Chelsea 0 Real Madrid 2 (0 - 4 on aggregate)

[Bob Singleton]

3 hours ago, paulw66 said:

The thing is, there is no point in doing anything other than go for it. 

Get an early a goal, and it's suddenly game on. 

 

 

It's the hope that kills you

No, it's not the hope that kills you.
It's knowing that it's the hope that kills, that kills you!!! 😉

[kev61]

14 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

 do you just go all out and try and attack attack attack or do we try and stay compact and catch them on the break?

 

It would be a dilemma if we were capable of either😥

Edited April 17, 2023 by kev61

[kev61]

8 hours ago, Bob Singleton said:

No, it's not the hope that kills you.
It's knowing that it's the hope that kills, that kills you!!! 😉

Nice one Robert😉

[Michael Tucker]

38 minutes ago, kev61 said:

It would be a dilemma if we were capable of either😥

Very true ....... and very sad.

[CarefreeMuratcan]

It's a Blue Day in West London. 

[Rob B]

The team has to be this, or very close to this imo.

                               Kepa 

James.     Fofana.     Silva.     Cucurella 

              Kante.    Enzo.    Mount 

     Sterling.    Havertz.  Mudryk 

I can absolutely see why lots of people would go three at the back, but with no Koulibaly or Badiashille,  I’m not sure that’s wise.  It means Chalobah wide right against Vinicius Jr,  or on the left and in a partnership with Cucurella.  Both don’t bode well, particularly after a disappointing cameo at the weekend against Mitoma. 

Further ahead, Mount replaces Kovacic who has been poor recently and doesn’t look interested.  Adds nothing in the final third.  If Mount isn’t fit I’d play Gallagher who was one of our only decent players on the weekend.

Mudryk deserves a start and has genuine pace to frighten Madrid,  and we saw from the first leg that Havertz has to play as no one else can hold the ball up. 

Sterling was a toss of the coin and could easily be Felix or Pulisic tbh.

[Chelsea_Matt]

Problem is the league is pretty much gone for Madrid so they’ll play their best side, get an early goal (or two) and it’ll be done by half time. 
 

 

[asvaberg]

12 minutes ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

Problem is the league is pretty much gone for Chelsea so they’ll play their best side, get an early goal and a second and a third  and it’ll be done by half time. 
 

 

Just some minor corrections 🙂 🙂

[CarefreeMuratcan]

They think they are fancy calling themselves REAL Madrid.

Well in that case, we are ROYAL Chelsea. 

[paulw66]

4 hours ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

Problem is the league is pretty much gone for Madrid so they’ll play their best side, get an early goal (or two) and it’ll be done by half time. 
 

 

In what scenario would you expect Real to come here and play a weakened side? 

[Holymoly]

On 14/04/2023 at 20:02, CarefreeMuratcan said:

2-1 down against Barca, we won 4-2 at the Bridge

3-1 down against Napoli, we won 4-1 at the Bridge

3-1 down against PSG, we won 2-0 at the Bridge

This very fixture last year, with venues reversed, we went 3-0 up after losing 3-1 in the first leg

We've done it before!!!

It's the hope that kills us in the end. Different times, different players. Oh yes, different players.

[CarefreeMuratcan]

16 minutes ago, Holymoly said:

It's the hope that kills us in the end. Different times, different players. Oh yes, different players.

Silva is back at least. He is on the tier of those different players.

The biggest shame is another different player at Madrid who should still be with us, if not for the sanctions or if the new buyer could have been sorted more quickly, he would still be with us. He would have made a huge difference and even denied us a late goal last week...

[Holymoly]

Trevor certainly does not seem flavour of the month and hasn't been since Tuchels final days. No idea why but therefore I foresee a 4 at the back being forced on us purely so that we have a defensive substitute available.

I would love to see Mount start somewhere but whether he is up to it physically or mentally is anyone's guess. Frank's pet this time around seems to be Gallagher in any case.

Of course the elephant in the room is the "experienced new signing" that got a new one ripped by Boehly after the Brighton game. I'm guessing it was Sterling but whoever it was I would imagine he will have stamped his feet and downed tools rather than seek to prove the owners wrong. Unfortunately James always seems to be hanging around Sterling at Cobham who I can't imagine is the most positive role model available. It will be a difficult decision for Frank, whether to play the player in order to give him a chance of redemption or leave him on the bench in order to foment unrest among the players left out.

So if we go three at the back (plus Cucurella), I would like to see a midfield of Kante, Fernandez and Mount (probably Gallagher though) behind a front three of anyone who has bothered to bring their boots to the stadium with them.

