Football

I love the way Tyldsley said towards the end of the first half. "We will have two additional minutes of Drogba time"

Only for the horrible diving cunt to pop up at the end of those two minutes to score. Oh the irony

^^^^If it's nonsensical then it's in keeping with your blinkered tirades. This thread's no good for my blood pressure. It would be quite easy to gather some youtube footage of Drogba's blatant acrobatics from last night.

Actually it's not nonsensical. You're saying that his many trips to the ground gave him all the excuses he'd ever need for delaying. Drogba doesn't need an excuse. He fashioned his own excuses time and again. Why would Barcelona have any interest in stopping their own fluidity? That's reverse logic.

There has been some immense shite spouted by people on this forum over the years, myself included.

+1

With any "luck" there will have been some frantic phone calls last night, followed by the tapping of keyboards sending vast sums of money to accounts held in the names of various beloved pets to ensure the 'correct' ref is installed for the next leg

I'm not a fan of the way Chelsea and other top teams play against Barcelona, but it's credit to Barcelona and the way they have excelled over the past couple of seasons. Teams fear what they can do, and the only way so far that has been seen to be effective against them is to let them have their possession, defend whole heartedly and look to snatch a goal on the break. I think the only teams to give them a run for their money are Bilbao, and Valencia, and I think Real will give it a go on Saturday as they are designed to be ruthless on the break, and are super quick when they do break. Alonso to Ozil, to Ronaldo, goal!

The thing that gets me about Chelsea's approach to playing Barca last night is the capitulation, the acknowledgement that they are the superior side and lets just dig in and snatch something on the break. Now no one says that any team should go out and just let the opposition score for fun, and the strategy has been shown to be effective, as most of the teams in the bottom half of the premiership will set out their stall that way against any of the champions league qualifiers, frustrate, defend, snatch a goal on the break. I dislike it because it seems to signal a lack of belief, of gumption. What I like about Swansea, and Norwich and Newcastle (under Pardew) and hopefully Reading when they arrive next season, is a willingness to give it a go, to not just look to snatch a goal, but to go out and actively seek a goal, to try to be positive.

I'm a fan of futebol d'arte rather than futebol de resultados. Because after a while, getting results isn't enough, it's the way you get results that matter, and define how you will be remembered...

You're are forgetting that football is about both defending and attacking, Chelsea haven't got the players to try and out play Barca with possesion and passing but they have a solid defence and had a tight midfield last night. Drogba is perfect for holding the ball up front to give them a breather and regroup or even nick a goal like last night. Massive result for Chelsea and I hate to say it I want them to get to the final.

Is that a reference to Chelsea's spending ?

Barcelona are £500m+ (Half a billion fucking pounds !) in debt.

Chelsea have a good record at Barca.. not lost in 3.

Liverpool not lost in 4 though...

Football is not played for the aesthetic appreciation of armchair neutrals. It is played in order to get results. A team that can adapt its style of play to achieve a result will be more successful and keep its paying supporters happier than a team that plays pretty football week in week out and loses.

Against Tottenham on Sunday, chelsea played attacking possession football. Against Barcelona, they played deep and struck on the break.

The ability to be versatile was key to both results.

Teams that operate only at one level, like Tottenham, may flatter impress but don't win trophies.

I'm a fan of futebol d'arte rather than futebol de resultados. Because after a while, getting results isn't enough, it's the way you get results that matter, and define how you will be remembered...

If you win nothing, you are not remembered at all.

If you reach a standard where you win everything, then play with art but until then, keep it simple. Win.

On the subject of vast, I would ask the question what the difference between Shrewsbury, who went 1-0 up during a League Cup tie at the Emirates, and Arsenal should be described as? Massively vast? Unimaginably vast? So vast, words have to be invented to describe the difference in quality between the two clubs?

Twenty two men on a pitch. Individual talent, team spirit, tactics, strategy and, very importantly, motivation, all play a part.

If you win nothing, you are not remembered at all.

Nonsense. Holland 74 & 78, Brazil 1982, Tom Finney, Man City 1971, Newcastle 1996 etc.

On the subject of vast, I would ask the question what the difference between Shrewsbury, who went 1-0 up during a League Cup tie at the Emirates, and Arsenal should be described as? Massively vast? Unimaginably vast? So vast, words have to be invented to describe the difference in quality between the two clubs?

Dunno, but that clueless fuckwit Townsend was droning on about the 'varrrst pitch' at the Nou Camp last night. It's 2yds longer and 1yd wider than Stamford Bridge.

Dunno, but that clueless fuckwit Townsend was droning on about the 'varrrst pitch' at the Nou Camp last night. It's 2yds longer and 1yd wider than Stamford Bridge.

Really? The way it was spoken of on Radio 5, I imagined it to be big enough to land a wide-bodied passenger jet on.

all messi needs is a yard of space

all messi needs is a yard of space

Last night all he needed was a space the size of Gary Cahill's pocket.

Who do you support?

It is relevant. If you criticise. Others for not being objective while talking about the team they support, it is relevant if you support a team to which you are referring.

Do you ever go to football?

It is the most relevant thing

Nonsense. Holland 74

Who? Sorry, I only remember this:

Jeez, either you're here to talk football, whereupon your allegiances are worn proudly, there to be kicked and stamped upon by the others in this here thread or you are thin skinned and cannot take the demented rantings of other football fans who dislike/hate/despise/don't really care about your team, and therefore need to grow a pair, so that you may join in the joyful crudity and sometimes insightful prose which decorates this thread.

I'm betting Jeez is a Liverpool fan.

Sid Lowe with article praising Spanish La Liga, and the respect the teams not called Real Madrid and Barcelona hold for European competition..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/apr/18/europa-league-spain-la-liga