Match Ratings vs Chelsea

[Bus-Conductor]

To be fair BC, the hand ball is significant even if Dawson was starting to look a little jaded.

My point was, I'm not sure Damien would have conducted such a thorough autopsy had that have been Gallas. It would have just been a mistake compounded by a slow reaction.

Still, it's what you'd expect from a Sun reader I guess.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

Gomes made a couple of great saves, and redeemed the giving away of the penalty. However, his indecisiveness since getting sent off in Milan continues and I'm beginning to question his place in the side for the first time. He was also awful on the equaliser.

Hutton was superb, tackling hard in defence, sweeping well and driving us forward. Not the greatest end product but is generally a top right back at present.

Dawson had a great comeback game barring losing out to Drogba for the equaliser. However, he should have not made that mistake.

Bassong had a good first half bur Drogba bullied the hell out of him in the second half.

Ekotto was a touch too casual at times, but some of his ability under pressure to turn defence into attack is truly amazing and he played some beautiful passes.

Lennon started on fire but faded and I'm
Not sure I saw him in the last half hour.

Palacios had a great game and made mincemeat out of Essien all day long.

Modric was superb for the most part but his batteries went flat when giving away that needless throw in and so he was just as culpable for conceding the penalty as Gomes.

Bale wasn't at his best and he still beat his man several times, but I'm getting worried about the kicks he's taking. Why don't refs punish this? He's going to get a broken leg.

Defoe played fairly well, was hard working and involved while running the channels, and it was a good pass for Pavs goal.

Pavlyuchenko scored a beauty, worked hard, but was often let down by his touch. However, considering he's the only forward we have scoring with any regularity, he need to keep starting at present.

Crouch coming on made sense because of all the set pieces severer conceding, bur man did our attack go flat.

Keane came on and seemed to play defensive midfield. Not sure if that was his or Harry's idea, but it confused the fuck out of me.

Sandro was most certainly our best player!

 

[StartingPrice]

My argument is simple. We weren't very effective in the final third because neither of our 2 strikers provided a good link to our midfield. With our strikers increasingly isolated it was difficult for us to retain possession. Modric is an attacking midfielder and suffered most from our flawed tactics. Therefore I thought Modric was disappointing because he wasn't able to do what he does best, which is to link play between the midfield and our goal scorers. He did well defensively and worked very hard, but that is not his game.

I am surprised that anyone would consider him for MOM, as I thought Ekotto, Dawson and Palacios and possibly Bassong were our strongest performers.

We were on the back foot for much of the second half and failed to capitalise on a number of good counter-attacking opportunities. Not surprisingly we miss VDV, Huddlestone and Jenas. Modric wasn't helped by us playing Defoe and Pavluychenko together. I don't like the combination of these 2 and hope we don't play them together again.

But I think you are confusing issues.

VDV being missing and Redknapp not utilising Modric to play that role is an unfortunate abscence, and a tactical decision, respectively. Neither of whic are either Modders' fault, or dictating that he can't have had a good game within the role he was given.

I think, within the role he was given, as part of a two-man midfield, playing against a three of Chelsea - and them very good players - his play was good.

 

[SoulDog]

Frustrated we did not win the game to be honest as I thought we outplayed them for periods of the game. It was end to end stuff yet again and Chelsea never really looked liked scoring, they passed it around quite well in midfield at times and I thought Malouda caused us some problems in the first half.

I thought Harry could of brought sandro on a bit earlier and brought crouch on and gone one upfront. To be fair it was probally a fair enough result in the end as I never expected Drogba to miss a penatly!!!

Shame we did not get the three points as I thought we could of won the game but in the end a fair result. Also would like to say I thought Paulo Ferreira done a very good job on Bale. I thought he was going to be slow and Bale could do him easy but he defended very well against him.

Gomes-5 not his best of games, should of done better for the goal and silly penatly. Still my fav keeper.

Hutton-7.5 good game today, defended well and got forward well.

dawson-6.5 actually thought he played better today, he actually didnt just hoof it everytimehe got theball, he looked to pass the bal and pass it simple, I prefer to see that. Maybe could of done better for the goal?? But done ok today I thought.

Bassong -6.5 also done some good things. Done ok .

