very hard to win and we are the only english club to win it in how many years? i can not understand how belittled it has become 

It's belittled because it has so many miniscule teams in it. If it was a cup format, like the old UEFA Cup, then the bigger teams would progress quickly and you would see far more quality matches. In its current format, we would have to play 345224 matches before we play a team anyone this side of Russia has even heard of. Not to mention it affects league form with long haul matches on thursday nights allowing minimal rest and recovery time. Knowing the Premier League as I do, you can bet your bottom dollar that our furthest away matches will be followed by an early kick off on a sunday against title opposition... 

i really hope we beat psg. 

We go in if we win the FA Cup and I know we all want that to happen.

If we don't I'd rather miss out on Europe altogether for a season. So difficult juggling Thursday night football with weekend games.

Two missed CL seasons on the bounce would be extremely bad news financially. Unfortunately that is football these days.

Two points:

 

Is there any evidence which suggests that late-term Europa League participation has a detrimental effect on league form or is it just assumed? I vaguely remember reading a BBC article recently which suggested that statistically it can go either way.

 

Also, as much as I like the idea of blooding the youth in the Europa League (and thus deciding not to loan out many of them), we'd be screwing them out of playing time in the [not that unlikely] event that we get eliminated early. I would certainly approve of playing a few youngsters (RLC, Rahman, Kenedy, Traoré, maybe one of the centre backs) and rotating in some squad players (Begovic, Rémy and Pato if they are still here) but not to the extent that some are suggesting.

Not sure we'll make top 4 four but in the last 6 games we've gained 4 point on United and 7 on City and Arsenal, so you never know. 

wouldn't it be the sweetest coming with a late run ever !!

In order to make top 4 not only would the current top 4 have to falter, so would every single team between 5 and 11. (Everton in 11 has only played 27 games.)

Mathematically possible? Yes. But I will be furious if, in pursuit of this miniscule chance, we forgo the opportunity to give the youngsters more experience.

We are not too good to turn our noses up at any trophy...with more signings in summer and more faith in youngsters, we can easily copy with schedule...I live trips to Europe and enjoyed 2013 too, plus it's another route back into CL...yes it's a poor man's champions league, but rather that than nothing at all

The first year I followed Chelsea was the year we won the Europa League. Sure, it wasn't as big as I would have imagined winning the Champions' League and FA Cup would be, but I was incapable of sitting still during the match nonetheless. If we win it again, I'd be just as thrilled.

if we do qualify....when do we start?

The first year I followed Chelsea was the year we won the Europa League. Sure, it wasn't as big as I would have imagined winning the Champions' League and FA Cup would be, but I was incapable of sitting still during the match nonetheless. If we win it again, I'd be just as thrilled.

Agreed, I remember when we went in to it a Gooner mate of mine at work laughed. I said watch us go win the EL whilst you win nothing. Fair play to him he congratulated me when we won it. I was actually glad we had a chance to win that trophy and if we're in it again, I hope we do again.

It has potential to be a better competition than the Champions league. If they did away with the sh*t group stage and made it straight knock out then it would be class.

There are some amazing teams in the EL with some of Europe's most exciting young talent. The guardian did an article on it a while back which I'll try to dig out, basically stating that the quality of matches is often better in the EL than it is in the CL

I'm personally totally disillusioned with the Champions league. I hate the competition, the barca / real / bayern cabal and the dated group stage format which nobody really gives a sh*t about. People barely care anymore until the semi finals - BT sports viewing figures are indicative of that... absolutely shocking. This article is worth a read. "Dismal" viewing figures. It's a crap, over rated competition and is only good for the money it brings into the club. Other than that it's sh*te. Hate it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/competitions/champions-league/12151245/BT-Sports-dismal-Champions-League-viewing-figures-raise-concerns-at-Uefa.html

Edited March 4, 201610 yr by CFC_RFC_TID!

Do I have a league for you!

