The twist in the title race had taken place before the ball was kicked at Stamford Bridge when Manchester City put a ruthless performance to humiliate Arsenal with a 6-3 scoreline at the Etihad. The result left Chelsea with a golden opportunity to close the gap to Arsenal to just two points, an opportunity Jose was desperate to capitalize on.
Chelsea got an early lead courtesy Fernando Torres who pounced on the Willian shot that cannoned of the post. The team however failed to extend the lead and soon Palace equalized through Chamakh around the half hour mark. Going a goal down, Chelsea rallied forward and came up with a stunning response when Ramires finished from the edge of the box with a super strike. There were no further goals in the match, but there was plenty of drama and a lot of tense moments that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats.
A goal mouth scramble between Terry and Cech denied O’Keefe before Ivanovic scrambled the ball away. Chelsea on the other hand had a couple of chances of their own where they really should have extended the lead but nerves combined with excellent goalkeeping by Julian Speroni denied Schurrle and Ba the opportunity.
What We Learned?
Ivanovic’s crossing is a pain for the eyes!
Really not liking Ivanovic at Right Back these days his crossing has been PATHETIC. Might fancy him as a CB partner with Terry and remember the old days? Restore Azpilicueta to his natural RB spot and bring in Bertrand/Cole?
Jose needs to test it out since the current formula is definitely not the answer. Horrific defending.
Our defending at the set pieces continues to be shocking:
Defending the set pieces has been a massive worry for us and even today Palace threatened to score whenever the got the dead ball opportunity and Palace players won headers in dangerous situations. Something that needs to be worked on before we face Arsenal.
Hazard is showing the kind of form we expected of him:
Hazard was absolutely brilliant today, he didn’t score but he was everywhere. His passing, his vision, his defensive work was all top notch and looked like the player who would make the difference. his pass to set up Ramires was quite terrific. We are finally getting to see the type of performances we have expected of him this season and this season looks like the one which will really take Eden to a whole new level. Delightful!
Who doesn’t trust Luiz?
Am i the only one who thinks that Terry is not comfortable with Luiz as his partner at CB? The way he has been defending and marking this season leaves me on the edge of my seat all the time. Great passing ability but really shoddy defending leaves the whole back-line tense and on the edge.
I miss the clean sheets. Will we see a run for Luiz in the midfield anytime soon? Since his defending doesn’t seem to be improving this season.
The gap is down to two, or is it City we need to worry about?
The gap is down to two and we face the leaders next weekend on an away day, but is it Arsenal we need to worry about or the real challenge comes from City? The way the City side has regained form in the last few matches, they certainly look like the team to beat this season.
Up next, Sunderland!
Which game have you been watching mate?
What we learned
*Hazard was average.
*Willian was the best player on the field today. Sooner or later he is going to be our first choice no10. He is quick with the ball, skillful, strong in both defensive and attacking. What I like the most about him is that he doesn’t take much time with the ball. Quick passes unlike Hazard. Willian is a full package.
*Torres can’t hold the ball and pass. He was selfish for the first today. Yes it’s the first time that I saw him being that selfish. Always trying to beat opponent with dribbles but it didn’t work out at all which was the result of Chamakh’ goal. He try the zinedine zidane roulette and give a way the ball. But I’m really happy he got the goal which was important.
*Essien is improving a lot. Hope we enjoy again the best from the bison
*Mou decision to play Cesar at the left is costing us a lot. No cross from the left side because Azpi can’t cross the ball with his left foot. It’s big time we put him back on the right
Willian was brilliant yes but Hazard was involved in every attack. Had to pick one .. i picked Eden.
You are wrong on Hazard and Willian. Cech and Hazard were our best player today. Willians will be best if he works on his passing accuracy. Its pour.
Great analysis @emile.Essien was superb today
No dude! Hazard is not average, you need to consider the fact that he played as winger in right and left by interchanging positions, as a winger you cannot spend much time on the ball but in no 10 role one would be involved in every attack so hazard been also good eventhough he played some wrong passes.
No dude! Hazard is not average, you need to consider the fact that he played as winger in right and left by interchanging positions, as a winger you cannot spend much time on the ball but in no 10 role one would be involved in every attack. So hazard is been also good eventhough he played some wrong passes.
This admin are way too biased.
I just saw some rugby like football from Chelsea. Ugly stuffs, No pattern, No Clue on who was the actual playmaker.
Hazard is dilly dailling on the ball for way too long, his dribbles are getting excessive. Mata is bereaved of his actual duties, he is coming into the centre more often than going down the wings to make a cross. Willian hard worker but he slows down play too often. Torres, no need to say anything, non-existent performance.
