I was watching the City v Palace game last night and, out of nowhere they were cutting through Palace's defence to score. If they are on tune on Saturday, we're going to be battered. I just hope that Pep decides to be too clever but, even in that case, we've got no creative or quality up front except for Palmer, who is not on tune this season. I just can't see us winning the Cup, the difference in quality of players, coach, tactics, is just too big.

32 minutes ago, RMH said:

I was watching the City v Palace game last night and, out of nowhere they were cutting through Palace's defence to score. If they are on tune on Saturday, we're going to be battered. I just hope that Pep decides to be too clever but, even in that case, we've got no creative or quality up front except for Palmer, who is not on tune this season. I just can't see us winning the Cup, the difference in quality of players, coach, tactics, is just too big.

Our masterplan should be leaving out anyone with a prior Man City affiliation (Palmer and Tosin can sit next to each other behind the bench). This would also include 85% of the coaching staff so we need a backup plan for that. Robbie D is busy and apparently exhuming Tommy Doc is 'unethical' and 'disgusting' so it will be a Cudicini/Willie Isa dream team leading us on the touchline.

Step two of the masterplan is to start as many Cobham graduates as we can get our hands on. Unfortunately most of the ones we haven't already flogged for peanuts are centre-backs so we will be going for a classic balls-to-the-wall 19% possession Chelsea FC smash-and-grab victory á la 2012.

Step three is to play Cucurella in a free role in a vaguely forward position. Not because it's clever or effective, but because he doesn't understand what structure is, and everyone seems to love him so we had to wedge him in somewhere.

So here you have it, your 2026 FA Cup winners:

Sánchez

Chalobah
Acheampong
Colwill

James
Caicedo
Santos
Hato

Fernández
(Cucurella) - he could feasibly be anywhere

Pedro

(Lampardian transition)

Seriously though, why are so many of you starting Lavia? It would be suicide.

Matt Law in his infinite wisdom suggests we will play a back 3.

58 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Matt Law in his infinite wisdom suggests we will play a back 3.

I'm going to play hide and seek.

We do what we did in the CWC final.

Surprise everyone by attacking from the off, Donnarummer (?) in goal will have a nightmare attack of Déjà Vu and f**k everything up .

We win 3-0

The starting XI will be very close to the XI picked for our most important matches so far. It doesn't really matter what anyone's personal preference is, because every f**king manager has largely picked the same players over and over again. Rather than believing in conspiracy theories or mythical club memos, I'd rather think they all simply see the same thing.

Normally, our starting XI shouldn't matter much anyway, because any XI Man City put out is still a lot better than what we've got — but this is a final.

Maybe our prima donnas will finally give 100%+ now? Maybe City have other things on their minds at the moment and won't be as focused? Who knows?!

Come on chels!

This is the 4th consecutive year Manchester City have been in the FA CUP Final.

If Man City lose it would be their 3rd consecutive FA CUP Final loss.

Chelsea have lost our last 3 FA CUP finals.

If we lose this one not only does that run grow to 4 but our domestic Final loses in a row run increases to:

Edited May 14May 14 by axman2526

10 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Our masterplan should be leaving out anyone with a prior Man City affiliation (Palmer and Tosin can sit next to each other behind the bench). This would also include 85% of the coaching staff so we need a backup plan for that. Robbie D is busy and apparently exhuming Tommy Doc is 'unethical' and 'disgusting' so it will be a Cudicini/Willie Isa dream team leading us on the touchline.

Step two of the masterplan is to start as many Cobham graduates as we can get our hands on. Unfortunately most of the ones we haven't already flogged for peanuts are centre-backs so we will be going for a classic balls-to-the-wall 19% possession Chelsea FC smash-and-grab victory á la 2012.

Step three is to play Cucurella in a free role in a vaguely forward position. Not because it's clever or effective, but because he doesn't understand what structure is, and everyone seems to love him so we had to wedge him in somewhere.

