MotM Poll: Blackpool 1-3 Chelsea

well needed and deserved victory and precious 3 points

the first half was stuck in the midfield, terry's header was class, but we were lacking that bite that we needed. we werent spreading the width necessary to pick apart b'pool and other squads of tehir caliber. but we werent slipping up at the back so that was good. the second half wee showed our hunger and when our african tribal chief didi --

i still think back to a game on FSC of che v. arsenal where fans do the calling instead of the commentators, at one point an arse player went down with a knock and didi a few minutes later took a fall after a headball in the box, he hit the ground and started writhing and shaking on the ground like he touched a power line, anyways, the che fan was like, drogba always needs to be the most at all things like "NO, i am the most iinjured player on the pitch, no one can be more hurt than me"--

after didi went down and kalouuu came on, we showed a spark and quickly extended our lead, but almost as JM-mceachran came on bpool came to life, and we showed some worrisome things, a lack of Jose-era defensive locking up of the shop type of mentality, we looked a bit unconcerned with their push for a comeback.... luckily though, it wasnt to be pool's day, and they couldnt get a full comeback going, be it too late or lack of steam, we prevailed..

all in all, a good result, kalou did something positive for a change, torres didnt look too sad regardless of his goal virginity still intact, and lamps regained some of his old verve, (same as essien) luiz didnt make too many brash tackles and looked composed as always, it was a good game, no nico or BANE but they werent needed, and i hear alex is coming back soon, so we have some health on our side, no word on yossi, but ive totallly forgotten hes a chelsea player, let alone # 10, zhirkov looked good, glad to see him getting more play, i guess Obi is still out, but wasnt neeeded today either, as for alex again, he looks in need of major training vigor if he is to get on the pitch this year, unless its in CL there is few opportunities he can muster with no cups left....

i realize this post isnt very concrete and well constructed, a bit aimless, but, o well

good game chelsea KTBFFH

Is it just me, or is Kalou-Torres our best partnership?!

i cant believe i voted for kalou.... but he did his part!
the whole game was a total mess, no order what so ever

question: could there be an internal problem regarding torres and the rest of the team?

It's a subject we'll have to tackle, Mateo. I'm just not sure how to handle it.

Had to vote for Kalou. Game changed upon his introduction.

another tidy cameo by the Joshers. His confidence and control on the ball is fantastic.
I have hope for a title repeat. Not a ton; i'll take top four. But seriously, if we take advantage of our game behind ManU, then we're 6 down. We beat ManU at Old Trafford, there's 3 more. Of course, that's assuming we don't drop points and ManU does somewhere. Let's hope.

ManU has to be shaken up after losing to us and L'pool. Just pray that we hit top gear, and that they go through a bad phase like we had been in.

C'mon guys that was JT for sure. Lamps was gifted the two goals, but JT set us off and had a great defensive display. Here are a couple of questions though.
1. What happened to Essien again? For a while we had the Bison running them over then he takes a rough foul and disappears for the rest of the night. Either he's injured or he needs psychotherapy.
2. Ramires went a little missing at times too.
3. Drogba....what to do with you. I think he has a weakened lower back/hip much like JT's back or Frank's groin. It may be an old footballer injury that keeps him hot and cold for the rest of his career.
4. I think we now know that Luiz, while impressive, has a lot of maturing to do. His defense tonight wasn't tight and near the end, including the goal, was downright lazy. You could see JT trying to get him and the rest of the back line to focus and do the job.
Overall, a poor display but hey, a win is a win.

I say cut Ramires a break for the shift he's put in the last few games, but I agree Drog's towards the end of his glory days, and yes, Luiz has a ways to go. I still love the kid.

Lampard, classy as always. Great game, it was a pleasure to see the result, if not the game itself. We're back to championship playing style, i.e., grinding out the win even while playing ugly football.

50 million pound dead weight? It certainly seems like it.

In the second half he failed to get any service from the midfield. More time is needed before judgements are handed down.

I wouldn't really say that. Torres has no service the whole game. He was given maybe 1-2 good chances by other players. Other than that, he can't do much when he never gets the ball.

Very true, but I also don't really see him making sufficient effort to GET open and provide a real option for service from the midfield.

When are you worth 50 million, you don't get open. You stand around, are fed beautiful passes on a golden spoon, and score fantastical goals of beauty.

Just wait. When Torres finally does score, we will all explode a million times over out of sheer orgiastic nebula igniting glory.

Torres' game isn't dropping deep or drifting wide to get the ball. He's an off the shoulder of the last defender striker. Carlo knows that yet we are still playing a style that isn't conducive to his game. Something fundamentally has to change - it will next season for sure - to accommodate him.

This style of play either 1) holding and holding and holding and holding and holding that Drogba likes, or 2) holding and holding and holding and taking a nap standing up and holding that Anelka likes, both very much conflict with the running at an open field style that Torres was so used to at Anfield.

I'd personally like to see Ramires, Zhirkov, and David Luiz (even Yossi!) be allowed to run with Torres, give him the space to explore. It pisses me off to no end to see Carlo try and force the Anelka system on Torres and expect him to be the playmaker and the finisher at the same time. It's not going to happen with two strikers on the field, where Torres is standing completely lost while Anelka/Drogba just try to command the attack by wasting chances. Just stick Torres up by himself, and give him 5 midfielders behind him giving him something to actually work with. Fuck it, bring back Coley, he knows what it means to attack, not simply dick around.

Torres is waiting for a through-ball from midfield, a ball that leaves him one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Stevie G. used to provide them for him and now no one does. The current midfield options don't seem to have that subtle touch of passing a ball through with the intended target the space between the defense and the goalkeeper.

I've been paying particular attention to that, most passes just go straight to the goalkeeper or even out. They try it a few times and then go back to crosses.

The midfield does try its chance in shooting from outside the box, so Torres should learn to pounce on their rebounds, for the time being. The midfield problem is a serious one and should be addressed ASAP.

Agreed. Just trying to figure out who's fault this is more of. I mean, who can we rightfully blame more, Carlo or Torres?

For now, I say both. The only one doing anything right by the way of leadership is Lampard.

Voted Salomon, had a massive impact on proceedings. Would have been interesting to see if he would have even got on the pitch had Drogba not been injured.

Same here. Gave great movement in open play and contributed to two goals. Maybe Kalou-Torres as a pair for Copenhagen?