Champions of Europe 2012/13 Thread

[Robokid87]

****ing hell that refereeing.

[Gorando]

You can't expect to win games with Ramires and Bertrand playing on the wings.

[jmr]

Just saw Torres walking down the tunnel after getting subbed. Pretty silly but I bet it was more because he was pissed off by his own poor performance than actually being subbed. Nothing in it. Moses looked quite good when he came on.

[tcoleman1]

See looking at that team, why did we go so defensively? We do need to start taking the game to teams more and taking a more attacking approach. I can understand playing one of Bertrand or Ramires on the wing to have some defensive cover but we could do with a player like Oscar, Marin, Moses or Sturridge to be there to give us a bit more of attacking potency.

An annoying result but at least we are still top of the league and ahead of City and United.

Also just seen the highlights. Can't believe we didn't get at least one penalty in that game. The Hazard one is slightly more understandable as from the refs angle it could look like he wasn't fouled or not enough for a penalty. But the Terry one is a joke, he has both arms round him ffs. Still should have played better and got a goal regardless.

[Robokid87]

The Sky Sports programme about the CL win is here: http://www.chelseavideos.co.uk/Various/Kings%20Of%20Europe%20The%20Chelsea%20Story.avi :*********)

[Whirlwind]

See looking at that team, why did we go so defensively? We do need to start taking the game to teams more and taking a more attacking approach. I can understand playing one of Bertrand or Ramires on the wing to have some defensive cover but we could do with a player like Oscar, Marin, Moses or Sturridge to be there to give us a bit more of attacking potency.

An annoying result but at least we are still top of the league and ahead of City and United.

Also just seen the highlights. Can't believe we didn't get at least one penalty in that game. The Hazard one is slightly more understandable as from the refs angle it could look like he wasn't fouled or not enough for a penalty. But the Terry one is a joke, he has both arms round him ffs. Still should have played better and got a goal regardless.

An eye on the CL game v Juve perhaps. Given the squad we have, too much of an eye on that game, but maybe it was just that simple an explanation.

There was also the high boot on Ashley Cole. Anywhere else on the pitch and the whistle would have gone. And maybe the ref was afraid JT winning a penalty might incite a riot. Ref was ****. Almost as infuriating as the ref in last season's corresponding fixture.

[Whirlwind]

The Sky Sports programme about the CL win is here: http://www.chelseavideos.co.uk/Various/Kings%20Of%20Europe%20The%20Chelsea%20Story.avi :*********)

Wow. Just incredible.

[el sid]

But the Terry one is a joke, he has both arms round him ffs.

Ryan Nelsen disagrees and how

Ryan Nelsen took issue with the Chelsea captain after Roberto Di Matteo had claimed a first-half tussle between the pair was ‘a 100 per cent, stonewall penalty’ missed by referee Andre Marriner.‘I’m really surprised Roberto said that,’ said Nelsen. ‘He was nowhere near the ball, was never going to win it, so he just fell down. He was just trying to get a penalty.

‘I was holding him, of course, but he just fell down. He does it to everybody in their box. I said to him: "That was a bit embarrassing" and he laughed when he ran off.

‘If the referee gives that, it’s ridiculous. If you really know the game, that’s never a penalty. It happens all the time.’

[tcoleman1]

I don't get the bit about he was nowhere near the ball. He was brought down before the ball even got into the penalty area. If you dragged someone down like that it doesn't matter if isn't near the ball. Anyway I am hoping for a much better performance this week against Juventus, especially as it is the first CL game I have ever been to. It will be a hard game but I am looking forward to it.

In terms of Premier League we have some tough games coming up. Stoke on Saturday will be hard, so Mata and Hazard will be key for us to unlock their defence. The end of Sept/October will be huge in terms of where we are at as we are playing Arsenal and Spurs away plus United at home.

Also the Torres situation is getting interesting again. He looked to be regaining confidence and looking closer to the player he was and then he goes and has a below par game at QPR. I do think that we should have bought another striker as a backup if we aren't keen on really giving Sturridge a chance. It didn't have to be a massive signing like Falcao (although that would have been amazing), someone like Demba Ba.

