Good morning.
A bad beginning makes a bad ending. Eurpides said that. He was right.
Two instances were brought to my attention yesterday of Chelsea fans singing about Auschwitz and hissing on the London Underground. Both accounts are without doubt completely credible and one shared with me by a disgusted Arsenal fan.
In the stadium the interruption of the minutes silence was indeed disrupted, but not by a small ‘minority’ as CFC would like to deliberately masquerade it. The chants and cat calls came from the upper tier of Wembley. They were protracted and clearly came from two or three different areas of that section. Video here.
The Chelsea fans were to the left and the noise mostly from the upper areas as I said. This YouTube clip on a mobile phone seems to have been made from beyond the halfway line so you can understand this was not ‘a minority’.
In the last half hour of the game, the same CFC fans were audibly hissing and coins were thrown down at Spurs fans.
Behind the area I was in to the right, the presence of a steward only just diffused a seriously aggressive pair of Chelsea fans red in the face, screaming, swearing and clearly threatening a woman and a man from their balcony position where I believe they were guests in a box.
So that was the beginning.
The game itself got underway well enough, they scored, then they scored again of course and here’s proof it didn’t cross the line for those that might still require same… There’s gif of the fiasco, here.
The clip also serves first and foremost as evidence that Terry clearly fouled King and arguably Benny too.
It may be of interest to say here that there were 6 ‘goals’ scored yesterday. This one was the only one not replayed in the stadium. Arry said the Daily Mail he spoke to ‘referee’ Martin Atkinson:
“He says he feels worse than I do. I said: “I don’t think so . He knows he’s made a mistake and he says he’ll have a bad week as well.”
I won’t blather on about the need for technology. The argument it isn’t required is much easier to address. If you don’t think technology is needed then you either have already have been or ought to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
My decision to bin Redschnapps was made some weeks ago. Remaining happy clappers on the Arry bus need to stop licking the windows, put their misplaced jingoism down and join the rest of us in the real world.
“It was key moment but we were still bang in the game at 2-1. We were chasing the game and we ended up four forwards on the pitch. I brought another forward on and we looked to open. We got punished and they picked us off.”
Arry yesterday.
“I played 442 today …I thought we were too open.”
“People say to me we’re better when we’re 442, I think we played that way today and I didn’t like the look of us, I thought we were miles too open.”
Arry after the Norwich humiliation.
He simply doesn’t know what he’s doing and he’s proving this by repeating the same mistakes, time after time. I maintain that we have an exciting squad that if managed coherently could do some damage. Genuinely compete.
Persisting with King looked like a disaster and proved to be just that. The poor guy makes Heskey look like Hussain Bolt. Parker needed Sandro. That pairing works. But Arry was obviously concerned about the lack of height at the back and he was sacrificed.
Removing Rafa was also stupid. Yet again, we couldn’t create much primarily because our passing was so shockingly poor but Arry saw bunging on more strike power as a solution. Arry would undoubtedly reply, ‘You fink you can do a better job you do it, then.’
I don’t believe we’ll make that Champions League place now. It would require a u-turn of David Cameron proportions. While this dolt is still running the show we won’t as they say in horse racing circles, beat the handicapper.
I could weep.
5.001 Name me any goalie that back four in front of him would have done a better job. Horrible horrible day for him.
5.093 He looked terribly casual about things. It’s pretty clear that the cornrows make him more focused. If you want to dispute that, be my guest. Some shocking passing.
5.0093 Oh dear. Some glimpses of the General, but teamed up with Lurch from the Addams Family and Forest Gump he too frequently was left chasing shadows.
3.002 Needs to be urgently retired. You do not, repeat do not keep selecting a player who isn’t up to the task, especially when he cannot train. Madness.
3.054 Out of his depth is the kindest thing I can say. Makes Forest Gump look like Albert Einstein is the unkindest. Some shocking passing.
