CL semis ..

jackdaw

Someone said here that the chelsea liverpool semi 2nd leg will be in stamford bridge ?

I can't find the fixtures on BBC or uefa.com , how does one know this ?

abelard

Er, not sure where there's "official" notice, but it's been said on tv, today's papers etc, so you can probably take it as definite. SOrry if that doesn't really help

monkey9

2nd leg is at Stamford Bridge. That was the way the teams came out at the quarter final draw

oobydooby

From the BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/champions_league_fixtures/default.stm

bbc wrote:

Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Liverpool v Chelsea, SF, L1, 19:45
Schalke 04/Barcelona v Roma/Man Utd, SF, L1, 19:45

Wednesday, 30 April 2008
Chelsea v Liverpool, SF, L2,
Roma/Man Utd v Schalke 04/Barcelona, SF, L2, 19:45

Assuming it's Barca - Manchester United in the other game, it's a great line-up. Also 3 of last year's semi-finalists present again. Will be very interesting to see how Benitez plays it. I'm sure he'll go hell for leather in the first leg and try to keep Gerrard and Carra on the bench for the second leg (if they aren't suspended)


Manchester and Chelsea play each other in between these two games in the English league, which will hopefully not be decided by then. Be interesting to see how they rotate their squads that week.

shane86

Ah ffs, all matches are on the Wednesday?

Is Liverpool going to be on a non sky sport channel or have RTE and ITV both opted for the Utd match?

astrofool

I'm pretty sure it'll follow the usual Tuesday/Wednesday as every other year in the CL did.

s_carnage

The semi final matches are on the Tues, Wed days as normal.

From the UEFA Website:

Semi-finals
22 - 23 April 2008
29 - 30 April 2008

The first round of matches on the 22/23rd are:

Liverpool v Chelsea
Schalke/Barcelona v Roma/Man Utd

Mitch Connor

chelsea have got lucky with the fixture times from what i have seen.

They'll play the tuesday night the first week, with United playing in Barcelona on the Wednesday. Then there is the gamer at SB on the Saturday. Then United playing on the tuesday night, with chelsea on the wednesday.

So they get maximum time off before both the game agaisnt United and the second leg of the semi. Damn them.

dobsdave

Tauren wrote: »

chelsea have got lucky with the fixture times from what i have seen.

They'll play the tuesday night the first week, with United playing in Barcelona on the Wednesday. Then there is the gamer at SB on the Saturday. Then United playing on the tuesday night, with chelsea on the wednesday.

So they get maximum time off before both the game agaisnt United and the second leg of the semi. Damn them.

Supposing Utd and Barca make it to the semis.;)

Sqaull20

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

IrishMike

Right, the reason Liverpool beat Chelsea is that Rafa is better at slaggin than Maureen
Are you taking the piss?

dobsdave

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

How was Aggers goal dodgy?

IrishMike

He doesnt realise that liverpool beat chelsea in 2 semi finals :rolleyes:

Mitch Connor

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

People have said Milan would beat them, Inter would beat them, Barcelona would beat them, Chelsea would beat them (twice) and Liveprool have come out on top every time. I don't want liveprool to make the final, but they certainly have it in them, especially considering they can rest key players in the league unlike chelsea.

As for Drogba, he is having a very quiet season, no real reason to think he will rip them apart.

As for Grant, he may not get in a slagging match like Jose, but he is also no where near as good a manager as Jose. Chelsea have not been performing well under him consistently (grinding out results is great, but you'll fail to nick it at some point). Chelsea under Grant are a lot more beatable than under Mourinho.

Hobart

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

Lol, way to go. I have rarely seen a post better than that. Well done you, keep it up.

I would say looking at Chelsea last night and at the weekend, that they would present no fear for Rafa.

dobsdave

IrishMike wrote: »

He doesnt realise that liverpool beat chelsea in 2 semi finals :rolleyes:

You think?:)
I never saw Rafa as the instigator of the slagging or the baiting in interviews on TV and press, in fact the opposite.
You're a bit of the pace today sqaull20, but thats understandable,I am too:D

vorbis

I hope to god Chelsea beat Liverpool and for Barcelona to win the other semi. If that shower from Liverpool fluke their way to another final, it'd be a disaster!

monkey9

Fluke their way??? I love it. Like i said in 2005, if Luis Garcia's goal wasn't given, then we'd have had a penalty, Cech would have been sent off, we'd be one nil up anyway except we'd be facing ten men. We might therefore have won by more and not had to go through the tension and anxiety that we did.
As for last year's semi, (and Arsenal fans listen up). In extra time, Dirk Kuyt had a perfectly good goal disallowed for offside. He wasn't offside. But instead of whining and moaning about it and using it as an excuse for defeat, we just went ahead and won anyway. It's the winning mentality, you see!

