Chelsea 4 Preston North End 0

[Dwmh]

1 hour ago, east lower said:

That was absolute trash!

Possibly as bad as I’ve seen all season - not even an ounce of desire, never mind quality.

Broja shouldn’t touch a blade of grass in a game any more. Don’t care if he’s supposed to be our only forward. Play without one, it’d be better.

22 minutes ago, Proud-Blue said:

4-0 final score

Much improved second half.

Yes H1 was trash, and No H2 was not much improved.  The difference was some great finishes and  a complete collapse by PNE.  Bringing on a 35 yo striker and 18 yo defender probably did not help.

I find nothing in this game to suggest we have improved in the slightest.  We just stuck in a few chances against a poor team.
We put out a really strong team.  Worrying.

It took 60 mins to overrun a mid table championship team.   One thing to be up for Middlesborough.  Anyone feel confident about our next 2 PL games?

2 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Luton were, to be fair, never really a threat.

I think people are kidding themselves that this was temporarily a PL opponent.  They aren't.  Nor were Luton or Sheff U last season and almost certainly not next season either.

34 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

I just checked this and it actually said 

"it is impossible for an attacking player to be offside from a corner" 

The ball was crossed, Silva headed it, it was impossible for him to be offside. 

So, the question has to be " what the fucking hell were they playing at, other than looking for ways to cheat Chelsea again" 

Well yes - clearly Silva could not have been offside.  So they must have been checking if any of the Chelsea players between Silva and the keeper were interfering with play.  There were a couple, possibly offside, but checking if they were interfering is part of the job.

 

 

[Ham]

9 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Luton were, to be fair, never really a threat. The risk was more from us not converting a chance and having a replay more than being knocked out today.

 

Objection. Relevance?

😉

[Mark Kelly]

4 minutes ago, Dwmh said:

Yes H1 was trash, and No H2 was not much improved.  The difference was some great finishes and  a complete collapse by PNE.  Bringing on a 35 yo striker and 18 yo defender probably did not help.

I find nothing in this game to suggest we have improved in the slightest.  We just stuck in a few 

Well yes - clearly Silva could not have been offside.  So they must have been checking if any of the Chelsea players between Silva and the keeper were interfering with play.  There were a couple, possibly offside, but checking if they were interfering is part of the job.

 

 

They're all onside when the corner is taken, the ball is immediately headed in so it's surely moot if anyone was in the way otherwise every single corner taken in football where someone scores without anyone else touching it would then be subject to a check and I cannot recall a single other instance of that happening. 

[paulw66]

Standard cup game against lower league opponents 

They expend a heap of energy trying to stay in it. Run out of gas, mistakes occur. Game becomes easy. 

[Dwmh]

Just now, Mark Kelly said:

They're all onside when the corner is taken, the ball is immediately headed in so it's surely moot if anyone was in the way otherwise every single corner taken in football where someone scores without anyone else touching it would then be subject to a check and I cannot recall a single other instance of that happening. 

Pretty sure every single goal from a corner gets checked for 10 secs or so.  This one was no longer.

[Bison]

First journo to actually see the situation for what it is. Took them long enough. 

[paulw66]

12 minutes ago, Dwmh said:

Yes H1 was trash, and No H2 was not much improved.  The difference was some great finishes and  a complete collapse by PNE.  Bringing on a 35 yo striker and 18 yo defender probably did not help.

I find nothing in this game to suggest we have improved in the slightest.  We just stuck in a few chances against a poor team.
We put out a really strong team.  Worrying.

It took 60 mins to overrun a mid table championship team.   One thing to be up for Middlesborough.  Anyone feel confident about our next 2 PL games?

I think people are kidding themselves that this was temporarily a PL opponent.  They aren't.  Nor were Luton or Sheff U last season and almost certainly not next season either.

Well yes - clearly Silva could not have been offside.  So they must have been checking if any of the Chelsea players between Silva and the keeper were interfering with play.  There were a couple, possibly offside, but checking if they were interfering is part of the job.

 

 

There was no Chelsea player in between Silva and the GK. 

Was absolute nonsense 

[Dwmh]

8 minutes ago, paulw66 said:

There was no Chelsea player in between Silva and the GK. 

Was absolute nonsense 

Watch Caicedo.  Stands in front of the keeper, even gets pushed by the keeper ahead of the corner and walks back across him afterwards.  And certainly in an offside positon next to the keeper.
Demands 10 secs of checking before the goal is given.
That is all they take - 10 secs.  Perfectly reasonable.

