The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[Billys Boots]

OK, a large cup of strong coffee on the desk and I'm feeling slightly better.  I thought I'd wait till some posters were at primary school.  In no particular order:

CONSPIRACY/FIX?:  It would be nice to hold on to the idea but definitely not.  If this was a fix why send off Abidal (unjustly)?

CHELSEA'S REACTION AT THE END:  I was somewhat embarrassed by this.  It was understandable but not excusable.  Remember too that not all of the players reacted like this (even Cole was gracious) and Hiddink showed a more reasoned reaction at the end.  I would have loved to have seen Ferguson or Wenger had their teams gone out in such dramatic fashion.  On a positive note it's great to see that Ballack actually can run, something that he hides very well during the rest of the season.  

THE PENS?:  f**k where do you start?  Truth be told I thought Chelsea should have had two penalties.  I think everyone agrees that Pique definitely handled the ball.  The other dead cert was Abidal's pull on Drogba in the first half.  It's good to see that some ABCs are of the opinion that to pull an opposing player's shirt is no longer a foul in soccer!  In fact had Rosetti been in charge of this match Abidal would have walked then.  Of the others, perversely the ref got the Malouda decision right.  He gave the free on the edge of the box for the first foul on Malouda (as the law says), problem was he didn't blow his whistle until the second incident.  As for Eto'o at the end?  Yes he did divert the ball with his arm but the ball was going like a bullet and I think it would have been very harsh.

DROGBA AND DIVING?:  I think Didier Drogba is a fantastic player and until Chelsea find someone better he should remain at the club and on ability alone if I were the manager he would be my second pick (after Essien).  But he is not without "flaws".  If Drogba (and a number of other players) concentrated on staying on his feet (and we know he is physically strong) he would score 6 or 7 goals more a season.  The root of the problem is that modern refereeing and the way FIFA is moving toward soccer being a non-contact sport encourages players to go down easliy.  If refs stopped giving fouls for players laddering their tights then they wouldn't spend so much tie on the ground.  Drogba is not the only diver in football, but he is certainly a high profile one.  All clubs have their divers both English and non-English.  Drogba and whoever manges him next year should get out the DVD of his second season at Chelsea, where for the most part he stayed on his feet scored 25 odd goals and Chelsea cantered to the title.

THE REF?:  What can you say, a poor performance, but it's a difficult job and without refs there would be no sport and don't forget there were two linesmen officiating as well.

THE FOOTBALL:  Probably 1-1 over the two legs was a fair result.  What came out of last night's match was that Barca are overrated.  OK they beat Real 6-2 in the Bernabueu...but didn't Liverpool tank Real a few weeks ago??  Real are shit.  Barca were pleasing on the eye in the opponents half but had one shot on goal in 95 mins.  Chelsea, the supposed anti football team, created far more chances and had two clear penalties turned down.  To use a golfing analogy, tee to green Barca were terrific but they can't putt for dough on the hard courses.  Chelsea kept Messi fairly quiet in both games (a very talented player but watching him makes you realise what a genius Maradona was)

Man Utd will beat them easily

Man Utd have a better defence than Chelsea and Barca have a worse defence than Chelsea.  I fancy Utd to score in the first 15 mins and then defend (like at Old Trafford last year)

WHAT CAN CHELSEA LEARN FROM THIS?

If Drogba hadn't have spent so much time on his arse there may not have been four mins added time (where did they come from)
Chelsea had chances to put this tie out of sight in both legs and didn't take them
I'm a big fan of Hiddink, but the decision to bring on Belletti wasn't a great one
Chelsea's biggest flaw was not time wasting or diving but they kept giving the ball away.  Bosingwa and Ballack were particlualrly guilty of this

HARDSTATION:  I used to like you.

Good magnanimous post QM, and hard to disagree with any of it.  Before last night I thought that Chelsea would provide a bigger challenge for Utd., and now I'm more sure of it.  The fact that Chelsea created far more chances than Barca with 35% possession surely confirms that the Catalans are dreadful at the back.  Their only chance in the final will be to deny Utd possession in the middle third - but that's not their game either - and Utd don't seem to need middle third possession to make chances.  It'll be a fascinating encounter, but with only one result (in my mind).

[bingobus]

A ref was pushed to his hole at a EPL match, Cashley Cole turned his back to a ref at an EPL game, Masch got sent off for mouthing to a ref at a EPL game, the whole respect campaign was brought in this season to try and control players from confronting refs on the field. Don't try and cod yourself.

