The College Dropout

Whaaat? This is why. As long as they are not 2 goals in the lead, they're just one goal away from OUT.

FUCK. YES.

Good play there from Willian.

Luiz has been blazing them over the bar for months. Sure to finally put one in.

Masterclass about to happen. All. The. Defenders.

That was a non-starter too. Ribery's not talented enough to win Ballon D'or and that's that. Out of the players yesterday that have ever been a wide forward - he's the least capable and illuminating a top level game.

It's just football hipsters with the Ribery love. It proves they watch Bundesliga because apparently Ribery is much better than Robben in the league

Not really, their transitions in the middle of the field were too slow. Every time Madrid pushed up they had plenty of time to go sit back and retain shape. Madrid's CM's where never going to push too far up the pitch.Madrid had no reason to move high up the pitch and Barca passing slow in the middle. It doesn't help that Modric/Alonso are better on the ball than the Barca CM's

The lack of an away goal is a beauty however. As great as Terry & Cahill are at defending deep they'll need 2 goals to ensure they aren't a deflection, hand ball/penalty away from going out.

Simeone always puts a side out to win and score goals. As in, actual serious attempts at counter attacking. They rarely clear the lines in defence, they look for a pass to start an attack. Think Mourinho will have his side on the backfoot - even at home. I don't think Simeone will play for a scoreless draw, so if Chelsea sit back they will attack and there I think lies Chelsea's biggest chance of victory. I don't think Mou will want it to be a simple game of "who is the best side?" As Atleti are more likely to get a positive result. Another potential bore.

Nope. Never mind that Chelsea's side cost x3 the amount of Atleti. Never mind Chelsea probably have the better individual players. Master class from Mou. The way the media talk about him makes me sick.

Just read an article describing the 0-0 in Madrid as a master class from Mourinho.

Bayern didn't really show up. Robben was in Coentrão's pocket again, Ribery was a little better but still no threat. Real picked up two easy goals from set-pieces. Bayern got pissy and petulant. Real scored two more... Ronaldo on a break in the first half then another from a free kick near the end. Bayern were never in it. Thoroughly deserved the result. Alonso & Ramos did their best not to make the final. Alonso is suspended. Watched Revisita before the game, they where saying Ramos really wanted a goal against Bayern and used the weekend as a warm-up. He got it. At HT it's clear Carlo told them to calm down. After the 2nd goal, the Madrid lads were loving it and getting OTT with the tackles.

He's back in full training.

Interesting to see how Madrid line-up in the final. Personnel. Formation. Approach. I suspect they'll go back to the team that beat Atleti in the cup with Illa/Khedira in for Alonso. Reckon Chelsea have a better chance of beating them than Atleti if Hazard makes it.

That's why Ancelotti has won the CL four times in his life and you're on NO spouting non-sense

We played with 3 in the middle, a dozen times tops. From August to January it was damn near exclusively 4-4-2. Switching formations in the second half of the season.

We have the goal difference of a side battling relegation. It's the 5th worst in the division. I don't think we've had a positive GD under Pardew. Simply we don't score any goals and we always concede. If we had the GD of Southampton or slightly worse say +3, that would represent a 21 goal swing and we wouldn't be moaning like we are. I wish we had a proper voice in the media to be honest about things. Even if they don't blame the manager but they just say what is wrong with the performances.

Tactically its' "try and keep defensive shape". That's it. You look at Arsenal. You want to keep the crowd quiet and nervy. You want disrupt their passing game and perhaps wind them up. Even if it's just in our own half, getting among them, slowing the game down and highlighting a fullback or two to attack when giving the opportunity. You know... a real plan of action. Instead: We go there.... try and keep shape and nothing else. Concede anyway. And continue with that strategy.

I barely post about our club anymore. The core is rotten.

Yes. Gerrard has been consistently good whereas Ramsey has missed half the season. I simply disagree. In the first half of the season Gerrard was average. Scored penalties and spread some great passes but he wasn't dominating matches like the Gerrard of old or even Paul Scholes of 3 years ago.

Prior to yesterday would Gerrard have been in the running if not for the last 3 1/2 months? Toure and Ramsey have been the outstanding CM's of the PL.

You're nay going to control many games in a flat 4-4-2 these days unless you've got players vastly superior to the opposition. It's a counter attacking formation. The key for it to work is to provide solid protection for the defence, have enough of the ball to relieve pressure and provide decent passing to the forward /wide men. We did that perfectly in the 5th season. The CM's did an excellent job. Tiote too.

Cech Has been solid I suppose. Terry's been better than Kompany although defending is easier fro Chelsea. Ramsey unlucky to miss out. Been better than Gerrard.

Aye, lose to that rabble and it would indicate he's lost the entire dressing room.