Category: Previews

Podcast: RLC is BACK and Juventus Preview!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?


In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho) is joined by his fellow admins Paree (Owner – @CFCParee) & Rob (Admin – @CFCRobL) where they discussed the terrible but expected performance against Manchester City in the League, the rise of Ruben Loftus-Cheek once again. They also look ahead to Wednesday’s Champions League and UEFA Youth League game against Juventus!

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Chelsea v Man City – Match Preview

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Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea: 2021 Champions League final – as it happened | Football | The Guardian
The last time we faced Manchester City…… (Image credit: The Guardian)

The Battle of the Blues commences at Stamford Bridge today, with Chelsea’s first early kick off of the season. Both sides have started well this season, with Chelsea still unbeaten in all competitions, dropping points in just one of five league games. Last time out at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea were held to penalties against Aston Villa, with Reece James securing the victory for the Blues. An honourable mention goes out to Kepa Arrizabalaga, breaking the record for the most penalty shootout saves in Chelsea history, with seven. Kepa has been excellent when called upon since Tuchel arrived, and that is testament to his maturity.

Onto the Citizens, last time out in the league, the Sky Blues were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton which shocked City fans as they thought it was three points in the bag. City have had mixed fortunes, with two 5-0 wins this season, as well as the aforementioned bore draw with the Saints, and a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham on the opening weekend. Pep Guardiola will be fixated on getting his side back on track, and a win against Chelsea will put them level on points with the Champions of Europe.

A Chelsea win today will make history as it could be the first time that Pep Guardiola has lost four consecutive games against any club in his career. Hopefully I haven’t jinxed anything there, and Chelsea can get the victory to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Team news and updates:

Thomas Tuchel has provided us with two updates regarding missing players. Mason Mount will join Christian Pulisic on the side lines following a knock he picked up against Villa on Wednesday. This could be a huge miss for Chelsea, but could also be a good rest for Mason who hasn’t been at his best as of late, something that can be expected following his unbelievable season last season.

Chelsea manager Tuchel confirms Mendy availability for Manchester City clash | Goal.com
In my opinion, Chelsea’s most important signing since Eden Hazard (Image credit: Goal.com)

Edouard Mendy will, however, take his place back between the sticks following his rib problem suffered against Zenit in the Champions League. It will be great to see Mendy back, as he is such a presence in goal, and was a huge part in keeping Manchester City quiet in Porto.

‘Everyone else [But Mount and Pulisic] is fine and Edouard Mendy is fit from his injury. He is available and will start for us tomorrow.’

Thomas Tuchel via chelseafc.com

Confirmed Lineup:

Image
(Image credit: @ChelseaFC)

Players to watch:

Edouard Mendy: Mendy’s return is a huge plus for Chelsea, as the 29-year-old has been exceptional since he joined the Blues. Mendy has become one of the best goalkeepers in the world of football during the past year, and it is safe to admit that no one expected him to be this good. For that reason, and also on his one year anniversary at the club, he is my Chelsea player to watch.

Jack Grealish: Grealish has been solid since his £100m move from Villa to City, but has still lacked some of what all football fans know he is capable of. Grealish is my Man City player to watch as I’m interested to see how he performs on the massive occasion.

Score Prediction:

Chelsea 2-1 City

Lukaku, James

Grealish

Written by @mashgreaves

Chelsea V Aston Villa: Carabao Cup Match Preview:

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Chelsea’s opening league cup game is upon us, and after years of disappointment in the competition, can Chelsea finally change their fortune and go all the way. Granted, the Carabao Cup is not of the greatest importance, and us Chelsea fans know we have our eyes set on something bigger this season. But it’s okay to be greedy, right? Lets have them all.

Aston Villa stand in Chelsea’s way tonight, and a visit to Stamford Bridge is not the ideal start to the cup campaign for the Villians, having lost 3-0 at the Bridge two weeks prior. In the blue corner, however, Chelsea will be hoping to dispatch of Villa and progress to the last 16.

As we all know, form means little to nothing when it comes to the cup. Game plans go out the window, and things change dramatically. But I’m going to talk about it anyway. Chelsea are still unbeaten this season, having only dropped points to Liverpool. Villa are 3/5 in their last five matches, including the aforementioned loss to the Champions of Europe. Chelsea haven’t lost since todays opponents defeated them on the last game of the 2020/21 season.

Team news and Updates:

Early cup games can often be the breakthrough for players who are missing out on frequent minutes in the league. That is, however, when you aren’t up against another Premier League side. This may change Tuchel’s outlook on the game, but with that being said, I still expect to see a lot of rotation this evening.

One man I do think could feature from the first whistle is Timo Werner. Timo looked lively when he came on against Spurs, and even got an assist for Toni Rudiger’s goal. Moments like this are exactly what Timo needs to improve his confidence, and I think tonight’s game could be an excellent chance for him to get some vital minutes under his belt, along with a potential goal that could make all the difference for his confidence.

‘Timo can play with Romelu, that is sure, and he did very well at Tottenham the last 25 to 30 minutes of the match,’ he said. ‘That gave us a clear impression of how dangerous these two can be together.’

Thomas Tuchel via chelseafc.com

Predicted Lineup:

Arrizabalaga

Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger

James, Saul, Barkley, Chilwell

Ziyech, Werner, Hudson-Odoi

With Mendy being confirmed to be unavailable, I think Kepa takes the GK spot this evening. Bettinelli could take it, however, I think we will see a strong Villa side this evening, so to try something so left field wouldn’t be a wise move. I think Barkley is questionable, and Kovacic could start ahead of him, but I would just like to see what Ross could do against the club he spent a season on loan with last year. Players to watch:

Andreas Christensen: AC has been nothing short of exceptional over the past 6-8 months, and his work rate has been tremendous. The ‘Danish Maldini’ has completely turned his career around, and looks more than the player we all hoped he would be. His performances as of late have been outstanding, and I think he has a chance of captaining the side this evening. AC has just been so good, and I can see another standout performance over the horizon.

Danny Ings: Ings grabbed an assist at the weekend against Everton in Villa’s 3-0 romping of the Toffees, and has had a solid start to the season at his new club. Villa’s tactical style suits Ings very well, and given the chance, I think he could cause some trouble for Chelsea’s GK this evening. Let’s hope I’m wrong.

Score Prediction:

Chelsea 3-1 Villa

Werner, Ziyech, Barkley

Ings

Written by @mashgreaves

Chelsea v Zenit St Petersburg – Match Preview:

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The reigning Champions of Europe are set to embark on their new Champions League campaign with a group stage fixture against Zenit St Petersburg. A stat which surprised me was that Chelsea have never faced Zenit in competitive action, but the last time Chelsea faced a Russian opponent in the Champions League, we went on to win the whole thing (I can’t rinse that enough).

Chelsea head into the game with serious momentum after four league games, sitting pretty in 2nd, level on points with Manchester United. Our opponents, however, happen to be on a 20 game unbeaten streak, dating back to March. Despite being the favourites for the game, Chelsea have a huge task at hand to put this tremendous run to a stop.

The opening game of the Champions League group stage can always be tricky, and it is vital that Chelsea get off to a winning start, given our second game being Juventus away on the 29th.

Player news and updates:

Nothing changes from the Villa game, with Tuchel confirming that just N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic will miss the game against Zenit, with Kante still nursing an ankle injury, and Puli still recovering from Covid.

