Hello and welcome to Blue Royalty a London's blue podcast dedicated to the Chelsea women's team
I'm your host Jesper Compre is joined today by Abdullah Abdullah and the lesser spotted Nick Vellani guys boys. How's it going all good all good?
It's been a minute. Yeah, he's here. I'm back. I think we love to see back baby. We're ready to go
I needed something positive to talk about so when I got the bat signal up in the air
Abdullah is wearing the bad shirt, but any sort of positive news. Yes, sounds great
Yeah, we are on the seven day count down until we maybe get to watch some good football at Stanford Bridge
I don't want to drink anything because it is our first game of the season which historically is not the best football
But honestly at this point the girls I think could just turn up and stand around and it's still look better than most of what we're watching
At the moment, so Nick Abdullah and I are going to use this episode
And another one we're sort of going to split this into two parts to do our big
23 24 season preview because we're finally getting around to actually
Watching some women's football which would be nice to see so
Aaron Kasper and Kat McCarrie were paraded around the pitch just to show over on what they're missing
Half-time today. So that was nice too
We've already done a predictions episode
And as part of that we put a little form out so you could get some of your predictions in
And I just thought we'd kick off today by by flagging some of the things we've discovered
About what the Chelsea women's fan base are looking forward to the season
Um, it's it's a landslide for Shurkanuskan in terms of being the player everyone is most excited about
I think that Roma performance has done a lot of favors
A two-way battle going on for who will play the most minutes this season between
Millie and
Millie bright
So
That's going to be a tough one for
For Millita to without
Nick, I think you've gone you've gone big with with your shirt choice this season, haven't you?
I did yeah, I went out on the limb with this pick as well and also picked Millie bright
But I also got her on my shirt um, and so I feel like it's only bright that I
I bestow the most minutes throughout the season on on her very capable shoulders
Yeah, I didn't actually get a name on my home shut
But I'm I can hear the third the third the mentee third kit and guru writing's name calling me at the moment
So we're gonna we're gonna wait and see until some of my invoices get paid and then that might that might be coming
Everybody I do it as I'm sure yet tell him what player he should get on the back of which shirt
Yes, yes
I'll sue after Lena who says no
Paris FC let's go
Let's go
Um, we've also had some good hot takes coming in so I'm gonna go through a couple of these and then we'll see what Nick said because oh my god
Mine age real bad real real quick um, but some of the ones we got on our form
Someone saying we're gonna beat realm of dread in the Champions League final that take is is hot
um
Really really dark
We that would be something to behold. I will say
um melley loypox gonna have a best season as a Chelsea player
I definitely am starting to feel that one. Yeah, I can I can see that coming down the line
I think we will have some stuff to talk around uh melley in the midfield in this episode too
And this one I really like we will have the highest number of goal scorers in the WSL
That's a good one like it because
It signals that there's going to be a spreading of the wealth around the team which is
Do you know that does happen at Chelsea? I mean there are tons of goal scorers in this team unlike the other side of the uh the house that we have
Yeah, exactly um, so if you haven't already you can listen to my nabdelar run through our predictions the forms in the show notes
You can submit yours. Do you just want to repeat your your take for everyone's edification?
