Reading all the Barca bashing in the CL thread i decided to start a thread, so pls forgive me. So much to say about the game.
Before i begin i would like to say hard luck to smokey!
Firstly i would like to say that the better team won last night. Lets try to analyse the two legs.
The first leg was totally dominated by Barcelona. Chelsea adopted a tactic which saw them play EXTREMELY defensive. Camping 10 players in their box and having 25% possession at a time. They managed 1 SHOT On target. Yes, ONLY 1!!!!!! Which came through pure luck (Marquez not clearing the ball).
Later in the match, Essien clearly pulled Henry down in the box. The ref waved his hands and said NO PENALTY. I was up in arms, but in football this happens. Barcelona were unlucky not to score. Chelsea went away feeling good about their game plan, Barca on the other hand were saying that the ref never handled the game correctly.
Which i agree, the ref in the first leg favoured Chelsea, it was clear. Chelsea fouled Barca more than 20 times compared to Barca's 7 fouls. It was clear Chelsea was not their to play football, they wanted a draw and they kicked, pushed and stopped play as much as they could.
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Then the second leg. Barca had a big problem with their center of defence completely missing (Puyol and Marquez). They were forced to use a central midfielder as a defender and give a 20 year old Busquets the start of his life!
Again the ref was poor. I always knew it would take a miracle strike to knock Barca out of the CL and thats what Chelsea got. Essien's volley was BRILLIANT. I loved IT! What a GOAL!!! It came off the first touch Chelsea had of the ball oddly enough.
After the goal Barca continued to dominate possession. Im sorry but to have 29% possession on your home ground is just pathetic and not good enough for a semi final. Chelsea never touched the ball. It become very clear Chelsea's tactics again.
It was to defend with 10 men behind the ball, when they did get the ball, the idea was to boot it up field in the hopes that Drogba would out muscle the Barca defence. It worked on a few occassions. But still it wasnt good enough.
Barca were cheated into playing with 10 men. Abidal sent off for what??? Evidence that the ref was having a poor night. Barca had 10 men yet Chelsea still camped 10 players behind the ball in order to stop Barcelona from attacking.
And then a controversial penalty appeal. A biased supporter would say that it was not a penalty cos Pique doesnt play the ball, the ball plays the hand. Be that the case i still think it could/should have been given. Chelsea were unlucky. I think it could have been given easily. When it wasnt given my mind drifted back to last week when Henry's penalty wasnt given. I realised that these things have a way of balancing it out.
That was the only real penalty for me, no other.
Even with 10 men the Barca boys continued with their game plan of passing passing passing - criticised by many for not having a shot on goal. Until in the 92nd minute Iniesta released a WONDER STRIKE that no keeper would ever save.
And finally they had their first shot on target. The Barca bashers are quick to point out that Barca had so much possession but only one shot on target. Yet they forget that Chelsea only had one shot on target at the Camp Nou. The United supporters are also quick to forget that they too had only one shot on target last season that saw them beat Barcelona.
So before you BASH BARCA, they have proved that they can stand up to any team in World Football, they have shown that English teams fear them, as a result when they play its not a normal game of football cos of the other team being to affraid to commit players foward.
Many question Barca's attack but i applaude Chelsea's defence. Even tho they played like an away side twice, it was their defensive minded football that saw them hold out to the very last minute. It was Catenaccio stuff that would have had Helenio Herrera dancing around in his grave
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Now we look foward to Rome where United will face Barca. United have a very tough decision to make.
Defend like Chelsea and rely on long balls like last night.
OR
Attack Barca and see how they handle it. Somehow i think they wont attack and will adopt the Chelsea approach for fear of letting Barca play their game. They dictated the Chelsea game over both legs, imagine if Chelsea were to push foward and try to score. I doubt anybody would be questioning Messi's, Eto or Henry's ability then.
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My apologies for the long post.
Before i begin i would like to say hard luck to smokey!
Firstly i would like to say that the better team won last night. Lets try to analyse the two legs.
The first leg was totally dominated by Barcelona. Chelsea adopted a tactic which saw them play EXTREMELY defensive. Camping 10 players in their box and having 25% possession at a time. They managed 1 SHOT On target. Yes, ONLY 1!!!!!! Which came through pure luck (Marquez not clearing the ball).
Later in the match, Essien clearly pulled Henry down in the box. The ref waved his hands and said NO PENALTY. I was up in arms, but in football this happens. Barcelona were unlucky not to score. Chelsea went away feeling good about their game plan, Barca on the other hand were saying that the ref never handled the game correctly.
Which i agree, the ref in the first leg favoured Chelsea, it was clear. Chelsea fouled Barca more than 20 times compared to Barca's 7 fouls. It was clear Chelsea was not their to play football, they wanted a draw and they kicked, pushed and stopped play as much as they could.
-----------
Then the second leg. Barca had a big problem with their center of defence completely missing (Puyol and Marquez). They were forced to use a central midfielder as a defender and give a 20 year old Busquets the start of his life!
Again the ref was poor. I always knew it would take a miracle strike to knock Barca out of the CL and thats what Chelsea got. Essien's volley was BRILLIANT. I loved IT! What a GOAL!!! It came off the first touch Chelsea had of the ball oddly enough.
After the goal Barca continued to dominate possession. Im sorry but to have 29% possession on your home ground is just pathetic and not good enough for a semi final. Chelsea never touched the ball. It become very clear Chelsea's tactics again.
It was to defend with 10 men behind the ball, when they did get the ball, the idea was to boot it up field in the hopes that Drogba would out muscle the Barca defence. It worked on a few occassions. But still it wasnt good enough.
Barca were cheated into playing with 10 men. Abidal sent off for what??? Evidence that the ref was having a poor night. Barca had 10 men yet Chelsea still camped 10 players behind the ball in order to stop Barcelona from attacking.
And then a controversial penalty appeal. A biased supporter would say that it was not a penalty cos Pique doesnt play the ball, the ball plays the hand. Be that the case i still think it could/should have been given. Chelsea were unlucky. I think it could have been given easily. When it wasnt given my mind drifted back to last week when Henry's penalty wasnt given. I realised that these things have a way of balancing it out.
That was the only real penalty for me, no other.
Even with 10 men the Barca boys continued with their game plan of passing passing passing - criticised by many for not having a shot on goal. Until in the 92nd minute Iniesta released a WONDER STRIKE that no keeper would ever save.
And finally they had their first shot on target. The Barca bashers are quick to point out that Barca had so much possession but only one shot on target. Yet they forget that Chelsea only had one shot on target at the Camp Nou. The United supporters are also quick to forget that they too had only one shot on target last season that saw them beat Barcelona.
So before you BASH BARCA, they have proved that they can stand up to any team in World Football, they have shown that English teams fear them, as a result when they play its not a normal game of football cos of the other team being to affraid to commit players foward.
Many question Barca's attack but i applaude Chelsea's defence. Even tho they played like an away side twice, it was their defensive minded football that saw them hold out to the very last minute. It was Catenaccio stuff that would have had Helenio Herrera dancing around in his grave
------------------
Now we look foward to Rome where United will face Barca. United have a very tough decision to make.
Defend like Chelsea and rely on long balls like last night.
OR
Attack Barca and see how they handle it. Somehow i think they wont attack and will adopt the Chelsea approach for fear of letting Barca play their game. They dictated the Chelsea game over both legs, imagine if Chelsea were to push foward and try to score. I doubt anybody would be questioning Messi's, Eto or Henry's ability then.
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My apologies for the long post.
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I'm looking forward to my team thrashing your team in 3 week's time 