The Prophet

You've put it much better than I've tried to for the past hour. Thanks I appreciate that football should be played to be won, as opposed to not being beaten. However, Football is a sport, not an entertainment business - fans want to win, not to be entertained. Your spot on it goes back to that ridiculous quote we got tagged with: "we'd rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0" of course we'd rather win, but Chelseas weren't even playing to win they were playing not to get beat, particulalrly in the first leg. Chelsea are good enought to play a bit of football and still win, if I was a season ticket holder at Stamford Bridge I'd be completely underwhelmed by what I saw tonight. They literally had two banks of five in front of the keeper for large parts of the game, is that really playing to win? Spot on tactics in the first game, gave them a great chance to win it today. Early goal scored, they're winning at this point. They reckoned the best chance of them to get the win was by parking the bus, and they really couldn't have been closer to being successful, against the team that is arguably the best on the planet. But that's the point I'm trying to make. Did the fans, who are supposed to support one of the best teams in the world, travel all the way to the Nou Camp to watch the football they got? There's a difference between shiteing and riving your arse. Teams worse than Chelsea have nicked results from Barca by effectively combining defensive football with an effective counter attacking game, Chelsea didn't even show that, they rarely bothered to cross the half way line. I rarely agree with the Sky Commentary team but they were spot on when they said realistically Chelsea needed two goals tonight to secure a safe passage through to the final. They turned up to sit back and continued to sit back when they scored the first. Does an ambitious team trying to reach the Champions League final really try to hold on a one goal lead against a side capable of scoring at any given moment? It was dull and it was dull because the football they tried to play was too negative. Thankfully it back fired on them

You've put it much better than I've tried to for the past hour. Thanks I appreciate that football should be played to be won, as opposed to not being beaten. However, Football is a sport, not an entertainment business - fans want to win, not to be entertained. Your spot on it goes back to that ridiculous quote we got tagged with: "we'd rather lose 4-3 than win 1-0" of course we'd rather win, but Chelsea weren't even playing to win they were playing not to get beat, particulalrly in the first leg. Chelsea are good enough to play a bit of football and still win, if I was a season ticket holder at Stamford Bridge I'd be completely underwhelmed by what I saw tonight. They literally had two banks of five in front of the keeper for large parts of the game, is that really playing to win?

This wasn't justice for football it was justice for the paying fan. Did those thousands of Chelsea fans want to be bored silly by their own team? Do millions of homes across the country pay sky subscriptions to watch ten men line up behind the ball? No because the paying fan is the most neglected person in football. I agree Hiddink had every right to set up the way he did. Going toe to toe with Barca would of been footballing suicide but you've got to have a balance. Chelsea are supposed to be one of the best teams in Europe, they are capable of playing some good stuff but instead they hid because getting the final was more important to them than providing a bit of entertainment to their fans. No they weren't being asked to go and take Barca apart but they could of at least tried to play a bit of football. Yes I know they created the odd chance but each and every one of those chances came from a long ball pumped out from the back four. This was a justice for the fan because at the end of the day its the fans game. I'd weep the day I see two teams playing such negative, defensive football week in-week out. I understand why Chelsea did it, the need for a result, the pressure to get the final and the riches that go along with it but at the end of the day football is still a fans game. It may be an ever expanding business but I along with supporters all over the country do not put money into these greedy wankers pockets to see that kind of football. That is why, for me, justice was done.

It was brought about to stop the kind of football Chelsea played at the Nou Camp, it's as dull as dish water for the neutral spectators.

I only saw one clear penalty tonight and that was Pique's handball, not sure why the others have been classed as clear cut penalties. If we're talking injustice, why wasn't Henry given a penalty at the Nou Camp? Why was Abidal sent off? Why was Alves booked and as a consequence will miss the final? Why did the ref not react to Iniesta being constantly hacked? Chelsea were exposed for what they were tonight. Dirty, undignified wankers who played to nullify a football match rather than take part in it, they got everything they deserved. Can't wait until UEFA throw the book at them.

