The Official Chelsea Thread [Vol 3]
Discussion
Well all in all that was a rather entertaining game.
1st half quite bonkers. But very clear what Sarri is trying to do..... & when it worked great to watch.
2nd half more measured, but Arsenal really didn't have a sniff. Also good to see Sarri able to change things around
Few other observations.....
...Pedro really seemed to enjoy it, looked really sharp & worked hard.
...Morata great to see him take a good goal....but he cannot play with his back to goal.
...Barkley looked half-way decent
...Kepe ... clearly needs time. hard to judge as he had no protection in those bad 15mins before half time.
...Jorginho & Kovacic look class
...Hazard.... looked up for it, doesn't always but came on & bossed the show.
No title this year, but could be a fun season & more importantly I get the impression the flair players are enjoying it too..
1st half quite bonkers. But very clear what Sarri is trying to do..... & when it worked great to watch.
2nd half more measured, but Arsenal really didn't have a sniff. Also good to see Sarri able to change things around
Few other observations.....
...Pedro really seemed to enjoy it, looked really sharp & worked hard.
...Morata great to see him take a good goal....but he cannot play with his back to goal.
...Barkley looked half-way decent
...Kepe ... clearly needs time. hard to judge as he had no protection in those bad 15mins before half time.
...Jorginho & Kovacic look class
...Hazard.... looked up for it, doesn't always but came on & bossed the show.
No title this year, but could be a fun season & more importantly I get the impression the flair players are enjoying it too..
If that was work in progress then I'm quietly impressed. Jorginho was forever on the ball in front of the centre backs and always was an option for whoever had the ball, he will definitely be pulling the strings this season which he probably did for Sarri at Napoli. Kovacic also looked really good and I'm sure he will start ahead of Barkley. When Hazard came on we were really looking the part again, just need to sort out the centre back situation, David Luiz will always be a liability when there isn't 2 others to cover him when he goes walkabout .
As Sarri said before KO on Saturday, he's only had all his players back for 10 days.
So, although not massively convincing in 2nd phase of the 1st half. We sorted it out in the 2nd half and looked a lot more solid.
2 wins from 2 playing in a totally different way to Conte isn't to be sniffed at.
So, although not massively convincing in 2nd phase of the 1st half. We sorted it out in the 2nd half and looked a lot more solid.
2 wins from 2 playing in a totally different way to Conte isn't to be sniffed at.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
It's quite concerning that despite plenty of "flair" players, we had so much possession but created so little. But great character shown to pick ourselves up after conceding the equaliser to grab a winner.
I don't think I've seen a team defend so deep in the premier league ever. Even Luiz & Rudiger seemed to be camped in Newcastle's half. However there does seem to be a reluctance to whip the ball across quickly from Alonso & Aspzi. I know it's not part of Sarri's style but I can't help feel a change is good sometimes. Morata is pretty decent in the air after all.TwigtheWonderkid said:
It's quite concerning that despite plenty of "flair" players, we had so much possession but created so little. But great character shown to pick ourselves up after conceding the equaliser to grab a winner.
I half agree - wish someone did manage to really open them up constantly as opposed to hoping on Hazard to do it - however they defended so deep and played with aggression off the ball so I can see why it didn't happen. We shouldn't see too many teams trying this approach - it's hard to justify it to your players and fans when you (normally) end up losing.LoonyTunes said:
How's Sarri-ball coming along? Happy so far?
It looked quite good to me.
As a Spurs fan - welcome to the high-intensity, possession based, tippy-tappy football party.
I'm enjoying it but I would say, right now, we are looking a little like Pep's first season Citeh team - playing alot of the ball along the 18 yard line but not taking enough chances to make that possession count. I'd rather forfeit a bit of the (81%) possession against Newcastle if it means more shots.It looked quite good to me.
As a Spurs fan - welcome to the high-intensity, possession based, tippy-tappy football party.
What I am enjoying is the fact that , despite many opposition fans being incredulous at our summer transfer window business we have done very well out of it. Jorginho and Kovacic look to be excellent signings and I'm sure the goalkeeper will come good given time. We've also got rid of Bakayoko (on loan maybe - did Milan actually watch the guy play for us ?) - which is the best bit of business we have done for years,
Citeh
Liverpool
Chelsea
Spurs
- that's my top 4, in that order , prediction for this year.
I think Sarri might have an issue if we don't keep winning, because the football he wants to play is not in our DNA as a club. A bit like Mourinho at Man U. His style isn't their style, not what Man U is all about. When he gets results they will tolerate it, but when he doesn't, the wheels come off. If Mourinho was playing open expansive attacking football, they would put up with not winning for a lot longer.
The way we played at Man City 2 seasons ago, when we won 3-1 after being 1 down at HT. That was us. That's the Chelsea we are used to. Sit deep, defend, hit on the break. Sarri wants to play the way we played last week against Arsenal. Well it was allowable because we beat them, but we could have easily lost, and then we would have been saying "what the hell was that nonsense all about?"
The way we played at Man City 2 seasons ago, when we won 3-1 after being 1 down at HT. That was us. That's the Chelsea we are used to. Sit deep, defend, hit on the break. Sarri wants to play the way we played last week against Arsenal. Well it was allowable because we beat them, but we could have easily lost, and then we would have been saying "what the hell was that nonsense all about?"
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