“We are getting cooked” – Fans unhappy with Chelsea tactical set-up for FA Cup final clash against Manchester City

Some Chelsea fans are unhappy with the lineup for their clash against Manchester City on Saturday. The two sides are set to face off in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

The Blues’ interim manager, Calum McFarlane, has announced their starting XI for the big game. Robert Sanchez starts in goal, with six defenders in front of him. Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato, Reece James, Malo Gusto, and Marc Cucurella all start the game. Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, and Joao Pedro complete the lineup.

It could potentially be a back three for Chelsea against Manchester City. It would put Cucurella and Hato as wing-backs, with James in midfield. However, some Blues fans online are displeased with the setup. One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:

“6 defenders on the pitch , we are getting cooked unfortunately”

Here are some other reactions,

Chelsea have won just two of their last 11 games across competitions, with both coming in the FA Cup. They hammered Port Vale 7-0 in the quarter-finals and Leeds United 1-0 in the semi-finals.

Manchester City, meanwhile, beat Liverpool 4-0 in the quarter-finals and Southampton 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Calum McFarlane on his learnings from Chelsea’s previous draw against Manchester City

Chelsea drew 1-1 against Manchester City at the Etihad in the Premier League in January. Calum McFarlane took charge of that game after Enzo Maresca was sacked. Ahead of the FA Cup final, he spoke about his learnings from the game and told the club’s website:

“I remember that game vividly and it was a really good learning experience. The first half was tough; we got the prep wrong, and they had a lot of control. We didn’t want the game to look the way it did. We had to suffer. We had to run. We had to defend our box really well.”

“We made some changes in the second half to try and shift the momentum and be a bit more aggressive and get a bit more territory, and it worked in some elements. We got a foothold in the game. But they’re a top side. They can punish you at any moment.”

McFarlane further lauded his players for their performance in the game and hoped they could recreate it. Chelsea are ninth in the Premier League standings, six points behind sixth-placed Bournemouth. Hence, winning the FA Cup could be their only way to qualify for the UEFA Europa League next season.