Disappointed… but ultimately not surprised.
I’d like to say that tonight’s demolition at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain hurt. But, as much as it pains me to say it, this tie was done nearly a week before. It’s telling that I’ve been able to get this post-match blog up barely an hour after the final whistle.
Wednesday night’s game was a tough loss to take. A 5-2 loss is not a pretty scoreline, but we went toe to toe with PSG and it’s ultimately individual errors that cost us what could’ve been a blockbuster second leg at Stamford Bridge.
On the face of it, a three goal deficit is recoverable. Looking back to last November, Chelsea dismantled Barcelona on a night where everything went our way.
The evening started well. Pre-game in the pub, not a single prediction from the four of us that gathered had us going through, but there was an expectation to celebrate a Chelsea goal at some point in the night.
As an occasion, Stamford Bridge was up for the big game. It’s a ground that’s seen many a big European night after all. I was a tad concerned pre-game by the sheer number of Parisians that had gathered outside Earls Court station, it looked like far too many to fill the away end.
Through a combination of a light show, fireworks and the slow rolling out of our lineup, Stamford Bridge was bouncing and loud.
The most important objective pre-game was not to concede in the first 20 minutes. Just 15 in, we were two down, losing 7-2 on aggregate and almost certainly out of the tie.
30 minutes in, it was quite telling to hear the ground chanting ‘olé’ every time we strung together a few passes in our own half.
The same issues that plagued us in the first leg were there once again, a clear lack of quality at the back. I don’t need to name players, individually they may be good enough to play for the club, but as a collective they are simply not what we need.
I genuinely believe we have a starting XI which is capable of competing with almost any team in the world over 90 minutes. It’s when you look to the bench for game changers that a gulf in quality starts to emerge.
I hate to say it, but the writing is on the wall for Liam Rosenior at this point. We have been beaten in every single big game we’ve played under him.
As an individual, he’s the victim of a systemic issue at Chelsea Football Club. But as I said last time out, this is not the place to hone your craft.
I truly hope the embarrassment of tonight serves as a serious wake up call for what this club needs, where it is currently and where it should be. My heart tells me it will, but my head tells me we will see the same issues rear their heads.
A few months ago, when Enzo Maresca was sacked, I predicted that two of Reece James, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo would leave. Reece James now looks committed. Enzo Fernández, though, is the one I struggle to see staying. If Real Madrid come calling, he would deserve that move.
It’s frustrating to look back at our game against PSG last summer, where we played them off the park. It’s so clear looking at the side now that we have regressed when we were just a couple of top players away from being a side that could compete on multiple fronts.
I can’t say I’m looking forward to Everton, at Goodison Park of all places, at 5:30pm on Saturday. You just have to hope the players have some fight left in them.
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