Matchday thread for the Champions League match vs Napoli at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

PSG 13 points GD +10

Newcastle 13 points GD +10

Chelsea 13 Points GD +6

Barcelona 13 points GD +5

Sporting Lisbon 13 points GD +5

Man City 13 points GD +4

Atletico Madrid 13 points GD +3

Atalanta 13 points GD +1

If we beat Napoli it, for sure, will not be by enough goals to overtake PSG or Newcastle if one of them wins game day week 8 (they face each other). However that does mean we win we at least finish ahead of one of them, both if they draw.

However the great concern are the quartet of City, Atletico, Sporting and Barca.

Barcelona are home to FC Copenhagen, so that is likely a very handsome with so there goes 1 spot to them.

Atletico are at home to Bodo/Glimt so they may well make up that 3 in goal difference.

Man City host Galatasaray so it depends if they show up.

Sporting Lisbon are away to Atletic Bilbao. They are a threat.

And this is IF we can beat Napoli.

Napoli at home in a do or die game for them, atmosphere will be electric, their league form has been a bit sketchy but even at their worst, they tend to come away with something. Lukaku back from injury.

Do-or-die game against Napoli?

We'll be fine

12 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Do-or-die game against Napoli?

We'll be fine

Weve done it before....

5 hours ago, dkw said:

We've done it before....

We actually lined up in a 4-2-3-1 in that game

Then and now :

Essien vs Caicedo is probably a 50/50 call, but with the other 10 players I'd take the 2011/12 player every time

It does kind of highlight the hand cuffs that our current day managers have to work with LOL. Shades of Jose and his eggs and omelettes ...

35 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

We actually lined up in a 4-2-3-1 in that game

Then and now :

Essien vs Caicedo is probably a 50/50 call, but with the other 10 players I'd take the 2011/12 player every time

It does kind of highlight the hand cuffs that our current day managers have to work with LOL. Shades of Jose and his eggs and omelettes ...

If it were James or Brana that would be a mighty close 50/50 imo.

Essien or Caicedo? One day perhaps that is close. As of right now based on how Moi is as a player vs who Essien was I'd go Essien every time.

Neres’ injury will certainly help. He’s had a great season.

2 hours ago, axman2526 said:

If it were James or Brana that would be a mighty close 50/50 imo.

Essien or Caicedo? One day perhaps that is close. As of right now based on how Moi is as a player vs who Essien was I'd go Essien every time.

2012 Essien was not a patch on the version we had before his injury. That being said, looking at the lineup from 2012 is a reminder of how far we have regressed since then, and especially the last few years.

Drogba and Cech would be enough. The others can have a medical timeout.

Well then. A win may well not be enough but anything less and it is the playoffs for us for sure.

Napoli need a win to even make the play offs so could set up an elimination game against us by beating us.

Needs to be the Santos and Caicedo pivot. Better Enzo is a 10 than playing deep imo. Rest well is a cr@p shoot picking the attackers, bar Estevao. Joao Pedro the best of a bad bunch up top and Garnacho as a sub MIGHT offer something he certainly won't as a starter.

Would sooner Gittens that Neto, which says a lot about him. Actually would rather the kid we nabbed off Palace than aby of our 3. Though Neto will be picked for his defensive work rate and press, even though he does f all with the ball.

Play Josh!

Sanchez

James

Acheampong

Chalobah

Cucurella

Caicedo

Santos

Estevao

Enzo

Gittens

Joao Pedro

Convincing defeat to Juve today, their massive injury list is really costing them, Conte f**ked them up in pre-season, Anguissa is a HUGE miss in central midfield, their main keeper Savic is out, Gilmour, and probably player of the season Neves out injured. This is without mentioning KDB and Politano.

Had my doubts about this one, but they are properly down in the dumps at the minute.

3 hours ago, Term_X said:

Convincing defeat to Juve today, their massive injury list is really costing them, Conte f**ked them up in pre-season, Anguissa is a HUGE miss in central midfield, their main keeper Savic is out, Gilmour, and probably player of the season Neves out injured. This is without mentioning KDB and Politano.

Had my doubts about this one, but they are properly down in the dumps at the minute.

Still got McTomm and Hojlund though.

43 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Still got McTomm and Hojlund though.

. . and Big old Romelu Lukaku

They are a mess at the moment. Tons if injured players, Conte on his way out, the atmosphere is toxic.

Just don't f**k around and get the job done.

9 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

Tons if injured players, Conte on his way out, the atmosphere is toxic.

Sounds awfully familiar

9 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

. . and Big old Romelu Lukaku

Came off the bench, back from injury, with about 10 minutes left. Flubbed a tap in from about 6 yards out, barely got his foot on it.

Juve took them apart. As noted above, they're injury-ridden, Hojlund is as big a waste of space as he was in the PL, and they're having to rely on McTominay for everything. And Conte is melting down.

Speaking of Juve, are we still linked with Yildiz? Destroyed Napoli at LW...

Probably have to give this game a miss as I am currently sat in A&E waiting to be admitted after a mild heart attack at some point in the last 36 hours !!! Not quite the start for 2026 that I had in mind ! 😎

24 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Probably have to give this game a miss as I am currently sat in A&E waiting to be admitted after a mild heart attack at some point in the last 36 hours !!! Not quite the start for 2026 that I had in mind ! 😎

Jesus mate, thoughts and strength with you! Did you have pains or something, how did you know?

No doubt they’ll be advising on lifestyle changes, so make sure you leave out that you watch Chelsea as they’ll for sure tell you to quit that for health reasons!

12 minutes ago, Mod said:

Jesus mate, thoughts and strength with you! Did you have pains or something, how did you know?

No doubt they’ll be advising on lifestyle changes, so make sure you leave out that you watch Chelsea as they’ll for sure tell you to quit that for health reasons!

Was in cinema and both arms went numb for a couple of minutes plus some chest tightening and light headedness. Just thought I'd been sat still for too long. Then next day my BP and resting pulse (both normally pretty low) went through the roof ! So off to A&E I went ... been here since 5pm.

Have been admitted after lots of tests and currently awaiting a bed !

Edited January 28Jan 28 by Sexyfootball

Match Day!

Come On Chelsea!!

Got a mate out there (more a friend of a friend type) just messages to say 2 Chelsea lads been stabbed. He was in a bar last night and a load of Napoli vermin charged in kicking the sh*t out of everyone, luckily no weapons. Sounds like the usual sh*te in Italy, though no doubt our lot will get blamed as usual.

3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Was in cinema and both arms went numb for a couple of minutes plus some chest tightening and light headedness. Just thought I'd been sat still for too long. Then next day my BP and resting pulse (both normally pretty low) went through the roof ! So off to A&E I went ... been here since 5pm.

Have been admitted after lots of tests and currently awaiting a bed !

Sorry to hear that mate, hope there are no long-term consequences.

3 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Was in cinema and both arms went numb for a couple of minutes plus some chest tightening and light headedness. Just thought I'd been sat still for too long. Then next day my BP and resting pulse (both normally pretty low) went through the roof ! So off to A&E I went ... been here since 5pm.

Have been admitted after lots of tests and currently awaiting a bed !

Feckin hell hope you are ok mat