 

How about a

 Super League

Edited March 4, 201610 yr by TheChelseaBlues

I have to admit i love it when we win any trophy,im not fussy.Bit drawn out but still a nice one to win imo.

I enjoyed the Europa League win, there were some good games along the way, some good goals, remember Eden's late winner, brilliant goal, ivanovic's late winner in the final and Cahill's brilliant goal denying tackle. I can't say I'm fussed about us playing in it, I believe too much is made of how it causes fatigue, or how it doesn't matter, I like to think Chelsea are different, we want to win any trophy, we don't belittle competitions like Arsenal do etc..I heard one of the guys on the podcast say we want to avoid it or play the kids, I'm sorry I just shook my head.

Edited March 4, 201610 yr by Floyd25

how many matches we have left?

City: 47

Chelsea: 39

That's only 8 points

If United and West Ham lose 2 next matches and we will win them, we will jump ahead of them. The thing is we need just keep wining.

a nice thought but the reality is that there are too many teams between us and 4th and unless they all go in the tank at once it will be very difficult.  Probably will end up 6th or 7th I reckon, unfortunately we dropped too many points at the start of this unbeaten streak. Should have beat Watford on two occasions for a starters so that's 4 more than what we have now, and even on our worse day we should never have got beat by Bournemouth, Jose or no Jose. So I reckon if we had even 7 points more and be where West Ham are we would stand a good chance...I hope I am wrong, but I just think it's too bigger gap.

To see where we could possibly finish under some hypothetical situations lets see what the mathematically implications would be for the teams above us and what they would need to achieve to match these hypothetical totals.

For reference:
Chelsea have a season total of 1.4 points per game (ppg) and have been performing at a rate of 2 ppg since Jose's sacking.
Leicester have a current total of 2.03ppg and last season we averaged 2.29ppg. So this is very decent form.

I will also be assuming quite loosely that for the teams above us these point totals are:
Less than 1ppg is almost 100% likely.
1-1.3ppg is around 85% likely 
1.3-1.5ppg is 70% likely
1.5-1.7ppg is 50% likely
1.7-2ppg is only 35% likely
2ppg or higher is very unlikely
 

So what happens if we continue this run:
We will gain another 21 points leaving us on a total of 59 points.
What would the teams above us need to reach this landmark:
Leicester 0.2ppg, Spurs 0.5ppg, Arsenal 0.8ppg, City  1ppg, United 1.2ppg, West Ham 1.3ppg, Stoke 1.7ppg, Liverpool 1.6ppg.

From I would judge if we carried on a run of 2ppg we should be well short of a top 4 place, I would also suggest that with this run even 5 or 6 would be tricky to achieve.
 
We have a great run: 
I'd say an average of 2.5 points per game would constitute a great run to the finish of the season. That gives us an extra 25 points and leaves us 64 points.
To reach this target the teams above us would need to average;
Leicester 0.7ppg, Spurs 1 ppg, Arsenal 1.3 ppg, City 1.55 ppg, United 1.7ppg, West ham 1.8ppg, Stoke 2.2ppg, Liverpool 2.1ppg.
So top 4 still seems very unlikely but a lot less impossible and a 5 or 6 spot would likely be ours.

What about a perfect finish where would that leave us:
30 points leaves us on 69 points,
Leicester 1.2ppg, Spurs 1.5ppg, Arsenal 1.8ppg, City 2ppg, United 2.2ppg,  
If this were to happen I think we would manage top 4 I also think it will be in touching distance of the champions which considering last season we managed 87 points really puts into perspective this season unpredictability.

Edited March 5, 201610 yr by PedroMendez

That made my head hurt.

Connection issues

Edited March 5, 201610 yr by lesblues

To see where we could possibly finish under some hypothetical situations lets see what the mathematically implications would be for the teams above us and what they would need to achieve to match these hypothetical totals.

