Us. Mentally. As a team.

[Guest the Dude abides]

I know I've had a go at Xabi tonight which is probably a bit unfair, admittedly. But. Us. Meantally, as a team, where are we?

 

What gets me, is when we need a result we're capable of absolutely ANYTHING. Look at how we played at the start of the second half tonight and when we needed a goal against Arsenal. Why do we only play well when we NEED to, why aren't we going out with that mentality every single game, its how United do it, how Chelsea done it under Maureen. It's only so disappointing because we all know how good we can be when we need it.

 

Anyway, have a listen to this and know we'll beat those Chavs when we have to.

 

 

 

Edited April 22, 2008 by the Dude abides

[Maldini]

We were f***ing superb tonight, Riise aside. Stupid post.

 

Did you seriously have a go at Xabi?

[Herbie von Smalls]

i think it's our mentality that has been one of the biggest steps forward this season. since the barnsley defeat leastways.

[Guest the Dude abides]

We were f***ing superb tonight, Riise aside. Stupid post.

 

Did you seriously have a go at Xabi?

 

YA. Where was he for the last 20 minutes? It's shocking to me how easily pleased our fans appear to be. Do none of ye watch any other football?

[Tyler]

i think every team is guilty of it to an extent

 

when u are chasing a goal or a game the shackles come off, play more adventurous passes, players take a risk, nothing to lose etc

 

when a goal up, ten minutes to go, tendency is to tighten up, drop off. we had them on the ropes for first half of second half and could have scored.

then we dropped back a bit, defended a bit deeper and they had more room

think alonso ran out of steam a bit at the end but was back to approaching his best for 60/65 minutes

[stressederic]

YA. Where was he for the last 20 minutes? It's shocking to me how easily pleased our fans appear to be. Do none of ye watch any other football?

 

Are you still peddling this s***?

[psl]

YA. Where was he for the last 20 minutes? It's shocking to me how easily pleased our fans appear to be. Do none of ye watch any other football?

 

You're very clearly an idiot.

[Guest the Dude abides]

Are you still peddling this s***?

 

You're very clearly an idiot.

 

Yet no-one can put forward an argument to say otherwise. I'm open to be proven wrong. But of course this isn't what my post was about.

[Guest Sabre]

If you think we lacked the mentality tonight then what do you think Chelsea fans make of their team's effort?!

[Guest the Dude abides]

i think every team is guilty of it to an extent

 

when u are chasing a goal or a game the shackles come off, play more adventurous passes, players take a risk, nothing to lose etc

 

when a goal up, ten minutes to go, tendency is to tighten up, drop off. we had them on the ropes for first half of second half and could have scored.

then we dropped back a bit, defended a bit deeper and they had more room

think alonso ran out of steam a bit at the end but was back to approaching his best for 60/65 minutes

 

Fair cop. I'd be of the opinion that Alonso has failed to reach the heights that he promised in his first season.

[psl]

Yet no-one can put forward an argument to say otherwise. I'm open to be proven wrong. But of course this isn't what my post was about.

 

Alonso played very well tonight. He was our best player. That's why you're wrong and why you're an idiot.

[Guest Sabre]

i think every team is guilty of it to an extent

 

when u are chasing a goal or a game the shackles come off, play more adventurous passes, players take a risk, nothing to lose etc

 

when a goal up, ten minutes to go, tendency is to tighten up, drop off. we had them on the ropes for first half of second half and could have scored.

then we dropped back a bit, defended a bit deeper and they had more room

think alonso ran out of steam a bit at the end but was back to approaching his best for 60/65 minutes

 

You say that we dropped off but we still created some pretty decent chances - Torres should have buried one of them. Chelsea got away with it tonight. I just hope we don't give them another chance in the return leg.

[Guest the Dude abides]

If you think we lacked the mentality tonight then what do you think Chelsea fans make of their team's effort?!

 

They were piss poor, which only highlights my point. They were there for the taking. But, we, as a TEAM, allowed them back in. They were the better team for the last 20 minutes.

[psl]

They were piss poor, which only highlights my point. They were there for the taking. But, we, as a TEAM, allowed them back in. They were the better team for the last 20 minutes.

 

Do you think that maybe the manager had instructed us to sit back and hit them on the break, knowing that they would want an away goal and that Torres had the beating of Terry all day long? Did you also perhaps notice that they failed to create any chances in this period when they were apparently the 'better team', whilst Cech saved well from Torres and Gerrard and Torres would have been through on goal had his touch not let him down?

Edited April 22, 2008 by psl

[Guest the Dude abides]

Alonso played very well tonight. He was our best player. That's why you're wrong and why you're an idiot.

 

Best player? Don't make me laugh. That was very clearly Dirk followed by Skrtel. A 40 minute performance or whatever it was does not a good performance make.

 

And does it not occur to people why Rafa appears to be making plans for life without Xabi already?

