why chelsea cant beat barca

No, I was genuinely disappointed in Barcelona over both legs against Milan, especially yesterday. They looked uneasy, the usual fluency wasn't there, they looked weak up front (both legs). I was shocked to see them so scared against what i consider quite weak opposition. It's possible i could be reading too much into those two games, but still, I have to say they were disappointing.

So why didn't Madrid sign Messi then AZ?It's the same thing isn't it.
I'm not going to try and explain or else I will be ill.

I agree with Duffy, Xavi and Iniesta are the engine room of that side, just as they are for Spain, it could be they are fading and if that happens then it's all over for Barca, those two are irreplaceable.

I can see how much they miss Villa at the higher level of the CL, they probably get by all right in La Liga, but they really need him for these tougher games. Their attack was very poor, with only the midfield providing any real threat.

Yeah their attack was so poor that they created something like 23 chances to Milans 3.

Highlander the Milan players basically all came out and said that Messi was the difference between the two teams and playing against him is like the other team having an extra player.

Neither Xavi or Iniesta were all that good over the two legs.

Their job week in week out is made far easier when the other team has 2/3 players on Messi.

They didn't create 23 chances and Milan looked very dangerous on the break, but my main point here is the quality, I don't think Milan are all that good. I was surprised that Barcelona did not rip them to shreds at Camp Nou, very surprised.

I didn't say anything about Messi, I thought he had an okay game, but nothing special by his standards.

There was definitely something lacking in Barcelona's performance, the fluency and slick passing moves just weren't there. The magic wasn't there. I wouldn't go as far as to say they won ugly, but it wasn't that far away.

It's a slow old process seeing barca come back to the pack and because they are so far clear even a barca side that isn't as good as the past 2 years will be good enough to win this seasons CL but you do get the impression that they are just past their superb best.

They weren't upto their usual selves last night granted. I think they just wanted to get through the tie. Remember they had an high-octane match against Athletic at the weekend. Xavi wasn't full fit either. 23 shots is still impressive for a below par performance.

Sorry, it was 20 attempts on target to 3 but the point remains they dominated the game against the Italian champions.

They did what they had to do to win, the AC Milan players and management aknowledged that Barca were the better side.

I agree that the passing game was not flowing for periods of the game, but they still dominated the ball and created far more chances.

...and the treble is still on!

I'll tell you what though, it's just as well ManU got knocked out when they did. I think they would have taken one helluva beating if they played Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. And I mean really embarrassing stuff, 5 or 6 nil, who knows? I mean if they cant beat Basel how bad would it have been against a good side?!

When you've been as brilliant as barca have half the battle is won even before the game starts as they really have to do very little to command the ball as they are simply given it for the most part, from then its just a case of breaking through and with xavi and iniesta they have been able to break any old stubborn resistance, the problem comes when you lose that cutting edge by just a fraction then it becomes more of a chore to break through,watching the spanish side struggle to break down england a while back was a little sign that they too are slightly on the wain, it's no coincidence that spain and barca together could go backwards at the same rate....it will/is happening ever so slightly.

It's possible I am reading too much into those two games, but I like to judge teams in the CL rather than domestically and what I saw was a poor Barcelona performance, by their standards. And I really didn't like their forwards. BTW I think of Messi as attacking midfield rather than an out and out forward.

Lets not forget Barcelona needed two pens to beat Milan.

high_lander still broken from the many maulings Barca have given Arsenil and so can't give them any credit

lol @ highlander on this thread

Keep the Faith Chelsea people

and Keep the English flag flying high

Entertaining thread

CHELSEA'S ONLY HOPE IS SURELY AT THE BRIDGE PLAY AS BIG A TEAM AS POSSIBLE DROGBA, TERRY, IVANOVIC ETC FALL DOWN EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND EVERY FREE KICK NO MATTER FROM WHERE LUMP INTO THE BOX. EVERY CHANCE THEY CAN WIN 1ST HEADER JUST WHERE THE BALL LANDS AND THEN WHO KNOWS. THAT BARCA TEAM THE OTHER NIGHT LOOKED TINY. THEY'LL BRING KEITA IN TO HELP I WOULD ASSUME.

MORE THAN LIKELY THOUGH CHELSEA WILL GET RIPPED TO SHREDS

Good debate overnight.  Barca haven't quite hit the heights of last season (although they've come close when they needed to like thy did in the Bernabeu) but I think it's been more to do with motivation week in week out in la liga.  They haven't quite played with the same hunger or intensity every match as they seemed to previously.

