UBCuse89
Walk On
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Please tell me someone else watched this game...
Today's game is the reason why I love soccer! Props to Chelsea, they overcame a lot today and proved why the old guard is still needed for them to have a chance. Also sorry in advance I am a Chelsea fan and my assessment of the match is mainly of Chelsea.
My Take as a fan of Chelsea:
What a magnificent performance by both teams. Chelsea, however was on a mission and really played a complete performance. From the very beginning you could tell it was going to be an exciting game. Two very good sides trying to make it to the Quarter Finals. Today showcased an attacking Chelsea side vs. a really dangerous counter attacking Napoli. Chelsea played with a 1-3-2-4 formation with Drogba as the Center Forward and Napoli played in a 3-4-3 formation.
What I saw from Chelsea was a nicely executed game plan. Attacking Napoli with crosses and putting the pressure on early and often, but also playing with patience when in the opposing sides pitch and waiting for chances to arise. Chelsea dominated possession of ball and really made the best of their chances. I thought the D line of Chelsea played exceptional.
Individual Reviews:
Cech- had a great game in goal, he was in great position throughout the whole game and really made it hard for opposing players to find space.
Ivanovic- had a great daytoday. In the first leg, Ivanovic played terrible but today came out and was active and hit the game winner to top off his great day.
Luiz- who also has been criticized played great today. Luiz has a tendency to want to play up the field more than any center back should. It causes him to be put out of position and makes opposing counter attacks very effective. Today however, Luiz only moved forward a few times. I noticed Terry and Lampard stopping him a lot when he was looking to go forward, on one occasion he almost caused a goal by I believe Lavezzi when he went forward causing a 3 on 2 counter attack, the play ended when the shot went too far left I think.
Terry- absolutely brilliant today! Terry who recovered quickly from an injury played like a captain and proved why he is one of the best center backs in the world. He timed his challenges perfectly and was all over the pitch today. He had maybe 1 or 2 mishaps today but nothing serious to complain about. Without Terry today I really don't see us stopping the counter attack of Napoli.
Cole- consistent performance today, he played great and was in good position for most of the game. I thought he was very active and has become one of the best left backs over the years.
Essien- only a couple weeks removed from battling injury after injury. This was Essien's first real challenge back and I thought he had a good game, not great but a game that had a lot of positives. I thought his D later in the game was much better and his control got better as the game progressed. If Chelsea wants to win the UCL title or at least have a chance, they will need Essien!
Lampard: played a somewhat quiet game but played great as the field general today. Lampard played in the back with Essien as the primary center midfielder while Essien played as the defensive center midfielder. Lampard's job today was to slow down the tempo when in the opposing sides pitch and set up chances for others. His passing was on point today and his corners were good.
Mata- had a good game and has proven to be a great addition to this Chelsea team. Mata had a few chances and his passing was great today, some of his corners weren't all that great but overall had a good game.
Ramires- had a good game making good crosses and controlled the ball well. His cross that led to the Drogba goal was right on point and really helped give Chelsea the early momentum.
Sturridge- played a mediocre game, he could have played better I thought but had his moments with his short crosses over the middle and his shot in the early beginning.
Drogba- played amazing scoring a goal, dishing out a great assist, was extremely motivated today and was his usual dramatic self. Some may not like his dramatics but today I found them to really help Chelsea. It showed he was really wanting this win and that he was was going to do what it took to get the victory on aggregate. See more on the man of the match.
Torres- for me I just want to see flashes of the old Torres, I want to see him go out and do something and today he did. He had mostly great control with the ball today and is really making me optimistic and excited to see him play more. I thought he and Drogba played pretty well together. He missed a chance late in the game after the goalie mistimed the ball but had a really tough angle. Also he should have passed to a running Drogba when they were on the break which could have easily been a goal as long as Drogba took care of the rest. But overall it was a good game for Mr Torres and a good game with Drogba and Torres together.
Malouda- had some good and bad plays in the time he got. Almost cost Chelsea when he went forward instead of staying put when Luiz was trying to pass him the ball in their own side of the pitch. But also had a nice play on the wing where he was a little too early on a pass to Torres.
Boswinga- from what I saw played fine with the minutes he played.
Napoli Assessment:
I thought the Napoli defense didn't play well at all and really were terrible when the ball was in the air. They didn't react well and the outcome proves this. I thought the counter attack was very good today and they had great chances to seal their place in the final 8 but just couldn't finish. I thought Lavezzi had a great game but also missed some very important chances in front of the net, partially to do with the Chelsea D and Mr Cech. Hamsik had a good game, the dude has a pretty nasty shot off of crosses. His one timer was a good shot, just couldn't get it on target. You can't fault the goalie today for the performance. He was in good position all game but Chelsea just made incredible shots and his D was horrendous today. I thought the choice of style may not have been the wisest seeing how Chelsea was obviously going to go with a more attacking approach. I thought Napoli may have been better off playing a bit more conservative to try and control possession. Overall I just thought Napoli didn't want to win as bad as Chelsea today. The D was not good today and the offense had a lot of chances but just couldn't capitalize.