7.654 Our MOTM. Again. Never seen a player like him for us in my lifetime. I’d put him above Graham Roberts. Gave all, ran himself ragged, made some brilliant interceptions. Made some shocking passes.
6.087 Without Sandro to shore him up he spent an awful lot of time mopping up when he’s at his best being sparking, creating. With Parker up to his knickers in blood & guts and Bale hanging around like he’s waiting for a bus Modders frequently got lost in the crowd.
6.075 Some astonishing runs down the left wing. But when he hasn’t got the ball he has to be one of the laziest players I have ever seen in my life.
5.999 Skipped and fizzed but all too frequently didn’t actually achieve too much. Really wish he wasn’t having to trade one -twos with Walker, who isn’t good enough a foil in the last third for us. Should have shot on goal, not passed that time.
7. 677 Some outstanding contributions early on but the shape of the team yet again didn’t promote him, it held him back. Arry’s too fick to know how to use him.
7. 679 Another one who was completely committed to the cause. His first touch isn’t great, but then most of our passes to each other were over hit or under hit.
I was bitterly disappointed with the display, and our manager not changing things around earlier. Unfortunately his performances over the last month since he was liked with the job.
I fear the FA look elsewhere, and we will be stuck with him next year.
I thought Sandro should have started- as he has the energy skill and toughness needed to support our new hard man PNB.
Once again the wingers seemed to have license to roam- why why why?
we might be lucky to get thursday nights now!
The formation we played against them at there place was the way to go. The manager said himself after the Norwich debacle that 442 left us too open, so why not go with the formation that actually should have won the game at Stamford Bridge? Sandro gives that extra bite and the bottom line is we had nobody to track Mata and he duly pulled the stings as the game wore on. The Manager now sadly appears to be completely lost and always contradicting his own selections. I have to admit to being one of those who was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but it has gone well beyond that now. All the selection and tactical issues are bad enough but what has got me and probably most others who like me have watched this great club for over 45 years is that we keep getting this running commentary of how we need to take stock of what we have not acheived in the last 20 years. Also the constant moaning about a lack of leader, so what exactly is the Manager if he is not a leader, and who is it that picks the team and brings in the players????????
Just to repeat from other post – we’ve won more in that 20 years than he has in his entire managerial career. So perhaps people – himself included – should take a more realistic look at Redknapp’s status before they start re-evaluating that of Spurs.
With VdV knackered, Modric and Adebayor doing J***s impressions, where are the goals coming from, when you’re chasing the game, if you put on Sandro?
It certainly does not help trying to accomodate players who can never play a whole game. Not just Ledley but DvD and Gallas were way short of fitness yeasterday and DvD never lasts a whole game. Still think that we should have matched them with efectively a 433 which stops them as it did at there place. It would have meant either Lennon or Modders left out. I would have left Lennon on the bench and used him as an impact sub like he was used against Swansea when defenders are tired. Still too late now.
Conversely, where are the goals going to come from if the midfield is surrendered? I don’t think two holding midfielders against better opposition is negative, because no ball equals no creativity. Given that we had a choice of two from three ancient, injury-prone, centre-halves, we were always going to struggle at the back without adequate protection from the midfield.
Yesterday’s Cheatski line up and tactics were no surprise. Flood the midfield, cut off the supply to Lennon and Bale, and stop us playing.
Of course Sandro should have started. Beginning the game with both VDV and Lennon meant that our best option from the bench should things not go according to plan was Defoe. Against the likes of Blackburn and Bolton (bar Defoe) that tactic might work, but even a sub-standard Chelsea are a cut above that. The Stamford Bridge game demonstrated exactly how we should have approached this one, so why didn’t we?
Feel free to delete the “(bar Defoe)” reference as an aid to understanding.
