Chelsea 2 - 4 Arsenal

[ZAPHOD2319 4,514]

PRE/POST-MATCH DISCUSSION, LIVE CHAT AND ANALYSIS

 

2021/22 Premier League Matchday 25
April 20th, Wednesday 2022
Stamford Bridge
7:45pm Kick Off (UK time)

[Pizy 18,409]

We can kill them stone dead and put a nail in the coffin with a win here. 
 

Whilst this isn’t a “must win” or final for us I hope we treat it like one. I want to monster this lot and win by 3+ goals. 

[Vesper 28,993]

22 minutes ago, Pizy said:

We can kill them stone dead and put a nail in the coffin with a win here. 
 

Whilst this isn’t a “must win” or final for us I hope we treat it like one. I want to monster this lot and win by 3+ goals. 

3 biggest games left for me are Arse, Manure, and then Pool in the FA Cup final

win all 3 and it will have been a very good season

big domestic cup trophy, super cup and world trophies

and likely (if we win those 2 league games) a comfortable 3rd place finish in the league

major frustrations were

most those draws (Burnley, Manure, Everton, Wolves, plus 2 draws with Brighton),

the West Ham loss (we should have at least drawn, and I am writing off the Brentford collapse as a one-off  fluke, like the West Brom game last season),

the League Cup final (those Mount misses, arff),

and then of course going out the way we did to Real (Mendy cockup and that Lukaku sitter miss in the home leg especially)

[Laylabelle 9,376]

They're on a bad run so it'll be like us to turn up and play shite and they actually turn up and win..

Get job done. We want 3rd wrapped up early for a change! 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,514]

So as of today, Partey and Tierney are out, Tomiyasu has returned to training but doubtful, and Lacazette has not returned to training from Covid.

[Magic Lamps 11,668]

Absolutely no excuses here. Have to batter them again but finish them off earlier.

Have not played at the bridge for ages since that debacle vs the brentfrod. Maybe hold a training there before so we at least get a bit of home game feeling back again. Our home form has been abysmal. 

[Laylabelle 9,376]

6 minutes ago, Magic Lamps said:

Absolutely no excuses here. Have to batter them again but finish them off earlier.

Have not played at the bridge for ages since that debacle vs the brentfrod. Maybe hold a training there before so we at least get a bit of home game feeling back again. Our home form has been abysmal. 

Played 14 at home..won 7. Drawn 5..lost 2.. not good

[Pizy 18,409]

Damn, I desperately want to win this one. Would absolutely cement our CL place and we can sit back and not have to concern ourselves with the others for the rest of the way. Yes, we’re likely safe now but to be completely at ease for the last 7 matches would be great.

As poor as Arse and United are, we haven’t had the best record against either in recent years. It isn’t inconceivable that if we hit another rough patch of form in these next 2 matches we could be dragged back into the mud with these pretenders behind us.

Win this and our players are stress and pressure free the rest of the way.

[milka 3,349]

We have watched this match in recent years 

I will not be surprised if Arsenal win despite their losses last games .

[Superblue 6,370]

With Tuchel suggesting Lukaku was in his mind to start against Palace, I think he'll start tonight.

I'm hoping we can move him on next season and I think it'll be best for both parties for that to happen, but we could do with him at least getting a bit of confidence and scoring a couple of goals before the season end. Firstly to finish the season strongly and have that option from the bench in the cup final (we only need to see how much of a lift it can be when a couple of players have recently hit a bit of form like Werner), but secondly it hopefully reminds would be buyers for the summer to take a serious look at buying him.

In general can see a bit of rotation tonight as the bulk of the same team has gone hard at it across 3 games the last week. Ultimately though this game is probably the most important of what we have left in the league as it would as good as cement top 4 with a win. I'd rather tie things up over the next week and Tuchel then looks to shuffle the pack a bit more in the last few games of the season.

[Milan 17,859]

Sarr, RLC, Lukaku start....

[ZAPHOD2319 4,514]

 

[MoroccanBlue 5,318]

James at RCB I'm going to be annoyed. 

[nyikolajevics 2,595]

So…. Christensen-Sarr-Azpi the 3 CB? Sounds horrifying.. However, we are pretty much secure in 3rd place, no matter what today.

 

Happy Lukaku starting with Werner though, Kai should take a day off today.

[nyikolajevics 2,595]

1 minute ago, MoroccanBlue said:

James at RCB I'm going to be annoyed. 

I think.. Alonso and James WB, Christensen-Sarr-Azpi CB, Ruben-Kante-Mount CM, Lukaku-Werner ST, 3-5-2.

[Milan 17,859]

Barkley on the bench 🤣 I mean, he is surely leaving, right? Surely?

[ZAPHOD2319 4,514]

 

[Pizy 18,409]

Don’t like completely rotating the defense at all. Arse are going to be desperate x100 to win this after 3 straight defeats and know this match against us can be a springboard to turn things around. So we rotate Rüdiger and Thiago both out? And as good as Reece has been at CB we take away his best attribute playing there.

I’m perfectly okay with rotation across the attack but we should’ve played our best possible team today, gone all out for the 3 points, and then rotated heavily against United if necessary with much less pressure.

Can see this being very choppy and disjointed. 😔