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Those times we top. Remember? Me neither.
That's what infuriates me the most about "bottling". We weren't top at all for two years and were essentially the only chasers.
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Crazy that consistently we've been the best team over 2 seasons in every aspect.
But never once been top.
I don't have time to search - care to summarise?
My thoughts exactly. Pretty much our "A" team, and looked awful most of the match. Surprised possession percentage was as even as it was. Most of our possession seemed to be in our own third trying (and trying, and trying) to pass it out of the back. Must of been some sort of a record for drop passes back to the keeper.
Once we finally got it out, it usually resulted in a nervy pass forward, that got intercepted. Trapping was poor.
One bright spot for me was NGK. Great speed and tricky on the ball. Hugo was bright too, could have been 6-0 with out some stellar saves
I take it you haven't watch Chelsea's pre-season games?
Really glad I haven't watched any of the pre-season games
I know that we'll come of the blocks flying at Newcastle
I know that we'll come of the blocks flying at Newcastle
He's just another journeyman footballer. You'd be better off cheering ours - than booing the opposition's players.
It's done. He's gone
No, but I fear that if we play anything like we did against City, Chelsea will eat us alive no matter what state they are in.
Ironic coming from one of the biggest melts on here last season regurarly calling our players cunts and snakes in every match thread
We lost the league to Chelsea, do you disagree with that?
They were like Chelsea under Maureen's last spell. Should have been 8-0 down, in first half against Bayern, much worse than us last night and against Inter they were like they were (and us) under AVB. They have lost Costa and now Matic and replaced them with worse players. They only trusted 13 players last season, but now they have Europe to balance, so anyone coming into their team has less minutes under their belt than some of our fringe players have. They haven't outplay us once in the last two seasons (includes the Semi-final). They are obviously a good side, but I've seen nothing to suggest they will eat us alive.
Again, so much gets distorted in pre-season games. I commented after our game, in hope more than anything, that it might have been the case that we arrived at the game fatigued following some heavy training sessions, well Poch confirmed that they had a massive session the day before the game, which now explains not being "on it". Reporters that were pitch side have also been saying that at half time that many of our players were doing full length pitch sprints, at the end of the game too (not a warm down session). Not confirmed, but may be Guardiola's training is on a different programme and he decided to rest his players so they were fresher, who knows??? They were good, we weren't.
I'll take your word for it, and hope that they are off form, cause I'm sure we'll be nervy at our first home game at Wembley and a fully firing Chelsea is the last thing we need to deal with it.
That aside, yes pre-season is hard to judge as always. It was clear that we weren't really closing down much, a lot of players were just jogging around and not chasing back. But having said that, my real worry is that it wasn't just fitness that was the issue against City, we just looked helpless against their quick passing and clever movement. They were cutting us open so easily and always had so many options. And our passing continues to be a huge liability against teams who close us down high up the pitch. Basically same old problems.
Inexperienced players? Did you see the starting 11?
I understand it's just a friendly and means fuck but to blame it on inexperience after seeing the starting 11 is laughable!
We need to find a way to beat certain teams press, namely Liverpool's and Citeh's, many other teams try to do it but we either change shape (switch from 3-4 at the back for example) or the oppo can't maintain it and over the 90 become the dominant side, which happens against Citeh (not last night). So I wouldn't labour on the point as a massive problem more a selective one. I think Poch has us drilled as a fantastically diverse tactically astute team, however the only time I have seen him have us sit deep and counter was in his first North London derby at the Emirates, given how we have struggled against Liverpool I would like to see us try to go long against them, nothing really to do with us to much either as every team that does it to them ends up beating them.
Tell me when we were a huge margin ahead of everyone and then slumped and let Chelsea overtake us?
Because if you can, then that is when we "lost" the league.
IIRC we were always trying to catch up on their amazing start including stopping a huge winning run. We scored more goals, lost less games and played better football.
Oh wait. We were ahead at Stamford Bridge and lost.
Yeah - you're right. We bottled it.
I gave three reasons and you pick out one. Yes the starting 11 but who else played?
We looked a bit better when the kids came on to be honest.