Was there yesterday in the pawn sandwich seats unfortunately next to 2 idiot johnny come lately chelsea fans… One of whom had a hilarious act of whenever chelsea scored running off to the toilet for fear of a twatting…
In regard to the game.. Once again Harry let us down, unbalanced, unmotivated team.. Parker and Adebayor the only ones to come out with any credit imo… Luka love ya to bits but you don,t wanna be there so time to cash in… Sandro and Parker get them tork together and get a goal scoring midfielder in front… We can still get 4th and really shud on the basis of fixtures but i think its 50/50. As for harry, you don,t deserve a group of players as good as we have. I hope he remembers the opportunity he had this season coz it won,t come again regardless of what he tesms he goes onto manage. We need a clever manager. Unpopular this may be Benitez would have got us third at a canter..
Despite Benetiz faults, I can’t disagree with you there.
ade ran a lot but his miss when vdv hit the post was shocking
modric was just way off the play, i cannot imagine anyone will offer silly money for him this summer, he does not ever take control of a game and run it
we need video technology as the refereeing is very poor. foy’s performance at stoke was truly the most shocking i have ever seenand yet they did not stand him down at all. atkinson is laughable. we all spend a bloody fortune on the game, tv, season tickets etc and yet we are being sold defective goods. the sport will kill itself at this rate, it really will. so many other sports have introduced it over objections and the objections end immediately. without a very significant increase in quality we need to introduce it, i for one am fed up of watching a game on tv between two teams with which i have no affiliation and then having the outcome decided by an official. when it is a team i care about and i am at the game it is beyond annoying.
redknapp is prone to panic, and he showed it again yesterday, well that and his desire to keep everyone happy so he keeps giving playing time to the wrong guys for the wrong reasons.
finally, while any goalie would be nervous behind that back four, playing like that, i still think if you have a number one then you play him and no matter how hard drogba hit it, the gap at the near post was too big; simply should not be beaten on the fast side. and the lampard goal was a bad mistake. you cannot let someone beat you from that far if you have lined up on that side of the wall.
two years ago we recovered, but two years ago we had not been holding thrid all season and regarded as outside title contenders until after the new year.
You can ignore players collapsing allover Europe you can ignore players looking gaunt and ill looking but for Christ sake don’t ignore Davspurs anymore. Liverpool All the Liverpool supporters said to me you will win because they want the champs league well i laughed and said what about Torres and Mirreles from Liverpool they will want to play against Liverpool. They said oh we never thought of that, well i did and because they have two of the old Duracell Bunnies i knew Drugba and co would be full of running especially in the second half. The phantom goal has disguised Chelseas Tempo Frank Remires Drugba Cole Terry even Boswinga Kalou and the rest where lets say up for this game especially the second half. I don’t want to embarrass my fellow bloggers and you H.H so i wont mention the E word. John Terry went of with breathing problem the medical staff found two ribs caused him to gasp for breath what a miracles recovery he showed no signes when he hurled his body all over the pitch . The gaunt faces of the Chelsea players showed me weeks ago we would struggle to finish fourth even when we where ten points ahead.How many young footballers and Rugby players collapsing will it take befor somone starts questioning why. My home team Widnes have just sacked and suspended three players for a hidden drug scandal. What you should do H.H. is go back and look at Cheslea Drogba tempo Terry Lampard then have a look at the second half and it increases twofold. There is a very good reason why i knew Chelsea would join Liverpool in the final Torres and Mireles are in there squad. So you can keep dismissing my rants but i no when Bales ripped Milan apart he did us no favors because when we play teams they make sure he is well marked and players can keep up with him especially in the box. Chelsea backtracking was breathtaking and John Terry knows all about that.
If Arry Redschnapps has just one ounce of moral fibre in his body he will knock on Daniel Levy’s door at lunchtime and say “sorry Dan, been out of me depth for a while now, it’s difficult with all these top players, I just ain’t used to it, it’s like I’ve been driving a clapped out Cortina all my life and you give me a Ferrari…..so long” :winke:
But he hasn’t and he won’t….. :-(