[Minimalist]

Aside from being an open game, it was awfully predictable.

 

[Johnnyredboots]

My god this forum is full of absolute bed wetters, we are only ELEVEN games into the season, there is a load of football to be played and anything can happen, and most you just wanna gift wrap city the title after a loss at one of our most historically difficult grounds. you lot need to grow the feck up.

 

[Sandikan]

We're not worth watching in the big away games.
It's like Jose knows we haven't quite got enough talent up front, and is having to go defensive to minimise the risk.

Oh well, 2 weeks without a game, and i'm ok with that now. Pogba back, Fellaini back, and 2 or 3 lesser game next up.
Arsenal and City league double header not far away though, so we'll need to play a lot better.

Thank goodness Lukaku started with such a goal burst. Imagine if he'd had this 7 game run at the start!
Ibra had a similar run though, and ended with 28, so no need for panic just yet.

8 points off City and we're faltering though. Probably a close battle for 2nd is the best we're looking at.

 

[Infra-red]

They're clearly a better side than we are when they have all their players fit. Outplayed us for 70+ minutes. No complaints, best team won.

 

[Devil may care]

The intent was there but the quality isn't, we have no threat out wide and no guile in attack, I also have to wonder if this attack actually runs any patterns in training as we often don't look like we have much cohesion or idea when we have the ball.

The bubble has burst so we can focus on making sure we secure top 4, next summer we need to add more craft to this squad, there's way too many blunt objects and a lack of scalpels.

 

[Hansa]

5th successive season without a proper title challenge, it seems. Almost unthinkable for one of the richest clubs in the world.

 

[Pyroblazer]

Our attacking play is just shit or non-existent. Lukaku looks like a downgrade on Ibra. Nearly 1,5 years in and I can't see it with Jose, we improved our defence, but he doesn't know how to attack. We improved a bit, but does this deserve huge credit after the money we spend? City looks much better and we seem to fight for the places with the teams behind them, right now we look like the most uninspiring team from the top ones.

3 big games, 1 goal scored, 4 points. City scored 9 and won all their 3, a bit frustrating.

 

[redom]

Got what we deserved, quite simply wasn't good enough.

That's 3 "big" games now and no encouraging performances in any of them, doesn't exactly instil confidence going forward.

 

[mitchmouse]

An awful 20-25 minutes at the start of the second half cost us but I actually thought we were the better side in the last 15 and despite everything thought we might have nabbed an equaliser. Fellaini made a difference and should have been brought on earlier. That said, I have to say for the milioneth time since SAF left we need at least one word-class creative midfielder. And if Lukaku is untouchable, then I am the greatest at my job of all time. he was utter shite. matic, however, was immense

 

[friend]

Flattering result. This was much more of a 4-0 drubbing than the one we actually got last year.

 

[RedElf]

Clueless in attack. Hoof it up top and hope for the best.

 

[Snafu17]

We are always shit at the bridge and there is a long way to go in the season but some of the anonymous performances by the likes of Lukaku and especially Mikhi are just not good enough for a team that wants to be in the tittle race.

 

[Pyro19]

If there's any game that will force Mourinho to make some changes in the lineup, a defeat at Stamford bridge is certainly one.

 

[PoTMS]

How is it Mourinhos fault that Rashford misses a piss easy chance in the first minute? Or that Mkhi is a coward? Or that Phil Jones is stupid? We cant keep the ball for shit.

Mkhi is all on him. Why play him when you know he’s going to put in a 0/10 performance again for the umpteenth game in a row.

Then that second half... what was the formation, what was the tactics? We were playing like Accrington Stanley, just lumping it to Fellaini.

 

[finneh]

People were expecting a game where we would turn up, attack them and come away with three points. Maybe Mourinho fell foul to naive fans' criticisms.

We needed to keep things tight and try to get a few chances on the counter. Instead they had half a dozen chances and could have won by two or three.

Come the end of the season this result won't cost is, but going into the break with a draw would have been perfectly respectable. Instead we come away just hoping it doesn't affect us after the break.

 

[AngliaRed]

That was one of the most pathetic, spineless and insulting performances i have seen for about a decade.

There are players in the side today that have absolutely zero right to be wearing the shirt at this moment in time. Phil Jones was horrific, mhky has been shite since august, Herrera poot again, Lukaku dreadful, Rashford poor.

