Chelsea v Barcelona 2nd leg (first leg 0-0 )

redout

Barca president Laporta who was at last nights match said afterwards "Barça-Manchester would be the dream final," lets hope he gets his wish

Prufrock

If Barca score first this could turn out to be a cracking game. Hoping for an early Barca goal.

redout

Rumour has it Henry failed a fitness test yesterday behind closed doors and his chances of playing are practically zero. Looks like Iniesta is going on the left.

Warper

Who will come in for him? Keita, Busquets, Bojan or Hleb. I have a feeling he might play Keita as well as Toure. I hope its not Bojan while Hleb hasnt exactly set the place on fire since he moved.

iregk

gimmick wrote: »

According to Graham Hunter on both Revista last night and on Newstalk this morning, Chelsea were practising penalties for the latter stage of their last training session.

I heard that alright. Thing is, almost all teams practice penalties in training at this stage, its called preperation. Not sure why Hunter a man world football was surprised by it.

What I'd be more worried about was Barca's training.

SlickRic

Dear Thierry, Lionel, Samuel, Andrés, Xavi & Co,

Do the right thing and give us the final we all want. I don't care how you do it, just do it.

1) it'll be the two best teams in Europe fighting it out for the biggest prize in Europe.

2) i don't think i could stomach Utd v Chelsea Part II.

Thank you in advance,

Regards,

SlickRic.

ITT-Pat

Anybody watching Graham Hunter and Jason Cundy going at it on SSN?

A7X

SlickRic wrote: »

Dear Thierry, Lionel, Samuel, Andrés, Xavi & Co,

Do the right thing and give us the final we all want. I don't care how you do it, just do it.

1) it'll be the two best teams in Europe fighting it out for the biggest prize in Europe.

2) i don't think i could stomach Utd v Chelsea Part II.

Thank you in advance,

Regards,

SlickRic.

+1

If we win it again and retain it by beating Barca, it would be immense.

Headshot

ITT-Pat wrote: »

Anybody watching Graham Hunter and Jason Cundy going at it on SSN?

ya i was

right stuff

lolz ftw

CHD

SlickRic wrote: »

Dear Thierry, Lionel, Samuel, Andrés, Xavi & Co,

Do the right thing and give us the final we all want. I don't care how you do it, just do it.

1) it'll be the two best teams in Europe fighting it out for the biggest prize in Europe.

2) i don't think i could stomach Utd v Chelsea Part II.

Thank you in advance,

Regards,

SlickRic.

This is BS.Chelsea are in the top two in Europe imo. Second to United. We are always there or thereabouts. What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

Its destiny for Chelsea to win the final with a last minute winner from Terry!

JPA

CHD wrote: »

This is BS.Chelsea are in the top two in Europe imo. Second to United. We are always there or thereabouts. What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

Its destiny for Chelsea to win the final with a last minute winner from Terry!

You think you'd be at least 2nd in the league then.

mayordenis

CHD wrote: »

This is BS.Chelsea are in the top two in Europe imo. Second to United. We are always there or thereabouts. What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

Its destiny for Chelsea to win the final with a last minute winner from Terry!

Well as a liverpool fan I wouldn't trust chelsea to give united a game, now it were Barce that's a different kettle of ballparks.

ITT-Pat

CHD wrote: »

What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

Pretty sure Ric is a Liverpool fan, so I'd say he just genuinely believes Barca are better.

gimmick

Warper wrote: »

Who will come in for him? Keita, Busquets, Bojan or Hleb. I have a feeling he might play Keita as well as Toure. I hope its not Bojan while Hleb hasnt exactly set the place on fire since he moved.

I would hope it is Keita. Bojan has noty had a good season, while Hleb has been absolutely awful since he signed.. Keita is decent defensively also, and can pop up with a goal.

Looking forward to this. Hope I will have a smill on my face come 10 pm.

SlickRic

ITT-Pat wrote: »

Pretty sure Ric is a Liverpool fan, so I'd say he just genuinely believes Barca are better.

nail on head.

it's not anti-Chelsea, or in this case anti-Utd either (i.e. me simply wanting Barca there to beat Utd). I believe it would be the best final, between who I believe are genuinely the two best teams; and Barca have a better chance of winning it than Chelsea do against Utd.

only my opinion though.

it would also have a' one-and-for-all' type feel to it if it was a Barca/Utd final in terms of this season. with both teams getting so many plaudits i think this final would be quite definitive in terms of who is the best team this year.

i just hope if it does end up being that final, as I've said before, that there are no excuses possible at the end of it.

