The Main Problem Yesterday

iamborome

iamborome

Well-known member
The main problem yesterday was the absence of Jones. If he had been fit we could have played a proper 5 at the back formation. Instead Carrick was forced to play a weird compromise which meant that Howson would fall back into the back line on an ad hoc basis. This didn't work. To be effective, a defence needs to be organised. Players need to know their role and that of their teammates. Last night the defence as all at sea and we gifted them at least three of the goals. The other problem was that we had no real outlet. We needed a centre forward who could hold the ball up and bring others into play as well as wingbacks with pace. We had neither of those.

I'm not saying that we would have won, but we would have had a chance and we would not have been so comprehensively taken apart.
 
Game of opinions

Either way, trying to pin point a single player or event from yesterday as the reason for our downfall is a waste of time.

They have a much much better squad, that didnt turn up in the first leg. As soon as they played to their ability last night was the outcome, and we were pretty powerless.
 
MichaelDebeve said:
Game of opinions

Either way, trying to pin point a single player or event from yesterday as the reason for our downfall is a waste of time.

They have a much much better squad, that didnt turn up in the first leg. As soon as they played to their ability last night was the outcome, and we were pretty powerless.
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Yeah I’d agree with that.

I certainly don’t think Jones would have made a massive difference but I do think we would have maybe been a bit more resilient with him in that first half.

We would have been able to play wing backs and we would have knew our jobs out of possession, The Howson going into defence tactic when Chelsea had the ball didn’t work and we wouldn’t have tried that with Jones. It’s a shame but suppose there’s always gonna be games where players are unavailable. It’s just tough to take due to the nature of the injury.

Ah well bigger fish to fry. Let’s have a strong end to the season now and try and put a run together. This little break might do the lads some good.
 
Some of the above comments are just stating the bleeding obvious. Of course Chelsea are a far superior side and our chance of winning was always going to be an unlikely giant killing act.
 
iamborome said:
The main problem yesterday was the absence of Jones. If he had been fit we could have played a proper 5 at the back formation. Instead Carrick was forced to play a weird compromise which meant that Howson would fall back into the back line on an ad hoc basis. This didn't work. To be effective, a defence needs to be organised. Players need to know their role and that of their teammates. Last night the defence as all at sea and we gifted them at least three of the goals. The other problem was that we had no real outlet. We needed a centre forward who could hold the ball up and bring others into play as well as wingbacks with pace. We had neither of those.

I'm not saying that we would have won, but we would have had a chance and we would not have been so comprehensively taken apart.
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He could have played Dijksteel at rwb or even obrien lwb and howson rwb effectively swamping the midfield. Playing clarke and engel in a back 4 against such pace was crazy.
 
iamborome said:
"The main problem was that Chelsea have world class players, and we dont. Jones or not, that doesnt change."

Yeh well they had those in the first leg
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Yes we won 1-0..... but it really didn't tell the full story, Possession.... Boro 28% Chelsea 72% Shots.... Boro 6 Chelsea 18
It is only down to poor finishing from Chelsea how we won that 1st game.

Last night possession Boro 38% Chelsea 62% Shots Boro 4 Chelsea 13 (Chelsea scored 6 from 13 shots) so the problem is they are a Premiership team, with so called superstars, and we are an average Championship team... the gulf is massive, as last night showed.
 
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