Post by Ghostrider on May 8, 2016 12:49:01 GMT
I think most of us thought we would win this game. I certainly did. I looked at Villa at home and thought of their fans knocking them down and basically creating a fear factor on their own players. I expected their players to be just going through the motions. I expected us to put them to the sword and maybe try and make a dent in the goal difference we have with Sunderland.
I expected a Chelsea win into the bargain, or at the very least, a draw.
So, let's evaluate what we got.
We started off against Villa very cagey. A bit of a negative attacking attitude, or devoid of thought when we did attack. The few half chances we had, we simply fluffed them. We looked nervy and yet Villa were there for the taking in the first half. We simply couldn't create enough to put them to the sword in the first half.
Villa looked lethargic at times and yet we didn't attempt to take advantage.
In the second half, rafa decides to bring on Mitrovic for the ineffective Cisse. It worked because immediately we started to look a threat and really did look like we would start to take a grip of the game. We started to create a few chances and good chances they were. Mitrovic coming close and also Wijnaldum having a shot saved by the face of one of their players. Colback stabbed at a shot in the box which sailed over the bar.
The trouble was, Villa came out fighting. Not in terms of really troubling our defence - but defending for their lives. It was as if they were fighting to stay up and we just looked like we had more or less took our foot off the pedal, as if a 0-0 draw was somehow an acceptable result.
As this was happening, I noted that Sunderland were 1-0 down, then 1-1, then right on half time Chelsea went 1-2 up. I thought, "this is great. It's all panning out and we'll surely nick a goal or two in the second half whilst Sunderland succumb to another, maybe."
As the game ticked by, I see 2-2, then 3-2 to Sunderland. What the feck? What the absolute flying feck?
It was a tepid performance by us. A typical away day performance. Not good enough and we deserved nothing other than the draw.
So where does that leave us?
Most fans have already resigned themselves to seeing us in the championship next season. Who can blame them?
We have a mountain to climb.
The table looks terrible for us. Sunderland 1 point ahead with a game in hand which is a home game against a misfiring Everton team, where a win seals our fate.
The issue is; is it as done and dusted as that?
Are Everton going to go to the stadium of light and just lie down and be shafted?
On paper you could say yes, but games aren't played on paper and Sunderland are not entitled to claim anything from the game unless they work at it and claim the spoils by everything working for them.
Their confidence is up but it can easily be knocked down by any situation in that game.
Now think of this. If they get beat off Everton, then they have to play again on the Sunday AWAY to Watford. Not easy by any means - and they would have to go for the win because they can't rely on us messing up against Tottenham.
If they draw against Everton then they go two points above us but then they still have to go to Watford and get a draw.
Sam Allardyce is a draw specialist but these games are not run of the mill encounters - they are nerve jangling encounters where everyone is looking for slip ups. Sunderland will have to muster all the energy they have left.
It's not over till the fat lady sings.
We are still fighting until Wednesday nights result says otherwise.
If we manage to still have hope by 10 pm on Wednesday night, we know that we have no other outcome than to beat Tottenham and hope for a Sunderland defeat.
Let's not forget about a potential Norwich miracle. They could win their final two games and pip us on goal difference, if the scenario I put out, happened.
Who in the hell knows?
I expected a Chelsea win into the bargain, or at the very least, a draw.
So, let's evaluate what we got.
We started off against Villa very cagey. A bit of a negative attacking attitude, or devoid of thought when we did attack. The few half chances we had, we simply fluffed them. We looked nervy and yet Villa were there for the taking in the first half. We simply couldn't create enough to put them to the sword in the first half.
Villa looked lethargic at times and yet we didn't attempt to take advantage.
In the second half, rafa decides to bring on Mitrovic for the ineffective Cisse. It worked because immediately we started to look a threat and really did look like we would start to take a grip of the game. We started to create a few chances and good chances they were. Mitrovic coming close and also Wijnaldum having a shot saved by the face of one of their players. Colback stabbed at a shot in the box which sailed over the bar.
The trouble was, Villa came out fighting. Not in terms of really troubling our defence - but defending for their lives. It was as if they were fighting to stay up and we just looked like we had more or less took our foot off the pedal, as if a 0-0 draw was somehow an acceptable result.
As this was happening, I noted that Sunderland were 1-0 down, then 1-1, then right on half time Chelsea went 1-2 up. I thought, "this is great. It's all panning out and we'll surely nick a goal or two in the second half whilst Sunderland succumb to another, maybe."
As the game ticked by, I see 2-2, then 3-2 to Sunderland. What the feck? What the absolute flying feck?
It was a tepid performance by us. A typical away day performance. Not good enough and we deserved nothing other than the draw.
So where does that leave us?
Most fans have already resigned themselves to seeing us in the championship next season. Who can blame them?
We have a mountain to climb.
The table looks terrible for us. Sunderland 1 point ahead with a game in hand which is a home game against a misfiring Everton team, where a win seals our fate.
The issue is; is it as done and dusted as that?
Are Everton going to go to the stadium of light and just lie down and be shafted?
On paper you could say yes, but games aren't played on paper and Sunderland are not entitled to claim anything from the game unless they work at it and claim the spoils by everything working for them.
Their confidence is up but it can easily be knocked down by any situation in that game.
Now think of this. If they get beat off Everton, then they have to play again on the Sunday AWAY to Watford. Not easy by any means - and they would have to go for the win because they can't rely on us messing up against Tottenham.
If they draw against Everton then they go two points above us but then they still have to go to Watford and get a draw.
Sam Allardyce is a draw specialist but these games are not run of the mill encounters - they are nerve jangling encounters where everyone is looking for slip ups. Sunderland will have to muster all the energy they have left.
It's not over till the fat lady sings.
We are still fighting until Wednesday nights result says otherwise.
If we manage to still have hope by 10 pm on Wednesday night, we know that we have no other outcome than to beat Tottenham and hope for a Sunderland defeat.
Let's not forget about a potential Norwich miracle. They could win their final two games and pip us on goal difference, if the scenario I put out, happened.
Who in the hell knows?