Will we qualify for the Champions League? Sadly not...

[Mole_Toonfan]

So, in short... ...as long as Chelsea lose the final, Spurs choke, we beat Wigan and Everton, Lesnar beats Cena, Ben Mitchell is convicted of murder and The Matt Lucas Awards is cancelled, we're sitting pretty?

 

 

Seriously tho, i will feel like shit if we finish 4th and dont get CL...... here's hoping Bayern or Madrid batter them.

[ElDiablo]

We'll qualify next year ahead of Arsenal and Spurs. #prediction

[madras]

should that come off and we get 4th we should see how much the forum can raise to bet against chelsea so we literally have loads staked on the game, bothe financially and emotionally.

[Stifler]

should that come off and we get 4th we should see how much the forum can raise to bet against chelsea so we literally have loads staked on the game, bothe financially and emotionally.

Winnings donated to the SBR foundation?

[madras]

should that come off and we get 4th we should see how much the forum can raise to bet against chelsea so we literally have loads staked on the game, bothe financially and emotionally.

Winnings donated to the SBR foundation?

and the next server fees lest dave  thinks he needs to run most of the london marathon.

[Scoreboard82]

2 cup finals for chelsea to look forward to, and hopefully these will be a massive distraction as far as their league performances go. They've still a massive hurdle to overcome in Bayern/Real Madrid to actually win the CL.

[Lucifer]

Alternatively, Chelsea lose the Champions league final but we drop points on our last day of the season and finish fifth... no use worrying about Chelsea winning imo.

[Guest ThievingMagpie]

I can't begrudge Chelsea too much if they manage to win the CL, they didn't beat a bunch of nobodies on their way to the semis like Real and they didn't have the motivation of trying to play at home for Bayern but here they are, if they win the final and get in fair play to them they surely would have earned it.

[cp40]

I can't begrudge Chelsea too much if they manage to win the CL, they didn't beat a bunch of nobodies on their way to the semis like Real and they didn't have the motivation of trying to play at home for Bayern but here they are, if they win the final and get in fair play to them they surely would have earned it.

 

 

This, Im afraid. If they win it. Well done to them. We must get on and achieve what we can 3rd/4th and take what it brings.

[ponsaelius]

Fuck that. They will have won a competition we have no influence on to take the place we'd have earned through the season.

 

It may be the rules but that doesn't make it fair. It just works in favour of the monopoly of teams that get in every year.

 

People are making out like it is a fantastic achievement if Chelsea win it. A great underdog story. Not as if they've spent a billion pounds to achieve it or anything.

[Guest BooBoo]

All we can do is win our games. If Chelsea win the CL then so be it. I don't think there's any point worrying about it really;whatever happens its been a brilliant season.

 

Also people should remember that 4th place would mean a qualifying game against potentially a very decent side.

[Dave]

Fuck that. They will have won a competition we have no influence on to take the place we'd have earned through the season.

 

It may be the rules but that doesn't make it fair. It just works in favour of the monopoly of teams that get in every year.

 

People are making out like it is a fantastic achievement if Chelsea win it. A great underdog story. Not as if they've spent a billion pounds to achieve it or anything.

 

[Stu]

Chelsea Champions League Final Squad:

 

1 Petr Čech CZE 20/05/1982 29 - - 12 0 86 0 90 0

22 Ross Turnbull ENG 04/01/1985 27 - - 0 0 3 0 3 0

40 Hilário POR 21/10/1975 36 - - 0 0 16 0 18 0

46 Jamal Blackman ENG 27/10/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

60 Rhys Taylor WAL 07/04/1990 22 - - - - 0 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Branislav Ivanović SRB 22/02/1984 28 - - 10 2 30 6 46 9

