I wrote an essay on friday of the past weeks goings on and as i highlighted it i clicked "cut" instead of copy so was i f**k going to write all that again! So instead of writing about the Liverpool game and Costa's ban etc like i did that time i'll have to skip straight to the City game. The only thing i will say about the Liverpool game is that i was at the game and i want to say a huge congratulations to everyone there as you all gave me some hope for the atmosphere at the Bridge for the future. It was absolutely electric from start to finish, standing for the whole 90 minutes signing so much my voice is still sore to this very day and a victory against the scousers to reach a cup final, what an experience!!!!
Although Costa was banned and Fabregas likely to miss the game i never felt we would lose the game. In matches against the top sides i actually don't think Fabregas defensively is much a loss but obviously Costa would be but i think a Chelsea without Costa is better than a Man City without Yaya Toure.
On the game there was some of the obvious "Chelsea parking the bus" comments from opposition fans and even some of our own "fans" getting frustrated we were defensive in the 2nd half. The majority of this side played 120 minutes of football just 4 days ago tiredness was always going to creep in the later the game went on. That alongside the fact that a point was massively better for us than it was City why wouldn't we go a tad defensively? Teams who don't agree with the defensive side of the game struggle to win things its as simple as that!
I was very pleased with the performance but felt Ivanovic was very poor and i think he is starting to leave us very exposed at times. It was annoying that when we did get forward we seemed to pick the wrong ball. But when we did get it right the goal we scored was a thing of beauty, just a shame a Courtois error which is what it was got them back in the game so quickly because i believe we would have held on to that 1-0 win. Zouma's past 2 performances has right now put him in front of Cahill in the pecking order, he's early tackle on Aguero in the box could have made or broke the type of game he would have had and he timed it to absolute perfection. He's solid in a tackle, wins everything in the air, quick and even if he does get beat he manages to get back and effect the attack somewhere else down the line. At the age of just 20 we could have a long term gem here, someone who i believe to even be captain material one day.
I will finish with the transfer side of things, its a shame to see Schurrle go but in my eyes it seems as if mentally he believes "well i've won the World Cup, my career is done". As much as its a shame the lad we are replacing him with is exactly the type of player i have been saying we have lacked for 18-24 months. We lack natural width with our attacking players, all of them love coming inside and our fullbacks who consist of a centre back and a right back playing left back do not give us much width either. So having a player who can go round the outside of the fullback getting to the byline gives us another option, in my eyes its a transfer which has strengthened us hugely plus he will be allowed to play in the Champions League which is a bonus.
UTC!!!