2024/25 Champions/Europa/Conference League Qualifying Rounds

[gary69]

Chelsea registered a 22-player list for the Conf.L matches against Servette. Plus Colwill qualifies for the B-list (alongside 3 youngsters).

Chelsea’s confirmed squad vs Servette

Player list A

Robert Sanchez
Filip Jorgensen
Marcus Bettinelli

Axel Disasi
Marc Cucurella
Tosin Adarabioyo
Benoit Badiashile
Reece James
Malo Gusto
Renato Veiga

Enzo Fernandez
Noni Madueke
Carney Chukwuemeka
Keirnan Dewsbury-Hall
Moises Caicedo
Romeo Lavia

Pedro Neto
Mykhailo Mudryk
Nicolas Jackson
Christopher Nkunku
Cole Palmer
Marc Guiu

 

[gary69]

Boød/Glimt dominated against Red Star in the first 60 minutes and were 2-0 up and 70% possesion at that time. Red star made some changes and took over the last part of the game and scored an important away goal making it 2-1. Gonna be an exciting game in Beograd next week, with a packed stadium and Red Star "smelling blood" with the 2-1 goal late in the away game giving them a lifeline.

B/G indeed should have scored more, they hit the woodwork also. I liked Hauge (apart from one badly missed shot from good position). I liked him both in Milan and Frankfurt, was often a nice impact player to have cpming from the bench as a sub. Didn't see much of him with Gent, but apparently wasn't good enough for tem to buy him and now he is on another loan in Norway.

Jonathan David missed two good chances for Lille before scoring. He also assisted their 2nd goal. All in all, I thought Lille looked pretty good.

 

[gary69]

First CL playoff results
Bodo/Glimt - Red Star 2:1
Dinamo - Qarabag 3:0
Lille - Slavia Prague 2:0

Can't comment on the other games but the scoreline flatters Dinamo a bit, they scored two goals late and Qarabag created some good chances but failed to finish. Dinamo obviously heavy favorites but they tend to create some drama even after winning the first leg big, only question is if Qarabag can keep a clean sheet but they look like they can score enough goals to make it interesting

In the Conference League, FC Noah who already eliminated AEK Athens is one foot into the group stage; this is a team before this season who only won one qualifying match in their history

The result would have been even clearer if Baturina's late shot would have gone in instead of hitting the post.

Qarabaq should have scored at least once, Juninho had a good chance when clean through and Patrick Andrade really should have hit his free header at home.

 

[Evilo]

Jonathan David missed two good chances for Lille before scoring. He also assisted their 2nd goal. All in all, I thought Lille looked pretty good.

They looked better than against Fener, that's for sure.

 

[HajdukSplit]

Dynamo Kiev - Salzburg 0:2
*I know its neutral venue but slight surprise, this doesn't seem to be a vintage Salzburg side but it looks like 2 Austrian clubs in the CL, probably first time that has happened?

Midtjylland - Slovan Bratislava 1:1
*Decent result away for Bratislava looking to make the CL for the first time in club history

Malmo - Sparta Prague 0:2
*Excellent results for the Czechs against the runaway leaders of the Swedish league

Young Boys - Galatasaray 3:2
Very open tie going to Istanbul next week, YB had a two goal lead as well but blew it; interestingly YB are winless in their opening 5 league matches

 

[luiginb]

Random Jerome Boateng sighting, he just came in as a sub for LASK Linz. Some people don't know when to retire with grace.

 

[gary69]

Not many dangerous moves by Chelsea, mainly just passing the ball around and then failed passes when approaching the Servette box.

Nkunku has tried most to make something, Mudryk too, but especially the latter can't connect with anyone. Neto has been scarcely involved with the ball. Caicedo has been the playmaker.

Veiga seems to be drifting inside just for the sake of it, just because he's been instructed to do so in the tactics. It's been useless.

Servette's best chance for maybe Badiashile making a passback towards empty own net, but Jorgensen managed to get in the way before the ball crossed the line.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Chelsea not qualifying for the Conference League would be objectively hilarious

 

[Peen]

Mudryk awful

 

[gary69]

Chelsea get a PK early in the 2nd half. Keeper Frick unnecessarily brought down Nkunku, who converted the PK himself.

Dewsbury-Hall with a similar throughball to Nkunku than in the 1st half to Guiu.

And now Guiu with a terrible miss, couldn't score an empty netter. Although to his credit, his hard work was the reason for the change to score opened up, he blocked keeper's attempted pass.