Anyone so
So my hot take was
And to be fair this what I said when I said it. This wasn't a quality caveat
caveat
Coming out to fuck needed um, but that was that I thought was the chair of moosebitch my end up as our number one by the end of the season
And she promptly
shows up playing Spain in the UEFA women's nation's league what tournament by the way really enjoying it um and
I don't know I don't honestly don't know what she does it. I think no del Castillo takes the shot
I think she thinks it's going one way it takes his bounce right in front of her and
Just she sort of loops it over her head
And I thought I thought that's that's the person I just said might be Chelsea's number one for the end of the season
But at least at least
Manuela Zinsberger did something even crazier in the game against Austria
So at least we've got more than one goalkeeper who's good. So it doesn't doesn't really matter
Nick I've embarrassed myself
Doing this game. So it's only right that you give us a hot take so you can potentially embarrass yourself
Yeah, I'm gonna go
counter to what I said at the end of last season
And I think that the hottest take that I could possibly have is that Chelsea will be Barcelona over two legs
In a semi-final this season to cement our status as you're absolutely
I think it will take something
Miraculous probably to get that done the new campus is a difficult place to play but they won't be playing that
They won't be playing that right because they ripped it down
shame
So perhaps this is the year actually perhaps this is the year that we get a chance to do this but
I mean, I think there were steps that we took last season in regards to how we played Barcelona and
I think the way that we aim to kind of muddy that game up a little bit and
You know, I think until
We get this team kind of hummin and we we get to properly assess them after a period of time
This will be among the hottest takes that I have because Barcelona are very very good
But I do think this could be
This could be the year where it's not it's not just a one-off where you not just beating him in a final
You're beating him over two legs, which is I think much much harder. Yeah, definitely. I look forward
You having a fight with Abdullah who I actually think the hottest take he dropped on that episode was they he thought
Chelsea would go out in the quarterfinals of the Champions League so you guys can take that
Oh
I thought that was wild
I did say we'd win everything else
And we'd be had the highest record goal
No, but the quarterfinals man the quarterfinals
Have some face
Okay, I mean I can't go and change it now
I mean even if I go and say yeah I can find like you know what if we can go
We go through the semi-finals. I can't change what I said about the two remusavage to be fair
I did say that if we get through to the semi-finals
I wouldn't be surprised, but that was you know that's the caveat
Dude that's on a hot take then it's you're just oh no, my
Stake offense tape
No, no, no, my my hot take was both our pivots get double digit assist the season
We can go back to the syrups and read it
No, I know I was just saying the quarterfinal thing was like
Separate then what you then put out of your hot take so yeah, it's true
It's probably I want to take a step that's why I'm just writing but look this episode is an opportunity for us to all dig a little bit deeper
Into these silly things that we've already said and to some of the key questions that we think are gonna be really crucial
For the season ahead so let's take a quick ad break here and then we will dive in to what Chelsea's 23-24 season is gonna look like
Are you missing out on your favorite show because it's not available in your region
Trying to keep your private time private. Well, let me introduce Nord VPN if you're bored of US streaming services
Why not take it for a spin in the UK using Nord VPN and at the click of a button you can do just that
No need to travel to Japan for your favorite anime when Nord VPN brings it right to you with 5000 plus server options
No show is out of your reach
Grab your exclusive Nord VPN deal by going to Nord VPN.com forward slash London is blue
You know like the name of the podcast to get a huge discount off of your Nord VPN plan plus one additional months for free
It's completely risk-free with Nord's 30-day money back guarantee
We all love to binge but privacy is a big deal too Nord VPN keeps your information encrypted
So you never have to worry about your IP or location getting out
Threat protection they've also doubled down on keeping you safe with their new threat protection feature
Say goodbye to intrusive website ads and malware even if you download an effective file
Threat protection kicks in and deletes it before it makes a mess of your computer
Don't forget there is literally no risk to you with their 30-day money back guarantee
Give it a try and if you like it great if you don't
The send your refund into pretend the entire situation never happened just like shelsea's 2022
2023 season
Check out my link at nord VPN.com forward slash London is blue to get your subscription started today
Nord VPN.com forward slash London is blue
So I was thinking about how we wanted to go through the episode and
I think for me
The nice way to think about the season ahead is like asking some questions and the biggest question Nick that jumped out to me straight away
I think the
The question that sort of like looms over this season
In a way that's really weird because it's just a number
But is can Chelsea win a fifth consecutive WSL title and I don't know why
But someone said to me and it's really resonated with me
What's the point in winning four if you don't go on and win five?
I know it's just a number, but it's so satisfying. I mean it if you do it four times in a row
Right, which is absolutely insane
And I think still doesn't get enough credit because we're Chelsea or whatever you know whatever the median narrative is out there
Then the standard is that you win the lead
I like it's that is what it is right. I mean if you do that four times in a row sure
One was the COVID shortened you know season and we wanted on points per game and that says a whole different deal
If you want to rewind your brain back to three and a half years ago, which I prefer not to
um
But I mean in every season since Chelsea have been the class of the WSL right sometimes we left it late
Sometimes we made it more difficult than we had to but the end of the year when you looked at it
Who was hosting the hoisting the trophy? I should say it was us and it felt right
I think that's the bare minimum expectation for this club
Which is a really scary thing to say if you're the rest of the lead
Emma Hayes does not do second place well
You know, she might not care about the content cup as much as we'd hope at times, but like
For the rest of it. It's it's winter winter die right and that is a
massive
mentality shift that no other team has been able to overcome in the league since
2019 so
Do I think we can do it?