You have mentioned 3 instances in the last 11 or 12 years, not very regular is it? 

The Cole & Masch incidents werent nearly as bad as Ballack

Not as regular as your bowel movements if you've been on the throne already this morning 

They weren't as bad cause the ref stood for them. Cashley showed as much contempt to a ref as you'll ever see, Ballack just wanted an answer to why he turned down an obvious peno.

[full back]

Not as regular as your bowel movements if you've been on the throne already this morning 

They weren't as bad cause the ref stood for them. Cashley showed as much contempt to a ref as you'll ever see, Ballack just wanted an answer to why he turned down an obvious peno.

Thanksfully the stuff I put into the throne isnt anything like the stuff you talk

The ref stood for for Ballack acting the pr1ck as well

[longrunsthefox]

No sympathy for Chel$ea and was particularly pleasing that the last 'handball' was from kick by Anelka. Wasn't a handball anyway-crying b*****ds. What Anelka did in diving and then to stand not a bother on him watching man gt sent off was nausiating. Bad enough diving for  a penalty/free but seemed so comfortable to see opponent get lined and now out for final. Is what puts so many off soccer.  Everton will scut them too in Cup final...

[bingobus]

Not as regular as your bowel movements if you've been on the throne already this morning 

They weren't as bad cause the ref stood for them. Cashley showed as much contempt to a ref as you'll ever see, Ballack just wanted an answer to why he turned down an obvious peno.

Thanksfully the stuff I put into the throne isnt anything like the stuff you talk

The ref stood for for Ballack acting the pr1ck as well

And that is the problem, not what shite we talk or produce.

Only the paid Man United ref took the right action against Masch in Old Tarfford  

[A Quinn Martin Production]

No sympathy for Chel$ea and was particularly pleasing that the last 'handball' was from kick by Anelka. Wasn't a handball anyway-crying b*****ds. What Anelka did in diving and then to stand not a bother on him watching man gt sent off was nausiating. Bad enough diving for  a penalty/free but seemed so comfortable to see opponent get lined and now out for final. Is what puts so many off soccer.  Everton will scut them too in Cup final...

P4 on early lunch??

[bingobus]

Removed at request of Dinny.

[irunthev]

OK, a large cup of strong coffee on the desk and I'm feeling slightly better.  I thought I'd wait till some posters were at primary school.  In no particular order:

CONSPIRACY/FIX?:  It would be nice to hold on to the idea but definitely not.  If this was a fix why send off Abidal (unjustly)?

CHELSEA'S REACTION AT THE END:  I was somewhat embarrassed by this.  It was understandable but not excusable.  Remember too that not all of the players reacted like this (even Cole was gracious) and Hiddink showed a more reasoned reaction at the end.  I would have loved to have seen Ferguson or Wenger had their teams gone out in such dramatic fashion.  On a positive note it's great to see that Ballack actually can run, something that he hides very well during the rest of the season.  

THE PENS?:  f**k where do you start?  Truth be told I thought Chelsea should have had two penalties.  I think everyone agrees that Pique definitely handled the ball.  The other dead cert was Abidal's pull on Drogba in the first half.  It's good to see that some ABCs are of the opinion that to pull an opposing player's shirt is no longer a foul in soccer!  In fact had Rosetti been in charge of this match Abidal would have walked then.  Of the others, perversely the ref got the Malouda decision right.  He gave the free on the edge of the box for the first foul on Malouda (as the law says), problem was he didn't blow his whistle until the second incident.  As for Eto'o at the end?  Yes he did divert the ball with his arm but the ball was going like a bullet and I think it would have been very harsh.

DROGBA AND DIVING?:  I think Didier Drogba is a fantastic player and until Chelsea find someone better he should remain at the club and on ability alone if I were the manager he would be my second pick (after Essien).  But he is not without "flaws".  If Drogba (and a number of other players) concentrated on staying on his feet (and we know he is physically strong) he would score 6 or 7 goals more a season.  The root of the problem is that modern refereeing and the way FIFA is moving toward soccer being a non-contact sport encourages players to go down easliy.  If refs stopped giving fouls for players laddering their tights then they wouldn't spend so much tie on the ground.  Drogba is not the only diver in football, but he is certainly a high profile one.  All clubs have their divers both English and non-English.  Drogba and whoever manges him next year should get out the DVD of his second season at Chelsea, where for the most part he stayed on his feet scored 25 odd goals and Chelsea cantered to the title.

