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With 6000 Bees heading up-stream from TW8 to SW6, Billy Grant caught up with Andy Saunders (@mrasaunders) from The Chelsea Podcast to discuss diamond encrusted loafers; the next generation of Chelsea players – Zouma, Aina & Chaobah and the dreaded half-and-half scarf

Big game for Chelsea today against Brentford. Ex Chelsea player Pat Nevin feels very strongly that Chelsea should be playing the next breed of players against Brentford. Will they prepare differently from this match?

I think we’re taking the FA cup seriously this year. But with a massive league game against Liverpool coming up on Tuesday night, I wouldn’t be surprised if Antonio Conte brings in some fresh faces.  Players like Kurt Zouma, Ola Aina, Nathaniel Chalobah , Nathan Ake and Michy Batshauyi may all get a run out. If that does happen, you can be sure some big names will still be on the bench ready to come on and sort things out if things don’t go our way.

To be fair Chelsea have been on a not too bad run off form. Is this match a bit of a fly in the ointment for you where surely the league should the primary focus?

The league is obviously our primary focus but I think Conte would love a trip to Wembley in his first season.  We’re not in Europe this year so we’ve actually played far less games than usual. It’s a shame there are midweek premier league fixtures in the week after this game as it probably will prevent us playing our strongest side.

We’ve both had players missing due to the transfer window nonsense. Bees striker Scott Hogan keeps forgetting to turn his phone off the night before match day meaning he’s too tired the next morning and not fit to play. And Costa apparently had to pop down the Chinese embassy to pick up a visa. How much does all this transfer nonsense affect your team?

I don’t think it does. Our squad is full of elite, globally recognizable superstars . They know the score and so do we. We don’t expect them to stay at the club for decades but as long as they respect the shirt when they’re wearing it and give 100% on the pitch I think we’re all happy.  It’s a bit unsettling I suppose but most of it is media hyperbole and it doesn’t seem to have affected individual players or our team spirit noticeably.  We won back to back league games when we were supposedly in crisis over Costa. January’s not a great window to buy players in and I think if we do any major business it will be in the summer. 

We’ve been impressed with Nathaniel Chalobah a powerful, ball-playing intelligent midfielder who is becoming more of a fixture in the squad. Ola Aina is a classy full back and looks like he’s got a bit about him. Ruben Loftus Cheek continues to develop and its good to have Nathan Ake back after his impressive loan spells at Watford and Bournmouth. One player being hotly tipped is Andreas Christensen – a centreback – who is currently on a season long loan at Borussia Monchengladbach . I’d like to give him a run out in our next pre-season.

On this week’s Beesotted Pride of West London podcast (link below) – recorded at The Banker in Cannon Street  – Garry Hayes from the Chelsea Podcast went on to surprisingly defend the half-and-half scarf. Is that the way things are going now down down at Stamford Bridge?

The half and half scarf is an abomination.  I’ll have no truck with it. Garry is dead to me.

Do you also wear diamond encrusted loafers? Or is it just a vicious rumour that all Chelsea fans are rolling around in cash?

Loafers ? what is this 1986? On a serious note the cost of Premier League tickets (average is £55 at the Bridge – my season ticket is £900) means it has priced some Chelsea fans out of Stamford Bridge and attracted some people who come from , shall we say, a higher tax bracket (cheaper to go to Premier League away games ironically with prices capped at £30 – Ed).  I still think the core of our support are authentic football fans though.  Added to that is the fact that the global TV coverage and profile of Chelsea sees lots of tourists at games, which I‘m fine with so long as they don’t spend the whole match taking selfies and filming the game of their smartphones  Drives me mad. The price of success I suppose though…..

We chatted to ex Brentford defender Scott Barron on this week’s podcast. He played in the 2-2 cup draw at Griffin Park. He said that manager at the time Uwe Rosler really felt that the Bees would win that match – and the team went out filing confident. Do yo feel the contest this time will be as close?

The Brentford players should see this as a chance to test themselves against some of the best players in the world and I would expect them to raise their game.  It’s a huge occasion for Brentford and they’ll be fired up . Who knows?  It’s the cup. We’ve been humiliated before and I’m not counting any chickens ! We’ll make changes but as long as we’re not complacent and keep the tempo high, I think over 90 minutes we should have enough in the tank to progress.

I was going to ask what players would do us some damage. But maybe it might be easier to ask what players are we more likely to be able to turn over on our day?

We’ve looked pretty solid all over the pitch season to be honest hence our 8 point lead at the top of the Premier League – I would say this : don’t try and go 3 at the back against us . Other teams have attempted that thinking it will give them more depth in midfield and its ended badly for them. If Fabregas plays don’t give him time and space, he can hurt you if he gets his head up . Shut him down in midfield and you kill a lot of our forward momentum.

Give us a score prediction 

We’ll win 2-0.

Billy Grant
@BillytheBee99