Chelsea 1 Celtic 4

[bertles86]

Observations the morning after:

1. Lavia is rusty as hell.

2. Carney and Nkunku look lively.

3. Reece is a class above. Last night was the first time we had more than one corner on the money since the days of Frank.

4. Badiashile has no business in a Chelsea shirt. He's utterly diabolical. Anton Ferdinand is better on the ball.

5. Colwill is NOT A LEFT BACK. 😬

[My Blood Is Blue]

16 minutes ago, bertles86 said:

Observations the morning after:

1. Lavia is rusty as hell.

2. Carney and Nkunku look lively.

3. Reece is a class above. Last night was the first time we had more than one corner on the money since the days of Frank.

4. Badiashile has no business in a Chelsea shirt. He's utterly diabolical. Anton Ferdinand is better on the ball.

5. Colwill is NOT A LEFT BACK. 😬

I didn’t watch it, but from what I read and seeing your list, it sounds like the main issue is at the back. I really hope they go out and sign a real top quality CB, but I don’t think they will.

[Chelsea_Matt]

17 minutes ago, bertles86 said:

Observations the morning after:

1. Lavia is rusty as hell.

2. Carney and Nkunku look lively.

3. Reece is a class above. Last night was the first time we had more than one corner on the money since the days of Frank.

4. Badiashile has no business in a Chelsea shirt. He's utterly diabolical. Anton Ferdinand is better on the ball.

5. Colwill is NOT A LEFT BACK. 😬

Let’s hope Reecey’s hamstring didn’t explode. 💥💀👀

[Holymoly]

8 hours ago, Ham said:

I think the biggest issue is that we've got players who've barely played for us/together and a new coach and philosophy.  Recipe for early disaster. 

 

Yup another intensely frustrating season incoming, followed by another sacking. Rinse and repeat.

[Rob B]

19 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

I didn’t watch it, but from what I read and seeing your list, it sounds like the main issue is at the back. I really hope they go out and sign a real top quality CB, but I don’t think they will.

I don’t think we can - certainly not until we have shifted a couple of the existing bunch. 

Currently we have Colwill, Disasi, Tosin, Badiashille, Fofana and Chalobah as senior squad members, followed by Humphries, Gilchrist and Acheampong with another youngster from South America about to sign! 

One of my biggest issues with the new regime is they seem to favour quantity over quality when it comes to signings.  And I’m sure that’s because of the commercial opportunities. 

[Mark Kelly]

4 hours ago, ROTG said:

Poch had that problem last pre-season with a brand new bag of dolly mixtures and got results.  

We are hanging our hats on players who didn't travel as an excuse.

Pochettino did well pre season.

Then he changed everything like the coward he is and it took us six months to improve .

[bertles86]

28 minutes ago, Rob B said:

I don’t think we can - certainly not until we have shifted a couple of the existing bunch. 

Currently we have Colwill, Disasi, Tosin, Badiashille, Fofana and Chalobah as senior squad members, followed by Humphries, Gilchrist and Acheampong with another youngster from South America about to sign! 

My guess is that with Cucu resting at home, Chilwell benched - the only other LB option was Levi.

Which meant Badiashile had to play as the other LCB in his back 4.

So with Cucu/Chilly at LB, Levi plays LCB and Badiashile is at home / benched. Which would be ideal.

[Original 21]

1 hour ago, Holymoly said:

Yup another intensely frustrating season incoming, followed by another sacking. Rinse and repeat.

It’s very worrying. Already, in the first two games Maresca’s tactics have looked tactically naive and easy to counter. Opposition so far just sits deep and hits us on the break.

But we have to remember he’s not working with a full strength squad. We won’t be as bad once Caicedo, Enzo and Cucurella are available. Colwill will move into central defence probably alongside Fofana. And Palmer will unlock defences that play low block.  And upfront Nkunku looks lively, 

As for whether we can sustain a credible top four challenge, that depends on a winger with an end product (shame we missed out on Olise) and a proven centre forward. 

And our best players must stay fit, as our second string, judging from the games so far, really don’t look up to much. 

