Mourinho legacy is strong with this one.Did not deserve to win.
Played badly. Still won 3-1
I‘ll take that, every single match day.
You are right. Mou started that winning legacy ;-)Mourinho legacy is strong with this one.
You are right not to, and I've been beating this drum on here all summer to the pessimists and sulkers that simply believe signings=better.They didn't look good today, but a win is a win.
Still not buying they've somehow leaped a level above us.
No you wouldntDid not deserve to win.
Played badly. Still won 3-1
I‘ll take that, every single match day.
Not what a lot of your fans were saying last season when we twatted you at Old Trafford. It was all about how you lot were the better side and crying about us being lucky.Did not deserve to win.
Played badly. Still won 3-1
I‘ll take that, every single match day.
Don't you know the concept of shifting goalposts?Not what a lot of your fans were saying last season when we twatted you at Old Trafford. It was all about how you lot were the better side and crying about us being lucky.
Funny how things change when your own team does it
It's one game. Half of what I think will be the eventual first 11 weren't available.Not what a lot of your fans were saying last season when we twatted you at Old Trafford. It was all about how you lot were the better side and crying about us being lucky.
Funny how things change when your own team does it
I think expecting Chelsea to challenge is a bit much, unless Liverpool and Chelsea drop off this year. Better way to look at is your own position and points tally. I'd say 3rd place and a jump from 65 (which was low due to loanees/Lampard 1st season/Kepa) odd points to around 78/80 points would be a significant step forward and in line with the investment.
I totally agree with you and wasn't trying to have a dig at Ole or anything. I guess what I was just trying to get at is that the argument that "if you spend X million, you must be a title contender or you've failed" is silly, reductionist, and lacks an understanding of the broader context.The problem with us is that Ole was doing a very poor job initially and also that we got rid of a lot of true 1st teamers which sort of nullified the gains made in terms of quality albiet they were correct decisions in the long run.
Thats harsh on Lampard. Chelsea were quite rightly criticized last season for their defensive frailties so in the first match he put two defensive midfielders in front of the defense and he still gets stick. You then talk about not having a play-maker in front of them when Havertz and Mount were there. Are you saying you don't think Havertz is a play-maker? We are yet to see him in the premier league but I think he made plenty of play in the Bundesliga last season. I'm pretty sure Frank would have set the team up differently if Kovacic was available but RLC came in and didn't perform well at all.I believe Lampard got the shape completely wrong. Pretty much everything that could go wrong tactically went wrong. Playing two deep midfielders in Kante and Jorginho is fine if you have a mobile and moving playmaker infront of them. Ideally two of them. Instead what you had was a sluggish RLC, and your two most mobile attackers where put out on the wings, left isolated, for some reason. Very very weird. I am sure Lampard knows something I don't, but it seemed like the shape of that team was all over the place.
It is an easy fix, but should not happen too often at this level.
You say that and a lot of people agree with you, although it doesn't really happen often. We beat Spurs twice, Arsenal, City and also beat Utd and Liverpool in the cup. The only side who did actually take full advantage was utd in that first game.Every time I watch them play under Lamps they look like sh!t defensively and I think to myself, a top team will rip them to shreds. I think they'll win comfortably against lower teams but I don't see them beating better teams with that sh!tty defense. If they do, it'll be 4-3, 5-4 that type of thing. (And, oh, they can keep Kante!)
You're allowed to say "shit" properly.Every time I watch them play under Lamps they look like sh!t defensively and I think to myself, a top team will rip them to shreds. I think they'll win comfortably against lower teams but I don't see them beating better teams with that sh!tty defense. If they do, it'll be 4-3, 5-4 that type of thing. (And, oh, they can keep Kante!)
Playing with Loftus-Cheek really hurt the team last night. When Barkley came on, it almost felt like we were back to 11 vs 11 and we started to regain some control of the game. That may have just been a case Brighton tiring as the game wore on, but I felt an immediate difference when Barkley entered the game.Thats harsh on Lampard. Chelsea were quite rightly criticized last season for their defensive frailties so in the first match he put two defensive midfielders in front of the defense and he still gets stick. You then talk about not having a play-maker in front of them when Havertz and Mount were there. Are you saying you don't think Havertz is a play-maker? We are yet to see him in the premier league but I think he made plenty of play in the Bundesliga last season. I'm pretty sure Frank would have set the team up differently if Kovacic was available but RLC came in and didn't perform well at all.
Frank will not be pleased with the performance but quite rightly he won't be tearing into the players. They have been together for less than a week after the international break and then into the first game. There has never been such a short pre-season so its hardly surprising the team set up isn't quite right, especially if you consider the introduction of so many new players.
Works both ways. Opposition fans wouldn't have it at any point last season when it was pointed out we were playing better than results suggested, now all of a sudden performances matter.Not what a lot of your fans were saying last season when we twatted you at Old Trafford. It was all about how you lot were the better side and crying about us being lucky.