THE REF?:  What can you say, a poor performance, but it's a difficult job and without refs there would be no sport and don't forget there were two linesmen officiating as well.

THE FOOTBALL:  Probably 1-1 over the two legs was a fair result.  What came out of last night's match was that Barca are overrated.  OK they beat Real 6-2 in the Bernabueu...but didn't Liverpool tank Real a few weeks ago??  Real are shit.  Barca were pleasing on the eye in the opponents half but had one shot on goal in 95 mins.  Chelsea, the supposed anti football team, created far more chances and had two clear penalties turned down.  To use a golfing analogy, tee to green Barca were terrific but they can't putt for dough on the hard courses.  Chelsea kept Messi fairly quiet in both games (a very talented player but watching him makes you realise what a genius Maradona was)

Man Utd will beat them easily

Man Utd have a better defence than Chelsea and Barca have a worse defence than Chelsea.  I fancy Utd to score in the first 15 mins and then defend (like at Old Trafford last year)

WHAT CAN CHELSEA LEARN FROM THIS?

If Drogba hadn't have spent so much time on his arse there may not have been four mins added time (where did they come from)
Chelsea had chances to put this tie out of sight in both legs and didn't take them
I'm a big fan of Hiddink, but the decision to bring on Belletti wasn't a great one
Chelsea's biggest flaw was not time wasting or diving but they kept giving the ball away.  Bosingwa and Ballack were particlualrly guilty of this

HARDSTATION:  I used to like you.

Good magnanimous post QM, and hard to disagree with any of it.  Before last night I thought that Chelsea would provide a bigger challenge for Utd., and now I'm more sure of it.  The fact that Chelsea created far more chances than Barca with 35% possession surely confirms that the Catalans are dreadful at the back.  Their only chance in the final will be to deny Utd possession in the middle third - but that's not their game either - and Utd don't seem to need middle third possession to make chances.  It'll be a fascinating encounter, but with only one result (in my mind).

Hitting nail on the head there...... must be damned good coffee

[Ping Pong Santa]

No sympathy for Chel$ea and was particularly pleasing that the last 'handball' was from kick by Anelka. Wasn't a handball anyway-crying b*****ds. What Anelka did in diving and then to stand not a bother on him watching man gt sent off was nausiating. Bad enough diving for  a penalty/free but seemed so comfortable to see opponent get lined and now out for final. Is what puts so many off soccer.  Everton will scut them too in Cup final...

P4 on early lunch??

Original...   

[Dinny Breen]

Bingobus can you take down that gif, not particularly funny and will offend many.

[Ping Pong Santa]

Who is the man anyway? Some sort of peado?

[longrunsthefox]

No sympathy for Chel$ea and was particularly pleasing that the last 'handball' was from kick by Anelka. Wasn't a handball anyway-crying b*****ds. What Anelka did in diving and then to stand not a bother on him watching man gt sent off was nausiating. Bad enough diving for  a penalty/free but seemed so comfortable to see opponent get lined and now out for final. Is what puts so many off soccer.  Everton will scut them too in Cup final...

P4 on early lunch??

P4?

[Main Street]

THE FOOTBALL:  Probably 1-1 over the two legs was a fair result

.
It was a fair result

What came out of last night's match was that Barca are overrated.

That depends on high you think they were rated

OK they beat Real 6-2 in the Bernabueu...but didn't Liverpool tank Real a few weeks ago??  Real are shit

.
This is hysterical.
Barca so far in  La Liga, 100 goals scored, 28 conceded   (so much for the myth of the weak Barca defense)
Most prolific scorers in the CL
Widely acknowledged to have some of the best players in the world, playing scintillating, close control, one touch football with telepathic like distribution.

 

Chelsea kept Messi fairly quiet in both games (a very talented player but watching him makes you realise what a genius Maradona was)

Good God QM, are you serious?
watching Messi makes you realise what a brilliant player he is

[

b]Man Utd will beat them easily[/b]

They have a chance to beat them, but  easily

Man Utd have a better defence than Chelsea and Barca have a worse defence than Chelsea.

Barca let in a few more goals in the CL than MU, but have scored a bucket full more.
With no Fletcher MU have to win the ball from Barca.

[Roger]

Who is the man anyway? Some sort of peado?

Yes. Gary Glitter.

Here's is another one doing the rounds.....

[Dinny Breen]

Thanks Bingobus.