* Another Chelsea game and still no OMT *

[Hootnow]

I think you are overestimating that side. It was not far off the team we had today that struggled against a Chelsea team far inferior to the Emirates Marketing Project team. Alli, Kane and Eriksen sprinkle magic dust on the team which makes it capable of punching above its weight. Without them we are very ordinary certainly not a “top side.” Two of our talismen would miss the final. To win cups we also need to be more solid defensively. We simply cannot see out a game.

Cup games, especially finals do not compare to league games soon point at all in using them as comparators for a cup final. It is very rare that the underdog wins. That team you have suggested would be hammered by City imo.

I'm not overestimating it at all. That team would still be competitive against most teams. Again, they would be clear underdogs against City but to say they are on another level is hyperbole to the extreme.

That team above would include 11 internationals. Two of the best cbs in the league and also 2 of the best attacking players in the league.

Ignore the league games then. I'm talking about just cups. If we take the last 11 years in the league cup (I want to to include our last trophy ), there have been 2 upsets in the final itself. But this also ignores all of the upsets on the way there. For example, in 2013, it was a Swansea vs Bradford final. But Swansea knocked out Liverpool (at Anfield) and Chelsea (over 2 legs), while Bradford knocked out Watford, Wigan, Arsenal and Villa, while being in league 2.

In those finals, we've also taken Man Utd to penalties (1st vs 8th), Cardiff took Liverpool to pens (8th in PL vs 6th in the championship and with Liverpool having knocked out 6th place Chelsea at SB and and 1st placed City in the semis (who finished on 89 points). Liverpool also took City to penalties (8th vs 4th).

I agree finals do not compare to league games or even other knockouts. It depends on so many factors, including for example, motivation. The league cup would be City's 4th priority, 3rd if you're being optimistic. It would be yet another trophy they've won and sandwiched around league games when they're chasing down another team and CL games where they have to think they're challenging to win it. We aren't winning the CL or PL. It would be this group's first trophy.

Anyway, moot point, as we're not in the final. I just find it baffling that people genuinely think City are on a different level than us, injuries or no, when they are literally 5 points ahead of us.

 

[mint me]

400% fudged by VAR next year

What, like in the first leg ?

 

[thfcsteff]

Considering we’re without 75% of our Fab 4 and had several players in today’s squad who are clearly lacking match sharpness, that was a great effort away to one of the most expensively assembled squads in Europe.

At least we can focus on Top 4 to keep Goons in the Europa doldrums whilst Kane plus Dele will be fresh for latter stages of CL and FAC after month long rest...

This.
I absolutely believe we need to focus on winning our Prem games and throw everything we have into the Dortmund tie. I would willingly rotate on Sunday. My mate reckons we need to win as we cannot go out of two cups in one week. I disagree. We need to cement that top 4 place as not only is it obviously CL for us, it is NOT CL for one of Chelski/Man U or the Goons. Again. Massively important. I firmly believe we can progress in the CL.

 

[Robbo]

Good for Sunday that Llorente scored anyway.

Eight goals in his last five starts. He's on fire.

 

[Spursman]

Never good to sleep so angry. I'm up again and feel no different. Awful night along with a terrible sleep.

The joys of supporting this lot! Just so sick of being the loser.

 

[Mulletperm]

Never good to sleep so angry. I'm up again and feel no different. Awful night along with a terrible sleep.

The joys of supporting this lot! Just so sick of being the loser.

I was up at 3am to watch it. Wasn't a happy boy this morning.

 

[Moby]

Eight goals in his last five starts. He's on fire.

Is that counting the excellent Fulham strike too?

 

[Legohamster]

He has a pre-season, he has trained every day.
If anything he would need match sharpness and hes had enough minutes this month to be able to do that.

Thought he was a great signing at the time, but i think the get a backup striker to Kane idea is dead. Get a backup to Son instead and play them upfront
He is 33, has completely lost any mobility that he may have had. There is zero way that Sterling wouldnt have done a better job in last 1.5 games

I dont disagree that he has been rubbish and Sterling would have been on par at least, but we are not giving him a chance to stay sharp.

We need to move away from signing out and out stikers

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Always feel more gutted when youve actually been to the game. Probably because, and let's be clear about this, they are the biggest bunch of c.unts in this league, on and off the pitch.

At half time it really felt they would roll us over 3,4,5 nil in that second half BUT full credit to Poch for instilling the belief that we weren't gonna walk out of there without giving it our best shot. To get to the coin flip of penalties, while more of our players were dropping like flies, was a fantastic effort.

Being realistic the final is only 4 weeks away, so who would be available to face City is anyone's guess. To beat them Kane, Alli would all have to play.

I think I'm with @thfcsteff and Sunday can be whatever it wants, we have to be careful and with that realistic, we're a bit shot up at the moment, if we can manage ourselves through the next 3/4 weeks...Sonny will be back and we'll have a better idea when Kane and Alli will be back.

We're lucky Poch has such a well drilled group in the systems, so the ongoing injuries/changes don't make us look like a bunch of strangers.

I know we want a trophy BUT the way this season has gone, a top 4 finish is paramount.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Always feel more gutted when youve actually been to the game. Probably because, and let's be clear about this, they are the biggest bunch of c.unts in this league, on and off the pitch.

At half time it really felt they would roll us over 3,4,5 nil in that second half BUT full credit to Poch for instilling the belief that we weren't gonna walk out of there without giving it our best shot. To get to the coin flip of penalties, while more of our players were dropping like flies, was a fantastic effort.

