People cant forget, Barca are the masters
Losing and looking for fouls after 27 mins
Biscuits peakaboo
UEFA Champions League/Europa League 17/18/19 April *** Spoilers ***
- Thread starter Cosimo
- Start date
People cant forget, Barca are the masters
Losing and looking for fouls after 27 mins
Biscuits peakaboo
If it was Cavani instead of Drogba (which it will be next season 
We would have been 3 goals up within minutes. There were serious counter attacking moments in first few mins but Drogba doesn't have the first touch anymore. I still can't believe Kalou **** himself at the end, I would have finished that!
We would have been 3 goals up within minutes. There were serious counter attacking moments in first few mins but Drogba doesn't have the first touch anymore. I still can't believe Kalou **** himself at the end, I would have finished that!
He's what 32 now? And done it for all the time he's been at Chelsea, he isn't going to stop now
34 I think. Found it amusing when he collided with Busquets in the first half, both hit the deck then figured they ought to help each other up as they both knew full well neither of them was actually hurt
Sorry, three paragraphs and I apparently didn't elaborate on a single point I made!
Chelsea have been very, very poor for most of this season. Even under RDM, the quality of the attacking football has often not been good enough against average, mid-table teams. The game against Fulham was an example of how impotent they can be even when they seemingly "go for it".
You made the comparison to Inter in suggestion that Chelsea were even more negative - I made the comparison that this Chelsea side do not possess nearly as much quality in pretty much every area of the pitch to play as well as Inter did in those games. If an even less attacking approach than the one taken by Inter in 2010 was required to keep the clean sheet, then they made the right choice.
Calling something an "old chestnut" isn't a valid way of sweeping a statement under the carpet as some sort of myth. As a purist I'm sure you know football well enough to know that for a team to play more positive football, it would generally help for more players to take part in attacks. With how unreliable it is that any of Chelsea's forward players will hold the ball up, it'd be a massive gamble for Lampard and Meireles to get forward in every attack. Lose the ball once and you've got two of the three players shielding your defense out of position, and you've probably got Mikel on his own against Messi. More players forward = more players out of position when the ball is lost, which it inevitably would be more times than not.
Not really sure why you've cited Arsenal and Real Madrid as teams "doing it the right way" when I clearly informed you that their positive approach has ended in defeat for those sides - the only time Madrid actually beat Barcelona was probably the most negative performance their fans have ever watched; the 1-0 in the King's Cup. For a complete neutral, or somebody that supports Barcelona (do you?), obviously you'd have no problem in a team playing a way that provides an entertaining game and the eventual Barcelona victory. For me, I think the idea of any football team, even one that plays the prettiest football we've ever seen, becoming so dominant that nobody can beat them is far more mundane than the "anti-football" which is currently seen as the best method to get something from Barca. Given that nobody in the world plays football nearly as well as Barcelona, surely "football purists" like yourself would be devastated to see them lose a single match? They're never going to be outplayed in the straight-up match you seem to want teams to give them.
Not even sure how you can ask what my point is on the shots on target stat. I quite evidently wasn't trying to suggest they didn't create plenty of decent opportunities - I was simply responding to the fact you used the "15 shots on target" statistic as your example of Barcelona's dominance. Not a single one of their shots on target would even be described as one of their better chances, but if you're going to use statistics rather than cite actual events within the game then I'll respond in kind.
ooh go on; I'll bite
Their attacking form hasn't been 'that' bad, it's a transitional season for them, they've had a manager come in and try and impose a different style of football. They do, have good attacking players though. The game against Fulham that was the last game prior to this run in they had?
No, I didn't 'make' the comparison did I?
I said that Inter didn't defend to this extent and got a positive result. The players that both teams had at their selection were still very good.
No, I'm ever so sorry, you don't win football matches by making chances you know? Like that counter attack Chelsea scored from
It's is 'that old chesnut' because by the logic of saying 'If they attacked more they'd have just lost by more' isn't really true, it works the other way, you got a real sense of panic from Barcelona when Drogba was going forward, more attacks from Chelsea, could have seen them create more.
No, I don't support Barcelona
haha. You should come in here more often and you'd see me bemoan by own club.
Oh, how Arsenal player Barcelona was one example of playing them at their own game, and had decisions gone differently in that game Arsenal would have won. While I agree that it ~didn't work, it was a game that was very marginal.
Real Madrid do set up the right way to counter attack too, they've just been unsuccessful (due to numerous reasons), Real Madrid leave players up top and look to break, and counter very quickly. Chelsea didn't do this tonight; they just looked to be a sponge.
I have no problem when Barcelona lose, I'd just rather they lose to a good footballing performance, that isn't to devalue a good defensive performance, ala Inter, but this wasn't, this was overly negative, Chelsea didn't look to 'play' football and it was a great shame given how good that counter attack was, how quick Chelsea can be on the counter too.
I literally have no idea what you're talking about now, I was replying to Pigeon who said that they 'only' made 2/3 clear cut chances, I dispute this. They had 15 shots on target, 2 hit the post and once clearance off the line. That's not counting the good saves Cech made
Their attacking form hasn't been 'that' bad, it's a transitional season for them, they've had a manager come in and try and impose a different style of football. They do, have good attacking players though. The game against Fulham that was the last game prior to this run in they had?
