West Bromwich Albion might have deserved to win with how they played in the 2nd half but, Chelsea were extremely lucky with the draw. As Jose Mourinho pointed out, there is one team deserving to win and it was Chelsea although the game ended in a draw. The Blues’ mentality through out the game was on attacking and winning the game with high margin in the scoreline unlike West Brom who defended and waited to counter the Blues. Let’s analyze that and few other points in the latest What We Learned.
The Special one’s luck prevails at Stamford Bridge to save his record-
Jose Mourinho and Chelsea were simply to lucky to escape a rather disappointing and humiliating back to back lose in the premier league. Especially to his former assistant manager Steve Clarke beating Jose and ending the Portuguese’s long standing unbeaten record in the Premier league. It was a late, late penalty awarded by Andre Mariner for a foul on Ramires. Eden Hazard, yesterday’s clear man of the match, then converted the penalty in cool fashion to avoid a defeat in the premier league.
Samuel Eto’o has really found his stride at Chelsea-
We have come to see in the previous two games as to why Jose Mourinho really admires and trusts Samuel Eto’o as one of his favorite players. The Cameroonians hard work ethic has earned his almost all of the goals his gotten at the club so far including the assist he provided to Hazard for the equalizer against Cardiff weeks ago. Eto’o scored the opening goal out of nowhere and it was an incredible thinking and reaction that allowed that to happen. The injury to Fernando Torres is not really affecting the team as of right now but, having two inform strikers is a blessing to Jose Mourinho.
The starting 11 hoodoo needs to be solved quickly-
Jose Mourinho to this point hasn’t figured out his best starting line-up and that is currently affecting the team’s form in domestic competitions. Whether to field Cahill-Terry or Luiz-Terry in defense, Ramires with Mikel or Lampard and who to start on the wings with Oscar the undisputed no. 10 competing with Mata for the spot. It seems the pivot is really a mess and the recent rumors of Jose wanting to snap up Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid when his contract expires next summer or even in January attest to that fact that is really difficult to solve. Lampard is still a great midfield player but, we lacked an influential stopper or someone to dictate the tempo from deep inside the half in midfield. Jose Mourinho will surely know what to do and we should hope for the best.
Andre Schurrle was missed in the attacking 3rd-
As we have noticed in the game, the Blues lacked huge edge going out to the wings and providing crosses and opportunities for Eto’o in the box. Crosses started to get into the box once Juan Mata came on for Oscar in 2nd half and every player almost was in the box to equalize against West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Had the German winger played the game instead of Willian, we could have managed to create some more scoring opportunities as we have had against Manchester City. Willian is great too but, simply Andre Schurrle needs to be starting game with the form he was in till he was benched for the weekend loss at Newcastle.
We might need some investment in the left back spot and in midfield pivot in January-
Rumors spread news of attacking 3rd players or strikers Chelsea are looking to sign in January but, the place we need investment in is the pivot midfield area and the left back spot. Ashley Cole isn’t as good as he was in going forward and exploiting the spaces as he was. Ryan Bertrand might not be ready for the starting place so, we need a world class left back to challenge the young English man for the spot for the upcoming seasons. Players like Coentrao, Leighton Baines, Luke Shaw, Adriano of Barcelona are to be looked at for that position. And when it comes to the pivot, it would be perfect to have some one like Alonso to be a play maker from deep inside as Lampard is past his prime soon after this season and won’t be a reliable option for the role. A ‘Pirlo’ type of player next to the hard working, ‘Makelele’ type will be perfect for the pivot. We have a Makelele in Ramires and Jose might figure something out on who to play next to him. Maybe a formation change away from the 4-2-3-1 might do some wonders for Jose’s team but, we will see as the season progresses.
We should hope the team will get back into winning ways in the premier league after the international break and for our players to return safe from the trip. For now, keep the comments coming on what you though is missing from this piece and what you agree or don’t agree with.
[…] What We Learned: Eden Hazard the savior as Blues avoid a scare defeat […]
we also need mata ‘s creativity we always cry about our defence and we have a good number at our disposal.i hate this month.
I dont know what 2 say,but it is stupidity 2 play lamp in the pivot.rdm,benitez al tried it & they failed.play mikel their 4 now then if he fails buy alonso.the young man deserves the trust,confidence & support of the manager which is lacking.jose should also give mata chance 2 play in the #10.stop putting unecessary pressure on players like mata,mikel,bertrand,azpi,debrune.jose u ve testd iva at right back,give azpi chance their too before judging him.the same goes with bertrand.
i hate to say it but whoever wrote this piece seems to co sign to what mou is doing…. How can u say oscar is an undisputed n# 10 when he plays for his glory……. Its even far fetched to say shurle deserve to start ahead of willian. The stuae bucharest is the only game that shurle proved to be deadly from e wings after that he became just ordinary….. U cant be just talking about buyin players. We have mikel and we dont need alonso… We must learn to give chance to our players that to kip buyin… Bendrant played well in the last games but instead hez benched. Bran is poor but hez in that pitch so is lamps and oscar.. Mata must be on e n#10 role. Mou need to select the team based on merit not fucked up sentiments like hes doin write now.. Thot 11 mistakes taught him something….. We just need to utelise players we have… Thoz players won uefa and europa and u now say they are not world class.
