That’s all! Thanks for reading this MBM. Nighty night!
Unai Emery talks to Sky. “Good evening … it’s not easy to win here … we started very well in the first 20 minutes … defensively it was very important and the goalkeeper … in the second half, we spoke that we could manage better in attack … we scored the second goal … we didn’t have ball possession like we want … but the key in the second half was that we stopped them better than we did in the first half … [John McGinn] is very competitive and understands everything tactically we need of him … he deserved the performances he is making now … we have to play on Tuesday [against Leicester] and we don’t want to stop … we try to improve every day and practice, and take confidence … we try to get better every day … [Europe next season] is very difficult, that’s the reality … but we are improving, we are winning matches … today was a key match … and we can add something more … we are in the top ten now, but to take over a team in a Europa position is going to be a new challenge but very difficult … we are in the top ten but on Tuesday we have to keep it.”
Graham Potter, clearly feeling it, speaks to Sky Sports. “Both boxes we were second best … the first goal is disappointing from our perspective … but there’s a lot of good things in the game … attacking play, attacking entries, shots … if you look at the stats it’s a positive performance, but in terms of the scoreline it’s not because we’re down in the game and we’re all really disappointed … [rubs furrowed brow] … the boys gave everything … the attention and personality was there … they had shots, they had attacks, entries in the box … but you need to defend better than we did, and of course I’m responsible for that so we need to look at that and do better … there were positives for us but it doesn’t feel like that because we lost … there was a positivity about us … we need to manage the little moments better and the scoreline tells the story … we can’t feel sorry for ourselves and we have a fantastic game on Tuesday night [against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge] to put it right.”
John Brewin was at Stamford Bridge. His report is in!
John McGinn speaks to Sky Sports … “They’re a good team … it’s only a matter of time before it clicks for them … they’re a tough team to play against … we do a lot of shape work to get goals on the transition as they call it these days … Ollie’s on fire at the moment … great goal to start us off … we probably could have got another one … we ran hard and that’s why we’re climbing up the table … everyone flinging their bodies in the line … you need to be honest and stay humble … we were first class today … it’s been an amazing week after the Scotland games … it’s been a special week … I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve tried to lace it and it’s been blocked so I thought right, I’ll take a wee breather and sidefoot it … hopefully that can be the start of a run for goals … Steven Gerrard was first class with me, put a lot of trust in me, and I didn’t really repay that … I spent a bit of time on the bench, and took in what the manager [Unai Emery] wants and got back in the team.”
… as does Ollie Watkins. “Before I was doing a lot of unselfish running but now I’m trying to save my energy and pick the right times and rely on my team-mates to put me through … obviously we have to take it game by game … we need to go to Leicester and win that and see what happens … we’ll try to keep winning games and see where that puts us.”
That’s pretty much put paid to any lingering hopes of Chelsea making a late run for the top four. In fact, any sort of European football next season is beginning to look unlikely for the Blues. But this should be about Aston Villa, who scored a couple of fine goals, could easily have had more, dug deep defensively when they had to, kept Chelsea at arm’s length for much of that second half, and saw the game out professionally. European football next year doesn’t seem so much of a stretch for them, who have now taken 13 of the last 15 points on offer in the Premier League. They’re going places under Unai Emery, and all of a sudden, next season becomes a whole world of possibility. (Not least because they’ll be wearing that new 1981-infused badge. Delicious.)
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Graham Potter maintains a dignified look despite the boos ringing in his ears. He’s under real pressure now. The fans turning sour. The fact he could still feasibly win the Champions League for Chelsea this season counts for very little in the court of public opinion right now, and here’s why …
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fulham | 28 | 2 | 42 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 28 | -2 | 41 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 28 | -1 | 38 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 29 | -15 | 30 |
FULL TIME: Chelsea 0-2 Aston Villa
It’s been a pretty good week for Scotland’s John McGinn, huh? Another goal for Scotland, that win over Spain, and now his first goal in 16 months for Villa! Chelsea are booed off.
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90 min +5: Chilwell lashes wildly over the bar. That’s pretty much that. Meanwhile Dylan Kenny has taken “slight umbrage taken at Kári Tulinius’s comment a few minutes ago: the issue is our squad a lot more than ‘pedestrian’ but it hasn’t been utilised by successive managers. Until, possibly, now.”
90 min +4: … but they don’t. Fernandez’s delivery is awful. Then Gallagher and Chilwell take issue with Bailey, who was in the business of making sure they couldn’t restart the game quickly. Chelsea haven’t been in complete control of their emotions since going two down.
