closed Zenit 3-3 Chelsea

[wally green 0]

2 hours ago, Pizy said:

Better pray we don’t draw Bayern. They will absolutely humiliate us in our current state like they did a couple of years ago.

Even that old, stale Real Madrid side that we battered last season will be a huge challenge right now.

The knockout stages dont start till March right? we could have all our starters back by then. Not particularly worried.

[Tomo 21,681]

1 hour ago, Warning_Hazard said:

Based on current form doesnt matter who we get, Im very much doubting we will win anything this season.

Based on a Big Sam side smashing in 5 at Stamford Bridge we could never possibly win the UCL less than two months later.

Oh wait......

[Blue Armour 4,158]

Should have used the 5th sub and brought on one more defender just to close out the game. Tuchel normally does that when protecting slender leads.

Not sure why we never shored up the back.

Anyway....I don't think Real or Bayern would be too happy about drawing us either.

Personally don't want Real. They will probably be in 'revenge' mode because of last season.

[Blue Armour 4,158]

9 hours ago, Jase said:

I know midfield is not his position but James was horrendous defensively. Was almost just jogging back every time Zenit attacked. 

 

Glen Hoddle said it best. James, unlike Kova/Jorgi/Kante fails to drop back into that pocket in front of the back four when we advance.

His positioning was poor. Hopefully the last time we'll see him in a midfield role.

Had to laugh at Ferdinand and Owen comparing him to Michael Essien. Seriously, WTF.

[Strike 6,958]

9 hours ago, Johnnyeye said:

looking at other groups, even if we finished 1st we could face PSG, Atletico, Inter, possibly Barca in next round. No easy teams in this competition

Its Bayern, Ajax, Real, Lille

or PSG Atleti Sporting Benfica Inter Salzburg Villarreal/Atalanta

No easy teams but finishing top of group was better. 1/4 chance of Bayern now

[Johnnyeye 7,405]

18 minutes ago, Strike said:

Its Bayern, Ajax, Real, Lille

or PSG Atleti Sporting Benfica Inter Salzburg Villarreal/Atalanta

No easy teams but finishing top of group was better. 1/4 chance of Bayern now

true, but we’ll see how the draw goes, hopefully we have a healthy team when the KO rounds begin.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Johnnyeye

[cosmicway 1,247]

There was absolutely no defense yesterday.
Kepa had to make 3 Banks saves.
It's a rare spectacle with Chelsea and it was n't something like the WBA situation of the last year - we were lucky to go one ahead in the first minute of the match !
When it was still 1-0, they made two identical breaks from the right wing in the space of one minute. No cover in our left whatsoever. One ended in miskick by their forward, the other was a Kepa save.
When it was 2-2, 3-2 -the last 25 mins- we were just as shaky in the back.
Tuchel clearly underestimated the opponent by fielding such a squad - he thought they were something like PAOK.
Then it was too late. We were 2-1 down so his substitutions were all attackers.
In any case we are going through a wall.

Edited December 9, 2021 by cosmicway

[Blues Forever 1,232]

Would be great if we get Ajax or Lille, i don't fancy our chance against Bayern and Madrid without a full healthy squad.

Edited December 9, 2021 by Blues Forever

[coolhead23 1,146]

What a crazy game ... right from the start wasnt comfortable that it would a smooth sailing despite being one up in the 2nd minute. Hope to not see something like this again. 

With injuries and a packed schedule, wasnt expecting an A side against them ... it was more of lets try to make this work kind of squad. And we were lucky to get away with a point. Werner and Kepa were godly yesterday, both justifying valuation for which they were brought  ... for once! 

Finishing second is not going to help us in the draw but I would want us to be drawn to Bayern. We r the champions and shouldnt worry about facing any team. If we lose then we concentrate on the PL and if we win then our chances of winning the CL goes up because beating the best in the competition would surely boast our confidence. 

 

[cosmicway 1,247]

7 hours ago, Blues Forever said:

Would be great if we get Ajax or Lille, i don't fancy our chance against Bayern and Madrid without a full healthy squad.

