Chelsea vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[olaftab]

My favourite thing about Ollie's goal (and I haven't read this entire thread, so it might have been pointed out already), was that after the mis-control by Thiago Silva allowed Diaby to break away, Thiago Silva tried to make amends by tripping Diaby - clearly recognising the break was on and he was away.  Moussa hurdled the attempt (just) and kept going, when he could have gone down and earned Silva a yellow.  When the ball went in, you could see Silva's frustration - he knew he'd fucked up, both with the mis-control, and not taking out Diaby when he could.  Delicious.

I really love it when an attempt at a professional foul fails, and the attacking team properly capitalises.

I thought the attempt from Thiago was laughable. He's an old man in football and Moussa is one of if not the quickest, most agile forward in the League.

We were saying it was strange that Thiago didn’t make a more serious attempt to foul Diaby but I guess he just couldn’t quite keep up with him. However from the upper tier in the away end his awareness and positioning were very good for much of that first hour and he has a real sense of danger. Well past his prime now though.

That bit is clearly the case. Later on in the same move watch him and he's all over Diaby like a rash restricting any options for Watkins to release the ball. Any ordinary defender would have rushed over to help Colwill and left Diably unmarked.

[LeeB]

And to think after the opening match against Liverpool (where they only had 4 shots on target and drew 1-1) he was being praised as already turning it around from last season and just needing to improve defensively as attacking wise, they looked the done deal.
Edit: And it probably didn't help him bragging that the week without a European match meant he had the team in being extra prepared for the weekend. It is on-par with MON stating the weakened team against Spartak away would mean he would have his best team out against Stoke the weekend to go for a CL spot.

Christ, I just had a Nam flashback to that Stoke game where that family of pigeons were sitting in our half for most of the game & the Stoke fans were cheering getting to the half way line.

2-0 up, just to fluff it in the last few minutes with that shit Stoke clogger banging in a late equaliser to basically start our decade if demise...

Depressing.

Hey, hang on a minute there. That 'shit Stoke clogger' missed the most important penalty in our recent history to rid us of Bruceball, show a little respect.

[PeterWithesShin]

Chelsea captain Reece James has been charged by the Football Association for an alleged incident in the tunnel after their 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa.

England defender James, 23, did not feature in the game because of injury.

The FA said: "It's alleged that the defender used improper and/or insulting and/or abusive words and/or behaviour towards a match official in the tunnel after the game."

James has until 29 September to respond to the charge.