27 Mar 2012 23:12:41
Everything was spot on tonight. Selection was first class by RDM. Bringing in Paulo at right back gave us a solid back 4 to build from, much better than Bosingwa. And i understood the decision to play Kalou, it gave us more energy defending and winning the ball back than if Sturridge would have played, away from home thats what you want. The subs were also spot on, Bosingwa had to come on so can't disagree with that, and Lamps for Mereiles and Sturridge for Kalou were the right decisions. It was nice to see we didn't just shut up shop when bringing Mereiles and Kalou off, it would have been so easy to use more defensive subs, but he brought on players that added to us attacking wise which gave them something to think about. Another great decision was leaving Torres on for the full game, nice to see him get 90 minutes when Drogba is on the bench, usually comes off after 60/70.
Also, there was something extra satisfying about grinding out a 1-0 win like the old days.
OsgoodIsKing
Chelsea Banter Archive March 27 2012
Use our rumours form to send us chelsea transfer rumours.
27 Mar 2012 22:48:48
Can't help feeling that if we cloned Torres he'd set up a lot of goals for Torres.
Perfect performance from Kalou too: a goal and an injury that should rule him out of the return leg. Can't ask for more.
Duck
27 Mar 2012 22:40:00
Potentially Shaping up like 08/09 season....
Sack a manager.... Get knocked out of the champions league semis to barcelona.... And beat everton in the fa cup
Jm10
We made top 4 as well lol
gareth1973
27 Mar 2012 22:30:38
Could anyone shed some light on kalou's scoring record.
Also we are starting to look solid at the back. Ss said that was the first time in 65 home games ( all comps) that they have failed to score at home!!
Reminiscent of Jose days.... Won't underestimate them for the second leg though.
Jm10
27 Mar 2012 22:26:01
great result lads
luiz was great torres good but he needs a goal
lampard shud leave and so shud terry
kaz
Terry should leave? u having a laugh?
CT13
27 Mar 2012 22:13:13
It wasn't pretty, but it probably wasn't supposed to be pretty. We labored a win and that is very good. A 4-4-2 was a nice change, although we are waisting Ramires on the wing.
Torres is recreating himself into a support striker and it would be really interesting to see us do "a Napoli" with him, Mata and... well Cavani would suit best.
As for the rest i was really impresed with Maxi Perreira who was just outstanding for the hosts. It was not a good game for the host either, and they must feel they have got robbed of a penalty.
I also hope we up our game, because we were not the better side, we just got the result.
JG
27 Mar 2012 22:12:50
Well done lads, solid performance and get the all important away goal. Torres, Luiz and Ferreira were all outstanding for me, Mikel also put in a good display. Glad Robbie proved most fans, including me, wrong thinking that his selection was odd. I think the key for us getting the 4th spot is getting Torres amongst the goals. He has impressed the last couple of outings and if he can start bagging a few, Fernando and the team will gain confidence.
Come on you Blues!
Scotty.
Was counting paulos complete forward passes, got 2.. anyone think different? kept losing the ball punting it forward or with trying to juggle the ball over opponents heads!? fairly good in defence though
27 Mar 2012 22:00:11
Thought Benfica were better than that? not complaining though, Torres outstanding again, really hope we keep him next year, if we had another player that could assist like him he'd score every game
SHED END
Yes,he kept his prolific non scoring rate up,be lost without him now.
Thankyou for agreeing mate, we would be lost without him, im glad people like you are coming around ;)
SHED END
Yeah,great bit of busines,50 million for a support striker,must be bargain of the year,who needs Ronaldo or Messi.
Spot on Shed End it's crazy how people still doubt Torres like you said if he were to get the service he provides he would score every game we desperately need 2 good quality wingers who can assist and another creative midfielder.
FT9
I'm tired of seeing the price quoted. We can all agree he's not quite a good value for his money but at least hes putting in solid performances. After all most of the people quoting the price are scousers and you have a great record with downing Henderson and Carroll for a combined 70 mil and you act like Luis Suarez is the savior but his goal record isn't good either.
