if i had to some the game uo in one word i would say...PROMISING!

Generous marks for back four,Dunne & Richards poor today, new guy looked jet lagged! Ball is not prem quality; golden rules = do not give ball away, do not give stupid free kicks, do not concede after scoring.Hamann not in game, missed Johnson but midfield isolated, stunned Elano not on 2nd half. Rethink for Pompey game! Jury still out on Jo, Robinho looks the part but needs time,party tricks great when 3-0 up !

City 1 Chelsea 3: Player ratings

14/ 9/2008

6 HART: not overworked given possession Chelsea enjoyed -no chance with goals

5 ZABALETA: generally looked uncompromising

5 DUNNE: it was hard work and some of passing not great

5 RICHARDS: only passed late test on shoulder and was as hard pressed.

5 BALL: Chelsea’s fluid central five gave the Blues plenty of bother.

7 ROBINHO: great goal and some high speed stepovers wowed crowd.

6 IRELAND: wish he’d have the confidence to pull the trigger more often. He’s good enough

6 KOMPANY: could be the best long term signing

6 HAMANN: struggled with the pace at times

8 WRIGHT-PHILLIPS: was excellent.

8 JO: won his fair share of headers and gave the Chelsea central defenders problems.



Lampard and Carvalho the best players on view.

REFEREE: Mark Halsey (Lancs) – didn’t do the home side any favours until Terry was sent off - 5

We need a midfield general, Ireland is NOT good enough to play that role, Lampard & Deco ran the game from midfield, a left sided tall central defender, both Dunne & Richards passed out of the game at times & not tall enough to reach the cross for their first goal & a quality left back, try as he might & he does try, Ball will not be good enough and was over run on occasions yesterday.

But for all that, we don't play Chelsea every week and saw enough to suggest we can beat most of the rest

positives: Jo: won everythin in air, needed people running beyond him more. Ireland: great passing despite playing out of position, needs to work on finishing. Robinho's promise

Negatives: the back 4 and Hamann looked off the pace.

was pleased with performance tho

Ireland's effectiveness is limited by being marginalised on the left flank.
He's good enough to play in centre midfield as he proved when running the show at Old Trafford.
Also Hamann proved yesterday that he just can't keep up with a fast-paced Premeier League game, especially one where we're set up for all-out attack.
Ideally I'd have Robinho operating from the left flank, and with Ireland and Kompany in the middle, with K being primarily defensive.
Also, given that Elano is considered a DM by Brazil, it might be worth considering playing him in the position Hamann played yesterday, although he'd need to compose himself better against the cloggers

Can someone please explain how Dunne is worthy of a 6 when the second two goals were down to him. Lampard (Harly blessed with pace) stepped round him as if he was'nt there and he let Anelka run off him AGAIN.

Plus points - Kompany, SWP and Ireland (Shooting practice required). Too early to judge both Robinho and Zabaleta, lets wait until they get to know their colleagues. Promising signs and lets remember, we've just played one of the top 5 teams in Europe. All in all, not to disappointed but Dunne and Ball should be replaced in January (Or let Onohua, if fit, have a run at left back).

Oh, and the ref had an absolute mare....how many time did he give fouls against SWP when it should have been the other way.

"Can someone please explain how Dunne is worthy of a 6 when the second two goals were down to him."

Completely agree. Dunne was dreadful yesterday and I am increasingly thinking he's got to go.

What was blindingly obvious to me yesterday was the difference in the 2 sides' ability to keep the ball. We just kept giving the ball away far too cheaply.

And Dunne was probably the worst culprit. Every time he gets the ball, you bet he will just hoof it forward and we've lost possession again.

the defense was shocking. we simply couldnt manage chelskis passing game. ball and dunne isnt up to it. zabaleta had a nightmare debut. even richards had a bad match. add to that hamann that couldnt pass to a blue shirt. ireland isnt a winger. i think that we allowed chelski too much room to operate in midfield. but, remember that this will get better with a few more matches under our belt. the foundation is there for all to see. get rid of ball and dunne in the coming window.

