Chelsea - FA Cup SF | Pre-Match Thread

[Mike N]

This is the least important game. An F.A. Cup semi-final is the least important game! Wow, how far we’ve come.

 

[lionheart]

... They have an extra day of rest and have had no travel at all...

Chelsea played both QF legs in Seville, which is further than Dortmund I suspect.

 

[WesthoughtonJohn]

A lot of shouts for Steffan to play.

Why would we not play our outstanding No 1 goalkeeper at the business end of the season?

There are trophies to be won, this isn’t SoccerAid.

Because he's our Cup keeper, don't see that changing at this stage.
Oh and I of course missed - he's a decent keeper too, who hasn't let us down

 

[chesterbells]

Interesting game. I have wanted to see how this team fares against City in a game that matters. Every big team we've beaten since Tuchel has come in has had it's caveats surrounding it - Liverpool and Atletico Madrid's seasons were both spiralling out of control. Spurs were too scared to play, Everton were missing some guy. None of those wins got the credit I think they deserved, but I think beating an in form City team, who most consider the best team in Europe this season, would go a long way to solidify Tuchel's ability and the team's potential under a tactically astute manager.

Hoping for a good game, and for a bit of revenge for that unexpecting thrashing at the Bridge earlier in the season :)

I will generally favour Chelsea in matches against Arsenal and spurs, so not unhappy to see them doing well - but I’m not sure that January result was exactly ‘unexpected’ ;-)

 

[Vialli98]

I will generally favour Chelsea in matches against Arsenal and spurs, so not unhappy to see them doing well - but I’m not sure that January result was exactly ‘unexpected’ ;-)

I actually forgot we got the consolation goal near the end. I wrote that thinking we lost the game 3-0, which was, for me, rather unexpected. I came into the season feeling like we would be a lot closer to the top 2 from last season. City do tend to be too good for us on most occasions, even when we're pretty good ourselves.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Chelsea played both QF legs in Seville, which is further than Dortmund I suspect.

I didn’t realise that, at least that levels out the factors contributing to tiredness a bit :)

 

[DMA's]

I actually forgot we got the consolation goal near the end. I wrote that thinking we lost the game 3-0, which was, for me, rather unexpected. I came into the season feeling like we would be a lot closer to the top 2 from last season. City do tend to be too good for us on most occasions, even when we're pretty good ourselves.

How could you forget. Tyler was proudly shouting ‘chelsea have won the second half’

 

[MarsLlama]

A lot of shouts for Steffan to play.

Why would we not play our outstanding No 1 goalkeeper at the business end of the season?

There are trophies to be won, this isn’t SoccerAid.

Very short memory if you think playing 2nd choice goalkeeper in the Cup isn't something that almost all European clubs do and have done for a very, very long time.

 

[supercity88]

A couple of losses for them now. They got the job done against Porto but they did lose. Overall they've been in good form but they don't play great football still. Defensively they can be got at and offensively they are very reliant on Mount therefore we just need to keep him quiet.

They have the memory of the final loss last season and will want to go one better. But I think we'll be more driven to right the wrong from last year, where we really should have beaten Arsenal, and knock Chelsea out.

Leicester are creaking a little but will be really keen to get to the final. Southampton have little else to play for other than survival (and they should be fine still). I think it will be a Southampton v City final!

 

[Inter Me Nan]

Kovacic will be a big miss for us. The energy and pace he plays with is in a different stratosphere to Jorginho, even though Jorginho brings other qualities to the table, I worry about being overrun in midfield.

Is Kovacic injured or suspended?