Ratings and Reactions: Chelsea 3-0 Villa

[ozvillafan]

We set up well defensively and were pretty solid. 2 of their 3 came from rebounds off Guzan - which is a little unlucky for us. Chelsea deserved the win, though.

 

A few things that struck me:

• We know how to beat Chelsea: Get in their face. We did it last season with a worse side than we have now. In a game we are expected to lose, why not try it?
• We do hold our shape very well. However, we tend to sit very deep which really gives our forward line little chance. Everybody knows to expect the counter from us.
• Our set pieces need to improve and especially our throw-ins. We just hand over possession every time - which frustrates me.
• Cleverly is finding his feet. I am liking what I am seeing from him.
• Although still guilty of the occasional "rush of blood" foul, Baker seems to be improving. Was at fault for the 2nd, though.
• Bent offers us absolutely nothing and we'd have been better off with Grealish than N'Zogbia. We are losing - why not give him a run?

[JohnStortford]

The only good thing about this game is when Mourinho tried to shake lambert's hand before full time he told him to go do one

[Raver50032]

Just posting here to make up the numbers... like my team.

[heid3ster]

Been away from the forum for a few days due to a few "real life" things going on. It looks like I am basically in the "expected loss" camp, but I do understand the frustration from others that we should not be settling for mediocrity. But I have to say, this 3-0 defeat feels very different than the Arsenal 3-0 defeat. Both are stronger teams, both should beat us "on paper," except of course football isn't played on paper. The difference between the two games is that Arsenal were there for the taking, they were defensively fragile and we didn't capitalize on it. Chelsea were not there for the taking, not at any stage. In the Arsenal game, we made silly, stupid, costly errors that led to goals. In the Chelsea game, were just outplayed by a team that was better than us. I can't think of any defensive howlers -- a lapse in concentration here, an untidy spill from a save there. I thought Guzan had a ropey game, but other than him I can't really single anyone else out for criticism -- unlike vs. Arsenal where I could point to two or three players who made mistakes that cost us.

 

My biggest frustration is set pieces, as ozvillafan notes above. In a game like this against stronger opposition, our best bet for staying in the game is making set pieces count, and we just didn't do that on Saturday. I will say I think Westwood's delivery has improved somewhat this season, but why not mix it up a little? Weimann delivered a nice corner kick a few games back, Cleverley also did well with set pieces in the game that Westwood missed. No reason not to spread the duties around, it will also keep the opposition guessing.

 

And throw-ins. Why can we not retain possession from a throw-in? It's laughable, and it's been a big problem for at least two seasons. Why can't we get this simple basic thing right?

 

All that said -- I don't accept mediocrity but I do accept that we got outplayed by a better team. The same may happen vs. City this coming weekend. Or, maybe we'll surprise people.