Puyol who has been out of form and Marquez who presented Chelsea with their one chance.
They'll miss them no doubt but Chelsea still need to come out to play this time.
Lionel Messi
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Puyol who has been out of form and Marquez who presented Chelsea with their one chance.
They'll miss them no doubt but Chelsea still need to come out to play this time.
They will. Being defensive will do them no good with they way they've been defending at home all season..
Messi is quite clearly a fecking quality player but maybe now, finally, the ridiculous wanking over him can stop.
He's a top top player but in a different class to Ronaldo? Do me a fecking favour.
He's a top top player but in a different class to Ronaldo? Do me a fecking favour.
will they play 3 central defenders and 4 central midfielders this time?
With Cole back he'll surely play bosingwa on the right, which would make them easier to attack down the right. Also they can't play Essien, Ballack, Lampard and Mikel again because despite them all being good players they need more than Drogba and Malouda as attacking forces.
If they don't play with the compact defensive unit they can get caught out. They have been caught out recently at home and conceded plently of goals, why? because they've been trying to win games. It's harder to defend the way they did at the camp nou when they actually try and attack teams. When they attack they concede.
You seem to forget that Barca will be playing with a make shift defence and a burly and cunning striker like Drogba could very easily turn the match on its head in Chelsea's favour.
No doubt about that but Chelsea need to create chances for him. I don't think it is healthy to hope for individual errors from your opponents.
Chelsea have the advantage but Barca cannot be ruled out.
Well, again you completely miss the point.
I don't care about Chelsea or Barcelona and I'm not ruling out either. But it's strange for you to question the tactics of Chelsea if they'll attack or defend already, while you clearly forget that Barca will be playing a make shift defence and you are already sure that if Chelsea open up, Barca will score.
Chelsea could make a quick start a get a couple of goals in and sit back and defend and pick Barca off. If they do that, you'll be crying murder because they sat back after scoring a goal.
The same Chelsea who won 3-1 away at Liverpool playing some fantastic football. It just shows how much tactically malleable (is it the right word?) Chelsea are, compared to Barca.
I'm not missing the point, i'm making a point that chelsea should be better than being delighted with a 0-0. Better than a fulham, or a celtic or rangers. That is my piont. Sure if you want 0-0 then the tactics were perfect and worked well.
The 2nd leg will still be tight, maybe chelsea will have too much for Barca, that seems to be what the majority on here assume and all i'm saying is in my opinion it isn't over yet. Barcelona can still win this tie and they can score. Worse teams than Barca have scored goals against big english sides because the big english sides treat barca as a special case.
It's a compliment to Barcelona.
The 2nd leg will still be tight, maybe chelsea will have too much for Barca, that seems to be what the majority on here assume and all i'm saying is in my opinion it isn't over yet. Barcelona can still win this tie and they can score. Worse teams than Barca have scored goals against big english sides because the big english sides treat barca as a special case.
It's a compliment to Barcelona.
Or rather it just shows they're easily contained and just a bit one dimensional.
Chelsea wouldn't try that against us because we're less one dimensional.
Messi - Big game flop!
wb brwned,
Chelsea wouldn't try that because they would actually fancy their chances of winning the match outright.
That too.
But then if Chelsea played Barcelona in the final I'd say they'd fancy their chances of winning the match outright too.
It's a compliment in one way, but then in another sense it's just well devised tactics that do the job.
Did you have a poll on here that I missed ? I doubt anyone has ruled out Barca, let alone a majority on here.
Barca still have an excellent chance as Chelsea did not manage an away goal.
