West Ham United 3 Chelsea 1

[east lower]

1 hour ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

I’m NOT pining for the past and I try to be fair but - without excusing any of his mistakes - I miss Roman more than ever.

Todd ‘n’ Eggy have put a lot of money in but it was just too much too soon and not considered enough. 

But we have no choice but to get on with it now.

I recall saying that this “process” might take years before, and maybe if we were to get back to a position where we were truly competing for a consistent top 4 spot in the PL. 

This season may well be too soon, but I’d hasten that the longer we are away from the pressures of competition that top sides thrive on to succeed and drive them on, the more that mediocrity becomes the norm. 
 

The opening game was promising, the first half was promising yesterday - but that softness that was shown all last season was also seen in both games. 
 

Start at the back, get a keeper in. It wasn’t a priority, but is now. I watched the defence closely and they don’t trust Sanchez, my guess is it’s not going to get better.

[Sciatika]

All I am looking for is a gradual game improvement. There will be setbacks, but the overall level must be going in the right direction. Of course, I hope for more but I should only expect that. We have only played two games. 

[ROTG]

2 hours ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

I’m NOT pining for the past and I try to be fair but - without excusing any of his mistakes - I miss Roman more than ever.

Todd ‘n’ Eggy have put a lot of money in but it was just too much too soon and not considered enough. 

But we have no choice but to get on with it now.

Unfortunately is a case of Todd's and maybe Eggy ego's is where the club is.

At least RA has the nouse to hire Peter Kenyon to oversee the transition for uncle ken to RA and helped mould the club, starting with giving Ranieri a season to prove his worth "dead man walking by January" and in parallel look at alternatives (JM), along with using his experience from working at a big club on recruitment matters.

TB concept last summer of being commander and chief was nothing more than comical and ultimately the club are paying the price, along with some kids philosophy which is good for future allegedly. However IMO there is a huge disconnect between kids and having a balanced team with an experienced core to win things. Not one signing  since Eggy & Todd (ET) came to power has looked like a leader.

I guess yesterday summed it all up regarding leadership when a sissy running style player (more TT wannabe player), who half on here don't want at the club was probably the only Chelsea player showing leadership qualities on the field of play

I guess on Friday’s post match day forum, Otto Rohwedder will rise like a phoenix from the flames

 

Toodles 

[Chelsea_Matt]

50 minutes ago, east lower said:

I recall saying that this “process” might take years before, and maybe if we were to get back to a position where we were truly competing for a consistent top 4 spot in the PL. 

This season may well be too soon, but I’d hasten that the longer we are away from the pressures of competition that top sides thrive on to succeed and drive them on, the more that mediocrity becomes the norm. 
 

The opening game was promising, the first half was promising yesterday - but that softness that was shown all last season was also seen in both games. 
 

Start at the back, get a keeper in. It wasn’t a priority, but is now. I watched the defence closely and they don’t trust Sanchez, my guess is it’s not going to get better.

Well let’s give Caicedo and Lavia a chance to add that steel. 

[chiswickblue]

2 minutes ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

Well let’s give Caicedo and Lavia a chance to add that steel. 

Let's also give Poch a chance to pick a coherent XI, which he hasn't had so far due to injuries and late arrivals. This is really pre-season, and we won't see the real team until after the September internationals. It's crazy having the transfer window close after three rounds of league matches, but we are where we are. Early season really favours the teams making minimal changes.

[Backbiter]

5 hours ago, Miguelito07 said:

Still dont understand why we are playing with 3 at the back? Against West Ham of all teams

According to Poch we are playing with a back 4, with Colwill at LB and Chilwell in midfield.

[Mark Kelly]

Just now, Backbiter said:

According to Poch we are playing with a back 4, with Colwill at LB and Chilwell in midfield.

Looked more like a back none to me.

[chara]

Calmer now...hardly a mention of the foul on Conor that led to the corner ?... the var offside really dodgy..or just bias on my part?.... 

Probably we as a collective have too high expectations so early in the season with what is a completely new squad...some good signs and of course some worrying signs ,,,I have a little more faith in The Poch to get things better than I ever did in GP.

