I do not like Chelsea, never have and never will. Our record against them is just one of absolute shame really. Poch and his team were putting it right to a point (one win there) but alas we have, as we all know, gone backwards since them days and so seeing ‘Stamford Bridge’ on the fixture list always just makes me feel shit.
So, to win their 2-0 I am still in complete shock. Not just win but completely deserve the win too, am I alone in still watching it back to make sure I did not dream it? I know fans who went to the game and each one of them went ‘knowing’ we would not win but its that hope for something special that keeps you going back and this past weekend that hope paid off.
The game was like one I have watched a number of times this season where we dominated the ball quite well, defended well and created chances but then it was still 0-0 and then they got a chance, or we made a mistake and handed them a chance and it all felt like a story we had ALL seen before. However then we scored, an awful, goal but as I said the other day they all count the same and I celebrated both of our goals in equal measure despite the obvious huge difference in class between them!
I want to give a special mention to Madders who really is a very good footballer and makes us look a very different team when on the pitch in the attacking third however once again injury curse hit and he want down and had to leave the pitch. Fingers crossed a muscle strain and he is simply taking no chances but a real worry for us as a club how unreliable a few of our players are.
In addition to Madders I want to shout out Van Hecke who I think had his best game for us and I really think competition breads that. Tosin came in last weekend and was excellent, surprising a few but not me who watched him before his time at Chelsea – seeing that, hearing media discuss if he should have a run in the team sure seemed to light a fire and Van Hecke was very good. Keep it up!
Tonali has now put a string of three games together where that fee is looking right, what a player he is becoming for us and Fernandes probably had his best day for us alongside him. What a pair they are looking like going forward.
Another player I want to just highlight is Conor Gallagher. I know he came through the academy at Chelsea and made it to the first team beofre being made captain by Poch during his tenure only for him to then be sold abroad – rumours are he wanted to join us then but a deal could not be done – but after two seasons in Spain he is with us and he went back there and got stuck in from the moment he entered the pitch to the last. Also.. should you celebrate against your former club? Conor says yes…
The main man though from the game has to be Mathys Tel. A player who has threatened to do something like that for some time in our shirt finally got a moment his effort and dedication deserved and I hope and really really want it to be the start of something for him. What a goal. WHAT. A. GOAL. I could not believe it, nor could Gary Neville on comms ha ha
The 2-0 scoreline was absolutely justified and I am very proud of the team. I could and would never have predicted it so I am going to enjoy it for the week that is for sure.
LASTLY I do want to highlight again how refereeing really needs to be looked at. How in the flocking hell is Cole Palmer, who lost his head, only given a yellow for that first offence when its a red card? Its a home decision but its also a decision we do not get. The player needed to be hooked by his manager to save him but that did not happen and he ended up seeing red.
We won the game. However that player is capable of scoring from nothing and for him to do that, not see red and so potentially be on the pitch to win the game for his side is some bullshit that will never not annoy me.
However we won… so fuck it… COYS!
-Admin SJ
