Duff out

smuckers

Huge blow. Team confirmed for tomorrow:

Cech, Gallas, Carvallho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago, Drogba, Gudjohnson, Cole.

eirebhoy

Think I'll be watching United now. This news has put me on a big downer.

Draupnir

ah crap, that kinda spoils it for me too. id have watched united anyway but its a shame hes gonna miss it and takes the interest out of it for the Irish fans. Id say hes gutted himself, absolutely gutted.

kleefarr

smuckers wrote:

Huge blow. Team confirmed for tomorrow:

Cech, Gallas, Carvallho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago, Drogba, Gudjohnson, Cole.

Any idea who the subs are?

mr_angry

smuckers wrote:

Huge blow. Team confirmed for tomorrow:

Cech, Gallas, Carvallho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago, Drogba, Gudjohnson, Cole.

William Gallas made quite a recovery if he's playing left and right back!

Chucky the tree

dont think its a massive blow myself. definisively there still amazing, which is the most important thing.

murniho would much prefer to have him out the any of the back four or makelele.

eirebhoy

Chucky the tree wrote:

dont think its a massive blow myself. definisively there still amazing, which is the most important thing.

Duff does an awful lot of defensive work mate. They still haven't conceded a CL goal with Duff in the team.

kleefarr

smuckers wrote:

Huge blow. Team confirmed for tomorrow:

Cech, Gallas, Carvallho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago, Drogba, Gudjohnson, Cole.

Just noticed. Fupp me Gallas is going to be busy.

eyerer

mr_angry wrote:

William Gallas made quite a recovery if he's playing left and right back!

Chucky the tree

eirebhoy wrote:

Duff does an awful lot of defensive work mate. They still haven't conceded a CL goal with Duff in the team.

i know, but hes much more important to the team going forward. There still 5 or 6 players murinho would prefer to have instead of duff for this match.

therecklessone

mr_angry wrote:

William Gallas made quite a recovery if he's playing left and right back!

And there we all were, thinking Chelsea have a big squad...

thejollyrodger

I can see barca ripping through chelsea

PHB

Duff does a lot of defensive work, which imo Cole and gudjohnson won't do.
Chelsea's defense is still amazing, but when its an 10(incl gk) man defense its almost unbeatable, when its only a 7 man defense, its breakable, especially by Ronaldinho and Eto

Furthermore, it means they have to change their style of play, because they cannot break quickly, which is where the majority of goals coime from for Chelsea. This will mean they will also be less defensive brilliant agian.

Dewey

Big blow for Chelsea. I cant see them winning or scoring to tell you the truth. I think it would of been a fantastic match if Chelsea had all there players fit. They still have a great defence so i'm going to go with a narrow win for Barca.

Slash/ED

It'll be an all out defensive performance from Chelsea now I reckon, they'd be happy with 0-0 and get people like Duff back for the second leg.

eirebhoy

Slash/ED wrote:

It'll be an all out defensive performance from Chelsea now I reckon

I dunno, will Mourinho be happy to stick the bus in front of the goal.

smuckers

Sorry Gallas LB and PF RB. Heard on CFC TV Duffer may make a suprise appearance.

The Rooster

Mourinho just listed off the 11 players to the press. The team hasnt officially been named yet - I wonder would he pull a fast one.

He actually named the Barca team before he named the Chelsea one! Anyone know what team he named for them? - He's really doing his best to pschye out Rijkaard.

eirebhoy

The Rooster wrote:

Mourinho just listed off the 11 players to the press. The team hasnt officially been named yet - I wonder would he pull a fast one.

He'd be also pulling a fast one on a load of gamblers if they go by these stats:
Chelsea with Duff:
Pl: 47
W: 34
L: 4 (one of those matches was against Porto where Duff went off when they were winning. He was replaced by Robben and they lost 2-1)

Chelsea without Duff:
Pl: 19
W: 11
L: 4

http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=257706&CPID=8&clid=&channel=France

Anyone know what team he named for them?

This is the team in Marca:
Valdés; Belletti, Puyol, Márquez, Van Bronckhorst, Albertini, Xavi, Deco, Giuly, Ronaldinho y Etoo.

pickarooney

Ach, both channels are showing the Chelsea/Barcelona game here. Not that I'm complaining but i probably would have watched Milan/ManU given the choice.

Pigman II

smuckers wrote:

Cech, Gallas, Carvallho, Terry, Gallas, Makelele, Lampard, Tiago, Drogba, Gudjohnson, Cole.

yep, chelsea don't have a chance with an XI like that.

Brian017

I predict a 3-0 Barca win.

Slash/ED

I think Chelseas defencive unit is too good to concede three without reply, though I guess if Ronaldinho was at his best it's possible, but I think it'll be alot tighter thant hat.

The Rooster

eirebhoy wrote:

This is the team in Marca:
Valdés; Belletti, Puyol, Márquez, Van Bronckhorst, Albertini, Xavi, Deco, Giuly, Ronaldinho y Etoo.

Is that Demetrio Albertini? What the hell's he doing playing for Barca
Or am I getting it completely wrong.....

eirebhoy

The Rooster wrote:

Is that Demetrio Albertini? What the hell's he doing playing for Barca

Signed for them on a free last month.

Johnny_the_fox

duff will be playing tonight.

Duff will play against Barcelona
But just over one hour before kick-off on Wednesday Mourinho said: "The medical department have done a very good job and we will take a risk."

desperation :eek:

thejollyrodger

Duff In !! Brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BKtje

hope he doesnt do it more damage... really dont wanna be missin him next month

Aquos76

thejollyrodger wrote:

Duff In !! Brilliant !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ah come on, did you really believe JM when he named his team yesterday. He was always going to be playing.

eirebhoy

HAHA, this has made my day. So Mourinho wasn't being silly afterall naming his team.

Jivin Turkey

I would have said the same if Duff wasnt playing, but I think Chelsea are definately going to get something out of this.

If Celtic and get a draw here, Im very confident Chelsea will do at least that. They have way more experience at this level than this Barcelona team.

Ill go for a 0-0 or 0-1.

eirebhoy

Half time

Duff set up the only goal of the game (an og, Belletti) with a brilliant take down and low cross.

smuckers

Extremely proud of the team it was like a training session for Barca after Drogba sent off ( a farcical decision) his miss was crucial too. JT was everywhere for the last 30 mins.

Harry2001

smuckers wrote:

Extremely proud of the team it was like a training session for Barca after Drogba sent off ( a farcical decision) his miss was crucial too. JT was everywhere for the last 30 mins.

Chelsea had to defend well and did, agreed sending off was very harsh that ref is a complete knob isn't he?

Barca only really got going after the red card but I seen enough tonight to think Chelsea can win the tie, Drogba should have made it 2-0 though

2nd leg should be a cracker

smuckers

He is and has made decisions like that in the past. Barca's central defence is the weak link, its not over but Barca will score in the second, they were peppering shots after Chels went down to 10 men.

JackKelly

Frisk is a desgrace IMO.
Deco should DEFINITELY have been booked in the first half for that joke of a dive.Cheating if you ask me.And drogba didn't deserve to be sent off. He went for the ball thanks to a mistake by the defender.

1-1. Ronaldinho is a master

LMAO, any one watching the rte replay, at the final whistle, the camera zoomed out to a pitch view to show us some poor soul trying to get onto the pitch only to be rugby tackled by two stewards.

eirebhoy

Frisk almost single handedly won the game for us in the World Cup against Spain with 2 penos. He definitely cares more about pleasing the fans then anything else.

Slash/ED

The second penalty was the right decision though tbf and the first one looked like the right decision in normal time too. He was fairly woeful today though.