The losses to Corinthians, Atletico, or West Ham can be rationalized in ways that offer a bit of post-disappointment consolation, but a PL game against QPR at home is a match that we should not lose - this was an abject, pitiful result. Aside from the fact that we've thrown away three points that were practically ours, we've helped this Quite Positively Relegated team move a step away from relegation.
Perhaps somebody didn't send Rafa the memo that all PL games have to be taken seriously, and that only so much experimentation with the lineup can be permitted without considerably increasing the chances of sacrificing the desired result. We put out a Carling Cup squad for a PL game. The Aston Villa result may have gone to Rafa's head.
Some lessons that can be drawn:
-Bertrand is not an adequate replacement for Cole.
-Luiz' weaknesses can be as costly in midfield as in defense.
-Torres still has an invisibility cloak.
-Oscar still has quite a long way to go to realize his potential. Without Hazard and Mata around, he appears a bit lost, and is not nearly as dangerous.
-We are very reliant on Cech (I don't blame Turnbull for the goal, but I suspect Cech's superior sense of positioning would've at least given him a chance at saving it).
As a side note - it would have been great if we had gotten Redknapp instead of Benitez.
Chelsea's worst result of the season?
posted on 3/1/13
How can you try to put Rafa in a positive light by using the fact that the team had "25 shots" when none of them came close to be goal scoring opportunities, kid.
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Not once have I put him in a positive light. Just removing him from the depths of hell where you lot have him, kid.
posted on 3/1/13
"Not once have I put him in a positive light. Just removing him from the depths of hell where you lot have him, kid.
"
Oh so you just pull up the fact we had "25 shots" for no reason then? Not to say... try and make the performance look great and make him immune to criticism, perhaps kid?
posted on 3/1/13
The 'fahkt' is igraft, benitez won at stamford bridge and old trafford in 08 09 and still lost the prem. Sir alex has won umpteen prems. To cut this short I think in the long run these managers are accountable for what happens on the pitch. Dropping juan mata was obviously the worst choice to make fixture pile up or not, the next two matches are cup games.
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" I think in the long run these managers are accountable"
There's your problem though, he's been at Chelsea for weeks and has inherited a team half way through a season where he has signed no players.
Fergie's initial team took years to build and then every so often his sides would enter a slow transitional period where the current generation would be bled through and so starts the cycle again.
It's exactly the same at Arsenal except Le' Arsene has royally messed it up with his purchases.
And your next 3 fixtures are...
Southampton - FA
Swansea - LC
Stoke (A) - Prem
Surely you would play Mata in the FA Cup, rest him for the League Cup and then he'd be fine for the important fixture a few days later... This would also help other players in the team with fixtures as they wouldn't need to cover for him 2 matches in a row.
posted on 3/1/13
Oh so you just pull up the fact we had "25 shots" for no reason then? Not to say... try and make the performance look great and make him immune to criticism, perhaps kid?
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If that's how you want to interpret it then by all means do so.
posted on 3/1/13
"If that's how you want to interpret it then by all means do so. "
So why did you bring up the number of shots? For a laugh?
posted on 3/1/13
So why did you bring up the number of shots? For a laugh?
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'Cause it was a relevant point that you have obviously missed. Don't worry though, like that Wengers guy said, you can't win them all wee man can you?
posted on 3/1/13
What that "25 shots" from nearer the halfway line than the goal reflect "squandered chances"?
posted on 3/1/13
They reflect the fact that the players themselves decided to shoot from the halfway line, not Rafa.
posted on 3/1/13
Sorry but, all I can picture now is Ivanovic picking up the ball around the half way line and Rafa jumping out of his seat scream "SHOOOOOOT" at him.
posted on 3/1/13
irrespective of the side Rafa put out....we should never be troubled by games like this....Utd wouldn't
feckin disgrace