Barca v Chelsea Round2

[JoeSemi]

I just knew Jose would not admit that the better team went through...in my opinnion they did.
All week he has had the spotlight on him, and he gets it wrong tonight and again he can't be gracious in defeat.

The way we played you would have thought that we were one or two goals up going into the match - rather than needing to score at least two goals.

Yeah, i know that European football needs a crafty approach, but recovering a situation needs a bit of style and elan.

To win at the Nou Camp in European competition you need to play something inspired or special.

We didn't have it tonight.

Too many long balls - Howard Wilkinson methods rather than quality football. It's not as if we don't have the players with ability.

Huth coming on was repulsive! This is not Cambridge in the FA Cup, this is the battle of the giants, the tie that the vast majority of people believed would produce the CL winners.

You've summed it up. Coming from a Chelsea fan its a breath of fresh air to hear aswell. Besides the tactics employed and lack of 'honest' inspiration from Mourinho, I thought Chelsea were absent of belief for the first time in nearly two seasons. How much of that can be attributed to the manager? I'm not sure, but when you have a player of SWP's calibre on the bench and bring on Huth to try and create something then it says little for his spending policy for one.

In the week Peter Osgood died, both the WBA performance couldn't have turned out to be a poorer tribute to the man who served Chelsea so well. Mourinho and his staff (can't attach all the blame to him!) have to take some responsibility.

[lofty9]

Barca are in a league of their own. Chelsea couldn't string three passes together. On a seperate issue : What has Mourinhno done with Duff? He has been atrocious this year for Chelsea.

[osgood was good]

The myth of Mourinho the 'manager' is dying (for those who ever believed it) and you get a true impression of what he is- a mouth- a psychologist who cannot judge a player. It's all empty phrases and a puffed up image that his own players, past and present, admit is not him- that has no basis- from deco to terry. Credit to him- he has accumulated an identity that is one of an unforgiving winner, and his main focus has always been maintaining that strong image for his players in the media- where he does get exposed, is on nights like last night- call it what i said earlier if you please- 'people seeing what they want after a loss', but i simply cannot imagine how anybody with any knowledge of the intricacies of football and how it is played could not only pick drogba in this game, but even sign him.

If you had a manager in the premier league with the same balls and indecency/lack or respect(good) as mourinho to call him- it would evaporate even quicker. The undeniable fact is, that our squad is changing- Turning from a group of techincal and quality players, into a group of players with big personalities- players turned into winners. Ranieri signed this squad, Cole, Duff, Robben, Makelele, Gallas, Cech, Crespo and a good part of it, technically, he did more than sign- he MADE Lampard. With signings like Drogba, Carvalho, Essien and the direction of Duff, that side is slowly dying- and soon it will be time for JM to move on again, and take his shallow image elsewhere for more success, because that is the way he works. HOW IS THAT FOR CONTROVERSY

[fergalr]

HOW IS THAT FOR CONTROVERSY

Pretty poor IMHO and your should hang your head in shame for associating such claptrap with the name of the King of Stamford Bridge.

[NeilMcD]

Watch the game to night felt Chelsea were short on fire power to many wingers playing when they need to convert to more of 4-4-2 formation.
you simply cant play Duff/ Robbin and Cole in the same team chelsea needed
to have crespo and drobra playing up top
Chelsea would have been better if they played Macca Lamps cole and robbin
in mid field
However must not be forgotten Barca still failed to beat 11 man chelsea.

Yeah because Chelsea struggle with discipline which is the fault of the manager. Its the job of the team to keep 11 players on the pitch and Chelsea failed to do that, and then they must suffer the consequences. Its not Barcelonas fault that Chelsea are cheats.

[Risteard]

Was hoping Werder would beat Juve, they were the most attacking and positive team left in the competition.

Barca?

[pete]

Barca were well worth their win. 3-2 flattered Chelsea. Disappointing to see UK slant to irish media coverage when Barca are one of the biggest clubs in the world. Surely the headlines should have been "Barca progress..." & not "Chelsea bow out..." ?

[Dodge]

Whatever sells Pete...

[fergalr]

Its not Barcelonas fault that Chelsea are cheats.

Evidence?

[NeilMcD]

Drogba diving , Robben Diving Del Horno filthy tackle on Messi and then diving too. (messi did too) Robben 2 footed tackel against West Brom. Essien filthy tackle against Hamman. Team coming out late against West Brom. Mourinhio saying that he saw the referee in the Barca dressing room last year. Need I go on.

[OwlsFan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Its not Barcelonas fault that Chelsea are cheats.
--------------------

Barcelona aren't exacty blameless in the diving stakes either. That said Mourinho's Porto team was the biggest team of divers I ever saw. I had some respect for Mourinho but I am afraid his ego is getting the better of him. This gimmick of walking out first to take the pressure of his players - announcing it in advance so all the cameras could be ready to picture him. PR stuff.

As for the game - the only difference between the two teams was Ronaldinho. Switch sides and I would be confident Chelsea would have gone through. Chelsea need that sort of superstar if they are ever to become great in the true sense of the word.

[londonirish17]

The better team went through.
At least they (Chelski) will have something to reflect on. Money isn't all you need to win trophies... Poor performance in both games. Guess they will come up with plenty of excuses...

