Roiling football blather
- Thread starter crackerjack
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baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
i thought that goal was fantastic, i have to say. Ramires' (? I'm crap with players) pass back to Drogba was brilliantly done when he was seemingly off-balance. Didn't see the game in the end (only highlights), so no idea of the overall balance apart from that Barca missed some sitters but were unlucky with the woodwork.
It'll be interesting to see if Jose has enough time to stir things this week (sure he will, what with the Clasico this weekend too). Is it possible he'll come back to Chelsea if he can steer Madrid to the Cup?
It'll be interesting to see if Jose has enough time to stir things this week (sure he will, what with the Clasico this weekend too). Is it possible he'll come back to Chelsea if he can steer Madrid to the Cup?
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IdleRich
IdleRich
Tonight then - I think Chelsea do seem more successful at shutting Barcelona out than other sides and they haven't lost to them for the last six games or something. Three years back they were robbed (I'm not sure Barcelona created a decent chance in Spain) but Barcelona are stronger now I'd say and they certainly had chances at Stamford Bridge last week. You can't bet against them scoring which means that Chelsea will need to score (or play for penalties I suppose) and I'm not sure that Drogba can have another game where he plays as well as that. Wonder if Torres will get a run as well, hasn't he got a great record against Barcelona?
Edit - that was totally inconclusive. My money is on Barcelona getting an early goal and winning four nil or something.
Edit - that was totally inconclusive. My money is on Barcelona getting an early goal and winning four nil or something.
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IdleRich
IdleRich
Strange one for me, we watched the first half hour or so, then had to play 5-a-side football for forty minutes (5 -1 I scored three, since you ask) and then made it back for the last fifteen. Enough drama in that bit for a whole game - the goal, Barca hitting the post and having one disallowed - but we missed three goals, a sending off and a missed penalty. From Messi!
There was a real symmetry to the match, think Alves is gonna regret saying that Chelsea lost because of fear last time "there can be no other reason if you can't beat ten men in front of your own fans". Also, Torres scoring against Barcelona again and Barca failing to beat Chelsea on the night (never mind the tie) yet again. I still think Barca should invest in defenders who can actually defend - I know that the plan is to win the ball back high up the pitch but from the games I've seen they seem to have an awfully high ratio of goals conceded to dangerous situations faced.
That Ramires goal was pretty good eh?
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
I had a sneaking feeling Torres might do something when he was brought on (partly because the narrative appeals and jesus he needs it), but I sure as hell didn't see that Messi penalty miss - one of those 'did that really just happen?'moments.
Ramires' goal would be being talked about as one of the great CL moments of all if Messi had scored it. It IS one of the great CL moments.
I thought second half that the Barca myth was punctured quite serioously (and I was a paid-up believer). They just didn't have a clue what to do - loads of passes around the perimeter of the box and to the flanks, but not once did they just think to fling it into the box a bit to break up Chelsea's defensive rhythm, induce a bit of chaos. I was thinking that Man U (and possibly even the current Real) would never fail in the ultimately quite lame way they failed last night, with very few clear-cut opportunities even (thought the disallowed goal would've been spectacular). Best team in the world ever....looking much less convincing this morning. No. Plan. B.
Not to take anything away from Chelsea, they were fantastic and I'm glad they did it without that clown Terry. I think Real or Bayern will beat them though.
Ramires' goal would be being talked about as one of the great CL moments of all if Messi had scored it. It IS one of the great CL moments.
I thought second half that the Barca myth was punctured quite serioously (and I was a paid-up believer). They just didn't have a clue what to do - loads of passes around the perimeter of the box and to the flanks, but not once did they just think to fling it into the box a bit to break up Chelsea's defensive rhythm, induce a bit of chaos. I was thinking that Man U (and possibly even the current Real) would never fail in the ultimately quite lame way they failed last night, with very few clear-cut opportunities even (thought the disallowed goal would've been spectacular). Best team in the world ever....looking much less convincing this morning. No. Plan. B.
Not to take anything away from Chelsea, they were fantastic and I'm glad they did it without that clown Terry. I think Real or Bayern will beat them though.