 

[gary69]

Mudryk awful

Triple change by Chelsea, Nkunku, Neto and Guiu replaced by Palmer, Madueke and Enzo.

Mudryk gets to stay on, even though just before the subs he again messed up the final pass after doing well initially getting past his marker.

Chelsea looking more dangerous to get their 2nd than Servette their first.

 

[gary69]

Madueke makes it 2-0, blasted in the near top corner. Great assist by Enzo from deeper position.

Enzo plays the no. 10 position behind CF Palmer, but had dropped deeper this time, as a moment earlier he made a good defensive tackle near Chelsea's own box to win the ball back from Servette.

Gusto replaces Disasi, who was more of a RCB, didn't offer anything offensively.

 

[gary69]

Final sub is Lavia replacing today's captain Caicedo on 84th min, who stayed on for surprisingly long.
Although he didn't have to do huge amount running, so should be good to go next weekend too. Good match from him.

Chelsea have been living dangerously the last few minutes, Gusto mistakes, Servette hit the crossbar, got a free header from a corner etc.

 

[Evilo]

Wow Lens gets called for a bogus handball. Ref whistles it outside the box (it's 5 meters inside). But the it hit the arm sideways along his body.
Not a handball.

Phew Var to the rescue

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Not watching, but saw the Guiu miss. Whatever. With a player that young and raw, I’m just stoked that he’s creating the opportunity. Really really like him so far.

Hopefully this is a lesson to Maresca that Enzo is far more useful creating from deep.

Glad to see Noni on the scoresheet, because IMO he should be first off the bench.

Just saw the Noni goal - that is what both those players need to be doing. Love to see it.

 

[gary69]

Bad final minutes from Chelsea, Servette could have scored even 3 late goals with better finishing.

So 2-0 is a good result from the match.

I think it's safe to say that Mudryk, Veiga and D-H won't be starting on Sunday. Colwill should replace one the CBs too.

 

[Evilo]

Lens beats Pana 2-1 after playing 70 minutes down a man. They were way better than Pana until the red card.
Very hopeful for the return leg.

 

[Peen]

Bad final minutes from Chelsea, Servette could have scored even 3 late goals with better finishing.

So 2-0 is a good result from the match.

I think it's safe to say that Mudryk, Veiga and D-H won't be starting on Sunday. Colwill should replace one the CBs too.

I thought Veiga was decent.

Jorgensen the only standout.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826735029180903561

 

[luiginb]

Aw, it's so cute you guys still think Mudryk can be a Chelsea level player

 

[gary69]

I thought Veiga was decent.

Jorgensen the only standout.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826735029180903561

I didn't mean he was bad, but playing the whole match most likely means that Cucurella starts the next match.

 

[Evilo]

Aw, it's so cute you guys still think Mudryk can be a Chelsea level player

He has the talent. He stepped into a bad situation and couldn't develop properly. With the right coaching, he can be a great player.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

He has the talent. He stepped into a bad situation and couldn't develop properly. With the right coaching, he can be a great player.

The situation hasn’t helped, but the IQ is a serious serious problem and that’s very hard to instill in a player who doesn’t have it.

 

[luiginb]

The situation hasn’t helped, but the IQ is a serious serious problem and that’s very hard to instill in a player who doesn’t have it.

Work ethic too

 

[Peen]

Aw, it's so cute you guys still think Mudryk can be a Chelsea level player

Who’s the you? He was so bad this game

Work ethic too

He apparently has it off the pitch. Works hard behinds the scenes but it’s clearly gotten him nowhere in 18 months.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826705252747518345

They could have done zero this entire off season but the most important need was on the wings and a defender. Veiga is actually quite interesting. But all our attacks die when the ball ends up at Mudryk, Sterling, Madueke. Noni’s the best of the bunch but this isn’t the first coach to criticize his off field work ethic and you see he’s selfish and has a bad attitude in terms of playing a team game.

Thank god we got Neto sorted. If only we didn’t have these financial problems that they themselves caused, we could have probably convinced Olise to come in at a high - but not absurdly high - wage.

 

[luiginb]

Baris Yilmaz, Turkey's eccentric center forward at the Euros, plays right back tonight for Galata, what a fkin legend haha

Galatasaray dominated badly at home by Young Boys, who had a one-goal advantage from the first game. Still 0-0 here after 25 mins.

I haven't seen him in a long time, but Ziyech looks done at this level. Their German left back Kuhn also looks in way over his head.

Muslera was Galatasaray's best player in the first half, and from Young Boys I was impressed by Ugrinic, old school left footed number 10.