Barca v Chelsea 2nd leg 14/03
This topic contains 109 replies, has 17 voices, and was last updated by CFC1905 6 years ago.
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March 15, 2018 at 5:40 am #1612479
Very good performance at their home no way in a million years did Barca deserve a win let alone by 3 goals. Unfortunately both Hazard and Courtious were poor though and maybe if they do go it could be a blessing in disguise particularly our keeper.
March 15, 2018 at 8:06 am #16125091. Very pleased with our approach to the game and felt that Chelsea came out of this with a lot of credit and showed that we do have players of quality who can take a game to the best
2. Individual mistakes over both legs cost us plus Barca being very clinical
3. Although we hit the woodwork 4 times over both legs the fact of the matter is that we have not been clinical enough and really that comment can be extended to the whole seasonFair play to Courtois for coming out and accepting responsibility but basically that was too late – the damage had been done. At the highest level those kind of mistakes are not acceptable so I better understand some of the calls for him to be let go
I thought Hazard started really well and felt this was going to be our night. Unfortunately he faded from the game and apart from the opportunity in the second half when he pulled the ball back into the box and no one was there – I felt he did little and again seemed to suffer in the games when he was expected to flourish
On the other hand I thought that Willian was outstanding again and over this hard 5 game period he has proven to be the main thrust of our attacks and the player most likely to score. For me, he is almost the first name on the team sheet now and is becoming more influential for us than Hazard (RDP – more ammunition for your argument which gains credibility over time…?)
Have to admit that I am fed up totally with Fabregas. He is not as instrumental as he was, he is far to slow and too quick to hold out his arm as though it is someone else’s fault when he loses the ball (2nd goal last night)
Also unhappy with Moses and last night thought he was completely wasteful going forward when he was potentially a great outlet. I really feel that Zappa deserves a decent run of games
All that being said it certainly shows that when Conte gets his tactics right we are a force and against any other opposition we would have probably fared better. Just when I wanted him out he shows me why we took to him so quick last year. Really confused as what to do next with him…? KTBFFH
March 15, 2018 at 8:21 am #1612519For all our good approach work in the cold light of day if you don’t take your chances across the tie hitting the post 4 times and make 4 crucial mistakes for all four goals you won’t beat Barnsley let alone Barcelona.
But at least we had a go the heads didn’t drop and bar the mistakes put in a performance.
March 15, 2018 at 9:12 am #1612566Makes you wonder even more why we approached the city game in such a cowardly way. If we’d played like we did last night at least we would have still had our pride. I don’t think I can forgive Conte for making us look that much of an embarrassment.
March 15, 2018 at 9:27 am #1612592I think City are far stronger than Barca. City have excellent players throughout except maybe their centre halves while Barca rely on the words best player plus a couple more only.
March 15, 2018 at 9:36 am #1612598I guess I must be the only one who thought Barcelona were beatable last night?
Not one of the big names turned up and although we did give it a go…. we came out well short against a team that is now playing on muscle memory.
Gutted to be out, gutted that it only appeared as though Willian turned up.
March 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm #1612772I missed the first goal as stewards wouldn’t let us in -saying there were too many people!! Thought we played well but gave the ball away at crucial times. From up in the gods at the back of the stand looked like we should have had a pen when we were on top during the game! Absolute disgrace when leaving the ground with Stewards batoning people indiscriminantly -stewards not police but stewards!! Since when do stewards carry batons? This is how fans from English clubs are treated at away games in europe. Disgraceful. Well done Barca i hope you get to the final against City – will be one hell of a game!
March 15, 2018 at 3:32 pm #1612834BL – would really like Conte to provide a real explanation for the negative approach to the City game when last night showed we are more than capable of giving anyone a decent game – we just do not convert our chances…? KTBFFH
March 15, 2018 at 8:34 pm #1612926CFC1905: but that what’s important. To convert our chances. We badly missed players like Costa, Drogba, Lampard, Robben, Ballack, Anelka, Malouda who were clinical in front of the goal. Hazard unfortunately isn’t too clinical. And Morata and Giroud are even worse.
March 16, 2018 at 7:39 am #1612995aindro – your preaching to the converted. I am not that bothered about going back and dredging up reasons why players like Costa left but basically even after a good start Morata is not performing as we would expect a top striker to
Regardless of what some posters say about him not being a striker the fact is that Conte bought him with that role in mind, i.e. as a direct replacement for Costa. I do not know enough about Morata’s pedigree but I do know that he did not play a full season at Real or Juve – so I ask why..? That said, I was more than pleasantly surprised with his start in England and felt that we had got ourselves a decent player who has improved many attributes of his game (IMO)
But the fact remains is that he was bought to score goals and this has not happened and so did Conte make a mistake in buying Morata for that role or is he trying to adapt a player to play how he wants but is also new to the EPL and all the problems that brings?
Giroud is just a short term fix and although not prolific he does score, he can be the target man that Conte appears to want and he will contribute knowing the EPL well
As a team, we continue to create chances and for me that is the prime role of both Hazard and Willian and any goals that they can add over a season is a welcome bonus. Apart from that we are not clinical in front of goal – end of subject and there can be little debate about that and because of that fact it seems to me that many are trying to place extra onus on Hazard to deliver the goals..?
My concern is that if we continue to want to play with a single target man then there are very few out there so to get one will be expensive. Otherwise should we consider a change of formation and potentially revert to 2 up front where I think Morata would blossom and/or would assist Michy as well
This will all come down to who will be the Chelsea manager next season…? KTBFFH
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