100% 100% I mean again, I look at this as
Probably the number two objective for the team this year is to go out and win the lead
because I think this is the thing that shows
How great of a team you are can you win the league over a longer period of games than a knockout tournament provides
And that shows the class of the team and that's what they've done the last four years so 100%
Yeah, it's weird though. I've done it isn't it because in some ways it feels like
And then I think Nick summed it up quite nicely there by saying like that's the expectation
But by being so successful you almost create this additional pressure because
I'm sure Arsenal and City I think in particular will sit around and say
Well, they should be saying look. It's embarrassing that we haven't been able to win a league in this time
But at the same time they can almost create this like underdog narrative for themselves
Where they're like yeah, we're gonna give it a real good go
Where it feels like the pressure's on us to like keep it going and that seems so strange
When you're like, but also we've been the dominant team in the era
Where the team who's leading everyone else out every single season
Yeah, I agree and I think but I think that comes with the fact that you are so dominant means that you have to keep the standard up
I guess it's it's harder to keep a higher standard up than it is for a team to have to keep chasing right for the cities
And the osmos and the United in the last season to chase Chelsea has been a lot harder for task
And they may have had to work harder to get to that point they haven't reached that
But for Chelsea to keep maintaining against three different clubs is is is becoming a tougher and tougher task and
They've been doing it successfully, but I feel like that's harder and I think
That probably isn't going to be it looked as much as a saying well you guys have been winning every season. So
Did there should there's an expectation and and it almost becomes a point where
City and also can just sit back and go we don't have to do anything
Everybody else will create the pressure on Chelsea for us
So we can just kind of do our thing win our games
Okay, if we lose it's almost we know weird way
Nothing it's an expectations, but in the grand scheme of things if if a city loses a game one also loses a game
They're like okay, they lost big thing, but like
Okay, they move they they've lost games before and that you know, they didn't keep pace
But if Chelsea start losing a game or drawing a couple of games then the then the question comes up
Like this pressure getting to them can they go can they go to the fifth title?
Do they have the squad for a blah blah blah blah blah and I think that pressure from from from the outside influences
That's much more easy to come by for it seemed like Chelsea just because they've won form been so dominant that the margin for error is so small
Where's the other teams they have a they have an imaginative larger margin for error and all they have to do is just
Pounce on any mistakes that Chelsea make, otherwise the onus is on Chelsea to kind of do everything and everybody else to be reactive towards that
That's what I think
Though man like
If I were Arsenal or united, which I think are the two primary
Title challengers, I mean lump city in there if you want, but
Don't you think that you start off three mental points down at the start of the season
At shot like when you when you look at where Chelsea is you look at what they've done in the market you look at what they've won and achieved
I think it's I would typically agree with you
It's harder to maintain excellence than it is to occasionally challenge for excellence
There's no doubt about that. I think it's been proven in studies and results throughout the years
I in this league with our manager and this team. I think you start off mentally down
And having the clot back. I definitely think there's I definitely think there's an extent of
That teams feel like Chelsea can slip up
And they will find their way back, but if you slip up it's done
And that's what's been funny and obviously we'll talk a bit about
The for the opening day curse, but that's what's been so funny about
Losing our first two matches at the past two seasons because we've given everyone a three point head start
And in both of those years we've we've clawed it back
And it's been fine margins as you mentioned at the top knick at points, but you know that that's the difference right and
I think what
Will be really interesting
And I think what really shows how much that affects those teams is that Chelsea normally drop points more to
Random teams, you know, you're looking at the Liverpool loss obviously at the start of last season
Chelsea lose to Reading at Christmas the season before you know their their games which
You would normally with another team be like wow, they're really sloppy points to drop, but because Chelsea
often seems so ready to steam through
The other sides that's
That's why it doesn't affect them and I think that's what's so psychologically scary. I think if I was
One of those other teams Abdullah as well
What would freak me out is
I kind of feel like this is the strongest Chelsea team
We've looked at in a very long time in terms of going into a season whereby
I think we got all of our targets
We have needed fallback for a while
We got an elite fallback. We've needed a
Defensive midfielder for a while. We've got an elite defensive midfielder
We needed another set of constriker. We needed to replace Beth England. We've done that
And I think that's a position where I look at this squad of players that we've got and I know there's been a lot of discussion about however on sort of fits in
But the fact is is
That's a hard conversation to have because it feels like the talent level has taken a significant step forward this season
Yeah, and I agree and I think I think we talked about it in the last episode as well saying that the squad depths now
Is there to challenge in all fronts including the champions league as well like there is there is two starting elevens here
That could easily compete in either competition like okay Sam cuz not playing you got me official if
You know such a risk and risk and is not playing got millennial oipals right you've got these these like for like
Replacements that are as good as each other and pushing each other to go for right like and I think that and then with Frank cubby coming back
It's practically like a new signing is is another one like okay
We you know prendo's no pinnacle harder to come McCarrie's out for a bit Frank cookie comes back into it
I mean, can you imagine losing pinnacle harder?
