spooky
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As hard as it sounds, he should abstain from Sylvie for the entirety of the season!
I can sub for him no worries , missus would help out too if she likes :dream3some:Thelonious Filth said:
All for the good of the team you understand :gomes:
Happy with the draw.
We're badly limited when one of Lennon or Bale is out. The first 10 minutes we were exceptional, consistently closing them down, playing nice triangles and getting Bale on the ball as much as possible. After we scored AVB pushed Ramires a little bit wider to help cover Bale and it worked. We could no longer get the ball to him as much as we were before which meant we started resorting to hitting it long towards Adebayor (especially Benny). With Bale being our main and possibly only threat, nullifying him worked better than AVB could've expected.
Their goal was definitely hand ball and once again we're on the end of a very poor decision. Had that been in the area it would've been a penalty (at least it would've been had the ref not made an error earlier and decided to even the score a little by not punishing Benny - thank God). Unfortunately both King and Benny assumed it was a handball instead of playing to the whistle but those things happen. What shouldn't happen though is heads drop which is the only explanation I can think of for the sudden lack of closing down which happened after their goal. Suddenly they were given plenty of space in central positions, Meireles in particular being allowed to lift his head and often pass it out wide.
One of the ways to beat Chelsea, or at least keep them quiet is to keep their full backs occupied. They provide the width in the 4231 formation they play. We were fine on their right thanks to injuries and the Bale factor but Ashley Cole had the run of WHL because we didn't have any natural width ourselves to counter his forward runs. That needs to be addressed sooner rather than later with Lennon out for the forseeable. Hoillett would be perfect cover for both flanks and would allow us to continue our normal style with either Bale or Lennon out.
Their dominance for what was probably 50-60 minutes of the game (not really dominance but they were certainly "in the game") was down to the differing formations the teams were playing. AVB has got his 4231 playing to perfection at the moment, 451 without the ball and 433 with it. Add Cole being able to push into advanced positions and we were overrun in midfield, especially when vdV went off to be replaced by Pavlyuchenko who was asked to play behind Adebayor and drop back into midfield when we didn't have the ball. This didn't really work thanks to Pav being shit. vdV isn't exactly defensively minded but in the first half he at least put himself about and filled holes, something Pav struggled with.
What we should've done is push Walker into an advanced role and played 352 as we did at Stoke. This would've helped get control of the midfield again but also given us pace on both flanks resulting in Cole not being able to bomb on quite as much as he was doing. It would've also given us two strikers up against Terry and a full back playing out of position. We didn't put enough pressure on Bosingwa at any point after he had to move into a central role. A missed opportunity.
Overall I thought the result was a fair one. Had we continued with our pressing I don't think they would've got back into the game quite as much as they did even after their goal. I think certain players are looking tired, Parker, Modric and Benny in particular. We're the top side in London (officially) at the moment and it shows, there's no reason why we shouldn't finish the season in that position.
Sadly, it looks like vdV and King will miss the festive games and Kaboul might be out too so Norwich could be a real test with their ability in the air. Defoe's return could be timely alongside Adebayor as Boxing day looks to me like a "we'll score one more than you" kind of game.
COYS
We're badly limited when one of Lennon or Bale is out. The first 10 minutes we were exceptional, consistently closing them down, playing nice triangles and getting Bale on the ball as much as possible. After we scored AVB pushed Ramires a little bit wider to help cover Bale and it worked. We could no longer get the ball to him as much as we were before which meant we started resorting to hitting it long towards Adebayor (especially Benny). With Bale being our main and possibly only threat, nullifying him worked better than AVB could've expected.
Their goal was definitely hand ball and once again we're on the end of a very poor decision. Had that been in the area it would've been a penalty (at least it would've been had the ref not made an error earlier and decided to even the score a little by not punishing Benny - thank God). Unfortunately both King and Benny assumed it was a handball instead of playing to the whistle but those things happen. What shouldn't happen though is heads drop which is the only explanation I can think of for the sudden lack of closing down which happened after their goal. Suddenly they were given plenty of space in central positions, Meireles in particular being allowed to lift his head and often pass it out wide.