90 min +3: Digne is booked for a lunge on Madueke, just to the right of the Villa box. A daft challenge, because the Chelsea man was going nowhere. An interesting final 90 seconds coming up if Chelsea make something out of this!
90 min +2: James plays a weak backpass towards Kepa and nearly lets in Watkins. Kepa digs his team-mate out of a hole by smothering at the striker’s feet.
90 min +1: The first of five additional minutes. John McGinn is named as the player of the match on Sky.
90 min: Pulisic drives down the left and aims a rising drive towards the near post. Martinez tips over the bar, and his defenders deal with the corner.
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89 min: Digne replaces Moreno.
88 min: Bailey twists Koulibaly this way and that as he makes his way down the right. He crosses for Ramsey on the edge of the box. Madueke is forced to blooter out for a corner. The set piece leads to nothing, but as far as Villa are concerned, they’re one minute closer to three huge points.
87 min: Luiz makes way for Dendoncker.
86 min: James crosses from the right. Neither Gallagher nor Havertz gambles on a run. Pulisic does, but can’t do anything other than bundle out for a goal kick at the far post.
85 min: Watkins executes a delightful dragback and turn to escape from Chelsea’s clutches out on the left. He rolls across the face of the box for Bailey, who should shoot from the edge of the D, but over-elaborates and the chance is gone. What skill from Watkins, though.
84 min: Chambers is booked for refusing to give up the ball for a Chelsea throw. Grown men and all. “If there were separate categories for manager of the year, full season and mid-season replacement, Unai Emery would surely win the latter,” argues Kári Tulinius. “He’s been an excellent appointment, turning a fairly pedestrian team into contenders for a Europa League spot. And with him as manager next season, they’d make a good fist of that.”
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82 min: Madueke has been lively since coming on. He sends Kante into space down the right. Kante earns a corner off Mings. Chilwell takes … but within seconds, the ball’s back at the feet of Kepa. All the people sigh.
81 min: Bailey skedaddles down the right wing, drifts infield, and attempts the spectacular towards the top left. He just about finds the top left of the stand behind.
80 min: That’s Kovacic’s last act of the evening. He’s replaced by Gallagher, while Pulisic comes on for Cucurella.
79 min: Madueke cuts back from the right for Kante, who slams a shot straight into the nearest player. He lays the ball off to Kovacic, who larrups an awful long-distance shot over the bar.
77 min: Chilwell prepares to take a corner. Young crouches down in front, claiming an injury. It’s top-notch gamesmanship, and riles Chilwell up no end. He takes the bait and gets involved in a shoving match as he attempts to bundle Young out of the way. Young’s not backing down. The referee comes across to tell the pair to grow up. Then nothing comes of the corner, and the clock has been run down by another 60 seconds or so. Latest score: Chilwell 0-1 Young.
76 min: Buendia is replaced by the pacy Bailey, Unai Emery hoping to pick Chelsea off on the break as they push forward in increasingly desperate fashion.
74 min: VAR has to get involved again as Chilwell, dancing into the Villa box from the left, goes over the dangled leg of Chambers. But the Villa defender got a chunk of the ball.
72 min: VAR isn’t interested. I wonder, though, whether Koulibaly brushed Ramsey’s foot at the very last, as the Villa man cocked it back to take his shot? It’s a subtle one if he did. Anyway, VAR probably has better eyesight than me, so that is that.
71 min: Martinez attempts a drop kick. Havertz sticks out a leg to block. Foul. Martinez, of course, takes his sweet time to take it. Howls of derision. Chelsea, their concentration snapped, nearly allow Ramsey to slip clear as he chases a simple long ball. Koulibaly does enough to put him off. Or does he clip him to concede a penalty? VAR will check.
69 min: Felix is brought down by Buendia out on the left. Chelsea load the box. Chilwell hoicks the free kick over everyone and out for a goal kick. The home side’s frustration, and the tension around the ground, is palpable.
67 min: Fernandez slides in on McGinn and goes into the book. Seconds earlier they were getting extremely annoyed at Young’s clock management over the taking of a free kick. A slight danger of Chelsea losing the collective head here.
65 min: Chelsea so nearly get that goal. Havertz slips the lively Madueke into the Villa box down the right. Madueke cuts back for Kante, who is in space with only Martinez to beat. Kante drags a confidence-free shot across the keeper and well wide left. But that was some lovely football from Chelsea.
