Chelsea 3-0 West Ham Utd (21/12/20)

[wormley]

We'll never be a competitive Top 6-8 Club with owners such as this - we have an excellent First X1 but Sullivan isn't the type to spend money on a player to sit on the bench , I think Moyes has worked wonders with the little he's got and given us our pride back .

Yup

[ammo]

Fornals was the least of our worries. Having the Statue of David up front was the main issue. Again.
[/quote]

:lol: Good likeness!

[Absolutely Hammered!]

Chelsea were dross and only showed up for about 30 minutes of the match the difference is simply that they have a far better range of attacking options than us. We desperately miss Antonio, and haller just isn't dynamic enough to go out and get goals off his own back. I wouldnhave rather seen Snodders in place of Nobles and would also have liked to see Yarmo come on for Bowen about the 70th minute. I am thoroughly impressed with Coufal, he kept werner in his pocket. And was about the only dude that could deliver the ball into the box with any precision. We need to be more dynamic up front though for sure. Would be nice to see a couple of signings in Jan.

Exactly the same as the man U game and even arsenal to an extent. Man U only had had to be good for 25 mins and ran away 3-1 winners. Need those world class forwards to take you to the next level and theres a reason why the top 6 usually finish top 6. City - aguero, Spurs - Kane, man u - rashford etc.... West ham - no one.
I love Antonio and if he was fit all season he could easily get 15 goals IMO but we know he cant stay fit so its irrelevant.

[Graza]

Having had the night to let it settle I should imagine that this is how we have made other teams feel this year. Bar 3 moments in the game (and the last 10 minutes when we downed tools) we were sharp and lively but unable to break through their defense. I really don't think there is enough acknowledgement of how well their defense played, this is the first time we've failed to score since opening day and also the first goal from a set piece we've conceded all season and it's Christmas so they must have been doing something right.

Anyway we had chances to do something in the game and it was squandered. Would we have had that extra dynamism if Benrahma had started? If Lanzini was fit? Of Yarmalenko had come on at 1-0 for half an hour? It's a lot of ifs and we are where we are. 3-0 flattered them almost as much as the commentary team.

I would say that I didn't see much wrong with their 3rd goal at the time but considering that Bowen had his goal ruled out for the mearest accidental touch caused by momentum rather than trying to cheat, this was a much heavier accidental coming together caused by momentum rather than trying to cheat... Consistency says that it should have been ruled out IMO.

Ultimately that one decision may have turned the game for us, they've had a bad time, we would have been in the ascendancy and anything is possible. Instead we take the disappointment and the body blow, carry on, huff and puff with no end product and get sucker punched. Even had their third been ruled out for consistencies sake it would have kept the game going as a contest of sorts and we could have looked for some respect if not a point.

The important thing is that we have games coming up that aren't "must win" in terms of survival, but we must get some points over Christmas to keep our points tally ticking over. With our current form being WLWDL we arent being terribly consistent, but the teams we've lost to this year (in the league) are Newcastle, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manure and Chelsea. Newcastle sticks out there because the others are the original sky 4. Teams that have had and continue to have squads worth multiples of ours and are much better run and set up. Brighton and Southampton round out the year for us and we should be looking for a minimum of 4 points from that pair. Everton is a tough new year game but followed up by a slipping Burnley team and West Brom who by then will be in full **** house dinosaur mode so could be tricky.

[Burnley Hammer]

We desperately need an energetic strong striker that causes teams problems. I wanted Haller to succeed, I really did... but he just doesn't strike fear into anyone.

Apart from that, we're starting to look jaded and some players need a break. This is most evident with our midfield. Problem is our squad depth is virtually non existant. Noble and Snodgrass just aren't good enough to come in and allow us to perform to the same standard.

We could also do with bringing in a left sided version of Coufal.

It's going to start getting tough unless some fresh legs are brought in during January.

[Hatcham Iron]

We desperately need an energetic strong striker that causes teams problems. I wanted Haller to succeed, I really did... but he just doesn't strike fear into anyone.

Apart from that, we're starting to look jaded and some players need a break. This is most evident with our midfield. Problem is our squad depth is virtually non existant. Noble and Snodgrass just aren't good enough to come in and allow us to perform to the same standard.

We could also do with bringing in a left sided version of Coufal.

It's going to start getting tough unless some fresh legs are brought in during January.