Thank feck for the international break

Jeez! Ive seen worse than this! Crap game but there’s been far worse over the years!

 

[NotoriousISSY]

Was more disappointed in us defensively. Thought Herrera and matic were poor at helping the back three. Granted they were a man short against Chelsea’s three, but track the runner please.

Otherwise I have to say I expected that result.

 

[Unmutual]

Woeful collapse in the second half there. Second to every ball and completely unable to pass the ball out of defence.

It all panned out pretty much how I feared it might. We've spent the last half a dozen matches setting out to score no more than the absolute minimum required to win the game, and shutting down games at the earliest opportunity. No surprise then that when we suddenly find ourselves needing to raise our game and chase a couple of goals, we look incredibly rusty. You can't just stick attackers on the pitch and expect them to click, they need time to find their rhythm.

Still, Stamford Bridge is a bogey game for us, even with far better teams than this one. Its done, as is Anfield. Lets hope Pogba is back after the break and we can start to play with a little ambition against Newcastle.

 

[Borden]

We've assembled a team of players that can't handle being pressured. That just doesn't work in modern football.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

Shite.

If you play a back 3, at least one has to be comfortable on the ball and you have to have intelligent, attacking wingbacks - neither.

Take far too long arsing about with the ball in central areas, too slow getting to front allows opponents MF/defence to get ready - stupid when we have a pacy attack who would be better with quick ball.

Been saying for months Mkhi shouldn't be playing ..... at all. Terrible attitude.

Lukaku useless if isolated - combination of issues, his touch (!), ability and Jose tactics to think it'll work.

No true width.

Couldn't care how good a player Hazard is - would never want him in my team. Can't have the diving at the slightest touch.

Minor points but no idea what the tech boxes are for if Conte can wander down the wing, ref happy to give yellows then nothing more and looked like Conte did massive celebration then walked onto pitch, Jose there shaking hands/waiting?

Drop Mkhi, play supporting players closer to Lukaku, get ball up the field quicker (make use of the pace we have) and for fecks sake, TAKE SOME FECKING CHANCES NOW AND AGAIN.

Shite.

 

[Lentwood]

You can analyze it all you like, Chelsea have a better XI and a better squad than us. People have whinged and moaned and bitched when we set up to go away from home and get a point - well this is what happens when we try and take teams on

 

[snk123]

Great result. Could have easily been 4 or 5

 

[wolvored]

City's title to lose now. Really needed to keep the pressure on. Looks like City have successfully oil-bought their way to another league if they can keep their bottle.

We had the same opportunity £700 million since fergie retired and still no good.

 

[siw2007]

Another year, another defeat at Stamford Bridge. It wasnt the 4 0 of last year but it still felt like we were second best.

We are turning out to be an ugly side away from home against the top teams. On the ball we look very one dimensional and lack any real ideas going forward. Off the ball we didn’t press well at all and actually sat off them. On top of that Chelsea looked like they wanted it more.

 

[Kevin]

Stupidest post of the thread award for you.

Almightiest name on redcafe goes to you. Imposing.

 

[Sandikan]

My god this forum is full of absolute bed wetters, we are only ELEVEN games into the season, there is a load of football to be played and anything can happen, and most you just wanna gift wrap city the title after a loss at one of our most historically difficult grounds. you lot need to grow the feck up.

I was like you after the Liverpool draw.
But at some point you have to think, we're no force away from home in the big games, and a Huddersfield can happen.
8 points isn't the end, but people who say it's easily doable to catch up such gaps always forget that you have to be pretty flawless yourself.

Anyway, 2 weeks without thinking about it now. Last time the international break screwed us and we didn't get back into form throughout the last few weeks.,

 

[Cardiff_Boy]

We should have started the match with 3 in the middle without Mikhi. His form has been terrible. I hate to say it but Chelsea deserved the win to today

 

[Yorkeontop]

At least the big guy is back, oh his I've missed his industry. Now let's just get Pogba back and pin this tail on that donkey.

 

[BusbyMalone]

Not only is it obviously shit for us, but it's shit for the league. City got a huge gap now on everyone.

 

[Werd.]

We excel at playing hoofball, dont we. Another spineless performance.