FV, Barca will struggle to field an adequate central defence for the second leg.
i can just imagine Drogba having a field day, nudging, budging, and generally making himself a nuisance.
you're still hilarious btw. you're like the Spanish, thinking that football should only be played one way. AC Milan's success in Europe the past 20-25 years was predicated on the ability to play very differently as the occasion demanded. you go to play Barca knowing exactly ( and i mean exactly!!!) how they will play - and they end up playing that way anyway. only a fool wouldn't take steps to neutralise that, esp. as Barca themselves are too dim to realise that more sagacious opponents have sussed them out. a compliment to Barca, you say? - no, rather an indictment. i mean, we went out and got a similar result playing a similar way just last season. and Barca still haven't figured it out!!!
i can just imagine Drogba having a field day, nudging, budging, and generally making himself a nuisance.
you're still hilarious btw. you're like the Spanish, thinking that football should only be played one way. AC Milan's success in Europe the past 20-25 years was predicated on the ability to play very differently as the occasion demanded. you go to play Barca knowing exactly ( and i mean exactly!!!) how they will play - and they end up playing that way anyway. only a fool wouldn't take steps to neutralise that, esp. as Barca themselves are too dim to realise that more sagacious opponents have sussed them out. a compliment to Barca, you say? - no, rather an indictment. i mean, we went out and got a similar result playing a similar way just last season. and Barca still haven't figured it out!!!
Why would they have too?
Their normal 4-3-3 would suffice. I very much doubt that. Everyone thought Bosingwa on the left would mean an easy night for Messi. It orved oterh wsie. Beisdes. I can't see Ivanovic being droped after how he took care of Henry.
They can. Essien can play on the right of a 3 man attack. And Ballack and Lampard can be far more attack minded than they were at the Nou Camp. It's their tactics that made them defensive in Spain. At home that same line up can be very attack minded.
So what if they concede? I have little doubt Barcelona are more likely to concede more than them. Having a far worse defence, literally no one who can mark Drogba, who will get far more support and better supply than he did in Spain, whilst having 2 senior CB's out. Honestly it doesn't look very good for Barcelona. They will have to really battle it out to survive this time.
Ivanovic, Alex, Terry are central defenders. Lampard, Ballack, Essien and Mikel are central midfielders...Why would they have too?
Messi had Bosingwa one on one maybe twice in the game, he done him both times. Bosingwa stayed back and with help took care of messi, if the game is stretched and Messi gets him or Cole one on one i'd expect him to beat them and make something happen.
Lampard was poor, Ballack and Mikel spent the match fouling and Essien couldn't use his power and drive playing wide right. I'd be more surprised if they keep the same line up formation wise than if they keep the same line up personel wise.
So what if they concede? I agree that Barca are in a difficult situation as far as defense is concerned but if Chelsea really come to attack and put them under pressure then it could work against them. They'll have to actually gain control of the ball for a sustained period rather than allow Barca possession whilst camping 11 men on the 18 yard line.
One thing is for sure, it'll be a more open game this time around, doesn't mean it'll be very open, but more open it must be. I still reckon Barca can do it.
Remember you asked if they would play with 3 center backs....that is where my confusion stemmed from...
Possibly. But I feel it is very doubtful Messi will be allowed to get those fullbacks one on one often. For I expect the likes of Malouda and Essien on the flanks to do alot of tracking back when their team loses the ball. Similar to what the likes of Park did at OT last year.
Indeed. Due to the defensive tactics they used. It was always going to be a long night for him as a result. At home when they attack though, expect him to be involved more.
Yes. For that was their job that day. And it worked a treat Xavi and Iniesta didn't supply their front three in the deadly fashion they normally do. I fully expect Ballack though to concentrate more on attack at the Bridge.
I'd call it more of a case of didn't than couldn't. His job on the flank was to keep Henry occupied. While also helping the midfield to contain Xavi and Iniesta. Infront of his own fans it will be a different story.
As I said earlier I expect their tactics will change. Instead of the ultra defensive 4-5-1 they had. I expect it to become a more Attack minded 4-3-3. With Ballack and Lampard from deep, and Essien and Malouda offering far more support to Drowning. Or they might even put Essien in Mikel's position and add Kalou or Anelka wide.
Trust me at home Chelsea will have loads of possession. Their midfield is one of the strongest in the world.