 

Edited January 6 by Dwmh

[Ham]

3 minutes ago, Dwmh said:

Watch Caicedo.  Stands in front of the keeper, even gets pushed by the keeper ahead of the corner and walks back across him afterwards.  And certainly in an offside positon next to the keeper.
Demands 10 secs of checking before the goal is given.
That is all they take - 10 secs.  Perfectly reasonable.

 

I have never ever seen a direct headed goal from a corner ruled out for offside and there are ALWAYS players in front of the keeper.  

[Dwmh]

1 minute ago, Ham said:

I have never ever seen a direct headed goal from a corner ruled out for offside and there are ALWAYS players in front of the keeper.  

So you have never seen a directly headed goal from a corner overturned because of a player in front of the keeper?
I'm sure I have loads of times.  And mostly that is an offside decision, not a foul on the keeper decision.

[Miguelito07]

20 minutes ago, Bison said:

First journo to actually see the situation for what it is. Took them long enough. 

To be fair - Craig Burley on ESPN has been saying the exact same thing  since Hoddle put him as a sub in the FA cup final in 1994

[Floyd25]

24 minutes ago, Bison said:

First journo to actually see the situation for what it is. Took them long enough. 

To be fair he’s a PSG fan who hates Poch because of his time with them, so he’s not particularly objective. 

Edited January 6 by Floyd25

[Bison]

1 minute ago, Floyd25 said:

To be fair he’s a PSG fan who hates Poch because of his time with them, so he’s not particularly objective. 

Ehh, if anything that just gives him a better insight into how bad Poch is nowadays. Meanwhile the English journos still think it's 2017. 

[chrisb]

At work so only managed to watch the second half.

I’ll take full credit for that win.

You’re all very welcome.

[My Blood Is Blue]

51 minutes ago, Ham said:

Objection. Relevance?

😉

I’m going to blame the cocktail of drugs I’m still having to take!

[My Blood Is Blue]

It’s another win, so I’m happy, we’re into the next round of the FA Cup, so im happy.

First half was poor, second half went as you’d expect this kind of match to go.

Its job done, move on. 

Results are coming, that’s the real positive (yes, weaker opponents, but look at some of the teams we’ve lost to over the last 2 years!), next is the performances, hopefully.

[Alex]

Only half-watched thanks to kids and cooking, increasingly impressed with Gusto. It will soon be problematic when James gets fit again, as he's starting to show he shouldn't be second-fiddle to anyone. If only Cucarella turned out the same.

Gallagher's typically turning into a really top player, frustratingly/typically at the time contract is coming up for renewal. 

We're definitely better than last season and I personally see a lot of progress, at least we're in with a good shout in the big games these days, when last season we lost them all, or drew to Liverpool.

I'm always surprised at the level of opprobrium to Poch on here.

[Mark Kelly]

39 minutes ago, Ham said:

I have never ever seen a direct headed goal from a corner ruled out for offside and there are ALWAYS players in front of the keeper.  

Thank you. Exactly what I said earlier. 

[My Blood Is Blue]

19 minutes ago, Alex said:

Only half-watched thanks to kids and cooking, increasingly impressed with Gusto. It will soon be problematic when James gets fit again, as he's starting to show he shouldn't be second-fiddle to anyone. If only Cucarella turned out the same.

Gallagher's typically turning into a really top player, frustratingly/typically at the time contract is coming up for renewal. 

We're definitely better than last season and I personally see a lot of progress, at least we're in with a good shout in the big games these days, when last season we lost them all, or drew to Liverpool.

I'm always surprised at the level of opprobrium to Poch on here.

Yep, really like the look of Gusto, I think he could well end up being one of the better signings as let’s face it James is never staying fit and I think you’re right, at some point, it could become a decision to make for someone.

[Miguelito07]

7 minutes ago, Alex said:

Only half-watched thanks to kids and cooking, increasingly impressed with Gusto. It will soon be problematic when James gets fit again, as he's starting to show he shouldn't be second-fiddle to anyone. 

Agreed! Also to note, Gusto is only 20 and his first season in the PL. 

Unfortunately I do not share your optimism on James. I dont think he will have much to offer sadly. 

[Alex]

1 hour ago, Miguelito07 said:

Agreed! Also to note, Gusto is only 20 and his first season in the PL. 

Unfortunately I do not share your optimism on James. I dont think he will have much to offer sadly. 

I'm not optimistic at all about James, he's among the best when fit, which is very seldom these days. I'm for seeing difficulties in big games, when he is, over who should start.

[Original 21]

Well I hope that goal improves Broja’s confidence because Jackson is away and Nkunku is injured, so that leaves him as our only striker. Maybe others will trust him a bit more too as they seemed reluctant to pass to him or put in crosses.  Not that he was much good at finding space. 