An injured cat McCario and then you still have Frank cubby to come back and play for you in that same position
I mean nobody has the sort of depth. So I agree. I think in that sense
We've really pushed into the next level and I really do feel like I mean even we've got even three starting goalkeepers
I mean who has three starting goal key the fourth one was that gone on loan
Who this now the squad is insane. I mean the season preview where you guys talked about these goalkeepers had me in stitches man
It was
Honestly, I love the Hannah Hampton chat as much as anything though just because of like this year like I think
Audacity of confidence that that woman has on everything is
So what you want in a goalkeeper you want someone to go I am fucking better than you and I'm going to go out there and prove it
Every single day of every does that make a great teammate perhaps not but does it make a great goalkeeper
Yeah, I think so. I mean like that is
Those are the sorts of things that can help this team kind of get over
You know, maybe some of the hums that they've had and and the women's Champions League right but this team
The biggest battle we have is making sure everyone feels involved
I that is I think by far and away. This is going to be Emma Hayes toughest job that she's had to do
because
If you're I was just looking at the roster again if you're me official
If you're Shankovitch if you're
You know, obviously the injured players I'm a cardio, you know kind of set them aside
JRK
if you're
You know looking in the midfield obviously it's thick of us is maybe not not going to feature as much this year so fingle
If you're Neve Charles who had a good year last year if you're Buchanan who had a pretty average year last year
You may not see a whole lot of time and then start the season
So how do you keep these guys involved in in a year that you're going to definitely need everybody right?
There's too many matches and they get too congested because
fixture schedules
Do my head and honestly. Hey, let's just jam everything together over Christmas and see the performances
Go up like it doesn't make any sense, but that's it's gonna be her her hardest shot
And Hayes hardest job is to make sure that everyone feels involved Jesse Fleming who wasn't as involved last year
How do you keep her
involved Jess Carter who had an amazing world cup
Maybe doesn't start. I don't know maybe does
She's not the only right back there three others now like it's
It's a it's a interesting dynamic to go off of and I'm very interested to see how this works because
Our biggest challenges ourselves. I think yeah
I would I would agree and I think
It will be really interesting. I do think naturally like
As the season goes on players will come in and out both in terms of four man in terms of injury
And I think you know
When we think back to that like crazy
Was it March where we had like the two leon games and the city game and it was just like bonkers and that was when everyone
Like started dropping like flies and you realized actually how how quickly a stack squads can can get very thin
I think you know the squad now is is a response to that
um
But I think something I just want to talk about as well like looking away from Chelsea looking at other teams
um
I just want to talk Abdullah about the impact of teams not having champions league and not having that
fixture congestion
How we think that might affect
the team
As the year goes on obviously
United might also be in that position
Depending on their double header with PSG
Part of me thinks
This isn't necessarily a bad thing for Chelsea
That everyone is going to be putting all of their eggs in the WSL basket because I think that's going to make
Lots more games like extremely competitive
I'm not just talking now about city in Arsenal but looking at the likes of villa who want to push on bright and who've had like a really impressive
Summer of recruitment
Is it like
overly confident of me to look at the rest of the WSL and feel like there might be a bit of a hunger games
Scrap that Chelsea can sort of just like
Sale over the top of yeah, I think it'll be interesting. I think
Obviously not having that fixture congestion and having like you know six seven less games
To play in it for example the Champions League group stage for a team like for example that Arsenal
I think helps because then they get a full weeks of recovery and rest where Chelsea will have to keep rotating and keep playing every three
You know every three days in that sense
but I think
The counts of argument and balance goes back to the squad that we have right you can practically play two 11s
In the Champions League group stages depending on the game and the WSL
So if there is a game where there's a group stage against a
Team that would usually typically comes third or fourth you can practically practically play a rotated 11
Bring the first team back in for a game against a topside like a villa Arsenal bright and you know if that is to be the game after and I think
being able to balance that
will be
Will be important, but I think I think for teams
You know without it. I think I think for them it really just come and you know