‘We said that we were looking for him [Pulisic] to return after the international break and for him to have that period of 10 days of training and recovery before returning to the pitch. He’s still in a state of recovery and individual training, so he is not ready just yet.’

Thomas Tuchel via Chelseafc.com

As for NG, it looks as if Tuchel is saving him for the London Derby this coming weekend.

‘N’Golo had two training sessions yesterday and trained again today, but the Champions League game comes a bit too early for him. We won’t take the risk with him now at this moment of the season.

‘We have decided to give him another load in training tomorrow, then he will have the day off with the rest of the group and then train with us all on Friday to be ready totally for Tottenham on Sunday.’

Thomas Tuchel via Chelseafc.com

As for the rest of the squad, Tuchel revealed that Loftus-Cheek, Barkley and Maalang Sarr have all travelled and may be seen from the bench.

Predicted Lineup:

Arrizabalaga

Chalobah, Silva, Rudiger

James, Kovacic, Jorginho, Chilwell

Ziyech, Lukaku, Werner

I struggled to leave Mount out of the side, given he was fully rested on Saturday against Villa, however, I can see Hakim and Timo both starting, and I dont expect to see him in the pivot. I do however, expect to see Lukaku keep his place, but I would only give him 60 or so minutes to ensure he stays fit for Tottenham on Sunday. Kepa also makes the cut in place of Mendy.

Players to watch:

Timo Werner: Timo hasn’t featured much this season, and I think this game could suit him very well. Timo has the ability to run in behind defences, and given the lack of pace that Zenit have at the back, this could work very well for Chelsea’s number 11. Timo also has a point to prove to Thomas Tuchel, and will be keen on grabbing a goal or two to increase his chances of starting against Spurs.

Dejan Lovren: Lovren knows what it takes to win the Champions League, as the Croatian secured the big one with Liverpool in 2019. Lovren will have a key battle on his hands with Lukaku, Werner, or whoever starts in the three for Chelsea, so it will be interesting to see how he matches up against the in-form Blues.

Score Prediction:

Chelsea 3-0 Zenit

Werner, Lukaku, Chilwell

Written by @mashgreaves

Chelsea v Aston Villa – Match Preview

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After an international break that felt like an eternity, the Blues are finally back in action after appearing in World Cup qualifiers over the past week. Our international blues were up to a lot, with great performances all round. Now, however, our attention turns back to the Premier League, and following our last outing, the boys will need to ensure the momentum continues. Unbeaten in our first three games, Chelsea sit 4th on seven points, with this weekend’s opponents on four points, losing their opening game against newly promoted Watford.

Our last outing didn’t go entirely as planned, with another questionable refereeing performance from Anthony Taylor costing us three points, but then again, grass is green. Reece James will miss the game against Villa following his straight red (yes, it still baffles me after two weeks) card for handball. But not all hope was lost, as we held on for the best part of 70 minutes with 10 men, showing huge signs of improvement defensively.

Now we must look forward towards a Villa side who have lost their main spark, and have struggled to look like the Villa of last season. However, it is still very early, so too much cannot be said about form. Saying that, Chelsea’s unbeaten start will be sure to provide a confidence boost to the Blues, as they look to achieve their 600th Premier League victory, second only to Manchester United.

Team news and updates:

Thomas Tuchel has provided injury updates on three of our players, firstly N’Golo Kante and Christian Pulisic, who the gaffer says will both miss the game this weekend.

‘N’Golo got injured in the Liverpool game and still suffers a little bit. We are trying with N’Golo for Tuesday. This looks pretty good.

‘For Christian unfortunately he came yesterday on crutches. He has an ankle injury [that will rule him out] for about 10 days.’

Thomas Tuchel via Chelseafc.com

Kante is a huge miss for Chelsea as both Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic played a lot of minutes during the international break for their respected nations, meaning both players may be suffering with fatigue, with an increased chance of injury. This does, however, mean we may see new signing Saul Niquez make his Chelsea debut alongside one of the aforementioned players.

Tuchel also gave an update regarding Romelu Lukaku’s thigh injury.

‘Maybe he had some problems but he came back two days ago, he trained yesterday and today full, no problems at all.’

Thomas Tuchel via Chelseafc.com

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy,

Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger

Azpilicueta, Saul, Jorginho, Alonso

Havertz, Lukaku, Mount

Given James’ suspension, it was difficult to decide on Azpi or Hudson-Odoi at RWB, but given CHO’s lack of game time so far this season, I think it is likely we see Azpi take the spot. I’ve gone for Alonso over Chilwell because I don’t think Marcos has done anything to warrant being dropped, as he’s had a solid start to the campaign. I’m curious to see how a Saul and J5 pivot would work, but given the Kante injury, I feel this is one of the few options we do have for the two CM spots. And finally, the usual front three because these three create magic together, as we have seen in recent weeks.

Players to watch:

Saul Niguez: There is one player that I believe will be at the forefront of everyone’s attention in Stamford Bridge this weekend, and that is new signing Saul. Chelsea fans will be eager to see how the Spaniard gets on in his potential first game for the Blues. Tuchel has said he has been training well, and by the loos of the training videos, he seems to have settled in already.

Danny Ings: Ings has been electric since his move from Southampton, and the Goal of the Month winner will be sure to provide problems for Chelsea’s back three. The England international has proved his worth over the past few years, and is rewarding Villa fans every time he steps on the pitch. Chelsea will have their hands full dealing with him.

Score Prediction:

Chelsea 3-1 Villa.

Havertz, Lukaku, Jorginho

Ings

Written by @mashgreaves

Arsenal V Chelsea: Match Preview

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Chelsea are set to make their second Premier League outing of the season, as they travel just over 10 miles across the capital to face their bitter neighbours in Arsenal. Chelsea carry the momentum following their 3-0 triumph over Crystal Palace last weekend. Arsenal, on the other hand, had a very disappointing start to the campaign, losing to newly promoted Brentford.

Arsenal have won three of the last five meetings against Chelsea, with the Blues winning just one. Thomas Tuchel and his men will be looking to catch Mikel Arteta off guard and secure a second win of the season, but knowing our luck, Arteta will remember everything Pep Guardiola ever told him, just for one game.

As it is still very early days, so it’s a tough one to predict, but Chelsea being eight games unbeaten, including a victory over the Gunners in pre-season, gives the Blues the edge for today’s game. An all round excellent performance against Crystal Palace will provide a huge boost to the players, and should be enough to get us over the line.

Team news and updates:

The gaffer has provided us with updates regarding who and what to expect at The Emirates. Tuchel has revealed that Christian Pulisic will not be in the squad after testing positive for Covid-19 earlier this week. As for the other boys, we may see N’Golo Kante, and either Hakim Ziyech as both stars have been training with no issues.

‘Hakim and N’Golo were both in training today and they had no problems. We need to have a more intense session tomorrow with them and the team before we decide but right now it seems positive that both can be in the squad for Sunday.’

Tuchel via chelseafc.com

There is also a chance that Romelu Lukaku could make an appearance, after the Belgian has been involved in an intensive training regime all week.

‘We have one more training session to go but the week was a heavy load for him because he was in the group with the late starters from our guys so it was an overload week so far.

‘Today [Friday] was lower intensity and tomorrow we have important training for the match but we are hoping he will be on the pitch for Sunday and things look like it.’

