The Premier League Owl
Mark Clattenburg cost Chelsea the game yesterday – or, at least, he sort of did. It’s very easy to attribute the lost points to under-par officiating, but in reality some self-reflection is needed from Roberto Di Matteo and his squad. They didn’t defend well enough, and that area of the team looks increasingly fragile.
The attacking third of this side has improved exponentially over the Summer, of course it has, but the team looks very lopsided. Just in the last week, look at the goals conceded at White Hart Lane, in Donetsk, and at Stamford Bridge; they were all avoidable. There’s no protection from midfield, and there’s no cohesion at centre-back.
Apologists for Gary Cahill and David Luiz will argue that they’re a developing partnership who are still adapting to each other’s strengths and weaknesses, but they’re still a shambles – and even when John Terry’s ban expires, his age predicates that he can’t be a permanent solution. This has to be addressed, Cahill and Luiz are chaotic together: they’re both ball-players, they’re almost frustrated midfielders.
When the January window opens, and Michael Emenalo inevitably gets all dizzy at the thought of Radamel Falcao, his focus should actually be on pursuing someone who can protect this defence. A Sven Bender, a Cheik Tiote…someone like that, someone who can subdue creativity and who can fill the gap that Michael Essien’s decline and departure has left at Stamford Bridge.
Mark Clattenburg was complicit in Chelsea’s demise yesterday, but let’s not forget that he had no hand in either of United’s first two goals nor did he have any choice but to dismiss Branislav Ivanovic after the Serbian brought Ashley Young down – a stronger defensive midfield, and Robin van Persie doesn’t get the opportunity to spin out of a tackle and play Young in. It was soft, and that was the moment that actually changed the game – that red card killed the home side’s momentum.
It’s easy to blame the referee, and in this instance it’s justifiable, but there are still lessons to learn.
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No! Itis not totally justifiable to blame the ref for Chelsea’s defeat on Sunday. Their defence was again woeful and the screen in front of it was nonexistent. Rvp was allowed to move into the exactly the same position in the box a nd receive exactly the same pass with exactly the same results, 2 x goals for Man U in the first quarter of the match! Game over! The only things left too comment on are, yes definitely 2 x penalties! (Torres’s dive worthy of David Wilkie!) yes, Man U’s winner was off side! Yes, Torres should have been sent off for horror tackle on Tom cleverly! And yes Chelsea were extremely lucky to reach the 90mins without loosing anyone else due to a catalogue of challenges that were intent to injure or get an apponant sent off! Finally Chelsea should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves for reporting the ref for bad language. Do the words j terry and convicted racist not mean anything to the club!? Chelsea have a long and undistinguished record in this respect! Anybody remember Ashley cole’s disgusting show of disent/ disrespect for the ref shown on national tv? If still not sure then just check out his twitter account to witness his ill advised and foul mouthed rankings! Drogba after champs league defeat? His cheats rant right into the camera!? I am sure you all can think of more. So pot calling kettle springs easily to mind! Finally, have you noticed it is only when Chelsea are loosing or have lost do we hear all this nonsense. Arrogance, bad sportsmanship and being such bad losers does not win you many friends and leads at best to indifference when you have success. I for one was very pleased when Chelsea triumphed in Europe but less than half a season later that pleasure is already leaving a bad taste.