| Wow, where to start with that one? 08:40 - Dec 31 with 937 views | ITFC_Forever |
Hands up if you had Chelsea down as our first home win this season on your bingo card? Not many I would have thought.
A fantastic performance isn't necessarily about dominating possession and territory, creating dozens of chances and scoring five goals. It can also be about discipline, hard work, making the most of situations that do come your way - and yes, riding your luck if neccessary.
Walton and Delap were the stand-out players - that save from Palmer when Walton tipped it on to the bar just before half-time was incredible. And you'd struggle to believe that Liam is only 21, playing like that and generally being a nightmare for the centre-backs of one of the best teams in the country. The penalty was low, hard and in the corner - which was just as well as I thought for a second Jorgensen was going to save it, but the accuracy and power was enough. And the hold-up play without an awful lot of support at times was phenomenal - and then capped off by intercepting a loose pass and being calm enough to set up Omari (and that's how you celebrate a goal against a former club!).
But in addition to them, there were many fantastic performances from every player in blue - you can name anyone who played last night and point to a number of important contributions they made.
VAR went our way a bit last night - but how they felt the need to take three minutes to disallow their goal was mystifying, the freeze-frame immediately showed that Felix was ahead of Morsy. It looked it in real time as well - can only think VAR were trying to find a way to give the decision to the big club, and that was so clear that even they failed to do that.
Cucurella is a great player, but the simulation and winding-up does him no favours at all.
As the game moved on, the Chelsea players lost their discipline and wanted to argue with everyone - us, the officials and each other. We were wise to keep out of the way, although the ref was falling for their pretend head injuries far too often.... so much so, he missed the incident with Leif as he was wet-nursing another poor little Chelsea lamb who had fallen over.
And in the context of the season, it was a very big win last night - had we lost , it would have been 6 defeats in 7, with a tricky to say the least January coming up.
As it is, had we have been told at the start of August we would be a point from safety on New Year's Eve, then that feels like we are in there fighting, with the opportunity to learn from the first half of the season and as McK says, to turn some of the fine margins our way.
Finally, the atmosphere was one we are becoming used to - a mix of collective nerves, but also encouraging the team as loud as possible. And as the game aproached the last 10 minutes, the sense we were actually going to do it grew and the post-match celebrations were well enjoyed by everyone connected with ITFC on and off the pitch.
What a night.
[Post edited 31 Dec 2024 8:53]
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| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:07 - Dec 31 with 808 views | ITFC_Forever |
Something else that occurred to me - for those who don't go to away games (or at any rate, didn't go to Spurs or Wolves), this will as an emotional win as they were.
22.5 years / 8200 and however days in the making, and everything that has gone before, both with ITFC and in our every day lives - friends and relations who are no longer here, and those who were too young / not born (in case of my daughters and indeed last night's goal-scorers) last time.
A night we can all be proud of and nod to the sky at full-time. | |
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| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:11 - Dec 31 with 782 views | Churchman |
Not me. I was down for a 3-0 hiding and hoping it wouldn’t be worse.
That OP just about covers it. I disagree on only one thing. Use of the word ‘simulation’. Cucurella cheated. He cheated and tried to get a fellow professional sent off. Obviously he’s a top player, albeit with a party wig, yet his appalling antics tarnishes that - not the wig. Yes, others do it too and I detest it, but I had a close view of the stunt he tried to pull on Hutchinson in the first half. Grrr.
Delap was the best player on the pitch. I can’t believe he’s only 21. I reckon there must be some Finidi George age creativity 😃 because Liam plays with maturity beyond his years.
Walton was excellent too. The thing I’ve always liked about him over Hladky and Muric is that he always looks calm, even if underneath he’s panicking like hell. It’s so important.
In real time from not the best angle I thought it was a penalty. Seeing it back, looks like for once the VAR card fell our side of the fence. As for the offside goal, I’ve no idea why it took so long. Even the Chelsea supporters were mocking VAR.