Being realistic the final is only 4 weeks away, so who would be available to face City is anyone's guess. To beat them Kane, Alli would all have to play.

I think I'm with @thfcsteff and Sunday can be whatever it wants, we have to be careful and with that realistic, we're a bit shot up at the moment, if we can manage ourselves through the next 3/4 weeks...Sonny will be back and we'll have a better idea when Kane and Alli will be back.

We're lucky Poch has such a well drilled group in the systems, so the ongoing injuries/changes don't make us look like a bunch of strangers.

I know we want a trophy BUT the way this season has gone, a top 4 finish is paramount.

Have you been to tossford bridge before?

It’s absolutely awful now

So tame and timid

They have no annimosiry towards us anymore and have lost their real hardcore fans

 

[Benny_Lad]

This.
I absolutely believe we need to focus on winning our Prem games and throw everything we have into the Dortmund tie. I would willingly rotate on Sunday. My mate reckons we need to win as we cannot go out of two cups in one week. I disagree. We need to cement that top 4 place as not only is it obviously CL for us, it is NOT CL for one of Chelski/Man U or the Goons. Again. Massively important. I firmly believe we can progress in the CL.

Of course common sense says that Top 4 is still the priority but it won’t stop some fans going into a tail spin if we did exit 2 cups in 3 days.

Sunday will most likely be a draw and we’ll have another game to wedge in around the CL games. FWIW - I’d probably take that.

If we can just hang in there for this FAC round and the first leg vs Dortmund I think we have a chance of coming on strong from the start of March with hopefully most/all players returned and some who will have had a decent rest.

 

[DeanoAustin]

Never good to sleep so angry. I'm up again and feel no different. Awful night along with a terrible sleep.

The joys of supporting this lot! Just so sick of being the loser.

Yeah have to say I’m pretty much the same although not so angry as frustrated. I thought the players gave everything and showed a bit of steel after a terrible first half and were just the proverbial lottery away from the final. So I can’t be angry at them, just frustrated the bit of luck didn’t go our way again.

I do wonder what the fudge we’ve done to the law of averages though that it hates us so much. Surely something has to go our way in one of these big games soon. Hopefully it’s the FA Cup or CL. That’d ease the pain of last night ten times over.

 

[StephenH]

Have you been to tossford bridge before?

It’s absolutely awful now

So tame and timid

They have no annimosiry towards us anymore and have lost their real hardcore fans

Even real hardcore fans die! (Thank Christ!)
Some of those old idiots were knocking about in the early 70’ and the on thier way out then!

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

Have you been to tossford bridge before?

It’s absolutely awful now

So tame and timid

They have no annimosiry towards us anymore and have lost their real hardcore fans

I haven't been since you could park your car round the edge of the pitch

Didn't realise how small that lower tier of the away end was.

Plus, how the police handle the exit and flow of fans (ie any potential trouble) after the game is beyond me....it's just a cramped free for all.

I'm sure some plastics/daytrippers were leaving near the end, they didn't even realise it was going to penalties.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I haven't been since you could park your car round the edge of the pitch

Didn't realise how small that lower tier of the away end was.

Plus, how the police handle the exit and flow of fans (ie any potential trouble) after the game is beyond me....it's just a cramped free for all.

I'm sure some plastics/daytrippers were leaving near the end, they didn't even realise it was going to penalties.

I’ve been 6/7 times and it’s got more and more like an EU conference. Foreigners not even sure how to find the ground and videoing everything

The exit is standard there now and the Death Star. I did see a Chelsea fan trying to kick off but he wasn’t walking like he had a wooden leg or had brick himself

The stadium just looks worse and worse every time I ho there though and their no where near replacing it

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Even real hardcore fans die! (Thank Christ!)
Some of those old idiots were knocking about in the early 70’ and the on thier way out then!

True

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Just chatting to my Chelsea supporting mate who actually went yesterday... he thinks their fooked as a club

Giroud is out of contract this summer
Luiz is out of contract this summer
Hazard wants to go (in his opinion)
Higuain is on loan so they will have NO strikers this summer potentially or maybe 1
Pedro and Willian are passed it
All the youngsters wanna leave

 

[Baleforce]

Just chatting to my Chelsea supporting mate who actually went yesterday... he thinks their fooked as a club

Giroud is out of contract this summer
Luiz is out of contract this summer
Hazard wants to go (in his opinion)
Higuain is on loan so they will have NO strikers this summer potentially or maybe 1
Pedro and Willian are passed it
All the youngsters wanna leave

the first 4 things on that list are positives for them surely?

the fifth gives them easy upgrade options

the sixth is obviously not good, but all things considered, its a great opportunity for a brave manager to promote the youth players they have invested so much in and move the club to a more sustainable model, it could be the best thing the club ever does

 

[Legohamster]

Just chatting to my Chelsea supporting mate who actually went yesterday... he thinks their fooked as a club

Giroud is out of contract this summer
Luiz is out of contract this summer
Hazard wants to go (in his opinion)
Higuain is on loan so they will have NO strikers this summer potentially or maybe 1
Pedro and Willian are passed it
All the youngsters wanna leave

Bottom one could apply to all top clubs soon, Sancho etc have shown the door to first team football is overseas.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

the first 4 things on that list are positives for them surely?

the fifth gives them easy upgrade options

the sixth is obviously not good, but all things considered, its a great opportunity for a brave manager to promote the youth players they have invested so much in and move the club to a more sustainable model, it could be the best thing the club ever does

They are fudged though as they haven't had the income to bring in the calibre of players they need IMO and his.

They have to sell Hazard to fund these transfers