63 min: By way of contrast to his players, Chelsea boss Graham Potter remains serene in the dugout. No performative rage. He knows one goal would change everything, and Madueke tries to provide it by cutting in from the right and looking to curl one into the top left. Always wide, always high. But a decent enough effort nonetheless.
62 min: VAR has a good look, but the ball came off Mings’ shoulder. Chelsea are extremely displeased, emotions bordering on impotent frustration. Surely it’s too early to be getting quite so agitated. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
61 min: Felix dribbles into the Villa box from the left. He drops a shoulder to nip past Konsa and prods a shot towards the bottom left. Martinez blocks. The ball pings back off Mings and out for a corner. But before it can be taken, VAR checks for a penalty kick!
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59 min: Corner for Chelsea down the left. Koulibaly meets it but heads harmlessly over. The Villa fans are in fine voice right now. The rest of Stamford Bridge, not so much.
58 min: Chelsea were preparing a double change before the goal, and now the new lads come on. Kante and Madueke replace Mudryk and Loftus-Cheek.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-2 Aston Villa (McGinn 56)
John McGinn has been firing them in for Scotland, but they’ve not been going in for Villa. Until now! Luiz sends the corner to the near post. Chambers flicks it out for Ramsey, who rolls across the front of the box, left to right, for McGinn. He opens his body and steers an unstoppable shot into the bottom right! What a finish! His first goal for Villa in 16 months!
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55 min: Ramsey sends Moreno into a bit of space down the left. Moreno’s cross is deflected out for a corner. Luiz to take.
54 min: Luiz strides down the left only to be clipped by Chilwell, who goes into the book. There was no need to make the challenge because James was covering, but here we all are.
53 min: Mings nearly runs into trouble when attempting to Beckenbauer his way out of his own penalty box. But as he loses control in the vicinity of Fernandez, he’s clipped by Felix. Pressure off.
51 min: Cucurella blazes over from distance. A few light mutterings. The former Brighton player, rather like a certain former Brighton coach, has yet to win over his new fanbase.
50 min: Fernandez creams a pass down the left for Chilwell, who spins Young and whips a shot across Martinez and out for a goal kick. He claims to have been tugged by Young, and he mighty have a point, but it wasn’t dramatic enough for the referee to show any interest. And to Chilwell’s credit, he didn’t go looking for the penalty and kept going, only making the claim after taking his shot.
48 min: Fernandez tries to bustle through the Villa back line only to fall dramatically, claiming he was impeded. Nope. Then Mudryk attempts to barge his way down the middle, but Luiz isn’t having any of it, getting in the road before drawing a foul. Chelsea have clearly decided to forgo subtlety for now.
46 min: Chilwell hits a speculative shot over the bar from 25 yards. Not too far over, mind. He’s been impressive for Chelsea today. A constant menace to Villa.
Chelsea get the second half underway. Villa have made one change, switching out Kamara for Chambers. The visitors, under pressure towards the end of that first half, appear to have gone to a back five.
Half-time entertainment. Apologies for any pangs of longing felt by Villa fans.
HALF TIME: Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa
Chelsea have been all over Villa at times, and yet Villa could easily have had three goals themselves. It’s been great fun. As things stand, Unai Emery’s team will leapfrog Chelsea into the top half … but a long way to go yet.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Fulham | 28 | 2 | 42 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 28 | -3 | 41 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 28 | 0 | 38 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 29 | -15 | 30 |
45 min +1: The first of two additional minutes sees Chilwell meet Fernandez’s right-wing cross and steer a header into the bottom left! But the referee immediately disallows it for a shove on Young, a decision that is not only correct, but is rubber-stamped by VAR, because that’s how football rolls these days.
45 min: A replay shows James clipping Ramsey just inside the Chelsea box. There wasn’t much in it … but fussier VAR operatives, and all that …
43 min: Loftus-Cheek strides down the right and cuts back for Havertz, who needs to sort his feet out before scuffing a shot towards the bottom right. Martinez goes down in instalments but eventually tips around the post, and nothing comes from the resulting corner.
41 min: Chilwell goes down, coming off worst in a 50-50 with Young. A sore one on the top of the foot, and it didn’t look intentional, but the Chelsea man isn’t best pleased, and makes his feelings known to the assistant referee. Play restarts soon enough.
39 min: Kovacic is booked for upending an in-flight Young. He’s not happy about it.
38 min: Chelsea have really stepped it up. Felix hoicks a long cross in from the right. Chilwell, coming in from the left, volleys the ball back from whence it came.
