Chelsea v Arsenal - Sunday March 23, 16:00 - Stamford Bridge

[Anzac]

Title is not realistic anymore, we should make sure that we can finish second, so that we have not to play qualify rounds for the Champions League, if we may not win the Champions League,

100% focus on Champions League and all energy

surely if we focus 100% on the chaampions league we may end up 3rd or even 4th?

yep - shades of '06?????

 

[Endris]

What pisses me off is the spuds drew 4-4 with this fecking bunch and we go loosing, can you imagine the sh1t we are going to get from the spuds if we finish 3rd and with feck all.

Wasn't this the season they finished above us?

Shame that careless cup will brighten their season up after finishing in the bottom half of the league. They couldn't even get far in the knockout rounds of the mickey mouse european cup.

We've mounted a title challenge, we're still in the champions league, and we haven't spent anywhere near the amount they have.

Who the f**k are they?

You are being a bit condecending there. I wouldn't mind the Carling Cup. And we managed to win the mickey mouse european cup once in 100 years. We've got zero CL trophies so maybe it would not be too bad if we would play the MM European Cup once in a while. Which is not that easy to win in the first place.

 

[James]

You are being a bit condecending there.

This is Sp**s we're talking about.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

With Gallas and Touré we have no dominance in the air whatsover so we're always looking to get the second ball, when that doesnt happen conceding looks a big possibility. Against Drogba most defenders would struggle so can't complain too much in that respect

What I would have liked to see, however, was evidence of some kind of plan. There was no consistency as to how they wanted to go about shutting Drogba down either individually or collectively. Easier said than done obviously, but it all seemed a bit hodge-podge.

Nobody really took responsibility for him; he got the balls in the air and was also allowed to float around in the box looking for scraps.

Someone needed to put him in a heap once or twice - legally of course. :wink:

Thats the thing, there was no FIX for Drogba. I mean it didnt matter who had him, Toure or Gallas but Drogba was just handling them too easily especially Gallas. Gallas got beat so often that he stopped even challenging for those balls. What we have to realise though is we dont play a drogba week in week out so that combination at the back is still the best.

 

[kanooo]

If we didn't **** up the previous 4 matches, we wouldn't have to worry too much about this loss.

It really is dissappointing so far. We've done all the hard work all season long only to **** up in 5 consecutive games.

There's still a slim chance but it's getting slimmer each game.

 

[AnthonyG]

You're right, of course, Mbaki. Drogba's a beast and when he's on song is very hard to stop. They could have done a better job overall, but they didn't and that's done and dusted now.

It's a shame that Kolo didn't have any insider tips from their time together with the Ivory Coast.

 

[Endris]

You are being a bit condecending there.

This is Sp**s we're talking about.

I know but don't really hate Sp**s, I just don' t care about them. But that is because I don't get to go to games that much and thus I never really get the whole hate thing.
Anyway, I was more referring to the Mickey Mouse European Cup. It just always feels wrong to say something like that considering that we don't have anything to show off with on international level.

 

[Anzac]

When you've got opponents like Drog or Crouch that you can't beat in the air, then the choices are that you look to cut off the supply or challenge / secure their distribution. Today I didn't see us doing / attempting either.

 

[Mbaki Mutahaba]

You're right, of course, Mbaki. Drogba's a beast and when he's on song is very hard to stop. They could have done a better job overall, but they didn't and that's done and dusted now.

It's a shame that Kolo didn't have any insider tips from their time together with the Ivory Coast.

If he was to use those "tips" we probably would have conceded 5 penalties..as in Africa..those tactics are part of football..hence Ref never calls them

 

[banduan]

We were robbed but...

that was an horrific attacking display.

I'm not saying much more else I lose it.

 

[Biggus]

I fell asleep during the Man v LFC game, and only woke up when we scored so I missed 3/4 of the match so please take what I say in context of the last half an hour.

What is it with you Anzac? that always seems to happen. :shock: Why don't you buy a cheap hard drive recorder or VCR or catch some sleep and put your alarm on?

 

[Anzac]

I fell asleep during the Man v LFC game, and only woke up when we scored so I missed 3/4 of the match so please take what I say in context of the last half an hour.

What is it with you Anzac? that always seems to happen. :shock: Why don't you buy a cheap hard drive recorder or VCR or catch some sleep and put your alarm on?

I blame the 3 kids and the missus for keeping me up / not getting to sleep in prior to the match, and I wanted to watch both matches to compare the Top 4 performances.

I guess the mind was willing but the body unable?????

:wink:

 

[Biggus]

If we didn't f**k up the previous 4 matches, we wouldn't have to worry too much about this loss.

