Cech didn't have much to do couldn't be at fault for first 2 really but third was poor being beaten at the near post. Defenders nowhere to be seen either. You could see how much we missed the composure of Matic in midfield with both Luiz and Ramires always jumping into challenges.
First half (after the first 5-10 minutes) I thought we played really well. We were closing them down and intercepting passes all the time. Unlucky to not take the lead through Hazard's shot that hit the post.
In comparison the second half we looked like we'd played a game the day before we had no legs and nobody was putting pressure on the ball. Whereas every time we had the ball we had nowhere to turn with them on our backs.
Second leg will be interesting and we are by no means out of it. We're very much hanging on by the thread though!
Game Review
posted on 3/4/14
Not giving him abuse Toby - it's not disrespectful to say he made a mistake.
No matter how well Lavazzi took his chance, if the keeper stands tall (especially a 6', 5" one) he is tall enough to make contact with a ball that's going over his head and low enough to go under the bar!
posted on 3/4/14
Cech should have done better even for the second goal and he was being indecisive from set-pieces which ultimately led to second goal with Luiz the comedy king of defending and Cech making a basic error for the third goal!
posted on 3/4/14
BrummieBlue first goal was unstoppable and second mistake was not a big mistake but a mistake but the third was a schoolboy error.Cech also made the same mistake against West Brom with both Luiz and him at fault for that late goal in 88th minute!
posted on 3/4/14
How is it unstoppable if it goes right over his head?
posted on 3/4/14
Brummie it could be stopped but that would have been a worldclass save.The shot was hit with pace and from close range!
posted on 3/4/14
Do we have at least one player who can shoot and score a screamer from distance these days? We used to have Lampard, Ballack... ffs I even remember Bosingwa scoring one. Alex was another but the idiot AVB let him go for peanuts while he was at his prime. It was painful watching him play against us.
posted on 3/4/14
And of course we had Didier. How the fock are we supposed to open up teams who are defending deep with all men behind ball if we don't have a single attacking player who can do this?
Also do we have even one attacking player who can score a desisive header if we are forced to hoof the ball at the final minutes of a game? Well, I guess Lukaku would have been able to provide the latter at least.
posted on 3/4/14
There is know way cech is to blame for the first goal, he had a poor game, but he didn't have enough time to react. You seem to be forgetting reaction time
posted on 3/4/14
* no way
posted on 3/4/14
I'm not sure if he could really have saved the first goal, but it also seemed strange to me that he went with the wrong hand. He should definitely have done better with the 3rd goal though.