All the players did well though. I’m pleased particularly for the younger supporters who’ve now seen what it’s like to compete and win at home in the Premier League. Good atmosphere last night as PR under lights often is. Like Blue Action’s new banner with the old badge - saw it in the cattle market car park when they were coming through making a racket before the game. |  | | |
| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:16 - Dec 31 with 749 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:11 - Dec 31 by Churchman |
Not me. I was down for a 3-0 hiding and hoping it wouldn’t be worse.
That OP just about covers it. I disagree on only one thing. Use of the word ‘simulation’. Cucurella cheated. He cheated and tried to get a fellow professional sent off. Obviously he’s a top player, albeit with a party wig, yet his appalling antics tarnishes that - not the wig. Yes, others do it too and I detest it, but I had a close view of the stunt he tried to pull on Hutchinson in the first half. Grrr.
Delap was the best player on the pitch. I can’t believe he’s only 21. I reckon there must be some Finidi George age creativity 😃 because Liam plays with maturity beyond his years.
Walton was excellent too. The thing I’ve always liked about him over Hladky and Muric is that he always looks calm, even if underneath he’s panicking like hell. It’s so important.
In real time from not the best angle I thought it was a penalty. Seeing it back, looks like for once the VAR card fell our side of the fence. As for the offside goal, I’ve no idea why it took so long. Even the Chelsea supporters were mocking VAR.
All the players did well though. I’m pleased particularly for the younger supporters who’ve now seen what it’s like to compete and win at home in the Premier League. Good atmosphere last night as PR under lights often is. Like Blue Action’s new banner with the old badge - saw it in the cattle market car park when they were coming through making a racket before the game. |
I was trying to be polite about Cucurella - but yes, it is cheating and trying to con the officials. | |
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| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:34 - Dec 31 with 689 views | Steve_M |
I came out of Arsenal on Friday with mixed feelings, we had played well overall but without enough threat and it's quite hard to enjoy a game where we take nothing from it. What that match did do though was give us the platform and belief for yesterday.
So much to enjoy last night, you've listed most of it, but we looked controlled for all but the last 15 minutes of the first half - even then we weren't bad as much as Chelsea were pretty good in that spell.
Getting a second goal was crucial, we don't need to looks at all the games we've failed to do that but it took the pressure off after ten minutes where we had little possession but not too many threats on our goal (well done Wes for that clearance there though).
After that, with every sliced cross or mishit shot into Churchmans, it just looked a question of keeping our composure. Which we did, with the same assurance we showed at Spurs. I enjoyed the Chelsea meltdown after that nearly as much as how we saw the game out.
Agree on the crowd too, we got louder and more involved as the game went on. It felt loud second half and I'm sure I'm not the only one with a slightly hoarse throat this morning.
On to Sunday then, we've definitely given ourselves a chance for the second half of the season. |  |
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| Wow, where to start with that one? on 10:01 - Dec 31 with 573 views | Churchman |
| Wow, where to start with that one? on 09:16 - Dec 31 by ITFC_Forever |
I was trying to be polite about Cucurella - but yes, it is cheating and trying to con the officials. |
Fair enough. It’s me really - being a bit prickly about words like simulation. It’s a sort of it’s all right really, all part of the game nonsense, get out of jail card used by windy FA blazers and windbags like Shearer, Lineker and whistle through your teeth Murphy.
Spot on post on your part. | | | |
| Wow, where to start with that one? on 10:06 - Dec 31 with 548 views | ITFC_Forever |
| Wow, where to start with that one? on 10:01 - Dec 31 by Churchman |
Fair enough. It’s me really - being a bit prickly about words like simulation. It’s a sort of it’s all right really, all part of the game nonsense, get out of jail card used by windy FA blazers and windbags like Shearer, Lineker and whistle through your teeth Murphy.
Spot on post on your part. |
The one that annoys me most is the players who pretend they have a head injury to stop the game.
It's unfair cheating - they know the ref has to stop it, and in genuine cases, rightly so - but too many use it as a deliberate way of conning him. | |
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