Did we get the tactics wrong? Definitely NOT!

A lot of fans have been having a go at the manager for yet another loss to Chelsea. Imagine a blog even called for the manager to be replaced? Come on, it is seven matches into the new season and we have shown we can claw our way back into the title fray. The league is a marathon, not a sprint and only the position at the end matters.

Like I said, I felt we played really well on Sunday, only to lose to individual mistakes. Please don’t tell me that Drogba meant to score with a back heel in the way the first goal went in. It was purely a fluke goal and the luck that goes with the player playing against his favorite team. It’s like how we always say Arshavin scoring at Liverpool or how previously Pires always scores at Southampton.
Again, lots of criticism were leveled at how we were caught can be caught on the break and that is how teams like Manchester United and Chelsea beat us. If you have been watching the match on Sunday, we would know that it did not happen that way at the Bridge. Yes, we were caught on the break a couple of times but we were chasing the match, weren’t we? At 2 nil down, it doesn’t matter if the opposition score another goal or not, right?

I would dare to say that we had the better of Chelsea in the game. If you believe reports that it was Chelsea’s strategy just to sit back and attack us on the break, then I must say you must be as daft as missus who doesn’t watch football at all. You could clearly see that we controlled the midfield in the second half and the Blues had no choice but to try and defend as deep as possible. The trio at the front was just to keep our defenders from attacking but whereas Essien and Mikel were getting all the room in the first half, Song and Wilshere really gave them a taste of midfield game play in the second.

It might sound like sour grapes but certainly we were not beaten by superior tactics or Arsene being outfoxed by Ancelloti but rather we lost the game through inferior finishing. It has correctly been pointed out by the manager and I hope he takes the international break to work out some training routines which will help our forwards put away the chances. I think with the return of both Van Persie and Walcott it should help in that department as well.

Just a final note, congratulations again to young Jack for getting another senior call-up to the England squad. It is a testament to how he has matured this season and I can’t wait to see him play every week.