Tk
27 Mar 2012 21:51:08
Great result.Great tactics by RDM and a great performance by all the players.Torres,Ramires,Luiz and Ferreirra were immense tonight.Now we need to keep up this level of performance for the rest of the season.
roan
roan
Come on man, you said Ram was our worst midfielder some 10 posts down. It is pointless branding someone worst and then praising the same one in a day or two.
JG
This surprises you JG. We have quiet a few that pop up with this kinda lack of loyalty.
Melbourne CFC
Ramires was brilliant tonight and credit should be given where it is due,but I also firmly stand behind my opinion of him.I had said that Ramires has energy and pace ,and this was one of the matches were the opposition defense played a high line and Ramires exploited that.His touch is not the best and his passes go astray most of the time ,I think you would agree with me there.In the league,which is our bread and butter, where defenses do not play high line he becomes ineffective and we struggle to breakdown defenses.
roan
I surely agree with some points of your assesment of Ramirez, but you have to acckniwledge at least a few things on him: he and David Luiz are the most improved players in Chelsea squad this season.
He is far away from being the finished product and if continues this progress i doubt you'll be critical.
He might look one dimensional at times, but i guarantee you, that the energy he brings, the raw talent he posesses, his young age and promise were the facts that made Chelsea go for him. I tjink the club and most of the fans ara happy with his progress.
You have to agree that he is not taking anyones place and not holding back anyones progress. There aren't really players similar to his qualities in the squad.
He can play in a lot of positions, he is a great ball winner, he changes pace in split second. Yes he lacks accuracy sometimes and some runs are somewhat clumsy.
But he wins challenges, he makes opposition foul on him. He crossed for Drogbas header from the left, played against City as right winger, delivered the pass to unleash Torres for the winner against Benfica.
He is in the thick of things and i really appreciate his contributuons.
JG
Come on Melbourne CFC, do not be that harsh on me.I merely stated things as I see it . Please do not bring my loyalty into question.If I did not care for the club why the hell would I keep posting. JG ,you are right on the potential that Ramires has.If he improves his passing and tackling ,he will become a world beater..But his lack of accuracy while passing allows the opposition to start counter attacks and we can hardly afford such luxuries .As our team is struggling big time in the midfield department he has to step up his game sooner rather that later.
roan
Ramires or walcott i know who i would have
rammy everyday of the week
Sorry Roan i didn't mean for that to come off as a crack at you mate, I know you do post alot and obviously love the club. There is a few people that just pop up when things go well and then change there tune when things go downhill. Keep posting mate, enjoy the reading.
Melbourne CFC
27 Mar 2012 21:48:01
A professional job away from home,nothing spectacular but at least we got the result.i really think our midfield was too weak but thats how its been all season i suppose.i hope our mate roan's opinion of ramires improved a little after today,he's like our own energizer bunny,lots of energy and just keeps on running all day.nice assist from torres,didnt see much of him but with a midfield like that i don't blame him.mata looks exhausted.luiz is getting better and better with each game i hope he has a long and successful career with us.man of the match for me has to be cech,he still has a couple more seasons as our no.1
aL
27 Mar 2012 20:36:00
We r looking pretty comfortable and I think the game is there for the winning, a change is needed. Kalou has done nothing and is poor when filling in defending. I would bring on Sturridge and Mata really has to up his game. His first touch is poor and he is giving the ball away too often. But all in all a good first half
27 Mar 2012 19:43:13
I've just viewed the 2 teams for tonight and think we're in for a real test. Really surprised with some of the selections tonight. I was really optimistic before the teams were announced, not so now but we'll just have to wait and see. Benfica look a pretty strong outfit and Aimar is the one we have to keep quiet. He finds space in real dangerous positions. I hope we can stay in it and give ourselves a chance in the return leg.
27 Mar 2012 19:21:27
are chelsea still interested in hazard?
