• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

*Official OMT* - The day before a cup semi vs Chelsea and no OMT?

Man of the match


  • Total voters
    54
  • Poll closed .
Agreed, that’s why I said half chances and only singled out that one!

Their XG of 0.9 suggests they had enough half chances to score, if you take notice of XG (which personally I do).

——

We defended well, I’m just curious as to why we couldn’t keep the ball - I struggle to believe it was Poch’s plan all along. Fair enough if it was just being more tired, but it seemed like it might have been a tactical failing too (chasing Chelsea’s width and inviting and struggling with their high block.)

Still, they didn’t score and we won - good result, onwards and upwards!
 
Being lazy, so don't know if discussed already - but why is the second leg on a Thursday!? Thought they always just reversed the Tue/Wed 1st leg ties around a fortnight later?

It means we have Chelsea away followed by an FA Cup tie less than 48hrs later. Unless the Palace game is moved to Sun of course, but again we then have Watford the following Weds so it's all a bit tight. (Palace also play that Weds night).

But why Thursday in the first place and not Weds?
 
The old adage of playing to the whistle obviously is beyond the brain power of modern "superstars". I love it when goals are scored when teams try misusing the rules like offside rather doing their job and defending properly.
 
GG seemed to be down when I got home last night but my views:

Gazzaniga was great and the weakness I thought he had on crosses wasn’t there.

The defence was excellent as they were under so much pressure

Sissoko was decent with winks but they did get overview run a lot for the first 60

VAR is comedy gold when your in the ground as you can see what happened but can’t see what their deciding on

How was a foul not given on sonny by Christiansen after the first 3 minutes. Looked clear and a red

Why was Kepa not sent off for at the very least dangerous play. Looked to me like teh ball had gone off the pitch before he flattened kane

How was a foul given against Lamela with 5 to go when alonso just crumbled

Chelsea hugged and puffed like we used to do but when Kante is your likeliest scorer you have a big issue

Hudson Oi really wasn’t all that and they should take the money

Agree with this mostly and particularly the questions. Disappointed when returned home after the match and the Son/Christensen incident was not even covered in the Sky highlights and the Lamela challenge glossed over.

Actually thought Hudson-Odoi was pretty decent though for an 18 year old although Rose had worked him out by the 2nd half.

Was again concerned about how slow Poch was to make the change to midfield as it was clear even in the first half that the diamond midfield was not working. I guess we still don't know if the Kane 'injury' was tactical but we were much better after moving Dele back into midfield.

Still its a win and a lead for the 2nd leg and expect us to at least score at Stamford Bridge
 
Agreed, that’s why I said half chances and only singled out that one!

Their XG of 0.9 suggests they had enough half chances to score, if you take notice of XG (which personally I do).

——

We defended well, I’m just curious as to why we couldn’t keep the ball - I struggle to believe it was Poch’s plan all along. Fair enough if it was just being more tired, but it seemed like it might have been a tactical failing too (chasing Chelsea’s width and inviting and struggling with their high block.)

Still, they didn’t score and we won - good result, onwards and upwards!
We struggled as Kane lost most of the physical duels when we played it long and we weren't accurate enough passing through their pressing. So not a lot of good options for us. Long ball over the top worked well at times, but often we couldn't find it.

A struggle, but we came up on on top. Happy with that and hopefully we'll play better against United and in the return leg.
 
That was their only clear chance though
And the penalty was our only clear chance. They hit the post with Kante and overall looked more dangerous and created more half chances. Similar performances in the return leg and chances are we'll lose.

But we know we can up our game.
 
We struggled as Kane lost most of the physical duels when we played it long and we weren't accurate enough passing through their pressing. So not a lot of good options for us. Long ball over the top worked well at times, but often we couldn't find it.

A struggle, but we came up on on top. Happy with that and hopefully we'll play better against United and in the return leg.

I do wonder about how much we'll miss Son's pace and direct running in the second leg. For all Moura's pace he is more a mazy-ish dribbler rather than a player you'd knock it long to and his chase onto it in a direct fashion. It will be interesting to see what Poch does to overcome this inability to keep them pinned back like we were able to do in November's league match. In fact tactically it will be absolutely fascinating to see what he does..
 
Hudson Oi really wasn’t all that and they should take the money

There might be a player in there, but looking at him last night, were we linked at £35m I would be VERY put off by it.

