Chelsea - FA Cup SF | Pre-Match Thread

Result Prediction

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Hoping the lads can get up for this but it might be one game too many, hopefully not.

--------------Steffan
Walker---Dias----Laporte---Cancelo
-------------Fernandinho
------De Bruyne-----Bernardo
Foden----------Jesus---------Sterling

If we somehow get a comfortable lead get KDB, Bernardo and Foden off ASAP. Last thing we need is extra time.

People are going to hate me saying this but we can rotate more vs Villa.
 
MAG said:
View attachment 14200
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FA Cup Rules

A quick reminder once again to this year's "updated" cup rules ... and so just like previous rounds, everything is in one place relating to this tie.

VAR
In the earlier rounds of the cup, only the ties played at PL grounds had the use of VAR while others played at lower league grounds didn't ... but Quarter Final on ALL ties have had VAR and so will this one (see the Refereeing Team above - Peter Bankes and Stephen Child are on VAR duties).

Substitutes
The total subs allowed in the FA Cup games this season are FIVE and the no. to named on the bench have also increased from SEVEN to NINE in total. But only THREE slots during the game can be used to make these subs, other than when it's a natural stoppage (the half-time).

Concussion Subs
Should any player or players suffer from concussion during the game, than TWO extra concussion subs are allowed per side. That's in addition to the normal FIVE allowed and irrespective of what time in the game they're used (so don't count towards the three slots available for each team).

Drawn Semi Final
In case of a draw, the game will go to EXTRA-TIME (when a SIXTH sub is allowed as well) and then on to PENALTIES, so an eventual winner will be decided on the day ... to see who proceeds to the Final.

Player Suspensions
We do have three players on one YELLOW card each in this competition ... Walker, Laporte and Fernandinho ... but not to worry, the cut-off point for any suspensions was the Quarter Finals stage in this competition so now only a RED (either straight, or by adding two Yellows) in this tie would mean the player misses the Final.
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Advantage: Chelsea

Well, as far as the scheduling of this is concerned, there is a slight advantage that Chelsea has ...

Like us they have played the second leg of their Champions League Quarter Final in the mid-week prior to this Semi Final but their second leg was at home (vs. ours being away). Okay, their home leg was physically played away in Seville, Spain as well ... but still having two away goals from the first leg themselves they didn't have to worry much about their opponents in that sense. Also, while their tie was certainly more straight-forward than ours, they also played yesterday (on Tuesday) and that whole extra day for rest and recovery at this stage is crucial ... and surely a little advantageous over our travels and a whole 24 hours less to recover.


Here are the games before and after this Semi Final for both clubs:

Chelsea
Tue 13 Apr - 8:00pm - Porto (H) - CL QF - (Seville)
Sat 17 Apr - 5:30pm - City (N) - FA Cup SF
Tue 20 Apr - 8:00pm - Brighton (H) - PL

Manchester City
Wed 14 Apr - 8:00pm - Dortmund (A) - CL QF
Sat 17 Apr - 5:30pm - Chelsea (N) - FA Cup SF
Wed 21 Apr - 8:15pm - Aston Villa (A) - PL


The game after for them comes a day quicker and you'd think we have a little respite at that end but no, that Villa game for us will require a lot of rotation (yes, exactly like that Leeds one on the weekend) because of the two big ones that follow it ... Spurs in the Carabao Cup Final and the first leg (away) of the Champions League Semi Final against PSG.


The Other Semi Final and the Final

The second semi-final is between Brandon Rodger's Leicester City and Ralph Hasenhüttl's Southampton a day later. Anyone wanting to catch that one can do so on BT Sport; their kick-off is at 6:30pm on Sunday 18th April 2021.

The Final then is scheduled on Saturday 15th May 2021, when our penultimate Premier League game away to Brighton & Hove Albion is currently scheduled but that'd move to the mid-week before or after (depending on how Premier League schedules the last two gameweeks of the season as those discussions are ongoing re: letting some fans back in). Basically there will be no "scheduling issue" should we reach the Final, as there will be a mid-week slot available for the re-scheduled Premier League game.
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A New Opposition

Thomas Tuchel's arrival and his taking control of the slump they were in has kind of shown up Frank Lampard's managerial credentials big time. We all knew Chelsea had spent big and collected the crème de la crème of upcoming talent across Europe in the last transfer window in Werner, Havertz, Ziyech, Chilwell, Sarr, Silva and Mendy to name some. Add them to the young talent they already had in Mount, Abraham, Pulisic and Hudson-Odoi ... and not to forget the proven talent and experience of the likes of Alonso, Azpilicueta, Giroud and Kante and their squad was readymade for at least the top-four finish this season. I'd even go as far to say I consider them to be our main title rivals next season.

