The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[ExiledGael]

shite game, chelsea too negative the game badly need a goal. Think Barcelona will still go through. Another dive from the master Drogba (89 mins)

He's a hateful ****. Barca had a good shout for a pen. Good result for Chelsea but crucially no away goal.

Actually thought that was a bit of a dive from Henry.
And as brilliant as Iniesta is, his constant demanding for cards for the opposition is a little sickening. Dani Alves was the grestest cheat on the night though.
Marquez looks to have damaged knee ligaments and Puyol is now suspended for next week so their defence could be even weaker than normal.

[Doogie Browser]

shite game, chelsea too negative the game badly need a goal. Think Barcelona will still go through. Another dive from the master Drogba (89 mins)

He's a hateful ****. Barca had a good shout for a pen. Good result for Chelsea but crucially no away goal.

Actually thought that was a bit of a dive from Henry.
And as brilliant as Iniesta is, his constant demanding for cards for the opposition is a little sickening. Dani Alves was the grestest cheat on the night though.
Marquez looks to have damaged knee ligaments and Puyol is now suspended for next week so their defence could be even weaker than normal.

An annoying runt of a man, he never stopped crying all night and all he had was Malouda to contend with.

[Norf Tyrone]

shite game, chelsea too negative the game badly need a goal. Think Barcelona will still go through. Another dive from the master Drogba (89 mins)

It's the last minute of a belligerent display. Tell me a player who would not lie down to burn off a bit of time? 

The game very much 50/50 still. Essentially winner goes through, and if it's a draw then Barce likely to emerge. Chelsea defended well as a team, but it's hard to identify an individual who played well. Bosingwa kept Messi quiet, but Messi had a poor game as well. Cech obviously had a good game, Ivanovic in patches, and Malouda carried the ball well at times.

I think the key was Chelsea's midfiled marking the space that Barce liked to thread the ball through.

It was unusual to see Lampard getting subbed, and it was the right call in truth. Chelsea's back line was deep that meant that the distance Lampard had to cover to support Drogba was too far, meaning that his usual box to box game wasn't possible.

As for Barce, I can't claim to be au fait with each of their players but Iniesta looks a real handful, and caught the eye.

The 2nd leg will be interesting, and I hoped we would be going into it with a good chance, and I believe we are. Barce seemed very frustrated tonight, and the images of Pique, and Alves pushing each other suggests that perhaps they are under pressure to deliver. No Marquez, and Puyol suspended means that a suspect defence is under more stress.

All to play for and my hope was that Chelsea would head to SB with a good shout....
.... that they have.

[full back]

Decent display from the blues last night
The Barcelona defence isnt good & Chelsea will score at the Bridge but a lack of an away goal last night could prove vital

Plenty of divers on view last night which left for a stop start game
Drogba was the one of the worst offenders as per usual
The time he was going through & slipped he even turned to the ref to appeal for a penalty.
Diving cnut 

[EC Unique]

I thought Barca had a good enough case for a penalty, it was defenitly worth discussion but those assholes on ITV were too busy lording Chelsea's 'excellent defence' to even mention it Any defence with 9 players in it would look tight

[Norf Tyrone]

I thought Barca had a good enough case for a penalty, it was defenitly worth discussion but those assholes on ITV were too busy lording Chelsea's 'excellent defence' to even mention it Any defence with 9 players in it would look tight

Gnash, gnash gnash.

Look at the stats from last season's trip to the Nou Camp for Manchester U. One shot on target, and Barce having more of the ball then than they did last night.
Looks a similar story.... hopefully the second leg is similar too.


Barce                 Mancs
72.8% Possession 27.2%
20 Shots 7
6 Shots on target 1
1 Saves 0
8 Corners 3
20 Fouls 10
0 Offsides 3
1 Yellow cards 1
0 Red cards 0
19 Tackles 35
616 Accurate passes 191
66 Bad passes 23

Barcelona  Chelsea
0 Goals scored 0
6 Shots on target 1
12 Shots wide 2
2 Shots blocked 0
2 Yellow card 2
0 Red card 0
7 Fouls committed 20
10 Corners 2
4 Offsides 3
36' 29'' Ball. Poss. (time) 19' 8''
65% Ball. Poss. (%) 35%

[full back]

Lucky for Drogba, the physio took the smelling salts with him

[Norf Tyrone]

The mission tomorrow is pick a team to win against the neighbours, but rest a few for the whining c**ts from Catalonia.

My team:
                         Hilario

Ivanovic     Mancienne   Alex     Bosingwa

                     Mikel
             Ballack      Belletti

Stoch            Kalou             Quaresma

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Biggest European game of the year tonight, can't wait.  Chelsea 2 - Quejadores 1.

[Norf Tyrone]

I don't know if I am looking forward to tonight or not. A real 50/50 encounter. I woke up thinking geez we'll be too strong for these pretty boys, and had my breakfast worrying about what Barce could do if Chelsea are not on the boil.

Guus has a few wee selection dilemas tonight. Cech, Terry and Alex pick themselves. It's then a case of putting Bosingwa at right back with Cole at LB, or does he remember how well the Bos did last week, and keep him at LB with Ivanfield at RB.

Drogba will start up front, but will he go two either side (Anelka and Malouda), or stay like he did in Camp Nou, with Malouda keeping Alves company. With that conundrum sorted, it'll either be 3 or 4 in the centre of the park, with Mikel the 4th.

All in all I reckon he'll go.

                      Cech

Bos         Alex        JT          Cole

         Essien                Ballack
                 
                  Lampard

Anelka                             Malouda

                   Drogba



Probably the key man on the pitch is the ref. I'd be worried about how whistle happy he'd be, and with Barce's whining and teeth gnashing still ringing in the ear, he must be strong. The conspiracy theorists suggest that Mr Platini 'wants' at least one English team in the final, and the papers have alluded to this this morning. Even The Sun (I know, I know) talking about some strange goings on at a ref's seminar a few weeks back.

An early goal for Barce will give them a huge boost, and put Chelsea exactly where they want them. The longer the game goes on without a goal, the better for Chelsea.

Anyhow better go pick up my plastic flag.

KTBFFH

[corn02]

   

Anyhow better go pick up my plastic flag.

[EC Unique]

What players on both teams are a booking away from suspension?

[A Quinn Martin Production]

What players on both teams are a booking away from suspension?

For Chelsea, Anelka , Ballack and Alex.  For Barca I think only Alves

[Norf Tyrone]

What players on both teams are a booking away from suspension?

For Chelsea, Anelka , Ballack and Alex.  For Barca I think only Alves

There is someone else for Barce too, but I think it might one of the players not in the 16. I hope you aren't shouting at the TV all night EC begging for the ref to be yellow card happy.

[Midman]

anyone have a decent link for the game?