Chelsea v Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[OCD]

The problem I have is that those types of goals would be disallowed in European competitions and the Premier League should be consistent with that.

[Richard E]

It should have been disallowed for being so aesthetically unsatisfying, as well as for being against us.

[Brend'Watkins]

Another win I'm loving this journey we are on.

It’s incredible Darren, it’s like we’ve all had a wish and we’ve all wished the same …that Aston Villa would win every game for ever and ever.

[Chico Hamilton III]

The “Michael Van Gerwen” chant was funny last night. Almost felt sorry for the bloke. Almost

[Villa Lew]

Though the first half was as poor as I've seen us all season, I don't think enough credit has been given to Konsa and Lindelof, I lost count of the number of times they were clearing balls going into our box and Chelesa for all their dominance didn't create that many chances.

Great to see Ollie back to his and Onana and Sancho were also superb, the last 30 minutes we tore Chelsea apart.

[Somniloquism]

Though the first half was as poor as I've seen us all season, I don't think enough credit has been given to Konsa and Lindelof, I lost count of the number of times they were clearing balls going into our box and Chelesa for all their dominance didn't create that many chances.

Great to see Ollie back to his and Onana and Sancho were also superb, the last 30 minutes we tore Chelsea apart.

They had three things on target in the end which I think includes the goal, Emi's stop from Pedro first half and the Reece James cross-shot.

As for us, we had 8 shots on target, all in that last 30 mins I believe although Ollies first goal counts as two of them.

[Meanwood Villa]

Been on a Chelsea forum for a lovely bit of schadenfreude. They don't like Maresca!

[andyh]

Been on a Chelsea forum for a lovely bit of schadenfreude. They don't like Maresca!

Neither do I. He’s an ungracious, sour, miserable, c unt.

[eamonn]

It should have been disallowed for being so aesthetically unsatisfying, as well as for being against us.

Ugly as the son (sic), when he falls to the floor.

[rob_bridge]

Though the first half was as poor as I've seen us all season, I don't think enough credit has been given to Konsa and Lindelof, I lost count of the number of times they were clearing balls going into our box and Chelesa for all their dominance didn't create that many chances.

Great to see Ollie back to his and Onana and Sancho were also superb, the last 30 minutes we tore Chelsea apart.

Konsa and Lindelof were immense. Chelsea rarely got in behind and they were there to mop up most through the middle

[andyh]

We are like a boxer, at his peak taking an all sorts of newcomers.
We are prepared and able to put up our guard, take all sorts of body shots and glancing blows to the head for 5 rounds without going down.
Then in the 6th round, we decide, ‘ok, fun’s over, time to go to work’.

A few jabs, a couple of uppercuts to soften them up, then bang !!  we hit them with the knockout blows out of nowhere before nonchalantly strolling out of the ring asking what all the fuss was about.

[PeterWithe]

As I said to my viewing companion, for all their possession and ability to pin us right back on the edge of our own area throughout the first half, Emi didn't really have a lot to do. I did wonder, for their goal, if Emi wouldn't be better off by standing behind the goal line, and just not 'engaging' with the blocker(s) until James is much closer to striking the ball, his attention wandered. But saying that, I dont think anyone covered themselves in glory, we just seemed to get bullied on that play.

[nigel]

Rope-a-dope city. Chelsea absolutely shell shocked

I thought exactly this.
It was the football equivalent of Ali’s ‘rope a dope’ knockout of Foreman.

I looked at the shot stats just before we scored. It was something like 14-5 vrs 3-1 by the end of the game it was around 15-5 vrs 21-8. That’s one heck of a turnaround.

[PeterWithesShin]

I am almost certain Unai Emery deliberately started the game with a weaker XI. He knew, with absolute certainty, that we would not be able to keep up our intensity in the second half.
And that brings us to our biggest problem: our inability to finish a game when we have it by the throat. 😒
We keep toiling and playing with this naive idea that a team like Aston Villa will just roll over and respect us. Lol
I said it before the game. You do not respect this type of opponent, because they will not respect you back. Yes, the referee was abysmal, and the denied penalty was a clear game-changer, but that cannot be the excuse for such a lackadaisical and spineless performance.
If I were Maresca, I would sit every single one of those boys down and read them the riot act. 😑
My clear warning would be: if you keep serving up these shameful, high-school-level performances, you will be bundled out in January. Just look at the catalogue of chances we missed.
And the subs?? 😭😭
The difference in quality between what Unai could bring off his bench and what we had was night and day.
Quality, experienced players matter in the PL. It is as simple as that. I can only hope our SD's are taking note and not trying to breathe hard on Maresca's neck.

[PeterWithe]

I think that is a very harsh judgement on the game, not many teams do to us what they did for 60 mins, they were very good. And then we came into it and won.

What penalty is he on about, was there a clear one for them?