Ekotto-8 actually thought it was one of his best Ive seen him for us. defended really well, some crucial tackles. Good game.

lennon-6.5 looked lively in parts but never really got going, again they was doubling up on him, he done some good things tho. Still wanted a little bit more if you know what I mean

palacois-8 good game today, some crucial tackles, didnt stop.

Modric- 8 played well.

bale-6.5 done some good things but they defened well. doubled up on him could not get going.

defoe-5 poor again, nothing? cant hold it up hardly.

Pav-6.5 have to say thought he played well first half, actually held it up better than he normally does, looked lively and what a great goal, great little touch to set the goal up. Shame he is not a smarter player, if he was a bit smarter I think he could be a really good player, he is just a bit clumsy and does not think.


Shame we did not see Sandro a bit earlier or even Santos as he was on the bench, maybe would of gave us somthing different. I think we played quite well today and it was a ok performance. We made some good moves in parts and there were so many NEARLY moments when we could of won the game.

 

[Bulletspur]

I hate Assou Ekotto but y'day he was awesome, best I've ever seen him play. There was just the one moment that he hesitated in the box but he cleared it eventually. Talk about Nitpicking, lighten up!

Bassong also played very well, as did Dawson on his comeback.

Hutton, hmmm .... poor going forward, some good challenges but very rash at times.

Palacios was very good, 1st time he's played well in a good year or so.

I thought Bale, Lennon, Modric, Defoe and Pava were all quiet.

Gomes, fantastic one moment, Paul Robinson the next. Let's face it, excellent shop stopper in general but way too indecisive at crosses. He's been very worrying this season ... I'd be gk shopping in the summer.

Redknapp - shocking 2nd half tactics. We got overrun in midfield. So he took our only pacey outlet upfront (Defoe) off and brought on the sloth Crouch. This allowed the chelscum defence to push further forward. If he was intent on bringing off Defoe, he should've brought on another midfielder. Keane was a poor decision too, bring on giovani/sandro/bentley but not someone that the chelsea defence will eat for breakfast. You have redeemed yourself in my eyes as this I do agree with!

I think we could and should have won the game but poor 2nd half decisions - players/management didn't allow us to maintain the 1st half performance.

Bassong

I think that a draw is a fair result, given the possession that they had.

 

[Damian99]

My point was, I'm not sure Damien would have conducted such a thorough autopsy had that have been Gallas. It would have just been a mistake compounded by a slow reaction.

Still, it's what you'd expect from a Sun reader I guess.

No had it been Gallas or Kaboul i doubt you would have mentioned it and if you can seriously sit there and suggest that the fact the ball deflected off drogba's arm and that doesn't massively affect that passage of play, then you area bigger simpleton than i thought.

Anyone with a working brain cell can deduce if it doesn't hit Drogba's arm(as he certainly can't get a head on it at that point) Then the flight of the ball continues onto Dawson, irrespective of where he heads it to after that.
:stupid:

 

[Wiener]

But I think you are confusing issues.

VDV being missing and Redknapp not utilising Modric to play that role is an unfortunate abscence, and a tactical decision, respectively. Neither of whic are either Modders' fault, or dictating that he can't have had a good game within the role he was given.

I think, within the role he was given, as part of a two-man midfield, playing against a three of Chelsea - and them very good players - his play was good.

I am sorry you find it confusing.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

No had it been Gallas or Kaboul i doubt you would have mentioned it and if you can seriously sit there and suggest that the fact the ball deflected off drogba's arm and that doesn't massively affect that passage of play, then you area bigger simpleton than i thought.

Anyone with a working brain cell can deduce if it doesn't hit Drogba's arm(as he certainly can't get a head on it at that point) Then the flight of the ball continues onto Dawson, irrespective of where he heads it to after that.
:stupid:

Don't panic Damian, no one is pointing the finger at Dawson in a big way, he isn't the first CB to get bullied by Drogba and won't be the last, I don't blame Dawson, or even Gomes for us losing. If we are going to play playground football against a team like Chelsea we are asking for exactly what we got.

 

[pjspur1961]

Gomes - 5 - Made a couple of good save, especailly the pen. But at fault for the goal & giving the pen away, reckless!!