[football_master_94]

I'd like to see this team vs Juve - Cech; Bane, Cahill, JT, Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Oscar (or Ramires here and Oscar at MC), Mata, Hazard; Torres

(Di Matteo won't have the balls to do this but a man can dream)

My final comment on the QPR game is that we really ought to have won it but traveling to QPR is a tough ask and I can see the Manc clubs struggling there.

[thegr8anand]

I know Lampard won't be dropped so I'd like Oscar to start over Ramires in that team.

[Robokid87]

fm_94's team looks pretty good to me - throw Moses on late against a 3 at the back side and we could have some joy too.

[football_master_94]

Lampard needs dropping sooner or later and given how strong Juve's midfield is (ie. Marchisio, Pirlo, Vidal) we'll need some fresher legs and someone more mobile which is why Rambo would be ideal in a CM role against Juve. This, in turn, allows us to play Oscar out wide and increase our chance creation by having Mata, Hazard and Oscar behind Torres (another reason why I was baffled by both Bertrand and Ramires starting was that it meant we were always going to be overly reliant on Hazard to create the chances).

[thegr8anand]

The Sky Sports programme about the CL win is here: http://www.chelseavideos.co.uk/Various/Kings Of Europe The Chelsea Story.avi :*********)

Simply amazing. I almost cried during the Napoli part.

[jaybob]

I'd like to see this team vs Juve - Cech; Bane, Cahill, JT, Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Oscar (or Ramires here and Oscar at MC), Mata, Hazard; Torres

(Di Matteo won't have the balls to do this but a man can dream)

My final comment on the QPR game is that we really ought to have won it but traveling to QPR is a tough ask and I can see the Manc clubs struggling there.

Think that line up's spot on, apart from the idea of possibly playing Ramires on the wing. He's clearly less than half the player he is when he's out there. And if thing's aren't working Moses and Sturridge looked really good when they came on, they just maybe need a bit more time. One thing I've not liked is RDM's tendency to not use subs to change the game when needed. Against QPR we looked like we needed a different angle but only 1 sub in the first 80 minutes just isn't giving anyone else a chance to make an impact.

We can't just keep playing virtually the same 11 for nigh on 90 minutes every game.

[JB]

Anyone here go to the game? Had so many contrasting reports on the game and wanna see what an unbiased Chelsea fan is saying!

From the majority of reports i've seen, you pissed on us first half and probably should have had a pen, Faurlin and Granero then started to dominate (albeit against an out of formk Lampard and Mikel) in the 2nd and we had the better of it?

Probably completely wrong.

[football_master_94]

Anyone here go to the game? Had so many contrasting reports on the game and wanna see what an unbiased Chelsea fan is saying!

From the majority of reports i've seen, you pissed on us first half and probably should have had a pen, Faurlin and Granero then started to dominate (albeit against an out of formk Lampard and Mikel) in the 2nd and we had the better of it?

Probably completely wrong.

You certainly got into the game more 2nd half and had two good chances - one when Park had a free header (when Luiz was marking space) that was hit straight at Cech and the other was Zamora latching onto a short backpass aimed at Cech but he couldn't make anything of the chance after going round Cech (should've squared it to Cissé).

[el sid]

Anyone here go to the game? Had so many contrasting reports on the game and wanna see what an unbiased Chelsea fan is saying!

From the majority of reports i've seen, you pissed on us first half and probably should have had a pen, Faurlin and Granero then started to dominate (albeit against an out of formk Lampard and Mikel) in the 2nd and we had the better of it?

Probably completely wrong.

That's pretty much spot on tbh

[matt1389]

Weird seeing Essien play for Madrid

[Walrus]

Where can I get the final on DVD?

Can't believe that the club and/or sky haven't a Road to Munich DVD with the final in full. The club one has extended highlights not the full final. Schoolboy.

[Robokid87]

I'm not sure, but if you find out let me know!

Good to see Essien get game time, and this game has made me so glad we didn't sign Maicon!

[football_master_94]

Really don't see Essien getting back to anything decent. Thought he was the poorest midfielder on the park today (for Real).

[Robokid87]

'Do you have any sympathy for City?' 'No' Jose <3333333333

And yeah Essien wasn't great but it's just nice to see him play.

[jmr]

Players (yaya) just strolled past him. I know it's beaten to death but he really can't run.