37 min: Chelsea are awarded another corner that might not have been a corner. It’s all academic, though, as Martinez gathers this one and the pressure is released.
36 min: One corner leads to another. The second one is half cleared. James drives into a crowded box. Havertz attempts to backflick it into the net. The ball pings left to Felix, who drives wide left from six yards.
35 min: Kovacic wedges down the inside-left channel, over McGinn, to release Chilwell, who batters a rising shot off the left-hand post from a tight angle! That leads to some pinball, then a corner.
33 min: Loftus-Cheek barges his way down the right and hits a low shot-cum-cross that Martinez gathers at the near stick.
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31 min: This is great fun. First up, Havertz’s poor ball in midfield is snaffled by Ramsey, who goes tearing off down the left. He’s got Watkins clear in the middle, but once again can’t get the ball across to him. This time, Koulibaly comes to Chelsea’s rescue to barge Ramsey off the ball. Watkins must be seething. He could so easily have had a hat-trick already. And then Chelsea counter the counter, Mudryk entering the Villa box down the inside-left channel with only Martinez to beat! But his attempt to thread across the keeper and into the bottom right is easily saved.
29 min: The Villa fans are making all the noise right now. Stamford Bridge is otherwise quiet as Chelsea hog the ball but toil whenever they reach the final third. “Der Klassiker is turning into a rout!” reports Joe Pearson. He’s right, Bayern are already three up. “Mary might come back.”
27 min: Ramsey is sent romping down the left on the counter. He’s got Watkins free in the middle, and clearly plans to cross to him, but takes one touch too many, allowing James to slide in and block. What recovery by the Chelsea defender! That saved an almost certain goal.
26 min: A Chelsea free kick out on the right. James wedges it in. Young batters clear. Chelsea are dominating, but they haven’t given Martinez too much to do since the goal.
25 min: Havertz chests down a left-wing cross on the edge of the Villa box and slams a low shot towards the bottom right. Martinez deals with it effortlessly.
24 min: Chilwell tumbles in the Villa box and claims a penalty. The referee shows no interest whatsoever in awarding one, and so Chilwell races after him at warp speed. He’s got half a point, because it turns out he was brought down by Konsa … but it happened outside the penalty box, so VAR can’t intervene.
23 min: Loftus-Cheek and Ramsey compete for a long pass played down the Chelsea right. Ramsey thinks it leads to a goal kick; Loftus-Cheek, the linesman and the referee say corner. The set piece is played back to James who curls into the box. Fernandez flashes a header wide right from close range.
21 min: Nothing comes of the corner, but that’s a decent response to falling behind by Chelsea.
20 min: Loftus-Cheek makes good down the right and crosses deep. Chilwell can’t get a header on goal but holds onto possession, and recycles down the left. Felix cuts into the box and lashes a low shot towards the bottom left. Martinez turns it around the post.
GOAL! Chelsea 0-1 Aston Villa (Watkins 18)
Luiz takes up possession deep in his own half and launches long down the middle. Cucurella and Koulibaly both run upfield to meet the ball. They get in each other’s way. Cucurella gets to the ball first and it skims off his head, sending the lurking Watkins tearing clear. He reads the situation and lobs calmly over Kepa. Easy as that!
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17 min: Ramsey takes on three Chelsea players down the left before cutting back for Buendia, who rolls infield for McGinn. The Scotland goal machine opens his body and, from the edge of the box, sidefoots towards the top left. Off the top of the bar! Ping! So close to a wonderful goal.
15 min: The corner’s half cleared. Kovacic hits one of the more comical volleys you’ll see this season, shaking it wide right and generating so much spin the ball doesn’t even reach the right-hand edge of the penalty box. The offside flag pops up to take everyone’s mind off what they’ve just seen.
14 min: Kovacic is dispossessed in the centre circle by Buendia with absurd ease. Watkins is sent scampering down the left. He enters the box but his low cross is read and blocked by Koulibaly. Chelsea counter through Felix and Havertz, who combine at speed down the right, but before the latter can get a shot away, Konsa slides in to deflect the ball out for a corner.
12 min: McGinn charges into Cucurella from behind. The referee gives the Villa midfielder some advice that will be beneficial going forward. This game has a nice little edge to it. Nothing too sinister, all good fun.
11 min: Loftus-Cheek turns on the jets and enters the Villa box from the right. Moreno slides in and plays the ball back off Loftus-Cheek and out for a corner. Loftus-Cheek wants a penalty, though, and there was a little contact. It would have been hellishly soft, but you’ve seen them given.