They've also had quite a few injuries which have effected heir rhythem.  Villa most notably but everyone except Messi have had niggles through the season.  Barca have had more fixtures than any other teams in the world over the past few years, it's no surprise this would have some impact.

Now they're at the business end of the season I think they'll raise their game.  The treble is very much on if Madrid slip up just once in the league.

Chelsea struggled to impose their game at home to the 10 men of Benfica, i don't give them a hope in hell of getting anything against Barca.

Whilst we have no chance I have to have a little chuckle to myself everyone getting stuck in when we're the only english side left in for the last two rounds. The hatred is fantasic, imagine if we were a big club

No hatred from me, i'm pleased you got through, just being honest.

I wanted Chelsea to get through to the semis sj

Chelsea have a chance of qualifying, a 4/1 chance going by the bookies but some of the reasoning put forward on this thread has made me chuckle. #letsdothetimewarp

Without doubt we will get whooped. If it was Manchester red sox it would of been played badly but still won. Just hope there is no Keita Sanchez etc for Barca best 11 5-6 great price

Under normal circumstances I would also like Chelsea to get through, but I plan to remortgage my house and sell my granny to put on Barca to qualify as I just can't see how Chelsea can possibly do it.

I was looking at the fixtures and sandwiched between the 2 legs, Barca have Real Madrid at home in the league. Huge week for them!!

No doubt Barca qualify 1-5 not my style though. Think 5-6 more my price

Don't think we are good enough.
RDM has got a better team spirit than AVB had, but the players are still the same.
Needs wholesale changes in the Summer;
done exceptionally well to get to the Semis IMO.

Had to laugh when i heard Ray Wilkins on sky the other night, basically saying that for Chelsea to have a chance they had to bypass midfield and hit it long for Drogba to try and bully Pique and Mascherano. Is this what Roman's millions have come down to, playing like Stoke or a Sam Allardyce side?

Sad thing was, Wilkins was probably right!

Abramovich Vs Platini

Stick Vidic in this Barca team and he couldnt pass the ball well enough to function.

You really are stupid beyond belief.

high_lander
04 Apr 12 22:51
Joined:
11 Nov 10
| Topic/replies: 2,229 | Blogger: high_lander's blog
I think you're writing Chelsea off too soon, if they'd had a different manager this season, they would probably be challenging ManU for the title right now.

Comment of the thread. Can't believe more have not picked up on it.

I'm just trying not to bite tbh R0y, has to be a wind up shirley?

I really don't think so, but if it is,  well played to the lad.

He was telling us all how Chelsea wouldn't get a result at Benfica the other week and how they would get a result against City the week before.

to be fair i also didnt think chelsea would get a result away against benfica but thought they might against man city.
they could easily have drawn in benfica and could have won/drawn against city with a bit of luck

I don't know why I mentioned challenging ManU for the title?! As if ManU are even in the same class as Barcelona. A team who couldn't beat Benfica, who couldn't beat lowly Basel, would and should expect to be humiliated by a side like Barcelona. Can you imagine the scoreline? At OT ManU 0-7 Barcelona

you are probably right (as i said on the other thread where you posted the same comment)

if you after hooking a few fish then you will have to focus on another team. we (united fans) know that we are very lucky to be in the league position we are in, and are thankful of being out of europe cos we would have been stuffed by one of the big teams (barca, bayern or rmadrid).

I'm not fishing, I'm just giving my honest opinion. I really believe Chelsea have a chance, not because they are such a brilliant unbeatable side, but because they are one of the few sides around who are equipped to beat Barcelona. As I said before, Arsenal and ManU would try to outplay Barcelona and they would fail. Chelsea wont even try to do that. Chelsea will be more like Milan, or like Inter a few years ago, Chelsea will stifle them, they will frustrate them, they will make it very difficult for Barca to get into their rhythm and Barca will not enjoy it.

sorry but i think you 100% wrong mate.
you think chelsea can stifle and frustrate barca? they struggled at home against a 10 man benfica last night.
you are starting to make silly comments and coming over a bit deluded. its ok shouting for your team, but what you are saying isnt backed by any observations or reality.

Highlander - I admire you for making an argument few here will agree with but the idea Chelsea are one how equipped defensively is not one I agree with.

