Deserved a draw. Made Oligarch FC look ordinary for long stretches. Not helped by a referee who blew up for every minor touch on a Chavsea *****. Pedro was impressive. That vision for the pass to Dennis on the wing was great. Louza was great and Kiko. Dennis if he simplified his game sometimes would be even better than he is. King and Clevs tremendous effort as well. Shame the defence undoes it all again. And a shame Uncle Claudio was not in charge from game one. The fitness. The passing combinations and pressing are chalk and cheese as compared to Munoz. If we can get the squad fit and Claudio can bring pressure to bear for some signings in January play like this and the Vic will be a fortress and we should stay up. Bu the way Chavsea are not a big club. What does it take to win a championship. A billionaire criminal that turns up in the borough.
Good game and again another massive improvement under Ranieri. After the Man City game we have a run of fixtures that will really decide if we stay up or not. I really think we will avoid relegation, I'm starting to enjoy watching us play again. The result was expected but the manner of the loss was the biggest surprise. Well done to Ranieri and the lads tonight and very unlucky not to come away with a point atleast
Good performance, but a microcosm of our season. Excellent performance with terrible defending = zero points. You can't concede 2 goals every game and get points.
Even though it was against Chelsea and I foresaw a smacking, it's just so frustrating to lose like that - a brilliant attacking and team performance and once again I say - how incredibly has Papa Clau got his methods across - he's transformed us, and we start games like we never have before in the Prem. Dennis is looking insane - top 6 quality, surely, and Sissoko was imperiously imperious in the first half, in particular. But then, as ever, it's all undone by idiotic, embarrassingly bad defending. We can't keep putting in these performances, getting nothing out of them, and go on. Obviously we're in our hardest run here, and that's relevant, but we have to A) be able to carry these performances over to games we can win, and B) actually be able to defend to any professional degree whatsoever, so that when we put in a performance like tonight we can capitalise on it, regardless of who the opponent is. There are incredibly promising signs and some great stuff to watch, but it will all continue to be Groundhog Day unless this is sorted out in January if not, purely by extreme injury luck, before.
Amazing performance! So proud. Heroes one and all! Our ninth defeat of the season too! So much to be thankful for! Can’t wait to break the clean sheet record on Saturday. Hopefully we get another performance to match!
Unfortunate not to get a point but a very encouraging performance and you can see the plan. Hopefully confidence gained and certainly not out played. Worked their socks off there to a man.
My God we play some good stuff at times, but our finishing is a wee bit tragic at times! Regarding the defending...the less said, the better methinks
Yeah his legs sort of crumbled in surprise I think. Mind you, you could also say that about the Sissoko chance in the 1st half or one or two of the Danny Rose chances. Good effort all round, let down by William Troost-Ekong once again. Have a look at the back line for their first goal. All in a line lovely, except for one. Guess who it is who's standing around like a dummy playing all the Chelsea forwards onside....Also gave the ball away in a horrible position letting them break on us and we were fortunate not to concede another. Dennis was absolutely brilliant, but seemed to tire for the last 20 mins or so. Unsurprising really. He worked and worked and worked. Great player. I also thought Louza was excellent. Some of his touches are wonderful. I said I'd be happy to lose 2-0, but it really felt like we might get a point out of this game, so a little bit disappointed in the end. Still, encouraging performance again and Ranieri does seem to have got this team ticking now.
We did not deserve to lose that. I think the players are starting to play to Ranieri's philosophy. The intensity was brilliant and we looked dangerous going forward again.
What did Ekong do wrong? Thought he had a good enough game and our defensive frailty was because we had a high press with the midfield stepping up too far every now and then, and Chelsea are good and calm enough to pick a pass rather than shoot off the cuff.
Troost playing them onside, Ive never seen a top flight CB ball watch as much as he does. Bachmann should be saving the second. Yes, it was a hard shot but it was straight at him at head height. The two of them have cost us 6 points in two games. We should have enough to win at least 2 more games before January, just need to score 3 goals in a game.
First of all a speedy recovery to the fan who had a heart attack - wish them all the best and great quick reaction from the doctors involved. That game was really enjoyable, and despite all the pre-match dread, we played some brilliant football at times and more than matched them toe for toe. Their winning goal was brilliant strike that I do not feel I can put blame on. Mount is a fantastic player, but then again he also showed what was little twot he is later in the game. WTE just may of redeemed himself tonight. He got booked for a perfectly good challenge towards the end of the half, but to be fair did little else wrong, and on a few occasions saved our skins. Did take one for the team with the clashing of heads. Dennis - wow. Just the sort of striker we have been crying out for. His goal was brilliantly taken and he deserved the MotM from a Watford prospective. Sossoko also had a fantastic game and came so close to putting us 2-1 up but had an air shot. We didn't lay down, we kept pushing forward and Kucka so, so nearly gave us an equalizer with a brilliant free kick right at the death. Claudio will be unhappy we lost, but I think he saw tonight we are going to fight a bit more than what we thought, especially with so many key players out. Such a shame we have our crap-our-pants team next up. I really hope we give them a game. Shout box awesome.
Always feel dreadful after a loss and I find it hard to pick out the positives, but we gave the European champions a real fright and our play, in my totally unbiased view, deserved at least a draw. I think we played with passion and purpose. Some frustrating issues towards the end, but these things happen when you are chasing a game. We need to put those performances in against lesser teams and we may stay up. I’m writing off next weekend.