Scoring:
Drogba 28th minute- Ramires plays a brilliant cross to a diving Drogba who finds the back of the net.
Terry 47th minute- Off of a Lampard corner, Terry heads an absolutely beautiful header in the top left corner of the net. This tied the aggregate at 3-3 and put Chelsea in the lead because of the away goal in the first leg.
Inler 55th minute- Puts Napoli ahead with a great goal. Inler took a deflected ball and lasers it in the back of the net which Cech had no chance at.
Lampard Penalty 75th minute- Luck was on Chelsea's side as Dossena gets called for a handball which led to an easy penalty strike for Lampard. Putting the aggregate at 4-4 and forcing Extra Time.
Branislav Ivanovic 105th minute- After a scoreless first extra time, Chelsea waste no time getting ahead and sealing the victory by a superb play by Drogba making an amazing pass to a running Ivanovic who makes a great finish to put Chelsea ahead at 5-4 aggregate and 4-1 for the game.
Man of the Match: Didier Drogba
If you know anything about Drogba then you know Drogba is a unique specimen. The dude at 34 is still can be one of the best strikers in the world when motivated. However the big if is when motivated! Drogba is fast, powerful and strong. Drogba has all the talent in the world but at times/for games at a time will vanish and play poorly. Other times he is unstoppable and plays to his true potential. Drogba today was the second one. That first goal was a message. When Drogba is on it is a huge boost to his teammates. You could tell they were all motivated after that first goal. It was a brilliant cross and an even better finish. His late game heroics finding a charging Ivanovic sealed the game and the last spot to the Quarter Finals.
Final Thoughts:
Di Matteo unlike Andre Villas-Boas understands that to win Chelsea will need the likes of Drogba and Lampard to score and lead the attack. They will need Terry to anchor the D and they will need to not make a lot of changes to a team that is not used to vastly different approaches and new ideas. Today showed why! AVB was a great coach and will continue to be great he just was not the one Chelsea needs to be successful, I think a guy like Rafa Benitez would be great or bringing back the chosen one to resurrect the golden era of Chelsea. I usually disagree with the sacking of the manager mid season or after such a small time period but AVB just wasn't right for Chelsea unfortunately. I wish him the best of luck and here's to the hope that Di Matteo can help us secure a fourth place finish in the Premier League and to get us to the finals of the UCL to have a chance for Champions League glory.
Today's game is the reason why I love soccer! Props to Chelsea, they overcame a lot today and proved why the old guard is still needed for them to have a chance. Also sorry in advance I am a Chelsea fan and my assessment of the match is mainly of Chelsea.
My Take as a fan of Chelsea:
What a magnificent performance by both teams. Chelsea, however was on a mission and really played a complete performance. From the very beginning you could tell it was going to be an exciting game. Two very good sides trying to make it to the Quarter Finals. Today showcased an attacking Chelsea side vs. a really dangerous counter attacking Napoli. Chelsea played with a 1-3-2-4 formation with Drogba as the Center Forward and Napoli played in a 3-4-3 formation.
What I saw from Chelsea was a nicely executed game plan. Attacking Napoli with crosses and putting the pressure on early and often, but also playing with patience when in the opposing sides pitch and waiting for chances to arise. Chelsea dominated possession of ball and really made the best of their chances. I thought the D line of Chelsea played exceptional.
Individual Reviews:
Cech- had a great game in goal, he was in great position throughout the whole game and really made it hard for opposing players to find space.
Ivanovic- had a great daytoday. In the first leg, Ivanovic played terrible but today came out and was active and hit the game winner to top off his great day.
Luiz- who also has been criticized played great today. Luiz has a tendency to want to play up the field more than any center back should. It causes him to be put out of position and makes opposing counter attacks very effective. Today however, Luiz only moved forward a few times. I noticed Terry and Lampard stopping him a lot when he was looking to go forward, on one occasion he almost caused a goal by I believe Lavezzi when he went forward causing a 3 on 2 counter attack, the play ended when the shot went too far left I think.
Terry- absolutely brilliant today! Terry who recovered quickly from an injury played like a captain and proved why he is one of the best center backs in the world. He timed his challenges perfectly and was all over the pitch today. He had maybe 1 or 2 mishaps today but nothing serious to complain about. Without Terry today I really don't see us stopping the counter attack of Napoli.
Cole- consistent performance today, he played great and was in good position for most of the game. I thought he was very active and has become one of the best left backs over the years.
Essien- only a couple weeks removed from battling injury after injury. This was Essien's first real challenge back and I thought he had a good game, not great but a game that had a lot of positives. I thought his D later in the game was much better and his control got better as the game progressed. If Chelsea wants to win the UCL title or at least have a chance, they will need Essien!
