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Ms Blue Sky-rocketChelsea Women host Barcelona Femeni in the UWCL League Stage at Stamford Bridge |
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Where are we and what’s going on?
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| A big night ahead |
The Blues play host to arch rivals Barca-moaners in the league stage of the new Swiss model Champions League. It’s a mild November evening in SW6. Basil is out on the Fulham Road collecting for a foodbank with his skills. It’s MD4 . Chelsea sit 5th in the new league having got off to a slow start and drawn away to FC Twente. Barca sit top having won all their games.
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| Champions League Nights at the Bridge |
There are some surprises in the squad. There is no Millie on the bench as is LJ. LJ has not been selected for the next internationals as she is only just coming back from her last international injury. Sam Kerr is being rested for her upcoming international duties. Hannah is injured so Olivia Peng is in goal. In front of Olivia are Lucy Bronze, eNatalia Bjorn and Naomi Girma. Out wide are Sandy Baltimore and Ellie Carpenter. That’s 5 at the back which is unusual for Sonia. The midfield is Kiera Walsh, Erin Cuthbert and Wieke Kaptien. Up front are Allesia Thompson and Aggie Aggie Aggie. We expect Lucy and Ellie will fill in the gap at right wing between them.
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| The only Sam we'll see tonight |
There are no surprises in the Barca 11 but some new names on the bench as the senior squad is a bit thin. They still have Vicky Lopez and Kika Nazareth on the bench though. Gulp.
It’s a good crowd in the East and West stands. We’re joined in the West by Basil. There is the usual UEFA build up, a bit of Liquidator. We all stand for the anthems. The teams have one last huddle then it’s come on the Chels.
Off we go…
It’s a good battle as both teams try to press high and play out from the back. CGH is causing trouble down the right wing as usual. Luckily Payor’s control just fails her this time. CGH takes her own chance next but Naomi does well to block it.
Chelsea are weathering a bit of pressure at the moment. That pressure is soon relieved as Ellie’s run is picked out by Aggie. She smashes it from the corner of the box and into the net on 16 ⚽. 1-0.
Payor makes her next chance count on 21 but it’s ruled offside. Haha.
Sandy is getting space to run with the ball on the left. She crosses into a busy box but it’s eventually cleared.
Barca get a corner. It ends up at the feet of Payor and she puts it into the top corner on 24. 1-1.
Wieke combines well with Erin but Wieke’s shot is saved by Cata Coll. The combo is Walsh and Thomson this time but it’s into a side netting. They try again and it hits the post. Getting closer.
The ref calls play to a stop on 39. We don’t know what’s going on but she has a chat with the managers. Rumour in the crowd is it’s a technical issue with the broadcast. A power outage possibly. Time for some team talks for both sides. It’s all resolved, the emergency 50p has been found and we’re off again on 46. There are 9 added minutes.
Sandy is finding plenty of space again, not that she needs much. Her first effort is from range and goes over the bar. The second is an easy save for Cata Coll. She had better options there but is confident of her own considerable abilities. And we do moan regularly about players playing the pass when a shot is on so you go for Sandy.
Lucy’s ball finds Aggie in space. She misses but it’s off-side anyway. It’s still 1-1 at the break.
Chelsea have started sitting a bit deeper. Ellie is badly fouled by Brugts who is lucky to stay on. There is a blue wall at the edge of the Chelsea box. It’s not all solid defending as there is a very nervy backpass from Wieke to Olivia.
Barca are on top at the moment. It doesn’t stop a Chelsea break though. Erin ball finds Ellie. Ellie is on for a brace but she fires it just wide.
Barca’s pressure leads to a dangerous free kick. it ‘s well blocked by Lucy. They are finding their feet and starting to look like a Barcelona team. Bonmati’s dangerous cross finds no-one though and is caught by Peng.
Sonia makes her first change on 71 as Aggie is replaced by Kat. Kat makes her presence felt straight away as she heads home. Chelsea are in the lead again briefly only for it to be ruled out after a VAR review for offside. Boo.
We breathe a sigh of relief on 74 as CGH is subbed off only to groan as she is replaced by Vicky Lopez.
Lucy Bronze is in the way again as she heads clear from a dangerous free kick. Chelsea seem to be resurgent again. A great 1-2 between Ellie and Kat gives Ellie a great chance. Somehow she misses the target. Can’t be missing those at this level. She should be celebrating a hattrick.
This game is far from done. Chelsea sitting back and giving away a corner. The blue line is still holding somehow.
A late change swaps Pina for the in form Nazareth. Help. She doesn’t have enough time to be an influence. Chelsea get one last corner and it’s all over. Bragging rights and points shared. Neither side will be happy with that. First points dropped by Barcelona and Chelsea will feel it’s 2 points dropped at home. We’re done here and off back to Fulham Broadway tube.
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| On the train home |
We think it’s all over…
That was a great contest. Two of Europe's top teams trying to better each other. The Spaniards have, almost, always had the upper hand in the past. It was a battle of equals today. Curse or bogey team or whatever, it’s a thing of the past now.
Chelsea will be the most disappointed that they didn’t come away with the win. Ellie had so many good chances that she should have had a hattrick. There seemed to be more momentum in the attacks down the right with Lucy joining in. How does she get up and down the pitch like that? From 6 yard box to 6 yard box. Amazing for a defender sitting in a back 3. Naomi on the left of the 3 was going nowhere. Ellie and Lucy made for great overlaps on the right.
One surprise tonight was only seeing one substitution from Chelsea. Is Sonia saving legs or not wanting to upset what was clearly working in the midfield and defence? Only she knows that.
There was very good pace in the Blues backline to stop the breakaway. If they hadn’t scored from a corner, they wouldn’t have scored at all. CGH who. There was some seriously dodgy defending by the blues in possession. Not what you need at this level. They were lucky this time but it was worrying to see. Very Brighton. Peng is a great keeper but seems to struggle to switch the ball quickly from left to right. She played the ball back into danger instead of away. It wouldn’t have been surprising if there had been a number of back-pass induced medical incidents in the crowd.
On the plus side, the Barca midfield will probably be having nightmares, seeing Erin Cuthbert everywhere they look. There is no escaping her sometimes.
In other news, Arsenal won at home to Real Madrid but Man Utd lost badly away to Wolfsburg.
Chelsea have Roma at home next followed by a trip to Wolfsburg. We have the European Champions “The Lionesses” facing China, the Asian Champions in a friendly at Wembley.
The other bits
POTM: Ellie got the goal and could have had 3 but Erin was everywhere. The Barca players will probably having nightmares featuring Erin for weeks to come. Hopefully longer. “She’s behind you” 👻🤣
Basil Bulletin: He was on the Fulham Road collecting for a foodbank and then making a noise in the West Stand.
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| Basil |
Officially Opinionated: The officials had a good game. They clamped down on or ignored the Barca nonsense. A refreshing change for this match up at the Bridge.
The Scran’O’meter was disappointed to go past the Spoons on Victoria Station and straight to the Burger King. I suppose needs must on a school night though. The veggie thing was nice. 6/10.
Love Tranmerekat 🐾
