Haven’t heard anyone demanding you to go ”all out attack”, but whatever Marc.
WSL 24/25 | Chelsea v United - 12:00 on Sun 24 Nov
- Thread starter jojojo
- Start date
We were playing against Chelsea today -- and away to boot. What were you expecting?
I agree about both of your points in general so far this season. I just think that today we did as well as could reasonably been hoped for.
I'm standing by Skinner this week. He might have overstated it a bit, but you have to grant his point: Our best hope against this team was the idea that if they don't score, they can't win -- and apart from the penalty and some woodwork, it worked.
We don't actually go all out attack against anyone - though admittedly we got as many shots on target against Leicester last week as Chelsea did against us today
So, as a team that presumably was going for defensive solidity, leaving our keeper to do that much work (6 shots on target and plenty of mopping up work to do) is not impressive.
We didn't go possession based either - they had the ball.
We don't look scary as counter attackers. Hoping for the best isn't counter attacking. The only time we actually looked dangerous or even competent was when we threw everything at them in the last 5 minutes. I appreciated the effort.
Unfortunately today's performance didn't look fundamentally different to our matches with Arsenal or with Villa. The stats on possession, shots, shots on target agree.
The result wasn't the problem today - losing by a goal to a team in Chelsea's form isn't bad. It's the lack of progress and the lack of player development that's bad.
I'm okay with this. It seems to me that the best strategy against Chelsea (especially away) was to play defense, keep it close for 75 minutes, and try to steal a point in the final 15. Did you post this with a different idea in mind?
I'm not okay with this, although I sort of get your point. We lost 0-6 last game of the season at OT but this was only a 1-0 defeat, and to a penalty. Is that progress? Zero points in both fixtures.
I thought we did well - I'll give him that. But changing shape in the last 15 minutes - could it have been sooner? Nah - It's never sooner.
I'm going to repeat what I have said previously, in the spotlight of this one game this is ok. Indeed, the game plan almost worked but for inches at either end (PTJ palm to the ball whether in the challenge on Ramirez or attempted save from Reiten, and Malard with the crossbar), we could even have a snatched a win let alone a draw.
But, but, but - he does and says the same thing after a draw against Brighton, a pathetic performance against a down and out Arsenal (seriously, we were more of a threat against Chelsea) and bottom of the table Villa. It's insipid, uninspiring and the man is clearly out of ideas, preferring to protect an unbeaten record than actually take a risk and go for a win. It is depressing how predictable he is, in performance, tactics, formation and interview quotes. If we can predict what he'll do so easily, you can bet your wotsits his opposite numbers can too.
Ye I agree with this - the Chelsea result and performance is fine, I said pre-match that bus parking is the only option
The issue is matches like Villa at home where at 0-0 Skinner is still waiting until the 75th minute for subs and even then it's just like for like with no real attempt to win the game