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Ramires' goal was fantastic - even better for being first touch on the ball. Great match - bizarre watching Chelsea adopt a 5-5 formation in the back for a good 50 minutes / hour but it worked out for them so fair play. Shows why Drogba is such a good player too - when he comes back he's a lot more useful than most other forwards imo.
Last night should make the final pretty interesting... the list of players chelsea cant play is ridiculous...
Last night should make the final pretty interesting... the list of players chelsea cant play is ridiculous...
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
also looked like Barca missed David Villa terribly
IdleRich
IdleRich
I dunno, I think that Chelsea are spectacularly good at that kind of backs to the wall defending and they are (in a way) Barca's hoodoo team. I reckon if it had been anyone else then they would have scored - and they did hit the post just before Torres scored, if that had gone in they would have been in the final and no-one would be saying that they had been found out. They don't have a plan B (although wasn't that the idea behind buying Ibrahimovic?) but plan A works more reliably than anyone elses. Like I say, if they didn't concede one goal from every two attacks then it wouldn't matter that they only scored two - if I were Guadiola that's what I'd be thinking about.
Know what you mean about the narrative appealing with Torres - but that was just one of many that I thought may or may not materialise.
baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
Hope that will bring in a rich vein of form for Torres - he used to be such a good striker to watch.
Hmm, watching the whole of the second half (the first was a bit different, way more open), there were times when Barcelona were just spraying pointless passes around the penalty area, and really didn't look convincing/threatening in the least with the exception of the two chances (post and disallowed goal), which is a poor outcome from 40 minutes camped in your opponents' half. Chelsea knew exactly what was coming, and looked pretty comfortable for 30 minutes (50-80). I think if Barca had peppered the box with crosses a little more and committed 2 or 3 more players charging into the box (or at least done it once or twice so that Chelsea were wrongfooted/didn't know with cast-iron certainty what to expect), they would certainly have scored. It wouldn't have been pretty but it would've worked. As it is, it was like watching Arsenal on those days they most annoy/frustrate.
I did quite want to see Bayern-Barcelona though. While Inter and Chelsea have both turned over Barca through exploiting their weakness in the face of massed defence, it'd be nice to see a side take them on and beat them in a different way (without backs to the wall). Think Bayern could do that, though I guess Real also did on Saturday.
Hmm, watching the whole of the second half (the first was a bit different, way more open), there were times when Barcelona were just spraying pointless passes around the penalty area, and really didn't look convincing/threatening in the least with the exception of the two chances (post and disallowed goal), which is a poor outcome from 40 minutes camped in your opponents' half. Chelsea knew exactly what was coming, and looked pretty comfortable for 30 minutes (50-80). I think if Barca had peppered the box with crosses a little more and committed 2 or 3 more players charging into the box (or at least done it once or twice so that Chelsea were wrongfooted/didn't know with cast-iron certainty what to expect), they would certainly have scored. It wouldn't have been pretty but it would've worked. As it is, it was like watching Arsenal on those days they most annoy/frustrate.
I did quite want to see Bayern-Barcelona though. While Inter and Chelsea have both turned over Barca through exploiting their weakness in the face of massed defence, it'd be nice to see a side take them on and beat them in a different way (without backs to the wall). Think Bayern could do that, though I guess Real also did on Saturday.
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baboon2004
Darned cockwombles.
i was a bit drunk, so maybe not the most reliable judge ever, but it did really seem as though there weren't any between Messi's pen and the disallowed goal. They looked nervous and pretty bereft of ideas.
it is a bit paper-scissors-stone though, I agree. Chelsea can frustrate Barca where say Man U wouldn't have failed to undo them, but we all saw what happened between Barca and Man U when the two more open sides came up against each other.
Come to think of it, that's a bit like in boxing, where certain styles will beat other styles generally, but no one style is dominant overall.
it is a bit paper-scissors-stone though, I agree. Chelsea can frustrate Barca where say Man U wouldn't have failed to undo them, but we all saw what happened between Barca and Man U when the two more open sides came up against each other.
Come to think of it, that's a bit like in boxing, where certain styles will beat other styles generally, but no one style is dominant overall.
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