Tuchel via chelseafc.com

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy

Chalobah, Christensen, Rudiger

James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Alonso

Mount, Lukaku, Werner

I’ve taken a punt at Rom starting as the Belgian has trained well this week, and there is no better way to reintroduce him to the Chelsea faithful than a start against our bitter rivals. As for Werner, I solely just want him to prove the ‘fan’ who heckled at the open training this week wrong. I fancy Timo to score on Sunday. Jorginho wears the armband for me after what has been a stellar few months in his career, topped off with a UEFA Mens Player of the Year award nomination, alongside NG. Trev also makes the lineup after an incredible past two games for the youngster.

Players to watch:

Romelu Lukaku: Who else? If Lukaku does feature, everyone’s eyes will be fixated on the big man, and I don’t think I need to say much more.

Emile Smith Rowe: ESR impressed me against Brentford, and was the only Arsenal player that did, for that matter. We know this guy has talent in abundance, and I feel he could create a few problems for Chelsea. I hope I’m wrong, however.

Score prediction:

2-0 Chelsea, goals from Lukaku and Werner.

Written by @mashgreaves

Podcast: Chalobah stays & Arsenal Preview!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?

In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Danny (Writer – @danny_new_), Paree (Owner – @CFCParee) & Dan (Host – @danbarkzr) discuss the latest news including Chalobah’s breakthrough into the first team, the midfield/defence dilemma and the possibility of Loftus-Cheek/Ampadu staying! The boys also look ahead to Sunday’s game against Arsenal, where they were perhaps a bit too pessimistic..

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Chelsea V Crystal Palace: Match Preview

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Well. Here we go again. Chelsea’s 2021/22 Premier League campaign is finally beginning, and after what seems like a lot longer than just two and a half months, we get to see our Blues back in action in the top flight of English football.

Thomas Tuchel’s men host a reinvented Crystal Palace side managed by Patrick Viera, with the Frenchman hoping to turn over a new leaf at Selhurst Park following the last few underwhelming seasons. Chelsea have some momentum on their side, after winning three out of four pre-season games, and drawing one with London rivals Tottenham. Not only that, but the last two times the Blues played in a competitive match, they won two European trophies. Not bad.

The Eagles also head into the game having won four out of six pre-season matches, as Viera has begun to lay the foundations at his new club. Viera has added some serious talent to his side, with the signings of Michael Olise, Joachim Andersen, as well as Marc Guehi from Chelsea themselves. Not only that, but Conor Gallagher will spend the season on loan at Selhurst Park, although will not be in contention for today’s opener. Add these players to an already stacked team of Wilfred Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Christian Benteke, Palace could make a serious charge for a top half finish come May next year.

That being said, I have to talk about Wednesday’s Super Cup triumph in Belfast. A huge goal from Hakim Ziyech put the Blues one in front, but the pace seemed to disintegrate as the game went on. Chelsea looked poor going forward, and were frequently pegged back by the Villarreal press. Gerard Moreno equalised and took the game to extra time, with Chelsea running out eventual winners after penalties, with Kepa Arrizabalaga being the hero in Ireland. This, I feel, will provide Chelsea with a cutting edge over Crystal Palace, but I still think we need to improve in the final third, as we found out far too often last season, that one goal is just not enough.

Team news and updates:

Thomas Tuchel has provided us with updates regarding Hakim Ziyech and N’Golo Kante, with everyone else seeming to be fit for match day. Firstly, Ziyech will not play against Palace, as the winger suffered a shoulder injury which saw him require a sling on Wednesday night.

“We don’t need to consider surgery, which is very good news and we hope he can be back on the pitch in the next few weeks.“

As for NG, the Frenchman picked up a small knock against Villarreal which may see him miss out today, with Tuchel stating that Kante will be assessed before the opening fixture. Playing 120 minutes, plus a penalty shootout was arguably the worst way we could finish our pre-season, but the players went through all the emotions on Wednesday night, and I think that it will have provided a real boost psychologically to win the game in the fashion of which we did.

“We have some issues with Kante from the final. We need to sort this out and we will see how he is before we select our team.“

Predicted Lineup:

Formation: 3-4-3

Mendy

Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Rudiger

James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Chilwell

Mount, Havertz, Werner

Mason struggled to make a huge impact when coming on from the bench in Belfast, but I firmly believe he is our best player, and is an absolute must in the starting 11. Jorginho was once again phenomenal against Villarreal, and is currently in the form of his life. Kovacic will sport his new number 8 shirt, so the Croatian has big shoes to fill (Of course I’m talking about Barkley, who else wore the 8 at Chelsea?) As for the defence, Trevoh Chalobah was outstanding against Villarreal, and for that reason alone I think he deserves a chance to start against Palace.

Players to watch:

Trevoh Chalobah – As aforementioned, Trev was electric in Belfast, and looked so comfortable in the back three. To step up to the big stage like that with so little preparation tells you everything you need to know about the 22-year-old. Place him alongside an absolute veteran in Azpi, and a mad man in Rudiger, and I really believe he will thrive.

Marc Guehi – The ex Chelsea player will firmly have my eyes fixed on him, following a disappointing exit. I really thought Marc could be a star at Chelsea, but I now want to see him succeed at Selhurst Park. Guehi is an exciting defender, and at just 21-years-old, possesses power and agility like no other. It will be very interesting to see how he fairs against his former team mates.

Written by @mashgreaves

Chelsea V Villarreal – UEFA Super Cup Match Preview

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Been a while, hasn’t it? After what feels like an eternity, Chelsea are back in competitive action, and boy are we back with a bang. Following the Champions League triumph in May (yes, it really was over two months ago when we finally lifted the biggest prize in club football again), the Blues take centre stage once again, and this time, we face the Europa League champions with a trophy that has eluded the Blues on the last three occasions on the line.

Chelsea were bulldozed 4-1 by Atletico Madrid in 2012, and one year later lost to Bayern Munich on penalties, as the German giants got their revenge after Chelsea beat them in their own backyard (yes, I just had to) one year prior to claim their first ever Champions League trophy. Fast forward to 2019, and the SW6 once again lost on penalties, this time to then Champions of Europe, Liverpool. However, as the famous saying goes, the thir… I mean, fourth times a charm, and surely this time, Chelsea can finally secure the Super Cup for the first time since 1998.

The Champions of Europe (I may rinse that over the coming season, and you can do nothing about it), take to Belfast for what is sure to be a real ding-dong battle with Villarreal, who under no circumstances may be underestimated. Just ask our Mancunian “friends”. But in all seriousness, Chelsea must win this game to give them the most momentum they can get going into the opening league game with Crystal Palace. The Blues have already been in good form throughout preseason, beating Peterborough, Bournemouth, Arsenal, and drawing with Tottenham. Victory in Belfast would be the icing on the cake, and will also be a good demonstration for Thomas Tuchel, to see how up for the season his players are.

Team news and updates:

As far as team news goes, everyone is available for the match. Tuchel gave an update regarding players who returned late following international duties, such as Mason Mount and Jorginho, with the gaffer saying that eight days in training is not the ideal amount of time for the players to then jump straight into a European final like this.

With that being said, I do expect Jorge and Mason will be in contention for a start, as the two were among the very best last season. To predict a line up for this game would just be far too difficult, as only Tuchel knows how his players have been during pre-season and training. But we’re going to do one anyway.

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy, Azpilicueta, Christensen, Rudiger, James, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell, Mount, Werner, Havertz.

