Chelsea face Man Metropolis at Wembley on Saturday night in The FA Cup semi closing.
Kick off is at 5.15pm native time.
It’s an enormous recreation now, for each golf equipment. Metropolis are nonetheless pushing to win the league once more, however after being knocked out of the Champions League this week, they are going to be extra hungry than each to win a cup competitors this season too.
The excellent news is after all is that they’ve simply performed further time towards Actual Madrid, which means it’s factual that Chelsea have had longer relaxation, extra time to organize, and won’t be as fatigued as Metropolis’s gamers. This can be a main plus level.
It ensures nothing although within the grand scheme of issues, and defeating Pep Guardiola’s Manchester Metropolis is at all times going to be an enormous uphill wrestle for any aspect.
Chelsea are winless towards Chelsea for the reason that 2021 Champions League closing. However regardless of dropping the final 7 video games earlier than this season, Chelsea are unbeaten towards Metropolis having drawn 4-4 after which 1-1. The truth is, we have been truly unfortunate to not win a minimum of one in every of these video games.
Chelsea are likely to step up in most of these video games, which a minimum of offers us an opportunity. I wouldn’t say I’m assured, however the 6-0 win towards Everton on Monday night time actually offers us hope on this recreation.
Picture by Chelsea FC through Getty Photographs
We all know what Metropolis are all about and it’s going to be a fairly open recreation. This might play in Chelsea’s favour, because it did on Monday night time, however it additionally has the recipe for catastrophe. We might concede many, however we might additionally rating many, identical to the 4-4 recreation earlier this season.
Either side will press excessive, each side will wish to assault, however I really feel Chelsea will profit right here by enjoying on the counter assault many of the recreation, which has develop into the norm for a Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea aspect. I concern one other basketball match, which is nice for the neutrals, however not a lot for us.
Chelsea have had cut up personalities this season. We’re able to smashing Everton, however we’re additionally able to dropping 4-2 at house towards Wolves. So we simply by no means know what we’re going to get when this Chelsea aspect takes to the sector. It has made this season a whole emotional rollercoaster.
Pochettino additionally has a little bit of a range headache now with three key gamers for him again in competition. Enzo Fernandez and Axel Disasi are again in full coaching and ought to be out there, and Ben Chilwell was again within the squad final week and shall be pushing to begin.
Rui Vieira Rui Vieira | Credit score: AP
The important thing choices are, do you drop anybody from the Everton win and in that case, who? What sort of setup do you go along with? And who begins at left again?
Conor Gallagher was nice within the final recreation, and he additionally confirmed good management and captain expertise. Do you are taking that armband off him and convey Chilwell again in? Enzo, as I stated yesterday, must relaxation. However can we afford to relaxation him in such an essential recreation? Arguably, as a lot of you may have talked about on right here this week, the Moises Caicedo and Gallagher pivot has extra defensive stability than Enzo and Caicedo.
I don’t like Gallagher enjoying as a ten, but when all three begin then absolutely that’s the place he’ll find yourself once more? The argument for that’s after all is he’s a high presser so will trouble Metropolis when enjoying out from the again thus giving us an opportunity to win the ball excessive up and do some harm there.
It was good to have two out and out wingers (I say out and out wingers however I nonetheless suppose Mykhailo Mudryk is best as a ten reasonably than a winger). But when Enzo comes again in, Noni Madueke or Mudryk will drop out. I haven’t even talked about Raheem Sterling but, however for me he’s down the pecking order now, will he be for Pochettino? We’ll discover out.
Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva each performed properly on Monday night time too and as I picked up on, they do have a fairly good connection after years of enjoying in the identical group/coaching collectively. Do you drop one in every of them to carry Disasi again in? I’m undecided that you simply do. However are you able to base a range for an FA Cup semi closing purely on one recreation, or do you base it on performances over the course of the season?
Chilwell or Cucurella shall be one other huge determination. Cucurella actually hasn’t been dangerous in Chilwell’s absence, however he’s not lit it up both.
I truly don’t envy Pochettino right here as a result of he has some huge calls to make.
I feel that is what I might do…
With Gusto and Chilwell, one might want to sit if the opposite goes. What Cucurella does carry you is he’s much less attacking and shifts the again 4 right into a again three when Gusto advances. That is efficient. However Chilwell for me is a greater participant so will get the nod.
The midfield setup is essential. I’d have Caicedo holding, Enzo near him, and Gallagher staggered simply forward, however not within the 10 function, in a box-to-box 8 function the place he’s greatest.
I normally preach utilizing an additional attacker, however I feel that is the type of recreation we have to keep compact in, so that’s the reason I might use this midfield three. I do know I’m contradicting myself as a result of I stated Enzo wants resting, however that is such an enormous recreation for us now in a European qualification sense, I feel he has to begin to ensure that us to realize some type of management in possession or a minimum of hold the ball for a bit.
We’ll want breathers on this recreation, and Enzo is a kind of who can present it by protecting the ball. His imaginative and prescient on lengthy passing is also key for us on the counter assaults, as will Silva’s.
Picture by Marc Atkins/Getty Photographs
On the again, I simply don’t suppose both participant deserves to be dropped. Disasi and Chalobah could properly begin although, and I’m not towards that both. Disasi’s defensive qualities and mentality may very well be a power for us.
Mudryk begins for me despite the fact that I don’t suppose he’s been nice. However his tempo on the counters may very well be devastating for us, so he will get the nod for that purpose.
I don’t have any clue what Pochettino will do, and this may be one of many hardest lineup predictions of the season.
I’m predicting a excessive scoring recreation, which can come as no shock. I feel there shall be targets.
I’m going for Manchester Metropolis 3 Chelsea 1, however I really hope I’m mistaken.
As I’ve stated prior to now, I truly fancy us on this recreation greater than I’ve towards some decrease opposition, so once more I may be contradicting myself with my rating prediction. However I refuse to get any actual hopes up and any actual optimism once more, as a result of I’ve been there this season earlier than solely to be knocked again down once more. So I’m staying grounded. This shall be a HUGELY powerful recreation.