So here you have it, your 2026 FA Cup winners:

Sánchez

Chalobah
Acheampong
Colwill

James
Caicedo
Santos
Hato

Fernández
(Cucurella) - he could feasibly be anywhere

Pedro

Hilariously that team selection is probably our best team, Palmer in for Fernandez

City youth won the FA youth cup, and on the weekend their women dumped out our women's side in the semi finals.

We've not beaten City since the 2021 Champions league final.

We also have a puppet manager.

Lots pointing in cities favour.

15 hours ago, RMH said:

I was watching the City v Palace game last night and, out of nowhere they were cutting through Palace's defence to score. If they are on tune on Saturday, we're going to be battered. I just hope that Pep decides to be too clever but, even in that case, we've got no creative or quality up front except for Palmer, who is not on tune this season. I just can't see us winning the Cup, the difference in quality of players, coach, tactics, is just too big.

It is just one game. We have a chance

10 hours ago, axman2526 said:

This is the 4th consecutive year Manchester City have been in the FA CUP Final.

If Man City lose it would be their 3rd consecutive FA CUP Final loss.

Chelsea have lost our last 3 FA CUP finals.

If we lose this one not only does that run grow to 4 but our domestic Final loses in a row run increases to:

Cheerful thought.

6 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Hilariously that team selection is probably our best team, Palmer in for Fernandez

What's Ryan Bertrand up to?

I feel our only chance of winning this is to somehow keep a clean sheet.

Get our best no nonsense defenders out there. No f**king about at the back.

Lavia and Caicedo protecting the back four and going long to by pass the press.

We ain’t winning a goal fest against city.

COYB.

1 hour ago, C3blue said:

I feel our only chance of winning this is to somehow keep a clean sheet.

Get our best no nonsense defenders out there. No f**king about at the back.

Lavia and Caicedo protecting the back four and going long to by pass the press.

We ain’t winning a goal fest against city.

COYB.

Us keep a clean sheet? Against City? You have to be joking!

City are clear favourites, but we do have a chance, albeit a slim one. Don't forget, Everton put 3 past City recently and should have beat them so we have to have a go at them and hope that with Colwill and James in the side, we can keep City's chances down to a minimum.

Need Palmer and Pedro to be bang on it and hope Caicedo is more like the early season Caicedo - ditto Cucurella.

Just hope we make a good game of it and it isn't a one-sided embarrassment.

Do us Proud Chels.......................!

21 hours ago, RMH said:

I was watching the City v Palace game last night and, out of nowhere they were cutting through Palace's defence to score. If they are on tune on Saturday, we're going to be battered. I just hope that Pep decides to be too clever but, even in that case, we've got no creative or quality up front except for Palmer, who is not on tune this season. I just can't see us winning the Cup, the difference in quality of players, coach, tactics, is just too big.

Not often I disagree with you RMH, but Joao Pedro is quality up front IMO.

@Eight Times are you around?

10 hours ago, axman2526 said:

City youth won the FA youth cup, and on the weekend their women dumped out our women's side in the semi finals.

We've not beaten City since the 2021 Champions league final.

We also have a puppet manager.

Lots pointing in cities favour.

This feels like absolutely the type of game City somehow manage to lose.

It also feels like there's zero chance of us winning it.

A bit hyperbolic, but this would be like Wigan beating City in 2013. I can’t even imagine a reality where we win it. Winning means McFarlane gets forced as the new managers assistant and takes over after they sack said manager, for sure, if he’s got an FA Cup under his belt.

24 minutes ago, just said:

Not often I disagree with you RMH, but Joao Pedro is quality up front IMO.

You're right, I forgot about him. Although he is a bit on and off, understandably given what surrounds him.

Pretty illogical but I think we will win. The underdogs in Fa cup finals have a great record the last 10ish years, and Chelsea in the same time frame have a better record as underdogs compared to favourites.

7 hours ago, Bob stark said:

It is just one game. We have a chance

Yep.

I wish we had a winger with skill and pace. . . .but Gittens is still out injured.

Never been so non plussed on the eve of a Cup Final.

It’s a lose/lose situation anyway.

We lose… then we, Ya’know, lose.

We win… we end up in Europe next season with a squad that needs to put all its focus into the PL.