Mourinho's Chelsea maybe.  This Chelsea, no.

Don't forget, teams try to stifle Barca almost every match.  They amost always overcome it.  It's also worth remembering that inter took the game to Barca in the home home leg and deservedly won.  It was only dogged determination that was required to win a two lg tie.

* not only dogged determination that won the two leg tie.

highlander is fishing. he is all over this forum saying that chelsea will get the better of chelsea. if he's not fishing then he is mentally ill....and we shouldnt make fun of him.

Its a strange one because I could have sworn ive seen him talking plenty of sense before.

He's either fishing or caught in a time warp.

I don't support Chelsea, I'm an Arsenal fan. I have given very logical reasons as to why Chelsea have a good chance. One is, they almost KO'd Barca a few years back and were cheated by the referee. Another is, Chelsea have a very good solid team that are very difficult to play through. Chelsea have good quality players and are the kind of awkward, defensively minded, disciplined side that Barca hate playing against. Also, Barca's record against EPL sides isn't that great. I'm not saying it will be easy for Chelsea, but I am saying they definitely have a chance. Also, Barcelona are weaker this year without Villa.

hope its fishing.......got to feel sorry for the chap if he means it

Barca's record against EPL sides isn't that great

Yep, obvious fishing.

"Barca's record against EPL sides isn't that great"



How many premier league sides have got the better of them under Guardiola?

I think Ukmalllia said the other day Liverpool were the last to knock them out in 2007, 2 years before Pep took over.

and ulmallia was wrong. united knocked them out in the semis in 2008.

Fair enough, but even so, that was still pre-Guardiola

yep, you're right, just pointing out the (small) error.

Barca's record against EPL clubs should be a lot worse than it already is, with both Arsenal and Chelsea cheated by ref's when Barca should have been KO'd. The 3 stonewall pens Chelsea should have had was particularly disgusting. I think it's time to put the record straight. Here's hoping that cheats don't continue to prosper.

cant be bothered anymore mate. stuck on a long train journey with free internet access, but i would rather look out of the window at the cows that listen to you trying to convince yourself that chelsea are going to do barca

Haha Arsenal cheated?

Cheated in a game where they did not get one shot at goal? The same game where ref turned down stone wall penalty on Messi. While in the first leg Arsenal got away with two hand balls and a goal wrongly taken away from Messi for offside.

Keep dreaming highlander.

fallenangel, your attempts to ridicule me were tedious in the extreme, you wont be missed.

Nothing to say about Chelsea 3 penalties though I notice

Chelsea have a chance, odds prove it.  You are writing off a team that won the EPL back to back.  Might not be the exact same team but they have quality.  If you think Barcelona are going to smash them then I wonder whether you have ever watched football.  Anything can and often does happen in a match.  If a penalty is all that stood between Chelsea and the final I expect a lot of humble pie to be eaten on that day.
Just look at the records of Terry and Lampard, of Drogba or Torres.  Even our fringe players have led impressive careers, the number of international caps in our squad.  It is not as black and white as Barcelona are the best.  I expect we lose, but it's by no means certain.

no need for me to ridicule you. i thought that you were doing that to yourself until everyone started pointing out to me that you were fishing.
i leave you to it, well done

Well considering you are an Arsenal fan highlander I stuck with that.

Chelsea deserved three penalties no denying, but then again Barca deserved a penalty in the first leg and Ballack should have been sent off.

It is unlikely that chelsea can successfully stifle barca over the 2 games but highlander is correct in that is the correct approach to play against them, he is also correct to state that united and arsenal commit footballing suicide by stepping out against them, where by a swallowing of the collective pride, even if it is not the "united way" would help considerably.

I agree with the duffy, but over a two leg tie at some point you need to be able to attack.  Chelsea will need a decent lead from the home leg and hope to defend it.  Stifling alone will not be enough.

duffy is exactly right, Chelsea wont suffer from the overdose of pride that ManU and yes Arsenal have as well. They will go out there and make life very difficult for Messi and co. I could see 2 draws with the tie being settled by away goals. I think it's going to be very close and definitely not the thrashing that some deluded people think.

I will say it once again, Barca are a much weaker side without Villa.
And don't forget that Chelsea have some decent players too.

The theory being that even when you've constructed your brick wall there will be the odd occasion when you get the chance to attempt the odd smash and grab raid which could lead to something, set piece and the like....before you hasten back to resume the backs to the wall approach.