This exactly

[-DL-]

It's going to start getting tough unless some fresh legs are brought in during January.

Start? We've been leggy and a bit jaded for a few games now.

[Clacton-ammer]

Aaarrrggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh just wanted to let that out.

Chelsea are a top 6 side, spent tens upon tens of millions, have better players than us all over the park (on paper & money spent) yet we were well in the game without really troubling their keeper. Was never a 3 nil game, saying that, not sure we really in truth deserved anything from the game, guess you could put a weak argument up about a point, but it would be a weak argument for me.

Saying all the above if we had more squad depth they were there for the taking, that's the arrrggghhhhhh bit.

Noble starting & staying on was a little strange to me, but it is what it is as it's Moyes call, and for me he has done enough for me to accept his decision making.

Just arrrgghhhhhhhhhhhhh & relax...

We do look a proper team and with just a few decent additions we could push on. We can go into any game thinking we have a chance, we have come along way in a short space of time, credit to Moyes & the team for that

Onto Brighton.

[steveyrockstar]

Has any post-match interview or media coverage made any mention of the Bowen "goal"? Because Sky didn't during the HT coverage.

I thought it was utterly appalling officiating and I couldn't enjoy the rest of the match because of it. The referee blew up, apparently preventing VAR from looking at it, when he should have let play continue. I've watched the replay many times and I don't see any hint of a foul. Also, why Bowen didn't contest the decision, I have no idea!

[steveyrockstar]

Just to add, I thought Chelsea were **** apart from the first 25mins and a 10 mins patch towards the end.

[goa127]

Haller to me showed his inadequacy when Cresswell gained the ball in an advanced position on the left. He didn't make any sort of run either to the near or far post, just stayed with his marker. This lack of mobility is why we're struggling to make clear chances. Perhaps we should give Yarmo a try there? Having said that if the ref hadn't have blown for silva falling over VAR might well have allowed the goal. The ref blowing first meant no decision could be made. Chelsea may feel their turn of fortune makes up for last season a bit

[The Gibbins]

I was quite pleased last night with that performance, i do think Moyes has us set up well. We controlled periods of the game and competed well at times and on another day maybe we would have got a draw if we nicked an early goal. The goals we conceded were disappointing though, especially the first but they were fortunate with the second and the heads dropped just before the third went in which was a disappointing collapse.

We need a spark up top and its frustrating as i think Bowen, Fornals (not his best last night) and Benrahma offer a threat out wide and cause problems with their movement but Haller needs to do so much more. I am sick of hearing he is better in a two man system, how many clubs is he going to realistically fit into nowadays if he is this one dimensional? Whether he is playing alone up top or has a partner he would still have to win the same battles, aerial duels and hold up the ball which he just isnt doing. It is all down to desire, there is no doubt he has quality as he shows it from time to time but he looks like he doesn't want to be here. When he has played this season, time and time again he never anticipates a pass and the defender gets in front of him and intercepts the ball, his hold up play has been abysmal and last night he was strolling around so nonchalantly he was constantly in an offside position. Thiago Silva is a class defender but lets be honest Haller didn't exactly try and make it a difficult evening for the bloke.

He cannot even say he is not getting the service because he is... Bowen and Fornals play fairly close to him and are options when the ball comes his way and he missed a sitter yesterday with a free header in the box. He was a solid 4/10 last night, poor perfromances happen but he lacks any desire to work for the team and its unnaceptable when the rest of the team are working their socks off.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

I know some on here rewatch games so if you do, notice how Chelsea act when the ball is passed back to Fabianski. They're on to him like a shot, sprinting to close him down and frequently forcing a hurried kick. If he knocks it sideways to a defender the same happens, pressing him in front of his own goal. Contrast that with us watching their goalkeeper trap the ball, look around for the best option, kick it forward a bit, look again, all the while our 'forwards' are staring into space, wondering what will happen next.

[The Gibbins]

I know some on here rewatch games so if you do, notice how Chelsea act when the ball is passed back to Fabianski. They're on to him like a shot, sprinting to close him down and frequently forcing a hurried kick. If he knocks it sideways to a defender the same happens, pressing him in front of his own goal. Contrast that with us watching their goalkeeper trap the ball, look around for the best option, kick it forward a bit, look again, all the while our 'forwards' are staring into space, wondering what will happen next.

