Matchday Chat - 2016/17 season archive

[Asura]

Sanchez looks so happy, he must have known that City or Chelsea are coming for him 

[SirBalon]

That was rubbish from us it really was.  But I suppose after the dismal run of results in recent times it wasn't gonna be anything other than rubbish.  The important thing is the three points.  I'm proper well happy...  Oooh...  I'm gonna get drunk!

[6666]

Not the greatest of performances but nice to get a win with 2 good goals.

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, Cicero said:

There's only one Chelsea number 7 

 

Well yeah! and you only have 1 number 2 and 3 as well ...crank! 

[Dan+]

28 minutes ago, HoneyNUFC said:

To be fair statistically Boro have one of the better defences in the league, better than Arsenal infact 

I get the feeling that's probably because they don't really attack teams enough.

They've got the worst set of forwards in the division as well.

That's Boro undoubtedly down for me now. This was a last chance saloon and yet again they failed.

[Cicero]

5 minutes ago, Happy Blue said:

Well yeah! and you only have 1 number 2 and 3 as well ...crank! 

Bantz

[Stan]

6 minutes ago, Dan said:

I get the feeling that's probably because they don't really attack teams enough.

They've got the worst set of forwards in the division as well.

That's Boro undoubtedly down for me now. This was a last chance saloon and yet again they failed.

Negredo is good but not good for the way Boro play. They're not creative enough on a consistent level for him. 

[Cicero]

As things stand. Looking more and more likely United will sneak their way in. 

[carefreeluke]

Luiz has been poor recently, he was MOTM against Stoke but was poor yesterday, against Palace and I can't remember the other game but I think it was City.

Cahill typically having his Cahill moments, it's why he isn't a top defender but that's been clear for years.

Costa is the worst, he really has been dreadful in 2017.

As I said last summer this was Matic's season to prove himself and I don't think he's done enough to justify starting regularly next season, I thought he was decent for the first couple of months (without being his 2014 self) but he's dipped massively since then and along with Costa he's the most frustrating player in the team. Some Chelsea fans make the point about him being tall but what does he do in the air anyway? What does this bloke do on set pieces? I can't ever remember Matic heading a ball out from a corner for example.

Too many times in recent weeks as well teams have found space in behind the central midfield two, it was the most obvious and worrying against City but it's happened on too many occasions recently. You see an example of it yesterday (except we didn't do anything wrong in this case as it was a clear handball) but on the first goal Kante and Matic get completely taken out the game with one pass, that's happened too regularly recently.  I think that's why Conte has gone back to playing Matic there but I think it's not necessarily a personnel thing but other factors play a part, I don't think we've pressed as well from the front in recent weeks and positionally and organizationally we've got a bit complacent as well.

This is not me overreacting after a bad result as I've thought this all season but we need some new players in the summer. A full back or full backs, a centre back, a new central midfielder and arguably another attacking player and striker. Some of these can be sorted out with players coming back from on loan.

Hazard needs better footballers around him.

Costa is a good striker and I have no doubt he'll turn things round at some point (either this season or the next) but he's very frustrating at the minute.

[Mel81x+]

8 minutes ago, Cicero said:

As things stand. Looking more and more likely United will sneak their way in. 

I almost want to say they will too but they've got to contend with Spurs and City to get a spot in there and those two games are not going to be easy for them along with their European ambitions as well. Jose might have done one over on you'll but hes not going to have the kind of space afforded when he plays Spurs and City because they are both trying to climb as well. If they do well in all the rest of their games then theres no denying them a spot in the top four but looking at all their fixtures they are going to have to make some very critical rotation decisions to achieve that.

[Honey Honey]

31 minutes ago, Dan said:

I get the feeling that's probably because they don't really attack teams enough.

They've got the worst set of forwards in the division as well.

That's Boro undoubtedly down for me now. This was a last chance saloon and yet again they failed.

I honestly think they (club owners) didn't care whether they stay up or not.

With tv money going up so high we may well see more clubs like Middlesbrough who are happy to take relegation under the impression that they can bounce back stronger.

