The dust has settled on Chelsea`s Champions League draw with Barcelona last night. The media hacks and football experts have had their time to digest proceedings and give an opinion.
Given the recent circumstances that have inevitably surrounded Chelsea following a run of poor results, no one knew what kind of performance to expect. Least of all Antonio Conte. Most Chelsea fans would have accepted a 1-1 draw prior to the game.
Obviously this morning, certain sections of that media, most notably ex-players, are sticking the boot into Antonio Conte saying that Chelsea were too negative in their tactics. There is an argument for that, but, at Vital Chelsea we`re having none of it.
Maybe a preferable view, is that Conte was eyeing the opposition up, and gauging his sides ability to win the tie. Let`s not forget this tie is only at half time. Chelsea were never going to win the tie last night, but they certainly have lost it.
To chastise Chelsea for not going after Barca like ‘Liverklopp would have` is beyond tedious. Let`s not forget that here is a team that have the consistency of a roller coaster. What`s Conte to do? Go all out and gung-ho and get defeated 4-0. Presumably the media ‘experts` would then be full of praise for Chelsea`s approach in being thrashed.
No they wouldn`t, they would have said how ridiculous Conte was to play that kind of game against the Catalans. As ever with Chelsea, it was damned if they do, damned if they don`t.
Despite a mistake by the unfortunate Andreas Christensen, Chelsea still have a good chance of progressing into the quarter-finals. The assumption that Barca will simply steam roller Chelsea at the Nou Camp is way off the mark. Maybe that Christensen mistake will the thing that finally galvanises Chelsea`s season and instills some mettle, that will see them now go on a run of good results.
With two weekends in Manchester coming up, that would certainly quieten down some of the ‘experts`. Chelsea`s performance last night was one that we can all be happy with. If it proved nothing else, it proved that the players are still with the manager despite reports to the contrary.
This level of performance and attitude needs to be taken forwards into the weekends game at United. If that happens, Chelsea can look to end Conte`s final season on a high.
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