Boring Football- I had to watch the Osasuna Vs Real Madrid to get some footballing excitement. We weren’t as boring as dis even in Mou first era.
You want entertaining team, entertaining football but I am sure that you want to see player like mikel: how can you play entertaining style with a player who cannot drible a single player, cannot bring anything new to the team. How can you play entertaining football when you have a ” non-existent performance” from the striker?
Since almost 2 years now, we always finish 15 points at least behind the winner. Was it Mou fault?? So why?? Tell me why?
“For me it is very important to be an entertaining team, our philosophy is to continue to try and score more goals because it is the best way to win.” (Manuel Pellegrini)
How that’s a great coaching philosophy.
Boring, Boring Jose.
Spot on!
Flop of the match Ivanovich never managed to sent any decent cross. I think our best years of entertaining football and winning in style is already before us. Scoring more goals is important Mourinho.
Two changes …just two changes… Put azpi at rb and Bertrand at lb….mou shud start believing Ryan Bertrand…. Ivan is a cb….mou shud understand tat…. Ders no attack from either full backs… After striker problem now here’s full back problem…. If anyone thinks we need a player like yaya toure thers a player called Rubin loftus cheek in our academy….6°4 and a strength of lukaku playing at cm role for our academy… He’s juz 17 ….also we shud consider him as lamps replacement
chelsea play too slow. opponent defenders easily manage to go to their position.
We need a striker in Jan Mourinho has now said it ( BBC) : “I don’t think we are the big contenders of any competition,” Mourinho told BBC Radio 5 live.
“We don’t have the striker who is going to score 30 goals in the league.” We know we don’t have that striker we used to call the killer, the selfish one, the one that gives the last touch,” said Mourinho.
Link http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/25384968
Thank you for link.
Ofcourse City is the team to beat base on form guide.
Even an Academy team plays better than present Chelsea team. Boring Mou, i hope it want be too late.
You want entertaining team, entertaining football but I am sure that you want to see player like mikel: how can you play entertaining style with a player who cannot drible a single player, cannot bring anything new to the team. How can you play entertaining football when you have a ” non-existent performance” from the striker?
Since almost 2 years now, we always finish 15 points at least behind the winner. Was it Mou fault?? So why?? Tell me why?
YOU HAVE TO STOP BE STUPID!
Betrand get injure
you want entertaining football like under rdm where we were 20 points behind the leader or do you want a team that would fight for the title?! we i have scored as many goals has arsenal and to you are complaining about the style of football we play?! bull s*** what i call it..
Right now!!! We are the lucky one!!!! We are lucky to be second in the EPL
U can all kill me for all I care..the bitter truth is that mourinho is not best man to rebuild this team, U can’t rebuild a chelsea with a coach that’s cagey in his approach especially when he confronts bigger teams a coach that can’t conform his tactics to his player’s strength but rather want them to be defensive n still we cant keep a cleansheet nor play good attacking footie…we’ve been cyclical, ain’t improving in any way under Mourinho….just look at what matinez is doing with everton under a short period of time..I really weep for my chelsea
Bring in a better coach Sir Ken.
@emile10 joggen klop, martinez, pellegrini, simeoni,southampton’s coach etc these are coaches with good attacking philosophy….
Mourinho might cost us the title.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/desmond-kane/mourinho-failure-warm-mata-could-yet-cost-chelsea-080513755.html
DOS ENTERTAINMENT FOOTBALL WIN A TRPHY?. SOMTING IS WRONG WIT U PEOPLE SOMTYMS LOOK AT WER WE ARE WIT BORING FOOTBALL.WAS IT NT BORIN FOOTBAL DAT WON US OUR FIRST EPL TROPHY?. WE SMELLING DE CUP WE HV BEEN MISSING FOR DE PAST 2/3 SEASONS ND U PEOPLE CLAIMING TO BE CHELSEA FANS, WE WNT ENTERTAINMENT BALL,MA FRNDZ GO JOIN BARCA. LUK AT ARSENALS ENTERTANMENT FOOTBALL WIDOUT TROPHIES FOR ABOUT 13YRS ID DAT WAT U WNT? you want entertaining football like under rdm where we were 20 points behind the leader or do you want a team that would fight for the title?! we i have scored as many goals has arsenal and to you are complaining about the style of football we play?! bull s*** what i call it..
Mou’s So called Defend first then look for a break ain’t working because we are clueless when the opponent choose to give us the initiative and sits back.
More over we are not blessed with fast direct wingers like we use to have. We were efficient and effective then, if we score first, you are already beaten.
We have players that would perform better when they play more with the ball @ their feet, not the kick and follow pattern Mou is adopting.
Mou might just cost us the title with his pig headedness.