Hutton - 7 - Made some wonderful tackles, kept Kalou & Anelka quiet.

Bassong - 7 - Didn't put a foot wrong, won pretty much everything.

Dawson - 7 - Good to have him back, was solid. 1 little slip to let Drogba get past him, sadly it resulted in a goal. All action stuff!!

Benny - 8 - M.o.t.M. - Lively as ever, was always available for the ball, useful with the ball, some wicked challenges!!

Lennon - 6 - Looked good on the ball at times, decision making was poor.

Palacios - 7 - Wobderful 1st half, went off the boil a bit in the 2nd half. Solid in the middle of the park, a few sray passes, but that's Willy!!

Modric - 7 - Clever player, read the game well, bought soem needed calm into the rush & anic of the game.

Bale - 6 - Not his best game, don't think the horror tackle from Essien helped much. Was marked out of the game.

Defoe - 6 - Set up Pavs goal, one chance that he should have got on target stretched their defence, but it never really fell for him.

Pav - 7 - Great touch & strike for the goal, that's the quality of Pav. Apart from that, bad control and offered little.



Crouch - 6 - Came on, no effect.
Keane - 5 - Didn't point & shout as much as usual
Sandro - N/A - Not fair to mark, but made a couple of key tackles in the centre

 

[StartingPrice]

I am sorry you find it confusing.

I wasn't being funny with you...but if you want to play it that way, I am sorry you have now been confused by the difference between you being confused and me explaining to you why you were confused.

I don't like to play the 'everyone agrees with me card' but almost everyone does, within the role he was asked to play he had a very good game.

You may believe (and I have no problem with that) that he could have been deployed more effectively, but it doesn't alter the fact that he didn't decide what role he was going to play, and within the limits of the role he was asked to play he had a good game:-|

 

[Damian99]

I don't blame Dawson, or even Gomes for us losing.

Were you knocking one out over palacios when the full time whistle went bud?

It was 1-1.

 

[Wiener]

I wasn't being funny with you...but if you want to play it that way, I am sorry you have now been confused by the difference between you being confused and me explaining to you why you were confused.

Very funny indeed!

I don't like to play the 'everyone agrees with me card' but almost everyone does, within the role he was asked to play he had a very good game.

You say you don't like to play that card, yet you do. As far as I can see it's the only recognisable argument you have in trying to educate me, and it's a rather weak one at that. The only thing I found confusing was your rambling explanation for why you thought Modric had a good game.

You may believe (and I have no problem with that) that he could have been deployed more effectively, but it doesn't alter the fact that he didn't decide what role he was going to play, and within the limits of the role he was asked to play he had a good game:-|

All I said was that I thought Modric had a disappointing game and I couldn't understand why so many people considered him a potential MOM, when there were a number of others players, namely Ekotto, Palacios, Dawson and Bassong who I thought had much better games.

I am interested in other people's opinions. I am not so interested in getting involved in some petty discussion with someone who rashly jumps to conclusions and then tries to stifle discussion by claiming to be in the right on the basis that the majority agrees with him.

Any clearer now or are you still confused? And please don't try to be funny.

 

[Bus-Conductor]

Were you knocking one out over palacios when the full time whistle went bud?

It was 1-1.

No, but now I know we didn't loose I might.

 

[jamesc0le]

banana skin alert!

 

[Bulletspur]

Gomes 5 - At fault for the goal and the penalty. Good save from the penalty but that hardly compensates for conceding it in the first place. Made a few good saves but they were ones keepers would expect to make. Couple of dodgy moments on crosses. I'm sorry but he cost us 2 points yesterday and almost cost us all 3. Not the same keeper as last season.

Gomes made a couple of great saves, and redeemed the giving away of the penalty. However, his indecisiveness since getting sent off in Milan continues and I'm beginning to question his place in the side for the first time. He was also awful on the equaliser.