[Maldini]

They were in their arses! They were better than they had been and had a bit more of the ball, but they were still poor.

[stressederic]

1) Are we mentally weak?

 

Just the other week we were pegged back against Arsenal with 7 minutes to play, and in our next attack won the match. Compare and contrast our mental strength with that of Arsenal.

 

2) Alonso

 

He completely steadied the ship tonight for us. Got his foot on the ball, controlled the tempo in the first half, hassled the mistake out of Lampard for our goal, passed the ball around beautifully for most of the match. I didn't notice him fade out for the last 20 minutes, but the game was starting to get a bit stretched so hardly anyone was getting chance to dictate anything.

[Tyler]

they are not the team they were under mourinho. don't have the organisation, character or cohesiveness. their defence is weaker mainly because cech has lost his nerve (he came for one ball legs first when he should have dived on it)

however they do have good players - carvahlo is one of best defenders in europe, drogba is dangerous, kalou looks a player. they also have a great home record and will be difficult to beat but tonight was the first time i remember us dominating them - they looked beaten.

 

rafa confuses me sometimes in that it looked like alonso was tired but no sign of lucas, babel was doing well and was taken off and benayoun offered nothing

torres also looked shattered at the end - he was kicked around

 

freak goal at the end which is deflating but we're still in it. very much so

Edited April 22, 2008 by Tyler

[lawrie]

They were piss poor, which only highlights my point. They were there for the taking.

 

The times we've been able to say that about our opponents this season cannot be coincidental. It is surely the way we play which makes teams look poor - it's true that we should have taken more of an advantage, however, but that's football...

[Guest the Dude abides]

Do you think that maybe the manager had instructed us to sit back and hit them on the break, knowing that they would want an away goal and that Torres had the beating of Terry all day long? Did you also perhaps notice that they failed to create any chances in this period when they were the better team, whilst Cech saved well from Torres and Gerrard and Torres would have been through on goal had his touch not let him down?

 

Well, Torres, forgivably had a very poor game himself. Same with Stevie, which is when you need Xabi to step up. You only have to look at his numbers this season to see how disappointing he's been. I'm only being so critical because i know how good he can be, it's no good only doing it for 45 minutes here and there though.

 

Go back tp the CL 1st leg against Arsenal, when Xabi came off and Lucas came on we looked wat more assured. The same should have happened tonight.

[psl]

Well, Torres, forgivably had a very poor game himself. Same with Stevie, which is when you need Xabi to step up. You only have to look at his numbers this season to see how disappointing he's been. I'm only being so critical because i know how good he can be, it's no good only doing it for 45 minutes here and there though.

 

Go back tp the CL 1st leg against Arsenal, when Xabi came off and Lucas came on we looked wat more assured. The same should have happened tonight.

 

Okay, I'll indulge you. How were Chelsea the better team in the last 20 minutes?

[Tyler]

1) Are we mentally weak?

 

Just the other week we were pegged back against Arsenal with 7 minutes to play, and in our next attack won the match. Compare and contrast our mental strength with that of Arsenal.

 

2) Alonso

 

He completely steadied the ship tonight for us. Got his foot on the ball, controlled the tempo in the first half, hassled the mistake out of Lampard for our goal, passed the ball around beautifully for most of the match. I didn't notice him fade out for the last 20 minutes, but the game was starting to get a bit stretched so hardly anyone was getting chance to dictate anything.

 

 

i really think alonso was back to kind of player we remember for up to about 70th minute - i thought he tired from then on (maybe new baby is keeping him up ) and lucas might have come in

 

skrtel performance was really positive. i think a skrtel-agger partnership next year would revolutionise how we play as both can play/pick a pass but are excellent defenders

 

torres was kicked around and looked tired near the end. think he might need some support next week. play crouch to give them something to worry about. play pennant to make cole defend a bit more

[Guest the Dude abides]

1) Are we mentally weak?

 

Just the other week we were pegged back against Arsenal with 7 minutes to play, and in our next attack won the match. Compare and contrast our mental strength with that of Arsenal.

 

Thats my point, mate. When we have to, we can play some absolutely breathtaking stuff.

 

The only reason I'm so critical of Alonso is because he's the one that can make us tick, especially when Gerrard and Torres are off form.

[Guest the Dude abides]

Okay, I'll indulge you. How were Chelsea the better team in the last 20 minutes?

Don't indulge me mate. I'm not spoiling for a fight. I'm trying to look at the big picture here. They were the better team because we simply did not keep hold of the ball and allowed them to dominate us in our half. I'm not blaming Alonso exclusively, but him being our midfield "general" has to shoulder a good portion of the blame for that.

Edited April 22, 2008 by the Dude abides

[johngibo YPC]

Worth noting

Alonso covered more ground than any other player on the pitch tonight

 

and he wasn't the one who headed the ball in our net