Date: 25th March 2015 at 2:09pm
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Clayton Beerman has a look back at the win against Hull City and ponders what it means for the Title run-in…

So we’ve won the league again have we? I’ve just finished listening to the Monday Night Club on Radio 5 Live. An enjoyable listen notwithstanding the personnel. I was interested to hear their comments on our game. Not surprisingly they started with the game at Anfield. I’ve no problem with that, incident packed, very funny etc. The race for top 4 is the hot topic because we’ve won the league.

4579696The next item was El Classico. Obvious really the BBC being a Spanish radio station …Basically 90 minutes later, we had been mentioned only by implication when discussing crowding round referees and in the stamping debate. Surprisingly Lilly Savage was outraged at the lurve being shown to Slippy G as opposed to the hate for Diego. Good on you.

As I have mentioned in a previous blog, there is not one sane Chelsea fan who thinks the league is won. Sundays rollercoaster ride was a taste of things to come. Have we ever done anything the easy way?

Hull

What an enjoyable game that was, if you a supporter of anyone other than the two participating teams. Could we have asked for a better start? Two magnificent goals from probably our two best players this season. We carried on from our magnificent second half display against Southampton. One complaint from many this season has been our lack of long rage shooting. No such problems here.

Then a small tactical adjustment from Steve Bruce ( a linesman’s best friend) and all hell breaks loose. 4579751Well sort of. It’s true our defence went AWOL but so did our midfield and our ability to tackle. Its hard not to single out Branna but had he made that one tackle to stop the raid down the right side I’m not sure any of the rest would have followed. As for the second goal his back pass was woeful and on that basis TC should have put his foot through it but panic had now descended and we know the rest. To be fair to TC he had shown off his natty footwork against Southampton when he’d done exactly the same but once was good, twice bad.

The game for me proved several things and in no particular order;

  • We have a great will to win. Yes Hull are way below us in the league but that was a solid second half.
  • We have a brilliant goalkeeper. I knew that anyway but despite the obvious he was immense that first one on one was a truly brilliant save, when the attacker came through he saw no net just a wall of orange (why don’t keepers wear green anymore?).
  • Loic Remy should have been more involved this season, either with or without Diego.
  • We need another body in our midfield. I am very much hoping that RLC is that man but we shall have to wait and see.
  • Our away support is fantastic. I do not get to many away games these days but I am always jealous when I watch on TV. They always make a noise and 4pm Sunday game in Hull, hats off to each and every one of you.

Fatigue

I for one tend to dismiss the claim of tiredness. They are professional athletes and that’s their job. I did however recentl4570343y discover that 7 Chelsea players have played over 2000 minutes of premier league football and Diego Costa is just short of that mark. Of our closest rivals Liverpool have only 3 past that mark and Manchester United and Arsenal 2. One of Jose’s strengths is his loyalty to his players our advantage over our opponents earlier in the season was consistency of selection but it could be that some of our boys are knackered and this is why some of our recent performances have not been up to our early season standard. Not surprisingly I would say that our midfield has suffered the most with dips in form for all. Even the Duracell bunny that is Willian is slowing down. Consequently, the protection of the back 4 has been less and the chances created have not been as plentiful.

I suspect the mental strain is quite a factor. We’ve led the league from day 1 and the pressure just keeps cranking up. Still all that being said, we have a cup ( we beat THem, did you know?)  and a lead of 6 points in the league with a game in hand. Not exactly on our knees then are we?

The Run in 

We’ve all done it haven’t we. Worked out what points we think we’ll get when we may win it, what our most difficult game is. Well I suspect that  Crystal Palace at home will be as difficult as the Arse away. Playing the bottom club Leicester on a Wednesday night away after the Arse game will be tough even though they are virtually down. Every game will be hard and each of our opponents will be up for it.

So as we head off on yet another fascinating and exciting international break ( can’t wait to see the HarryKane…) we will have to wait for our next fixtures home to Stoke and then away to QPha who as we all know will turn into the German side who stuffed Brazil in the World Cup when they play us. If we can get 6 points from those two games and it will not be easy, we will be nearly there.

We shouldn’t forget we have a part to play. One learned scholar half way through the second half of the4576391 Southampton game uttered the words, “Fabregas you can f#ck off back to Arsenal” Luckily I couldn’t identify the gentleman who uttered those choice words but had I done I may have offered him a different view. What planet are people on? Players go through bad patches and comments like that help how? As with Branna at Hull we win together we lose together. Presumably said gentleman was cheering when Cesc put Costa through on Sunday?

For me winning the league trumps everything . When I first started watching the thought of us ever wining the league was fantasy so ultimately I don’t care how, where or when as long as we win it. That being said, Liverpool at home anyone?

Clayton Beerman

Follow Clayton on twitter: @goalie59

 

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