SlickRic

CHD wrote: »

What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

as an outsider;

there is no way you can claim Barca will be the easier draw after that embarrassing humbling at OT a few mere months ago.

I know Hiddink's made a difference, but psychologically that can't have been good for your beloved Blues.

SectionF

SlickRic wrote: »

it's not anti-Chelsea, or in this case anti-Utd either

It's a sad day when you feel you have to apologise for being anti-Chelsea or anti-ManU!

Bubs101

Does anyone know the story for yellow cards for the two teams in terms of who could miss the final?

A7X

Bubs101 wrote: »

Does anyone know the story for yellow cards for the two teams in terms of who could miss the final?

Back a page

SlickRic

SectionF wrote: »

It's a sad day when you feel you have to apologise for being anti-Chelsea or anti-ManU!

i'm both in reality.

but for the purposes of discussion, you can't be too careful around here sometimes

Warper

I think every neutral and football lover would rather see a Barca-Utd final than a Chelsea-Utd. final. It really would be a dream final.

cournioni

I have €12.50 on Barca not to score at 6/2 with PP. Which means it will be a 5-5 draw.

redout

If Henry doesnt play it will in all certainty be Iniesta on the left with Keita and/or Busquets coming into midfield with Toure possibly a makeshift CB. Other possiblility is Abidal moving to CB and Sylvinho playing LB.

redout

I personally think Toure will stay in his defensive midfield berth. Keita to take Iniesta's position and Abidal to move to CB with Sylvinho at LB.

Theresalwaysone

redout wrote: »

I personally think Toure will stay in his defensive midfield berth. Keita to take Iniesta's position and Abidal to move to CB with Sylvinho at LB.

hasnt this been announced on SSN?

redout

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

hasnt this been announced on SSN?

I dont know as I am not watching SSN but as someone who watches Barca every week it would seem the logical thing in my opinion.

Headshot

ITT-Pat wrote: »

Anybody watching Graham Hunter and Jason Cundy going at it on SSN?

here ya go

not my best work

redout

Whatever.

Chelsea are going to flood the midfield and have one up front same as in the Camp Nou.

I'll eat my hat if they dont.

Cundy ?

Iang87

to be honest as long as its not a united barca final i dont mind who goes through tonight:p

to the poster he said united barca would be the dream final, no it wouldn't was it the dream semi last year no it wasn't united played spoiling tactics and give them their due it worked and subsequently they became champions of europe.

Now imagine this scenario, chelsea v united final part 2. part one came down to a slip thats all one moment of lost footing in what truly was a cracking game and a great final why isn't that the dream final.

Personally hope and think chelsea will win tonight they will get caught be chelseas attack at one stage or another and it will be enough to see them through

A7X

Iang87 wrote: »

to be honest as long as its not a united barca final i dont mind who goes through tonight:p

to the poster he said united barca would be the dream final, no it wouldn't was it the dream semi last year no it wasn't united played spoiling tactics and give them their due it worked and subsequently they became champions of europe.

Now imagine this scenario, chelsea v united final part 2. part one came down to a slip thats all one moment of lost footing in what truly was a cracking game and a great final why isn't that the dream final.

Personally hope and think chelsea will win tonight they will get caught be chelseas attack at one stage or another and it will be enough to see them through

IT would be a great final in theory, but the reality is anyone who plays Barca will implement those tactics that United did last year and chelsea this year.

Barca will attack and are fierce in attack, therefore the best way to get them is on the counter IMO.

Its just a matter of grinding down the attacks.

redout

Iang87 wrote: »

Now imagine this scenario, chelsea v united final part 2. part one came down to a slip thats all one moment of lost footing in what truly was a cracking game and a great final why isn't that the dream final.

How about a Essien shot that deflected off two United defenders (changing direction twice) and then falling into the path of Lampard and add to that VDS slips.

