: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:56 am  

MikePB wrote:

Messi was invisible last night. He was kept very quiet and thats the way to beat a team like Barca. Press on to them, dont let them have any room on the ball.

Don't think that had much to do with chelsea. the lad just didn't turn up.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:56 am  

Lord God Jose Mourinho wrote:

Barca may have a problem stuffing Chelsea on Tuesday, seeing as the game is on Wednesday.

I bet if Liverpool, Man Utd or Arsenal were offered a 0-0 at the Camp Nou in return for a defensive performance they'd take it.

Absolutely.

I shudder to think what Barca would do to United's or Liverpool's back 4 at the minute.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:01 pm  

Catalancs wrote:

Don't think that had much to do with chelsea. the lad just didn't turn up.

Disagree. I thought he was kept quiet. He had no time on the ball whatsoever.

Best player in the world? Got to show it on the big stage

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:01 pm  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

Yes, Chelsea bored the crap out of us. At least the other English teams would have had a go at them.

Really?

RedTez wrote:

Did United not get the same result in the Nou Camp last year? I'm sure people were saying similar things then.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:02 pm  

I agree with a lot of what Jeff Winter said, until this:

I thought that we had been educated by the Law makers - a point that Burley and Co. constantly forget - that if you take the ball and the man, it is reckless and therefore a foul.

It most certainly is when an outfield player does it and it is definitely the case if the incident occurs outside the penalty area.

So are there different rules for keepers and when offences occur inside the box? Don’t answer that one.

Surely everyone knows, and expects, that different rules apply between potential goal-scoring incidents and challenges in midfield?

Gomes wasn't reckless with the way in, far from it. He went in bravely even when it's obvious that he was in a far more vulnerable position. He didn't go in to clatter Carrick, he went in to win the ball - which he did.

The rulemakers have made changes in football, and rightly so IMO, but the day when you cannot even make a challenge when a goal is at stake will be the day that football dies.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:03 pm  

Dead Man Walking wrote:

Chelsea were cack. I bet if it had been Liverpool, Man Utd or Arsenal they'd have had a go at Barcelona. How I will laugh if Barca stuff Chelsea on Tuesday.

Jeeze, where do I start? Firstly, Chelsea weren't cack, they clealry went there for a drawn (no harm with that) and thats what they got! Hardly cack drawing 0-0 at Barcelona. As for the others, if you attack Barca, you do so at your peril. Barca would have probably won if Chelsea would have attacked as there would have been more space for Henry, E'to, Messi et al to explore.

Also, they play the return leg on Wednesday, not Tuesday.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:03 pm  

MikePB wrote:

Best player in the world? Got to show it on the big stage

That argument only counts when it's Ronaldo though.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:08 pm  

Nemanja wrote:

That argument only counts when it's Ronaldo though.

Exactly my point

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:18 pm  

MikePB wrote:

Best player in the world? Got to show it on the big stage

did quite well when he scored a hat-trick vs madrid.
an interesting bet i saw at the weekend was messi not to score in either leg.

: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:18 pm  

RedTez wrote:

Did United not get the same result in the Nou Camp last year? I'm sure people were saying similar things then.

Mainly those who haven't got a clue.

Last night was a good result for Chelsea and job done on this so called best team in the world. They stifled Barca, something that Liverpool have been criticised for in the past and other teams have done in the away leg, so for some to say that the Liverpool, Man U and Arsenal would have gone at Barca is pure comedy.

Liverpool and Man U would have probably done the same as Chelsea, keep them tight and hope to get them on the counter. Chelsea did that, but unfortunately for them, the chances they had they couldn't take.

Arsenal would have probably been a little different as they aren't as defensively sound as the others so they would probably have had the attitude as we'll try and score more than the opposition. It might have worked against Barca as they are similar, it's against the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Man U that those tactics can suffer.

We'll see tonight what Arsenal's approach to the second leg is. I think they'll have a go at Man U tonight. They could come unstuck but they could also come away with a couple of away goals. Fancy a few goals tonight.