Given that it's chelsea, it may not be entirely ridiculous to start the Sarri sack watch.
Carabao Cup semifinals
- Thread starter Samid
- Start date
Spurs are fecking good tbf but I reckon we are going to beat them. Chelsea set up poorly tonight but then again they aren't exactly stacked up front.
The spurs game for me will be massively telling of where we are atm. Cannot wait.
The spurs game for me will be massively telling of where we are atm. Cannot wait.
Turns out you can't flip a switch and turn into a top possession based side, you need the personnel in place to do it. I doubt Abramovich cares though, he'll sack Sarri without a second thought.
It's down in large part to chelsea, they're just really good at keeping and moving the ball until the final third, and also really good at pressing high, but also offer no real threat to a deep sefensive block. The moment the result went your way, you were comfortable adapting to them and minimize risk. United will be a completely different matter, they don't have anhwhere near chelsea's organization and quality in possession, but you can't sit deep that long like that against them as they have real presence in the box
Just looked at the score on Google and saw the following stats:
Score: 1 - 0
Shots: 6 - 17
On target: 4-5
Possession: 42 - 58
Passes: 468 - 636
Pass accuracy: 82% - 87%
Thought to myself it sounds like Chelsea were unlucky, come on here and they've seemingly been shite and done feck all.
Stats can be weird.
Score: 1 - 0
Shots: 6 - 17
On target: 4-5
Possession: 42 - 58
Passes: 468 - 636
Pass accuracy: 82% - 87%
Thought to myself it sounds like Chelsea were unlucky, come on here and they've seemingly been shite and done feck all.
Stats can be weird.
Chelsea remind me of how City looked in the 16/17 season - on the brink of being what their manager wants them to be, but not quite there yet.
As it happens, they'll win at the Bridge and reach the final.
As it happens, they'll win at the Bridge and reach the final.
They controlled possession but had mostly pot shots. They hit the woodwork twice, once from a cross surprisingly turned onto the post and the other deflected cross.
No real chances were created
No, we actually were pretty unlucky. Fair few chances that on another day could have at least given a draw if not a win, and Tottenham barely threatened at all.
Stats say exactly what has been said on here.
Chelsea had more possession, more shots, more passes yet only one extra shot on target. They were not good value for their possession. 17 shots with 5 on target is a tell tale sign that they couldn't create good chances all that much.
Doubt it, you had busy Christmas schedule and very little time to recover, players simply looked fatigued today.
1 - 0 is only a tiny advantage, given that the 2nd leg is at Stamford Bridge. But it means they'll have to come at us in that game, which will allow us counter-attacking chances.
Horrid half. Sarri needs new ideas. This has been shit.
That team needed defensive reinforcements. This one needs attacking reinforcements. The strikeforce just isn't good enough.
They're good off the ball, but I do feel like we weren't playing at our maximum level tonight. Generally we wouldn't allow a team that much control and would try to press back but as you say once we were in front we were happy to sit deep and allow them to dominate the game, since they completely lacked a focal point and were not threatening. We were very below par in terms of our counter attacking play though which will need to improve on Sunday, and I expect it will do.
And yeah, we definitely won't sit that deep or play like this against United, I'd be shocked if we did.
We did, and I think that's why we didn't play with too much intensity today. I think the players had fatigue in mind and were playing at 80% tonight, I don't expect it to be the same case against United after not really needing to exert ourselves tonight.
Don’t worry bottlespur will throw it away at the bridge.
Decent game but sometimes you need a plan B when the smaller teams park the bus
Decent game but sometimes you need a plan B when the smaller teams park the bus
Agree that's why it looks like we're trying to replace Morata this window.
They did the same here and you created nex to nothing going forward after the goal.
Very tough to call but Spurs recently seem to have got the measure of Chelsea with many good results and pretty sure they'll score at the Bridge so plenty of pressure on Chelsea considering how toothless they are to possibly have to score 3 to win the tie.
The thing with possession sides and dominating possession in a game against a team that sits back is that it gives the impression that the possession team is boring or lacking in a plan B when they can't fashion chances, but how many attacking options do you have against a low block? Shoot from range? cross? The options are far more limited than if the opposition weren't so inclined to defend deep. There's not an issue with Sarri-ball, per se, because Napoli showed that it's effective in terms of production and is dynamic. The issue is, as always, that ideological footballing systems require precise personnel to make it work perfectly.
That's because we didn't especially need to. We had the lead and Chelsea were pretty toothless in attack. I think you'll find we have more gears going forward if we need them.
Hope so. Nearly fell asleep in the second half tonight
Sarriball at Chelsea looks like a slightly better version of LvG at United with a more complete set of players.
Kane the difference in this game. Three shots all on target, won and converted the penalty.
As people have mentioned stats can be a little deceiving, only 1 more shot on target than Spurs despite firing in so many more shots.
On the balance of the game I felt they deserved a draw. But that is football.
As people have mentioned stats can be a little deceiving, only 1 more shot on target than Spurs despite firing in so many more shots.
On the balance of the game I felt they deserved a draw. But that is football.
Forgot this was 2 legs.
Not sure how you can watch that second half and come away thinking selling Dembele is a good idea. Winks and Sissoko have done really well in the last month and they've played great football with those two there but Winks is just someone who is easy on the eye and can do the basics consistently but with little attacking product and Sissoko could revert to type. Beneath them is an 18 year old who looks 40.
Chelsea broke through the midfield very frequently but overdid the pass out wide to players who are drawn inside. They're crowding themselves out. They need natural width and somebody like Zaha would be perfect.
Chelsea broke through the midfield very frequently but overdid the pass out wide to players who are drawn inside. They're crowding themselves out. They need natural width and somebody like Zaha would be perfect.
Great win for Spurs. Seems like they're no longer scared of Chelsea nowadays. But a 1-0 advantage isn't enough.
It seems the Morata-Higuain deal is off so they are getting no one as striker in january. It doesn't bode well for them.We were the worst I've seen us all season and still won, and I wasn't even slightly uncomfortable for the rest of the game.
This Chelsea are the opposite of what they built so much success on in recent times. Just totally blunt. Yeah they pressed and passed well, but without Hazard they have nobody who is even remotely dangerous.
Spurs good chance to win a trophy. Unfortunally for them their is City waiting for them in the final. They should try and win both domestic cups, and maintain top 4 position.
In the words of the great Steve Komphela, “Stats are like a bikini, they don’t reveal everything”
Do the away goals rule count?
Chelsea literally can't score unless Hazard does something. Pedro and awillian aren't pulling their weight.
At the end of the day, all that matters is the result.
Dembele is too injury prone now, only reason he's going.
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He started the last game.
KDB needs the game time tonight.
I don't see the problem with KDB. Was more Gundogan/Silva I couldn't understand why they were starting instead. If you win this leg comfortably enough, Foden might start the away game.
Foden not starting is poor from Pep