[Dan+]

15 minutes ago, HoneyNUFC said:

I honestly think they (club owners) didn't care whether they stay up or not.

With tv money going up so high we may well see more clubs like Middlesbrough who are happy to take relegation under the impression that they can bounce back stronger.

I think Burnley did similar two years ago.

[True Blue]

10 hours ago, carefreeluke said:

Luiz has been poor recently, he was MOTM against Stoke but was poor yesterday, against Palace and I can't remember the other game but I think it was City.

Cahill typically having his Cahill moments, it's why he isn't a top defender but that's been clear for years.

Costa is the worst, he really has been dreadful in 2017.

As I said last summer this was Matic's season to prove himself and I don't think he's done enough to justify starting regularly next season, I thought he was decent for the first couple of months (without being his 2014 self) but he's dipped massively since then and along with Costa he's the most frustrating player in the team. Some Chelsea fans make the point about him being tall but what does he do in the air anyway? What does this bloke do on set pieces? I can't ever remember Matic heading a ball out from a corner for example.

Too many times in recent weeks as well teams have found space in behind the central midfield two, it was the most obvious and worrying against City but it's happened on too many occasions recently. You see an example of it yesterday (except we didn't do anything wrong in this case as it was a clear handball) but on the first goal Kante and Matic get completely taken out the game with one pass, that's happened too regularly recently.  I think that's why Conte has gone back to playing Matic there but I think it's not necessarily a personnel thing but other factors play a part, I don't think we've pressed as well from the front in recent weeks and positionally and organizationally we've got a bit complacent as well.

This is not me overreacting after a bad result as I've thought this all season but we need some new players in the summer. A full back or full backs, a centre back, a new central midfielder and arguably another attacking player and striker. Some of these can be sorted out with players coming back from on loan.

Hazard needs better footballers around him.

Costa is a good striker and I have no doubt he'll turn things round at some point (either this season or the next) but he's very frustrating at the minute.

People used that excuse for Hazard last season as well, he needs better players around him? The fact that he was shit and didn't do well is okay because he is Hazard. He was pathetic last season should have returned half of his wages as he didn't get arsed to play. He improved just because the entire team played well, basically he never carries the team if we don't play well. Comparing him to Messi and Ronaldo was always insanity and a hilarious statement by our own, or United's own Jose. However i agree Costa has been the worst player in this team from  2017 by far.

[carefreeluke]

1 hour ago, True Blue said:

People used that excuse for Hazard last season as well, he needs better players around him? The fact that he was shit and didn't do well is okay because he is Hazard. He was pathetic last season should have returned half of his wages as he didn't get arsed to play. He improved just because the entire team played well, basically he never carries the team if we don't play well. Comparing him to Messi and Ronaldo was always insanity and a hilarious statement by our own, or United's own Jose. However i agree Costa has been the worst player in this team from  2017 by far.

Mate for me nobody played well last season, much was made of Willian but despite some good games in the first half of the season I thought throughout he was poor as well for what he's capable of. I thought he really was overrated for what he did last season. I don't think Hazard's carried us this season at all, I think the load has been equally shared throughout the squad which is nice, I think in the 2014/15 he was the standout performer and he was carrying us a little towards the end, for me that season he was the only one who played consistently throughout.

More my point is, I'm not excusing Hazard's performance on Sunday as he didn't play well but nobody did in my eyes, our ability to keep the ball under pressure was particularly poor. Hazard is our best player, he may not play well every game but there's no denying he is. Players may have performed more consistently this season, Kante, Azpi, Luiz, Courtois are perhaps some that come to mind but you ask me who Chelsea's best player is and I say Hazard easy. I don't think he benefits from having the likes of Costa and Matic in and around him, Alonso as well but I think he's improved as the season has gone on, these are not footballers. How many attacks break down because of Costa in 2017? It's becoming dangerous now as well.

[True Blue]

1 hour ago, carefreeluke said:

Mate for me nobody played well last season, much was made of Willian but despite some good games in the first half of the season I thought throughout he was poor as well for what he's capable of. I thought he really was overrated for what he did last season. I don't think Hazard's carried us this season at all, I think the load has been equally shared throughout the squad which is nice, I think in the 2014/15 he was the standout performer and he was carrying us a little towards the end, for me that season he was the only one who played consistently throughout.