 

[IRELANDUNITED]

To negative again, against quick passing teams we always seem to be chasing shadows. Couldn't string 4 passes together today.

 

[Elokobi]

How was he cowardly today? If anything it was the exact opposite, it showed why you need to park the bus in these kind of games. They won because they had better players than you

And who's fault is this? Mourinho's.

Anyone with half a brain cell knew that we needed a few more signings, this isn't a title winning side. If we don't make any reinforcements in January we'll be in real problems come the back end of next season.

 

[crossy1686]

Some cracking knee-jerk on the first page in this thread.

Second half was a fecking disgrace. I'm not even angry at the way we played, I don't know what else we could have done to be honest, nothing seemed to be working. Despite changing the tactics we just couldn't seem to get in the game and it was an individual mistake from Jones that cost us the goal.

One thing I am annoyed at is those game raising bunch of cnuts who couldn't muster a performance in midweek against a second tier Italian team but the second their old boss comes to town they all have a collective 9/10 performance. Thank you Chelsea and Conte for rekindling my hatred for your shitty little club.

 

[sunama]

My god this forum is full of absolute bed wetters, we are only ELEVEN games into the season, there is a load of football to be played and anything can happen, and most you just wanna gift wrap city the title after a loss at one of our most historically difficult grounds. you lot need to grow the feck up.

Those fans who are conceding so early on in the season are bunch of losers.
They probably don't understand the concept of fighting for something and turning a losing situation, into a winning one.

 

[Mister_Stubbs]

Weak squad, even weaker manager. Chelsea have been on the ropes last couple of weeks and we turn up and make it easy for them to gain a bit of confidence. It's far to early on in the season I know but I can't see us making up 8 points on City. Utterly pathetic from this club that's going nowhere but down in the footballing ladder.

 

[Kapardin]

Right, now we got the annual loss at the Bridge out of the system...

1) We need a new #10. Try Zlatan, Martial or even fecking Rui Faria there for all I care. Anyone but Mkhi.

2) Keep Herrera on the bench where he belongs.

3) We are in a top 4 battle. Forget about beating the top 5 away, any win in those games is a bonus. More like, focus on not losing to the likes of Huddersfield, which is more important.

4) Our attackers lack basic skills. Pogba coming back might improve things a bit but it is still a fecking problem.

5) If we go behind, we hardly ever come back and win it. Do something about it.

 

[kouroux]

People were expecting a game where we would turn up, attack them and come away with three points. Maybe Mourinho fell foul to naive fans' criticisms.

We needed to keep things tight and try to get a few chances on the counter. Instead they had half a dozen chances and could have won by two or three.

Come the end of the season this result won't cost is, but going into the break with a draw would have been perfectly respectable. Instead we come away just hoping it doesn't affect us after the break.

We were lucky many of those good openings fell to Bakayoko.

 

[James Peril]

Kind of expected result, we just aren’t good enough. Not enough talent or guts, we lost to a team with better players who can play the ball much better than United.

De Gea - 7
Herrera - 5 - at least he ran a lot
Matic - 6 - dwells too much on the ball
The rest - 4
Lukaku - 2 - gets one chance and misses it
Fellaini - 2 - looked like a fan who miraculously got to play 30 minutes

Lukaku is just not good enough, he doesn’t offer anything else than goals, and now he’s without one for quite a while. We will not win the league with him as our focal point.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Mkhi is all on him. Why play him when you know he’s going to put in a 0/10 performance again for the umpteenth game in a row.

Then that second half... what was the formation, what was the tactics? We were playing like Accrington Stanley, just lumping it to Fellaini.

What do that tactics matter if your players cant even a string 2 passes together? Did you watch the game or did you start writing up criticisms about Mourinho?

 

[GE]

Shit on a stick football and big game bottlers. Sick of this shit now.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

We need another 2 players to properly challenge. A class number 10 and another class Midfielder. We can't just rely on Pogba.

 

[Richard Cranium]

We had the same opportunity £700 million since fergie retired and still no good.

Don't think we've had any dodgy oil investments to the best of my knowledge... or breached FFP fragrantly.

 

[crossy1686]

Mourinho should have seen what was happening and hooked Mkhitaryan at halftime. Am surprised as normally he is so sharp and quick to react to things.

To be fair, it's been happening to him since about Stoke away.