I think it goes back to pressure right if a team that's been playing two games a week and another one with the full rest
That team with the full rest has more pressure to win the game because they're expected to win the game
So if it's like city versus Chelsea
City would be expected to win that game just because they would they would play that one game less than the week and they end up losing
You know kind of steamroll and gold and I think Chelsea have proven in the last couple of years more than any of the other clubs that
Because they've gotten so far in all these competitions that they're used to playing multiple games a week for months and months and months and on season and
It would even smaller squads. I mean if this Chelsea team now with a bigger squad is going to be able to navigate it
You know, then then that'll probably be a good you know more likely because last season the season before when we had key injuries
The hot as Sam cuck millie bright towards the end and we still navigated and got to a championship semi-final
One the WSL, you know FA Cup, you know Conti Cup finals
I mean imagine all of those finals and semi-finals with a smaller squad with more key injuries to key plays
Whereas this season we've actually got the backup for all these key positions and and to be able to go and manage all of it
So I think it will play a psychological factor for the teams
But I think Chelsea are in a much much better position to be able to handle
The multiple games a week schedule to the point where I think it becomes
You know slightly less relevant in the overall discussion at times than it would have been you know a couple of years ago
Nick do you want to jump in on that? That's all otherwise. I might move on to jump in slag
Yeah, I mean just just a last note like
It really depends on how we manage the squad
Right, so if if there is in in a particularly tight period of fixture congestion
Two elevenths right where you're getting
You know, I know this is not going to be two elevenths perfectly and there aren't going to be two
I get that right. I'm just saying this kind of hypothetically
But if you know
There's going to be a team that primarily focuses on the league and there's going to be a team that primarily focuses on
Folks is on whatever cup is coming up right and that those players can mentally prepare
For that right instead of oh players down now I have to go in which is a really hard thing to do
In any facet especially if it's Sam Kerr
That goes down or Frank Kirby that goes down or any one of our centerbacks that goes down like that
That's a big mental job like if the if the team is able to plot out this season a way to mentally stay engaged
This especially the players who are not necessarily like the first choice 11
Which is a harsh thing to say at this club because there are so many talented players
Then
We're going to be fine because the talents there the goal scoring is there the defense was
Relatively good the last couple of seasons maybe dodged you a couple seasons before that
But like you have all the tools. It's just whether or not. I think the mental side is there rather than the physical side
Also if you have player swapping it out probably less chance of injury from you know kind of extended periods of run like games
In fact that Sam Kerr has been healthy most of her time at Chelsea is a miracle
Like you can't run her into the ground this year you have to give her a breather. She can't be the only
goal scorer in a team that has so many great goal scores right so
These are the sorts of things that I would worry about
But if they are to balance it properly and if Emma Hayes is able to get the mental preparation of the kind of second choice
11 out there in a way that they're they feel like they are actively contributing to us winning the lead or winning a cup
And they're up for it
All systems go. Yeah, and I think you know the reason obviously
All of that matters so much is because no one's under any illusions that the focus will be and probably should be
Champions League performances and and that's why the squad matters
That's why the rotation matters and being able to have players as fresh as possible
To play wherever they're needed whether that is in Champions League games whether that is in WSL games
So let's take another abroad here and then when we come back we'll get onto some Champions League chat
So obviously as much as
Winning the league would be amazing everyone wants to do a fifth one
I personally believe we can do a fifth one
I think
Everyone would take the Champions League over another WSL title in a heartbeat and that's that's totally understandable
I guess Abdullah before we start looking at where Chelsea may be
fit into the Champions League this year
What do you think where do you think Chelsea have struggled in the past if you can sort of pinpoint it to one thing
We've got a bit of a rep of having this very up and down relationship with the Champions League
You know we reach final one year out in the group stages the next then we reach semi finals
Is this like is it a mental thing do you think it's a tactical thing do you think it's that sort of physical or squad building thing
What's the what's the key area that you think Chelsea really need to improve on this year?
