Drinkwater: Chelsea tried as exhausting as we would to discontinuance Man City

Chelsea midfielder Danny Drinkwater insists his facet « tried as exhausting as we would » to frustrate Manchester City in their 1-Zero defeat at the Etihad Stadium.

Bernardo Silva scored primarily the most attention-grabbing design of the sport as the Premier League leaders made it 14 high-flight wins in a row at home to toddle within four victories of the title.

The reigning champions had been heavily criticised for their hostile ability in Sunday’s game, by which they managed no pictures heading within the appropriate route and proper 29 per cent of the possession, with veteran Liverpool midfielder Jamie Carragher describing their performance as « a crime in opposition to football ».

Drinkwater says the belief to limit City’s attacking alternate solutions became as soon as successful in parts of the match and maintains there became as soon as no lack of effort from the gamers, even supposing the final consequence became as soon as disappointing.

Zero – Chelsea have did not register a single shot within the principal half of of a Premier League game for the principal time since 2003-04 (as soon as we have gotten this files available). Stifled.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March four, 2018

« We got here to frustrate them and it became as soon as working at events within the sport, however within the dwell we misplaced it, so it be no lovely, » he mentioned, as quoted by Chelsea’s suitable online page.

« It became as soon as our game belief, however we have gotten bought to do away with responsibility on the pitch. We had to are attempting to nullify them. They fight and pull you out of pockets, frustrate you defensively and play spherical you. That’s how they create their areas between the two lines.

« We had been attempting as exhausting as we would to not let that happen however, with the gamers they’ve bought, it be going to happen generally.

« It became as soon as not easy. It felt esteem we had been doing lots of working and in addition they had the whole time within the realm. The manner they scored the design is anxious to do away with.

« We did not utilise the counter-assault as neatly as we would have performed. We had been sloppy on the ball generally. We had been working loads off the ball so it be about discovering the stability. Or not it is irritating because we would have drawn Zero-Zero and that will presumably not had been a tainted consequence. »

Our disappointment is terribly exhausting to place into phrases. Thank you followers internationally in your enhance  #Together pic.twitter.com/17uaUv6biZ

— César Azpilicueta (@CesarAzpi) March four, 2018

The defeat, which got here a week on from their 2-1 loss to Manchester United at Stale Trafford, leaves Chelsea 5 solutions within the back of fourth-placed Tottenham within the flee for the Champions League areas.

Drinkwater has entreated his facet to place the disappointment of their most attention-grabbing two leads to the back of them as they unbiased to climb back into the dwell four within the final 9 suits of the campaign.

« We want to come again on it, » he mentioned. « The sooner we attain that, the higher. Gaps can shut, positions can change and we have gotten to make that change.

« We want to have a examine what’s available to us now, solutions-wise. There are 9 games left, 27 solutions, and stuff can aloof change. We want to power our scheme back into it. »