***Chelsea v City Match Thread***

[zuricity]

If he had already committed for the header, I wouldn't be criticising him. He hadn't
. Hart said 'keeper' twice from close range before Nastasic headed the ball.

He had time to react but bottled it.

And you , not at the game clearly heard him twice.... ? Ok.... i'll really stop now and ignore what you write.

[blues2win]

The title winning defence had De Jong and Barry in front of them which made it much easier for them. That meant we were often ponderous and slow going forward however. A lot of posters myself included complained about that and wanted us to play more attractively. Today was the first match when Pellegrini played with one up front and an extra man in midfield. Unfortunately the extra man was Garcia rather than Milner. I'm not sure why. Still we had more possession, more shots and more shots on target than Chelsea playing away against possibly our main rivals for the title. Not bad.

Incidentally who was the defender who nearly saved the day on the second goal? He forced Torres to play a delicate chip which unfortunately he did. Still he did make a heroic attempt to stop the goal and deserves credit.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

So that's just the 9 points Head&Shoulders has cost us so far this season. Shocking.

[Breks]

Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham need to start dropping points soon or we won't be title contenders at all. I still think we will win it but admittedly i'm slightly less confident than i was.

[Beefymcfc]

One thing can be said is that Hart does not trust Nastasic. If he did he wouldn't have tried to do it all himself.

Who was it when the last one went very wrong?

You're right beefy, that Hart appears not to trust defenders is worrying. Is it the back line or Joe that is the problem?

I think it's probably 2 fold mate. Joe thinking he has to take matters in his own hands because he can't trust the back 4 which is a consequence of an unsettled back line.

[Sideshow Bob]

For the record I thought silva should have come off rather than Nasri. Nasri was playing well and looked the more likely to score or create something imo.

[zuricity]

For the record I thought silva should have come off rather than Nasri. Nasri was playing well and looked the more likely to score or create something imo.

I thought so too !

[City64]

If a keeper comes out of his 18 yard area HE CANNOT HANDLE THE BALL ! Hart SHOUL:D HAVE stayed in his area to cover ALL eventualities and maybe even pick the fucking ball up!!! he fucked up yet again BIG STYLE !!!!

[sheblue]

If a keeper comes out of his 18 yard area HE CANNOT HANDLE THE BALL ! Hart SHOUL:D HAVE stayed in his area to cover ALL eventualities and maybe even pick the fucking ball up!!! he fucked up yet again BIG STYLE !!!!

He should have taken Torres out of it and taken the card.

[gmercer1]

He should have taken Torres out of it and taken the card.

yes because a red card would have given Panti a run in the side to

[clawbaggio]

Hart could see the whole pitch in front of him and should've seen what was happening. No need for him to come racing out (nor in the Villa game).
It should have been a simple head back by Nasti.
Having said that, Nasti then looked and saw him but still headed back to the goal instead of sideways.
Absolute fuck up all round.
Don't know how I restrained myself from kicking the door in. So pissed off. We should never have lost that game.
Lost to our main rivals. That could have cost us the title

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Strange game wasn't it. For a while in the first half nothing was happening and we looked calm composed even if not very threatening.

As we were away from home no big deal but then we started to let Chelsea think they were good.Twice we let simple, hopeful balls get behind us for Cahill and then Torres to miss golden chances.They weren't really clever Chelsea play but more naive defending from us as we switched off.

Then they scored with a mixture of weak defending.Clichy allows himself to be beaten too easily,nobody was doubling up to help him and then I was baffled by Nastacic who seemed to be cutting Torres off from the most dangerous ball across and inside the 6 yard box.He seemed to be there and at the last minute decided not to block the most dangerous ball but anticipated the pull back. Weird and he got that wrong didn't he!

Than we had the brilliant Torres strike on the bar.So we were fortunate to be only one down.Then in the 2nd half we dominated and all Chelsea had as " attacking" of any note was gifted to them as free kicks in dangerous positions and ( partly down to more poor defending) they did look dangerous at times.We looked very good and made the overall "fair" result as a draw.Till the disaster.

Overall we played well ,with silly defending lapses, and it was good that Pellegrini had adapted his approach to a game like this.

[Twobob]

Our whole back line and keeper have been fucked this season (and maybe a run off from last season) none of them, Hart included, seems to know what the other is doing - they are not working as a team and thats evidenced by the fuck up between Nasti and Hart. Individuals will cock up but a defensive unit covers for those - that just isnt happening. When VK plays we look better but even then we're not solid.

[DoomMerchant]

Strange game wasn't it. For a while in the first half nothing was happening and we looked calm composed even if not very threatening.

As we were away from home no big deal but then we started to let Chelsea think they were good.Twice we let simple, hopeful balls get behind us for Cahill and then Torres to miss golden chances.They weren't really clever Chelsea play but more naive defending from us as we switched off.

Then they scored with a mixture of weak defending.Clichy allows himself to be beaten too easily,nobody was doubling up to help him and then I was baffled by Nastacic who seemed to be cutting Torres off from the most dangerous ball across and inside the 6 yard box.He seemed to be there and at the last minute decided not to block the most dangerous ball but anticipated the pull back. Weird and he got that wrong didn't he!

Than we had the brilliant Torres strike on the bar.So we were fortunate to be only one down.Then in the 2nd half we dominated and all Chelsea had as " attacking" of any note was gifted to them as free kicks in dangerous positions and ( partly down to more poor defending) they did look dangerous at times.We looked very good and made the overall "fair" result as a draw.Till the disaster.

