Quote Originally Posted by Ernesto View Post
This is reminiscent of 2000-01. We finished second, but lost at the homes of the other teams in the top 4. Not only that, we we embarrassed at two of them (lost 6-1 at Old Trafford and 4-0 at Anfield but fortunately only 1-0 at Elland Road!)

We had leaders in that team. Any of the back 5 could've made captain, as well as Vieira (ŕ captain in the making). Hence, i really don't think it's a question of having leaders on the pitch. Yes, it would be nice to have ŕ player who understands how their role would evolve in a game (Wilshere used to do that before his injury). It would be nice, for example, for Cazorla to head the ball once in a while, in spite of what the manager's told him.

It really is down to the manager. As far as the abhorrent Chelsea go, he ought to have focussed on their strengths and weaknesses and how to exploit said weaknesses. Instead, there appears to be an arrogant "do what you do best" style team-talk given ahead of every game. It would have worked with the Invincibles. Not with this lot. Not by a long shot.


Agree with your last paragraph mate.

Chelsea did their homework and exploited our weakness to the max, we on the other hand had (as usual) no plan, no tactics, nothing. The players just passs it to whoever is free. The most frsutrating thing was that we didnt seem to learn from the Liverpool game at all and made the same mistakes as we did as Anfield. Do these players and manager not look at videos of past games and see where they went wrong? Chelsea yesterday were set up to stop us in the middile of the park and hit us on the counter where the Fbs leave space and that was exactly what Liverpool did.

Wenger is to blame for me, he doesnt do his bit to motivate or plan for the big games and thats why we're so shit in them.