27 Mar 2012 19:11:40
odd team tonight, reminds me of napoli (away)
trout
27 Mar 2012 19:04:27
God damn it Robbie. Are you trying to outdo AVB himself with this team selection?
Ferreira, Meireles, Kalou? Nice one.
JG
You was saying?
good games from ferreira and kalou, and mereiles was tidy enough, much more effective when not played as the primary defensive midfielder
Blue John
27 Mar 2012 19:02:45
Is this team a joke ?? Oh my god we are going to lose
27 Mar 2012 18:07:36
Team for today
Cech- obviously
Ivanovic - if fit. If not play luiz
Cahill- best player against spurs
Luiz/terry- if ivanovic is fit play luiz
Cole
Ramires - need his energy tonight
Essien
27 Mar 2012 13:03:30
Worth tuning into Chelsea TV. Next 90 mins is the 99/00 CL quarter final with Barcelona.
Melbourne CFC
We were so unlucky that year. First leg is still one of the greatest European nights for English football to date. Tore Andre was immense.
Chelski
Mate that 3rd goal, Flo's second was sublime. If we could beat barcelona with the team we had then, we can certainly beat them with the team we have now.
Can't look past Benfica for a second, but hopefully the boys come to play, like usual in the big CL games.
Melbourne CFC
We do perform in the big Champs League games. But lets face it, the Barca of now are a completely different kettle of fish from the Barca of then.
Heres hoping though.
Chelski
27 Mar 2012 12:15:09
Positions needed to be addressed in summer RB,LW,RW& Creative Midfielder
27 Mar 2012 12:14:42
Positions needed to be addressed in summer RB,LW,RW& Creative Midfielder
27 Mar 2012 10:46:10
Chelsea's summer signings
Azpilicueta
Tiote
Cavani
Moura
Goetze
Hulk
Chelsea's summer exits
Drogba
Malouda
Bosingwa
Kalou
Mikel
Essien
Chelsea Team 2012-13
************Cech*********
Azpilicueta**Luiz**Cahill**Cole
***********Tiote**********
******Ramires**Goetze*****
*Hulk***Torres/Cavani**Mata
Subs: GK, Ivanovic, Terry, Romeu, Lampard, Moura, Sturridge
FT9
Don't hold your breath
Damn it Goetze has signed a contract extension so replace him with moura
FT9 {Ed002's Note - He was not going to sign - so nothing changes.}
Ok thanks ed, are the other players possible or can you rule out any of them?
FT9 {Ed002's Note - There are lots of possible players.}
27 Mar 2012 08:03:56
my team for next season
cech
azpilicueta cahill/luiz terry jordi alba/cole
essien/romeu lampard/mceachran
sturridge mata kagawa
torres
wat say?
--taby
Jordi Alba seems barcelona bound (Ed002 has stated it a few times) and although Bertrand hasn't been overly impressive I reckon we need to give him a good run of games before we can cancel him out as replacement for Cole.
I don't know if Kagawa is going to get us a title to be honest, this year he hasn't been outstanding for Dortmund and I don't know if we have any interest in the player.
I would like Sturridge to be competing with Torres for the no.1 striker position next year, and a world class winger to be brought in. I really like Di Maria but possibly the physical side of the PL would be abit to demanding on him.
Melbourne CFC
Yeah id stick with Bertrand and Cole next season, or at least until Jan. I reckon Di Maria would shine mate. Mind you it baffles me why we kept Malouda but got rid of Zhirkov. We payed good money for him and he's a useful player anywhere down the left
SHED END {Ed002's Note - Zhirkov left because of his international career and a desire to be a regular starter.}
Mate i would rather have Wayne Bridge's ex wife on the left than Malouda.
Melbourne CFC {Ed002's Note - Bridge has never married.}
Fiancee then Ed? I think it can be assumed who I was referring to. Was the rest of the post considered offensive?
Melbourne CFC {Ed002's Note - It is probably a subject you know zip about and maybe best avoided to protect the innocent.}