Morning all.
When Mauricio Pochettino arrived at Chelsea, great things were expected of his team/squad. The club had spend numerous of millions of pounds on new players both young and old and Poch, well he was the man to get them back into the big time. Things haven’t quite gone to plan though, assuming there is a plan. 9th place and 27 points off the league leaders in April is far from what I’d imagine Chelsea’s fans expected.
Sometimes you have to go down before you go up in football which has certainly been the case for Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, although I’m pretty sure he’d have got Arsenal football club to where it is today a lot quicker had the club been able to spend as much as Chelsea in such a short period of time.
But football is strange, or rather a managers journey is. O’Neil has changed Wolves in just a year or so without a bottomless money pit, Emery has Villa playing very well, and again without an open chequebook whereas Utd are still struggling to find the right formula and have done ever since Fergie left. There are many other success stories in the game just as there are many not so successful but my point is, sometimes money alone isn’t enough just like any one manager, regardless of his history, isn’t always the right appointment at the time.
At Chelsea though, time isn’t something always afforded to a manager, certainly not the amount it’s taken Mikel Arteta to assemble the squad he has now which is still far from being perfect. Logic alone suggests that because a handful of players have played so few minutes during this season. Still, that’s a conversation to have during the summer transfer window.
It was back in February I read something about Pochettino although I can’t remember where I read it, but it was something about how Pochettino’s teams were dysfunctional – his final few months at Totts were not good and at PSG it was just as bad. At one club he cited egos as the problem, the other, a lack of spending. The suggestion was that he should go as neither of the above excuses apply at Chelsea. That’s football fans though isn’t it, or is it just Chelsea fans because they’ve not got used to not having the success Roman Abramovich paid so dearly for?
Had Chelsea been able to find the back of the net on Saturday, I’m sure it would be them facing Man Utd in the FA Cup final next month but it seems that’s their problem, inconsistency. Nicolas Jackson had three big opportunities against City but missed them all.
In too many games we are very competitive but the problem is the consistency that we show. It is about maturity, to know the quality of the group of the players that we need to improve for the next season – Pochettino said after the game
It’s often next season isn’t it but with the group of players Pochettino has, I’d be surprised if next season wasn’t better than this one for Chelsea. If he lasts that long of course.
Chelsea are not only inconsistent but they are unpredictable too. One week they can put six goals past Everton, the next they can draw 2-2 away at Sheffield Utd. They beat Man Utd 4-3 at the beginning of this month but drew 2-2 against Burnley at home in March. They are unbeaten in eight Premier League games (W4, D4), scoring at least twice in each of their previous six.
Underestimate them at our peril because if things click for them tonight in this London derby, we could be in trouble.
Going back to the game on Saturday, Man City, regardless of looking knackered, bossed the possession and shots statistics. I didn’t watch much of the game but by all accounts, Chelsea focussed on stopping City and hitting them on the break and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Poch use a similar tactic tonight against us. If he watched the Villa game, Poch will know that if his team keeps Arteta’s team quiet for the first half, it’ll be all to play for in the second.
Mikel Arteta’s team has to start fast and impose themselves on the game early. Don’t let Chelsea get into any kind of rhythm because often, when the opposition gets going, we struggle to regain any kind of control, let alone rhythm of our own. We really don’t want to be getting to 87 minutes with Eddie Nketiah coming off the bench and expecting him to score an equaliser or winner. On last nights evidence, there’s more chance of Jurrien Timber doing that. His goal for the under 21’s last night was an absolute peach. I jest of course, well, a little.
Catch up in the comments..
Good morning Rico.
First off let me wish one and all a happy St. George’s Day.
The latest darling of the football hacks is Chelsea’s young striker Cole Palmer, twenty goals in all competitions is pretty impressive, yet we may not have to face him this evening illness is, reportedly, the reason. (Mind games?)
We are coming off of a morale boosting win against Wolves, Chelsea off of a debilitating semi-final defeat against City. Pochettino is under ever increasing criticism for Chelsea’s poor season so far, it is in just such circumstances that managers earn their corn or lose their jobs.
An early Arsenal goal may well knock the stuffing out of the Chelsea players, so a fast start and a bit of precision in finishing should be the order of the day.
Morning Rico and all.
The problem with Chelsea is they are like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get. however as it is home match I am confident we can win.
Morning Cicero.
And a happy St George’s Day to you and all too. A day to celebrate imo.
I think Palmer will start, he’ll be a handful too.
Morning Geoff, so are Arsenal to a degree. Start fast and we’ll stand a better chance but spurn early chances and it could be another Villa kind of game..
According to The Athletic, Arsenal are ditching the crest next season.
The club have used the cannon instead of the badge before — it features on this season’s green third shirt, for example — 2024-25 will be the first season in recent history it will feature across all the club’s shirts.
