Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
By Hughie Southon
David Moyes got much right at Stamford Bridge today but his accusation that he was let down by a hopeless and incredible decision was spot on of course.
He put out a team which was largely new to each other and saw them perform well enough in the first half to deny Chelsea a shot on goal.
The second 45 minutes was dramatic in the extreme and that we were denied a draw via the theatricals of the Chelsea keeper and a trailing Bowen leg will be remembered as surely the worst decision since VAR was introduced.
YES IT REALLY WAS THAT BAD!
Moyes has often been criticised for his substitutions but this afternoon he got them spot in with Benrahma setting up Cornet for a header from which he could have scored rather than hitting an upright and looking business every time he was on the ball
Cornet was desperately unlucky of course to see his goal for an equaliser ruled out and that Moyes decided to make his feelings known was spot on too.
He has made the sort of signings that can see us through a defensive crisis that he admits is causing him some real worried whilst up front the signing of Scamacca has pressured Mikey into showing his best form
Unlucky, very unlucky but the decision to bring on Ogbonna for Paqueta when there was a game to be won demonstrated that we might be hanging on and so it turned out and of course in the end we lost it.
But by and large Moyes got most things right today!
MOYES RATING 8
We didn’t play that well but that VAR decision has to be most ludicrous of them all. I can guarantee you that if that was against us, the goal would have 100% stood. I’ve noticed how the so called big teams get all the decisions, from penalties for and against and even marginal offsides which teams like west ham never get
Nearly the whole squad played quite well today — such an improvement from the beginning of the year. Rice was amazing, Zouma was great, Emerson and Kehler were very solid. Coufal is excellent at the defensive end, but his inability to get the ball to his teammates up front is still a liability. Antonio was excellent: strong and relentless. Bowen was much improved, though not at his best yet. Paqueta was excellent in defense as well. Can’t wait until he settles in offensively. Having to work for playing time seems to be good for Benrahma, who was excellent today. Cornet provided an immediate spark when he came on: he should have scored when he hit the woodwork, and he was obviously robbed of what should have been the equalizer. Fab was shaky, obviously, and Soucek and Fornals had their usual strengths and weaknesses, but on the whole we looked very promising today. We deserved at least a point, if not all three. The gaffer is right to be irate about that result.
I have to disagree, i think his decision to bring on Benrahma up front and leave Cornet on the bench for ten or so more minutes was ludicrous. Cornet has played up front, and scored, for Burnley on quite a few occasions. When has Benrahma done the same for us? And to bring on Ogbonna to try to see the game out instead of go for the jugular against a pretty weak Chelsea team so far this season, was again, cowardly. I’m a fan of what Moyes has done and is doing for our club but to see things through rose-tinted spectacles ignores the truth; his style of football is dour and negative and really boring to watch.
Agreed with this. Moyes subs signalled to Chelsea that we were settling in and wouldn’t attack with 17 minutes left.
We had absolutely nothing up front and the ball just kept coming back.
What is the point of bringing on Benny, play him at a striker, which he can’t do, for 5 mins, and then put on Cornet, into that position and move Benny again to his rightful left wing position. That period of 4-6-0 was when we conceded a goal.
It was completely unnecessary. Just bring on Cornet in the first place! And to top it all, he brings on Ogbonna for the guy who can hold the ball up in midfield. You’re just inviting pressure coz the ball does not stick to anyone futher ahead. He’s been in the game for years, how can he not know that the ball being further up the pitch away from your backline is a form of defense in itself?! Unfathomable.
Moyes still hasn’t learnt from last season playing against top teams.
We were doing well against Spurs, Arsenal and Man City until all three brought on substitutes to change the game and with success.
These teams have plenty of talent on the bench to change things if not going there way , so when they come on Moyes needs to react straight away to nullify the threat. He fails to do so, resulting yet again against Chelsea disappoint for the club, team and fans