This article doesn’t worth my comments cos most cfc faithful are beclouded by sentiments when within their hearts they know Mourinho has been awful coupled with boring, boring football we play these day ..the big question, if were benitez that’s performing this woeful, would we’ve been singing his praises?..the truth be told, mourinho is our problem n his ego might ruin our title hopes…
I agree with you Ken. Poor games and boring football. With good players…
I tollaly agree. boring, boring football with back pass. week out week in, it is same football. mou doesn’t know how to play against ” defensive team”
“Mou doesn’t know how to play against defensive teams” is food for thought
I don’t understand, how Chelsea’s player of the season, 2 seasons in a row, is benchwarming. Oscar is good, okay, but Mata is brilliant. Mourinho likes Oscar because of his defensive work? tell me please, how that fucking defensive bullshit, stopped the two goals against West Brom. Mata came on in the 72nd minute. What the actual fuck Mourinho? This is the most boring Chelsea I’ve seen in 2 years. Trying not to concede any goals is making us nearly lose to West Brom. At least we scored 2 goals against Newcastle last game against them.
“This is the most boring Chelsea I’ve seen in 2 years”: yes, this is the most boring for many years
lamps needs to retire! i love him but he is past his peak! same for cole and terry (who’s form atm says otherwise) i reckon we need pogba at the pivot role, loan at de bruyne and sell demba ba! we should invest in an off contract lewandowski or a yilmaz
Y cn’t mou play kdb in d pivot? D guy’s gt everi tin it takes. Im beginin 2 wish chel didn’t sign lamps up lst season. It’s stil early days 4 mou, rafa ws mo awful in hs early days, dt’s wt instability n changin coaches lyk dresses does, i believe we’l gt into our stride very soon.
I think Chelsea were lucky to come away with a draw, @FPLLad, fantasypremierleaguelad.wordpress.com
We need to use d playerz we av
We need to use d players we av,I dnt wat lampard is doin in d starting X1,play mikel with ramires and stop using oscar as our #10 man USE mata!!! Nd play oscar on d wing.we dnt need to sign any player we av d tallent.
We are very fortunate to be in 4th place after that match, just imagine if everton,spurs and city have won this week we would have been in 7th or 8th position. I am huge fan of jose he is always my favourite coach but in no way he should deny mata’s talent, he has his own playing style. May be juan can’t track back well but he made 35 assists last season with his genuine skills and scored important goals for us against MANU at old trafford, free kick against ARS at emirates etc….. So on, I still wonder how people forget these all of a sudden and he is also our player of season for past two seasons. How can he be benched and when given him a chance he is playing in out of favoured position and the style which does’nt suits him…am very sad about this. How can one expect messi to play like ronaldo or ronaldo to play like messi…….so finally mata need not change his game, jose has to make game plan according to players style……am saying all these as a chelsea fan and i know nothing compared jose but would like to share this opinion and with all due respect to jose!! CHELSEA FOR LIFE!!
Again.. ppl over reacting to situations. Blaming Mourinho is stupid to say the least. We played gr8 attacking football when RDM was there right?!! What happened?!! We got out in the group stages of the champs league. And the PL. 2012 we finished 6th and 2013 we finished 3rd. (A a big gap between us and the top two). Its only 11 games played for crying out loud. I understand what Mou is trying to do. He is tryiny to get the players play more consistently and play for the team. Thats y defending from the front after losing the ball is important. He wants us to play attacking football. Check the stats and u will see.. but he wants to instill a winning habit within the team. Simple as that. So stop sulking cause this season we will do gr8.
we don’t blame mou for losing or a draw or style! But tell me what lamps was ding on the pitch?? How can still put terry and cech : cech has been very poor in recent weeks. If mou continue to select players by affection, we will be in real problem.
rdm won the champions league with an old team & injury & suspension depleted squad.mind u rdm is also a club legend that scored the goal that gave fa cup trophy against aston villa 1999 if am not mistaken.pleas leave rdm out cos he is a complete blue.i also respect jose,but if jose is one of us as he claims,let him dish his ego,sentiments & put the pride & joy of all cfc fans ahead of his pride & play mata,mikel,azpi where they will give their best.tank u.
Against more defensive teams, setup should be:
M. Schwarzer — cole .Iva. cahill . azpilicueta –ramires . oscar/david luis– hazard . mata . schurle — Ba.
Against no defensive teams (like arsenal, city, utd, Liverpool, spurs), setup should be:
Schwarzer — cole .terry. cahill . Iva –ramires . mikel– hazard . oscar . schurle — torres/etoo.
This is the main selection for specific match!
This article said we had makalele in ramires but fail to say we had balack in mikel in term of marking and protect the back line. I don’t know why jose is looking for alonso at this level while we had lampard doing nothing and we keep him and we are still looking for alonso, did jose ready to change the new rules about young team?. We need mata back in the team and play mikel along ramires.
Morinho shuld act fast if nt he ‘ll be sacked, i dnt knw wat lampard’s doin in d team again
What about luiz, he just made one mistake and you foget all what he did for chelsea fc, he deserve to start not benched
luiz is a good player,but let me remind you that there is no cfc player that will make the kind of mistake luiz makes & still maintain his place.luiz lacks discipline.i love him but i love cfc more than all the players including jose because i have seen gullit,gianluca villa,claudio reniara all come & go.
Brilliant commentary and analysis.
Let me remind all cfc fans that our pride has been good defensive organisation,discipline & striking balance in the midfield.it has won us cl.please we are not arsenal or barca.in our pivot we must play mikel/rami & mata #10 period if not physical teams wil continue 2 bully us.
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