Chelsea predictions at Dynamo Kyiv: Easy, if not enjoyable, win to seal the tie

Chelsea take a 3-0 lead to the dismal pitch conditions at the home of Dynamo Kyiv. The Blues should still have few troubles sealing the tie to keep the Europa League march on pace.

Chelsea’s social media person is either really new or just doesn’t know not to include pictures of Bruce Buck on the team plane heading to what should be a routine Europa League away tie. Our staff predicts Buck will come home without having to take care of any, um, business on the trip.

Rupert Meadows: Dynamo Kyiv 1 – 1 Chelsea. This is going to be a hard fought game. Dynamo Kyiv will not go down without a fight, despite being 3-0 down from the first leg, so expect a slog for the semi-youth Chelsea side Maurizio Sarri will likely field. Chelsea should have the composure not to let the game get away from them, but don’t hold your breath on them keeping a clean sheet.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek starts – injury recovery willing – and shows the world why Gareth Southgate chose him for the England squad and why he deserves to be the starting attacking midfielder. Who knows, Callum Hudson-Odoi might even get 90 minutes.

Barrett Rouen: 0 – 3. Finally some youth players start a match and the Blues win. Hopefully Sarri saw how much better it is for his attack to have a defense they can count on and who inspire them to use the ball without fear of losing it. That would entail playing Andreas Christensen with Antonio Rudiger and and dropping David Luiz. If Luiz plays, my prediction is null and I have no idea what happens.

Gabe Henderson: 1 – 3. Chelsea are going to be hit in the mouth early on. Dynamo Kyiv are desperate to get back in this tie, but Chelsea are too good. The Blues – behind the youth – will breeze into the next round. Loftus-Cheek and Christensen to shine.

Kevin Peacock: 0 – 2. With the quarter-finals beckoning, Chelsea head to Kiev with a healthy 3-0 lead. One goal for Maurizio Sarri’s side will see Kiev needing to score five. Chelsea won’t mess this up. It may not be enjoyable but they will get the job done. At Stamford Bridge, Pedro, Willian and Callum Hudson-Odoi sealed the win. Any one of those will score the two goals to give Chelsea the win.

Abhishek Pancholi: 2 – 0. Maurizio Sarri preached caution before the game and his fear of failure will spread to the players on the pitch. A ragtag bunch of players, sent out to do a simple job, will manage to complicate things.

The hosts will storm into a first half lead, displaying all the traits of a team that has nothing to lose. Chelsea will be pushed onto the backfoot and will struggle to get into any sort of rhythm. Kyiv will continue to attack in the second half, doubling their tally and sending Sarri into meltdown in the technical area. Only the width of a post will stop Chelsea from blowing their 3-0 lead in catastrophic fashion.

Will progress into the next round on the back of a dismal performance be enough to save Sarri’s job? Time will tell and Bruce Buck will be the messenger.

Scott Brant: 1 – 2. A closer affair than the first leg, but still not close in the grand scheme. Olivier Giroud and Callum Hudson-Odoi steal the show with a goal each. This will be one of the more enjoyable matches, mostly because the three goal lead will allow some relaxation.

Here’s to two goals in the first half, and smooth sailing the rest of the way.