Chelsea Thread

[hudson]

They have bummed us so far. I can smell more Chelsea goals with us trying too hard.

[abigsmurf]

Excellent stuff there. Incredibly chuffed

[Kongster]

Chelsea were stunning, and are now the favourites going into the 2nd leg. Although I wouldn't write off Liverpool just yet.

[C']

Watching Essien play tonight demonstrated exactly what I felt Man Utd were lacking in both last night's match and the Liverpool game a few weeks back. He just solidified everything and settled the midfield.

[ezee ryder]

Yeah he was quietly immense, didn't give Gerrard space to do anything.

[Kongster]

Essien kept Gerrard pretty quiet. He was excellent.

[EJG1980]

Looks like a Barca vs Chelsea semi then, which, if both play like they did tonight, could be a superb tie. I think Liverpool definitely need an early goal at The Bridge if they are to have any hope, but then again, they had an early goal tonight!

This is going to up the clamour for Hiddink to stay on next season another few notches.

[hudson]

We was poo at defending. Well deserved win. Smurf, you missed out loads of nice lyrics for your boys from Sir Andy Gray.

[VR46]

Yeah after 20 minutes or so we were the poorer team, not over 'til the fat lady sings, but going to hard work to go through now. Barca were just amazing tonight.

[Asylum]

Fantastic match tonight, and you really have to hand it to Ivanovic, he's shown fantastic character to score twice in such a massive match. Considering all the reports of him being disolutioned at Chelsea and lack of any time on the pitch. Made up for his early mistake with the Liverpool goal aswell.

Not over by any means but it'll be a touch one for Liverpool at the Bridge. Thought Liverpool were gonna romp our boys tonight though so you never know what might happen. Been a good couple of days for the CL.

[C']

We was poo at defending. Well deserved win. Smurf, you missed out loads of nice lyrics for your boys from Sir Andy Gray.

[When Liverpool were 3-1 down]

I can't help feeling Liverpool need a goal here.

No **** Sherlock.

[abigsmurf]

ok I know I get blasted by people on here for this kind of thing but the BBC coverage of the win makes me shake my head.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/7988797.stm

No only is it an incredibly grudging headline and story but to call that win a "Shock success"? Despite some shaky form in the first half of the season, we're a good team and have been playing better under hiddink. That was a well deserved win. That article seems to go all out underplaying it and suggesting it was a lucky result by a much worse team.

[EJG1980]

I think you're reading too much into it

The fact that it was a good game at all was a shock (as you yourself said) so I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that one side spanking the other, in what have nearly always been dull and tight affairs in the past, is a bit of a shock result. Especially as it was the away side spanking a home side who hadn't lost at home for 30 odd matches.

Even Hiddink himself said in the article that he wasn't expecting them to win so convincingly.

[C']

Yeah it just seems the article is echoing what Hiddink himself said.

[abigsmurf]

Just compare it to Liverpool's win over Man U to see a clear example of the differences in the way it's been covered. Would you have seen an article like that if they situation had been reversed? Not a chance.

I will admit the game was surprising in that they've been historically dull and low scoring but the article suggests it's a shock Chelsea victory, not that it was shocking the game was entertaining.

Of course Hiddink wasn't expecting a win like that, would require a fairly huge ego to say you were. It's just everything about the article seems to go out to underplay Chelsea's acheivement.