If they are going to take that final step I think what stopped us on the I think it's a mixture of all the things
You just mentioned like if we can break it down for a second
I think one it was a mental thing because
They were almost like rookies in the Champions League you get you know
They finally get to that final and then you know they they weren't able to navigate the group stages of the year after that
Was probably more of a mental thing than anything else you know
Then the next year they get to you know quotes or semifinal and you know it keeps kind of going up and down
And I think so that's one I think mentally just being able to cope with the pressure of okay
We reached the final and I think that was probably too much to the expectation of okay needing to get to
Further down the line in the Champions League in the following season
I think the squad was built to have a star an amazing starting 11 before but not a good enough
Second 11 backup rotations. I think weren't good you know good enough you
You look at Jess Kautta and Neat Charles as two prime examples
You would rather take them now as players to come in or starting then you would a couple of years ago where they were good
You know I mean we just go back to that Champions League final against Barcelona in 2021
You know Jess Kautta and Neat Charles were absolutely demolished by Lincoln Martins and Karla and Graham Hanson
Whereas I would fancy them to do a much better job now
Then I was obviously two years ago. So that's for example the
The experience and the development of players and the squad has gotten up and
We've now
Refreshed the squad and gotten players in to deal with
To deal with Ashley Lawrence as a Champions League experienced player played multiple multiple games and they were you know with PSG and that
You know okay me official hasn't but she's just a lot's hop into national
Schicken this can's played for Germany in you know in a world cup right and being a big gains for
Antifa for before so you know I think the players that have come in now have got a little bit of good experience
Whether it's in the Champions League or in general
um
And I feel like every you know the players have developed and I think
The reasons that we were stopped before is and I think last season against Barcelona
Tactically, I think that was the turning point in terms of the Champions League itself because
Teams in a Champions League play very very different to the teams in WSL and
If one you know in that that season what we got to the final we could have gotten knocked out three times
That's like a Madrid ideally should have knocked us out much much much early in the competition. They just missed penalties, right?
Um and Chelsea managed to get through with kind of one style one tactic without changing too much and obviously they lost
And I think now MAH is especially the way she put against Barcelona and almost beat them and took them
You know took the game down to the wire against Barcelona
I think that would have given them so much confidence that they can now navigate against some of the top sides in the Champions League and in Europe
To be able to say okay, we now have tactically you know
Disciplined and tactically small players to be able to maneuver across different types of teams
So if they come against a Wolfsburg Wolfsburg Leon
Barcelona Roma
I feel like now Chelsea are well equipped to be able to deal with them differently in each situation where before
It was just one way and if it didn't work, you know was to where do you go from there? So yeah, I would just tack on to that because I I agree with you
I think you know the the result against
Barcelona last year
showed a mentality shift and I think it showed a confident shift
right instead of
going in hoping
To win. I think there was an expectation to compete at it at a higher level than we had in the past
Like obviously that four-mill final was going to haunt everybody for a long time and that was difficult to take and
I think if you played that game 10 out of 10 times
Chelsea mainly went at one time right the Barcelona team was really good
But the fact that they were so competitive
Last year the fact that I think Guru Wright and took her game to like super saying level at the end of that season
and kind of like led from the front
And that you had established leaders and strengthened in areas where you maybe more than strong
Last year
I think the expectation is and why that was my hot take
Is that if if we are paired with them again, which is like the least favorable
Knockout matchup that anyone can have is is to play Barcelona. They are the Chabates for a reason
Then
I think you have the team you have the depth and you have the mentality
To compete with them
in a number of different circumstances you you'll remember
From last season that Chelsea were not incredibly healthy
When we played Barcelona, you know Marim Nielde had an absolutely
Phenomenal couple of games in center back, but probably isn't your ideal center back
for games like that right
Midfield was so gassed after chasing them around right
You didn't really have anyone to come in and replace Aaron and the energy that she brought into the game
You know Sam Kerr was on her last
Last gasp at the end of the season
Because she played every single fucking match last year
All these things I think have been remedied with the squad
construction
And now Jesse I think it's on Emma
To figure out
tactically the right stuff to do
And to to make sure that
This team walks in
With a just killer mentality
Like I don't care about your awards
I don't care about the winners medals you have
I don't care that you beat us in the final a couple of years ago
If we get paired with you in a knockout round
It's you going home not us
We're ready for this
Yeah, and I think last year played a big role in that and I know there was a lot of frustration
In both the Leon quarter final and the Barcelona semi final in
The perceived tactical
Negativity that Hayes adopted but
I do feel like when you look up those games
That it was almost necessary to do that to give
The players
And this is controversial right because some people
Will sort of turn around and say the best way to make a team and players feel good about themselves is to like really impose your game plan