Lampard: played a somewhat quiet game but played great as the field general today. Lampard played in the back with Essien as the primary center midfielder while Essien played as the defensive center midfielder. Lampard's job today was to slow down the tempo when in the opposing sides pitch and set up chances for others. His passing was on point today and his corners were good.
Mata- had a good game and has proven to be a great addition to this Chelsea team. Mata had a few chances and his passing was great today, some of his corners weren't all that great but overall had a good game.
Ramires- had a good game making good crosses and controlled the ball well. His cross that led to the Drogba goal was right on point and really helped give Chelsea the early momentum.
Sturridge- played a mediocre game, he could have played better I thought but had his moments with his short crosses over the middle and his shot in the early beginning.
Drogba- played amazing scoring a goal, dishing out a great assist, was extremely motivated today and was his usual dramatic self. Some may not like his dramatics but today I found them to really help Chelsea. It showed he was really wanting this win and that he was was going to do what it took to get the victory on aggregate. See more on the man of the match.
Torres- for me I just want to see flashes of the old Torres, I want to see him go out and do something and today he did. He had mostly great control with the ball today and is really making me optimistic and excited to see him play more. I thought he and Drogba played pretty well together. He missed a chance late in the game after the goalie mistimed the ball but had a really tough angle. Also he should have passed to a running Drogba when they were on the break which could have easily been a goal as long as Drogba took care of the rest. But overall it was a good game for Mr Torres and a good game with Drogba and Torres together.
Malouda- had some good and bad plays in the time he got. Almost cost Chelsea when he went forward instead of staying put when Luiz was trying to pass him the ball in their own side of the pitch. But also had a nice play on the wing where he was a little too early on a pass to Torres.
Boswinga- from what I saw played fine with the minutes he played.
Napoli Assessment:
I thought the Napoli defense didn't play well at all and really were terrible when the ball was in the air. They didn't react well and the outcome proves this. I thought the counter attack was very good today and they had great chances to seal their place in the final 8 but just couldn't finish. I thought Lavezzi had a great game but also missed some very important chances in front of the net, partially to do with the Chelsea D and Mr Cech. Hamsik had a good game, the dude has a pretty nasty shot off of crosses. His one timer was a good shot, just couldn't get it on target. You can't fault the goalie today for the performance. He was in good position all game but Chelsea just made incredible shots and his D was horrendous today. I thought the choice of style may not have been the wisest seeing how Chelsea was obviously going to go with a more attacking approach. I thought Napoli may have been better off playing a bit more conservative to try and control possession. Overall I just thought Napoli didn't want to win as bad as Chelsea today. The D was not good today and the offense had a lot of chances but just couldn't capitalize.
Scoring:
Drogba 28th minute- Ramires plays a brilliant cross to a diving Drogba who finds the back of the net.
Terry 47th minute- Off of a Lampard corner, Terry heads an absolutely beautiful header in the top left corner of the net. This tied the aggregate at 3-3 and put Chelsea in the lead because of the away goal in the first leg.
Inler 55th minute- Puts Napoli ahead with a great goal. Inler took a deflected ball and lasers it in the back of the net which Cech had no chance at.
Lampard Penalty 75th minute- Luck was on Chelsea's side as Dossena gets called for a handball which led to an easy penalty strike for Lampard. Putting the aggregate at 4-4 and forcing Extra Time.
Branislav Ivanovic 105th minute- After a scoreless first extra time, Chelsea waste no time getting ahead and sealing the victory by a superb play by Drogba making an amazing pass to a running Ivanovic who makes a great finish to put Chelsea ahead at 5-4 aggregate and 4-1 for the game.
Man of the Match: Didier Drogba
If you know anything about Drogba then you know Drogba is a unique specimen. The dude at 34 is still can be one of the best strikers in the world when motivated. However the big if is when motivated! Drogba is fast, powerful and strong. Drogba has all the talent in the world but at times/for games at a time will vanish and play poorly. Other times he is unstoppable and plays to his true potential. Drogba today was the second one. That first goal was a message. When Drogba is on it is a huge boost to his teammates. You could tell they were all motivated after that first goal. It was a brilliant cross and an even better finish. His late game heroics finding a charging Ivanovic sealed the game and the last spot to the Quarter Finals.
Final Thoughts:
Di Matteo unlike Andre Villas-Boas understands that to win Chelsea will need the likes of Drogba and Lampard to score and lead the attack. They will need Terry to anchor the D and they will need to not make a lot of changes to a team that is not used to vastly different approaches and new ideas. Today showed why! AVB was a great coach and will continue to be great he just was not the one Chelsea needs to be successful, I think a guy like Rafa Benitez would be great or bringing back the chosen one to resurrect the golden era of Chelsea. I usually disagree with the sacking of the manager mid season or after such a small time period but AVB just wasn't right for Chelsea unfortunately. I wish him the best of luck and here's to the hope that Di Matteo can help us secure a fourth place finish in the Premier League and to get us to the finals of the UCL to have a chance for Champions League glory.