Until players /tactics/formations are tested in real competition,,not preseason levels...nothing can be adjusted,there is the task as I see it.

I like Jackson strong and involved,,,, and the innovative approach that had a Chelsea player make space in the area and get a real shot on goal....perhaps it might become a new approach to confuse opposition coach/defences..or too radical?

 

[My Blood Is Blue]

I watched it in a bar in Tunisia, so I instantly left the bar and so haven't had to suffer the reaction from pundits or fans, but my take on it is that we did a lot of good yesterday, but showed a lot of naivety as well, which ultimately is what cost us. This game is one of fine margins and had Enxo converted the penalty, we probably win, had Jackson been a couple of millimetres further back he'd have been onside and won a penalty that if we convert, we win.

I'm not massively concerned yet, as this is how I expected the season to go... inconsistent results as an inexperienced team tries to gel, as long as we see progress I'll stick with them. Once Caicedo and Lavia have had time to settle, I think we'll see Poch move to a back 4, which is his preferred lineup and we'll gradually start to see improvements. We do need to start scoring though and stop getting so many bloody injuries!

[Backbiter]

56 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

Looked more like a back none to me.

West Ham's back nine works for them

[Mark Kelly]

22 minutes ago, Backbiter said:

West Ham's back nine works for them

I found it amazing once again how one man can wreak havoc against four and why four were detailed to deal with one. 

West Ham didn't need to do anything difficult to score, just the basics, all we had to do was cut out the supply to Antonio and we failed time and again to do so. 

[Chelsea_Matt]

4 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

I found it amazing once again how one man can wreak havoc against four and why four were detailed to deal with one. 

West Ham didn't need to do anything difficult to score, just the basics, all we had to do was cut out the supply to Antonio and we failed time and again to do so. 

He always scores against us. You’d think we’d have learned by now.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Chelsea_Matt

[JaneB]

7 hours ago, Mark Kelly said:

I don't think they're going to get a serious keeper , the guy they're looking at is playing in the NFL  ( seen clips he looks good but I saw the same kind of clips of Slonina who's now in Belgium for some reason ) 

Because Ben Godfrey was at Brighton with Sanchez they have put all their eggs in a Brighton shaped basket in the hope he can discover some ability. 

Do you mean Ben Roberts Mark?

[Mark Kelly]

1 minute ago, JaneB said:

Do you mean Ben Roberts Mark?

Yes that's him the Goal keeping coach. 

Chipped by Robbie in the cup final. 

[JaneB]

I can't add anything of value to all the posts on here, they've said it all.

Only afterthoughts.  When you pay £115 million for a player you shouldn't have to wait even one match for them to be at least half decent.  They should be primed, fit and ready to go.  The hype is ludicrous.

I'm sick of us buying all these players, half of whom I've never heard of, and who turn out to be bang average, if that.  I know it's early days and I'm referring to last season as much as anything, but goodness me it's really hard to look forward with any optimism.  But I'm old fashioned, the manager should be identifying the players he wants and whoever does the business side of things should be trying to get them.  End of.  I hate how things are now and that's why we are in the mess we are.  Do our 'sporting directors' have a weekly brochure to browse?  "Oh look, he's available, let's try and get him for a decent price".

And I still can't get my head around why we let Kepa go on the eve of the season starting and thought that Sanchez would be an adequate replacement (and the bar wasn't exactly high, pardon the pun).

Brighton must be rubbing their hands together and good luck to them.  They're my local team and they nearly went out of business years ago.  They've learnt the best way forward is 'do business with Chelsea'.

 

  

 

[boratsbrother]

I can't agree with those fans advocating a loan for Mudryk because I honestly don't see it would solve any of his problems.

No Premier League team would take him,  so that would mean a move to a league where the football is played at a different/ lower pace and intensity. On his return  from a loan he'd again be facing exactly the same problems which he's so far failed to cope with.

No doubt his confidence must as low as a snakes belly at the moment and he's probably going out there playing with a lot of nerves and anxiety which is resulting in him failing to do even the very basics of the game.

