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I always feel that 0-0 away from home is not a great result at this stage of the competition when most of the teams by quarter-final stage have the capability to go anywhere and score at least one goal. I can see Barcelona getting an early goal in Old Trafford and going through with the final score 1-1.
That’s right.
All United have to do is win and they’re through but Barca pretty much get the draw as well.
It seemed significant to me that they were not killing themselves trying to get a late goal last night. They must be fairly confident of avoiding defeat in the return.Man Utd are a different team at home, but Barcelona are a class act, with arguably better players (technically) throughout their squad. They are very comfortable in possession and extremely confident in their ability. The tie is still very much in the balance.
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Alot could depend on the Chelsea – Man Utd game this weekend, both will surely have to play to near full strenght(surely), and it could be a bruising encounter where as Liverpool will play there reserve side at the weekend giving them plenty of recovery time for the clash at Stamford Bridge.
it only takes a second to score, but in Liverpool’s case it only takes 8 games away to Chelsea to score but im confident they will.
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
If rumours are true, a successful trip to Stamford Bridge could see the return to England of a French, previously London-based striker to partner the phenomenon that is Fernando Torres…
Bruno Cheyrou was the last player to score at Chelsea for us, which tells you just how long we’ve gone without a goal, but Riise will represent a far better attacking option (for both teams, possibly) than Aurelio and, should Babel be sacrificed for Crouch, we can give the home team plenty to think about. And, after today’s sad events, Frank Lampard won’t be playing either, which will leave a likely midfield of Ballack, Cole, Essien and Makelele (plus Anelka, potentially, on the right) – we can run that midfield all night long.
With Makelele and Essien in there, that’s far from an easy midfield to break down. If you do manage to get on top there, then you’ve got possibly one of the hardest back three’s in the World to break down in the shape of Carvallho, Terry and Cech.
The phenomenon that is Fernando Torres was far from phenomenal the other night missing two gilt edged chances. Cech does deserve credit for two good saves, but Torres really should have buried one if not both of those chances.
Unfortunately for Liverpool, I don’t see them getting any chances half as good as that at Stamford Bridge and I make them huge favourites to make the Final.
Our midfield will likely consist of Steven Gerrard, Xavi Alonso, Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel, with Javier Mascherano in a holding role. Captain Fantastic and Mascherano will match Makelele (who was poor the other night) and Essien all night long, leaving Alonso free to distribute the wall with the effect he did on Tuesday.
I agree that Torres should have buried at least one of his chances, but the same could be said of Gerrard late on and full credit has to go to Petr Cech who hadn’t looked entirely comfortable all night.
As I said previously I don’t rate Carvalho and Terry all that highly, and the latter will have to be cautious having picked up a yellow card in the first leg (he will miss the final, should they qualify). Torres’s quick feet, and the possible threat of Crouch later on, could be enough to break them – Terry was certainly quick enough to put the boot in on ‘Nando when the lad was lying flat on his back, and had had to niggle at him throughout the game.
I’m not suggesting that it will be easy, because it won’t, but there is absolutely nothing to fear from that Chelsea side especially as Skrtel seems to have the knack for containing Didier ‘Breathe on me and I’ll Dive’ Drogba.
Got to say well done to Man Utd for seeing off what I thought was an average looking Barca side tonight and making it an all English final. That’s difficult aswell coming from a long suffering Leeds fan (believe me!)
Especially pleased for Paul Scholes though, who’s been a terrific player at the top level for a long time now and was so unfortunate to miss out the last time they won it.
For all the quality players Barcelona have, they create far too little goalscoring chances for me and would be far better at times going either route one down the middle or swinging balls in from either flank in and around the six yard box.
Their apparent need to practically walk the ball in whenever they go forward has been their undoing again IMO.
Well done Man Utd.
Hope Liverpool make it tomorrow night but think that Chelsea start favourites. Anelka could be the man to make the difference if he plays him early enough in the game to have an influence. Two terrific sides though and it could go either way.
Barcelona completely outplayed United tonight, though to their credit they did defend exceptionally well. And you don’t mind losing a game to a goal like that…
I honestly can’t see a player like Anelka making the difference against Liverpool. Whilst I remain less than objective the Red Men have absolutely nothing to fear going in to this game and can come away with a comfortable win.
Torres to score first in 2-0 and 3-0 victories.
I think Chelsea will go through tonight – maybe 1-0 or 0-0.
I also feel that Liverpool won’t get any favours from the officials tonight because the last thing UEFA want is a Man Utd vs Liverpool final.
Whatever the results tonight it goes to show the standard of the premiership (or top 4 however you want to look at it) is at a very high level compared to the rest of europe, with 3 out of the 4 semi finalist’s for the past two years and finalist’s in the past four. Credit to United for getting past Barcelona, Messi was a handful but they defended well. Sticking to my prediction of penaltys tonight.
