Why Chelsea are far away from winning another premier league title.

When Antonio Conte took the Chelsea job in the summer of 2016, he started with an expansive 4-3-3 and Chelsea struggled, so after a 3-0 defeat away at Arsenal, he felt he had seen enough, and the team is not suited with an attacking style so he switched to a 3-4-3/3-5-2 system, Chelsea didnt lose again in the league and they went on to win the title. He continued with the same formation the following season but could only win the FA cup and was sacked. Maurizio Sarri followed and reverted back to an attacking, flair football 4-3-3, Chelsea was once again not at the required level to win PL, but managed to win the Europa league, Sarri was sacked after just one season. Lampard was next, and he stuck with 4-3-3 in his one and half seasons in charge, it was a disastrous spell that ended with zero trophies. Then in came Tuchel in January 2021, the German tactician was smart and quick to know Chelsea dont have the required quality to play expansively, so he took a leaf out of the Antonio Conte's book and went with three at the back, Chelsea didnt look back and went on to win the Champions league, though the damage had already been done in the league before the former PSG tactician came in. The German has stuck to the 3-4-3 formation this season but they are well off the pace with likes of Liverpool and City who have the right players to play expansive football. In hindsight, its clear Maurizio Sarri and Lampard wanted to the change the narrative at Chelsea football club but the task was hard and will be hard for any future manager due to the mentality instilled at the club. The 3-4-3/3-5-2 maybe best for knockout competitions but its definitely not sustainable in a league format, so when Antonio Conte left in 2018 after failing to win the league as he did in his first season, i wondered whats next, when Chelsea will win the league again....they haven't won it since....and as long as City and Liverpool continue to maintain and raise the standard, Chelsea fans will not see their beloved team lift the famous premier league trophy anytime soon.

The Final Stretch

The last international break of the season has came and gone, and with almost all the participants for the mundial known, its time for players and coaches to focus on the most important part of the club season. The part where the winners and losers will be clear, where there will be tears and joy, where clubs will go down and come up. So with club football resuming this weekend, Matchday take a look at the final stretch of Europe football season. 

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The champions league round of 16 concluded just before the last international break and the draws for the quarter finals was made promptly. The draw threw up interesting fixtures with Real Madrid v Chelsea the pick of the bunch, elsehwere, reigning Premier league champions Manchester City will take on Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid, Liverpool will lock horns with Benfica, and Bayern Munich play Villarreal. Each team already know their path to a potential final, so everything is set for a tantalizing finish to the biggest club competition. 

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

As usual, the Premier League is at it dramatic best. Just one point separate first and second, either of Arsenal, Manchester United, or Tottenham still have a big chance of clinching the last Champions league spot with West Ham also having an outside chance, the Premier league relegation battle is also well documented, and although Norwich looked nailed to go down, the likes of Watford, Leeds, Burnley, Newcastle knows they are not safe from the drop yet. There are still big games to come, and the biggest is when Man City host Liverpool at the Etihad, a match that will surely be pivotal in the destination of the crown.

SPANISH LA LIGA

Just before the international break, Barcelona reminded the world they are getting back to their best with a resounding 4-0 victory against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, but even with that result, they are still twelve point behind their arch rivals albeit a game in hand and nine games left to play. Real Madrid sit comfortably at the top with a 9 point lead over second place Sevilla, Los Blancos look set for a 35th title, only a major disaster will stop them. Eight points seperates Second place Sevilla and sixth place Real Sociedad, and six point seperate fouth place Atletico Madrid and sixth, which means there are still three champions league spots up for grabs in the Spanish top flight. Levante look set to drop down a division after a really poor season while two out of Rayo Vallecano, Elche, Getafe, Granada, Cadiz, Alaves, Mallorca can still go down. 

ITALY SERIA A

AC Milan, Napoli, Inter Milan, Juventus in that order occupy the top four, with just seven points seperating first and fourth, indeed the Seria A title race is the most intriguing in Europe as four teams have the title in their sights with just eight games left. While the top four has seemingly cemented their place and locked the top four, the likes of Roma, Atalanta, Lazio, Fiorentina are left to feed off scraps with two European places(Europa and conference league) still up for grabs. Salernitana sit rock bottom, and barring any miracle they are destined to go down. Two out of Udinese, Sampdoria, Spezia, Cagliari, Venezia, Genoa will join the bottom side downgrading to Seria B.

