Chelsea game: revisionism

[mendesstormer]

I only got to see a very intermittent stream on Saturday, so sat down to watch the first half properly this morning. A couple of points:1 we didn't dominate the first half anywhere near as much as was suggested (by Spurs fans and neutrals). The goal came pretty much against the run of play with our first effort on Cech's goal. Chelsea created more chances than us. We dominated brief periods and otherwise it was nip and tuck. 2 I can't see where all the praise for Dembele comes from unless he had a blinding second half. First half best performances were clearly Townsend and Paulinho (to a lesser extent Lloris and Siggurdson). Overall impression: pretty pleased with that half against a good Chelsea side, but certainly not an outstanding performance.

 

[TaoistMonkey]

1st off we controlled the game in the first half. Our offside trap was perfection and seeing as it was against one of the best teams in the prem we held them very well.

2nd Dembele had a blinding second half. He ran at them and tried to create. If he wasn't on the pitch it may have been difficult to keep them in their own half.

 

[markieboy]

I really couldn't fathom why AVB decided to take Townsend off................stupid decision.
He was easily our biggest threat in the first half and Chelsea were frightened of him.

 

[mendesstormer]

1st off we controlled the game in the first half. Our offside trap was perfection and seeing as it was against one of the best teams in the prem we held them very well.

2nd Dembele had a blinding second half. He ran at them and tried to create. If he wasn't on the pitch it may have been difficult to keep them in their own half.

We really didn't control the game in the first half. That's what lots of observers claimed, but it's simply not true. It was really 50-50, and if anything they were ahead on chances created. Take your word for it re Dembele's 2nd half performance.

 

[stevenqoz]

The first half saw both teams play pretty cagey football but we scored a good team goal. Townsend goes hard and tires....no biggie with a squad like ours. If you get a chance to see the second half do so. For me it was Dembele's most effective game for us in a while and this as most observors say in a half where Chelsea really stepped up. He hasn't seemed 100% fit in quite a while but ran and maintained possession well in a half where the rest of our midfield where quiet.

 

[jimmy-jojo]

I really couldn't fathom why AVB decided to take Townsend off................stupid decision.
He was easily our biggest threat in the first half and Chelsea were frightened of him.

Because he was knackered.

 

[Misfit]

We had the upper hand for the first 30 minutes. At times we controlled it, others not. We were never under the kosh though. After that they really started to get a foothold in the game and began to win the midfield battle. When Mata came on at HT, it wasn't even close. The first time all season we've been walked through right down the middle.

I say sacrifice a litte creativity and have 3 big bastards in the middle against the top teams. Do that to get control of the middle and then Eriksen or Holtby on the left and Lamela on the right and hope that they can create something for themselves or Soldado. Also, if Pauli is one of the middle 3 he'll get forward too so not exactly waving the white flag.

What is really the root problem right now is the lack of attacking width - or at least effective attacking width - provided by our FBs. We need Walker and Rose to really start clicking tbh. Get crosses in of some worth. Occupy the opposing FB to stretch the defence as much as possible, esecially when team sit back. We're very bunt and predictable most of the time without those outlets out wide.

 

[Tottenham_God]

Fuck Chelsea

 

[markieboy]

Because he was knackered.

Aye probably knackered waiting for someone to pass the ball to him.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

Do we need a whole new thread about this? I'm sure there are plenty other threads you can give your views of the game on.

 

[jambreck]

I only got to see a very intermittent stream on Saturday, so sat down to watch the first half properly this morning. A couple of points:1 we didn't dominate the first half anywhere near as much as was suggested (by Spurs fans and neutrals). The goal came pretty much against the run of play with our first effort on Cech's goal. Chelsea created more chances than us. We dominated brief periods and otherwise it was nip and tuck. 2 I can't see where all the praise for Dembele comes from unless he had a blinding second half. First half best performances were clearly Townsend and Paulinho (to a lesser extent Lloris and Siggurdson). Overall impression: pretty pleased with that half against a good Chelsea side, but certainly not an outstanding performance.

Chelsea had as much possession as us but created very few chances of note in the first half. We were pretty comfortable at the back. By contrast, Chelsea looked shaky. We scored one excellent goal, hit the post and had a number of other close calls. No question that we took the honours in the first half.

That said, Chelsea took the second half honours by a greater margin.

Dembele was comfortably our best player in the second half. Looked to be back to his old self.

 

[jambreck]

We really didn't control the game in the first half. That's what lots of observers claimed, but it's simply not true. It was really 50-50, and if anything they were ahead on chances created. Take your word for it re Dembele's 2nd half performance.