3 Ashley Cole ENG 20/12/1980 31 - - 11 0 94 1 94 1

4 David Luiz BRA 22/04/1987 25 - - 10 1 18 1 39 2

17 José Bosingwa POR 24/08/1982 29 - - 10 0 63 0 76 0

19 Paulo Ferreira POR 18/01/1979 33 - - 2 0 46 0 59 0

24 Gary Cahill ENG 19/12/1985 26 - - 4 0 4 0 8 0

26 John Terry ENG 07/12/1980 31 - - 8 1 85 8 93 10

33 Alex BRA 17/06/1982 29 - - 3 0 50 6 52 6

34 Ryan Bertrand ENG 05/08/1989 22 - - - - - - - -

45 Nathaniel Chalobah ENG 12/12/1994 17 - - - - - - - -

47 Billy Clifford ENG 18/10/1992 19 - - - - 0 0 0 0

49 Aziz Deen-Conteh SLE 14/01/1993 19 - - - - - - - -

54 Todd Kane ENG 17/09/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

57 Archange Nkumu ENG 05/11/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

58 Daniel Pappoe GHA 30/12/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

Midfielders

5 Michael Essien GHA 03/12/1982 29 - - 2 0 67 11 67 11

6 Oriol Romeu ESP 24/09/1991 20 - - 3 0 3 0 3 0

7 Ramires BRA 24/03/1987 25 - - 10 3 18 3 30 3

8 Frank Lampard ENG 20/06/1978 33 - - 11 3 87 22 105 28

12 John Obi Mikel NGA 22/04/1987 25 - - 8 0 40 0 40 0

15 Florent Malouda FRA 13/06/1980 31 - - 8 0 82 8 82 8

16 Raul Meireles POR 17/03/1983 29 - - 11 2 46 3 53 3

20 Josh McEachran ENG 01/03/1993 19 - - 0 0 6 0 6 0

48 Conor Clifford IRL 01/10/1991 20 - - - - - - - -

50 Kaby POR 05/02/1992 20 - - - - - - - -

51 Rohan Ince ENG 08/11/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

52 Jacob Mellis ENG 08/01/1991 21 - - - - 1 0 1 0

55 James Ashton ENG 02/10/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

56 George Saville ENG 01/06/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

Forwards

9 Fernando Torres ESP 20/03/1984 28 - - 9 3 34 11 48 17

10 Juan Mata ESP 28/04/1988 23 - - 11 2 19 3 39 9

11 Didier Drogba CIV 11/03/1978 34 - - 7 5 74 38 84 44

21 Salomon Kalou CIV 05/08/1985 26 - - 6 2 48 7 57 11

23 Daniel Sturridge ENG 01/09/1989 22 - - 7 0 14 2 22 2

39 Nicolas Anelka FRA 14/03/1979 33 - - 4 0 67 20 91 28

53 Marko Mitrovic SWE 27/06/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

59 Philipp Prosenik

 

 

 

 

 

Any suggested line-ups?

[Dr Venkman]

As long as Real get through to the final I'm not worried.

[jdckelly]

alternative amusement, if we fail to get 4th place and Spurs get it and Chelsea winning the Champions League would be amusing to me

 

that said they ain't got a hope, you can get away without proper cbs to a lesser degree vs Barca because they don't have big lumps to throw the ball at, Bayern and Real however do and the prospect of Bosingwa and Ferrira vs Benzema Higuain and Ronaldo is potentially amusing

[buzza]

Chelsea will not win the final, too many important players missing and both Bayern and Madrid seem to be on top form at the moment. Would rather see Madrid through as I think they have more chance of beating Chelsea.

[Stu]

Chelsea Champions League Final Squad:

 