Ajax is not great at all.
Lille is the beatable one.
Since we cannot be drawn against City-Pool or Juve, it's 1/4 of a possibility strong opponent (Bayern), 1/4 medium strong (Ajax) and 2/4 theoretically easy (Lille, Atalanta or Villareal).
If we finished first it would be 1/7 possibility of strong opponent (PSG), 1/7,  medium strong (Inter) and 2/7 theoretically easy (Benfica etc).
Maybe I 'm doing injustice to Atletico and Atalanta if I call them theoretically easy but it's more or less like that.
So it's not the end of the world draw wise. 
The question is are we going to play football this time or not.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by cosmicway

[Warning_Hazard 156]

12 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

Surprise surprise results start going to shit and you start posting nonsense again.

We have already won a trophy this season.

Accept ive been posting the whole time and theres no way we win anything major on current form, Wind ya neck in!

[Superblue 6,331]

Not a great result and performance last night but somewhat expected with the team that was put out.

I think it was the right opportunity for Tuchel to try a couple of different options like James in midfield and Saul wing back because options are limited at the moment with the midfielders we have out injured and Saul clearly not working in there.

We'll have to see who we get in the draw but the idea of having to win the group I think is flawed, even more so in the current format where the league champions are seeded in the group and more likely therefore to lead to groups with two top teams within. 

For me the two teams I would really want to play that early in the Champions League is Bayern and PSG and either 1st or 2nd place finish would give us a chance of drawing one of them. 

Real Madrid aren't the team they once were and are very much beatable and Ajax and Lille we'd be strong favourites.

[cosmicway 1,247]

4 minutes ago, Superblue_1986 said:

Not a great result and performance last night but somewhat expected with the team that was put out.

I think it was the right opportunity for Tuchel to try a couple of different options like James in midfield and Saul wing back because options are limited at the moment with the midfielders we have out injured and Saul clearly not working in there.

We'll have to see who we get in the draw but the idea of having to win the group I think is flawed, even more so in the current format where the league champions are seeded in the group and more likely therefore to lead to groups with two top teams within. 

For me the two teams I would really want to play that early in the Champions League is Bayern and PSG and either 1st or 2nd place finish would give us a chance of drawing one of them. 

Real Madrid aren't the team they once were and are very much beatable and Ajax and Lille we'd be strong favourites.

Ajax are easy ...
They 're not.
Unless you feel too uncofortable to back an eventual winner other than Chelsea, put some money on them.

[Blues Forever 1,232]

1 hour ago, cosmicway said:

Ajax is not great at all.
Lille is the beatable one.
Since we cannot be drawn against City-Pool or Juve, it's 1/4 of a possibility strong opponent (Bayern), 1/4 medium strong (Ajax) and 2/4 theoretically easy (Lille, Atalanta or Villareal).
If we finished first it would be 1/7 possibility of strong opponent (PSG), 1/7,  medium strong (Inter) and 2/7 theoretically easy (Benfica etc).
Maybe I 'm doing injustice to Atletico and Atalanta if I call them theoretically easy but it's more or less like that.
So it's not the end of the world drawise. 
The question is are we going to play football this time or not.

 

 

Still prefer getting them over Bayern or Madrid.

[Superblue 6,331]

49 minutes ago, cosmicway said:

Ajax are easy ...
They 're not.
Unless you feel too uncofortable to back an eventual winner other than Chelsea, put some money on them.

I haven't said that Ajax are easy. Any team realistically getting out of the group stage should not be a walkover.

However, I would still expect us to beat Ajax if we're drawn against them.

[Laylabelle 9,292]

We know most likely get Bayern just because we're unlucky. Play like we know we are capeable of...we should be okay. Play like recently few games then help lol.

[cosmicway 1,247]

1 hour ago, Blues Forever said:

Still prefer getting them over Bayern or Madrid.

Madrid I forgot. Medium strong like Ajax imho.

[MoroccanBlue 5,192]

Lille

Real Madrid

Ajax

Bayern