The managerial change that Chelsea is never shy of making has worked for them yet again. Bar the debacle against West Brom a couple of weekends ago, which was their only defeat under Tuchel, they have found a new solid defensive base to build on. They have just made it to the Champions League semi-finals (where they'll face a rather average looking Real Madrid), are one of the favourites to make it to the top-four in the league and are also in the FA Cup Semi Final (this weekend obviously) ... despite a very average up and down first half of the season which eventually caused even Frank Lampard to be sacked, who obviously got a lot more leeway than any other Chelsea manager in such position got in the past.

Other than the managerial change which brought a more experienced manager at helm and with it a little of that new manager bounce ... luck of the draws has also been with them in their FA Cup run this year. While we have reached the Semi Finals beating Birmingham City (of Championship) at home, Cheltenham Town (of League 2) away, Swansea City (of Championship) away and then Everton (of Premier League) away as well ... they have only had to overcome Morecambe (of League 2) at home, Luton Town (of Championship) at home, Barnsley (of Championship) away and finally Sheffield United (who have been rooted at the bottom of the Premier League for most of the season) at home again.

I guess their luck ran out eventually as they could have drawn Southampton or Leicester City in this Semi Final but got us instead. I can't recall any knock-out tie in recent years, actually even in the whole of the last decade where we aren't the favourites (rightly or wrongly) going in. Hell, we even start the season favourites for each and every competition outright let alone a single tie in a cup and this game is no different.
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Pre-Match Thoughts

As always, I am drafting this pre-match thread before the previous game (which in this case is tonight's second leg against Dortmund) ... so I can post it straight after that game finishes and those wanting to debate the next game can get straight into it ... Usually I can get away with using some generics but this time given the magnitude of the Dortmund game it is kind of impossible to do so ... so as long as you remember, these are my pre-semi final (of the FA Cup) thoughts and not necessarily post-quarter final (of the CL) thoughts ...

Scratch that ... now that I am actually putting my thoughts down, there's just one at the forefront and that will remain valid whatever the result of the Dortmund game is later this evening ... and that is this next knockout tie requires us to quickly re-focus. We can come though the Dortmund tie and find ourselves in the Semi Finals of the CL for the first time under Pep ... or we can go out yet again at the QF stage in that tournament. Both extreme emotional outcomes are possible ... extreme euphoria or extreme disappointment, but neither of those help with what lies ahead ... and the only thing to do post-Dortmund would be to re-focus quickly ... whatever end of that emotional spectrum we find ourselves at.

We don't have a lot of turnaround time with this tie being two and a half days away. I guess we will be travelling back to Manchester tomorrow (on Thursday), and that'd be the recovery day ... we would possibly have some light training on Friday and a tactical meeting of sorts ... and then we travel down to London on Saturday morning itself for the game ... or might even find that the squad travels again on Friday evening itself.

So focusing solely ahead on Chelsea, I pulled up the domestic form table for last four games of all teams, then went a little further back and checked last six games, then eight and eventually looked up the form over last ten games (see the table below) ... and every single one of them puts Chelsea right towards the top ... which only re-confirms what I have already mentioned re: their new found form under their new manager.



View attachment 14201



Yes, they'd be a fierce competitor and we couldn't have drawn a stronger opponent in the Semi Finals but our record against them is pretty decent over the last five years. Here are our last ten games (in all competitions) against Chelsea.



View attachment 14202



Oddly enough, we don't seem to do draws against them which one would have thought are a fair few between the top teams when they are up against each other ... but this only bodes well for us. We have won seven of the last ten against them (in all competitions) but what interests me is a pattern where after every loss against them we seem to go and win three in a row ... so if that trend continues, our next two wins against them are this FA Cup Semi Final ... and then perhaps a possible Champions League Final?
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Match Prediction

Chelsea 1 - 3 Manchester City

Total trust in Pep and the boys ... c'mon City!
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Hey Mag,
Your pre match blogs are simply outstanding. I am sure like many other Bluemooners I find myself looking for your pre match write ups every game now. I hope everyone really appreciates your hard work.
Once again we’ll done sir.
 
.................................Steffen

Walker.................Dias..............Laporte.............Cancelo

.................................Fern

.........................Bernardo..........Gundogan

Sterling..........................................................Torres

................................Jesus

We'll need Bernardo and Gundogan against Villa, but not many choices in those positions.
 
Fair possibility that this could be the first of three season defining matches against Chelsea. I think we're better than them but Saturday is going to be tough after tonight's efforts
 
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