Scolari Mugged by Zola, Clarkey and Mavis Riley
Endearing
By Since66
December 15 2008
Our Big Phil was admitted to hospital on Saturday for a kidney stone complaint. I am sure that after today's result and another sub-standard performance, I bet he wished the doctors insisted he stay in hospital for another 24 hours. For the second game in a row, Scolari refused to start Didier and Anelka.
Although they did pair up at the start of the 2nd half and within minutes, a combination of a Drogba short pass and a lovely Lampard chip saw Anelka race in to coolly squeeze the ball past Green to equalise West Ham's first-half goal through Craig Bellamy.
Mike Riley was today's ref and he clearly missed a foul on Mikel prior to the West Ham throw-in in the build-up to West Ham's goal and then Mavis missed Noble's clear handball before he passed to Bellamy and Cech missed his near post completely as Bellamy's shot went in.
Mavis also missed Lucas Neill tripping Super Frank in the box near the end.
Let's face it. Our home form is poor. Three wins from nine, four draws and two defeats - apart from the teams that we have beaten in the League (Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Sunderland) eleven goals scored and none conceded, our six other visitors have 'sussed' us out and frustrated us and simply put we are just NOT good enough to break these teams down.
So much for expansive, beautiful football, the type of football Mr A craves for.
Tottenham D 1-1
Man Utd D 1-1
Liverpool L 0-1
Newcastle Utd D 0-0
Arsenal L 1-2
West Ham D 1-1
Now that makes for depressing reading. What makes it even more depressing reading in those run of games, we have only managed to score four goals and have conceded six and dropped VERY VERY important points to our title rivals.
All I can say to our home record is. Thank God for our away record. Played 8, Won 8, goals scored 21, goals conceded 1 and that was Ribena's at Moneybags Man City.
On a positive note, Zola and Clarkey got huge welcome back receptions. Our ex-fitness coach Pintus was warmly welcomed back as were ex-players Scott Parker and Carlton Cole and talking about Carlton Cole I thought he was going to bury us at the death, except that Cechie boy spread himself well and saved Cole's effort.
There were a few renditions of "Gianfranco Zola, taking West Ham down," but once West Ham took the lead that song soon stopped.
why no mention of the burnley result which started it all of?
another good piece,but we deserve a mention
Very disappointed about the apparant lack of intensity about our performance yesterday in the first half - it seemed almost chess-like. That said,the so called "lesser" teams are much more disciplined and tactically astute than ever before - itīs not only Chelsea that are suffering because of this.
Itīs quite clear that at home when teams come and play as tight as possible we MUST go 4-4-2 from the off - and I mean a proper 4-4-2 - not Anelka drifting too deep and creating a 4-5-1.
Itīs also quite clear that for all this talk about buying another forward what we really neeed is a top quality wide player (preferably someone with pace) - god knows who is available in January though.
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"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they dont like it." P Kenyon.