 

[Mark Kelly]

[east lower]

Sky Sports did a Season 2005/06 re-run yesterday (recorded). Watching it was a bit of a conflict of feelings, what a team that was, it had everything. 

Then you see where we are today, playing the development game but still starting again every season. 

Difficult to be positive today. The cheerleaders will say ‘only pre-season’, ‘best players to return’ but then we start a mini pre-season again. I understand that mantra and in some ways subscribe but there’s no spark at all yet and you might expect signs, even this early on. There’s normally a player or two that looks as though they are right at it and perform well. Not seen that from the established players at all - worrying.

I think the first 6 games in the PL will be very difficult watches and we should prepare ourselves for this.

[Mark Kelly]

Just seen some highlights . The third and fourth goals were absolute comedy master classes.

I have to commend Sanchez for getting out of the way of the third , that could have chafed!

[east lower]

18 minutes ago, Mark Kelly said:

I have to commend Sanchez for getting out of the way of the third , that could have chafed!

It beggers belief that some think he’s ok, and better option than Petrovic. 

I’ve watched and played enough to see a good goalkeeper who puts his defenders at ease - Sanchez ain’t one of those!

Edited July 28 by east lower

[Original 21]

Just now, east lower said:

It beggers belief that some think he’s an ok, and better option than Petrovic. 

I’ve watched and played enough to see a good goalkeeper who puts his defenders at ease - Sanchez ain’t one of those!

It’s laughable that Petrovic is the one being moved on because someone at the club thinks Sanchez is a ball playing keeper. Sporting Directors are clearly annoyed that Pochettino dropped their man Sanchez because his uselessness makes them look like fools. 

[east lower]

2 minutes ago, Original 21 said:

It’s laughable that Petrovic is the one being moved on because someone at the club thinks Sanchez is a ball playing keeper. Sporting Directors are clearly annoyed that Pochettino dropped their man Sanchez because his uselessness makes them look like fools. 

You might be right, but didn’t the same lot also buy Petrovic?

Smacks to me of a bit of ‘old mates club’.

[Mark Kelly]

Bad keeper is bad shock.

[Bison]

17 minutes ago, Original 21 said:

It’s laughable that Petrovic is the one being moved on because someone at the club thinks Sanchez is a ball playing keeper. Sporting Directors are clearly annoyed that Pochettino dropped their man Sanchez because his uselessness makes them look like fools. 

Let me introduce you to Ben Roberts who was recently promoted to 'Head of Global Goalkeeping'.

Formerly of Brighton (of course) and is responsible for the signing of Robert Sanchez on a £25m, 7 year deal. 

Once you understand that there is no meritocracy at Chelsea it will make sense to you. 

[thevelourfog]

30 minutes ago, Original 21 said:

It’s laughable that Petrovic is the one being moved on because someone at the club thinks Sanchez is a ball playing keeper. Sporting Directors are clearly annoyed that Pochettino dropped their man Sanchez because his uselessness makes them look like fools. 

Petrovic is being moved on because he's sellable. That's literally all there is to it.

[Original 21]

3 hours ago, east lower said:

Difficult to be positive today.

Yep. Man City and Real Madrid next. Good thing we got the easier games out of the way first! 

[Mark Kelly]

5 minutes ago, Original 21 said:

Yep. Man City and Real Madrid next. Good thing we got the easier games out of the way first! 

I reckon we could see 10 v Madrid. 

Not players. Goals. 

[Sleeping Dave]

5 hours ago, Mark Kelly said:

Pochettino did well pre season.

Then he changed everything like the coward he is and it took us six months to improve .

To be fair he also had a few key players out for the season. Those early pre-season games were worth nothing as soon as a few of the important pieces were put long-term. 

[chara]

Morning after and absorbing other pov's...... 