German Bundesliga

Its business as usual for Bayern Munich in Germany but their short seven point gap over second place Dortmund with seven games to go means they are not over the line just yet. Dortmund inconsistency means they are not likely to overtake the Bavarians, and another second place finish looks far more likely. If Bayern to become champions again looks inevitable, the fight for champions league places looks set to go down to the wire. Dortmund have a stronghold on second spot, but who will finish third and fourth is anyone's guess, just four points seperate third place Leverkusen and sixth Hoffeinheim, with Leipzig and Freiburg in between. 

FRENCH LEAGUE

Even a disastrous campaign cant stop PSG from winning the league once again. For all the troubles of the Parisiens, they still hold a twelve point lead over second placed Marseille, and if not that they are out of the champions league, they can rest key players till the end of the season and still win the league with games left to spare. The poor quality of the league means only one more team can join PSG in the champions league, Marseille currently occupies that second spot but they are only nine point clear of eighth place Lens with nine games to go.

EUROPA LEAGUE AND CONFERENCE LEAGUE

Just like the Champions league, the Europa league and Conference league quarter final draws were made before the internationals and will resume next mid-week. Barcelona are favourites to lift Europe second tier competition but they will first have to navigate past Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon play West Ham, RB Leipzig take on Atalanta, and Braga play Rangers. In the conference league, Marseille are up against PAOK Thessaloniki, Leicester v PSV, AS Roma v Bodo Glimt, Feyenoord take on Slavia Prague, just as the champions league, the remaining teams in the Europa league and Conference league knows their path to the showpiece. 

What do Nigeria/Ghana need to qualify for the world cup in Qatar?

After a goalless draw in Kumasi last week between Ghana and Nigeria in the the first leg of the final round of African qualifiers, what do both teams need to qualify for Qatar?

For Nigeria, the super eagles must simply win by any margin to qualify, either in normal or after extra time or after penalties, the match will only go into extra time if the match ends in a goalless draw again, a score draw e.g 1-1, 2-2 e.t.c means the Super eagles wont be representing in Qatar due to away goals.

Ghana will qualify if they beat Nigeria either in normal time or after extra time/penalties, the black stars will also qualify if the match ends in a score draw due to away goals.

The match will only go to penalties if it remains goalless after normal time and extra time, if the match ends 0-0 after normal time and both team score to draw after extra time e.g 1-1 it will be the black stars who will be flying Ghana's flag in Qatar.

Venue: MKO Abiola stadium Abuja

Time: 6pm

Date: 29-3-22

First leg result: 0-0

Transfer Update

Paola Dybala is set to leave Juventus as free agent at the end of the season after he and the club failed to come to an agreement on a new deal. 

Frank Kessie sign for Barcelona from AC Milan on free transfer, he will sign a four year contract with the catalans. He will join the club after the end of the season

Source: Fabrizio Romano

Real Madrid v Barcelona Preview

The biggest club fixture is back for the final time this season, and although it has lost some of it shine recently due to the loss of first Ronaldo and then Messi, but this latest installment is still very much anticipated by at least fans of both sides all over the world.

The first leg ended in a 2-1 defeat for Barcelona at the camp nou, a result that basically sealed the faith of former manager Ronald Koeman. Former player Xavi Hernandez has since been charged to return the club to its rightful place. Barcelona were languishing in 8th when the Spaniard came in, and after a mixed start to life, the catalans are now among the form team in Europe, surging back into the top 4, with second place Sevilla now firmly in sight, catching their classico rival though, who sit comfortably in first place maybe far too much. Indeed, Real Madrid has been the best team in La Liga this season spearheaded by fine wine Karim Benzema and the blistering Vinicius jnr, the two has combined for more goals than any other duo in Europe top 5 leagues, and only a major collapse will stop La Liga most successful side from winning a 35th title.