One of the ways to beat Chelsea, or at least keep them quiet is to keep their full backs occupied. They provide the width in the 4231 formation they play. We were fine on their right thanks to injuries and the Bale factor but Ashley Cole had the run of WHL because we didn't have any natural width ourselves to counter his forward runs. That needs to be addressed sooner rather than later with Lennon out for the forseeable. Hoillett would be perfect cover for both flanks and would allow us to continue our normal style with either Bale or Lennon out.
Their dominance for what was probably 50-60 minutes of the game (not really dominance but they were certainly "in the game") was down to the differing formations the teams were playing. AVB has got his 4231 playing to perfection at the moment, 451 without the ball and 433 with it. Add Cole being able to push into advanced positions and we were overrun in midfield, especially when vdV went off to be replaced by Pavlyuchenko who was asked to play behind Adebayor and drop back into midfield when we didn't have the ball. This didn't really work thanks to Pav being shit. vdV isn't exactly defensively minded but in the first half he at least put himself about and filled holes, something Pav struggled with.
What we should've done is push Walker into an advanced role and played 352 as we did at Stoke. This would've helped get control of the midfield again but also given us pace on both flanks resulting in Cole not being able to bomb on quite as much as he was doing. It would've also given us two strikers up against Terry and a full back playing out of position. We didn't put enough pressure on Bosingwa at any point after he had to move into a central role. A missed opportunity.
Overall I thought the result was a fair one. Had we continued with our pressing I don't think they would've got back into the game quite as much as they did even after their goal. I think certain players are looking tired, Parker, Modric and Benny in particular. We're the top side in London (officially) at the moment and it shows, there's no reason why we shouldn't finish the season in that position.
Sadly, it looks like vdV and King will miss the festive games and Kaboul might be out too so Norwich could be a real test with their ability in the air. Defoe's return could be timely alongside Adebayor as Boxing day looks to me like a "we'll score one more than you" kind of game.
COYS
Well summed up, lack of width killed us. Plan B (Pav for VdV) didn't work in the second half either. Still, they're happier with the point than we are, shows how far we've come.
Thelonious Filth said:
this is a very good point, although we'd be equally as happy with a point at their place.
I think we missed Modric more then Lennon (second half anyway). He does a decent job on the wings when asked to but we lose too much control which results in him (and Bale) getting marginalised. Lennon was injured when we spanked Liverpool and Kranjcar came in and did a decent job, the key was we kept Modric in CM.
Long term, as most have said, we need a quality winger to cover both flanks (fingers crossed for Hoilett). But short term I think we have to start trusting his squad players a bit more (Kranjcar, Pienaar, Townsend, Rose, Dos Santos, Towsend could all do a job if need be) and keep our big guns where they can do most damage
Long term, as most have said, we need a quality winger to cover both flanks (fingers crossed for Hoilett). But short term I think we have to start trusting his squad players a bit more (Kranjcar, Pienaar, Townsend, Rose, Dos Santos, Towsend could all do a job if need be) and keep our big guns where they can do most damage
rotation needs to be looked at too. We badly let ourselves down last season by not doing it. I'm all for playing your best players as often as you can but Parker is looking tired, as is Modric and Benny. If I were HR I'd be "suggesting" Parker picks up a yellow at the end of the Norwich game so he gets a rest for Swansea and then only plays 1 game in 2 weeks. Either that or he needs to learn to remove players when we're comfortably winning (if we're ever comfortably winning).
If we don't we'll be found out from February onwards.
If we don't we'll be found out from February onwards.
spooky said:
Maybe its time for him to admit that his revolutionary physiotherapist just isn't that great.