Fabianski is one of the worst keepers in the league with the ball at his feet so its no surpise teams are on him as he usually boots it into touch or gets no distance on his first time clearances.
I read an article that bar Aston Villa every team has reduced their press this season due to the quick turnaround of games but under Moyes we seem to sit in when we arent on the ball anyway. So far that seems to work well for us, especially when Rice and Soucek are so good at interceptions that we can transition into attack.

[Graza]

Has any post-match interview or media coverage made any mention of the Bowen "goal"? Because Sky didn't during the HT coverage.

I thought it was utterly appalling officiating and I couldn't enjoy the rest of the match because of it. The referee blew up, apparently preventing VAR from looking at it, when he should have let play continue. I've watched the replay many times and I don't see any hint of a foul. Also, why Bowen didn't contest the decision, I have no idea!

Having rubbed themselves raw over Chelsea (ignoring the performance and just focusing on their goals) they spent the last 5 mins of MNF looking at is, well laughing at us anyway. Basically saying they've come together, there was a touch, the defender probably did enough -then used their tears of laughter to lube up for another round of how good were Chelsea...

[Crouchend_Hammer]

It didnt look like a foul but the on-field referee is supposed to make the those decisions, not just play on and let VAR decide

If he thought it was a foul (rightly or wrongly) he is supposed to blow up

Harsh decision though for sure

[Diogenes]

Having rubbed themselves raw over Chelsea (ignoring the performance and just focusing on their goals) they spent the last 5 mins of MNF looking at is, well laughing at us anyway. Basically saying they've come together, there was a touch, the defender probably did enough -then used their tears of laughter to lube up for another round of how good were Chelsea...

We may complain about VAR and the quality of Refereeing but, bloody hell, the quality of football commentary and punditry is absolutely awful. It is so biased and moronic it is cringeworthy. The top teams either play fantastic or poorly. The other team? Well I have no idea because obviously they have no effect on the result/performance at all.

Last night was a prime example. It was all about Chelsea getting their mojo back. When West Ham got into the game (even dominating it for large sections) it was all about Chelsea letting it slip, relaxing too much etc. Bowen's disallowed goal? Just one of those things even though no-one had any idea why it wasn't given or why the referee was whistle happy. Half time review? Laughable. If you just switched on you would have no idea who Chelsea were playing. Full time, relief all around Chelsea back in gear with their mojo back. Great stuff Frank, how wonderful. Bowen's goal? Still no idea, but hey at least it wasn't a disallowed Chelsea goal otherwise we would still be analysing it and how poor old Frank was robbed.
Crikey, its so bad it makes my eyes and ears bleed.

[Hammer in Hornchurch]

We was a relegation threatened team last season,this season we are a mid table team.
If you take the wins you have to accept the defeats,we could build on what we have if we had a decent board but we haven’t.

Sums it up perfectly Imo.
We’ve improved for sure and I had us down to be in a much worse position that we are at this stage.
The left side and the lack of a decent backup to Antonio is the problem right now. I think Moyes knows that but I doubt very much our owners will give him the funds to address all, or even part of that.
As always we never quite have the complete package to take us that step further. Fortune’s always hiding.

[libero]

The 3-0 scoreline is unfair because I think we played reasonably well for long periods of the match, the disallowed Bowen
goal and the late scrappy 2 goals made it look worse than it was

But one one of the main problems Moyes is having is that he doesn't know how to replace Masuaku - perhaps because he
isn't completely what Arthur gives to the team in terms of balance, speed and being part of a 5 man defence.
Replacing him with Benrahma or Noble is not a good idea, and I think Moyes is only doing that because he has some
idea of "senior" players, or the price tag on Benrahma.

What he should be doing is trying to replace Arthur with a like for like player. And with his current squad the only way to
do that is either putting Ben Johnson or the lad Ashby or Longelo it that role (I don't think Fredericks is versatile or confident
enough to play on the left) or by shifting out Creswell to the left & bringing Diop into the middle of defence

Moyes obsession with a senior pecking order was shown last night in the fact that David Martin was on the bench together
with Randolph, rather than giving a place there to Holland, Longelo, Ashby or even Afolayan.
We really don't need 2 'keepers on the bench, but Moyes would rather have 3rd choice Martin than try a youngster

[WestHamIFC]

Thought the midfield played well last night, worked their socks off. They were let down by their Left-Back and their Striker.