No, I didn't 'make' the comparison did I?
I said that Inter didn't defend to this extent and got a positive result. The players that both teams had at their selection were still very good.
No, I'm ever so sorry, you don't win football matches by making chances
you know? Like that counter attack Chelsea scored from It's is 'that old chesnut' because by the logic of saying 'If they attacked more they'd have just lost by more' isn't really true, it works the other way, you got a real sense of panic from Barcelona when Drogba was going forward, more attacks from Chelsea, could have seen them create more.
No, I don't support Barcelona
haha. You should come in here more often and you'd see me bemoan by own club.Oh, how Arsenal player Barcelona was one example of playing them at their own game, and had decisions gone differently in that game Arsenal would have won. While I agree that it ~didn't work, it was a game that was very marginal.
Real Madrid do set up the right way to counter attack too, they've just been unsuccessful (due to numerous reasons), Real Madrid leave players up top and look to break, and counter very quickly. Chelsea didn't do this tonight; they just looked to be a sponge.
I have no problem when Barcelona lose, I'd just rather they lose to a good footballing performance, that isn't to devalue a good defensive performance, ala Inter, but this wasn't, this was overly negative, Chelsea didn't look to 'play' football and it was a great shame given how good that counter attack was, how quick Chelsea can be on the counter too.
I literally have no idea what you're talking about now, I was replying to Pigeon who said that they 'only' made 2/3 clear cut chances, I dispute this. They had 15 shots on target, 2 hit the post and once clearance off the line. That's not counting the good saves Cech made
And the reason all those shots were blocked was because the manager made the right choices and the team stuck to the tactics and game plan, for the majority of it anyway.
Barcelona have arguably the 4-5 best players in the world, they should be winning games with ease. But what Chelsea did tonight was perfect, Messi was ****ed off as was the rest of the team, because they got no leeway like they usually do.
If that's not the sign of good team and managerial work then nothing is. Half the Chelsea squad is there ages, the other half are only there a year on average. For such a contrasting squad they pulled of the impossible and they deserved it.
I'm pretty sure I saw Drogba fouling himself at one point.
The funniest was Puyol's header when I think it was Cahill put his hand on his back and Drogba flung himself forward, obviously thinking it was a Barca player 'pushing' him.
They usually do
I've never seen a team that wins every game with ease, including great European sides from my time following football (Milan, Ajax, Real Madrid...)
Trophy in the bag and a final to lose. Yes the future is so bleak
Fixed.
Anyway, my prediction for the next leg... Barca to be up 2-1 and then somehow cheat their way to a goal that puts them through in the last ten minutes.
Hopefully
Azza and Purdy are on top form.
You lot do make me laugh, did you really expect Chelsea to out play Barcelona? Get over yourselves. I'll upload my pictures tomorrow.
Also picked up my ticket to the away leg tonight.
and yes...Tummy does support Barcelona.
Chelsea were absolutely superb tonight and beat Barcelona the only way they could by defending in numbers, playing on the counter attack and working their asses off. Did English football proud
Wowsers
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I expected them to play some sort of football Dude! That's awesome, have you sorted out getting there and back / staying anywhere yet?
I see your ninja edit
I raise you, 'You only post in here when you're winning'
Dude! That's awesome, have you sorted out getting there and back / staying anywhere yet?
I see your ninja edit
I raise you, 'You only post in here when you're winning'
Yea it's all sorted thanks. £295 for 3 nights accommodation and flights
£75 for the ticket. £150 spending money. Mon-Thur booked off work.
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Sweet dude.
I'd been offered somewhere to stay and a friends ticket, but I have other commitments, tempted to sack them off.
*Jealous*
Honestly, didn't see anything tonight from Chelsea that suggest they'll do anything in the second leg, but it's going to be a properly epic game for you
I'd been offered somewhere to stay and a friends ticket, but I have other commitments, tempted to sack them off.
*Jealous*
Honestly, didn't see anything tonight from Chelsea that suggest they'll do anything in the second leg, but it's going to be a properly epic game for you
I've just been laughing at Drogba and his time wasting tactic. Haven't said anything about Chelsea's style of play, it was exactly the same as us when we played City at home this season.As I explained I wasn't hating on Chelsea, but please do continue do laugh at your imagination.
Well done to Chelsea for pulling off a win...didnt really get a chance to watch the game...was busy around the in laws place for dinner so was told absolutely no football to be watched
Just saw the result as i got in a few mins ago on BBC website...didnt think Chelsea would have got a result in all honesty but congrats to them. Not surprised to see Barca yet again lose away from home...i have this funny feeling that Chelsea are going to the final at the expense of Barca but then playing the second leg in Barca is going to be one hell of a game for Chelsea.
Just saw the result as i got in a few mins ago on BBC website...didnt think Chelsea would have got a result in all honesty but congrats to them. Not surprised to see Barca yet again lose away from home...i have this funny feeling that Chelsea are going to the final at the expense of Barca but then playing the second leg in Barca is going to be one hell of a game for Chelsea.