Exactly- If you can't beat the likes of Birmingham, Villa and Wigan, and keep out the likes of Aliadiere and Boro, Its pointless to cut ourselves up about Drogba and Chel$ki.
Those of us who said at the start of the season that the squad was too thin and (ahem) badly led, to win it had to bite our tongues as the winter transfer window closed and we led the pile. It seemed that Wenger could be proved right and we would make stars not buy them.
You could argue it two ways before- but only one way now. We need major investment in the team.
I'm being a bit premature as the season is not over and we may yet rescue something from it, And we may have a base to build on for next season. I say base because we will still be a long way off competing for the PL by adding in a few promising youngsters, which no doubt is Wenger's plan. We will need to go into the transfer market for proven replacements. A goalkeeper, winger and attacker for a start. As well as retaining our existing players even on higher wages. This will cost money, which they say we have......... And Wenger's will to be flexible about his "mission" which I'm not so sure about.

 

[Biggus]

I blame the 3 kids and the missus for keeping me up / not getting to sleep in prior to the match, and I wanted to watch both matches to compare the Top 4 performances.

I guess the mind was willing but the body unable?????

:wink:

Three kids! I've only got one and I hardly have the energy.

Heh heh you're like Arsenal.......tried to go for everything and may end up with nothing.

 

[Anzac]

F*ck I've been saying that here for a while too!!!!!
:wink:

For me I was prepared to wait until the Jan window to see how the youngsters were progressing. Those results on our northern road trip with the mixed squad told me that we lacked the quality in depth, and the capitulation in both Cup games convinced me our season was dependant upon our 1st 11 remaining fit & no fatigue. As I've said IMO as a big club with this much money (cash not borrowed), we should be able to mount a sustained challenge across all 4 comps at the same time. Under those circumstances I'm more likely to accept defeat or failure to win titles if we've given it our best shot under all the circumstances.

At the moment it feels like we're trying to do so with one hand tied behind our backs, in the hope that in 2-3 seasons time that arm will become the ultimate weapon.

And I'm still not convinced our Plan A & Plan B (if it still exists - haven't seen any evidence for a while) are compatible.

 

[Gazza Martinez]

If we didn't f**k up the previous 4 matches, we wouldn't have to worry too much about this loss.

Exactly- If you can't beat the likes of Birmingham, Villa and Wigan, and keep out the likes of Aliadiere and Boro, Its pointless to cut ourselves up about Drogba and Chel$ki.
Those of us who said at the start of the season that the squad was too thin and (ahem) badly led, to win it had to bite our tongues as the winter transfer window closed and we led the pile. It seemed that Wenger could be proved right and we would make stars not buy them.
You could argue it two ways before- but only one way now. We need major investment in the team.
I'm being a bit premature as the season is not over and we may yet rescue something from it, And we may have a base to build on for next season. I say base because we will still be a long way off competing for the PL by adding in a few promising youngsters, which no doubt is Wenger's plan. We will need to go into the transfer market for proven replacements. A goalkeeper, winger and attacker for a start. As well as retaining our existing players even on higher wages. This will cost money, which they say we have......... And Wenger's will to be flexible about his "mission" which I'm not so sure about.

At least next season we won't have to swallow the great Arsène Wenger's spin about how fantastique it is for "such a young team™" to be winning with such incredibly "limited resources™". Our average squad age isn't far off Manure's, and the board says there's money to be spent, so there can be no excuses to account for complete mental collapses like the one we've seen in the last month.

 

[Anzac]

There's a discussion of the squad age elsewhere. Some of our lads have recently had birthdays to bring the age up, and then Gallas & Jens also bring it up a bit. The reality is that we aare in real terms still a couple of years younger across the board, and that is huger in terms of football experience.

Add to this the fact that ManU have an established system of success, whereas we are still trying to bed ours down.

 

[Gazza Martinez]

But even our young players will all be experienced pros with 2-3 seasons of top flight football under their belts by next season. We need to stop perpetuating this excuse culture that Wenger has built around the team, it's not the mentality of winners.

 

[Anzac]

But even our young players will all be experienced pros with 2-3 seasons of top flight football under their belts by next season. We need to stop perpetuating this excuse culture that Wenger has built around the team, it's not the mentality of winners.

Agreed - and while they have not perhaps had 2 or 3 solid seasons as starting or bench players - IMO it would appear as if they have at least another 2 season before reaching that level!!!!

 

[DOUBLE-YOU]

i have watched the game again, it was a game perfect for an in form Gilberto (or gilberto type player). Flamini is a brilliant ball winner, but he hunts for the ball. I think the way chelsea played long balls up to drogba, we needed a defensive midfield player who sits in front of the back four to pick up scraps and make it difficult for the forward to bring the ball down and turn. Gilberto last year would have been ideal, not only for the covering but also his physical presence would be an asset.
i look at our and wonder if it is possible to win a league in this country with such a relatively small side. Senderos is the only defender with size. I say no more becasue it's too easy to nit pick when we lose.