Lucky To Get Nil: Things We Have Learned From Chelsea

OK. Deep breath. Sense of perspective required and all that, but I'm upset. Let's try and wade through this minefield to some nuggets of truth. Here are some things we learned from the Chelsea defeat:

1) Lescott and Clichy Did Not Lose Us The Game
Yes, i have been critical of the defence in recent artilces, but we lost because we stopped doing what we were doing so successfully for the first 20 minutes: defending from the front. Defenders get forced into errors like diving in (most of our yellow cards and sendings off this season are caused by it) because the midfield - still - give the ball away too many times. Yaya does it constantly, Barry joined in tonight, and nothing would stick up front after a while. Of course the defence are going to be on the back foot. See sofcookies response to my recent article: if we are going to play like Barcelona, we need to play like Barcelona do when they haven't got the ball - and we stopped doing that halfway through the first half. Then the trouble began. Concentration is our enemy here, not fitness or ineptitude.

2) Bobby's Response Was Perfect 
If, like me, you were headbutting the cat and throwing the toaster through the window, whilst simultaneously burning your own hair, you may have missed the nuances of what he said after the game. it was calm, measured and not throwing blame about. Those players need this attutude more than ever. Loads of teams have got to this point in the season top of the league and thrown it away by losing self-belief. i don't think Bobby will let them do that - and nor should we as fans. If things don't go too well against The Arse, don't get nervous - stick behind the team. This is a confidence team and they need us now.

3) Don't Throw The Tactics Away When We Go A Man Down
The ridiculous sight of Kolo Toure at centre forward, Dzeko at right wing, Sergio off, Nige in goal and Silva off when we went  a man down - and still level - shows us, like in the Bayern and Napoli games, that if Bobby does have a fault, it's tinkering with the shape when we are behind. It almost never produces results. He realised too late that he'd taken off his aggressive, harrying forward - Sergio - and kept Mario on to fanny about and dive. Mario should have gone and Sergio stayed on. Mistake, Bobby. And stop putting square subs in round holes. That's what we've got a squad for.

4) The Media's Impartiality Is A Myth
Fat analyst Neville and Uncle Fester Wilkins could hardly hide their glee. Wilkins even apologised at one point. The Spurs/Chelsea/Liverpool/United-loving media will now have a field day, as will every part-time United fan on every social network. Avoid the temptation to kill them my friends, for we will rise again. Just don't read a paper, listen to the radio, watch TV, go online or speak to anybody for a few days.

5) We Can Never Recover A Second Half Deficit
If you go to Israel, there is a cave dating from the 35th century BC, in which this is written. it is the law and will never change.