Just shows what you idiots know about football and should go take up bowls or something to get rid of you from here. The third goal was BALLS fault he ran with anelka and then for no reason stopped . He saw Anelka was on dunnes blind side whilst dunne was watching the man with the ball. Balls fault completley. yet you wasters continue to whinge about dunne. Go take up knitting with the rest of the women!

Clear requirements for a left footed centre half and a (sorry Mr Ball) half decent left back as Ball is soooo bad teams know this and they target him like Chelski did, they played triangles around him. We also need a quality central midfielder who can play with Kompany who I think may be one of the best buys Hughes ever makes, great player and only 23. Chelski are in the top 10 teams in the world and we havent had the chance really to improve the squad so lets hope we can get our heads down and stay up with the leaders and lets see what January brings us. P.S. Ball should have had a 4

Re: Redfern - So you agree that Dunne was ball watching.

Look at the goal again and ask yourself why Dunne let Anelka get on his blindside.

Answer - HE BALL WATCHES AND HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR YEARS.

Dunne is a competent centre half, nothing more. You are correct in that Ball could have done more to cover and I agree that Ball is also a competent left back and nothing more.

knowledge is king, Denton and Chippy_boy: Absolutely agree with your sentiments about Dunne's performance. I thought he was culpable for the first and third goals. And yes, he was ball-watching on the third goal. I've seen ocean liners that turn more quickly than our skipper.

Marks are about accurate, but what strikes me is that the better players were the new recruits...(Kompany, SWP, JO and Robinho)....players with ability.

I do wish and hope for the day when I can see a City side without Ball and Ireland included, neither of which is good enough for this level of football nor the level the club wish to aspire to (Champs Lge).

There is a reason why sides ALWAYS decide to attack City down the left when Ball is playing, and I don't think it is to test their right wingers ability, but more expose our weak link (Ball), Zab who only arrived in UK 18 hours earlier, hadn't trained with the team and was thrust into a game of that magnitude was better than Ball.

hughes needs to drop ireland and get elano in somehow. better vision, will link up better with robinho and will score more than ireland. let ireland develop more of an end product and build his confidence up by bringing him on with when we are on top. same with sturridge.
At home id go for

hart

zab Kompany Richards Ball
SWP elano Johnson Petrov
Robinho
Jo

away from home bring dunne in,
drop johnson to bench and stick kompany in midfield!

The hype around the game led us all to believe that we might be in with a chance against Chelsea. However, they were a well organised side who are ahead of us - at the moment only.

Hart 7 - no chance with the goals.
Zabaleta 5- give him time. One blinding tackle late on.
Ball 4 - woeful. Clueless ran around like a chicken.
Richards 6 - not an easy game for him.
Dunne 6 - caught out by lightning quick Chelsea play.
SWP 9 - sensational 2nd home debut. Ran his heart out.
Kompany 6 - tried hard against overwhelming odds.
Hamann 6 - looked a veteran in the second half. Too quick a game for him.
Ireland 6 - not quick enough for the LM berth.
Jo 7- I thought he had a good game. Won a lot in the air and was ready to run at people.
Robinho 8 - showed in flashes what he could do.
subs:
Sturridge 6 - hard to come on late into a game against such good opponents.
Fernandes 6 - out of his depth against class.

Enjoyed the game, despite the defeat, but they were better than us in too many departments and it shows us where we need to be in a season or 3..? They WILL win the league this season so we should take it on the chin and move on.