1 Petr Čech CZE 20/05/1982 29 - - 12 0 86 0 90 0

22 Ross Turnbull ENG 04/01/1985 27 - - 0 0 3 0 3 0

40 Hilário POR 21/10/1975 36 - - 0 0 16 0 18 0

46 Jamal Blackman ENG 27/10/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

60 Rhys Taylor WAL 07/04/1990 22 - - - - 0 0 0 0

Defenders

2 Branislav Ivanović SRB 22/02/1984 28 - - 10 2 30 6 46 9

3 Ashley Cole ENG 20/12/1980 31 - - 11 0 94 1 94 1

4 David Luiz BRA 22/04/1987 25 - - 10 1 18 1 39 2

17 José Bosingwa POR 24/08/1982 29 - - 10 0 63 0 76 0

19 Paulo Ferreira POR 18/01/1979 33 - - 2 0 46 0 59 0

24 Gary Cahill ENG 19/12/1985 26 - - 4 0 4 0 8 0

26 John Terry ENG 07/12/1980 31 - - 8 1 85 8 93 10

33 Alex BRA 17/06/1982 29 - - 3 0 50 6 52 6

34 Ryan Bertrand ENG 05/08/1989 22 - - - - - - - -

45 Nathaniel Chalobah ENG 12/12/1994 17 - - - - - - - -

47 Billy Clifford ENG 18/10/1992 19 - - - - 0 0 0 0

49 Aziz Deen-Conteh SLE 14/01/1993 19 - - - - - - - -

54 Todd Kane ENG 17/09/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

57 Archange Nkumu ENG 05/11/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

58 Daniel Pappoe GHA 30/12/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

Midfielders

5 Michael Essien GHA 03/12/1982 29 - - 2 0 67 11 67 11

6 Oriol Romeu ESP 24/09/1991 20 - - 3 0 3 0 3 0

7 Ramires BRA 24/03/1987 25 - - 10 3 18 3 30 3

8 Frank Lampard ENG 20/06/1978 33 - - 11 3 87 22 105 28

12 John Obi Mikel NGA 22/04/1987 25 - - 8 0 40 0 40 0

15 Florent Malouda FRA 13/06/1980 31 - - 8 0 82 8 82 8

16 Raul Meireles POR 17/03/1983 29 - - 11 2 46 3 53 3

20 Josh McEachran ENG 01/03/1993 19 - - 0 0 6 0 6 0

48 Conor Clifford IRL 01/10/1991 20 - - - - - - - -

50 Kaby POR 05/02/1992 20 - - - - - - - -

51 Rohan Ince ENG 08/11/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

52 Jacob Mellis ENG 08/01/1991 21 - - - - 1 0 1 0

55 James Ashton ENG 02/10/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

56 George Saville ENG 01/06/1993 18 - - - - - - - -

Forwards

9 Fernando Torres ESP 20/03/1984 28 - - 9 3 34 11 48 17

10 Juan Mata ESP 28/04/1988 23 - - 11 2 19 3 39 9

11 Didier Drogba CIV 11/03/1978 34 - - 7 5 74 38 84 44

21 Salomon Kalou CIV 05/08/1985 26 - - 6 2 48 7 57 11

23 Daniel Sturridge ENG 01/09/1989 22 - - 7 0 14 2 22 2

39 Nicolas Anelka FRA 14/03/1979 33 - - 4 0 67 20 91 28

53 Marko Mitrovic SWE 27/06/1992 19 - - - - - - - -

59 Philipp Prosenik

 

Any suggested line-ups?

 

First Choice XI in green.

 

I make something like:

 

---------------------Cech------------------

 

Ferreira - Bosingwa - Essien - Cole

 

--------------Mikel - Romeu--------------

 

--------Mata - Lampard - Kalou--------

 

------------------Drogba------------------

 

[Guest Roger Kint]

Bit harsh on Cahill/Luiz, surely one will be back by then? 

[Stu]

Bit harsh on Cahill/Luiz, surely one will be back by then? 

 

Just going off the squad as it stands right now - Luiz was supposed to be out for the season and Cahill took a pretty awkward twist and seemed to be clutching his hamstring when he first went off the pitch. I'm sure one of them will be back (to replace Essien) but we'll wait and see.

[ElDiablo]

                        Cech

Bosingwa - Essien - Ferreira - Cole

 

                  Mikel    Romeu

                      Lampard

 

Kalou              Drogba          Mata

 

 

Still competitive, with Sturridge, Torres and Malouda on the bench.

[Cronky]

Man City winning the Premiership, Chelsea winning the Champions League, us finishing 4th but having to settle for the Europa League.

 

Ugh. I won't know whether to laugh or cry.

[ponsaelius]

Man City winning the Premiership, Chelsea winning the Champions League, us finishing 4th but having to settle for the Europa League.

 

Ugh. I won't know whether to laugh or cry.

 

Yet there are some neutrals who probably want to see this. The death of football.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

The money being in the hands of different clubs than it was before isn't the end of anything. It is the change and progression that is indicative of all areas of life. Inevitably, in all leagues and tournaments, the teams that spend the most money generally win. I can accept this regardless of which club happens to be the one doing it. I cannot understand why people think things are different if Manchester United (who have a net spend of 40 million pound this year) win the league or one of the traditional giants win the Champions League. Is it because the names are different?

 

Clubs will always rise and fall, and with the free market system of European football, massive investment is the most likely way for this to occur.

[ponsaelius]

What a load of tosh.

 

Clubs winning the lottery and gaining infinite wealth that should be nowhere near football in the first place is not natural progression. It's false and will only serve to extend the monopoly that the Premier League and Champions League have created, in the process screwing over clubs attempting to do things the right way - ie ourselves. Watching them win trophies is certainly not going to be a pleasant change.

 

I'm sure you're over the moon that the existance of your other club (OM) is going to be rendered pointless over the next decade?

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I think it's mainly because some clubs have historically had enough wealth to sustain themselves (Man Utd) and other ones success has landed in their lap due to a rich benefactor (Chelsea, Man City).

 

I know it's the only way to win the league, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Surely in sport, of all things, there's a big difference between earning success and buying it?