Carbon copy of Beye on Robinho that. What a penalty though.

As bad as Arsenal have been to quote my Manc mate: "Does the ref have a bet on? He blows every time a United player goes down."

Just seen the highlights again. If I was in Shearer's boots I'd have the lot of them practicing basic defensive skills particularly from set pieces. If you watch how we line up for the third again you'd think it was Liverpool defending the set piece. How so many defenders can be so inept as not to be able to get goal side of the man is a complete joke, there were three players there waiting to tap it in. Is it something on the training ground or had they just given up? Who knows but it needs sorting. As for Barton, personally I think it was a yellow but at the end of the day it was just sheer stupidity on his part. Alonso was going no where and he just lunged in. Given the players and crowd reaction and the name on the back of his shirt and he was always going to go.

Won't make it. Have a good one though.

I'm fairly confident a Championship side would of tucked away the three goals we gifted Liverpool today.

Have any of the Liverpool players even had to break into a run yet?

Surely Jonas has to come on for Lovenkrands.

So fucking annoying how Liverpool haven't even broke sweat and they're two up. At least make them work for it, instead we just bend over and take it.

Strongly (and respectfully) disagree. If Chelsea beat Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, they will have deserved to be in the final. It takes more than just "negative football" to keep a clean sheet at Camp Nou, the Chelsea players showed some fantastic discipline, spirit and tactical awareness (as did Hiddink, tbf to him). I really don't agree with the attitude that defensive football equals negative football, and from my point of view, Chelsea played some fantastic defensive football. I know what you mean but I disagree. Yes credit to Chelsea for the way they held out but they didn't defend as well as people made out. Barcelona still carved out some excellent chances which you'd expect the likes of Eto'o, Bojan and Hleb to stick in the back of the net. The problem for Chelsea is if they go into Wednesday’s game trying to play as Barca's equals they'll get taken apart so I can see why they won't. But I'd be annoyed as a Chelsea fan to pay £40 for a ticket to see my multi-million pound team play negative football because they're scared of the opposition. I'd fully understand why they'd do it, I just wouldn't like it. We'll agree to disagree.

It would be a footballing tragedy if Barcelona were to be dumped out of the competition by such a negative Chelsea side. At the end of the day it’s a fans game and the fans don't pay to see two banks of five in front of the opposing team playing for the draw. Barcelona have been amazing this season they've played some of the best football this planet has seen for years. You can blame the La Liga defences but you could put Man United or Liverpool in that league and I don't think they'd come close in terms of goal scoring. Also Guarliola has installed a new work ethic in the team this year rarely seen by continental times. Notice hard they work to get the ball back? Obviously they're not unstoppable, Valdes is capable of dropping a clanger and the defence has injuries and suspension but if there's any justice in football Barcelona will take Chelsea apart on Wednesday night.

No one has said that this season. One cliche which has been eradicated is: "At least the System has been a success." But it was...

But they have the biggest fan base in the north east or so they say. Must all come to the match cleverly disguised as empty seats.

Yes Chelsea to an extent did a half decent job of shutting up shop, but brilliant give me a break. Eto'o, Henry, Bojan and Hleb all missed opportunities while Henry could of had a penalty. Tonight's result is down to Barca's sloppiness as it is Chelsea's defensive strength.

