I support LFCMarshall's views as a Chelsea fan. His arguments seems fair to me. People should stop screaming Rafa Out, when it is obviously Torres who is the problem. I hope Demba Ba will fix the problem.
Think Im in the minority who isn't surprised. Redknapps an excellent manager-he's not stupid. QPR are fighting for their lives, and he has great man management skills. He would have had QPR well prepared and well drilled for this one. They got in Torres's face, closed down Chelseas dangerous players quickly and caused problems. QPR have shown they're up for the fight by this. I have a feeling Redknapp is going to cause problems and keep QPR afloat
Good Chelsea Fans back with the Rafa Out chants..
where were you last few weeks..
probably celebrating huge wins
25 shots on goal, 2 on target. It certainly isnt Rafa's fault.
Where was the chanting? I was at the game 30mins before it started and 5 mins after it ended and heard absolutely nothing. No chanting while waiting for the tube, no chanting on the tube nothing!
It is when he rests key players players who get chances on target and create better chances for the team and themselves. Most of our chances where from long range and wildly off target, players like Mata, Hazard and Ramires create better chances than we created tonight 100%!!
Just got back from the game and that was well and truly embarrassing! Many faults to name here first of all typical Rafa tinkering with a winning side, done it at Pool and is doing it here when not needed. Luiz CANNOT play the defensive midfield role FACT! He can play midfield but only with a defensive midfielder along side him not him doing the role himself! The ref did not have a grip on the game at all, played advantage when he shouldn't have and didn't play advantage when he should have. And lastly Torres is shockingly poor, first touch bounces off him forcing him to need a second touch to try and control, makes the wrong choices when one of one with defenders and when he does lose it he does not bust a gut to win that ball back! We were well and truly ***** today and i turned to my brother at HT and said to him this has got a 1-0 QPR smash and grab win written all over it and although we did not deserve to win we didn't deserve to lose either. Only Chelsea would sell their only other striker before getting a replacement but Demba Ba will improve our attack line greatly at the moment so fingers crossed the deal is done. Looking forward to Saturday now and i'll be there in the away end WOLUTB!!
P.S, I preferred 2012!
Sorry but that side had more than enough to win, You have big games coming up, and the likes of Mata need rest, its not tinkering its rotation, thats a big indictment of your side if after all that you can only play with hazard and mata.
Whats the point in Oscar if after 25m he cant help create chances? He's young, but he's also got to be able to take the mantle.
From what I saw on MOTD Lampard was too far forward too often, so when the attack ground down there was no one to recycle possession. Chelsea badly a need a proper deep lying passer, or play Oscar there and bring in a combative holder to compliment him
The team we put out was more than good enough to win, we were just beyond poor. On the other hand, had the likes of Hazard and Mata started, I have no doubt we would have won comfortably. Either way we should've won, it's not Rafa's fault, it's the players.
Your talking about a 24 year old player at the peak of his fitness who also had a 19 day break during this season needing a break? Do be serious mate. He done exactly the same thing at Liverpool and i strictly remember laughing at him because of it. There is a difference in tinkering with your side and taking out your key performers, he underestimated QPR it's as simple as that.
I never just blamed Rafa but he is to blame as well, he picked the side and the side was not good enough. Never should have left out Ramires, Mata and Hazard, needed to play at least 2 of them for me. Ramires has hardly played lately and compared to Torres and Moses neither has Hazard.
Minutes played over Xmas period, Leeds - Everton:
Mata - 333
Torres - 330
Moses - 275
Hazard - 222
Oscar - 208
Ramires - 120
Yeah, because you have half a season to play, and Europa leagues, and big games in the next month. Deadly serious. Ferguson does it a lot, and I'd wager he knows a thing or two about rotation and winning titles....
The fact that you think you need to play two of them does not bode well for your club.
No it doesn't but that is the situation we are in at the moment. You just can't leave out Mata, Ramires and Hazard in the same game if you need to win it simple as that, shocking but true. I will say congrats to Turnbull today who proved a lot of Chelsea fans wrong and handled himself very well.
I look at that squad, and I think you should be able to, otherwise you are just carrying passengers.
Mata has not started in 5 of the 20 PL games this season for us this season and we have lost 2 and drew 3. Says it all im afraid.
That's less a criticism of Rafa and more one of your players, because the truth is, with the current size of your squad, he has to get you playing without some of your stars. Looking at your fixtures, there are probably 2 games that Mata can sit out between now and March in the League, and that doesn't factor cup games or EL.
He could probably sit out on Saturday, one leg vs Swansea and one leg vs Prague for sure. A man who has had a mid season break lets not forget!
Im not just blaming Rafa here as i keep saying but he is getting things wrong from the off. There is no way Utd would have left out Rooney, RVP and Carrick in a single must win game.
Away to stoke? You apparently couldnt do without him at home to QPR. I would say the same vs Swansea at this rate.
You SHOULD be able to though, and thats my gripe atm. I honestly expected a comfy win today, even with Torres. You left Redknapp happy, and I dont like that lol
We've done it before, every game is a must win, but we trust in our squad. Everyone must step up when needed.
QPR are bottom of the league and you're playing them at home after winning 8-0, if that isn't an optimum time to rest some key players I don't know what is! The team put out should easily have been able to win. Blame lies with the players, not Rafa (seem to be looking to blame him for anything!). Lot of praise has to go to QPR as well