Chelsea were completely annihilated, luck was not on Barca's side and they missed at least 4 clear cut chances, Chelsea had a game plan and it worked, much like Stoke's has since they came up!
DL..thats fine mate, thats your opinion... as for english teams being able to defend set pieces....have you watched our national team over the last 30 years or so? Dont see to many great defensive players / plays there ? Defending is an art form, but doesnt have to be as boring as mud. Roberto Carlo showed that and cole does, Bale and nearly every spanish full back. even the GREAT Paolo Maldini was known to venture up the pitch.... Again, if its effective football you want, then Chelsea under Mouriniho are the team. If its skill and technical football is Arsenal and if its the best blend then you really cant look much further than Man Utd in this league - and they didnt even make it out of the group. sorry, I just dont find Chelsea football attractive, and its nothing to do with the rivalry. I think you should have held on to AVB who was in the process of transforming you from a dull team to 1 that people would enjoy watching. but thats my opinion.
In Jose's first season we were boring but once we had better personnel I never thought we were as bad as the press made out. I find Man City far better to watch than any team in this league, closely followed by United. To me, Spurs and Arsenal these days don't even come close. The club will change as football is changing but I'm not sure AVB was the man to do it and I certainly wouldn't have trusted him with a task that big and a big transfer kitty.
Belated congrats DL. It was a big ask and I wasn't sure it was possible. The plucky underdog against the best there is, or maybe has ever been. It was a tense stand-off at first. Both giving of their best. But in the end the best man won. Stand up and take a fall Didier. To out-dive and out play-act Busquets is indeed a monumental achievement, one I didn't think could be done. But "fair play" to the lad. Next year's awards: Lionel Messi - Ballon D'Or Didier Drogba - Fall On D'Floor Your man has my vote.
I still expect Barca to go through, a 1-0 lead is to slender we'd have needed another goal but it makes the 2nd leg interesting anyway.
Fair enough DL..Its a pleasant change to converse with a CF C fan that can accept and /or berate critisim.... Cant disagree with your post, but you will need to change something soon...wonder who's gonna be the fall guy...? If RDM wins he Chumps league, its gonna make roman and all those other managers look real c**nts...... Personally, as a laliga fan i hope Chelsea lose; BUT; If you do win, I'll happily accept it and congrat u on a job well done. Like i said; i have noe grudge (apart from......) For me it says 4-nil barca..messi hattrick..lets see ho boring he is then? DL..Hats off to you or being such a good and honest poster!...but w will beat you at stmford sludge !!
Don't get me wrong up until recently I was a huge La Liga and Barca fan. La Liga was my bread and butter. When we never finished top 4 we were never on Sky so often I'd spend time staying up late watching Barca play and watching the likes of Rivaldo, De Boer, Kluivert etc. If you take out the diving, cheating antics from Barca I can understand why any neutral would want them to win. I think RDM should get the job, but in a strange way I don't want him to as I'm not a fan of legends taking over at clubs. I am sure for instance you guys would not want Rodney Marsh or Les Ferdinand managing QPR, for me it's the same