 

[xceleryx]

As is generally the case this will be decided by the midfield. Right now, there simply isn't the quality or balance in ours to stop, much less work over, the opposition's.

We'll see Enzo left isolated having to fill substantial roles on both sides of the ball, Kante is going to get caught up field with an inability to track back like in days of old, and whoever else plays in there doesn't alter much on either side of the ball. Expect to see Modric find those half spaces in behind, Kroos to comfortably move the ball around, and Valverde out work whoever he's up against. 

Only way we put up a fight is if the midfield show up.

Edited April 18, 2023 by xceleryx

[ROTG]

42 minutes ago, CarefreeMuratcan said:

The biggest shame is another different player at Madrid who should still be with us, if not for the sanctions or if the new buyer could have been sorted more quickly, he would still be with us. He would have made a huge difference and even denied us a late goal last week...

Sorry. 

Rudi’s head was elsewhere before the sanctions the only difference being that you would suspect the old regime had a replacement lined up, which was someone other than KK. 

[CarefreeMuratcan]

2 minutes ago, ROTG said:

Sorry. 

Rudi’s head was elsewhere before the sanctions the only difference being that you would suspect the old regime had a replacement lined up, which was someone other than KK. 

Oh damn, is that the case? I thought the previous regime was playing hard ball with him and would have eventually caved to his demands, but because it was left in limbo, Rudi was left in a now or never position, and I assume if he had been patient the new owners would have accepted his demands. 

[ROTG]

12 minutes ago, CarefreeMuratcan said:

Oh damn, is that the case? I thought the previous regime was playing hard ball with him and would have eventually caved to his demands, but because it was left in limbo, Rudi was left in a now or never position, and I assume if he had been patient the new owners would have accepted his demands. 

I guess there are lots of reasons which we will never know, However his biggest fan TT was very close to Marina and Co and must have been ok with the negotiation going south.  Hence the assumption that a replacement was identified. 

Anyway its history.

Love your enthusiasm for the club and this match and every other match  

KTBFF

Edited April 18, 2023 by ROTG

[Chelsea_Matt]

2 hours ago, paulw66 said:

In what scenario would you expect Real to come here and play a weakened side? 

If they were cruising the league. Saying that they could play their B side and crush us at the moment.

[phicho]

I really want our team to win and prove to everyone that we're not a joke. It's time for us to come together and play like true professionals who are passionate about this team. However, based on our performance this season, I'm a LITTLE worried.

But I'm hoping our "professionals" players will prove me wrong and show that we have what it takes to be great. I know we can do it if we stay positive, work hard, and play with heart. Let's show everyone what we're made of and make our fans proud!

 

[exiledblue]

Honest ref and an early goal, all is not yet lost

But if someone can gag that mouthy Vinicus and break Benzemas leg early on it may also make a difference

[Bones]

2 hours ago, CarefreeMuratcan said:

Oh damn, is that the case? I thought the previous regime was playing hard ball with him and would have eventually caved to his demands, but because it was left in limbo, Rudi was left in a now or never position, and I assume if he had been patient the new owners would have accepted his demands. 

Yeah. Plus it seemed like KK is a very good replacement. Not event close it turns out! However, that's for now. Rudi needed a season or two to really get going as well.

[Bones]

3 hours ago, Holymoly said:

It's the hope that kills us in the end. Different times, different players. Oh yes, different players.

It's quite sad at the thought of this, but different owner and people/staff at the club. Let's see if there is still some Chelsea "never give up" vibe left in the club!

[My Blood Is Blue]

Here we go again, another Chelsea match. 

I pray we get an early goal and at least make a match of it and this set of players can give us fans, especially those in the stadium, something to actually get excited about this season. So far this season we've had one match that offered some entertainment and that was Dortmund at The Bridge, so let's hope we can somehow do the same again.

[Holymoly]

1 hour ago, Bones said:

It's quite sad at the thought of this, but different owner and people/staff at the club. Let's see if there is still some Chelsea "never give up" vibe left in the club!

The only continuity left is the supporter base and unfortunately all too many of them were glory hunters climbing on the Abramovich express. After this season I expect many to have jumped ship. The away support remains great however tonight is at home and unless the old guard stir their weary bones to back SFL and his chosen XI then I fear Madrid will out shout us. If only we could field something akin to Dortmund's yellow wall, 25,000 fans in a single all standing block that don't shut up all match. Maybe Boehly could spend some money on renting actors to do that job for us tonight?

[Ham]

Gallagher and Havertz starting. 

😬