Too much respect.

[donegalram]

Always a tough draw tonight but we showed the whole Chelsea set up too much respect.
Why was our players not in their faces making them think there in a tough game. I know that is not our normal tactic but we were never going to out pass Chelsea so sticking it up them could have been an option.

Why is Mac and simmo kissing mourino's ****. Tell him to **** off during the game and chat later in the bar. Is a Chelsea player in the pipeline?

Result could have been the same but we need a bully boy out there. There is room in the modern game for one and we could do with one at the min coz we getting rolled over too easily.

[Luckless]

The difference in class told in the end both in play and how to play the system.
Drogba knew how to get a free kick that led to the second goal and so on.
Tonight was a good barometer and I think showed that The Rams could make a fist of it against a few Prem teams but we are 4 or 5 players light of one that could survive comfortably.
Thorne is missed big time and defensively lacking quality.

[FrannyLee]

I agree with both views expressed here. One of the players showing too much respect was Christie who didn't have the guts to take them on and beat them, unlike Russell who looks like he has Prem quality. Although the tussell was 6 of one and half a dozen of the other. Buxton was pulled back first and it wasn't a clear goal scoring opportunity. Poor, out of shape ref who wasn't able to keep up with play on a number of occasions, in what was not a particularly frentic game.

[ellafella]

Always a tough draw tonight but we showed the whole Chelsea set up too much respect.
Why was our players not in their faces making them think there in a tough game. I know that is not our normal tactic but we were never going to out pass Chelsea so sticking it up them could have been an option.

Why is Mac and simmo kissing mourino's ****. Tell him to **** off during the game and chat later in the bar. Is a Chelsea player in the pipeline?

...

Chalaboa.

[Rapid]

bit harsh. I thought the majority of the time we played our own game but Chelsea's ability to keep the ball is very difficult to combat. the player I thought showed too much respect was Keogh and by that I mean too many long balls which he doesn't do in the championship. he panicked, possibly as a result of his clanger in the first half.

in the first half I can only remember them having 2 shots. the goal which was an individual error and the one that grant beat away. that's pretty impressive when you look at the gulf in class.

echo the sentiments that Russell was class again. triz, I think you may have been right on this one. JR when he's on song has premier league quality.

[ManxRam]

I've said in a previous post that Johnny Russell is a playground player, he doesn't care about reputations and has shown that aginst England and now Chelsea. Ibe was the same, he know's he's quicker than the full back so goes straight for him, he will become a very good player once he gets his decision making right. Bryson got stronger as game went on and took his goal brilliantly and Mascarell showed some nice touches though dallied a couple of times.

The two full backs disappointed me, both got in to dangerous positions, Forsyths delivery letting him down and Christie trying to do too much rather than knocking an early ball in to a dangerous area.

Chelsea play a similar game to us albeit at a higher standard and with better players. Fabregas and Hazard are unplayable in most games you see them so we were always going to be overan in midfield.

We've little to be ashamed of against the best side in the country and if we play with the same passion and desire (which wasn't there at Bo

[D_D]

I disagree with the "too much respect" idea.

We pressed well throughout, which led to a few dubious Chelsea free-kicks etc. On other occasions, Chelsea were simply too quick for us, which there's no shame in.

We actually had some lovely passages, which I'm sure would have ripped apart any Championship team. What disappoints me most is Forsyth's delivery. This isn't me hating on him, but our best play ended with him being in good positions to cross, but his ball in was lacking. Lets hope this improves vs. Norwich.

I thought Omar, Will and Bryson looked good tonight, against the best midfield in the country by some distance. We seem to look most balanced with Will in the team. He links up well with Martin, Omar and Bryson as better than Hendrick seems to.

I'd go with the same team for Saturday, but I'd swap Dawkins for Ibe, who showed real pace and hunger when he came on. Norwich is a tough game, but I fancy us to win it on last night's display.

[swaledale]

I think you underestimate the class Chelsea have, for me we competed well against one of the best, if not the best team in the country currently.

[donegalram]

I dont underestimate Chelsea thats the whole point. If we had players on the pitch to a bit of pushing and getting at the chelsea players it might have upset their thinking. We dont have to change our game plan in order to incorporate this.
When Hughes gave away the free kick for the goal Drogba strolled into the box without a cross word said to him. Keogh should have give him both barrels at going down so easily to a wimpy kid.
Just think we have a lot to learn about gamesmanship at the highest level, not cheating or diving though.

[swaledale]

Well I see what your saying, but surely the least successful approach would ahve been to go gung ho? I thought we attempted to play oour game and we were outplayed by a bettr team with top quality players.