[thegr8anand]

Yup I came to say exactly that. Essien was decent in short passing when given the ball but his movement, positioning were all poor. He just stood there watching others play waiting to be given the ball.

[el sid]

tbf to Ess, Yaya would stroll past pretty much any midfielder

[Whirlwind]

Voted yet?

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/2920991/title/whos-your-number-one?WT.mc_id=cfc100-features

[deez0r]

Had to be Franco for me.

[Robokid87]

Gone for Lamps, best player in the most successful era of our history.

[football_master_94]

[thegr8anand]

Lampard as well. Though I might be doing injustice to someone like Zola but I can only submit from what I have seen in the last 8 years.

[el sid]

Want to see Oscar start today.

[jmr]

I'm not voting but I think mine would be between Jimmy Floyd, Vialli or Desailly. That's just my favourites. Greatest is undoubtably between Lampard, Terry, Drogba and Zola.

[El Buddinho]

I'm 25 so when I was getting into football properly around the age of 9-10 is when Zola signed. So it goes 1. Zola 2. Lampard 3. Drogba for me.

[shanyi]

Zola and Lampard my numbers one and two respectively as well.

As for tonight, fantastic to see Oscar starting. However, I remain disappointed we've yet to see the Oscar - Mata - Hazard trio behind Torres (or better yet, Sturridge).

[Robokid87]

Sturridge picked up an injury in training apparently, a shame as I'd have liked to him and Moses play; I reckon the key in to get behind Juve's wingbacks and I think they'd have helped with that.

[Helarxe]

Oscar will be the next Lampard in deflected goals at least

[joe__the__man]

Well that's just magnificent.

[ubos]

Sexy goal by Oscar

[Robokid87]

:cool:

[Oypus]

B-E-A-utiful.

Edit: Ah. That's typical.

[thegr8anand]

The goal is simply super.

Our performance was not. Poor to say the least in the 2nd half.

[Robokid87]

How bloody predictable was that?

[jmr]

Mikel /o\ Terry just as silly for trying to play offside. Still, a draw is alright and fair.

[thegr8anand]

I am starting to dislike Torres now. I know he doesn't get much support from the midfield who themselves don't try to keep the ball but he doesn't look like a striker who can create something from nothing.

Mikel is useless. Even Essien would have been better than Mikel.

[football_master_94]

Deserved result (ie. draw was probably fair enough as both teams cancelled each other out) and given this is the toughest side in the group, a draw is far from the end of the world. The 2nd half was poor and it just looked like we were content with the scoreline and didn't bother creating much. Ramires is lost on the right and only when Mata came on did we look like creating more chances which concludes that the best attacking midfield trio is Oscar, Mata, Hazard so hopefully that will be implemented as soon as.

The goal was so sloppy to concede. Yes Mikel made a stupid error in over-hitting a pass in a dangerous area but there was no urgency to press and go towards the Juve player in possession and Terry trying to play Quagliarella off was suicidal. Credit to Juventus too, their back trio defended brilliantly tonight and Chiellini was phenomenal and a rock at the back. A good period of the 2nd half was a phase that has been present in pretty much every game this season and that's a tendency to switch off and lose focus which needs sorting out.

I am starting to dislike Torres now. I know he doesn't get much support from the midfield who themselves don't try to keep the ball but he doesn't look like a striker who can create something from nothing.

Mikel is useless. Even Essien would have been better than Mikel.

Essien is even worse than useless. Literally. He can't pass, run and his first touch takes it 10 yds infront of him. I thought that the Juve system did well to defend against our attacking threat as the 3 often turned into a 5 on our attacks (with Lichsteiner and Kwadwo dropping back) which made it hard to penetrate. Imo, too much to ask for Torres to make something of nothing.

[PMLF]

Any news on Oscar's injury?

[KyleBarsby]

Gotta love frank haha

[el sid]

What a goal from Oscar

Our defending

[Robokid87]

Problem with Mikel is that as his role isn't one that's noticed much every mistake his does make is called up more (eg it's more noticeable if a 5 yard pass goes wrong than if a 30 yard through ball goes wrong) to say Essien would be a better option is laughable tbh. The thing that confuses me is the absence of Cahill, who to me has been consistently the best defender since he arrived. Also really want to see Ramires in the middle, seems bizarre persisting with him on the right.