Chelsea vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[Sexual Ealing]

Yes, I was wrong about his potential. He's going to be really good.

[robbo1874]

Ramsey is really developing nicely. I was skeptical after last season, as he didn't seem to influence games he started in and didn't seem to have a position. But he's really improved and kicked on. Made their new boy look a mug.

i know where you’re coming from with the Ramsey comments but he seems to have that hallmark of the kids coming through now. Yes they’ve got their different individual attributes, but they all look very cool and composed on the ball, very professional and don’t tend to flap when under a bit of pressure. Yes there is room for improvement, but they all seem to have a solid grounding and none of them have really looked out of place in the side when they’ve featured.

[pauliewalnuts]

I didn't think that much of Chelsea yesterday, we could and should have won, let alone not lost.

However, Lukaku really makes the difference with them. I have *dry heaves* quite enjoyed watching their matches that i have seen this season, I like the way they play - it might not be as technically refined as Man City but it's much more watchable (nothing to do with Grealish btw).

[Villa Lew]

I think that's probably the most positive I've felt after a 3 nil defeat, after their first goal, we played them off the park the rest of the half, we're talking Champions League winners here, sadly it was just the finishing that let us down. That's the best first half display we've put in against a top 4 side for a long long time, and that's without Martinez, Buendia and Bailey. The stats for the match say it all 18 shots 6 on target for us 12 shots 4 on target for them. Possibly the most pleasing thing for me was Ramsey's performance, gets better with every game and he's one of our own.

[robbo1874]

They all seem to be able to find a pass too, even in difficult positions.  Edit: I was still talking about the kids, btw.

[The Edge]

Just watched it on motd through sober eyes.The second and 3rd goals were both down to mistakes by Mings. Total lack of awareness for their second and why didn't he put a challenge in on the touch line just before their third? The ball should never have got to Lukaku. Mings  can be such a frustrating player at times.

[Clampy]

I think a little bit of credit needs to go to the Chelsea player for their second goal. He knew exactly what Mings was going to do and he pounced on it.

[RichardBatchelor]

I didn't think that much of Chelsea yesterday, we could and should have won, let alone not lost.

However, Lukaku really makes the difference with them. I have *dry heaves* quite enjoyed watching their matches that i have seen this season, I like the way they play - it might not be as technically refined as Man City but it's much more watchable (nothing to do with Grealish btw).

Because watching Man City is like watching FIFA? Or a bunch of robots?

[Monty]

I didn't think that much of Chelsea yesterday, we could and should have won, let alone not lost.

However, Lukaku really makes the difference with them. I have *dry heaves* quite enjoyed watching their matches that i have seen this season, I like the way they play - it might not be as technically refined as Man City but it's much more watchable (nothing to do with Grealish btw).

Because watching Man City is like watching FIFA? Or a bunch of robots?

Yep, Pep's great Barça team was great because of a collaboration, between his ideas and three extraordinary players in Xavi, Iniesta and Messi (not to mention Puyol, the heart any team needs). Without them, these ideas serve to turn every player into an automoton. Because of the talent the money buys it can be an amazing machine to watch whirl around, but it is nonetheless a machine.

[Sexual Ealing]

I think a little bit of credit needs to go to the Chelsea player for their second goal. He knew exactly what Mings was going to do and he pounced on it.

Good point.

[pauliewalnuts]

I didn't think that much of Chelsea yesterday, we could and should have won, let alone not lost.

However, Lukaku really makes the difference with them. I have *dry heaves* quite enjoyed watching their matches that i have seen this season, I like the way they play - it might not be as technically refined as Man City but it's much more watchable (nothing to do with Grealish btw).

Because watching Man City is like watching FIFA? Or a bunch of robots?

Exactly that.

[Ads]

There's no soul with how Man City play. Absolutely everything about them is a dull corporate grey.

[ROBBO]

Not sure why Ramsey was taken off but our midfield drive suffered because of it. I think he has realised he belongs and can kick on. If he is an indication of what is to come from the youngsters we are in for some quality players to look forward too. Thinking that the Captaincy may be overload for Mings, he is the type that wears his heart on his slieves and may detract from him able to totally concentrate on his football. Just putting it out there.

[dorsetvillian]

Poo back pass from Ming's but looking the replays Steer was not sure to come for the ball or stay. He didn't commit and was in no man's land.

[Scott Nielsen]

The 5-3-2 was a load of bollocks and cost us the game. It did mean that we had a proper midfield 3 for once, which is why Luiz and McGinn looked better than they usually do in that godawful 4-2-3-1 that Smith is so bafflingly enamoured with. But all having the extra man meant is that we had Tuanzebe in, who is crap, and that Mings looked confused as to where he was supposed to be, and it's a job getting him to concentrate for 90 minutes at the best of times. A proper 4-3-3 and I reckon we could have got something out of that.

Totally disagree . We set up well and matched them well apart from the first goal. The Mings catastrophe killed us , and knocked the stuffing out of the players. We would have got a draw at least but for that, we were on top.

But here's the difference. We bought Wesley for 20m, he didn't work out , everyone questions recruitment policy,manager, everything. Chelsea bought Werner for 50m, he didnt work, they replaced him with Lukaku for 97m, no-one questions anything.

The Guardian match reports says we "matched Chelsea’s 3-4-3 system" which I took the mean we played the same formation. Which made no sense looking at the players we fielded.