As for the game, thought it was a dire, lazy first half. A more serious opposition would’ve made us pay. You can get away with it against lower league clubs but expected more tbh. Think the Carabao cup is still our most likely route to Europe so hope we’re more up for it against Middlesbrough.  

 

Edited January 6 by Original 21

[jasonb]

Mudryk was key in this, his battling to keep possession and feed Gusto sets up the first.

After that a poor Broja no longer looked a shadow and was unlucky not to get another.

We gave Alfie a run out and left Gallagher out for most of it.

Palmer was the only one I thought looked like doing something in the first half yet in the end we had four different scorers which must give us confidence going into the semis against Boro.

I watched some of Boro and would not say they are good yet are defensive minded and keep a good shape. 

 

 

 

[Sabrina F.]

About Julien Laurens - he is indeed a big PSG fan, and PSG fans didn't like Pochettino. They also didn't like Tuchel so I don't think it says much. Since I happen to listen to Laurens on French radio, he also hated Tuchel at the end at PSG and was skeptical of him at Chelsea, but obviously, Tuchel had immediately changed things at the club and suddenly, Tuchel's reputation as an elite tactician was not only redeemed but enhanced.

Managers at PSG are a bit like managers now at Chelsea at the moment. I find it hard to blame them for squad building issues. For example, in Pochettino's first full season at PSG, he had one of the oldest squads in Europe, an attacking line of not just stars, but Hollywood stars - none of them were going to or could press. They changed managers and it was a debacle. Luis Enrique is there this season and they changed most of the squad too this time, and it's been stylistically and tactically better but they barely escaped a CL group that was much better on paper than on the pitch. 

Maybe the difference is that Luis Enrique straight up would not play players they bought this summer for 50-100M. Gonçalo Ramos, benched. Kolo Muani, sub. Ugarte (who Chelsea was going to buy through buying a stake at Sporting), benched. 

Pochettino is more of a company man and does not do that. He gives chances to players and rarely does he ostracize them. It's probably why Chelsea went for him - hard to find coaches with his respectable CV, willing to embark on such a project, full of uncertainties and volatility. Last summer was madness, the amount of players out, the amount of players in but late or very young to replace someone very experienced and so on. Nagelsmann didn't want any of it, Luis Enrique would rather coach Mbappe, unsurprisingly. 

So that's Pochettino's crime I guess. I still find it very hard to blame him when I took a look at the squad fielded against PNE.

Anyways, strange but anecdotal game. Never felt under the threat of a Bradford like fiasco, but an extremely poor first half. You can almost feel the emotional ebbs and flows of this side - often I don't feel like it's quite like a team, more of a strange experiment; and this game felt like that. Gilchrist and Broja, young players with a long way to go, Enzo and Caicedo who could play at many elite clubs but they don't have quite the influence they ought to be, Palmer & Mudryk, two former wunderkinds with such different trajectories. It's such a weird mix.

Then we start slow, and doubt starts to creep in, there's a flash of brilliance here and there, the crowd is quiet, but we score a goal and you can tell these guys do not play free, you see how relieved everyone is, it's not the reaction of an elite side who's patient and knew a goal was coming all along. You see it when Broja celebrates. A bit relief and a relief of a goal saving a bit of an embarrassing performance, and you know everyone knows.

Sterling on the left and Madueke on the right feels like the best winger combination right now, Gallagher's cameo was remarkable.  Enzo has high highs but low lows. Caicedo is such an intelligent player on the ball, it is so impressive the passes he picks, they are always in the right tempo of the game.

Palmer feels very early-KDB to me. Disappears from games, doesn't influence them enough but his final ball is insanely good. I go back to the U21 Euros. Palmer was not as active and electric as Madueke, every time I thought "he's not playing well" he would pop up at the right time and place for a goal, he'd make an excellent cross or delivery. He's got the X factor, and now we need him to turn into a well-rounded player like KDB developed at Wolfsburg. 

I was expecting Preston to be a bit better. They're 14th but only 4 points off 7th place. This year's Championship is very competitive and has genuine PL sized clubs like Leicester and Southampton at the top - compared to this year's promoted sides : Burnley, Luton & Sheffield United, statistically I believe the worst bottom 3 in PL history (Everton, with the penalty, might just need 30pts to stay up), so I imagine a Luton would be more in the 6th-12t positions of this year's Championship.

But Preston had no juice.

Middlesborough is a far more serious team, so a far better test of the recent boost of form, results-wise at least.

Happy Colwill gets to captain a win, one of many I believe.

[Ham]

3 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

I’m going to blame the cocktail of drugs I’m still having to take!

Hope all is ok.