When I was a kid, I used to go watch Scarborough every week with my brother. Although we were non-league (Northern Premier) we often used to roll reams over in the FA Cup, we were known for it. Often it was in the driving rain or snow, the pitch was like a ploughed field and the club motto "No battle no victory" said it all. Essentially we worked on the "if it moves, kick it" principle, and backed by a vociferous local crowd the league clubs often didn't fancy it.
Alas, "Giant killings" don't happen anywhere near so often these days. Yeah you might roll over the Arsenal youth team in the pizza cup, but when bigger clubs properly care about the result, they are rare. It's probably that the good pitches these days suit the more skilful teams, the rules applied to an extent where you can't really "get into em" like you used to, but whatever it is the smaller clubs are up against it.
So what can we expect, even hope for tomorrow? Well I think I speak for just about every Wimbledon fan except for my mate Bob when I say I don't expect us to win. That's not to say we have no chance, of course we have that, but we are 22/1 for a reason. I hope though, expect even, that we'll have a proper good go. That is despite us likely to be totally outplayed possession wise for long periods, and here's how I think we should approach it.
Firstly, an uncomfortable "given" in my eyes. Chelsea will score at least once, probably twice. To my mind, easily the most likely way we become heroes is with a 2-2 draw followed by a penalty win. I don't see us winning 1-0 or 2-0. Even 2-1 is stretching it. Drawing and going onto penalties is our best hope.
And why does that matter? Well simply because if Chelsea score, it really doesn't make that much difference to the eventual outcome. In my mind, we are going to need to score twice to get a result. Nothing really changes if they go 1-0 up, so absolutely no need for heads to drop. Even if they go 2-0 up by half time, we are to my mind still in it. Absolutely no need whatsoever to panic. 2-0 down with ten minutes to go and WE ARE STILL IN IT. Grab a goal from a set-piece and they will come under huge pressure to avoid the game going to penalties. To my mind it's vital that we prepare mentally for them scoring a goal, simply because they probably will. Too often lower league teams puncture like a balloon if they concede, there is absolutely no need at all.
Then in the game itself, we are going to have to properly get the basics right. We have defended set pieces very well so far this season, we MUST try to do the same. It would be criminal (and this often happens to lower league teams) if we do all the hard bits really well then give a daft goal away from a corner. So everyone has got to be at it. We are very likely (surely certainly) going to defend very deep to try and negate their pace in behind, so we need Alex Bass (who surely must play) not to get beat with a hit from range.
We are probably going to need some luck. Whether that's Chelsea missing sitters, hitting the woodwork or us scoring with a deflection, we are going to need all the help we can get. We've got to cross our fingers that the ref isn't going to bail them out of it gets close (thank God we aren't playing Man Utd on that score). Lastly, it stands to reason that as we aren't going to get many chances, we really need to be taking nearly all of the ones we DO get.
So lots of "we need this" and "we need that's", but we knew that already. The good news is that although we don't have players anywhere near equal to the level of theirs, we are currently a very good TEAM. Probably in terms of being greater than the sum of it's parts, we are a better TEAM than they are. We also have a striker who if we get the ball to him, WILL cause them problems. Pace is pace is pace, and allied to Ali's power and will, it is a rare combination. If we can get the ball forward with any quality at all, their defenders will know they've been in a game.
So can we do it? Probably not, but we've got more chance than Leicester did of winning the Premier League that's for sure. And whatever happens, we'll sing till we can sing no more, and if we score a goal you'll hear us outside Elys.
COYD!!!
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