9 min: Felix takes a swipe off the ball at McGinn’s ankles. McGinn had been bothering him seconds earlier, but that was an unnecessary escalation and he’s lucky neither referee nor VAR considered it worthy of action.
7 min: What a chance (pt II)! McGinn, out on the right, plays a first-time diagonal pass infield that splits Chelsea’s defence in two. Watkins is free … but drags an appalling shot across Kepa and wide left. Somewhere in the metaverse, it’s 1-1.
6 min: Martinez plays out from the back. The hospital ball he gives Kamara is intercepted by Mudryk, who slams a shot straight at the keeper. Great save, and nothing comes of the corner. What a chance!
4 min: Luiz swings a poor one down the throat of Kepa, who bowls out immediately to Havertz. The German zips away on the counter and is clipped by Kamara, who goes into the book for his cynicism. Buendia argues the toss with the referee, who tells him the preceding Fernandez foul on Ramsey was “not the same”. Kamara’s was a nailed-on booking, but you can see Buendia’s point too. It should really be one yellow each.
3 min: Luiz intercepts a poor Koulibaly pass and sends Ramsey skittering down the inside-left channel. Ramsey is cynically clipped by Fernandez. Luiz will take this free kick. Villa load the box.
2 min: Havertz makes good down the left and crosses. The ball pings off a defender and flies into the path of Kovacic, who skies a speculative effort into the aforementioned end.
1 min: A bit of space for Chilwell down the left. He hoicks dismally into the Shed, and holds his hand up in embarrassment.
Villa get the ball rolling. The Bridge roars as one in expectation. The away fans are giving it plenty.
The teams are out! As the players take to the pitch, Stamford Bridge skanks to the strains of The Liquidator. Chelsea wear royal blue, Villa claret. We’ll be off in a minute!
Pre-match excitement (albeit not for this). “Greetings from America, land of ex president indictments,” begins Mary Waltz. “Of course I will be following this MBM but as far as watching I have a choice between this Chelsea fixture or Bayern v Dortmund. Potter may be a fine manager but Gawd Chelsea plays a dull brand of football. Bundesliga it is.” Enjoy Der Klassiker, Mary. See you on the other side.
Sky talk to Villa’s Unai Emery. “We try to work as a team both offensively and defensively … we try to use our best performance … we practice … Kamara is a very good player … defensively he helps us a lot … we will try to use McGinn further ahead … in 90 minutes we have to use everybody.”
Chelsea boss Graham Potter speaks to Sky. “We had a good week with three wins and were a little frustrated with just a point against Everton, so now the challenge is to bounce back from that … Villa are a good side, Unai has done a really good job so we know what we’re up against … [three at the back] gives us a decent balance, we have the flexibility to change as well ... Marc and Reece on the lateral positions can be aggressive, and that’s something we can put to use.”
Chelsea make three changes to the starting XI named for the 2-2 draw at home to Everton. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mykhailo Mudryk and Marc Cucurella come in for Benoit Badiashile and Christian Pulisic, who drop to the bench, and the injured Wesley Fofana.
Aston Villa make two changes to the XI that started the 3-0 rout of Bournemouth. Ashley Young comes in for the injured Matty Cash, while Boubacar Kamara replaces the benched Leon Bailey.
The teams
Chelsea: Kepa, James, Koulibaly, Cucurella, Loftus-Cheek, Fernandez, Kovacic, Chilwell, Havertz, Mudryk, Felix.
Subs: Badiashile, Kanté, Pulisic, Bettinelli, Chalobah, Mount, Gallagher, Chukwuemeka, Madueke.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Luiz, Kamara, McGinn, Buendia, Ramsey, Watkins.
Subs: Silva, Traore, Chambers, Duran, Digne, Bailey, Dendoncker, Sinisalo, Wright.
Your Chelsea today! 🔵#CheAvl pic.twitter.com/lk5dYNn2l2
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 1, 2023
This is your Aston Villa team to face Chelsea. 👊 #CHEAVL pic.twitter.com/507zqL3tlc
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 1, 2023
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Preamble
Tenth-placed Chelsea host 11th-placed Aston Villa. The very definition of a mid-table non-event, some might say. But both teams, in the wake of fumbling their way through February, have gathered a bit of momentum, and neither will fancy giving any of it up. A strong finish to the season could depend on this. Kick off is at 5.30pm BST. It’s on!
