Match Thread Chelsea vs Everton - Preview, Match Report and MotM Poll.

[maccavennie]

We need to replace Gomes this summer he is not quicker enough for this league.
He cant press and struggles when we play against a pressing team.
He's the man who should be running the midfield dictating the tempo of the play and direction of attacks.

His in game management of his own positioning is absolutely appalling and I'm shocked if he hasn't been pulled up on it time after time from the coaching staff.

At least 3/4 times a game he will either try and snatch a ball from an impossible angle and get turned, be on the wrong side of his man or be so flat footed that a simple 2 yard jog past him renders him completely useless and takes him out of the game.

There isn't a position on the field where we can say those weaknesses aren't showing every single game he plays and they absolutely cripple us in the middle of the park. He's not offering anything where we can currently say "well at least he's doing A or B well so it's worth persisting with him".

 

[JLW]

His in game management of his own positioning is absolutely appalling and I'm shocked if he hasn't been pulled up on it time after time from the coaching staff.

At least 3/4 times a game he will either try and snatch a ball from an impossible angle and get turned, be on the wrong side of his man or be so flat footed that a simple 2 yard jog past him renders him completely useless and takes him out of the game.

There isn't a position on the field where we can say those weaknesses aren't showing every single game he plays and they absolutely cripple us in the middle of the park. He's not offering anything where we can currently say "well at least he's doing A or B well so it's worth persisting with him".

I don't think he is a bad player i genuinely think the league is too quick for him.
He doesn't have any pace to turn defence into attack and carry us up the field when we win the ball.

 

[maccavennie]

I don't think he is a bad player i genuinely think the league is too quick for him.
He doesn't have any pace to turn defence into attack and carry us up the field when we win the ball.

Hes definitely not a bad player as he's shown it before and yes I'd agree this league is far too quick for him which is showing his obvious weakness game in game out.

 

[McMagicT]

I agree with most of above, but full-backs were abysmal, Godfrey incessantly covering for Digne and doing
marauding runs through the middle because we don't have a midfielder good enough. Holgate continually
caught out of position so much so that a girl commentator even noticed.

 

[AndyC]

I agree with most of above, but full-backs were abysmal, Godfrey incessantly covering for Digne and doing
marauding runs through the middle because we don't have a midfielder good enough. Holgate continually
caught out of position so much so that a girl commentator even noticed.

Rather sexist that last comment

 

[jtl60]

Think our full backs were our biggest problem last night. Holgate is of course a defender and doesnt offer much going forward, also booked early for a bit of a nothing challenge which doesnt help.

Digne had an off night by his standards. it happens

I must say though, thought bar Man City, Chelsea were the best team I've seen us play against this season, shows what a bad job Lampard was doing!

 

[Gaffa]

• #575

I always try and be a realist. Maybe it’s my old age

last night I didn’t expect anything. It’s now how we react. The next three games must bring a minimum of 7 points. If they do I believe we will nearly be there for Europe. I’m happy to take Europa league for 2 years, give the lads some experience and attract players and then make the jump to champions league. There is no way this team is ready for CL. Imagine Iwobi and Bernie terrorising at Madrid Munich Paris etc.
5th is Europa
6th is Europa If city win the league cup
7th is Europa with the FA cup winners which is likely to be one of the top 6
So we need to stay 7th and above. End of

 

[Jimmyjoe]

Disappointing result last night, but we need to shake it off and move on.

I think is reiterated what we already knew anyway i.e. the midfield lacks energy without Doucoure, Gomez is half a yard to slow for the top level, Iwobi (whilst better recently) still fails to deliver that final killer ball when in good positions and Holgate will never be a top quality full back.

But Chelsea do look good - how bad a job was Lampard doing by the way - and that result won't dictate where we finish. We now have two winnable home games so 6 points is a must. Plus Arsenal play Spurs, and Man U play the Hammers this weekend so points will be dropped by someone.

Chelsea were always going to be top 4, and it is Leicester we need to hunt down. Onwards and upwards

 

[Bluepablo]

The right side is just so weak. If Coleman had been fit think he would have played instead of Iwobi & it could have made a big difference.
Think I would play Coleman in midfield now when available if Doucure is out for a while so at least there is some energy in there & it should help Holgate out.

 

[ElGato]

Fairplay Chelsea were the better team throughout, difference in quality told in the end.

Picko in great form and my god Ben God - surely nailed on young player of the year? What an impact

 

[witchdoc187]

we dont appear to have any midweek games until middle of May. So hopefully now we can get some fitness and energy back in our play

 

[big nev lookalike]

Disappointed of course that we lost.Chelsea were better than us going forward and some of our players were poor and once again our passing let us down. The positive was that our heads didn’t drop and we did show some spirit. Went for Pickford as mom,some great saves.

 

[evertonandchelmsford]

Important not to be too disheartened about last night. Chelsea were much the better side and our predictable tactics in the circumstances will only go so far. Although the goals we conceded were cheap they were inevitable we cant keep expecting to play this way and keep ourselves in the game. We've done well to get some points off Liverpool & United out of that tough run and the two wins we scraped before last night weren't vintage but still could be crucial.

This next run of 3 games before we play Spurs & Arsenal for a hope of top 4 we need maximum points. If we can beat Burnley at the weekend other teams around us have tough fixtures so things start to look positive again.

Man Utd v West Ham
Arsenal v Spurs
Wolves v Liverpool

My biggest concern though is probably goal difference. If you look at how Spurs have recently finished games off early like Burnley & Palace and given themselves a very healthy goal difference. Most of the other teams we're challenging with are looking at heading towards a +20 GD which is going to be difficult for us as we always play to such fine margins.

 

[brucemate]

Midfield ball retention shocking at times,slow,turgid and predictable in outcome,why the 3,4 or 5 touches to play a pass that was on 1st time,other times rushed when closed down to putting a teamate under pressure then resulting in loss of possession......Annoying watching so called lesser teams midfielders knocking the ball around with accuracy and purpose while ours toils away moving it slowly mostly sideways or backwards.
Surely not coached that or they lack the technical ability to do so,if that is the case for what we have invested it's very worrying.......

Yep and we are further hindered by the fact that no player takes a gamble and makes a run from midfield especially when DCL wins a header. Too many times we see a big gap between DCL and the midfield when we are in attack. This is down to the lack of mobility in midfield, regularly identified on here.
At least Carlo has admitted we need to improve technically and am sure he will address issue in summer window.

 

[Mkjjones]

Most clubs do mate. Leicester have a pretty big injury list at the moment and are just scraping by. Suppose it helps that they’re not having to do it with lower league standard midfielders like Gomes or tripe like Iwobi. Our squad depth really is terrible.

Leicester have just had an injury crises now though, we’ve had one since October