More my point is, I'm not excusing Hazard's performance on Sunday as he didn't play well but nobody did in my eyes, our ability to keep the ball under pressure was particularly poor. Hazard is our best player, he may not play well every game but there's no denying he is. Players may have performed more consistently this season, Kante, Azpi, Luiz, Courtois are perhaps some that come to mind but you ask me who Chelsea's best player is and I say Hazard easy. I don't think he benefits from having the likes of Costa and Matic in and around him, Alonso as well but I think he's improved as the season has gone on, these are not footballers. How many attacks break down because of Costa in 2017? It's becoming dangerous now as well.

Last season was bellow every level considering the squad and money at our disposal. I picked Hazard as he subbed himself three times in that season, stating injury but it was a case of not giving a fuck. Hazard is a good player but hardly above any else in the team, if he is our best player why doesn't he perform like one? Why in games in which we struggle he doesn't step up and save the day like the previous match winning players we had in  our team? He is Real or Barcelona bound at some point if not this summer then the next. Also you can't create a team based on one player, what happens if he misses our for the season the team crumbles? He has to fit in the system that Conte sets, he should have enough quality to do so.

[Cicero]

16 hours ago, carefreeluke said:

 

This is not me overreacting after a bad result as I've thought this all season but we need some new players in the summer. A full back or full backs, a centre back, a new central midfielder and arguably another attacking player and striker. Some of these can be sorted out with players coming back from on loan.

 

This. 

This coming summer transfer window will be the most important in recent history. Impossible to predict what will happen but we need to start early. 

[Stan]

 

Amongst FA Cup semi-finals, plenty of Premier League action to get stuck in to, culminating in a Manchester derby.

Two big games for Middlesbrough against Bournemouth & Sunderland. 

[Toony]

Manchester derby on a Thursday night completely passed me by.

Can see Burnley getting a draw against Man United, they are very strong at home.

[Dave]

Liverpool away is a weird one. We've lost our last two encounters against them but won the last two games at Anfield. I imagine we will be organised and prepared so I imagine the deciding factor will be on how Klopp motivates his players.

[Mel81x+]

Just now, Aaroncpfc said:

Liverpool away is a weird one. We've lost our last two encounters against them but won the last two games at Anfield. I imagine we will be organised and prepared so I imagine the deciding factor will be on how Klopp motivates his players.

Just a question on that one. Can Sakho play in that game if hes on loan from us?

[HK85]

Not sure what to make of our game yet. We haven't won away since Palace the end of January, far too long. 

They could probably do with one more win to see them at ease with games to play, much like us for 7th. 

I think Koeman wants to up a bit of pressure on Arsenal and United so will have them going for it. 

[Dave]

1 minute ago, Mel81x said:

Just a question on that one. Can Sakho play in that game if hes on loan from us?

He can't play and rumours are you now want thirty million for him.

[Mel81x+]

Just now, Aaroncpfc said:

He can't play and rumours are you now want thirty million for him.

I've been reading rumors that we don't want to even sell him and that there's been a change of heart from the manager to keep him at the club and play him more next season.

[RandoEFC+]

Fucking West Ham. Can't stand the club, couldn't bear to lose to them on Saturday, really hope we smash them. 

There's absolutely no good reason we shouldn't beat them. Lukaku goal against West Ham is always nailed on so I predict another 3-1 win.

[Dr. Gonzo]

23 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

He can't play and rumours are you now want thirty million for him.

I've heard Klopp's changed his mind on Sakho. Maybe it's because Lovren's been so injury prone this season and because Klavan has been very inconsistent (which is basically what you'd expect from a squad player, but I think it's pretty certain that using one of Sakho or Lovren as a backup to Matip/whichever of those two would be the starter... and my money is on Sakho) would have given us a lot more depth.

I think Sakho's our second best defender - so I'm all for keeping him. But I also think taking the hard line with him just to prove a point has proven to be a bad decision for us.