Charles Darwin to conquer the World
The English Premiership attracts a much better class of player overall than it did ten years ago. Offer a big enough inducement and any good player worth his salt will form an orderly queue from Melbourne to Manchester in order to sign with any of the twenty clubs. Money roars !
That said, it continues to be the same four clubs who qualify for the Chapions League, year in, year out. In effect, unless a player signs for Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool in England, their chances of playing in Europe’s top competition is about zero.
Man Utd did defeat Barcelona, although out played for most of the two legs. I have not seen Cristiano Ronaldo play so ineffectually. A big fish among other and even bigger fish ( Messi ? ) doesn’t quite stand out so much, does it ?!
Nevertheless, what a strike from Paul Scholes. Great goal.Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
Missed the first half but saw the rest and it was a cracking match.
Stupid tackle by Hyypia for the penalty but fair play to Lampard for sticking it away.
Thought Liverpool should have had a penalty for Drogba’s challenge on Hyypia
Chelsea look the value at the moment at odds-against (2.18 on Betfair) to lift the trophy as the match should be too close to call – should be Evs the pair IMO.
All credit to Frank Lampard for holding his nerve, but it’s yet another game that we have controlled and failed to win – and conceding two near-post goals to Didier ‘The Diver’ Drogba (his first theatrical tumble coming all of 30 seconds into the game) just isn’t acceptable, no matter how well he struck them.
The penalty decision in favour of Chelsea was correct, as was the disallowing of Essien’s goal, but how the officials didn’t pick up the foul on Hyypia is beyond me (well, the referee did pick it up, but after going to blow for the penalty decided not to bother).
We’ve played well, and gone close, but just what Benitez was doing starting with Kuyt and Benayoun instead of partnering Torres with Crouch, mystifies me completely. Another strike for the big man from Spain…he’s got to have had three by now, surely?
Lots of ‘pool fans calling for Rafa to be sacked-a on phone-ins after the game.
Will these people be prepared to wait the 3 years minimum while the new guy transforms the team and the tactics to his own liking?
Even if Mourinho was appointed (unlikely but not out of the question) it would take a while to overhaul the other "Big 3" who may well improve further next year.
I take it you’re a Chelsea fan, clive?
They had the better of the early stages of the first half, I agree, but over the 90 minutes I don’t think anyone can argue that Liverpool were in control (we also had the bulk of the possession, in both halves). The first period of extra-time certainly went Chelsea’s way also, with them scoring twice, but they didn’t play particularly well.
People keep saying that Benitez needs time, but the truth his style of football doesn’t work over here and he’s been incredibly fortunate that we’ve done so well in the Champions League. In all the years he’s been at the club we have struggled to maintain a tight rein on Chelsea, United and Arsenal in the league, and have an abismal record in the domestic cups – even our win over West Ham was awful (FA Cup defeats coming at the hands of Burnley, Barnsley and a thumping at Anfield from Arsenal, and Carling Cup defeats including a 6-3 annihilation by the aforementioned Gooners).
Rafa has had time and money to mould a team which is capable of challenging for major honours, year in and year out, but he’s just not delivered. The signings of Fernando Torres, Daniel Agger, Alvaro Arbeloa, Javier Mascherano and Martin Skrtel have been brilliant, but weigh them up against Antonio Nunez, Josemi, Jan Kromkamp, Fernando Morientes, Mauricio Pellegrino, Gabriel Paletta, Craig Bellamy, Jermaine Pennant (he wouldn’t make it into any supposedly top-class European team), Luis Garcia, Momo Sissoko, Mark Gonzalez, Fabio Aurelio, Andriy Voronin and Boudewijn Zenden, and the gloss is knocked off his efforts somewhat.
He doesn’t pick a team to win a match preferring to play the entire game around (the phenomenon that is) Fernando Torres, places far too much faith in the ludicrous rotation and zonal-marking strategies and plays Dirk Kuyt, probably the most (for all that I like him as he works his nuts off) paceless striker in the entire league, on the right wing – how stupid can the guy be? Oh, I know, when our strikers were struggling for form he offloaded Sinama Pongolle, an incredibly talented Frenchman with plenty of potential, for an incredulous £2m to RC Recreativo.
I have been saying for 2 seasons that he’s been the biggest problem at Anfield, and if we can rid ourselves of him, Tom Hicks and a couple of players – including Jamie Carragher – over the summer then all the better. The core players are there (Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Gerrard, Mascherano, Torres) but they need something else from the touchline.
Nevertheless, what a strike from Paul Scholes. Great goal.
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