicken. He goes for the win. Klopp too wouldn't have sat so deep if TAA had been sent off at Stamford Bridge. It looks like a heroic performance but really Chelsea just looked like a team that will be happy to finish third.

[Lecter]

I don't think it's realistic to expect practically the same set of players to suddenly raise their game like it's 2019 again. When has that ever happened? Peak, drop off and raise again?

70s and 80s side did it.

Watch word then was evolution not revolution

[Saveloy]

70s and 80s side did it.

Watch word then was evolution not evolution

Which makes it all the more remarkable they conquered their incoherence to win trophies

[Lecter]

[/B]
Which makes it all the more remarkable they conquered their incoherence to win trophies

Haha typo

[Doc_Piptorious]

I don't think it's realistic to expect practically the same set of players to suddenly raise their game like it's 2019 again. When has that ever happened? Peak, drop off and raise again?

Could be argued that City did it.

Won the league in 2019, dropped off the pace a lot by their standards in 2020, and back to winning the title in 2021.


Not a like for like with us for sure, but it is a very recent example of peak, drop off and rise again.

[Saveloy]

Haha typo

It's all I've got.

I wish I had more.

[Buzzo]

Yeah loads of teams have done it. City, Chelsea, Utd.

[BobTheCharmer]

Yeah loads of teams have done it. City, Chelsea, Utd.

Nah not having that.

Sure those teams have lost the league and come back again. City did drop off dramatically the year we won it from the previous season but they won it last year being nowhere at the level of previously. They lost loads. They won at a canter due to the huge squad and the weird season. Chelsea and Utd won leagues and lost leagues and came back but their form wasn't massively different in those years. Our form (not necessarily results) and attacking threat has been on the wane for at least 18 months. I think it would be klopps biggest achievement to get this set of players to the levels we've seen before. They're older, the extra zip and energy just isn't there, maybe the hunger has gone. The formation is on the whole easy to nullify. I think the form of 2 of the 3 upfront is at about 20% the previous threat level. We need freshening up. Why don't the players swop positions anymore? Why so regimented? Play Salah central for half hour like we used to for example.

Just my take. Maybe I'm wrong and the lack of crowds has made us look worse than we are. Maybe that's a bigger influence than I've allowed for and in 10 games I'm sitting here thinking why did I write such drivel. I really hope so.

[Buzzo]

I dunno mate. That seems like you are pretty much giving examples of teams that won the league, dropped off and came back.

Who knows eh

Out form is excellent over the last (at least) 10 games. We’ve not been at our best, but we’ve been getting great results (smashing Man U at OT).

Let’s keep our powder dry after three games. Forum wise, the amount of people losing their **** over a 1-1 at home vs Chelsea doesn’t bode well for any inevitable defeat to a low ranking team through the season. We have been absolutely spoiled for a few years.

We were given (as supporters) one of the most stress free title wins in history. Pretty much done by Jan. We will never see that again. 1 draw out of 28 games or whatever the **** it was the rest all wins.

Let’s see how we supporters handle a battle.

Early signs. Not encouraging.

[SB]

Come at me, mofo

It was just an example that I thought everyone could relate to

[Fosterbloke]

I think Chelsea's performance is being over egged - they were disciplined but we lacked urgency, we should have brought Thiago on sooner and this would have been a great game for Origi's height.

[SB]

The managers resistance to subbing players gets frustrating at times hey. Once they went down to 10 men we really could have done with Thiago to unlock their packed defense.