Chelsea 3 West Ham Utd 0 (23/04/11)

[simon hammer]

The formation actually worked for once

Chelsea 3 - 0 West Ham

God knows what the score would've been had it not worked eh

[beckton]

cant wait for mondays email from avi..

I think you're being sarcastic, I'm quick me.

What I would say.

Overall you can't fault our performance, if only we'd taken our chances, there's still everything to play for and we can still stay up.

[hawkins_hammer]

The formation actually worked for once

Chelsea 3 - 0 West Ham

God knows what the score would've been had it not worked eh

We had just as many chances as them and absorbed their pressure quite well. The difference between the two sides was class in front of goal, not tactical nous.

[bubbles1966]

Hawkins is right.

It was moments, the individual application of expertise that separated the teams tonight

[NE hammer]

Decent show tonight but we are doomed.

[Swiss Pauli]

Miles better than the bolton or villa 'performances'; if we can show the same spirit as today in our last four games we might just be able to stay up.

[Earl K]

I'm with Avram, I blame the pitch.

[chigwells finest]

Miles better than the bolton or villa 'performances'; if we can show the same spirit as today in our last four games we might just be able to stay up.

i guarantee you we will go down with hardly a whimper........

[westhamerica]

I'm with Avram, I blame the pitch.

Sadly, despite the Torres goal, I think pitch was an extra midfielder for us. Slowed them down when they were breaking and gave us a fighting chance to keep up.

[hammerdivone]

I'm with Avram, I blame the pitch.

I think the pitch made it a far more even game than had it not pissed it down.

A battling performance, some strange decisions in leaving Tomkins and LBM in the bench but to be fair Sears did a good job.

Once again though our back 4 went missing far too many times.

Result was what was expected

[bubbles1966]

Once again though our back 4 went missing far too many times.

One of them did, for sure.

Why Grant picks him, I don't know.

[hammerdivone]

One of them did, for sure.

Why Grant picks him, I don't know.

I think they were all culpable at times. I would have started with Tomkons personally.

[simon hammer]

The formation actually worked for once

Chelsea 3 - 0 West Ham

God knows what the score would've been had it not worked eh

We had just as many chances as them and absorbed their pressure quite well. The difference between the two sides was class in front of goal, not tactical nous.

I agree. It's all about players. Ours ain't up to it tbh.

[Welsh Iron]

Didn't expect a lot and was pleasantly surprised to get more than I expected.

We've been in or aound the bottom three all season and they are one of the top teams in Europe so to do as well as we did, 3-0 is a flattering scoreline, was quite satisfying in a strange sort of way.

Stand out for me was Freddie Sears. I thought he coped well against Cole.

Specs? Well he's Specs aint he? You know he's never going to stop giving it his all for the cause and Gabbs did well too, especially his goal-bound clearance.

Going up to Man City but not expecting a lot from up there either. It's the last three games that are all important and that's where our season will be finally decided.

[beckton]

Sadly, despite the Torres goal, I think pitch was an extra midfielder for us. Slowed them down when they were breaking and gave us a fighting chance to keep up.

Yep, all games should be played on pitches like that.

[ageing hammer]

We could have won that game if we took our chances.

[bubbles1966]

Yep, all games should be played on pitches like that.

Wolves tactics since November.

[richneal]

For a number of reasons, our team put up a fight today, unlike last week.

Bottom line was that the better team won.

IMO, for probably one of the few times this season, Grant picked the right tactics and the right players.

Sears' did well -- obviously has defensive shortcomings, but his pace worked well. It was a good choice to start him in midfield.

Again, Spector proved that he has a motor on him and never stopped running and covering the whole game. Again, a good choice in midfield.

We had enough chances, we just couldn't put them away. Again.

Defensively, what can I say . . . I'm sure you all feel the same way as me. No point in raking over things that we've already discussed at length.

I was expecting us to lose by half-a-dozen today, so the result -- if not the score -- was to be expected.

I am, however, delighted that our boys never gave up and never stopped trying, right until the final whistle went. This is the sort of attitude and approach we expect to see.

Injuries notwithstanding, I'd like to see this line-up and these tactics used again next week. It's not pretty seeing us lay back and only try and strike on the counter-attack, but this selection of players can do it.

Like others have done previously, paraphrasing Johnny Lyall's feelings about our performances, I am more than happy to accept that we lost to a better team, but will never accept a West Ham side that collectively gives up the fight. Unlike last week, and for so many games before, we never gave up today.

The performance -- if not the result -- gives me a glimmer of hope. Perhaps I'm guilty of looking at things with me claret & blue specs on. Time will tell if my hope is misguided.

[Earl K]

It says it all, really, when people are pleasantly surprised when we only lost 3-0.
The only thing I'm looking forward to, is when that clown (Grant) finally shuts his gob, and stops saying that we're good enough to stay up.
Even my dog knows that, with the best will in the world, we can only hope to get 38 points, and that with a same, or worse, goal difference; If he stays, we will drop through the Championship like a dose of salts.

[speculator]

We were very lucky to survive the first fifteen minutes. I think we should have played for a point and were far too open at the back.

It's up to the players to dig deep now - the points are there to keep us up - they have to go and battle for them.