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011 ... -tottenham
Training for 8 hours a day on an injury doesn't sound the best way of promoting the healing process to me :vdv:
Sturridge for England though, right?
he needs to get fit and be fit before he starts. The partnership of Adebayor and Defoe is a good one (or it has been so far) so we're in no desperate need for him to return with the exception of his being the best suited to playing on the right with Lennon out. He should be given enough time to make sure when he does come back he's back for good. Chopping and changing isn't doing him or Defoe any good. I say give him a month to sort this problem out and get fit. Coming off the bench for the final 20-30 minutes for a few games to build match fitness like normal players do.
Frankly it's not last season, and he's not so imperative to the way the team plays this season that means we can't afford to do that. It'd be the best in the long run.
Frankly it's not last season, and he's not so imperative to the way the team plays this season that means we can't afford to do that. It'd be the best in the long run.
[fbvideo]220541931359924[/fbvideo]
Adebayor interviewed by Drogba.
Adebayor interviewed by Drogba.
I agree normally wouldn't be handball - ball to hand, but there was an advantage from it as that ball was otherwise going way out of play... Instead it led to the goal.
Any other position on the pitch you let it go, but you can't when they get a goal scoring opportunity from it - accident or not
Any other position on the pitch you let it go, but you can't when they get a goal scoring opportunity from it - accident or not
I'm pretty gutted that we only drew this game (which shows how far we've come along, many have already said this!) We badly missed Lennon, I'm not sure why we couldn't have maybe given Kranjcar a run out at RM? I thought Sandro had a really strong game, as he did against Sunderlan, dare I say it...could Parker use a game or 2 to have a rest? We could play Modric and Sandro in the middle, I'm sure that will be fine.
Must also say that before I went to the game I had a few beers in Liverpool street, as it's near my work. Went to a pub right by the station which was jam packed with nasty little chelsea cretins...horrible, just horrible.
Must also say that before I went to the game I had a few beers in Liverpool street, as it's near my work. Went to a pub right by the station which was jam packed with nasty little chelsea cretins...horrible, just horrible.
Pav is fucking shit, end of. I wish people would stop wanting him to be good just because we spent a bit of money on him.
I really think Defoe would have had a field day last night, he would have made constant runs pulling the fenders all over the place - especially after Ivanovic went off. Pav is only good for shooting....sometimes.
I honestly think Bent would have scored more than Pav if he was here instead, people got on his back because he was English and cost a lot as apposed to Pav being foreign and costing a lot, at least Bent is half decent at holding up he ball.
That said I really think all we need to really compete is another 'top top' striker as Harry would say and another pacy/tricky winger. Hazzard would be amazing but will never happen. Hoilett a possibility I think hes a decent player and its not easy playing as well as he does in such a shit team.
Everywhere else we are solid imo. Defensively we have great experience and lok like we will get a few games out of Ledley and Gallas, Kaboul is a beast who has stepped up a bit this year, Dawson is coming back and Caulker will benefit massively from a season at Swansea, we have two of the games most exciting full backs, destroyers in Parker and Sandro and players like Huddlestone yet to play.
Things are looking good, just a few additions in the right places and this season could be a really memorable one.
I really think Defoe would have had a field day last night, he would have made constant runs pulling the fenders all over the place - especially after Ivanovic went off. Pav is only good for shooting....sometimes.
I honestly think Bent would have scored more than Pav if he was here instead, people got on his back because he was English and cost a lot as apposed to Pav being foreign and costing a lot, at least Bent is half decent at holding up he ball.
That said I really think all we need to really compete is another 'top top' striker as Harry would say and another pacy/tricky winger. Hazzard would be amazing but will never happen. Hoilett a possibility I think hes a decent player and its not easy playing as well as he does in such a shit team.
Everywhere else we are solid imo. Defensively we have great experience and lok like we will get a few games out of Ledley and Gallas, Kaboul is a beast who has stepped up a bit this year, Dawson is coming back and Caulker will benefit massively from a season at Swansea, we have two of the games most exciting full backs, destroyers in Parker and Sandro and players like Huddlestone yet to play.
Things are looking good, just a few additions in the right places and this season could be a really memorable one.
Don't tell me what to do 
Dru said:
Thelonious Filth said:Don't tell me what to do
arker:
Bastard app! 