He looked the part in so much as he saw the ball a lot and had some nice touches, but he actually DID near fudge all. The only dangerous moments from him were massive deflections and unintentional.

And yet...

..The bloody commentary! They would have you believe he was the second coming of Pele, best player on the pitch, and was tearing us to pieces. None of which is true, and all clearly founded on "well Bayern are after him so he must be good". It was comical.
 
I do wonder about how much we'll miss Son's pace and direct running in the second leg. For all Moura's pace he is more a mazy-ish dribbler rather than a player you'd knock it long to and his chase onto it in a direct fashion. It will be interesting to see what Poch does to overcome this inability to keep them pinned back like we were able to do in November's league match. In fact tactically it will be absolutely fascinating to see what he does..

Seemed a deliberate ploy to me. Not sure why, to be honest, because we nailed them in the November game.

It was most noticeable in how Sanchez, Alderweireld and Gazzaniga were splitting wide and playing keep ball for ages. We seemed to want to draw them in and hit them, but they werent exactly biting. And, of course, it then means we are 20 yards deeper than usual as a unit - makes it harder to establish a foothold in their half.

I think they identified the left side as a win, because I lost count of the times that keep ball resulted in working Rose an opportunity to try and knock it up the line and dash onto it (which failed more often than not).

Its a weird one.
 
Not our best performance of the season but we stuck in there and got the result, its something i have noticed this season ( especially) we now learning to grind out a result. If we raise our game ( like we can) in the return we can do this.
 
What are these clams doing with this, utterly ridiculous

Chelsea reveal different angle on Harry Kane VAR offside call in Tottenham's Carabao Cup win
 
Seemed a deliberate ploy to me. Not sure why, to be honest, because we nailed them in the November game.

It was most noticeable in how Sanchez, Alderweireld and Gazzaniga were splitting wide and playing keep ball for ages. We seemed to want to draw them in and hit them, but they werent exactly biting. And, of course, it then means we are 20 yards deeper than usual as a unit - makes it harder to establish a foothold in their half.

I think they identified the left side as a win, because I lost count of the times that keep ball resulted in working Rose an opportunity to try and knock it up the line and dash onto it (which failed more often than not).

Its a weird one.

Perhaps Sarri learned his lesson not to bite after last time? I also wonder if the Wolves game has given other coaches food for thought in letting us pass around the back up to a point and not let us get in behind very quickly. Or perhaps our lack of experience/specialist CM players at the moment means there are certain games whereby keeping possession flowing in the middle is proving tricky? A Dembele-Wanyama axis of two seasons ago might have given us more of a foothold perhaps.

Anyway, at least we have something to hold onto going into that second leg but you just think we will have to find another solution to the inability to hold onto possession...
 
There might be a player in there, but looking at him last night, were we linked at £35m I would be VERY put off by it.

He looked the part in so much as he saw the ball a lot and had some nice touches, but he actually DID near fudge all. The only dangerous moments from him were massive deflections and unintentional.

And yet...

..The bloody commentary! They would have you believe he was the second coming of Pele, best player on the pitch, and was tearing us to pieces. None of which is true, and all clearly founded on "well Bayern are after him so he must be good". It was comical.

Funny how we see games, I was worried every time he got the ball.

Thought he was very good.

35 million? No but that’s the market
 
Funny how we see games, I was worried every time he got the ball.

Thought he was very good.

35 million? No but that’s the market
I think thats Nayims point though, he certainly looks like he's got something about him which is why you was concerned whenever he got the ball.

But ultimately what did he really create? He lacked that punch, end product which at this level at his age is completely understandable....
 
And the penalty was our only clear chance. They hit the post with Kante and overall looked more dangerous and created more half chances. Similar performances in the return leg and chances are we'll lose.

But we know we can up our game.
Was it?

I’d argue lamela had a clear goal chance before the ref called a bizarre foul on alonso

I think people are looking at the positive of Chelsea playing their best football rather than us defending superbly

Chelsea look blunt in attack and it’s gonna cost them dearly. We looked very good defensively and now have 3 wins in 3 against them and 3 clean sheets in a row
 
Was it?

I’d argue lamela had a clear goal chance before the ref called a bizarre foul on alonso

I think people are looking at the positive of Chelsea playing their best football rather than us defending superbly

Chelsea look blunt in attack and it’s gonna cost them dearly. We looked very good defensively and now have 3 wins in 3 against them and 3 clean sheets in a row

2 out of 3 clean sheets, isn't it?
 
Back