- Feb 13, 2012
- 4,487
- 14,648
Well.
For 56 minutes I enjoyed that match.
The early scepticism encountered by seeing Walker on the team sheet when we'd already listed 4 defenders had dissipated during the tactical but intriguing first half, a half in which Chelsea bided their time and we poked and prodded, largely to little effect but nonetheless comfortably keeping them at arms length.
And then the God of Football looked down upon us and laughed. He winked at Jose Mourinho and went about his devilish way.
I cannot remember ever seeing a game that involved 3 separate individual error for goals (Liverpool (A) last year was 2?), not to mention the harshest penalty and red card combo in some years. I will make note of the fact that all 3 mistakes were made by player playing in their non-chosen positions... You can't learn a position overnight, Walker especially
Will we ever get to finish one of these games with 11 men? That was the crime on display, all else were misdemeanours borne of collective apathy & a lack of leadership, something & maybe the only thing that has prolonged Dawson's tenure; he wasn't so bad today but his crossfield balls were all too prevalent.
SO it was a clusterfuck of a collapse. All too familiar, and that we never have the character to react to an injustice with anger and passion is very frustrating. I think we are the only team in the league with such a weak underbelly & if you find it we keel over consistantly.
Sherwood was right to be annoyed but went the wrong way about expressing it.
What more can be said?
Tactics: were not so bad, we matched them for an hour & looked competent against a well drilled unit. They are good; effective but unflashy.
After the sending off it was awful. Why Sandro at the back? WHy not switch Naughton over to LB, Walker right, Verts inside? Walker central midfield? WTF! Thinking on the hoof sure, but it was utterly clueless by then.
Lloris: Distribution was abysmal, really really bad. 4
Naughton: Worked well with Walker nullifying Hazard and is in pretty good form for the class whipping boy. A run of games has helped maybe? 7 MOTM CAN YOU HEAR ME HATERZ!!
Dawson: Too much Hollywood passing, but fine generally 6
Kaboul: The shoelace incident apart, looked good in the air & so unlucky to get sent off 6
Vertonghen: Good going forward. I like that about his game when he's in at left back. But the mother of all pieces of bad luck to slip and the worst outcome after the attempted recovery. He really doesn't look like he's enjoying life though & that's a concern & had given up by the end which is reprehensible. 3
Walker: Right midfield? Kinda worked for a bit but ended up centre midfield & just fucked it completely at the end. 4
Bentaleb: Kept it simple & promising for 45 minutes but disappeared 2nd half for me 6
Lennon: Not sure what to think. Had energy but little end product. This is what he does. 5
Sigurdsson: I am going to presume he is the most positionally disciplined player in the world & that's why coaches love him, cos he sure as shit does nothing else. Utterly invisible. 2
Adebayor: No chance in this game, well marshalled generally, stil looked most likely to do something until it turned to shit.. 5
Sandro: Love the commitment as ever, WTF is he doing at CB in any situation? I am starting to wonder if he's the same player he was before the injury & I know that's unpopular and maybe harsh but... Marvellous shot though & unlucky not to score 6
/ 3 (as CB)
Paulinho: Neat, tidy but on the pitch during the capitulation so points off 5
Fryers: as above 5
Sherwood: Brave tactics, maybe foolish, asked too much playing 4 players coming off injuries and a decline of sorts in the second half was kinda inevitable due to that, made a mess of the post match interview, maybe lost the players; is really gonna get tested now.
We also have a centre back crisis.
Fucking football!
For 56 minutes I enjoyed that match.
The early scepticism encountered by seeing Walker on the team sheet when we'd already listed 4 defenders had dissipated during the tactical but intriguing first half, a half in which Chelsea bided their time and we poked and prodded, largely to little effect but nonetheless comfortably keeping them at arms length.
And then the God of Football looked down upon us and laughed. He winked at Jose Mourinho and went about his devilish way.
I cannot remember ever seeing a game that involved 3 separate individual error for goals (Liverpool (A) last year was 2?), not to mention the harshest penalty and red card combo in some years. I will make note of the fact that all 3 mistakes were made by player playing in their non-chosen positions... You can't learn a position overnight, Walker especially
Will we ever get to finish one of these games with 11 men? That was the crime on display, all else were misdemeanours borne of collective apathy & a lack of leadership, something & maybe the only thing that has prolonged Dawson's tenure; he wasn't so bad today but his crossfield balls were all too prevalent.
SO it was a clusterfuck of a collapse. All too familiar, and that we never have the character to react to an injustice with anger and passion is very frustrating. I think we are the only team in the league with such a weak underbelly & if you find it we keel over consistantly.
Sherwood was right to be annoyed but went the wrong way about expressing it.
What more can be said?
Tactics: were not so bad, we matched them for an hour & looked competent against a well drilled unit. They are good; effective but unflashy.
After the sending off it was awful. Why Sandro at the back? WHy not switch Naughton over to LB, Walker right, Verts inside? Walker central midfield? WTF! Thinking on the hoof sure, but it was utterly clueless by then.
Lloris: Distribution was abysmal, really really bad. 4
Naughton: Worked well with Walker nullifying Hazard and is in pretty good form for the class whipping boy. A run of games has helped maybe? 7 MOTM CAN YOU HEAR ME HATERZ!!
Dawson: Too much Hollywood passing, but fine generally 6
Kaboul: The shoelace incident apart, looked good in the air & so unlucky to get sent off 6
Vertonghen: Good going forward. I like that about his game when he's in at left back. But the mother of all pieces of bad luck to slip and the worst outcome after the attempted recovery. He really doesn't look like he's enjoying life though & that's a concern & had given up by the end which is reprehensible. 3
Walker: Right midfield? Kinda worked for a bit but ended up centre midfield & just fucked it completely at the end. 4
Bentaleb: Kept it simple & promising for 45 minutes but disappeared 2nd half for me 6
Lennon: Not sure what to think. Had energy but little end product. This is what he does. 5
Sigurdsson: I am going to presume he is the most positionally disciplined player in the world & that's why coaches love him, cos he sure as shit does nothing else. Utterly invisible. 2
Adebayor: No chance in this game, well marshalled generally, stil looked most likely to do something until it turned to shit.. 5
Sandro: Love the commitment as ever, WTF is he doing at CB in any situation? I am starting to wonder if he's the same player he was before the injury & I know that's unpopular and maybe harsh but... Marvellous shot though & unlucky not to score 6
/ 3 (as CB)
Paulinho: Neat, tidy but on the pitch during the capitulation so points off 5
Fryers: as above 5
Sherwood: Brave tactics, maybe foolish, asked too much playing 4 players coming off injuries and a decline of sorts in the second half was kinda inevitable due to that, made a mess of the post match interview, maybe lost the players; is really gonna get tested now.
We also have a centre back crisis.
Fucking football!
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