The Official Thread of Chelsea FC

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Right here goes...ah f**k I couldn't be arsed

[Rossie11]

Norf I know you are fairly pissed off today but whats your thoughts on Drogba?
If I was a CFC fan I would be disgusted with him and would want him out of the club.
IMO he cost you big time in the final last year getting sent off and over the 2 legs v Barca he missed the chances to
put you through to another final.
You believe that UEFA have something against CFC. I dont really have an opinion either way on this but
do you think without the likes of him in the squad that things would improve as regards hierarchy opinion..
i.e. the 50/50 decisions would go your way?

[bingobus]

chelsea are a really boring team to watch. 2 good footballing teams in the final. Thank fcuk chelsea are out. Duno how that Keita player gets on for Barca he is shite.

Remind me how many goals last year's Man U v Barcelona 180 minutes produced?

How dare you question United? They are untouchable round here and can't be questioned.

The biggest cripe Chelsea have last night in my opinion is that they didn't finish the job over the two legs, when they had the chances to do so. Drogba was the guilty one over the two legs and while they defended very well against a formible attacking force, I felt that they could have been a small bit braver last night and could have got the reward for it. Barca crapped themselves at every corner.

Bar Drogba going ape shit, I don't think the protests where any worse that we've seen before. Thats soccers problem as much as Chelsea's and taking Chelsea in context it was probably understandable, if still unexcuseable.

The final should be good with Barca pulling through  

[Joxer]

Drogba is a diving cheat.  He is a cheat and there iis no way of getting around that fact!

[A Quinn Martin Production]

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.

[full back]

Bar Drogba going ape shit, I don't think the protests where any worse that we've seen before.

You obviously missed a few incidents then 



BTW, excellent & fair summary Quinn Martin

[new devil]

Hard luck NT...No worst way to get knocked out and after keeping Barca so quite for 90mins...Chelsea should of had at least 1 penalty and should of pushed more to get the 2nd goal...
Have a lot of time for Drogba has a player think hes one of the best in the world when hes on his game and not f**king about..cant really be to hard on him for going mental at the end because the ref did f**k them
Happier to be playing Barca in the final..they don't really have a plan B....

[Clown]

talk of a uefa conspiracy against english teams is ludicrous

porto had 2 penalty appeals at old trafford, one was a stonewaller - tevez taking out the attacker on the byeline

also henry had as good a shout for a pen last week as any of chelseas appeals last nite. barca players accepted the decision and got on with it

[bingobus]

Bar Drogba going ape shit, I don't think the protests where any worse that we've seen before.

You obviously missed a few incidents then  



BTW, excellent & fair summary Quinn Martin

Missed what? Ballack running after ref? Can see that at regular EPL games.

A few of them confronted ref after game as happens regularly at EPL games. There wasn't all of them on his case at final whistle. It was wrong but bar Drogba we've seen it all before.

[wherefromreferee?]

Have to applaud Quinn Martin and Norf Tyrone for not hiding away today, and for giving a fair analyisis/summary of the game.

I dont often jump on the United (or Liverpool threads), as it turns into a bitchin session, but just thought I should congratulate QM for a well thought out post.

As a United Fan, I'm happier to be playing Barca, as I think the revenge factor would have been great for Chelsea.

[EC Unique]

Bar Drogba going ape shit, I don't think the protests where any worse that we've seen before.

You obviously missed a few incidents then  



BTW, excellent & fair summary Quinn Martin

Missed what? Ballack running after ref? Can see that at regular EPL games.

A few of them confronted ref after game as happens regularly at EPL games. There wasn't all of them on his case at final whistle. It was wrong but bar Drogba we've seen it all before.

Whilst running after the ref he struck him in the face!! I have never seen that in the EPL

[Ping Pong Santa]

Imagine how John Terry felt at being robbed of a shot at redemption after that penalty miss? Imagine how Frank Lampard felt at failing to get the chance to win the major honour that still eludes him?

They will have hurt just as badly as Drogba, if not worse, but they did not charge at Ovrebo, or have to be held back by anyone who happened to be in the vicinity.

Thats not true Phil.

The first player in the refs face after the game was John Terry. He very much 'charged' towards the ref and gave him a barage of abuse. I think he has been overlooked in all of this and his behaviour should be considered.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

Have to applaud Quinn Martin and Norf Tyrone for not hiding away today, and for giving a fair analyisis/summary of the game.

I dont often jump on the United (or Liverpool threads), as it turns into a bitchin session, but just thought I should congratulate QM for a well thought out post.

As a United Fan, I'm happier to be playing Barca, as I think the revenge factor would have been great for Chelsea.

wfr...as bad as I feel today I can't imagine coming on here on the 28th May having been beated 4-1 by Utd in the final!!

[cavan4ever]

[bingobus]

Bar Drogba going ape shit, I don't think the protests where any worse that we've seen before.

You obviously missed a few incidents then  



BTW, excellent & fair summary Quinn Martin

Missed what? Ballack running after ref? Can see that at regular EPL games.

A few of them confronted ref after game as happens regularly at EPL games. There wasn't all of them on his case at final whistle. It was wrong but bar Drogba we've seen it all before.

Whilst running after the ref he struck him in the face!! I have never seen that in the EPL

Go away and shit yourself   Struck him in face   He made contact but it wasn't a slap/strike. If he struck him do you seriously think he'd be on the feild.