[Deshi]

**** me I completely forgot the Champions League was today, though I would have a day without football for a while!

[Tommyjw]

Not sure which CL match to watch. On one hand, i kinda think the Real Madrid game may be a bit more exciting, but on the other id like to route for an English team.. hmm..

[Malevolent]

(Original post by Tommyjw)
Not sure which CL match to watch. On one hand, i kinda think the Real Madrid game may be a bit more exciting, but on the other id like to route for an English team.. hmm..

Yeah i think im going to watch Chelsea since deep down i don't think Apoel have a chance but it would be great if they got through haha.

[iRush]

Chelsea will line-up in the following 4-2-3-1 formation:
1 Petr Cech
19 Paulo Ferreira
4 David Luiz
26 John Terry (c)
3 Ashley Cole
12 John Mikel Obi
16 Raul Meireles
21 Salomon Kalou
10 Juan Mata
7 Ramires
9 Fernando Torres

Subs: 22 Ross Turnbull, 17 Jose Bosingwa, 24 Gary Cahill, 5 Michael Essien, 8 Frank Lampard, 23 Daniel Sturridge, 11 Didier Drogba.

Ferreira at Right back?..Love the guy but this is random lol.

Shows RDM wants to get 4th tbh.

[KingMessi]

(Original post by iRush)
Happen's to the best of us mate.

In other news, hearing reports today that Blanc is strongly linked with us now. Thoughts? He can certainly turn things round ala Bordeaux and French NT but their different to Chelsea.

Meh. Blanc has credentials but so did Villas-Boas and Scolari. Past caring who's in charge, really. Blanc is evidently good, but he won't be given the requisite time or support.

In other news, it's an intriguing team selection for tonight's game.

[Isometrix]

Lol anyone but Bosingwa. Got faith in Ferreira.

[iRush]

(Original post by Isometrix)
Lol anyone but Bosingwa. Got faith in Ferreira.

Lol I do too just odd lol his first start this year.

(Original post by KingMessi)
Meh. Blanc has credentials but so did Villas-Boas and Scolari. Past caring who's in charge, really. Blanc is evidently good, but he won't be given the requisite time or support.

In other news, it's an intriguing team selection for tonight's game.

I understand where you're coming from but all good man, we'll eventually get a long term manager!

[Mastermind`]

Match thread.

Approved it late, apologies.

[UnWise]

Happy with tonight's performance.

Ferreira was solid!

EDIT: ..also, goal-line refs are the biggest joke ever.

[KingMessi]

(Original post by UnWise)
Happy with tonight's performance.

Ferreira was solid!

EDIT: ..also, goal-line refs are the biggest joke ever.

Agreed. Our entire defence did extremely well.

I don't understand the goal-line referees. They seem to do extremely little and, probably cost far more accumulatively than implementing fourth-official technology or goal-line technology.

[silver0]

yes! it seemed that Chelsea were trying mostly to defend and go for 0-0 but this away goal is crucial, and might make it easier for Chelsea next game. I'm so glad Torres is getting more and more confident, and I was surprised at how Mata kept missing today... but yeah, bring on next week!

[iRush]

Great performance, solid. Ferreira is terrific, love him! Solid everytime he plays for us! David Luiz was boss tonight! Loving those flying headers lol

Goal line refs have 1 made decision in 3 years. Says it all tbh :P

Edit: Mata looks soo tired, he deserves a rest D:

[jam277]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...essons-learned
Interesting, I didn't watch the match, but it seems like this guy knows what he's talking about since we've been saying this quite a bit this season.
Still think romeu should start ahead of mikel but oh well.

[iRush]

(Original post by jam277)
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...essons-learned
Interesting, I didn't watch the match, but it seems like this guy knows what he's talking about since we've been saying this quite a bit this season.
Still think romeu should start ahead of mikel but oh well.

Haven't we always said that Paulo should start over Bosingwa? Lol. He's still got quality in him as back up to Ivanovic at RB tbh.

[jam277]

(Original post by iRush)
Haven't we always said that Paulo should start over Bosingwa? Lol. He's still got quality in him as back up to Ivanovic at RB tbh.

Yeah we have lol, bosingwa should be a winger I think. But even then he isn't a dani alves at dribbling to do that, he can be suited to a top team, but more like a team like valencia/benfica/shaktar/leverkusen who are just under our level but still at a good level. He isn't good enough for chelsea but he's good enough for a top team.

It sounds like di matteo went for a very defensive team, which was why he played ferreira, used ramires as a wide midfielder over attacking players like sturridge and bosingwa.

[Isometrix]

Mourinho once said "he's a player who will never be man of the match but will always score 7/10 for his individual display."