Of course you do. After all you think them to be TBTITW. As for me I've believed Chelsea would win the champions league or at least make the final since the season begun. And so far they've looked like their headed in that direction. With that Nou Camp result.
You make fair points chief, you could be right about it. I hope Barca can get the result they need but Chelsea are quite good at this getting results thing, Hiddink is at least.
I almost threw up into my reheated bowl of mash. What a stupid wankfest.
i know look at all those respected ex pros and current pros giving out disgusting wankish praise for a player these days. How dare they voice their opinions on a player.
John Carlin's hardly a respected pro though, and his opinion's stupidly premature.
What do they say about Ronaldo? The Gelled Tumbler? 
Does that make you feel good?
Does that make you feel good?
read the article and you'll see comments from pros and ex pros.
I already have, the comments from pros and ex pros are a credit to Messi.
The way John Carlin interpreted those quotes and drew conclusions from them is not.
Saying Messi's on another level to Ronaldo, the phenomenon, is on another level to being premature.
A joke is what it is.
And talk about a burden to put on the lad. I almost feel sorry for him.
Unplayable again today. He just gets better and better. Six goals in four games against Real Madrid.
The delivery to Henry for the first goal was sheer class, great finish for his first goal, if not for Casillas should’ve scored a brilliant one from an impossible angle. He toyed around with their defenders, brilliant performance even without hitting his top gear.
John Carlin is a renowned muppet and as usual has gone overboard. Messi is still not to the level of Zidane or Fat Ronaldo although he is closing them down.
John Carlin is a renowned muppet and as usual has gone overboard. Messi is still not to the level of Zidane or Fat Ronaldo although he is closing them down.
Personally I don't think it is unreasonable to say he's on the same level as Fat Ronaldo. Ronaldo Luiz was an absolute monster in his youth - he scored for fun. But by his mid-twenties he wasn't anywhere near as good, despite still being excellent. Messi now is as good as Fat Ronaldo was in his youth, and since he got worse as he got older I don't think it's ridiculous to claim that Messi is as good.
Zidane is totally different, however.
Zidane is totally different, however.
Zidane of course who, at the age of 21, was still playing for Bordeaux and had no trophies to his name whatsoever
I think people forgot just how young Messi is. Even for the very top players, they're not usually this good by this stage, and playing for one of the very best teams in the world
I think people forgot just how young Messi is. Even for the very top players, they're not usually this good by this stage, and playing for one of the very best teams in the world
Nah.
Not far behind, one more great season and a great world cup Messi should go up there with him. Shades of Ronaldo in his first match against Scotland with two back to back World player wins and the media puffing him up as the next big thing after Pele and Maradona. Messi is going through the same dress rehearsal at the moment.
I would disagree. Ronaldo, at Messi's age, was averaging nearly a goal per game in a below par Barcelona team. Obviously Messi has more to his game than goals, but I still think a young Ronaldo was a better player.
Watching that match as an almost neutral it was sensational that much attacking football.Messi consistently raped R.Madrid's defenders, no one could stop him
Makes you wonder, though, that Barca manage to slice through Spanish teams like this, but when they duke it out with English sides they find themselves struggling.
It's the lack of structure and organization. Real were all over the place, and there wasn't anywhere near enough pressure on players in the final third.
Below par Barcelona team? A team that had Luiz Enrique, Guardiola, Figo, Stiochkov, De La Pena, Sergi, is far from being called below par and Figo and De La Pena complimented Ronaldo brilliantly. Ronaldo at Barcelona, came to life only for few minutes in a match as Spanish defenders double marked him closely, yet whenever he had space to run with the ball he scored brilliant goals but not as influential as Messi has done at Barca. Ronaldo at Inter Milan only in his first season was at a different level though would take some more time for Messi to reach.
Will Messi beat Ronaldo's 42, do you reckon?
You talking about the same guy from Lazio? But yeah the team had enough quality players but doesn't make them as good as the Barca team now, which is what he was probably tryin to say?
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