Imho, Poch should take him aside and tell him he'll be starting plenty of games over the next couple of months. Try and comfort him and get him to relax and not to worry about a misplaced pass or poor ball control as not everything will come off for him this moment in time. A few months of regular starts will give him enough time to start showing what he can do. If he's good enough he will produce enough to persevere with. if not, then we put him up for sale in January and take whatever we can get for him.

 

[Ham]

It was a disappointing result but Jesus, the overreaction on here 🙄

A 10/10 transfer window is all of a sudden reimagined as a disaster.

 

[JaneB]

8 minutes ago, Ham said:

It was a disappointing result but Jesus, the overreaction on here 🙄

A 10/10 transfer window is all of a sudden reimagined as a disaster.

 

But surely it depends on who the 10 coming in are?

[chara]

1 hour ago, Backbiter said:

West Ham's back nine works for them

and with one man less at the end!😁

[chara]

8 hours ago, martin1905 said:

I'm sure much has been covered but here's the point of view from someone that was at the game.

We are two games in, have a completely new team, a very young team with a new manager and have played some very good football, at times. Haven't had the rub of the green in either game, we could all quite easily be sitting here now saying how wonderful everything is after 6 points from our first two games, we arguably should be but those are the fine margins.

Going after individuals at this point is utterly pointless.

What needs to happen next, what must happen next is that Pochettino goes back to basics. It's very perplexing seeing his first two line ups, yesterday was more understandable as we were very good against Liverpool so can sort of understand the idea of continuity, but we saw none of this nonsense in pre season, which nearly everyone was happy with and lost getting pretty excited about the coming season. 

Disasi should never have been thrown in like he has. 

Colwill is not a left back.

Chilwell is not a left winger.

Jackson can never be left so isolated again. Ever.

I don't know if he's trying to be clever or he is trying to make a point but it has to stop. We saw none of this nonsense in pre season and it's difficult to accept. We could and should be sitting on 6 points and two wins from two, instead we have one point and the pressure is now well and truly on.

 

 

As ever Martin what was the reaction among the faithful?

Edited August 21, 2023 by chara

[Mark Kelly]

30 minutes ago, Ham said:

It was a disappointing result but Jesus, the overreaction on here 🙄

A 10/10 transfer window is all of a sudden reimagined as a disaster.

 

It may well be an overreaction on my part, well, it is obviously but it was the absolute shock of exactly the same outcome and turgid keep ball recycling and no managerial idea as last season with an entirely different side that did it for me. 

Poch has a lot to answer after that nonsense. 

If you can't defend set pieces and your players can't take them then you're on hiding to nothing. 

I expected more from him. 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Mark Kelly

[chara]

Mudryk...a throw back to the days when every team was greedy for a speedy winger...many were chosen and most fell by the wayside...Sir Alf got it right way back when😁

Anyone care to list the Chelsea wanna be's from way back until now!

[boratsbrother]

27 minutes ago, Ham said:

It was a disappointing result but Jesus, the overreaction on here 🙄

A 10/10 transfer window is all of a sudden reimagined as a disaster.

 

I haven't seen anyone say the transfer window has been a disaster. It'll be a good 18 months to 2 years before we'll start to see if this window has been a good or bad one. I was the last one standing on here who wanted to give Potter a lot more time, so I'm well prepared for the long haul in waiting for the young players to hopefully mature into top players and make us a top team again. However, along the way,  they do need to show they have something worth persevering with for the future. Mudryk is the one who is sadly looking completely out of his depth and needs to start showing at least some moments of quality. Nobody is worth keeping if they can't make simple 5 yard passes. He is at Bakayoko levels.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by boratsbrother

[chara]

1 hour ago, Mark Kelly said:

Yes that's him the Goal keeping coach. 

Chipped by Robbie in the cup final. 

Ah..remember it well...after an hour in an open boat to get to a bar on a different Island with the game on tv in French we missed the first 5 minutes.!..saw the replay!

[east lower]

15 minutes ago, chara said:

Anyone care to list the Chelsea wanna be's from way back until now!

I’ll start you off with a Kevin McAllistair - a Pat Nevin Lite