For reference:

Chelsea have a season total of 1.4 points per game (ppg) and have been performing at a rate of 2 ppg since Jose's sacking.

Leicester have a current total of 2.03ppg and last season we averaged 2.29ppg. So this is very decent form.

I will also be assuming quite loosely that for the teams above us these point totals are:

Less than 1ppg is almost 100% likely.

1-1.3ppg is around 85% likely

1.3-1.5ppg is 70% likely

1.5-1.7ppg is 50% likely

1.7-2ppg is only 35% likely

2ppg or higher is very unlikely

So what happens if we continue this run:

We will gain another 21 points leaving us on a total of 59 points.

What would the teams above us need to reach this landmark:

Leicester 0.2ppg, Spurs 0.5ppg, Arsenal 0.8ppg, City 1ppg, United 1.2ppg, West Ham 1.3ppg, Stoke 1.7ppg, Liverpool 1.6ppg.

From I would judge if we carried on a run of 2ppg we should be well short of a top 4 place, I would also suggest that with this run even 5 or 6 would be tricky to achieve.

We have a great run:

I'd say an average of 2.5 points per game would constitute a great run to the finish of the season. That gives us an extra 25 points and leaves us 64 points.

To reach this target the teams above us would need to average;

Leicester 0.7ppg, Spurs 1 ppg, Arsenal 1.3 ppg, City 1.55 ppg, United 1.7ppg, West ham 1.8ppg, Stoke 2.2ppg, Liverpool 2.1ppg.

So top 4 still seems very unlikely but a lot less impossible and a 5 or 6 spot would likely be ours.

What about a perfect finish where would that leave us:

30 points leaves us on 69 points,

Leicester 1.2ppg, Spurs 1.5ppg, Arsenal 1.8ppg, City 2ppg, United 2.2ppg,

If this were to happen I think we would manage top 4 I also think it will be in touching distance of the champions which considering last season we managed 87 points really puts into perspective this season unpredictability.

Nice analysis once again PM. Minute miscalculation, we should have 60pts instead of 59 if 21pts is added to our present total.

Nice analysis once again PM. Minute miscalculation, we should have 60pts instead of 59 if 21pts is added to our present total.

It is suppose to be 59 as we would get 20 points if we are to continue at 2ppg, sorry for any confusion I had originally put our form 2.1 points per game, but realised this was wrong and therefore had to change the points tally and must have missed changing the 21 to 20. It's a shame I can't change it now.

Either way running the numbers has dampened my optimism of finishing much higher up the table (top 4), it really is going to take some miraculous form as well as other teams having to falter. One tough ask. 

Edited March 5, 201610 yr by PedroMendez

It is suppose to be 59 as we would get 20 points if we are to continue at 2ppg, sorry for any confusion I had originally put our form 2.1 points per game, but realised this was wrong and therefore had to change the points tally and must have missed changing the 21 to 20. It's a shame I can't change it now.

Either way running the numbers has dampened my optimism of finishing much higher up the table (top 4), it really is going to take some miraculous form as well as other teams having to falter. One tough ask.

no problems. yea, thinking same as I think 59 points is a tad low to get us a European spot but as you suggested you never know with teams around us. Still think winning the FA cup will be a light shed on a rather dark season. Nice post once again.

Well there's no danger of us getting a Europa League spot now.

Without doubt this sesson has been an embarrassment, to go from been Premier League Champions to where we are now is just seriously pathetic. I know no team has a right to anything but you really shouldn't drop this far after doing a double the season before.

What an awful season, this must be how it feels to support the likes of Stoke, finishing mid table every season with bugger all to play for.

We have to be grateful for how successful we've been, easy to take it for granted!

I am happy to skip the Europa league though, less games, clean run at finishing as high up that table as possible.

Reminds me of being a kid again, that 'maybe next season, we'll win something' feeling used to kick in around Feb/ March. I was just happy with a victory over Liverpool when we were in division 1. Just to shut the other kids up for a few days.