Chelsea 0-2 Real Madrid (0-4 agg.), Champions League: Post-match reaction, ratings

The starting lineup left many Chelsea fans scratching their heads as to what was manager Frank Lampard’s plan after all. We are not unfamiliar with a 3-5-2 scheme, but the attacking pairing composed by Conor Gallagher and Kai Havertz was rather atypical.

Soon we would find out that the point was doing the most to trouble Madrid’s defenders, while Reece James ran the show on the right flank since the Spaniards could not really keep possession like they did in the first outing. He was also the one who created Chelsea’s best chance to score the opener, with Marc Cucurella hitting it straight at Thibaut Courtois.

In the second half Chelsea had yet another great chance to score via N’Golo Kanté whose shot was blocked by Éder Militão, the latter who should have gotten a second yellow right after that. However a few minutes later, Chelsea’s high line hit back and hard with Rodrygo having all the room in the world to run behind our defence and score from a Vinícius Jr. assist.

This time in typical fashion, Lampard sent out a bunch of attackers to the pitch in an attempt to make up a three-goal disadvantage. In return the Blues looked even more disjointed moving forward, with the sparks of João Félix, Raheem Sterling, Mykhailo Mudryk and Mason Mount not being enough to turn our luck around for even a single goal.

Making matters worse, Madrid showed the many kilometres that Chelsea have to run to catch up to a continental contender like them. Federico Valverde easily cut our defence open and assisted Rodrygo for his second goal of the day.

• 3-5-2 with Conor Gallagher and Kai Havertz upfront.
• Subs are João Félix for Conor Gallagher, Raheem Sterling for Enzo Fernández, and Mykhailo Mudryk for Marc Cucurella.
• The one attacker, one midfielder attacking pairing working out, mostly because Reece James really exploited Vinícius Jr. being completely non-existent when it comes to defending.
• Given Ben Chilwell’s record, he probably would have buried that golden chance Marc Cucurella had to open the scoring today.
• Unless you have a defender with a third eye, you do not play a high line against Real Madrid as shown by Rodrygo’s play and first goal today.
• Chelsea lacked tactics after the first goal, and the will to fight went way following the second.
• Next up: Brentford at home in the Premier League
• KTBFFH.

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