so we better than man u la...
argh, boring game, i was hoping at least there was a goal to watch...
yeah, good (but not great) result i think to bring back to home...
cech was superb!!! particularly against that etoo and hleb chance...really make me scared of conceding!!!

and we cannot be complacent next week...
we need to keep attacking to search goals, as well as keep defense tight.
remember, they only need a goal to make us need to score 2....
plus i think in previous round they held score draw away, both in lyon and bayern...

things make it easier for us to attack with the absence of puyol and marquez in their cb...

Can anyone explain to me why GH benched Lamps in the 2nd half? Couldnt hear the commentators. Anyway, I see similarities between GH's approach to tonight's game to MU's last year's semifinal encounter with Barca at the Nou Camp.

Barca is a really crazy attacking side! Everytime we have the ball they will want to win it from us and then have a go again at the goal. Their passing super is sharp. Chelsea gave away too many balls too easily. Though we played defensively tonight, I think our defence did a great job. The moment Barca players run towards our goal you can see 4-5 men already sprinting back to cover the defence line, JT and the boys worked really hard. Can't say much for our offence as they hardly kept the ball long enough to go at Barca's goal. But credits to Essien, I always see him bulldozing upwards with Drogba and Malouda. Unfortunately, Drogba sorta tired out and was constantly fouled.

Anyway, you guys notice how quiet Messi was in the 2nd half? I only see Inniesta and the rest creating opportunities. Maybe Boss shackled him well

This post has been edited by kink_ass: Apr 29 2009, 07:14 AM

in what aspect?

But i believe you all can qualify...wish to meet you all again in Final....

Statiscally(possessions and shot on targets etc at Camp Nou), I believe

This post has been edited by kink_ass: Apr 29 2009, 07:18 AM

really love to meet u guys again at final..

now focus on HOME game..
at that time.. ashley will be back for us rite..
so this is good for our def n attack..
malouda is way off form without ashley..
he cant get enough support from boss..
he really2 need ashley behind him..
i think maybe our team will ATTACK in 2nd leg..
bt at the same time..try not to concede a goal to them...

CMON BLUES U STILL CAN DO THIS !!!

GH benched Lamps for tactical reason. Lamps have been well mark by YYToure. and JG know that Lamps is the main link in chelsea attack, where every ball start from him, so JG put in a defensive midfielder- YYtoure to steal/block any Lamps ball and also try to pressure and nudge him to prevent him any time to produce passes.

GH should make lamps a bit deeper in the second leg, maybe putting deco as Attacking midfielder, where it will open up lamps passing vision.

but cole is back and JBowsingwa will be restore back to his position, it will produce more attacking option rather than depends on Drogba alone with high cross.

good thing 2 barca's key players won't be available for the 2nd match. Puyol and the other one.. i forgot his name..

Cant wait to see whats gonna happen in the next game.

im with you on this. we shackle their main men, they do the same to ours. everytime we get the ball 2 or 3 players rush towards him and steal the ball away. i also dont see malouda having any room at all.

for this kind of attempt, we need to play long pass like we tried before with arsenal long time ago.. and it was proven good. Key players like lamps, is one of the most crucial point if we want to use this method.. last time he did it with drogba and it was proven useful for teams like barca. since puyol won't be around for the next encounter, this method is very useful to lock down their firepower advantage like messi and henry.. aerial and defensive advantages is highly needed for this upcoming match, and we do need more corner or side attack to finish the job..

according to soccernet , this is the 1st time in this season that barca fail to score on their home ground. So yeah its a good performance by chelsea that is setup to play defensive anyway. We came with a plan and execute it to the fullest, credit to petr cech for those saves. 2 - 0 lose was the best result in my mind for chelsea to be honest if thinking about barca form. /run

a crucial goal from JT during corner kick would be a good one

Credit to our rock solid defense, especially Terry and Alex who kept Barca out of scoring. Barca had done everything to prove that they were the better side, but the most important statistic, the scoreline depicts a different story. We are in a good position, but anything could happen in the second leg. Hiddink will need to come up with a better plan, in terms of defense and attacking.

Under normal circumstances, especially in CL, the away team will try their best to score because away goals are precious. GH is trying to use psychological tactics to get Blues into final:

1) The Blues are very much confident now because they manage to stop Barca and neutralize their attack.

2) With Ashley Cole coming back, and getting Puyol yellow carded, is a big morale boost for the Blues. Drogba will be very happy next leg.

3) Barca will be still be wondering what's going to be the way to penetrate our defense. (with them holding the ball 70% of the time, they have not found any flaw in the Blues defense yet). High ball from Alves doesn't work, Messi is neutralized, long range shot won't work, only way is fast through passes.

b4 game start i see alot of ppl predict barca 3- we -0 ????

In these games, we'd get 1 or 2 chances on the counter, and Drogs wasted the golden one midway in the 1st half. That I thought was the point where we showed Barca we were actually quite dangerous in the counter, hence their decision to peg us into our own half after that.

I thought Lamps was subbed also due to him getting the yellow for the lunge on Iniesta, and also the fact that GH may sense that Lamps was also getting frustrated. Not very like Lamps to lunge in like that, esp facing his own goal, he knows better than to concede at such an area.

Puyol suspended would present problems to Barca in terms of central defenders, they only have Pique and maybe Milito left.

i can't recall one thing.. is gudjohnsen still with them?

we need to work hard at Stamford Bridge next week

bro shah gudjohnsen still in Barca..

Valdes did well to save the first shot and blocked another flip.