view from a Chelsea fan

[Baldyboy 1]

My cousin went to the match on saturday, he''s a Chelsea fan and he made some very good points when i spoke to him about the game. the main ones being:

1. It was the best he had EVER seen Chelsea play, he doesnt go regularly but said they were fantastic.2. we stood off them too much like frightened rabbits3. We have TWO decent players in Hoolahan and Holt, the others look very mediocre.4. we should not be playing 4-5-1 as we do not have enough pace in the team.just thought I would share.

[paul moy 235]

We have probably seen Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea play the best they have played and will play at any time this season except when maybe they play us again. I think that says more about our play than theirs. When will people wake up.......!!

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

[quote user="paul moy"]We have probably seen Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea play the best they have played and will play at any time this season except when maybe they play us again. I think that says more about our play than theirs. When will people wake up.......!![/quote]If you dont like what you''re watching...

[Lord Horn 0]

[:D] What makes you think Paul still watches on a regular basis???  Think he stopped going once Cody left

[Aggy 944]

[quote user="paul moy"]We have probably seen Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea play the best they have played and will play at any time this season except when maybe they play us again. I think that says more about our play than theirs. When will people wake up.......!![/quote]

Agree about Fulham and Liverpool, think you''re being a bit harsh for the Chelsea game. Like I said in another thread - you''re unlikely to see Fulham or Liverpool score 5 against many prem sides this season, suggesting it was us being poor, not them being good. Chelsea will score 4+ quite a lot though I reckon, not sure many bottom half sides would have kept them below 3 or 4 on Saturday.

[Bill 1,788]

"2. we stood off them too much like frightened rabbits"

 

sums it up perfectly

 

 

[Yellow Rider 0]

[quote user="City1st"]

"2. we stood off them too much like frightened rabbits"

 

sums it up perfectly

 

 

[/quote]

Agreed - too much of the ....''little old Norwich'' syndrome creeping in again I''m afraid. Came across with boring regularity on Rodeo Norfolk commentary! Seems CH has reverted to a Worthy type mentality when it comes to playing the top sides (although Spurs was a throw back to last season and proves we can compete with those top teams if our mindset is right).

Expect much of the same v Arsenal and almost certainly a three or four goal defeat. Sorry, but unless we discover the fire of last season why should it be any different?    

[paul moy 235]

I think only me and Aggy see the pattern though. It''s not just one game where we have done that.

[drurys testamonials V 15 0]

Not a good game to have endured as a City fan.

[Norfolk Mustard 106]

[quote user="City1st"]

"2. we stood off them too much like frightened rabbits"

sums it up perfectly

[/quote]

Hate to admit it, but that is exactly what it looked like on TV - showing far too much repect methinks?

[a1canary 0]

I have to say i agree with PM here. It''s like the days of old - pre Lambert - when teams very often played exceptionally well against us, much too often for it to be a coincidence. And the reason is in the op on this thread. We have too often been far too scared of teams and stood off them, not played to win. When you stand off a team, especially one made up of exceptionally technically gifted players, then guess what, they will always play well. We shouldn''t be surprised of frustrated by this when we let teams show off all their abilities.

Why do teams, even the very best ones, never get more than a goal or two out of Stoke? Because Pulis drills his teams relentlessly to get in the face of these talented players and not give them a nano-second to show what they are capable of. You don''t have to play how they do with the ball but we could learn a great deal from them about how they play without it. Any team without the talent of a Man City or an Arsenal has to play like that or risk being thrashed. I really hope CH gets this and if i see us continuing to stand off and let these teams play then we may as well give up on this season now. Looking for improvements next week, even if it is Arsenal. At least want to see us getting in their faces.

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="a1canary"]

Why do teams, even the very best ones, never get more than a goal or two out of Stoke? [/quote]it sounds odd but top level flair players don’t like a tackle.Modric was a good example when at Spurs... as soon as someone went in hard he was scared for the rest of the game... might as well have played 10 men.it''s not the same with all players but next time you watch Stoke play have a look at how they approach the more skilful players.... the likes of a Torres will get up and keep going.... but have a look at someone like Nani and see whether or not they become ineffective quickly...Fulham play a very similar way at Craven cottage....

[Syteanric 1]

[quote user="jas the barclay king"][quote user="a1canary"]

Why do teams, even the very best ones, never get more than a goal or two out of Stoke? [/quote]it sounds odd but top level flair players don’t like a tackle.Modric was a good example when at Spurs... as soon as someone went in hard he was scared for the rest of the game... might as well have played 10 men.it''s not the same with all players but next time you watch Stoke play have a look at how they approach the more skilful players.... the likes of a Torres will get up and keep going.... but have a look at someone like Nani and see whether or not they become ineffective quickly...Fulham play a very similar way at Craven cottage....

[/quote]just to emphasis the above, Ryan Shawcross gets his fair share of red cards, but have a look at the impact that has and the type of player he takes out...I have said for a few years Norwich need to be a bit nastier...it would have been interesting to see what Mata would have done with the ball for the 3rd goal had we of crunched him earlier in the game? would he have taken it and run because he can take a tackle, or would he have looked to release it early for fear of getting hurt again?

[paul moy 235]

So, most of us can see the obvious faults in our play and what we need to rectify to get results. Why can''t Hughton ? Probably IMO because he''s from the Tottenham school of playing. Fine if you''re a top 10 club but dangerous when you''re scrapping at the bottom of the Prem.

[ironmongers arms 0]

Have to agree with the broad thread here- we are not good enough to rely so much on defensive play. Where we succeeded last season was by getting at them and putting other teams on the back foot. Russell Martin has been less effective this time round for example as he has been told to get back.

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

Isnt the point though that Hughton is TRYING to make us good enough to be able to rely on defensive play?He''s only had 7 games. Give him twenty at least and I think we''ll see some improvement.

[Smudger 0]

[quote user="baldyboy"]My cousin went to the match on saturday, he''s a Chelsea fan and he made some very good points when i spoke to him about the game. the main ones being:

1. It was the best he had EVER seen Chelsea play, he doesnt go regularly but said they were fantastic.2. we stood off them too much like frightened rabbits3. We have TWO decent players in Hoolahan and Holt, the others look very mediocre.4. we should not be playing 4-5-1 as we do not have enough pace in the team.just thought I would share.[/quote]What system would he play with Hoolahan and Holt in the team?

[Dubai Mark 0]

I actually believe that just about every Premier League team will take the occasional heavy defeat, just ask Man U and Arsenal about what happened to them last season. Several sides, like us, will take a few more tonkings than others perhaps against the bigger teams, but it''s over the season when the points are counted that matters.  Also just for the record in respect of the myth that Stoke do not concede more than 1 or 2............

2011-2012
0-4 at Sunderland
0-5 at Bolton
0-3 at Man City
0-3 at Newcastle
1-3 at Arsenal
1-3 home Newcastle