Owen is a decent player, he's just not what we need right now as he offers little to the cause. Take Viduka, he's big and strong, he'll hold the ball and bring other players into play. Martins is quick and good in the air he frightens defenders if nothing else. If I was a defender playing Owen at the minute I'd be rubbing my hands together. Owen's game is about movement. He's the man who's always in the right place at the right time to tap in the easy chance. He isn't physically strong or quick, but he's good at what he does. In a team like Stoke where the ball is constantly in play in the box he'd thrive. Crosses, long balls, second balls he'd have a field day, sooner or later he'd get on the end of one of them. The problem with Owen now is he's lost some of his sharpness probably due the immense amount of injuries he's suffered. This means if he's getting regular service he'll get you a goal but he'll probably waste two or three good goal scoring chances. This is the problem for Newcastle. Because our midfield has zero creativity the strikers get very few chances so they have to create their own. Both Viduka and Martins have the physical attributes to do this but Owen doesn't. So when the gold nugget of a cross finally falls out the midfields arse he's been spaffing it away. Another problem is because the crap-tastic midfield sit so deep and provide no service for the strikers they are forced to drop deep. You see Martins and Owen do this reguarly. Now where as Martins has a bit of pace and can take someone from deep Owen can't. His only real attribute is his movement in the box, if he isn't in the box what good is he doing? At the end of the day Owen's goal scoring problems arise from poor service and a lack of self sufficiency. He's a good player if you have a creative midfield but we don't. Add this to the fact that he's fluffing the rare chances he is getting and he's nothing more than a one dimensional passenger who contributes little to the team, one who'd I'd drop at this moment in time (even if it would boil piss paying him the money he is on to sit on the bench).

Totally agree, they play football how its meant to be played. They're so damn good you'll have a team third in the English Premier League turning up to stifle their play rather than concentrating on their own game.

I've been positive throughout the season convinced we're going to stay up but for me it's as good as over. We need a minor miracle, not only are we depending on other teams results but our hope rests on a bunch of heartless wankers who couldn't hit a barn door from ten paces to suddenly get their act together. For me needed at least seven points from those three home games and while that’s still attainable I'm not even sure we'll even manage that. A result last night would have restored some much needed belief and heart to the team (even though it would have been short lived with a trip to Anfield on the horizon) but we couldn’t even manage to turn over an average Portsmouth side on our own patch. All we've got now is hope. 9

I'd stick the kids out. Unlike the other bunch they have no fear and nothing to lose. Either way we're likely to get convincingly turned over but if we send the young guns out we'll see who is worth their salt and prevent further injury to the first team.

Martins like many of the other players in our squad looks like a player lacking confidence. We all know the lad is as erratic as they come but he doesn't seem to be backing himself in front of goal. The penalty incident summed it up for, he completely bottled it. You could see as soon as he stepped up he didn't fancy himself to put it away. He has all the attributes of a class player: pace, power, strength and a good leap on him too but all this is wasted if he doesn't have the confidence to put the ball in the back of the net. What caused this sudden loss of self belief? Was it being benched by the gaffer? Is it the way his side is playing? Is he feeling sorry for himself? Or was it the penalty miss in question? More likely still is it a combination of the lot? Either way the lad has got to get himself a goal. You tend to find strikers go through these patches, we're just unlucky it's come at such an inopportune time. All he needs is a shot to deflect in off a body part or tap in on the line and he'll go on a run. Unfortunately the way the team is playing he may not get that chance. However in the ever more likely even we go down it will be sad to see a quality coach utilising his talents giving him the confidence to go out and score on a regular basis. Regarding Owen I don't think he's hiding either. Where I think Martins has lost self belief it's Owens playing style that’s making him ineffective. Martins is self sufficient and can create his own chances but Owen needs regular service to get himself a goal. My biggest gripe with Owen is that he'll miss two or three guilt edge chances before he knocks one in, that’s why the supply to him needs to be constant. A supply he just isn't going to get in a struggling team such as ourselves, it sounds daft but I think he's made for a team like Stoke who keep the ball in and around the box. The lack of service means he has to drop deeper to try and influence play which is making him pretty ineffective of what he's good at. Owen and Martins are both talented players with different capabilities but they are both suffering from very different problems which in effect are consequences of the way the team are playing. Its cause and effect, it's one of the reasons we are where we are but at the same time they're not scoring because of where we are. It's a vicious circle I'd love to see broken but I can't see Owen going on a scoring run. I think our main hope is Martins sorts himself out because on his day he's capable of troubling any team.