Chelsea....oh, Chelsea!

[dww]

Maybe it would have panned out differently but Drogba was injured (wasn't he? It's always so hard to tell) and I can't see any better alternative on their bench. They still had Anelka up front and had some decent breaks.

As for the dribbling, I didn't see it like that. I noticed that every time Iniesta and, especially, Messi got the ball they had a Chelsea player right on them. Only in the last few minutes did I see them have any space when receiving a pass and that's when they did run. However I'll confess I didn't watch the whole game as closely as I might have done so you could be right. If so, then perhaps the idea was to stretch Chelsea and wear them out with the passing rather than running with the ball and giving defenders time to get into position.

Anyway, however they were set up you've got to say Chelsea's tiredness at the end cost them.

Well Drogba looked pretty pissed off at being subbed. He was pretending to be injured so I can see why he was taken off. It was the choice of player to bring on that I think was a problem - although maybe you are right and tiredness played a part but Barca were down to 10 so Chelsea could and should have been able to keep the ball in the opposition half more.

I can see the idea that passing them to death might have been Barca's plan. If so I think it was a poor one that didn't work at home and was employed away on the assumption Chelsea would come at them - which they didn't. I really think that the answer to being tightly marked for players of Inieta / Messi's ability is to try and take people on early even if odds are against you and draw some fouls/cards.

[Craig_H]

"the referee was bought!" big words, thats what i felt hiddink was trying to say but stopped himself when interviewed after the game - the chelsea players clearly feel that the ref cheated or was bribed! - Interestingly i don't think it was by barca either, but more a uefa conspiracy

Surely they cant come out and make such accusations without repercussions?

European ban for chelsea!

[Maxiedge]

And me. To be fair it wasn't hard to make a call on him. He oozes class.

Players who step it up in big games show their true class. Was best player on the pitch from start to finish. Maybe this had something to do with Chelsea concentrating on other threats but at the same time he was always under pressure but kept it composed. Oh and the finish in the last minute...wow!

I don't think Chelsea were hard done by. If you take each penalty incident individually, there's a case for it to be given and not to be given. Even the Pique one would have been harsh as he was side on. Trust me, if there was a clear cut penalty (through on goal, defender slides in and gets nothing of the ball) the ref would not have hesitated giving it as he was under immense pressure to do so.

Also, anyone who thinks the ref was bought, why would he send off Abidal when he could have given a yellow (since he deemed it a foul)? Sending off a player allowed Chelsea the freedom of Barca defence and it's their own fault for not finishing off the game. I remember one incident when it was 3 on 1 but the 2 Chelsea players were too thick to stay onside (Anelka, Beletti). If you're going to blame someone how about Anelka for still not understanding the offside rule after 10 years??

[dww]

I don't think Chelsea were hard done by. If you take each penalty incident individually, there's a case for it to be given and not to be given. Even the Pique one would have been harsh as he was side on. Trust me, if there was a clear cut penalty (through on goal, defender slides in and gets nothing of the ball) the ref would not have hesitated giving it as he was under immense pressure to do so.

Ah come on, the Pique one was a stonewall penalty. I was in a Spanish bar last night and even the rather charming lady who kept yelling that Chelsea were 'outside' whenever they attacked thought Barcelona were lucky to get away with that.

[Joe King]

To say Barcelona are over-rated, is a bit OTT IMHO. To score 146 goals this season in all competitions says how well drilled and well structured this side is. What I was disappointed with was the lack of pace in movement and passing in order to shift a very rigid back eight. In the second half, the cracks slowly appeared with Iniesta and Keita isolating Bosingwa and really exposing the gap between the monobrowed full back and Alex. If Barcelona employed a similar style of pace and directness against United, who has shown vulnerability when coming up against pace (see Torres), they do struggle.

I made a point in the match thread about using Messi and Iniesta as decoys in order to gain width and as time went one, it was clearly evident that Chelsea were tiring especially the wingers and Alves did make some lung busting runs down the wing, unfortunately his delivery couldn't match his delivery. Whilst on the subject of Alves, PTP, the guy is far from crap. Along with Douglas Maicon, best right backs in the world. Again, a similar plan in order to distract the wingers, they need to have an element of surprise in their runs. Variation is needed in order to beat a very rigid United.

[Craig_H]

I think the Pique one was clear cut. The one in the first half with Alves and Malouda - that was in the area, fairly clearly.

2 definite pens for me. Maybe 3 others which you sometimes get, and sometimes not.

Chelsea were robbed, to be frank. But having said that, they should've got the 2nd goal and paid for not doing so. Furthermore, given their negative anti-football tactics in the away leg and their cheating, diving, lack of respect and dignity, i'm delighted at what happened.

'**** your history, we're going to rome'

Oh, but you're not. Have that, you cunts.

[dww]

I think the Pique one was clear cut. The one in the first half with Alves and Malouda - that was in the area, fairly clearly.

2 definite pens for me. Maybe 3 others which you sometimes get, and sometimes not.

Chelsea were robbed, to be frank. But having said that, they should've got the 2nd goal and paid for not doing so. Furthermore, given their negative anti-football tactics in the away leg and their cheating, diving, lack of respect and dignity, i'm delighted at what happened.

'**** your history, we're going to rome'

Oh, but you're not. Have that, you cunts.

Looked like a dive to me but if the referee deemed it a foul then it certainly should have been a penalty.

[Neil Young]

Looked like a dive to me but if the referee deemed it a foul then it certainly should have been a penalty.

But we don't know whether or not he saw the contact in the box as a foul. The initial contact, outside the box, was clearly a foul so it may be he was waiting to see if Chelsea gained an advantage and then he called it back when Malouda dived.

I agree the Pique handball was a clear penalty.

[Reece]

From a poster on TLW:

Ref has been smuggled out of the country and police are investigating death threats.

Very sad.

[Shaggy]

Another thing that made me laugh - facebook last night - every reds status was laughing at chelsea, whilst all the blue noses were slagging barca

Every Bitter I know wanted Chelsea to go through so they had one eye on the CL final when they play them in the FA Cup final a few days before.



The two Bluenoses here are in proper sulks about it

[Neil Young]

It's about time UEFA acted against Chelsea on this. Twice is a pattern.

[Joe King]

See other thread....

[Neil Young]

Every Bitter I know wanted Chelsea to go through so they had one eye on the CL final when they play them in the FA Cup final a few days before.



The two Bluenoses here are in proper sulks about it

Sulky Evertonians? Whatever next?

[Shaggy]

From a poster on TLW:

If that's true then...............well there are no words for it.

[Mattshark]

Agree with all that. Alves (diving/play acting antics aside) has been brilliant in La Liga this season. Yeah he is always going to be a bit suspect defensively but there isn't a better attacking RB around IMO.

Kinda hard to tell with the laughable la liga defences though.