closed Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona

[Jas 42,893]

Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona
PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS



2017/18 UEFA Champions League Round of 16 First Leg
20th February, Friday, 2018
Stamford Bridge
19:45 Kick Off (UK time)

[iceboy 949]

Big, big match. Nervous and excited. 

[xPetrCechx 13,323]

Conte says Alonso will be fit to face Barcelona but Bakayoko is out #cfc

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[communicate 2,703]

3 defender is the perfect counter for Barca 442 ish. I think kante will be put on the left mid and make sure messi does not create danger.

I have no expectation for this game so It should be a fun game to watch

[xPetrCechx 13,323]

Barcelona in the title, WBA in the picture... same same 

[Belgiannutt 3,201]

Courtois 

Moses Azpi Christensen Rudiger Alonso

Drinkwater Kante

Hazard

Giroud or Morata ? Fabregas/Pedro/Willian ? 3-4-3 or a 3-5-2 ?

Will probably be a 3-5-2 with Fabregas.

Personally i'd prefer Giroud to start. Seems more in form. Just scored, played well and considering Barcelona are gonna press us like crazy it wouldn't hurt to have his aerial abillity and strenght up top. 

Besides that Morata just didn't look that great in the 20 and 30 minutes he got in the last 2 games. 

 

Big part of how we do against Barcelona is gonna depend on what we do with the ball. 

If we're just gonna keep gifting the ball back to them then i can't see us coming away with a result.  

[Iggy Doonican 4,185]

Seems Messi's great grandfather was a Welsh miner 

[Antonio8 726]

azpi chris rudi ///  moses cesc kantè drink alonso  /// hazard morata 

[cfcs most wanted 657]

I think we will go with a 3-5-2, with Fabregas, Kante and Drinkwater in the middle

[jernej93 565]

If we continue with Cahill - Alonso on left side of defence we will get exposed BIG time in next few fixtures... 

[Milan 17,020]

A proper European night at the Bridge, the atmosphere will be something else. Barcelona never liked playing us. Let's show the world why. No Baka is a good start.

[Irakozium257 350]

I honestly do want Morata to start this one but it'd logically make sense to start Giroud. He'd physically bully Umtiti and Piqué. He wouldn't take any shit from them. Morata is simply not in top form for this one. I'd also start Emerson. Alonso is mid-table team potential at best.

[Alabama 1,873]

Conte please surprise me and start Emerson.... We need to keep the ball and provide attacking treat down the left flank... 

[Tomo 20,339]

Everytime i see Barca play a European away match there's a 10-20 minute sometimes half an hour spell when they are seriously on the ropes (even under Pep that was the case, remember those 2 games at The Emirates that turned from cakewalks to 1 draw and 1 defeat in the last 20?), if/when that happens Tuesday we must punish them, how we do in that spell could be what decides the whole tie.

Also i heard when the draw was made Semedo's suspended, huge boost if so.

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

5 hours ago, xPetrCechx said:

Conte says Alonso will be fit to face Barcelona but Bakayoko is out #cfc

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For giving that news, I owe you a beer (Or, if you don' drink, a non alcoholic beverage of your choice) 

[xPetrCechx 13,323]

Just now, Supermonkey92 said:

For giving that news, I owe you a beer (Or, if you don' drink, a non alcoholic beverage of your choice) 

Beer it is 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

3 hours ago, Antonio8 said:

azpi chris rudi ///  moses cesc kantè drink alonso  /// hazard morata 

Why no Giroud? Or is this your prediction of what Conte will choose rather than your choice? 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

I've come to the opinion that starting Giroud or Morata will be more significant that 2 midfielders vs 3. We need an out ball when we finally get it back. Giroud is stronger. Holds the ball up well and brings others better into play. Let' be honest, we aren' gonna be on the ball the majority of the game. The striker is there to give a platform for Hazard in this type of game. I have no trust Morata can do that. 

[OneMoSalah 7,466]

34 minutes ago, Supermonkey92 said:

I've come to the opinion that starting Giroud or Morata will be more significant that 2 midfielders vs 3. We need an out ball when we finally get it back. Giroud is stronger. Holds the ball up well and brings others better into play. Let' be honest, we aren' gonna be on the ball the majority of the game. The striker is there to give a platform for Hazard in this type of game. I have no trust Morata can do that. 

I think we might see them both together but not starting, can't see Conte sacrificing Hazard to play with 2 upfront because there is no way we will play Barcelona with a 2 man MF, not a chance in hell. Hazard off Morata or Giroud is a must with Kante, Cesc/Barkley and Drinkwater/Bakayoko in MF regardless, playing Barca with a 2 man MF is suicide. 

[FabHazard 655]

I am not as optimistic as others..Regardless of tactics  they have better players and are the best team in the world atm.....We do not have world class players and enough quality in the team..