Thiago just misses out for me due to his lack of training and minutes during pre-season. As for J5 and Mason, the duo make my eleven due to their sheer importance to our side. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Pulisic, Kovacic or Ziyech start however, after the Moroccan netted five times during pre-season.

Players to watch:

Kai Havertz: King Kai. The man who secured us our second Champions League trophy will be sure to light Belfast up on Wednesday evening, with the German international impressing at the Euros as well as carrying his late season form into pre-season. Havertz will be looking to pick up where he left off in royal blue.

Gerard Moreno: Moreno will certainly have a point to prove after he struggled to pick up any real momentum during his time with Spain at the Euros. The centre forward had an impressive season in La Liga last year, netting 23 times and grabbing seven assists in 33 games. The 29-year-old will hope that last seasons numbers can be replicated this year, starting with the Super Cup.

Written by @mashgreaves

Podcast: Lubacku, Kounde, Pre-Season & Super Cup!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?

In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho), Paree (Owner – @CFCParee) & Dan (Admin- @danbarkzr) discuss the season ahead. Talking about where Chelsea are going to finish and who could be our best player throughout the season, to a possible training ground bustup…

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Chelsea Academy 2021/22 Season Preview

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Pre-Season has begun and there aren’t that many weeks to go until the beginning of the new season. For Chelsea fans, that tends to be a very exciting time as normally there’s a new manager and a few new signings. This time, there have been 0 signings so far, and we have a manager which has been with us for almost exactly 6 months and has won us a Champions League on the way, so the current feeling is certainly a weird one.

I’ll leave all of that to another writer though. As any loyal fans of myself and The Chelsea Spot would know, we have a huge investment into the academy so in this article we’ll be looking at how the U23s could get on this season. There’ll probably be a better preview from @chelseayouth on thechels.net soon enough so I’d recommend reading that too.

The squad has changed A LOT from last season. We didn’t win anything last season, yet it was one of the most talented groups we have seen in a long time. To be fair, we did expect quite a few to be moving onto professional football this season – it’s just a shame that most are permanently rather than on loan. The likes of Dynel Simeu, Lewis Bate, Myles Peart-Harris, Marcel Lewis & Tino Livramento (set to join Brighton) have all moved on to other clubs, while some such as Henry Lawrence and Levi Colwill have gone on loan. All of these are names which even a partial viewer of the academy will recognise, which does really show some of the big players we have lost this season.

Opinion: Every player is different, the Chelsea first-team pathway is tough, no blame for those leaving – Talk Chelsea
Only two have remained 😔

That necessarily may not be a bad thing. Yes, there may be a lack of experience at times, and there is a decent chance results don’t go our way in some games (hence I am already predicting a huge out of context cry on Twitter in a few months time from certain fans who don’t watch us when we’re not winning the PL2), but it’s going to be an extremely young squad and the amount they will learn will be incredible. One of the criticisms of the PL2 is that some players stick in there for too long and don’t break into professional football, but for most of these players who will be very young, they’ll generate an incredible learning curve coming up against players who are bigger and stronger than them. Remember when we had Terry, Batshuayi, Rudiger, Hazard and more playing for our development squad to develop fitness? Imagine a team of very young academy boys coming up against players like them – they’ll learn so much.

Chelsea’s first U23s fixture is only a few weeks away, as you can see in the graphic below made by the wonderful @chelseayouth, so let’s have a look at the potential squad we could be using this season…

Note: Chelsea’s first two home games are at Stamford Bridge to make sure to head down and support the boys!

Goalkeepers

Chelsea currently have four goalkeepers who could potentially play for the U23s – Lucas Bergstrom, Teddy Sharman-Lowe, Ethan Wady and Karlo Ziger. Bergstrom has been training with the first team for now just in pre-season, but the imminent arrival of Marcus Bettinelli as third choice keeper into the first team would pretty much destroy any chances of him moving up. Sharman-Lowe and Wady could perhaps try and get gametime somewhere else as we’ve seen them do before. Ziger was someone who was training a lot with the first team last season so where he plays will also be very intriguing. I honestly don’t know too much about the keepers’ situations to say much more.

Defenders

After looking at the defenders we have this season, there is a decent chance that Andy Myers will stick with the 3 at the back formation which he trusted so much last season. The first team playing 3 centre-halves also *could* (considering managers are sacked every 3 years probably not) influence the academy formations as incase anyone does need to step up from the academy, they will be much more used to the system.

Xavier Mbuyamba is the big name which most will be keeping an eye on this season. He’ll certainly want to crack on in the PL2 after looking extremely comfortable in the small amount of games he played towards the end of last season, and he’s one who could potentially move on loan in January if he has a very good six months.

Image
He’s not small…🤣

Sam McClelland is another one who should try to cement a starting place in the team (assuming he doesn’t leave on loan). The Northern Irish international has looked very much in place whenever he’s come into the team, with his height and ability on the ball being of real help to the squad. Bashir Humphreys is another one who featured in the FA Youth Cup team last season and will be wanting to push into the development squad eventually, as well as Alfie Gilchrist who has done very well at the U18s level and participated for a few minutes last season in the 23s.

At wingback, there are a few options with Harvey Vale being the main one after playing a lot there last season, although I would personally love to see him play further forward. Silko Thomas has a chance to push into the team as last season he made an appearance at just the age of 16 and looked promising while picking up a goal and an assist, and we could also see the man with the best smile Alex Kpakpe feature too. Like Vale, some wingers could drop deeper a tad and feauture in the role such as Dion Rankine who did play there last season quite a bit, as well as Nunn, Abu, Andersson, Taurianen and a few more of whom I’m sure I’ll talk about much more later.

Midfielders

The midfielders this season are going to be really fun to watch. Chelsea’s midfield has always been one of the most exciting parts of the teams, with us producing players with the quality of Loftus-Cheek, Mount, Gallagher, Bate etc on a constant basis.

Charlie Webster is next in line with those names and after 6 impressive months with the 23s, he’ll be looking to have a full season in the PL2 and impressing on the big stage at just the tender age of 17. Xavier Simons is a player who many have forgotten, but was once so impressive for us before he got two extremely unfortunate injuries in both his knees. Hopefully, his rehab has gone well and fingers crossed we could see him feature for us this season as the boy has an engine on him.

Joe Haigh’s contract was running out this Summer and his future was in doubt after some Premier League clubs were interested in him, but he eventually signed a two year new deal and will be wanting to impress this season. He’s a player who Chelsea fans will love watching this season as myself and a few other mates have compared his play style very much to Joe Cole. He’s agile and just loves to drive forward with the ball.

Players like George McEachran and Thierno Ballo could be leaving the club this season (either on loan or permanently) which opens up space for someone like Ben Elliot to try and get his footballing career back on track. Ben is someone who is full of talent and earlier on looked a real prospect as he captained multiple England sides, but with harsh injuries he struggled to really develop when expected. There is 100% still a player there and hopefully some football on a higher level will really challenge him and get him playing the level of football we know he can.

Not a bad midfield that…!

Forwards

This is certainly a position we are quite stacked in. For the U23s, I imagine Jude Soonsup-Bell and Bryan Fiabema will be the main two who will play up front, with George Nunn either featuring more at LWB or leaving the club. George unfortunately hasn’t impressed enough in the Striker position and him playing would just hinder Jude and Bryan’s progress there.

