Well what a week for the club,
4 excellent results on the spin and probably only 1 bad performance, the Bolton game which I have mentioned in my last post.
I was slightly concerned when I saw the team sheet for Thursday's game with none of the established 1st teamers except for the defence. Roy's pre-match interview also did not fill me with hope. He alluded to the fact that he felt it was more important to rotate the squad and stop Napoli playing.
Our 1st half performance bore that out to a large degree, we were on the back foot for most of it and looked bereft of ideas. No critisism of the youngsters on the pitch. They were playing a team 5th in Serie A who had hardly lost or conceded a goal. Indeed the goal they scored when Poulsen a CL veteran with Anderlecht and Selvilla, contrived to header the ball blindly behind him to the invisible Liverpool player there!
Cavani greatly accepted the gift and slotted in Lavezzi (Serie A's Carlos Tevez!), our defence was nowhere to be seen, thanks to Poulsen's brilliance!. So halftime and we arent 3-0 down at elast. thankfully Roy saw the light and brought in Stevie G, although taking Jovanovic off was odd, as he was one our better players in the 1st half. But what do I know, our Stevie dragged the rest of the team kicking and screaming into the game and his 15 minute hat-trick was magnificent.
It keeps us at the top of the group and I think we will qualify in 1st place comfortably now. That will mean we avoid the Champions League rejects when the draw is made for the last 32.
As to today's performance, having Kuyt back was huge plus. Hodgson made 3 brave decisions one forced (Kelly for Johnson).the other two, Dirk playing up front with Torres and Stevie in central midfield. Thats what we have been looking for and valois . Within 10 minutes Kuyt to Torres 1-0!! Stevie and Lucas had the Chelsea midfield on toast. It certainly was big boost for us that ther was no Essien or Drogba in the starting 11 and we made it count. Ramires and Mikel showed what they are ....average.
Anchelloti has some issues in that dept. Without Lampard and Essien its lightweight midfield and you are relying totally on the front 3 to produce things. Man City have the same issue, too many defenders on the pitch. They are still an awesome machine,but they have struggled against the better teams this season. The Premier League has for the last couple offered rewards to postive teams.
Nando's 2nd strike from a quick Meireles pass was sublime. Not often you see Cech routed to the spot. We striggled to play with teh same intensity on the 2nd half, but we didnt panic ... much! Pepe had a few moments and elbow, the crossbar and Carra kept Chelsea out. All in all a good perfomance. Best I have seen so far this season. Hell, even Lucas wasn't far off man of the match, he must have been fouled by every Chelsea player.
Games coming thick and fast now Wigan and Stoke away next. We can win both although that 2nd one will be tricky. 9th position and only 5 points off 4th place and 10 behind Chelsea. Suddenly its looking a lot better.
I wonder if Soty had not had tonsilitis if he would have played him and Skrtel or still played Carra....... He never did say who replaced who in the middle.
YNWA
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