Hans-Dieter Flick

[jairzinho]

Let's hope next season we get a proper manager.

Like who?

 

[jamrock]

Just rewatching the game. They surprised us very badly on corners. We assumed they will try to cross the ball into the box, but they executed many short passes on corners and worked the flank in wild superiority scenarios.

Both the 1st goal and the goal that was disallowed early on for hand ball came from short corners and working 3 vs 2 overloads. Too many people in the box marking nobody.

This is first disallowed goal, 3rd minute or so. Short corner, we overcomit bodies in the box while Chelsea build wild superiority on the flank. I mean I don't understand this. Maresca is one of Pep's students and Pep often played corners short. How didn't we see this coming?

Funny thing is Cucurella is placed exactly as he is on the first goal. Onside as well, asking the ball unmarked by anyone. In this play, Neto crossed instead.

This is the 1st goal. Nearly identical. Neto, Estevao and Cucurella doing what they want following a short corner. While we assume they will play like a typical EPL side and smash a cross while putting bodies in the box. Didn't do enough studying of Chelsea apparently.

Fermin and De Jong both rush towards Neto. Another stupid thing.

One triggers the press, and one cuts the best pass option. Neither cuts the pass to Cucurella. Both approach Neto on the wrong trajectory and fail to close a simple but very dangerous pass. If they assume he will be in offside, that's even worse.

Normally, Fermin does the press to block Neto (and should not be a full press, should be just a press to lock him from advancing, not a press to dispossess him, which is another tactical issue for us), and De Jong immediately closes the pass channel to Cucurella. Then Neto most likely passes the ball back to Estevao. Problem solved.

They clearly were smartedly coached, while we went into the game thinking we'll do our usual plan A and it should work.

 

[serghei]

They clearly were smartedly coached, while we went into the game thinking we'll do our usual plan A and it should work.

Yeah, there were big problems on corners in particular, but also other issues. Surprised us totally including with the use and positioning of Pedro Neto. He played as a 9 on paper but actually spent a lot of time pulling the strings as a Messi-like false 9 in this game drifting to the right on his normal position. Used him to build superiority. Him, Cucurella and Estevao bossed us.

 

[serghei]

We were a mess, not knowing who to mark, standing in free space while overloads happened at will on the flanks. Poor Fermin and De Jong caught between 4 opponents, multiple threats not knowing what to do. When you are put in those situations constantly, you are bound to fuck up. Where is Ferran, where is Balde on those corners? In the box most likely expecting some crosses marking nobody. While the opponent has their no9 on paper overloading our flank and turning it into their little playground.

We had no clue about Chelsea's strongest points. Even though players like Cucurella, Estevao and Neto are probably the most gifted players on the ball for Chelsea. I have no explanation on our part how they were allowed to build superiority so easily. They are combinative players. Much more so than Garnacho who is a bit of a one trick pony.