[jam277]

He's always consistent, I love ferreira man. Well done to him, too bad he's too old to break through into the first team again though.

[maccy7]

Was shocked by Di Matteo's team tbh, but hats off to him, brilliant, tactically perfect.

Luiz and Terry were so solid, more solid than we've looked all season, including Napoli, as in the first 30, we were got at.

Don't know what to say about Ramires that I haven't said before. Our best player by a mile. Torres was good again tonight, can't wait for him to score a big goal that his performances deserve. Mata hasn't looked himself for weeks, probably since United, I hope it's only fatigue, but he simply has to play every game, we have no other creativity. I'd play him against Villa, then give him 10 days off 'til the Fulham game, get him back fresh for the semi (touch wood).

It's probably a bit arrogant to talk about the semi, but who cares. Simply can't see us getting past this Barça side, they've got back to their best recently. With the second leg at home, we had a sniff, but really can't see us doing it as it stands. Still, this is what European football is all about, and we owe them one, well, we owe them about 7 after last time but I'll take just the one!

Probably discussed at length during my absence, but what's the verdict on our hopes of coming 4th? I'm quietly confident, City beating Arsenal and us winning all our games is enough!

[iRush]

(Original post by maccy7)
Was shocked by Di Matteo's team tbh, but hats off to him, brilliant, tactically perfect.

Luiz and Terry were so solid, more solid than we've looked all season, including Napoli, as in the first 30, we were got at.

Don't know what to say about Ramires that I haven't said before. Our best player by a mile. Torres was good again tonight, can't wait for him to score a big goal that his performances deserve. Mata hasn't looked himself for weeks, probably since United, I hope it's only fatigue, but he simply has to play every game, we have no other creativity. I'd play him against Villa, then give him 10 days off 'til the Fulham game, get him back fresh for the semi (touch wood).

It's probably a bit arrogant to talk about the semi, but who cares. Simply can't see us getting past this Barça side, they've got back to their best recently. With the second leg at home, we had a sniff, but really can't see us doing it as it stands. Still, this is what European football is all about, and we owe them one, well, we owe them about 7 after last time but I'll take just the one!

Probably discussed at length during my absence, but what's the verdict on our hopes of coming 4th? I'm quietly confident, City beating Arsenal and us winning all our games is enough!

Hardworking, quick, agile, all the attributes to a player of his quality. Torres has been playing really well since the FA Cup tie, he's found the rhythm in his build up play eg. That one-two with Ramires and the turn in Benfica's box but the shot blazed over the bar. He's getting there, hopefully his performance rewards come's against Liverpool or Arsenal away when we need a goal, what a confidence boost that will give him! Mata's just tired I think, he hasn't had a rest since well he joined! lol. The last time he was on the bench was against Stoke but he came on after 30 minutes. 4th can be done, the players will take confidence from this game and move it to Villa, the games against Pool and Arsenal are vital. I'm so proud of Torres' performances lately that I wore my Torres shirt to uni the other day, got a lot of stick but who cares xD. Everyone there is a United/Arsenal/Liverpool/Man City/Wolves fan xD

(Original post by Isometrix)
Mourinho once said "he's a player who will never be man of the match but will always score 7/10 for his individual display."

He did, which the type of player you need sometimes. I hope he extends his contract for a year or 2 more, it's always satisfying to know that we have a player of his calibre as back up when we need it! Although he did say he wants to play till the end of his current contract.

Edit: One thing I love about RDM. He's hardly been picking Malouda even though he talks about squad rotation xD. He doesn't even make the bench lol. Hope he starts to bring in Romeu and Lukaku and tbh Kalou has been playing albiet what has been said of him. Prefer him to stay at Chelsea over Malouda, at least he contributes with a goal or assist. He played as well as I've seen him in a Blue shirt this season.

[jam277]

I think tottenham would have to crash a bit and I fancy us for 4th. Arsenal won't keep up the winning streak though. One things for sure is that we must beat arsenal and newcastle no doubt about it.

We should beat newcastle. But arsenal at the emirates might be tough. Had we beat tottenham, our situation would have been much better and we would probably have got 3rd.

If we end up in the semis of the CL. Well you never know, I see barca trouncing us if they get past milan but it would probably be like 2-0 and a 1-1 draw or something, we won't get what happened to leverkusen. However, remember 05, liverpool beat us despite us being the favourites for the CL when we got to the semis that season.

Anyway, lets hope milan do a job against them so we get a slightly easier draw. They would still be tough though but they are much more beatable. For a team as attacking as barca, they have the best defensive record every season and valdes usually gets the golden glove.

Speaking of la liga goalkeepers, does anyone have an update on how thibaut courtois is doing? I don't watch athletico madrid matches.