Upon other people like or not the teams doesn't matter like we're seeing this a lot like
I think especially with Postercoglu and Spurs and the Premier League at the moment this idea that like
If you sort of go in with this kind of happy-go-lucky mentality then
Then the team will follow I think that changes the longer you've been at a club
And I think that's something that's is very different for Hayes to sort of implement when she's been at the club for so long
And she's been working with these players for so long and I kind of feel like
It was the right decision in terms of being able to get those close results obviously in the Leon game
Winning even in the strangest way possible in some ways um and then in the Barcelona game
Pushing them really close, you know, I think we don't go to camp new and get a draw
If we don't sort of play in that like quite conservative way and only lose one nil at stamp for bridge
I know it was frustrating to play a negative game at stamp for bridge because you want to really go for it at home
But you risk losing three nil and you don't even get to go play for something at camp new
And I think those experiences now help the team step forward and say we were in those games
You know, we got a result at camp new and no one had ever done that against the Barcelona women's team before
Now they're not even going to play at the camp new because they're knocking half of it down
You know now this is the time. This is where we then take that step forward like we're not
naive within this competition anymore
um
And I think that also like the recruitment
Speaks to that like
Touch words
You've got a player like count macario who's scored in a Champions League final back by the time
You're playing in the latter stages. You've got a player like Ashley Lawrence who's you know played in those crucial knockout games
I think that really speaks to like
Okay, we've got our players to the level where they're confident, you know, we've got defenders who've just played in a World Cup final
Or hilariously against some of the Barcelona players
um
But like so we've raised our players up and then we're also bringing in players who have that experience from elsewhere
I think that's the thing
Abdullah that feels like that really crucial way of like how do you
Creating that setup creating that platform that allows the team to to go out and perform how they want to perform
I'm going to jump in right in front of you Abdullah because I think this is
If I'm Emma Hayes and I'm looking at this because I totally agree with your take by the way
This is not a beauty patching
This is about winning like whatever way you have to win
Find by us like I it may be frustrating to watch at times, but
Do I care if you set up in a shell and you beat Barcelona
One nil at wherever they're going to play this season and we advanced to the Champions League final because we did that
And we were smart and we were savvy and we weren't tactically naive
Awesome, I'm in you know what it'd be great if we score five nil and and we're and we're all over them and we're dominant
Sure, is that likely to happen? No, so like I think that's a like really savvy point Jesse on just like
What what it means to win this competition? We all remember how
Chelsea's men's team their their least talented team of that run
Did the tactically smart shit and just won the competition? It was ugly at times
It was weird at times
Didn't matter when you're left in the trophy right and that to me is is critical
I also think of dola if I'm Emma Hayes
I am looking across the football landscape. I'm bringing in consultants
I'm bringing in people who haven't been a part of this team before I'm looking at ways to
Work on mentality right heading into these big fixtures because it is a whole different game
It's a completely different tactical game
And I'm looking at ways to keep this team fit
As fit as humanly possible because if we have our our number one
a choice 11
I think we're competitive against anyone in the world. Yeah, I agree. I think on on your last point
I think I think Chelsea starting 11 beats
Most teams if not any team on their day in Europe I possibly included because I feel like the
You know play for you know play for player. I think they're up there
I think they've got the um the experience the tactical quality to be able to go and beat most teams
And I and I agree both of you on the points of that
Because it's the it will be chasing the first title. It doesn't matter how you play
I'm okay with doing the marine your style
2004 1-0 wins throughout the entire competition
I don't care because at least then yeah exactly it doesn't matter at least then you go and do it finally through chasing
Around Madrid type 10 11 12 13 14 champions league
Fine, maybe style, you know, it would be cool to have right
All right, they're going to win three four nilana in a quarter final or semi-final
Like into top side to make a statement
I at that point
I can see why you'd want to be chasing that because it wouldn't be about just winning it anymore
We'll be about winning it with a stopper, you know, a style of football
But when you're chasing the first one. I mean, that's let's let's go back and see
Barcelona winning their first one right
Barcelona winning their first um
Their first championship they were moments where they could have they could have lost
It looked like they could have lost they they did it
But they just needed to win whereas I feel like they're their second run
um
You know while they did have a couple of issues. I felt like that
stylistically was just probably a little bit better than the first time
Okay, put the final aside against Chelsea. They they won four nil
But you know beating woolspurg three two and just to run to the final
I think that is just was just better
So you can always see that once you have the experience of winning it once
The second third time I don't think it gets easier
But you know what to expect all the way through to winning it
And for Chelsea they don't have that yeah, so it doesn't matter if you need to win one nil
Low block counter attack and football do it. I don't care like that's that's the best way forward
These guys are
Are the standard to shoot for Barcelona or the standard to shoot for right like no like that is us on this podcast saying