Funny how things change when your own team does it
Last season we beat the entire top 8 atleast once!but I don't see them beating better teams with that sh!tty defense.
Last season you hadn't spent the gdp of a small country on players. When you do that expectations of performance quality go up.Works both ways. Opposition fans wouldn't have it at any point last season when it was pointed out we were playing better than results suggested, now all of a sudden performances matter.
Barkley felt like Xavi by comparison.Playing with Loftus-Cheek really hurt the team last night. When Barkley came on, it almost felt like we were back to 11 vs 11 and we started to regain some control of the game. That may have just been a case Brighton tiring as the game wore on, but I felt an immediate difference when Barkley entered the game.
I feel bad for him, because I really think there is a genuine top player in him, but, and I don't want this to sound too dramatic, that stupid friendly in America might have just killed Loftus-Cheek's Chelsea career for good. Towards the end of that season, he was literally a top 3 player in the team. I haven't even seen small glimpse of that Loftus-Cheek since the injury. I'm still willing to give him time, and I actually do believe that he can be a great player, but I fear it won't be at Chelsea.Barkley felt like Xavi by comparison.
I've always tried to hold back on being too critical with Ruben but aside from half a season under Sarri he's been the definition of a player who's reality can't match up to his potential/ideal.
Couldn't agree more. The effect was instant and his confidence spread through the team. James and Kante upped their game and we started to look like a decent side.Playing with Loftus-Cheek really hurt the team last night. When Barkley came on, it almost felt like we were back to 11 vs 11 and we started to regain some control of the game. That may have just been a case Brighton tiring as the game wore on, but I felt an immediate difference when Barkley entered the game.
I honestly don't understand the calls to sell Barkley, he's too inconsistent to ever be a starter but he's a dream in regards to squad depth.Couldn't agree more. The effect was instant and his confidence spread through the team. James and Kante upped their game and we started to look like a decent side.
I think it was James goal that hurt Brighton more. They thought they were back in the game but that goal was real kick in the proverbials. They controlled the middle of the park for most of the night but when Barkley came on and James moved into the middle it changed.
Frank may not be the finished article when it comes to setting a team up or tactics but I have great faith in his ability to learn and I think he learnt a lot last season. He will have learnt from last night as well but I don't think you can knock him for giving RLC a go in that position. RLC just didn't look to be using his full strength.
Lots of talk about Barkley being sold but on that performance I would hold on for the moment.
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Couldn't agree more. The effect was instant and his confidence spread through the team. James and Kante upped their game and we started to look like a decent side.
I think it was James goal that hurt Brighton more. They thought they were back in the game but that goal was real kick in the proverbials. They controlled the middle of the park for most of the night but when Barkley came on and James moved into the middle it changed.
Frank may not be the finished article when it comes to setting a team up or tactics but I have great faith in his ability to learn and I think he learnt a lot last season. He will have learnt from last night as well but I don't think you can knock him for giving RLC a go in that position. RLC just didn't look to be using his full strength.
Lots of talk about Barkley being sold but on that performance I would hold on for the moment.
I don't mind having him as a squad option, he's clearly a useful player, but when everyone's fit and ready, I just don't think he'll be the first in line to come off the bench, and he could fetch a decent amount of money on deadline day.I honestly don't understand the calls to sell Barkley, he's too inconsistent to ever be a starter but he's a dream in regards to squad depth.
Unless he does a Lukaku and demands a role above his station i am more than happy to have him.
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I'll take this any day over our start last season, where we played so well against United only to lose 4 nil, with pundits praising our effortDid not deserve to win.
Played badly. Still won 3-1
I‘ll take that, every single match day.
Erm, what? Havertz played as a false 9 after the resumption of the Bundesliga. Yesterday he was a right winger. Not even remotely close to the same position.They looked a mess. They signed good players and all that but they weren't really thinking about he the players fit together in a team. Sure, we saw Havertz play where he played yesterday at Leverkusen near the end of the season but he looked rather mediocre. Pretty obvious he's not a natural attacker.
The moment they signed Havertz after signing Ziyech I had a feeling this project was going nowhere.
What surprised me the most was the tactical deterioration of the side. Not sure Lampard knows what hes doing. Nothing I've seen tells me he's a top coach. They are becoming structurally worse by the game.
He's played there in Europe.Erm, what? Havertz played as a false 9 after the resumption of the Bundesliga. Yesterday he was a right winger. Not even remotely close to the same position.
Not "near the end of the season". He's consistently been at his best in a central role, not on the right wing.He's played there in Europe.
Bit of a weird timimg to go after the defense, 3/4 of the back line were excellent last night and Brighton only got in behind them once, yes admittedly that was a massive let off (Dunk's header). Hopefully this is a sign the new coach has made a difference.Lampard will be sacked before Christmas. He cant organize his defence and now is relying on the qualities of a veteran player like Silva to fix it..NO WAY!