Really good performance, Ranieri has transformed the team and given us an identity. Unfortunately there's not much he can do with the defence, shambolic stuff from them again tonight. Terrible from Troost for the first, he can see Alonso has taken a dodgy touch but takes an age to get across to him. His general play was awful again as well, his passing was shocking as usual and he seems to be trying to assert himself by smashing into players but just ends up giving away stupid fouls. The midfield ran out of steam but it was fantastic in the first half, the three in there have so much energy usually and Louza has added some composure to it. Dennis was excellent again, we're ****ed if Nigeria call him up. Also I liked JP on the left, he's starting to impress wherever he plays now.
Gutted , think we deserved a draw, was a really exciting game and you know something is right when the league leader resorts to trying to run the clock down Dennis is something else he is like a Sarr that is happy to shoot , I think sissoko is a great captain he just keeps going, Louza seems capable. JP seemed quiet but did have some excellent touches. Wouldnt really fault anybody today. imagine an inform Sarr on one side , Dennis on the other and king in the middle next match will be really hard and in all likelihood will get stuffed (it’s just the Man City way) , just hope we keep he positivity going till we get to some winnable games
That winning goal is poor from Bachmann isn't it? Or am I being harsh. Not that I want the dreadful youtube berk back.
Really unlucky tonight. The fact that Chelsea were having to time waste at the end says a lot. Dennis and Sissoko in particular looked excellent. It's so frustrating that our attack looks really promising (even with Sarr out), but our defence is so shaky. We look so much better with Ranieri in charge, but the club seriously need to support him in the January window; there's only so much he can do with this squad. And props to the medical staff in the stadium for their quick reaction to the fan falling ill and fair play for the players for not wanting to resume until they knew he was alright. Hope he makes a swift recovery.
Yeah I noticed this and messaged my brother about it too - it's like he needs to add another broken string to his bow. He could have got himself sent off at least once purely by that stupidity, and that wrestling with RLC in their box at the end killed one of our last meaningful chances to equalise.
I thought the challenge on Mount was aggressive but fine, very unlike him though. He also shoved Pulisic into the advertising screens as well. Frustration as he knows he's playing like a donkey maybe?
An easier one to take than the capitulation at the weekend! We actually looked up for it. First half we were excellent, full of energy, the press was as good as it was against Man Utd, but Chelsea are far better in possession than United and more composed, so was always going to be tougher. Nevertheless, we were incredibly unlucky not to be 3-1 up at HT but for some great keeping from Mendy and wasteful finishing from us. Second half Chelsea did a job on Dennis and after 60 minutes he should have been played through the middle and King either out-wide or hooked for Cucho. We ran out of steam last 15-20 minutes and we never really looked like getting back into it after their second goal. Positives: Great to see Dennis get 90 after his injury at the weekend. Another epic Dennis performance, particularly first half. Sissoko was the best player on the pitch by a country mile (no idea how Mount got MOTM, he was awful). Rose played well when he came on. Louza magnificent. JP looks physically ready for this level and he showed some lovely touches. Just needs to be more of a goal threat. Negatives: Troost Ekong's existence. Deserved more from that, but it is what it is. IF we can play like that for the remainder of the season we will stay up.
Don't agree. WTE wasnt at fault for their 1st. Bachman wasnt at fault for the 2nd. Chelsea have some assuredness in the box (best team in the world I heard ). We lost because we took the game to them and left a few holes at the back. Another day we score the 3rd goal (Cleverley v Mendy?) And we get a draw. But playing such an agressive game always leaves a few holes. That's why we lost, but it was also the reason we may have won. Not because any of out players made boo boos. Personally I think Femenia got sucked in for their second... But again he was on the front foot trying to block and win the ball, so I dont blame him for leaving Mount the space. All in all Chelsea had to change their system at least twice in order to get in the game and Tuchel was blowing his nut on the sidelines. We did well and playing like that will be safe. Unless Dennis is sold in Jan.
What else could he have done for the Mount challenge? He was left to dry a bit there. Pushing Pulisic into the hoarding...it happens in the heat of battle
I agree, I thought the foul call was madness, but the advertising hoarding thing was unnecessary and ill advised, and he was throwing himself about far too much trying to be a hardman.
Unfortunately most of our big chances fell to players we didn't want for them to fall to, Sissoko, Rose and Cleverley, really big chances them... A minor quibble, but is it too much to ask from the midfield and the defence to score goals? We're up **** creek if Dennis gets injured!
Heat of battle wouldn't have been a good enough explanation if he'd got a second yellow, it was completely unnecessary. I'm just saying he seems to have become a lot more aggressive, maybe Ranieri has asked him to be! I don't think it's helping much though, he looked like a headless chicken tonight again.
Troost has a good game and we find that unpalatable. Trying to outmuscle the opposition, who does he think he is? You sound like the daily mail bad mouthing Megan for breathing in through her nose and walking in a straight line.
Yeah thought Troost was decent tonight. Cathcart was dreadful though. This is the problem. You can never get two decent performances out of the pair at the same time. They aren’t up to it by a long chalk.
Good performance. Deserved better - even Tuchel admitted they were lucky . We’ll win more than we lose playing like that .
Taking our injury list into consideration I genuinely thought that we was going to be embarrassed in this. I know Troost-Ekong kept the player onside for their first goal but in my opinion he looked quite solid today. Although I would still prefer to see him nowhere near the starting 11. If we can keep that intensity up and get in the faces of lesser teams then we have a good chance of staying up.