They certainly weren't ahead on chances. Neither in terms of quality nor quantity.

They did, though, just shade possession.

 

[Nocando]

I really couldn't fathom why AVB decided to take Townsend off................stupid decision.
He was easily our biggest threat in the first half and Chelsea were frightened of him.

Yet there were plenty questionning whether townsend and sig should even have started. Dammed if you do.

 

[StartingPrice]

Is there revisionism?
Wasn't there a first half stat showing that we had more shots than Chelsea?
And what I remember is a clear cut chance for the goal, a clear cut chance for Paulinho when he hit the post, and a clear cut chance where Ivanovic had to make a last ditch challenge - the type of last ditch challenge that could easily have led to an OG. That is just off the top of my head. I can't remember any really clear cut chances for Chelsea in the first half. Besides, I don't know where you are getting the Spurs fans and neutrals from - Mourinho and just about everyone connected with Cheslea, including fans, have been forthright in saying we had the better of the first half. This is the first timeI have heard anyone, Spurs, neutral or Chelsea, refuting that.

As for Dembélé, it is rare for everyone to agree on a player - that's your opinion, I guess. I thought he had a decent game.

 

[Lighty64]

I really couldn't fathom why AVB decided to take Townsend off................stupid decision.
He was easily our biggest threat in the first half and Chelsea were frightened of him.

the only thing I could think of was both he and Eriksen who also got subbed had both been booked, and the 2nd half the game got a bit fiery. though AvB might of taken them off to save 1 clumsy mistake equalling a red.

 

[Shea]

In my opinion we controlled the first half - we were the dominant force and Chelsea were rattled

1-0 I think flattered them and it could have been 3-0 and should have been 2-0 (Pauliho could have slotted Solado in for the open goal rather than hitting the post from a tight angle)

Second half I think was very even apart from a period where we had something to protect and they piled on the pressure. Mata and Torres made the difference and they exploited our lack of pace in Dawson and positional awareness in Naughton to get behind us several times

Generally though Lloris did what he does best and shut them out with his sweeping duties well

To be fair during their period of dominance they really should have gone ahead but I think over all in the game we were the better team and Chelsea fans are (from my experience) more happy with the point than we are.

After Torres was sent of we should have won the game - Defoe had a woeful effort role into Cech's hand from close range and Sig was very unlucky not to double his tally.

I think we dominated the first half and Chelsea were better in the second - at least they were the more dangerous in the second but I also believe the game as a 90min entity a draw is probably about right although if one or the other team were to win it should have been us

I know a lot of Chelsea fans living in West London as I do and they're typically very dismissive of Spurs and arrogant of their dominance over us but everyone of them I have spoken to about the match have agreed we battered them first half and aside from moaning about Vertonghen and Torres' red card I am yet to hear one suggest they were the better team and should have won (all have been happy with a point and see it as a good away draw)

 

[chinaman]

I only got to see a very intermittent stream on Saturday, so sat down to watch the first half properly this morning. A couple of points:1 we didn't dominate the first half anywhere near as much as was suggested (by Spurs fans and neutrals). The goal came pretty much against the run of play with our first effort on Cech's goal. Chelsea created more chances than us. We dominated brief periods and otherwise it was nip and tuck. 2 I can't see where all the praise for Dembele comes from unless he had a blinding second half. First half best performances were clearly Townsend and Paulinho (to a lesser extent Lloris and Siggurdson). Overall impression: pretty pleased with that half against a good Chelsea side, but certainly not an outstanding performance.

Like you I was quite bewildered by the comments about Dembele. On at least 3 occasions, possibly more, he lost possession of the ball through over-dribbling; and as always, they were dribbles across the pitch rather than going forward. And I just lost count of the occasions that he preferred to dribble rather than a quick pass thus allowing the Chelscum defenders time to re-group.

 

[JimmyG2]

[quote="mendesstormer, post: 3639852, member: 3386"A couple of points:1 we didn't dominate the first half anywhere near as much as was suggested (by Spurs fans and neutrals).

This means that although we as fans exaggerated our dominance
nevertheless we did in fact dominate.

 

[mendesstormer]

Chelsea had a good John Terry header (just wide) and a powerful shot from Oscar (I think), plus several good low crosses which somebody could have got on to. We had three chances (as detailed above), but Cech never had a save to make in the first half. Chelsea briefly looked rattled after the goal went in, but rallied well soon after. I would think we edged the possession in the first half but I haven't seen any stats.

 

[mendesstormer]

Do we need a whole new thread about this? I'm sure there are plenty other threads you can give your views of the game on.

Guess you could bugger off to one of them then .