SWP was awesome (9) (how good is it to see him back in Sky Blue?), Robinho (8) showed signs of just what we can expect and also worked hard, which is a real bonus! I also thought Jô (7) looked great and it won't be long before these 3 and Petrov are terrorising defences all over the land. (We don't have to play Chelsea every week!) Petrov obviously gives better balance and penetration on the left than Ireland (7) ever can, although he continues to impress me this season and played well again and probably deserved to be picked ahead of Elano..? But he's no Martin Petrov...
Kompany (8) was immense again but needs more support than either Didi (6) (too old) or Gelson (5) (sorry but not technically good enough) can give. Johnson can play there with him but he's still young and not yet an ever-present so this is the 1st area we should look to strengthen in January.

Zab (6) looked stronger and quicker than Charlie at RB and will only get better. Everything about him seems right for me so I'm prepared to give him time... that's Pompey next Sunday BTW -)

Defensively we were exposed and worried too much, especially on our left and I think Dunne (6) and Ball's (6) days are numbered as they're again not up to the challenge of the best teams... Great servants though and I mean them no disrespect but we're suddenly looking at playing above their level... I hope! Richards (7) was left with a lot to do and showed why he is still a fantastic prospect...

So that leaves Joe Hart (6), who I reckon is the natural successor to the England No 1 Jersey, but he needs to show more composure than yesterday as he looked like the occasion got to him slightly and never got near any of their goals. His catching was spot on though, as usual (unlike a certain Dutchman) although he was too eager to get rid of it and miscued a few clearances straight in to touch or black shirts.

But, like I say, this was a great Chelsea team and we're definitely on the right track...

Onwards & Upwards!

CTID

Zabaleta needs a little time to adjust. Richards plays much better when paired with Ben Haim or Onouha. Ball is effective against alot of teams at LB. Chelsea is not one of them. Dunne....his 6 was actually the sum of his 3's for each half. Sorry Dunnie.

i wish people would lay of dunnie abit.

yes he had a poor game but he was no were near as bad as ball or zabeleta, who can only get better.

he made some good tackles in the first half and his passing was not as bad as some like to make out.

yes he sometimes hoofs it but i would rather he did this then try aload of fancy stuff which could result in him loosing the ball in are area!

one off game and every one forgets how many good games he has had!

GIVE DUNNIE A BREAK!!!!

I have said it for a long time, Dunne and Ball are the weak points in the team both ball watchers. They have to raise their game, do not think that they are capable of that.

If that was a promise of things to come on only the 1st game together for a lot of these lads, then the future is looking rosey. Give these lads time and we will destroy most prem teams around us. Hughes must have a word with serial hoofer Dunne though, His long balls rarely reach a City player and he must be told to hang back on offensive corners as every one he ever gets to ends up as a foul or a goal kick. I would have preffered Elano to Fernandez for Didi and I was suprised Sturridge and Evans wer'nt brought on the minute Terry walked, as I thought Jo and Robinho were pretty much knackered by then and we should have done more to press our advantage. I think Ireland has improved with every PREM game and some of his passing yesterday was flawless, Though I agree with others that he needs to be more composed when shooting, this will come with experience. I contend there is no finer sight for most City fans than seeing our Sweep running at defences once again in our shirt, brought tears to me glass eye. As I could only watch on TV can any one tell me what the reception was like when they read his name out and then when he took the field? Zabeleta looked useful in the 1st half and looked very promising on the overlap, though eventually, Jet lag obviously took its toll. All things considered, not a bad showing against one of the best teams in the World and I think we can look forward to some lovey stuff with a fully fit team and the return of Petrov.

With Petrov back in the side replacing Ireland we should be more than a mtch for the majority of sides. I think Dunne and Ball have most to be worried about in the next transfer window.

When you consider the number of new players and the quality of the opposition added to the global press attention of late, it is hardly surprising we struggled to compete at times but plenty to be pleased with. We did need a central midfield maestro to link up play but never easy against Deco & Co.

Dunne has got to be dropped ASAP if we are going to stay in touch with the top 4. It's because against top opposition, he's just not good enough. We will win nothing if he satys in the side. I'd make Kompany skipper, he looks class.

GET ELANO IN MR HUGHES!