I think that both of you are being too harsh. He had more good moments rather than bad. Palacious save comes to mind. How can you in all honestly think he caused us the game? Beleive all you want but Chelsea werent bad opponents had the majority of the play and we were only in it because of our defence which included Gomes plus BAE, Palacious and Modric amongst others.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I didn't say he cost us the game, I said he is continuing to display indecisiveness, something I've noticed ever since Guisseppe Meazza, and that he was awful on the goal, and that I am beginning to question his place in the side. I didn't say 'drop him, drop him now', I didn't say he is responsible for us not winning, just that he made a huge error, and that he is indecisive and has been for a while, which he is and has, and thus I do not think his place in the side is without question, especially when his competition for the jersey actually played very well the last couple of times he was called upon.

 

[Damian99]

I didn't say he cost us the game, I said he is continuing to display indecisiveness, something I've noticed ever since Guisseppe Meazza, and that he was awful on the goal, and that I am beginning to question his place in the side. I didn't say 'drop him, drop him now', I didn't say he is responsible for us not winning, just that he made a huge error, and that he is indecisive and has been for a while, which he is and has, and thus I do not think his place in the side is without question, especially when his competition for the jersey actually played very well the last couple of times he was called upon.

He did fuck up badly for the first goal, clumsy more than anything else for the penalty but showed great mentality in then making a good save. But as bad as he may have been?? He would be in my team every single day of the week ahead of CC, just my opinion of course.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I'd ordinarily agree, but I just think he's on really poor form. I know we're an open team etc, but when you concede every game it can't just be the defence, there is surely reason to take a closer look at the man behind them

 

[Damian99]

I'd ordinarily agree, but I just think he's on really poor form. I know we're an open team etc, but when you concede every game it can't just be the defence, there is surely reason to take a closer look at the man behind them

Indeed, although im not sure just how many can be attributed to Gomes. Collectively as a defensive unit we haven't been solid enough. There have been some outstanding individual performances but on the whole players have made costly errors.

I still feel more confident seeing him between the sticks than anyone else though.

 

[StartingPrice]

Very funny indeed!



You say you don't like to play that card, yet you do. As far as I can see it's the only recognisable argument you have in trying to educate me, and it's a rather weak one at that. The only thing I found confusing was your rambling explanation for why you thought Modric had a good game.



All I said was that I thought Modric had a disappointing game and I couldn't understand why so many people considered him a potential MOM, when there were a number of others players, namely Ekotto, Palacios, Dawson and Bassong who I thought had much better games.

I am interested in other people's opinions. I am not so interested in getting involved in some petty discussion with someone who rashly jumps to conclusions and then tries to stifle discussion by claiming to be in the right on the basis that the majority agrees with him.

Any clearer now or are you still confused? And please don't try to be funny.

The comment about not liking to use the 'majority' argument was about the generic. Sometimes it is apt. On this occasion it is apt. If you really can't see that he had a good game doing what he did do, because you were fixated on what you imagine he should have been doing, I really do feel that someone should point out that almost everyone who actually watched the game felt that he had a good game. In this case it was pertinent to do so.

I have no interest (and, indeed, no need) to stifle discussion - I think that is something that exists in your head.

I didn't rashly jump to any conclusions. You said you thought Modric had a disappointing game, when I personally thought he had a very good game. You gave a reason for your opinion - which seems a bit back-to-front. I explained why. Again, the fact that the majority of people who watched what he did seem to agree with my assessment of his performance, as opposed to watching the game with an eye to visualising things he could have done if he had been played in a completely different role and position, does make me feel that that is exazctly what it is - a back-to-front opinion.

I agree with the 'other' potential MOMs - just happen to believe that Modric also had a good game, and genuinely cannot imagine how anyone who watched the game to see anything different.

I thought my explanation as to why I thought he had a good game and you had confused issues was well-expressed - I've read it agian, and still do, and I am quite happy to back my judgement. If you have a problem with it...:shrug:

I haven't been confused for one second. How can me explaining to you were you have got confused signify that I am confused? You said he had a disappointing game. I assimilated that fully. You gave an explanation as to why you thought he had a disappointing game. I assimilated that fully. I still don't think your explanation makes any sense - and I was genuinely perplexed, not trying to be 'difficult' with you.

Sometimes people try to 'be funny' to alleviate any tension that builds up.

So, in short I am confused because it is perfectly logic to claim that Modric had a disappointing game because he might have played better in a position you believe he should have started.

Okay.