The Man in The Shed

© Evening Standard

2nd October – Must not lose

Even in my most optimistic moments I would not expect 2019 Chelsea to have a serious chance in the Champions League. Advancing beyond the group stages was a good stretch target for our young team and then it was in the lap of the gods as to whether we get a kind draw or run into one of the “heavyweights” straight away.

Following a sobering home loss to Valencia I was anticipating a new challenge with our first away fixture. Whilst Lille are not PSG, there is no easy away game at this level. Another new challenge for the younger players.

Buoyed by a couple of wins I would have reckoned that an away draw would be a reasonable result.

The manager’s team selection remained loyal to the younger players with starts for James and Tomori alongside Abraham and Mount. No sign of Barkley after “chipgate” (choosing to fill the floor of his taxi with food on a night off and then refusing to compensate the driver !).

As the game began it was clear that we were set up as a 3-4-3 with Jorginho and Kanté as the central pair. The first five minutes was good and a great way to calm the home support.

Our tactics looked to have caught Lille out and after 20 minutes we looked comfortable on the ball although every time we lost it Lille looked dangerous.

Then out of nowhere Tomori chips it into the box where Abraham (looking suspiciously offside) traps the ball and scores. No offside – we’re ahead !

Tomori continued to impress with tackles and interceptions but Lille remained dangerous on the counter-attack.

One counter saw Kepa save well but after 2 corners it is headed in by the Lille striker for an equaliser. Another embarrassment for the art of zonal marking – I really hate it.

The half ended with a Jorginho curled shot hitting the post. Advantage Chelsea with tactics and possession but not in goals.

Sipping my half time cup of tea it was still of great concern how exposed we were looking even with Kanté in the team.

The second half picked up where the first half ended. James was showing promise with another teasing cross.

It always amuses me when they show team managers when they are acting out heading the ball as they watch the play; it was good to see Lampard had picked this trick up too !

It is never a good measure of real support watching on TV but I realised at this point how I had not heard our fans at all so far.

All of the pundits seemed to have agreed that our 3-4-3 was working well.

The home support was great but had the TV producers failed to put any microphones anywhere near our fans ?

Hudson-Odoi was on for James and we’d switched to 4-3-3.

Then look who pops up – Renato Sanchez is on for Lille. The last “new” wonderkid of Portuguese football had rocked up here (via Bayern Munich and Swansea). How the mighty had fallen.

Well it didn’t take Hudson-Odoi long to make an impact. A cross to Willian who smashes it in for 2-1. It looked like a defender had turned his back on the shot and it had gone through his legs.

Perhaps the pace was affecting the players as first Tomori made a mistake and then a poor Kepa clearance gave Lille hope.

But we hung on for a big win. A great physical game from Zouma who, after a slow start, is 

looking more assured in every game.

So a few days rest then off to Southampton.