Holmes_and_Watson

A team at the upper end of the pool of quality that the figures are drawn from scored 6, when it was expected, from those opportunities, that they would score 4.4 ( from a wider, and generally less talented pool, although it probably wouldn't be a massive difference. Unless that understat has done it for individuals). While Chelsea still had to put in some work to win the game, they clearly had a few more gears to move up if they really wanted to. They had a plan and expoited weaknesses in our tactics without being countered. We failed to react tactically (or any other way) to their approach. That's been one of the damning things when things like this happen. We have a playbook. We have automatons that play to that playbook. If it goes wrong, and it's not in there, we're stuffed. The players don't seem capable of changing anything on the pitch. I get the feeling, even with a game going horribly wrong, Ralph would be upset that people weren't following his instructions. So 4.4 from the chances created. But with the knowledge that they could have created even more chances, if they had decided to switch it up a bit. They also took their foot off a very comfortable win for at least the last 30mins. That's what isn't being captured by xG. Which is why it's just one of a growing suite of x numbers to try and analyse various parts and positions of the game. Two flukes, and another fluke seems like a lot of flukes.

Inspector

Great to see the otehrs dropping points, when we have this and another "easier" game coming up.

From the OP, I'd definitely want Guardiola in charge. Clearly the City board have been vetoing his purchase of Redmond, due to their abundance of riches in that position. This is the only way to see that dream team in action. 🙂

Absence

Wave

Belated congratulations. That's the only bit of good news out of the last couple of hours. 🙂

Well that was wretched. Chelsea are a much more expensively put together team of more talented players. They’ve had a stinging week, and we had an opportunity to capitalise on that. But to do so, we needed to be towards our best. With 4 at the back, we offered no defensive cover from midfield. Worse, we once again played KWP out of position, and that widened that centre half pairing. So, they cut us apart. Everyone on the planet can see that Perraud on the left and KWP on the right is the better balance. But that’s everyone on the planet except for Ralph and he’s stubborn enough to think that he’s right about it. The club do get to show the pathway to future Chelsea academy students looking for first team action. Yes! Get first team football in a team that messes with its balance just to fit you in! Have no fear of being dropped, because the manager will dig in with his opinions. I’d like to think that Romeu just isn’t 100%. There was the comment about new pastures recently, but hopefully that’s not taken the edge off his game. But removing him, to go three at the back, offered even less cover, and they cut us open effortlessly just as easily. Diallo eventually came on for Livramento, so we still didn’t have the balance we needed. But the game was long gone by then. This is probably the players we’re going to be going with until the end of the season. Redmond is frozen out. Perraud must be wondering what he has to do to get a start. If McCarthy was fit, no doubt Ralph would be persisting with him rather than Forster who kept today down below double figures. It seems to me that we make it clear to players we want to move on, by limiting their minutes. Focusing on pathways, rather than points, when we think we’re safe for the season. I can understand the cold logic of it. But it makes for some poor performances. We are miles off the quick, high pressing game that troubled opponents earlier in the season. That’s where Ralph’s drive makes the team better than its individual parts. We’re probably mediocre at best without that. When Ralph messes about with tactics, personnel and balance we’re worse than mediocre. And it seems to take a long time for anything to change, and we get slumps like this.

Maybe Smallbone will be playing in that advanced role that worked out so well last time. The comeback is on! 🙂

oof. Header to someone to take a shot from clsoe range. Another star defensive moment.

Meme = Minimum Effort, Maximum Exposure.

There are farmers starting to work on the acres of space we leave Chelsea to knock it into space. So easy for them.

Not the back of the net, and not a second half clean sheet.

Wow. Chelsea aren;t exactly going up the gears to get this scoreline. We've made it so, so easy for them.

Our best player today by a mile, is the guy we're letting go for nought in the summer. >sigh<

Commentator said that Chelsea will struggle to keep up this pace for the second half. If they drop their pace any further, they'd be asleep and I'd not trust us to be able to score past them lying snoring on the pitch.

I didn't see their game vs Brentford. But our analysts must ahve been all over it. So what did they do, that we seem utterly incapable of?

Surprised we didnlt take off all 11 for Valery. 🙂 Waiting until 4 down seems a bit of damage control, rahter than being aware that we've been defiensivly overrun since the first whistle.

Every pass just cuts right through the defence, who can't cope at all with players running anywhere towards them.

Jeez. That was another catalogue of errors.

I'd read the article saying it was all deliberate. But I still wondered if we'd still be better off trying to actually score from them, but be more aware of possible counters.

The four upcoming Armstrong goals are going ot be all the sweeter after this opening spell. 🙂

Pain

Performance

Dress