Iang87

redout wrote: »

How about a Essien shot that deflected off two United defenders (changing direction twice) and then falling into the path of Lampard and add to that VDS slips.

dude dont pick bones out of it how about chelsea hitting the post twice. see it works both ways.

redout

Iang87 wrote: »

dude dont pick bones out of it how about chelsea hitting the post twice. see it works both ways.

Excuse me but your the one who said it all came down to one slip when in fact there was a chain of events which took place before that moment that changed the game.

Iang87

redout wrote: »

Excuse me but your the one who said it all came down to one slip when in fact there was a chain of events which took place before that moment that changed the game.

exactly those change of events lead to a moment that john terry could have won the game but slipped. so technically it all did come down to one slip lik i said

mayordenis

That Cundy lad was made to look pretty stupid there.
He just looked like spitting crazy man whereas Hunter was composed at all times.

redout

Iang87 wrote: »

exactly those change of events lead to a moment that john terry could have won the game but slipped. so technically it all did come down to one slip lik i said

Aye, technically indeed.

The Man Utd - Chelsea final II will be awful.

A lot of fans wont want to see it again being honest.

dannydiamond

CHD wrote: »

This is BS.Chelsea are in the top two in Europe imo. Second to United. We are always there or thereabouts. What you should be saying is please can we have an easier final draw

Its destiny for Chelsea to win the final with a last minute winner from Terry!

To be fair,Chelsea aren't even top 2 in England.
The vast majority of 'neutrals' want to see Barca v ManU in the final,I know I do.

pistolpetes11

dannydiamond wrote: »

To be fair,Chelsea aren't even top 2 in England.
The vast majority of 'neutrals' want to see Barca v ManU in the final,I know I do.

The league is not yet over and they could finish in the top two,

They deserve to be in final and have another crack at it , They have been extremely consistent in europe of the last few years

CHD

SlickRic wrote: »

as an outsider;

there is no way you can claim Barca will be the easier draw after that embarrassing humbling at OT a few mere months ago.

I know Hiddink's made a difference, but psychologically that can't have been good for your beloved Blues.

Yous embarrassed them at OT and we embarassed yous at Anfield. Doesn't change anything.

redout

Breaking News
Catalan press saying here is the Barca team:

Valdés, Alves, Pique, Toure, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Keita, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o

The reckon Toure will play makeshift CB with Keita and Busquets taking midfield and Iniesta on the left taking Henry position.

CHD

Please showup tonight Lamps and Drogs, please.

redout

redout wrote: »

Breaking News
Catalan press saying here is the Barca team:

Valdés, Alves, Pique, Toure, Abidal, Busquets, Xavi, Keita, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o

The reckon Toure will play makeshift CB with Keita and Busquets taking midfield and Iniesta on the left taking Henry position.

Catalan press now reporting Chelsea lineup:

Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, Cole; Essien, Ballack, Lampard; Malouda, Anelka, Drogba

Barca bench: Pinto, Caceres, Sylvinho, Gudjohnsen, Hleb, Bojan, Pedro

newbie2

Mgoraf

Anelka and Drogba start. No Mikel, A.Cole takes Ivanovic's place and Bosingwa back at right back.

CHD

Get in, looks like Anelka is starting.

redout

This is a shock from Chelsea to be honest.

Starting both Anelka and Drogba.

This will either work a wonder or fail miserably.

CHD

redout wrote: »

This is a shock from Chelsea to be honest.

Starting both Anelka and Drogba.

This will either work a wonder or fail miserably.

I think we have to do it like this. Essien holding the middle is huge and hopefully Anelka can make a impact. Having Essien on the right is pointless imo and we are much better off putting Anelka there.

Headshot

well done chelsea didnt expect to see that line up

im ****ting myself now

dannydiamond

pistolpetes11 wrote: »

The league is not yet over and they could finish in the top two,

They deserve to be in final and have another crack at it , They have been extremely consistent in europe of the last few years

Whether the league is still running or not is irrelevent.

If Chelsea get through tonight they will have deserved it,if they don't they won't have imo.It's as simple as that really.

Anyway back on topic.
I'm finding it very hard to pick a finalist from tonights game,I can see Chelsea winning 2-0,but just as likely Barca winning 3-0, if that makes any sense.:)

Like CHD said,I guess alot depends on some of the Chelsea players 'turning up'.

deisedevil

Glad Anelka is starting, was waiting for it, 15 on betfair, only 13/2 on paddypower!