Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool - Congrats Liverpool - What's happened to us?

First of all and believe me I really hate saying this, but credit to Liverpool for their performance yesterday. In the first half they rattled us, pressed high up the pitch, fought for every ball and looked dangerous every time they went forward.

Second half they dug in, rode their luck on occasions but continued to work hard all over the pitch and took all three points with a fantastic goal from a great first touch and dribble in the box from ex-Chelsea man Glen Johnson. It was something we had been used to seeing from Johnson and the timing of the goal killed us. Congrats Liverpool.

As for us, what has happened to us? I am absolutely gutted about the first half performance, the sucker punch at the end and the result. I said before this is the one game I cannot stand to lose out of all of them and it's taken me this long to write my report as I was seething yesterday after the game.

Things were that bad, I dug out my Chelsea season 2004/5 DVD "Have you ever seen Chelsea win the League? Yes we have!" to remember happier times and for another reason, to see what it takes to get our defensive shape and mentality right.

We are at times a total shambles at the back right now and being honest, it doesn't matter who plays at the back at the moment, we are making simple mistakes.

Take their first goal for example. With Didier Drogba starting up front I could not understand for the life of me why we continue with trying to build our attack from the back by rolling or passing the ball out to our defenders or midfielders from Petr Cech!. Boot the bloody thing up the pitch for god sake!

We didn't, the ball was played to Mikel who never had a chance to control it or even lay the ball off first time because of Liverpool pressing high up the pitch.

As a result, the impressive Charlie Adam won the ball, Bellamy picked it up and played a one two with the busy Suarez and then laid the ball square to an unmarked Maxi Rodriguez to score from close range. Shambolic it really was but credit to Liverpool for creating the goal out of nothing.


szólj hozzá: Ch0-1Li-Hd

Chelsea simply weren't at the races in the first half. Again, you do have to congratulate Liverpool for the way they set out in the first half. With Bellamy in the side they would always have pace to counter attack us, but to come here and press high up the pitch, it never allowed us time and space to get our passing going.

Second half was much better. Sturridge on for Mikel and switching to what looked like 4-2-3-1 like the second half against United suited us and we took the game to Liverpool. They sat back under constant pressure at times and Malouda was our best player. He continued to run at their defenders and put crosses in the box.

It was from a miss-hit Malouda cross that Sturridge tapped home from 6 yards to make it 1-1 ten minutes into the second half and it looked like we would kick on from there.


szólj hozzá: Ch1-1Li-Hd

Shortly after, Pepe Reina made a world class save from the head of Ivanovic who had just got in front of David Luiz from 8 yards as he glanced a Drogba free kick goal wards. Reina got down low to his left and pushed the ball away to safety. It was world class and kept the score level.

Chelsea continued to press forward but to no avail. Some half chances were created but nothing really to post here. Crosses in the box in front of our forwards, or into empty space with no one attacking the box.

Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles were introduced with 8 minutes to go but for me it was far too late. They could never influence the game from there.

As Chelsea pressed forward, we always looked vulnerable at the back as Liverpool broke forward. Ramires was all over the pitch breaking up their attacks and winning tackles to stop them, but after he went off we looked exposed and Liverpool took full advantage.

A long ball over the top to Johnson wide right 25 yards out was taken brilliantly first time and he cut inside Ashley Cole who should have done better, then stepped inside another challenge and stuck a left foot shot into Cech's bottom right hand corner. Nothing Cech or JT on the line could do.


szólj hozzá: Ch1-2Li-Hd

It was a sucker punch from Liverpool but once again exposed Chelsea's frailties at the back. It's those frailties that have cost us once again as Chelsea's record against the "bigger" sides in the league continues.

It was a game that we all had high hopes for, to get the right performance and the right result to restore confidence in the side on a weekend where the likes of City, United and Arsenal all won before us.

Being honest, I don't think it could have been any worse. Congrats Liverpool your game plan worked, ours could have done but once again came unstuck defensively.

This is what's costing us time and time again this season and until drastic measures are taken, whatever they may be, it will continue.

KTBFFH

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