Hessleboink

Thoroughly depressing news. Will probably give up on football if it comes to pass. The only positive I can draw is that the majority of fans from all clubs touted feel the same way.

Madrid's fixtures since 01/03 -- Played: 9 Won: 6 Drawn: 3 Lost: 0 GF: 17 GA: 7 Clean sheets: 2 Chelsea fixtures since 01/03 -- Played: 9 Won: 6 Drawn: 1 Lost: 2 GF: 15 GA: 7 Clean sheets: 6 At a glance, we're better definitely (minus the West Brom debacle), but less potent in attack. The standard of opposition faced over this period seems of a similar quality, at a push I'd say ours was tougher. So I think based on current form this is 50/50. I don't see either team scoring many goals across both legs. I think if we can get a score draw over there in the first leg, then progress in a nail biter at the bridge!

I think we've got a decent chance here. I'd say 60/40 in their favour. We're better defensively than we've been in years, and I think we keep possession better than we have since Sarri was here. I think they'll shade possession (not by much), and we'll beat their press in a way we haven't managed in a long time. I know we're wasteful up top, but I think overall we look better than we have in years. City have no Aguerro, and we play with 3 CBs that are very physical and decent in the air, so I don't think they'll create as many clear cut chances as they usually do. We also have two pacey/strong full backs who are very good at stopping crossed into the box. If Pulisic can get Walker booked nice and early, think we could do them on the counter. 2-1 Chelsea. Here's a thought... could we see Reece James dropping into CM? I think Jorginho and Gilmour could be too lightweight. Would be interesting to see: Zouma, Silva, Rudiger Azpi, Reece, Jorginho, Chillwell Ziyech, Mount, Werner Very defensive, but I don't think we're in a good position to make changes that are overly offensive.

Haha. He's an absolute tit. Near the end of the game he mentioned "big international friendlies" on the horizon for Mount, which got a tongue-in-cheek response of "San Marino". Being the tiny-cocked man-child that is he, he gave a grave "well, they're all big games when you're fighting for you place in the squad". No, mate -- Jesse Lingard is in the squad for a reason, please do us all favour and stop making sounds.

Good shout! J. Lindz goal now, plus a screamer from Xhaka and you're in the money!

Keown is such an insufferable twat. Most of the other annoying ones I can at least zone out to, but his voice has such an annoying quality to it, and he chats such extreme levels of sh*t that it's almost impossible to ignore. If you got cornered with the guy at a party you'd start drinking yourself into oblivion.

Really don't like Chillwell at wingback. Giroud seems a bit too slow for this system, too. Preferred forward line looks like Mount, Havertz, Werner at the moment. Maybe with Ziyech behind those 3.

There ya go guys haha! Gilmour is in!

Hadn't crossed my mind until I saw his name in one of the comments above. Now that it has, and the possibility us reaching the Champions League final in a long old while seems a realistic possibility, does anyone else wish Hazard could've gotten there with us, or with this team even? I think we all universally loved him, and i'd have liked to have seen him get the chance to have a big big final with us. Anyway, a bit of a deviation from the topic!

This is a fair comment. I haven't seen them play much. These games are often tight though, and having two world class finishers makes them favourites in my eyes.

Is the semi-final over two legs or just one this year? Tuchel said only 4 games left? Anyway, on current form I'd say we're favourites to reach the final, then would be big underdogs against any of City, PSG, Bayern? Will be interesting to see how we get on at the Etihad between now and then.

He goes down like a sack of sh*t, but I think given Azpi's behind him, and it's motivated by his own mistake, it looks like a deliberate attempt to impede, so we're lucky it didn't go to VAR. It's very funny though -- I hate these diving c**ts. I'd like to see some niggly fouls in Suarez go unpunished now.

I was just about to make a joke about Ziyech needing a stadium roof to get the best out of him, then he scored. Lovely stuff!

Agreed - he's been absolutely quality since Tuchel came in. Also willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on the Lampard situation, so very happy to have him in the team at the moment. One of the first names on the team sheet.

Hmm. Too sleepy to be nervous. Zouma is a worry, then again, he should be able to completely dominate Suarez physically. Hopefully Ziyech will be able to find a bit more space in this game and do some damage. Havertz to score. Think this could be a nervy 1-1! C'mon Chels!

He was excellent. Looks like he might be the most natural finisher out of all of our attackers, too. I actually think he was exactly what we've been missing recently -- someone big in middle who can keep hold of the ball, but also has the pace to stretch the defence. When you see him play like that, is seems bizarre to try and play him as a number 8. He looks like a Striker -- one that's very, very good on the ball.

I like the look of that team. Mount needed a rest eventually, and I think this might be a game that suits Havertz. Everton are quite physical and not the quickest, right? I think we'll see him dropping deep as a false 9. With Odoi and Werner stretching the defence with pace, hopefully he finds the space he wasn't able to under Lampard (this isn't some veiled dig, I just mean a new tactical set up).

Suarez is the only player in the world that can be elbowed in the teeth several yard outside of the box and win a penalty.

If we win tomorrow , we'll go 4th -- 4 points off of second. If this happens (which I think it will), 2nd surely has to become our target for the season? A Newcastle drubbing tomorrow would be lovely! EDIT: agree with you chaps above!

Think today will be the day Werner gets the monkey off of his back. It'll be a two-pronged attack with Giroud ferrying Werner about for added height on crosses.

I suppose this influx of influenza has greatly influenced the instinct to inebriate!

I think we'll get top 4. Liverpool and City will continue to pull away, Everton, West Ham and Villa will slowly drop off, Utd and Leicester to be inconsistent. I think we'll beat Spurs on Thursday and go on a good unbeaten run. I'm saying by the time we play (and beat) Everton on 06/03, we'll be in the top 4. EDIT: Leicester's last 3 games are Utd away, Chelsea Away, Spurs at home. Think they'll definitely bottle top 4 again.

Spurs LB/LWB is much better than Doherty/Aurier (who apparently had a falling out with Mourinho), so I reckon we'll swap Hudson-Odoi over the LWB and bring in Reece. I think we should stick with Jorginho, Kovacic, Mount -- this combination plus Reece should be enough. I'd like to see Havertz start too.

Obviously needs to work on his shooting, but I actually think he's waster deeper. His movement is world class, he keeps possession really well in tight areas, and he moves the ball quickly. We've now seen Havertz, Ziyech, Mount, Werner and Pulisic in the number 10 position under Tuchel, and Mount has been head and shoulders above the rest. I would like to see Havertz and Mount playing there together, or possibly even Pulisic, Havertz, and Mount. No one has excelled as the number 9 yet.

End of the season for me. A lot of the players have been poor this season, let's see how they work under a new manager (this is no dig at Lampard who, like the rest of us, I love).