Barcelona will look to continue their two months unbeaten run when they visit the Bernabeu, and with merengue missing their best player in Benzema, Xavi side will feel its the perfect opportunity to announce to the whole of Europe they are a formidable side once again, and there is no better place to do it than the home of their fiercest rival.

Arsenal Top 4 push

Arsenal extended their lead over fifth placed Manchester united by four points with a hard fought 1-0 victory at Villa park on Saturday afternoon, with two games still in hand(away at Chelsea and Tottenham) the gunners looks better placed to clinch that last champions league spot. The north London club has been in terrific form since the turn of the year, and that has seen them become huge favorites to clinch 4th place, losses to Liverpool and City show they still have a long gap to bridge to be on the same level with the premier league heavyweight(Chelsea included), but they have shown they are the best of the rest and the table dont lie. Though, they have more tougher fixtures on paper compared to their top four rivals Manchester united and Tottenham, but with Arteta's men current form plus the inconsistencies of United and Spurs, its hard not to back Arsenal returning to the champions league since 16/17.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER FINAL PREVIEW

 The 2021-22 Champions league season has reached the business end, and we are getting closer to know who will lift the prestigious trophy come may. This season has been enthralling, filled with upsets, eye catching results, great goals. After having the best summer of all time, early season favorites PSG were knocked out by perennial winners Real Madrid in the last round in shocking fashion, Benfica and Villareal also raised eyebrows by dumping out Ajax and Juventus respectively.

So, with the quarter final line up complete, and the draws made on Friday 18th of March, Matchdayng take a preview on all four quarter final fixtures....

Benfica v Liverpool (5&13/04/22)

The fairytale continues for Benfica, after progressing through a group that contained Bayern and Barcelona, avoiding defeat against the catalans in two legs, the Lisbon giant then knocked out the best team in the group stage Ajax. Ajax approach to that last 16 tie was somewhat lackadaisical and arrogant probably due to their group stage exploit, but Liverpool are none of that. Jurgen Klopp's Reds are arguably the best team in Europe right now based on form, they could even rest some key players as a date with Manchester city is sandwiched between both legs, that further emphasize the gap in quality between both sides, so it will rank among the biggest upset in champions league history if this Liverpool dont book a spot in the semis.

Villareal v Bayern Munich (6&12/4/22)

Villareal has built a reputation as champions league bogey team since their debut in 05/06, elimination of Juve in the last round is another proof of their burgeoning reputation, even if they go down, they dont easily. Juventus has been poor all season so it wasn't really a shock that a little city from Spain with just 50,000 people dumped them out. Bayern Munich are on another level to Juve, the Bavarians boast arguably the best player in the world right now in Lewandowski, so it will take something really really special from Villareal to stop this juggernaut and make the semis for the first time since that extraordinary debut campaign in 05/06.

Man City v Atletico Madrid (5&13/4/22)

Pep Guardiola teams usually find it hard to beat teams that sit deep i.e park the bus, so it made sense that Jose Mourinho was his biggest Achilles heel, since he arrived in the premier league in 2016, it has been Tottenham. The London club are always happy to sit back against Man city, and time and time again they pull off victory. So, if Atletico Madrid, who are the masters of this strategy(as shown again in the elimination of Manchester united), and who had once eliminated Guardiola's Bayern in the Champions league knockouts get their acts spot on once more, City could be set for another quarter final heartbreak.

Chelsea v Real Madrid (6&12/4/22)

After impressively eliminating Real Madrid in the semi final last season, and going on to win the competition outright, coupled with the fact that they have never lost to Los blancos in Europe, Chelsea will go into this tie full of confidence and as favorite. The manner of which Real Madrid eliminated PSG in the previous round is also morale boosting, and with Chelsea in crisis, Madrid will feel its the perfect time to exact revenge. Thomas Tuchel's side were underdogs and unheralded last season and that worked in their favor, but now, all of Europe, especially Real Madrid knows what they are capable of, so its going to be a different ball game cos the dynamics has changed.