Jude hasn’t played for the 23s too much but has been tipped to be a top striker in the future with his large profile being of huge use and him smacking in goals for the other age groups. You can listen to our podcast episode with his brother, Zac, on all things Jude. Bryan played a lot more last season for the 23s and he started off very well with a screamer against Derby coming to mind, but afterwards struggled big time. Both will be hoping to get scoring at the PL2 level.

What an episode that was – so much insight…

Other strikers at the club who are more likely to feature for the U18s include Aleksi Heino who we recently signed (two hours after publishing it looks like he may have joined Wolfsburg), Malik Mothersille who has returned from a season loan at Derby County where he featured 13 times and also Jay Wareham, the new boy from Woking who has impressed in pre-season, who is known to score goals for fun.

Having many forwards at the club could tempt Andy Myers to play two strikers up top this season. It’s something we haven’t seen a lot at Chelsea academy level, but with more centre-backs than fullbacks, a few players who could play wingbacks and only a couple of box to box midfielders the 3-4-1-2 formation could be a real option for the gaffer. It reminds me of when we tried to play Abraham and Solanke together at academy level and a lot of the time Tammy was out wide coming inside. As it is, we all know Chelsea coaches are extremely versatile in which formations they want their teams to play and it’s generally also the most intelligent Chelsea players who can play in multiple different roles, so I’m sure there will be changes to the team and style of play throughout the season.

There is a chance we could see something like the above at times this season…

The UEFA Youth League is returning this season as well (touchwood) and despite it being an U19 competition, we’re still likely to enter the cup with a young squad. That and the Papa John’s Trophy (Checkatrade Trophy) should be an incredible experience for the boys, and I have no doubts there’ll be many scouts watching so it’s a chance for them to impress the world as we’ve seen so many Chelsea boys do in the past.

While writing this, I’ve realised that there isn’t actually much to say on the U18s because half of them will be moving up to the 23s, and the other half I haven’t watched enough to comment on. Putting too much pressure on 16 year olds would be harsh for me to do, but all I’m going to say is watch out for Leo Castledine. He featured for the 18s a decent amount last season at just the age of 15, so he’s got a real chance of pushing on this season.

I’m really looking forward to this season. Like I said before, at times results may not be going our way and things to the average viewer may look bad for the academy, but there is a lot of context to this upcoming season and hopefully these players can use it to really develop mentally and technically. We’ll be covering the academy in huge depth this season so make sure to follow us on all our social media platforms and tune in! You can listen to our academy season review and preview with Joe Tweedie here:

The season preview is towards the end of the episode…

Written by Paree

Podcast: Pre-Season Preview with Kieran Doyle!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?

In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho) is joined by Chelsea fan Kieran (Guest – @KierDoyle) to discuss the upcoming pre-season which started a few days ago! Talking about the loan players who could feature, the academy graduates who may have a chance and the impact of the EUROS players coming later…

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Players who could impress Thomas Tuchel in pre-season…

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As reported by many and something we heard over a month ago, most of the Chelsea players begin pre-season tomorrow (5th July). We understand that the academy players are unaware of which building they will be training in as of now. Players such as Olivier Giroud and Kai Havertz who have just been knocked out of the EUROS competition will most likely have a longer break and not return to training this upcoming week, with the return date of players such as Ethan Ampadu being unknown.

In this article, we will look at some players who could feature in pre-season and potentially impress Thomas Tuchel. Obviously this doesn’t include all players, and some of these could head out of the club either on loan or permantly as they plan to have meetings with the club and manager in the next few weeks, but I’ve tried to talk about all the main ones.

Tiemoue Bakayoko

Ever since his 30 odd million move to Chelsea, it hasn’t been the best of times. In his first season he was struck with injury and although he had solid performances with Atletico Madrid and the FA Cup Final coming to mind, he also had disasterclasses such as that famous 4-1 loss to Watford.

He’s been on loan to Italy since, with the football there certainly suiting him a lot more. He’s had much better seasons at AC Milan and Napoli, with the latter liking him a lot. His agent has been talking plenty in the last few months, with him clearly trying to push a move to Italy this Summer.

Although, if things don’t go to plan, Bakoyoko could have a chance to impress Tuchel. If Declan Rice is seen as a too expensive option to the Blues, and we don’t go for our other targets such as Boubacar Kamara and Aurelien Tchouameni, the French midfielder is arguably the next best option for that defensive midfield profile which our squad is heavily lacking at the moment. Although it does look like he will be leaving the club, perhaps he may want to give it one final shot.

Lewis Bate

Lewis is someone who will almost certainly be going on loan this Summer, with many clubs being interested in the technical midfielder after two very impressive seasons in the academy. He’ll be looking to follow the likes of Levi Colwill who has already headed out to Huddersfield, and is following the path of many academy players who tend to leave on loan after they are ineligible to play in the FA Youth Cup.

He also does have a contract situation to sort out, with it running out next Summer. Chelsea would have to convince him to sign a new deal before leaving on loan, so that needs to be done as I’m sure many top clubs are also interested in him permanently.

He’s one who has trained with the first team this season for a few weeks under Lampard, and I’m sure he’d want to impress Tuchel too before going out on loan.

Michy Batshuayi

The forgotten man? Michy is arguably one of the best finishers at the club, but it just seems that his training isn’t good enough as called out by a couple of managers. It is frustrating since you can see the potential is there, but it just hasn’t worked out at Chelsea.

And neither has it at his Premier League loans, either. He had a nice spell at Dortmund, which perhaps could make the deal for Haaland 1% easier if they were interested in the Belgian forward, but other than that he has struggled. With the striker chase for Chelsea looking very difficult at the moment and with Giroud’s and Abraham’s future at the club in huge doubt, there could be a small chance he sticks around as the third striker.

Armando Broja

Armando is someone who’s development in the last two years has been one of the quickest I’ve ever seen. From going to a player who wasn’t even part of the U18s, to the next season starting for 6 months as the main striker at U23 level while making his Chelsea debut, and then heading out to Holland’s first division on loan the season after that, is incredible and huge praise should be sent to him.

His first loan at Vitesse was certainly a great one. He scored many goals and he would have learnt so much about the men’s game. However, I still believe there’s a lot more work he needs to do with his buildup and linking up play, although I have no doubt that this will certainly come with time and experience.

There have bee a few links of him sticking around and signing a new deal, so I guess we will have to see what Tuchel has in plan for the Albanian forward.

Tino Livramento

The man who is being talked about the most at the moment. With the club’s desire of a player like Hakimi who we missed out on as well as the possible pursuit of Adama Traore, that certainly wouldn’t have convinced the academy player of the season too much.

His contract runs out next Summer, and Chelsea will be desperate for him to sign that deal as he is very highly rated by the England camp and from clubs all across the world. Many have said ‘let him go out on loan’ which people are not realising is as easy as they are making out. Chelsea will not let him go out on loan unless he signs a new deal, and if we don’t show him any pathway into the first team then he simply won’t.

This pre-season is a big chance for him to show to Tuchel that he’s good enough for this squad, whether that’s this season or next. I’m sure he’s very much looking forward to pre-season as at it stands he’s the only proper RWB in the whole of the club available to Thomas, so he certainly has a chance. He’s definitely got a big month ahead.

Dujon Sterling

I kind of lied when I said Tino was the only RWB in the whole squad – Dujon is more than definitely still around. After returning from injury and illness, he played with the 23s for just less than 6 months and found himself impressing week in week out.

There have been a few small reports of him sticking around and Tuchel wanting to see what he can offer, so hopefully he’s ready to smash it. A new deal needs to be sorted though, so keep an eye on that.

