Chelsea’s success against Napoli will rest on their capability to keep a clean sheet.
Scoring two goals should never be beyond a side like Chelsea, especially with a Champions League quarter-final at stake.
The big problem for the club in overcoming their Italian foes is keeping their defence water-tight, a job beyond them in Italy.
There is however, reason for for Chelsea fans to feel positive.
Albeit against very different opposition in Bolton and Stoke, they have kept two clean sheets in their past two home games.
Even the loss against West Brom came courtesy of a single late goal, so conceding just one in three games bodes well ahead of tomorrow’s do or die clash.
The carrot of being the only English side to reach the quarter-finals this year is dangling in front of them, but it will be quite a task.
Ezequiel Lavezzi ripped Chelsea’s backline to shreds in Naples, scoring twice with an Edinson Cavani goal sandwiched in-between.
Napoli scored six times in Serie A this weekend, and Chelsea will hope they do not bring that kind of form to Stamford Bridge.
For Chelsea the permutations are simple, a 2-0 win will see them through on away goals, 3-1 will mean extra time, or 4-1 for an outright win. If Napoli score two, then Chelsea will need to score five to progress, and so on.
In their crunch group stage game with Valencia earlier in the season, Chelsea brushed them aside, winning 3-0 with goals from Didier Drogba, Raul Meireles and Ramires.
Drogba was in inspired form that night, and he seemed to be warming up for the occasion by hitting the winner against Stoke on Saturday.
Most important is the defence, and John Terry’s return could be vital.
Chelsea looked lost in Napoli, and the occasion seemed to be too much for Gary Cahill, describing his Champions League debut as a ‘nightmare.’
Terry’s experience and leadership may represent Chelsea’s only chance of keeping a clean sheet and giving the team the platform to score the goals required.
Ashley Cole also returned for the Stoke game and will be available, so the remaining decisions for Roberto di Matteo is whether Cahill or Luiz partner Terry at centre-back.
Luiz found himself benched on Saturday and that could be an indication of his manager’s plans, with Branislav Ivanovic expected to start at right-back.
For Chelsea to win, they will need to play the perfect game, similar to their win over Valencia in the group stages, with an early goal to lift the crowd.
It could happen, but whether it will is another matter.
What are your predictions for tomorrow’s clash?
image: © tbirdshockeyfan
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