Guy:Incognito

vorbis wrote: »

I hope to god Chelsea beat Liverpool and for Barcelona to win the other semi. If that shower from Liverpool fluke their way to another final, it'd be a disaster!

How long does it take for it too stop being a fluke?

jesus_thats_gre

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

Ah come off it will you..


Regardless of the previous semi finals, we have played them twice this season. We should have beaten them at home only for that penalty and outplayed them at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are a good team, with a great squad, and are of course more than capable of beating us if things go their way. They are also due a result against us. But then again, I think Rafa will be able to out strategise Grant.

citytillidie

Stekelly wrote: »

How long does it take for it too stop being a fluke?

Only when the fans of other teams say so.

I cant see how Liverpool fluked there way to two finals.

Lets see in 2005 They beat Bayern Leverkusen 6-3 winning both legs 3-1 that is the same team that won each home game in the Group Stage 3-0.

Then there was Juvr raining champions from Italy beat them 2-1 with a great display in Turin.

Then came Chelsea beat them 1-0 the special one says it was a phamtam goal but i think he would rather have that, than had is keeper sent off and been down to 10 men.

Then well there was final what can you say about that crap 1st half but excellent from then on in.

Last season

There was Barca drew 2-2 going through on away goals and still been the only English team to beat Barca in Camp Nou.

Then it was PSV beat them 4-0 not much to be said were the weakest team in the draw.

Again face Chelsea losing the 1st leg 1-0 and winning the tie on pens after have a perfectly good goal disallowed in extra time.

Can someone please tell me where the flukes were in them games

vorbis

yeah sure :rolleyes:

Liverpool fans have a goldfish memory about that CL final. Liverpool were good for six minutes. Aftre that, Milan began to reassert control and it took an extraordinary save from Dudek to deny Milan the cup in extra. Calling it a save is a little generous as I doubt Dudek knew f*k all about it.

I didn't say every tie was luck but they've gotten far more luck in previous seasons than other teams. I was actually shocked to see Milan beat them last season. I thought they would win via a dodgy goal.

This season has been the luckiest so far. They get two dodgy ref calls going their way against Inter and another two against Arsenal. Thats why I think they'll fluke their way to the final.

jesus_thats_gre

That level of begrudgery is unhealty vorbis..

Mr Alan

No mention of Vieras handball in Anfield Vorbis? Or are you just trying to be an arse?

and now you're clinging onto the "you were only good for 6 minutes" ****e, after being shown up for your "fluked their way to two finals".

For such a ****e team who are sooooo boring, Liverpool seem to have been involved in some of the classic games of the last few years, Istanbul, cardiff, Anfield. take your pick; fact is, Liverpool achieve other peoples dreams.

Also beat Chelsea in FAcup semi final in 2006 Squall, not a phantom goal in sight. You are on form today.

Tusky

Sqaull20 wrote: »

Man U vs Barca game can go either way, Pool wont beat Chelsea,lets be honest the last time you did was cause of that dodgy goal, I fancy drogba to rip um apart..

Jose got it wrong twice, but I dont see Grant getting caught in a slagging match like he did..

heh. Liverpool have drawn with Chelsea home & away this season. One game would have been a win had it not been for the peno that should never have been.

Liverpool have knocked Chelsea out of the champions league in the semis twice in the last four years. Your comment is idiotic.

Mr Alan

and the FA cup semi tusky, which makes his comment even more idiotic, as well as hammering them in Anfield Jan last if i'm not mistaken

the tie is evenly poised, the only people still going on about phantom goals is jose and squall.

jesus_thats_gre

Mr Alan wrote: »

fact is, Liverpool achieve other peoples dreams.

Can you please stop saying ****E like this when representing my club?

zAbbo

Can the Liverpool fans stop feeding the trolls, we've been over this before.

Mr Alan

sorry, but i'm representing no one but myself.

jesus_thats_gre

Mr Alan wrote: »

sorry, but i'm representing no one but myself.

You aren't doing yourself any favours so..

Mr Alan

I can live with that.

astrofool

Mr Alan wrote: »

sorry, but i'm representing no one but myself.

Of course, they've been pathetic in pursuing their own "dream" (the Premier League).

Mr Alan

agreed, but these things take time and we're on the right course

Xavi6

I'm going to start praying every night for the next couple of weeks for a Chelsea/Barcelona. I really don't think I could face a United/Pool final. Fans on here get touchy enough when they play in seperate European ties. Imagine the carnage if they play each other the final. Bansticks galore for the mods.

Come on Xavi, do it for me!