Ethan Ampadu

A very very interesting one. With the profile desired, Ampadu could be the perfect player for Tuchel. Despite him being one of my favourite players, I have no doubt in saying that at this very moment he is behind the likes of Declan Rice in terms of ability, but if Chelsea want to save some money then he’s absolutely right there.

It has been reported that we are looking for a player who can play both in defensive midfield and centre back, hence the links to Boubacar Kamara and Rice, and that’s Ethan’s best two positions. Although in general his two loans have been a slight failure with him getting close to little game time at RB Leipzig and going down to the Championship with Sheffield United, he still has shown potential with the Champions League game against Spurs coming to mind and in general for Wales he’s great.

He’s another one to keep a very close eye on. In my personal opinion, he should definitely stick around this squad.

A chance for these two? (Image Source: Getty Images)

Ross Barkley

Ross Barkley…it’s a weird one with him. Every pre-season he impresses and he looks like the next Frank Lampard, and not long later he looks like the next failed player who will be part of the ‘streets will never forget’ list.

He’s someone who could arguably play in that inside forward role or in midfield, so maybe he has a chance to impress Tuchel, but we’re going to need a lot more consistency from him and that comes from hard work on the training pitch.

Personally, I suspect him to leave on a permanent deal.

Trevoh Chalobah

A player who has definitely gone under the radar. He’s another one like Ampadu who can play in both positions of defensive midfield and centre half, so perhaps also has a chance to impress Tuchel.

He had a great loan at FC Lorient in the Ligue 1 where he would’ve gained so much experience playing against some of the best players in the world, and we all know the French league is extremely physical so in that sense he’d find the transfer over to Premier League easier.

I unfortunately suspect he may want to move on and kick on at a club permanently, but who knows these days. Maybe…

Marc Guehi

Another big talking point. Marc has done absolutely brilliantly out on loan at Swansea and most Chelsea fans have wanted to see how he does. Chelsea fans saw glimpses of him with very impressive games against Manchester United and Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup before he went on loan for 18 months, and ever since they have kept an eye on him.

It’s going to be difficult though. We currently have Thiago Silva who signed an extension till the end of this upcoming season, Andreas Christensen who is expected to sign a new deal some time soon, Antonio Rudiger who’s looked like a world class centre-back for 6 months, Kurt Zouma who could leave but reports have stated we will sign someone if that was the case, as well as Azpilicueta and Reece James who have both been used heavily at RCB too.

If Chelsea were to sign someone like Sule or Kounde though, then that would surely be over for Marc’s career at Chelsea and I’m sure he’s got the brains to move to another club. For him we need to show that there is a pathway into the first team and he’ll certainly want to impress Tuchel in these next few months.

Henry Lawrence

Since I mentioned Lewis, I thought I’d mention Henry very briefly too. Someone who has become too good for development squad now, he needs to look at playing professional football as with his such high footballing intelligence and versatility I’m sure many Championship and League One clubs will be looking at him.

Again, a player who Tuchel could actually like a lot with him switching between the 3 and 4 at the back formations. A few months ago when the first team was on international break, we were told that Henry trained with the first team and really impressed the coaches.

He should go on loan and get as much as a full pre-season as possible, but let’s see what happens.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

It’s hard not to get sad when thinking about Loftus-Cheek and what could’ve been. Under Sarri he was playing like he was one of the best midfielders in the world, and then that terrilbe injury happened in a game which many won’t forget…

Unlike most, I think his loan at Fulham was actually decently successful. Yes, at times he looked incredibly rusty, but that was always going to be the case and the most important thing was that he got minutes and time to get his fitness back.

Reports state that he’s a player who Tuchel is really looking forward to seeing in pre-season. It’s difficult, because I still think he needs another 6 months to get back to full confidence and ability, but whether he’ll get that is another thing. With better players around him perhaps he could perform better… I still haven’t given up all hope with RLC.

Tino Anjorin

Again, another sticky one. I think it’s very important he heads out on loan now and gets some professional football in his locker.

He’s arguably had a ‘season loan’ at Chelsea for one year after moving to the first team training permamently, and he certainly would have learnt so much working under Thomas Tuchel and Frank Lampard, as well as training against some of the best like Thiago Silva.

He’s at the age where he needs to get some minutes, and if he goes to a league like the Championship he could absolutely smash it. He even started one of our Champions League games out of position and impressed, so there’s no doubt with a good pre-season and gametime he could do very well. He’s shown Tuchel what he can do in training, and now he must show the world what the talented midfielder is about.

A big pre-season for these two… (Image Source: Getty Images)

Conor Gallagher

Again, on the first eye, Gallagher’s loan to West Brom may not have been great. But, he had a full year of Premier League experience and was definitely one of their brighter players.

I actually think he’s a player who Tuchel will really like a lot. He’s someone who runs about so much and has as much energy as Mason Mount, and is as versatile with him easily playing in the 8 and 10 role, and if worse comes to worse at the 6.

Tuchel could definitely see him as a very useful utility player and I’m sure if Conor was told he would be involved in a few Chelsea games this season, he could stick around. If he does go on loan, I greatly believe it should be to a Premier League team which play a much better way of football.

Do you agree with my comments? Is there any obvious one I’ve missed out on? Let me know on our social media platforms!

Written by Paree

Podcast: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2021 WINNERS!

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EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!

NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?

GET IN THERE! In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho), Dan (Admin – @DanBarkerCoach) and Danny (Writer – @danny_new_) discuss last night’s incredible victory against Manchester City in the Champions League final. Talking about our instant reactions to the game, Thomas Tuchel propaganda, THAT Mason Mount pass to Kai Havertz and so much more!

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Champions League Final: Match Preview:

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As the 2020/21 season reaches finally it’s crescendo, Thomas Tuchel’s Blue army face one last hurdle. And this isn’t any old hurdle. It just happens to be the biggest game in almost a decade for the SW6. If you’d have told me in August that I’d be writing the Chelsea preview for the Champions League final, I’d have thought you were insane. But here we are. It’s really happening. Chelsea. Manchester City. There can only be one winner. 

The stature of this game is extraordinary, so the boys at The Chelsea Spot have decided to try something different for this preview. Myself, and some of the lads will give our own thoughts on the game, as well as some key information that will tell you all you need to know about the final. 

Mash Greaves: 

Chelsea have suffered a troublesome run of form as of late, which already sprinkles some doubt on our chances. A poor result against Arsenal, followed by a heart breaking loss against Leicester in the FA Cup final really stumbled the Blues. Two days later, we defeated Leicester in the league, only to lose once more against Aston Villa on the final day of the season. This has really come at the worst possible time for Chelsea, as the momentum is running thin, and we need an extreme amount of focus for Saturday evening. It could be argued that guaranteeing top four last Sunday took the pressure off for this weekend, but for me, we have to ignore everything that has happened thus far this season. Saturday is a completely different game. 

In absolute fairness, Man City aren’t in the best position form wise as they could be, either. Pep Guardiola’s side have conceded eight in their last four games, but managed to demolish Everton 5-0 on the last day of the season. Saturday’s result is definitely up in the air, and it will only come down to who has the most bottle. 

Player news and updates:

Thomas Tuchel has revealed his 25 man squad who have travelled to Porto, and Blues fans will be ecstatic to hear that both N’Golo Kante and Edouard Mendy have travelled. The aforementioned players suffered injuries in the last two league games, but Tuchel has seen improvement in both players since then, and is hopeful the duo can start. 

