So it’s settled then. Chelsea will face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday, 27th February.
Call me crazy, but I am relieved that we will be meeting Liverpool instead of Arsenal. We could be the better team, but Arsenal would still find a way to beat us. Chelsea rarely finds luck in Wembley against the Gooners in recent years. It’s quite embarrassing.
Liverpool, on the other hand, rarely find themselves at Wembley. The last time Chelsea had welcomed the Reds to Wembley, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard gifted Chelsea with an FA Cup final win.
The good old days.
Chelsea’s form may not be the greatest now; however, this final comes around by the time this final comes around. I expect Thomas Tuchel to have turned things around.
Chelsea may not have a Didier Drogba sitting in the locker room, ready to take on any big game, but they have Thomas Tuchel. A man that lives for the big moments. He has taken us through a Champions League final, and I have no doubt that he could guide us through to victory in the Carabao.
There’s some doubt about Chelsea’s current form. Since November, the Blues have struggled in the Premier League, having won just three games in their last 11. Relatively poor, to say the least, however in cup games, Tuchel’s army always seems to find a way. The boys may look tired, but there is there extra desire to rise above expectation in cup competitions.
Rio Ferdinand said, "I think Chelsea will win it (Carabao Cup). Chelsea knows how to win cup competitions. They’ve got that about them. They won the Champions League, they’ve got the confidence, they know how to do it on the day, I see them doing it.”
A run of 38 games may not be to our liking just yet. However, the short stints in a cup run may suit us better. Yes, we look “tired”, as Thomas tuchel said himself. However, we will be gifted with a 10-day break after Sunday’s match against Tottenham. If this isn’t a long enough break for the players to rejuvenate, I do not know what is.
Tuchel enjoys giving his players a well-deserved break. This time next month, the situation at Chelsea could be different. The likes of Romelu Lukaku, N'Golo Kante, Jorginho, Mason Mount and so on should be running on fresh legs. A chance to compete in the sunny country of Abu Dhabi. It doesn't get more relaxing than that - FIFA Club World Cup aside.
The point is the glory days are making a comeback. It's only a matter of time until Tuchel and the Blues get back in shape and regain their energy to steal another cup from our rivals. We take every competition seriously, and we should expect nothing less for the Carabao Cup final.
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