We haven't quite done it yet. We haven't quite gotten over the hump on on that side yet
It's going to be I think Emma Hayes hardest challenge in her career at Chelsea is to get over that home
Much like there have been many other Chelsea managers on the other side who have had to struggle to get over that home to play
Teams like your amateurs and your Barcelona's and your bimedics and all this sort of stuff
Once you do it though and you prove to yourself that you can do it and you proved everyone else that you can do it
The whole narrative changes everything changes
Because they're not the invincible team anymore. You are you can be that team and
You know, I think that you know again, I think it'll be one of the hardest things that Chelsea has to do is
Yeah, potentially play bars. I'm the Champions League gods are not going to smile on his Jesse
I'm not suggesting then we're gonna see them in just the final again
I think there will be two legs at some point that we're gonna have to play and beat them. That's my prediction obviously, but
I think if Chelsea can do that it will
Raise alarm bells that were else in the world because it will signal a shift and
In narrative and probably the way the footballs played in Europe
Sorry dick cut in one one one quick thing before you go in just a country point you look at what Leon lost a couple of years ago
They lost two with PSG in a quarter semi-final
They came back the next year in 2020 and won the Champions League by beating Barcelona
And that wasn't because and they were they were looking like they were on the way down
That's because they've won it seven different times. They knew what it takes to come back
And get over that helmet to show people that they could do it and Chelsea just don't have the experience
I mean Leon looked like they were down and out that season the season before people were starting to doubt them
They come through and beat Barcelona 3-1 in the Champions League final to kind of prove again and say look
We're still here. We have the experience where the Queens of the Champions League
So you can't just take that from way from us like this
So just to to your point it that experience if you just get over it once
It makes a whole hell of a difference. Yeah, and I mean it will be very interesting. I think to
To see how the Champions League shapes up this year. I do think Chelsea are in a good position
I think I've mentioned this maybe on the the predictions pod, but I do kind of feel like
the
quality within the Champions League
Potentially doesn't feel as high as maybe it has in in previous years. I also think to that extent
It would maybe be good for Chelsea if United did go through because
Part of I think what's been really hard for us in the Champions League
But in both group stages we've participated in has been the fact that we've been in group stages where there's been three good teams
Obviously did the first year that UV and Wolfsburg
They're the ones that goes through we go out and then even last year PSG and Real Madrid
I feel like
Potentially you know if for example United not PSG out
Chelsea can't draw United in that group stage the pool of teams that you're then getting in in your in your group stage
Starts to look a lot better because we're in pot one. So we're not getting Barcelona by an oleon
So I think that'll be a really interesting thing to keep an eye on maybe maybe it doesn't go in your favor
Maybe it's better to play those some of those earlier teams harder to get yourself sort of in that zone
But then equally
Again potentially having some slightly more relaxed games in the lead up to Christmas
And the Champions League group stage is going to go into January this year as well. No bad thing
Either so I think that'll be something that's there's really interesting to keep an eye on
Obviously, I yeah, I personally think at some point we will have to beat Barcelona if we're going to win the Champions League
Just because they do feel so far ahead of other teams
but
I agree with Nick I think it's possible. I definitely feel like removing Camp Nou from
The picture is very helpful. I think the experience of last year is very helpful
Um, and I feel like having a stronger squad
Because we do have a stronger squad. Oh, normally not necessarily than Barcelona than we did last year
Um, I think all of those things put Chelsea in a good position. But also at the end of the day
It's a knockout competition. You can do all your theories and you can say how it looks on paper
um
I just think everyone needs
Luck to go their way at some point
100% in these
Yeah, it's a knockout I mean you're you're 100% right it is a knockout competition
Anything can happen. We've seen some crazy. I should happen over the years in a knockout competition
Where the underdog seems so far down that there's no possible way that they could
Of course, they're going to win because it's a knockout competition. That's what happens, right?
I would I would rather Chelsea
Go in with like the most momentum that they've ever had into a Champions League semi-final be an underdog
Then for them to be playing the best football ever and you know, just kind of continually kind of work toward that moment
If a team gets hot, they can just win a competition
Period, so you see it in sports all the time. It is
Whichever team has the hottest hand that's the team that's likely to win because they have the most confidence and they have
The best mentality at that point and feel I think they can't lose and so I'd rather Chelsea
Have that like hot streak when it matters and
See what happens again. I
The the majority of the players in this team are coming to the coming to or in the prime of their careers
The moment is is now like I would hope that this team can
dig deep and and do what is going to be I think the hardest thing that they've they've had to do
To hot takes and hot streaks that should be the motto. I think of of our podcast moving forward
All right, I think that wraps us up quite neatly for our sort of WSL and and champions league
Discussion we're gonna come back with you a bit later in the week and dig into a bit more of the tactical stuff
So we've got a bit more preview things to get through but until then Chelsea fans you know what to do keep the blue flag flying high
You