Mendy will be vital in Chelsea’s chances to secure the victory, with the Senegal international being one of the signings of the season this year. And as for NG, well, you know the story. 

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy, James, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount, Pulisic, Werner

Players to watch:

Mason Mount: Mason has been a standout this season, not just for Chelsea, but in the Premier League in general. Mase has shown signs of leadership, quality and sheer talent, you would think he’s 28. The Englishman has shown up on the big stage already this season, with pivotal goals at Porto and Real Madrid, that got us to the final. Mount will be sure to have all eyes on him.

Phil Foden: Foden is another player much like Mount, with absolutely no ceiling, and talent in abundance. The show-down between the two Englishmen will be sure to light sparks on the pitch, and with Foden being instrumental in City’s Premier League triumph, be sure to keep your eyes on the ‘Stockport Iniesta’.

Paree:

Predicted Lineup: 

Mendy, Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger, James, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell, Mount, Havertz, Werner 

The player to look out for City is Dias in my opinion. If we can manage to trouble him and get him showing his weaknesses which he does have despite an incredible season, we have a real chance. The key player for Chelsea is actually….Jorginho. I genuinely think the game will be won in the midfield, and he’s going to need to turn up if he does play after some pretty poor performances (same applies for Kovacic too). 

The thoughts of Mason Mount, Reece James, Thiago Silva, and a whole bunch of others lifting the Champions League trophy is just too much for me right now. I am desperate for this trophy. It’s going to hurt big time if we lose, especially after the FA Cup Final, but I have faith in the boys and Tuchel to come up with something special, just like 2012. 

Dan Barker:

Predicted Lineup: 

Mendy, James, Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount, Werner, Havertz

Chelsea have done incredibly well to reach the final of this season’s UCL, however I think they will fall just short at the final hurdle. Tuchel’s side have had stuttering form in the league over recent weeks, as well as the FA cup disappointment against Leicester and I just can’t see them out-scoring Man City. Hopefully I’m proven wrong!

Players to watch:

Mason Mount and Phil Foden take this one again. 

Rob Lawman:

Well, who’d have thought we’d end up here when Lampard was sacked in January?

As is often the way with Chelsea, despite the chaos of a season filled with change and drama, we find ourselves in a position where we could end up with the most coveted prize in Europe. Despite the ups and downs of our domestic form, it’s very difficult to say we don’t deserve to be here. Having topped an all be it, comfortable group, remaining unbeaten and only conceding two goals, we’ve gone on to comfortably beat both Madrid side over two legs and successfully navigate an intense Porto side, flying high after knocking out Juventus.

This isn’t a run like 2012, this wasn’t a back against the wall underdog story, but rather the story of a side that met some of European’s elite head-on and passed by them with relative ease. It’s of course then rather fitting that we come up against the side that is arguably the best in Europe right now. A side that has walked the Premier League and taken some big scalps of their own on the way to Portugal, but having beaten them twice this season, there’s no reason to think we’re in for a hiding.

Tuchel’s side seems tailor-made for these top-level knockout affairs, despite inconsistent league form, the German’s 3-4-2-1 has looked impenetrable in defence and created chances aplenty, even if the conversion rate leaves a lot to be desired. This has also been the case in the most recent meetings of the two sides where Chelsea have been able to limit City’s attacks to scraps, with the exception of a Christensen howler, whilst also looking to get in behind City’s high line at every opportunity.

I don’t see a reason why Tuchel would go into this game any differently. Having beaten Pep’s side twice, it’s on the Spaniard to decide on whether to stick with a formula that has proven so successful, yet not against Chelsea, or risk overthinking with tactical tweaks.

With that said, I think at this point the back 6 pick themselves with Mendy in goal, Chilwell at LWB, Rudi at LCB, Silva in the middle with Reece at RCB and Azpi at RWB, the latter two switching depending on the state of the game. Christensen would be unlucky to miss out, however, the injury and slight dip in form have come at the worst possible time and I wouldn’t risk him in the final.

Given the 5 subs, I think it’s a no brainer that Kante starts this game despite the injury concerns. Tuchel’s comments seem to imply that he’s fit however the extra subs remove the risk that may have previously existed. Partnering with him I’d go for Jorginho. Despite my frustrations in his limitations, he’s stepped up in the big European games and Kovacic‘s recent injury and defensive lapses make him too much of a risk to start this game. As for the front 3, I think pace in behind and in transition will be pivotal to any success we have so I would go with a front 3 of Timo – Havertz – Mount. Mount has proven to be one of Europe’s best at taking the ball in between the lines on the turn converting defence instantly into attack which will be crucial in playing in the two Germans who, despite inconsistent finishing, pose our best goal threats. The intensity and mobility of Mount will also be crucial in shutting down Rodri at the heart of the City midfield. As for Werner, despite his finishing leaving a lot to be desired, it’s impossible to argue that he’s been at the heart of everything we do and poses a unique threat, especially in the channels where City’s full-backs and centre backs are at their weakest.

Michael Nazarian:

Predicted Lineup: 

Mendy, Rudiger, Silva, Azpi, Reece, Chilwell, Kante, Jorginho, Werner, Havertz, Mount

Players to watch: 

City – Foden
Chelsea – Werner 

Expectations: 

A tight game played by Chelsea allowing city to be more aggressive and hold possession, while we try and hit on the break. Chelsea will look to press City’s back line at times to suffocate them in the wide areas or win the ball in the midfield when they look to progress. City won’t be afraid to play balls over the top to someone like Foden, Sterling, Mahrez, etc, but they’ll mix it up with Gundogan and/or Bernardo dropping and drifting. Jorginho and Kante will be key in this regard both to break down City’s progression and be sharp in the build up to evade City’s press. Kova may start. Werner will definitely be used to try and get in behind, Ziyech could definitely start as a result to supply these balls, but I believe Havertz and Mount would be better in transition overall and add more in possession against pressing teams. Finally, Reece could be key here as he was matched up against Ben Mendy in the last matchup and proved to be a menace 1v1 constantly beating his man and providing a threat.

Frankie:

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy, Rudiger, Silva, James, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Kante, Chilwell, Mount, Werner, Havertz.

I believe Azpilicueta will start as having your captain on the pitch is essential for a game of this magnitude and throwing Christensen straight into a Champions League final as his first game back from injury seems unlikely to me. Whether it is Azpi or Reece James at RCB, they will have an essential job to keeping the abundance of tricky wingers Pep has at his disposal quiet and prevent crosses from coming in. Havertz and Werner have been exceptional as a pair when played together. Having performed outstanding together in the 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge against Real Madrid, they are obviously trusted by Tuchel on the big stage. The German connection between the two could be crucial in this game to get an early lead and not let Man City rest at the back. Ziyech is unlucky to not make the cut for my starting eleven, however bringing such a dangerous asset off the bench could be used to our advantage later on in the game. Ziyech and Pulisic for that matter, could be perfect for a scenario where it is a tight scoreline heading into extra time or the later portion of the match. 

My Key Players: 

Edouard Mendy for me has one of the biggest tasks ahead of him and I’m certain he knows it. His incredible story to success and superb first season in West London culminates in the biggest game in world football. Man City have an unholy amount of shots per game, in just their last game against Everton in the Premier League, they had 21 shots and 11 of those shots were on target. Mendy will have to be on top of his game on Saturday night and a good performance from him in goal could be crucial to securing a second Champions League trophy. 