P.S : Thanks Villareal !

[NeilMcD]

Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
Its not Barcelonas fault that Chelsea are cheats.
--------------------
As for the game - the only difference between the two teams was Ronaldinho. Switch sides and I would be confident Chelsea would have gone through. Chelsea need that sort of superstar if they are ever to become great in the true sense of the word.

Dont agree with you there. Last night and 2 weeks ago was a battle of philosophies as well as a football match. Mourinhio does not like superstar players because he wants to be the superstar. They dont have an Henry, Rooney, Messi, Ronaldhio or anybody of that calibre. There best players are Lampard and Terry. Two honest and hard working players who have got the most out of their talent but who lack that superstar quality.

Last night Motta and Silvinhio ran the show in midfield and gave the ball to Ronaldinhio to do his stuff. Also it should be realised that Barca were without Messi and Xavi last night as Mess went after about 25 mins.

Mourinhio likes the team ethic but in my view he pursues this ideology to the nth degree and in my view he does it because if everybody mentions the team rather than the players well then the natural conclusion is that the coach is the true genius. Just read an article in the times today on this issue.

Barca to me have the perfect combination between team ethic and supersta quality.

[fergalr]

Drogba diving , Robben Diving Del Horno filthy tackle on Messi and then diving too. (messi did too) Robben 2 footed tackel against West Brom. Essien filthy tackle against Hamman. Team coming out late against West Brom. Mourinhio saying that he saw the referee in the Barca dressing room last year. Need I go on.

Point by point .....
Owen dives, Van Nistelroy dives, Gerard dives as do countless other .......
Gerard, Ronando and countless others do two footed tackes
A team coming out late are cheats!?
UEFA subsequently confirmed that Rijkaard had spoken with Frisk
http://www.newsfox.com/pte.mc?pte=050407045

Methinks one is a mite obsessed?

[NeilMcD]

First I think you will struggle to find a team that could have all those allegations put against them. I said they were cheats and you asked me to prove it and then when I did you said I was obsessed. What am I meant to do not bother prove it.


All teams have divers. But how many managers time and time again mention divers on the other team but defend their divers or refuse to talk about it, ala, Robben V Reina.


Essien did 2 footed tackles within the space of a few weeks V Liverpool and V Bolton.


Coming out late on purpose in order to **** the other team off is cheating. In addition it may not be cheating, but refusing to shake the opposing managers hand in an EPL is not good sportsmanship and lends us to believe that coming out late was on purpose and to rile the other team.


Mourinhio alleged that the Barca manager went into the Referees room. As a result the guy had to retire due to death threats. Did Mourinhio ever say sorry.


Even last night he is refusing to take his beaten when he was up against a team that is clearly superior to his.

[JoeSemi]

To create a team of Barca's stature and style you need a finely honed blend of skill, discipline, team ethic, superstar quality and an astute (but honest) manager all coming together to produce the football they've produced in abundance over the last three seasons.

You can not be so selective in what you see as Mourinho has been; and having been so open about it he has thrown further flame on a media fire that has ignited to unwanted heights by now.

The issue as regards 'cheating' at Chelsea seems to be contrived to some degree, or if not, has been done by players who lack that extra drive and mental determination to go the extra yard at times. Drogba and Robben are the two prime culprits and it's time the manager addressed these two instead of finger wagging in other directions regarding the so-called 'cheating' he cares to mention so often.

Get your own house in order and the rest should take care of itself imo.

[pete]

Whatever sells Pete...

I think now its more to do with irish papers buying UK wire-service articles in bulk. And some people wonder why not more irish papers sold - i suppose if actual irish journalists used...? Inod is shocking for amount of bought in UK articles.

For all the millions Chelsea have spent they haven't one player of the quality of Ronaldinho. Stunning goal last night. I expected to see him in a heap on the ground after Terrys challenge but he showed super balance to put himself one-on-one with the keeper.

[wws]

ffs

ronaldinho is about the single best player in the world at the mo - how could chelsea have one like him!?!?! NO ONE has one like him!

and the guff above about chelsea having no stars - crespo is a class act so too are duff, cole, carvalho, ferreira - makele - i could go on....if crespos effort had of gone the other side of the post it would have been interesting


ppl think barca are great - but for such a massive club they've only one Big Cup to their name - lets see if tehy can deliver another with this team before we deify them


jury still out imo

[NeilMcD]

WWS none of those players are superstarts in my view. All great players but none would change a game on their own at this level. makele is a holding player and Carvalhio and ferreira are defenders. Duff and Cole are not super stars. Very good players in the English league but not Superstars.

There are not many superstars about but if you are the richest club in the world you can go out and get them. My view is that Mourinhio does not want these players as he wants a team of hard workers more than individual brilliance.

Also people are talking about this Barca team as being a joy to watch they are not a great side yet until the bring home the European Cup. But every neutral would love to seem them win it I am sure. As for a club they are not a great club either as 1 European Cup is not enough for a club of that stature.

[Dodge]

ppl think barca are great - but for such a massive club they've only one Big Cup to their name - lets see if tehy can deliver another with this team before we deify them

You're confusing club and team there. Porto have two european cups, they're not a better team than Barca...

Agree that they can't be considered a great team until they win it though.