The Man in The Shed

20^th April – A game of two halves

It was very disappointing to hear about a flare thrown by Liverpool fans into the Chelsea section. On the day that Anfield remembered Hillsborough and the late Tommy Smith you would have expected better. Political correctness meant that nothing negative could be reported about Liverpool until the following day. One wonders whether the negative news would have been supressed had a Chelsea fan been seriously injured !

Disappointed that I wasn’t able to make the Europa League game – sometimes family is more important. Nevertheless, the trusty laptop was fired up and running (on a more reliable Wi-Fi this time) as the game kicked off.

Without Alonso and Rüdiger (both injured) the defence pretty much picked itself. Even Cahill made the bench ! Barkley was the only Englishman on the pitch and Pedro and Hazard lined up alongside our Europa Hitman Giroud. The much loved Kovacic was playing the “Jorginho” role.

Well we certainly started on the front foot ! Two goals up in the first ten minutes. A great team goal finished by Pedro and then the same player somehow manages to hit the post when scoring was easier but it cannons off their David Luiz lookalike and into the goal. The commentator was worried for Prague – I was more worried about the rough treatment being dished out to Hazard.

Our defence was not looking particularly comfortable but going forward we were still dangerous. It was therefore no surprise when we scored a third – another well-worked goal finished by Giroud. He was certainly enjoying this competition.

I’d just started to relax when Prague finally got going. A header from a free kick was saved and then the resulting corner gives them a free header and a goal. Poor defending.

How would we respond ? Straight down the other end to score again. This was turning into Man City versus Spurs #2. Pedro again. Four one and less than half an hour played. All credit to Prague and their fans – their players were still giving it their all and their fans (filling half of the Shed end) were roaring them on.

Somehow we made it to half time without further troubling the goal count. I was beginning to wish that having a rest after 45 minutes would be scrapped and we could just change ends and kick straight off. Over the last couple of months our performances in the second half had been getting worse. How would it pan out tonight ?

The second half started with play being as open as the first. A couple of chances for us and then sure enough, we concede. A long range shot but was Kepa culpable ? Before I could make my mind up the same guy has the nerve to do it again – this time an even better effort and pretty much unstoppable.

We were certainly in a game now. Time to start chewing nails. Sure enough Prague fashion another chance but somehow manage to fluff it. We couldn’t lose from four one up surely ?

At this point Prague fans are singing olé’s at every successful pass by their team. Time for the manager to shuffle the pack. Willian on for Hazard, Jorginho for Barkley. For some reason a coach is giving instructions and showing Jorginho a clipboard – what on earth for. Doesn’t he know how to play his own position ?

We were still being overrun but the pace of the game has finally dropped a notch. It is still end to end though. Hudson-Odoi is on for Pedro and we’re into the last five minutes.

Inexplicably Luiz handles the ball just outside the area in a central position. Cue more nail chewing but the kick hits the wall. It’s still open right up until the final whistle – but we’re through to the semi-final.

I could understand how the levels dropped at four one (thinking we had already won) but where were the leaders in the second half trying to get a reaction from the team ?

I could remember saying to someone at the start of the season that watching Chelsea could end up like a basketball game – end to end and Chelsea just trying to outscore the opposition. Well I’d just witnessed an example. Was that what Sarri-ball is supposed to be ? After months of watching us pass the opposition to death (or bore them to death) was that it ?

My final image was of the two David Luiz’s swapping shirts before leaving the pitch.

Our semi-final opponent was to be Eintracht Frankfurt. But for now it was four days off before Burnley at home in the league. A few Easter eggs to consume before then.