An impression that the players were intent on following laid down pattern guidelines and concentrating on following instructions rather than looking for options...oversimplified but wingers constantly trying to get to the byline rather than opting for a different movement,,for example I am still not convinced that Madueke is more than a basic one trick pony and when that doesn't work he either cuts inside or does the pass back to midfield..opposition soon work that out if they don't already know and deal with him accordingly...why Mudryk even bothered to put on boots I don't know..a first half with barely functioning wing area players..plus facing a decent keeper on his game. Sterling made a difference out wide in the second half which in itself raises doubts the effectiveness of the two in the first half.

Nkunke looked committed and it's easy to see he would have made a difference last season and despite Mr. Tucker's gentle dig 😁I do like the look of "The Spanish Lad."

As for the rest can only agree with the general consensus, piss poor defending and lack of any commanding or dominant voice at the back..Sanchez showed the best and worst of his game.,,and they called David James "Calamity James",

On to the next "encounter", Just can't see how the back line will find any stability. 

Edited July 28 by chara

[johnnybozo]

12 minutes ago, chara said:

Morning after and absorbing other pov's...... 

An impression that the players were intent on following laid down pattern guidelines and concentrating on following instructions rather than looking for options...oversimplified but wingers constantly trying to get to the byline rather than opting for a different movement,,for example I am still not convinced that Madueke is more than a basic one trick pony and when that doesn't work he either cuts inside or does the pass back to midfield..opposition soon work that out if they don't already know and deal with him accordingly...why Mudryk even bothered to put on boots I don't know..a first half with barely functioning wing area players..plus facing a decent keeper on his game. Sterling made a difference out wide in the second half which in itself raises doubts the effectiveness of the two in the first half.

Nkunke looked committed and it's easy to see he would have made a difference last season and despite Mr. Tucker's gentle dig 😁I do like the look of "The Spanish Lad."

As for the rest can only agree with the general consensus, piss poor defending and lack of any commanding or dominant voice at the back..Sanchez showed the best and worst of his game.,,and they called David James "Calamity James",

On to the next "encounter", Just can't see how the back line will find any stability. 

Been calling Sanchez Calamity since the beginning of last season. Total donkey

[chara]

16 minutes ago, johnnybozo said:

Been calling Sanchez Calamity since the beginning of last season. Total donkey

One save in the first half had me on my feet..from  an old keeper's couch  it was brilliant, brave and almost WC,,,whereas later in the game wc in a different way could also be applied...no good making brilliant stops unless the basic job is more than just barely competent at best ,

IMHO.

[Original 21]

Okay, it appears we do have a plan B then… boot it long.

[Guest Alex]

10 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Haven’t watched either pre-season game and probably won’t watch any of the others either, so I can’t and won’t be able to comment much on the performances.

It’s early in pre-season, we have quite a few first team players missing and the coach hasn’t had much time to coach and implement his ideas, plus we’ve played 2 teams further into their pre-season than us, therefore I’m really not overly concerned by the results so far. That said, it’s hard to not be a little nervous when reading about a 4-1 defeat to Celtic, where it sounds like we performed really poorly, especially the defence.

Maresca and probably more the owners, can’t afford a slow start to the season because the press and sections of the fan base will be all over them. I don’t expect that to actually be the case though, the Man City opener aside, I think we’ll start fairly strong.

If this was still a sport and not a business, I would imagine following another long season and then international tournaments, the club wouldn’t be flying around the USA during pre-season and would have instead, stayed at home, allowed the manager more time on the training pitch before any friendlies and then played a few matches much closer to home. But pre-season is now seen as a money making period, where clubs can parade the players around, getting overseas fans to part with their money and the clubs hoping to gain more fans from the various locations they visit… so that they can spend money following the club in the years to come. I get it, the clubs need to generate income in as many ways as possible, I just don’t like it. I miss the sport I fell in love with.

Palmer, Gallagher and Cucurella won’t fly out to the US, which is the correct decision, but they’re going to be quite a few weeks behind the rest in terms of getting an understanding of what the new coach wants. That’s a concern.

It’s all modern football at its best (it’s not a Chelsea thing, it’s a football thing)… £££££.

Well said man. I started watched yesterday after the cricket ended and the rugby sevens. Fortunately fell asleep and was woken by one of my kids going to the loo after it was all over.