Overall we played well ,with silly defending lapses, and it was good that Pellegrini had adapted his approach to a game like this.

probably the best, most dispassionate and measured post i've seen yet that sums up my feelings.

We'll live to fight another day i suppose. There were some positives to be had wrt Silva, Kun, and actually as shit as Garcia seems at times he did break up some shit here and there upon a rewatch (since i'm a glutton for punishment it seems)....

Hart should have been nowhere near that ball or the fray. Shameful that Lescott couldn't have played today. We'd have won imho.

Clichy needs to be rested....forever. Never imagined that i'd come to love Aleks but i feel like as tho i just might love him the hard wacky cunt.

All in all...we had a gameplan that should have gotten a job done. Which seemed unlikely when i fretfully looked at that lineup.
cheers

[Ted Hughes]

If he had already committed for the header, I wouldn't be criticising him. He hadn't
. Hart said 'keeper' twice from close range before Nastasic headed the ball.

He had time to react but bottled it.

And you , not at the game clearly heard him twice.... ? Ok.... i'll really stop now and ignore what you write.

No, you stupid fucking unobservant smartarsed twat.

They have such a thing as slomo replays in modern football tv coverage, & they showed a replay where Nastasic is clearly facing toward his own goal, with the ball in the air, & Hart running directly towards him you can clearly see him shouting 'keeper!' twice, before Nastasic headed it over the top of him.

OF COURSE I'm not basing it on what I've heard, you fucking moron.

[Ted Hughes]

Strange game wasn't it. For a while in the first half nothing was happening and we looked calm composed even if not very threatening.

As we were away from home no big deal but then we started to let Chelsea think they were good.Twice we let simple, hopeful balls get behind us for Cahill and then Torres to miss golden chances.They weren't really clever Chelsea play but more naive defending from us as we switched off.

Then they scored with a mixture of weak defending.Clichy allows himself to be beaten too easily,nobody was doubling up to help him and then I was baffled by Nastacic who seemed to be cutting Torres off from the most dangerous ball across and inside the 6 yard box.He seemed to be there and at the last minute decided not to block the most dangerous ball but anticipated the pull back. Weird and he got that wrong didn't he!

Than we had the brilliant Torres strike on the bar.So we were fortunate to be only one down.Then in the 2nd half we dominated and all Chelsea had as " attacking" of any note was gifted to them as free kicks in dangerous positions and ( partly down to more poor defending) they did look dangerous at times.We looked very good and made the overall "fair" result as a draw.Till the disaster.

Overall we played well ,with silly defending lapses, and it was good that Pellegrini had adapted his approach to a game like this.

probably the best, most dispassionate and measured post i've seen yet that sums up my feelings.

We'll live to fight another day i suppose. There were some positives to be had wrt Silva, Kun, and actually as shit as Garcia seems at times he did break up some shit here and there upon a rewatch (since i'm a glutton for punishment it seems)....

Hart should have been nowhere near that ball or the fray. Shameful that Lescott couldn't have played today. We'd have won imho.

Clichy needs to be rested....forever. Never imagined that i'd come to love Aleks but i feel like as tho i just might love him the hard wacky cunt.

All in all...we had a gameplan that should have gotten a job done. Which seemed unlikely when i fretfully looked at that lineup.
cheers

Clichy turned into this player at Arsenal.

He was once fantastic for them, then became this. Then he was fantastic for us, & became this. Worries me that the pattern is repeating & we may have seen the best of him.

Agree with both posts apart from loving Kolarov, but he has improved for sure.

Imo we now need a left back as well as a centre back.

[dick dastardley]

We won the league with kompany and lescott why change a winning cb pairing???

[Sister of fu]

We won the league with kompany and lescott why change a winning cb pairing???

This^^^^^

They were superb, everyone knew what everyone was doing then some dick thinks I know let's change it. What I want my defenders to do first and foremost is to defend, it seems now in this day and age that that's not the important bit, it's can he play from the back? What's the point of playing from the back if he can't get the basics of defending right and we keep conceding goals. How many is that this season so far?? I'm not a big fan of Nasty, far to laid back for me. Bring back lescott and get Kompany fit or our season will be over by jan. Oh and I would also call Real and enquiry about their sub goalie.

[zuricity]

No, you stupid fucking unobservant smartarsed twat.

They have such a thing as slomo replays in modern football tv coverage, & they showed a replay where Nastasic is clearly facing toward his own goal, with the ball in the air, & Hart running directly towards him you can clearly see him shouting 'keeper!' twice, before Nastasic headed it over the top of him.

OF COURSE I'm not basing it on what I've heard, you fucking moron.

How can you expect anyone to take you seriously when you rant and tirade like this? No one has been offensive with you , but you think it ok to be abusive! Again , i have had to read passed what you write on this forum just because of this child like approach you take to other forum members.

From now on i most certainly will be skipping over anything you write.

[Goaters 103]

Another day, and more points needlessly pissed away by nonsensical defending that Mickey Mouse would cringe at.

Have said it before this season, will say it again. We are a Cup side this year, nothing more. A classic "on our day" team, meaning we can literally beat just about anyone on any day but also lose to anyone as well.

Three times the manager has come out and said "the way we lost is incredible" as at Cardiff, Villa and now Chelsea.

Well Manuel, fookin sort it out by picking the team on merit and sitting down some of the players who are causing it.