Kevin De Bruyne could be used in a false nine role or in the attacking midfield role on Saturday night. Guessing a Pep Guardiola lineup is basically pointless as he shifts and changes his teams so frequently. Whoever is set on the task of marking the former Chelsea man will have one of the hardest jobs in world football for possibly 120 minutes. De Bruyne has not played a full ninety minutes in the last two meetings between City and Chelsea. Having a fully fit Kevin De Bruyne could change the game in its entirety and the midfield pairing of Chelsea will have to be ready for a tough night of stopping the Belgian international. 

Predictions For The Game: 

In my opinion, the game will be a tight and cagey affair with both teams attempting to get the tactical edge in the opening stages of the game. Whoever gets the first goal will be in a supreme position for the remainder of the match. In recent matches, we have had trouble breaking down a low block and I really can’t see this being an issue against an attacking side like Manchester City. Also, in a Champions League final with fans from both teams shouting at the top of their lungs, a boring game is out of the question. Their playing style suits us perfectly as we can exploit them on the counter attack with the pace of Werner. Therefore, I am going with 1-0 to the mighty Chelsea and hopefully the team will bring back a second Champions League to West London.

And finally, Danny New:

Predicted Lineup: 

Mendy; Azpilicueta, Silva, Rudiger; James, Kanté, Jorginho, Chilwell; Mount, Werner; Havertz

Players to watch:

Mason Mount and Phil Foden. Thats a hat trick for the England duo. All eyes on them…

A huge game between the two nouveau-riche of the English game. I hope more than anything that Mason makes his mark on this final in a positive way and leads us to a first UCL since 2012 in Drogba-esque fashion. It’ll need to be a dogged performance like against Bayern 9 years ago, Man City have more quality in their line up so it’ll be up to Tuchel to squeeze every drop of talent from the boys in order to help us win. Watch out for Callum Hudson-Odoi from the bench, there’s a general trend when he’s on the pitch for Chelsea: the attack looks much more cohesive and dangerous!

And that’s it from us boys. We’ve done all we can, now, its time for the Blues to do all they can. We’re on our knees boys. Up the Chels.

Written by @mashgreaves and the Chelsea Spot boys. 

Podcast: Live Stamford Bridge Fan Experience & Chelsea vs Aston Villa Preview!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?

We’re sorry for taking such a long break, but we’re back! In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho), Michael (Writer – @MNazarian10) and Rob (Writer – @CFCRobL) discuss both recent games against Leicester City and Orlando’s experience at the game, and also look ahead to tomorrow’s huge final game of the EPL season against Aston Villa. 

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Podcast: Chelsea 2-0 Real Madrid Review & Man City Preview!

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NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review – The Chelsea Spot Podcast

  1. NOW WE ARE TALKING! | Chelsea 2-0 Dortmund Review
  2. Scared, Potter?
This team is just special…

In another episode of The Chelsea Spot Podcast, Orlando (Host – @0rland1nho), Paree (Owner – @CFCParee) and Mash (Writer – @mashgreaves) discuss the amazing semi-final second leg victory against Real Madrid with goals from Werner and Mount as well as outstanding performances from Mendy and Kante in particular. They also look ahead to Satutday’s “dress rehearsal” against Manchester City…

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Make sure to check us out on all our social media platforms, including our website, Twitter, Instagram, Spotify, ITunes, Amazon Music, Google and Youtube.

Chelsea V Real Madrid: UCL SF Match Preview

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The time has come for Thomas Tuchel’s army to potentially book their ticket to Istanbul, with a chance of facing Manchester City in the Champions League final. All that stands in their way is a fierce Real Madrid side who will not go down without a fight. Chelsea are on the brink of their first Champions League final since 2012, and we all know how that one went… (Cue my tears every time I hear the words “they’ve beaten Bayern in their own backyard”).

But the final is a maximum of 120 minutes away, and before we gasp at the thought of reaching the final, we must not look past tonight’s opponents who will do everything in their power to get back in the final after two years without a sniff. Chelsea’s season has almost reached it’s crescendo, and the opportunity to tip Thomas Tuchel’s first six months in charge off with a bang awaits. Chelsea. Real Madrid. The main event.

Last week in Madrid, Chelsea’s fortunes split the fanbase in half. Some were over the moon with a draw. Others felt like we deserved a lot more from the game. I, myself, felt both, along with every other emotion under the sun, and I’m not sure I’m physically or mentally prepared for this evening, but I will certainly be watching through the gaps in my fingers. Chelsea took the lead thanks to a wonderful goal from Christian Pulisic, who’s close control left Thibaut Courtois scrambling (thanks Christian), but multiple missed chances may have cost us coming out of Madrid in a much better position. Nonetheless, we managed to secure an away goal, meaning if the Blue’s can keep a clean sheet tonight, then we are headed to Istanbul to face a spectacular Manchester City side (who we have beaten once this season).

But as I said, we must not get ahead of ourselves. Karim Benzema’s wonderful effort last week has brought the tie back to square one. Chelsea can’t just play for a 0-0 draw, as the Galacticos will be on the accelerator from the blow of the first whistle. We know what we’re capable of, we know we can do it, but focus must remain on tonight’s game, and tonight’s game only.

Player news and updates:

Thomas Tuchel has revealed that just one Blue will be unavailable for the game, and a bitter sweet one at that, as Mateo Kovacic has been ruled out, following his thigh injury in the game against Porto. Tuchel has stated that the game has come too soon to be able to feature Mateo, which may be a blow to the Pride of London.

Tuchel has, however, announced that Antonio Rudiger should be available to play in a protective mask should he require it, as he nurses a facial injury. This is huge for Chelsea, as Tuchel has completely revived Rudiger’s Chelsea career, and has got the German international playing the football us fans desire from him. Everyone else is available for selection, which could provide Chelsea a huge boost.

In the white corner, Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vasquez are expected to be out, but Marcelo’s recent call up for poll duty in Madrid may leave Los Blanco’s thin on the ground. That is, however, if Ferland Mendy is not at 100%, but the full back is expected to return. Sergio Ramos may also make the side, as his injury is looking to be cleared for the second leg.

Predicted Lineup:

Mendy, Christensen, Silva, Rudiger, James, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount, Pulisic, Havertz.

Kovacic’s absence means the possibility of a Kante and Jorginho midfield two is on the cards. Azpilicueta may start ahead of Reece, but I’m hopeful to see James start, as I believe he can make more of an impact as a wing back. Mount suffered a scare when he left the pitch against Fulham following a harsh landing on his back, but the Player of the Season favourite should be well enough to start the match. I’ve gone with Havertz over Werner as the 21-year-old netted twice against Fulham, which surely puts him in the running for a start.

Players to watch:

N’Golo Kante: NG has time and time again proved the doubters wrong, as the Frenchman continues to improve tirelessly. Kante won the Man of the Match award in the first leg, following an exceptional performance in the middle of the park. I really don’t think there was a blade of grass that man didn’t touch last week. More of that please NG.

Karim Benzema: I couldn’t really go with anyone else, as the Frenchman has been admirable this season. Benzema is quietly going under the radar, which I myself think is absolutely mad, but after his equaliser last week, Benzema will be hungry to grab another this evening.

One more step boys, that’s all it is. A jaw dropping fixture awaits us this evening, lets hope our Blues can get the job done.

Written by @mashgreaves