Rico, lets hope we have the hard centre chocolate, not the soft one’s.
Morning Rico and all, ditching the crest! Didn’t we do that back in the 1970’s, nothing is new, everything is recycled.
Happy St George’s Day and all you wokists can do one…
Every game is a must-win ( I think that’s what you said Rico?) that is until City or Liverpool drop points.
Let’s take this until the last game of the season and see what happens.
Jurrien Timber scored a great goal for the U21’s yesterday.
Arsenal led 2-0 and then defended like a pub team just before half-time and conceded two soft goals.
It finished 2-2 in the end but our U21 team is like a Picasso, all over the place.
Morning Kev, I’m not bothered about the crest. Love the cannon as it is on our green shirt. Fashion changes..
Yep, all we can do is concentrate on our final fixtures, the rest is irrelevant really.
As said in the post, there’s more chance of Timber scoring for us than Eddie, or Jesus for that matter. 😜
One thing we can be sure of, Timber won’t be starting tonight. Will either Jesus or Zinchenko do so? I hope not.
My guess is Tomiyasu if he’s fit and Jesus.
Chelsea could still qualify for Europe, they have games in hand over all the teams above them so they have something to fight for.
Tottenham are scraping with United and Newcastle for a European place so they will be motivated above the usual level.
Bournemouth are safely in midtable, so no pressure on them.
United are in a scrap with Tottenham and Newcastle for a European place and I guess Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford depends on them achieving that.
By the time we play Everton they should be safe from relegation so should be looking forward to the beach.
So no easy run in for for us. 🤨
Afternoon rico, I called for Partey last game, maybe he’s still not up to full speed, but Rice got much further forward once he was on the pitch. Need more driving runs from midfield to open thing up rather than 6 passes and then finally out wide with everyone back, and Partey can slot a nice ball forward as well. If not, Jourginho equally lets Rice get forward more and am sure would relish this game.
Afternoon Andrew. I’d love to see Partey start with Rice. I always saw that to be our perfect midfield pairing for the season but we’ve been deprived of seeing it because of his injury. A fully fit Partey for the season and I think we’d be needing just a couple more wins to secure the league title. He’s such a massive presence when fit and on form.
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Partey, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Havertz, Trossard
.
22David Raya
4White
18Tomiyasu
2Saliba
6Gabriel
5Thomas Partey
8Odegaard (c)
41Rice
29Havertz
7Saka
19Trossard
Well he’s playing , lets hope your right.
Good start and should have been two!
Partey playing it much crisper, looking good so far, but game a bit open, could have been 4-2
Just got home after puppy class, nice to see we’re winning…
Two ankle breakers in two games. How did Jackson not see red, or even yellow? VAR if not corrupt are so inept?
Benny boy makes it 2-0
Kai Havertz makes it 3-0…
Fantastic 4th from Havertz 👏👏
Benny boy again. 5-0
Easier 2nd half for you rico!
Ha ha Andrew. Didn’t think we’d win that so comfortably.
job done.
Way over the top studs up on Tomi, no action and later Trossard catches one and out comes the yellow .Arteta complains and gets one too. Still mustn’t complain ask Forest.
Yep, just seen that one. Disgraceful…
Just finished watching a recording of the match, without knowing the outcome. The early goal settled any nerves and allowed our players to totally dominate the game. Four more goals plus a couple of routine said especially by Raya completed the rout.
Five goals, a clean sheet,three points and still top of the league. 🔔🔔🔔🔔🔔
As Mr. Punch likes to say….that’s the way to do it.
Goodnight Gooners….everywhere. 😴
Routine saves. That should read.
Nice win, a lot easier than I thought, as I said before last match we should start Trossard more,
It’s not often that you get a Chelsea team on your home turf that look as vulnerable as the one that rocked up at the Emirates yesterday evening.
Despite things being a little more even in the 1st 45 we should still have gone in 3-0 up.
The 2nd 45 was a massacre and we really should have got 7 or 8 goals.
You don’t get opportunities like that to thrash old rivals like that very often so I felt that we left 3 or 4 more goals out on the pitch. We should have done what the Mancs did to us in thaf 8-2, deliver a once in a generation mauling.
I know I’m being picky but that’s the way I feel.
All the same I love this team and the way they beat up opposing teams.
Odegaard was amazing as was Rice and White. Havertz got two blinders but should have had four. This team is good enough to win the League and they should win the League but there’s a little matter of 115 reasons why they might miss out.
I pray that justice is done this campaign…
Does anyone know why Arteta seemed to be arguing with his 2 assistants, just before our 1st goal.
Morning all.
10 goals would have been fair Kev. Lol
Arguing or just a heated debate Geoff, perhaps they were talking about the officials.
New post up.