Mr Alan

dont rate that Xavi fella

Unearthly

think i'll avoid boards if its a Man Utd/Liverpool final. Only so much biased 11 v 11 comparisons you can read before getting depressed

Xavi6

Mr Alan wrote: »

dont rate that Xavi fella

Reported for trolling. I will not rise to your rubbish statement.

Unearthly wrote: »

think i'll avoid boards if its a Man Utd/Liverpool final. Only so much biased 11 v 11 comparisons you can read before getting depressed

+1

Mr Alan

x

Xavi6

Mr Alan wrote: »

x

<

---

Like the new comment under my username?!

Mr Alan

ha ha ha, love it!

Xavi6

Yeah and now I wait for -

1. An accusation of trolling from a United fan

2. United to destroy Barca 5-0 in each leg and Xavi to be sent.

Dun laoire

I think it would be fair to say this place would go into meltdown if it was to be a Liverpool Man United final. In saying that it's a very strong possibility. I can see it anyway. Roll on the semi finals

Mitch Connor

Xavi6 wrote: »

Yeah and now I wait for -

1. An accusation of trolling from a United fan

2. United to destroy Barca 5-0 in each leg and Xavi to be sent.

Anderson will add Xavi to the list of names, including Gerrard and Fabregas to be owned by him.:D;)

Mr Alan

Tauren, lets end this little myth now, Anderson, at no point, has ever owned Gerrard.

quad_red

If Utd go for the jugular and expose Barcelona's defensive frailties, you'd have to fancy Utd to go through. But if Ferguson starts getting jittery, who knows what could happen. Utd seem much stronger this year and we've experienced some great nights in the Nou Camp.

The Chelsea v Liverpool game, well, who knows? I think Chelsea boast a better squad, with Liverpool possessing the more influential world class players (Gerard and Torres, who could win any game).

A Liverpool v Utd game would be some spectacle. I'd need to be on valium for it though

Xavi6

Tauren wrote: »

Anderson will add Xavi to the list of names, including Gerrard and Fabregas to be owned by him.:D;)

*Bites tongue*

We shall see

Mitch Connor

Xavi6 wrote: »

*Bites tongue*

We shall see

i'm only messin anyway - i don't think Anderson will start either game. Fergie will hobble us with Scholes and Giggs in the same midfield.

Xavi6

Tauren wrote: »

i'm only messin anyway - i don't think Anderson will start either game. Fergie will hobble us with Scholes and Giggs in the same midfield.

Fingers crossed. Tbh I think that's where the games will be won and lost. Giggs needs to be done away with most definitely. The likes of Carrick and Hargreaves would be suited to coping with Barca's three-man midfield more so than Scholes.

LuckyLloyd

Will this end up being the official thread? Lot of rubbish in it so far.

Anyway...

Every previous time two English teams have met in a European club competition the team that is ranked lower in the league table at the time of the tie has progressed from the fixture.

This rather surprising statistic was maintained on Tuesday. However, it is inevitable that the trend will be bucked at some point. I honestly believe that Chelsea will beat us in the semis.

The two league ties so far this season have demonstrated that there is not a whole lot between the teams, so one could be tempted to talk about Liverpool's European prowess or the questionable form shown by Chelsea against Fernabache. However, the idea that Liverpool would triumph over a rival with the better squad on paper in three consecutive two legged affairs is slightly outlandish. Indeed, the idea that any fixture this evenly matched could have the same winner three times in a row is out there.

That the second leg is in Stamford Bridge this time around is crucial and should not be underestimated. The last two times (particularly in 2005) the atmosphere in Anfield for the second legs was massively passionate and intimidating. Is it the only reason Liverpool won? Of course not. But it surely adds a couple of percentage points of edge - which can be enough when things are so tight.

You can talk about the shortcomings of Grant - but Chelsea have top players all over the pitch and the addition of a proven pressure game player and leader like Ballack means that they will have nothing to fear as a group. There remit is clear: get a draw at Anfield and bring them back home to London where Liverpool have struggled to find results under Benitez.

Can Liverpool win? Of course they can. Is it an advantage that we can rest players the Saturday in between? Unquestionably. But there is no divine plan for a Liverpool / Utd final and I feel the law of averages is stacked against us. Here's hoping though..!!

Mr Alan

good post LL

quad_red

Tauren wrote: »

i'm only messin anyway - i don't think Anderson will start either game. Fergie will hobble us with Scholes and Giggs in the same midfield.

Reducing the pace of the game to treacle and neutering out one of our prime strengths.

I still have loads of time for Giggs but some of the praise that has been laid at his feet this season has been ridiculous. So to with Scholes. Both have been relegated to completely peripheral figures in games yet the press have lavished praise on them.

The first leg away in the Nou Camp, with Barcelona slightly (but most certainly not mortally, as some would claim) wounded, is the time to bury the tie.