I could be wrong and semi finals are sometimes cautious events, but I think barca will score between 4 and 9 times in the tie

You think Chelsea will concede 9 goals and people call me delusional

I can tell you right now that there is no chance of that happening at all.

That's right, it could never happen.  Chelsea are far superior to Leverkusen.

I do think that barca will prevail in the end but i wouldn't be at all surprised if it's a bit of a struggle to break them down, i do think that barca are bit adrift of the brilliance we've seen in the past couple of years and when you are trying to break down a 10 man defence you need every bit of brilliance to find those gaps ...even barca do.

Fair dues to Chelsea on reaching the semi's.

I would be very surprised if Barca don't score at least twice at the Bridge however.

Apr 5, 2012 -- 2:02PM, duffy wrote:

It is unlikely that chelsea can successfully stifle barca over the 2 games but highlander is correct in that is the correct approach to play against them, he is also correct to state that united and arsenal commit footballing suicide by stepping out against them, where by a swallowing of the collective pride, even if it is not the "united way" would help considerably.

So Spanish teams or Bayern/Dortmund are set to rule the Champions League because Chelsea have no chance and the other English teams are too afraid to even take them on?

There is a lot of assumption that barca are as good as they were recently...they are still by far the best but they are not the absolute brilliant side we've seen recently, chelsea are poorer than in previous seasons too but to make it awakward for barca they don't need to be as good offensively as they were,they just need to be bloody well organized defensively....and then hope!!

Im not meaning to be disrespectful to chelsea its just how I see it

Chelsea are a much much better side than Leverkusen.

This is exactly the kind of silliness that surrounds Barcelona, that puts me off them. Barca are the ultimate flat-track-bullies, they can rack up huge scorelines against weak opposition, especially at Camp Nou.

Oh god, I'm cringing right now just thinking about the commentators having orgasms every time Messi touches the ball. And all the platitudes... please make it stop.

loaded, i think that there is more than one way to skin a cat is the best answer to that

Flat track bullies?  They've thrashed Madrid and Man Utd enough times.

They put 9 past Leverkusen who beat Chelsea.  I don't think Barca will put 9 past Chelsea, just saying that the idea Barca can't give anyone a pasting is a dangerous prediction.

I agree they can thrash Chelsea, but if anyone can knock Barcelona out of the CL this year I reckon it is 1 of the 3 still in the competition...

Sorry that seems like a stupid sentence thinking about it.  What I mean is these 3 teams are the best teams to take them on, Chelsea have more of a chance than Milan I feel.

German and the weaker Spanish sides (when I say weaker I mean not Barca or RM) just don't have the quality to cope with Barcelona, but there are a few EPL sides who do.

Chelsea has no chance

dragonninja that's a brave opinion (not really) but did you think Milan stood a chance?  were you suprised that they only beat Milan 3-1 on aggregate (by 2 penalties)

chelsea are not experienced as milan - chelsea didnt have a good performance against benfica.... im a chelsea fan but i have to be realistic

Chelsea were leading by an away goal going into the second leg and scored in the first half.  This leads me to believe they were complacent and not playing as well as they could have been for the second half.  Chelsea not being as experienced as Milan is a good thing, many people agreed that playing a team of 30+ year olds against Barca is not good, many cite that Luiz is better to have in defence than Terry due to their age difference.

i think that terry is better to have in defence than luiz due to the fact that he has a tendency to defend.

Apr 5, 2012 -- 2:32PM, high_lander wrote:

Chelsea are a much much better side than Leverkusen.This is exactly the kind of silliness that surrounds Barcelona, that puts me off them. Barca are the ultimate flat-track-bullies, they can rack up huge scorelines against weak opposition, especially at Camp Nou. Oh god, I'm cringing right now just thinking about the commentators having orgasms every time Messi touches the ball. And all the platitudes... please make it stop.

You must be a seething manure fan still haven't got over that absolute beating we gave you last year.We can beat you Madrid and anyone we are the best.FACT

he not a united fan. think he may be a gooner.
anyhow, no need to be so brash. yes your team are the best, but you being rude doesnt make them any better

Think a few people are thinking this chelsea are equal or beter than the one who last played barca, for me they are a shadow of that team

they dont have the defensive stability, or the power and speed in midfield, and up front can see them causing too many problems, torres apart

It's almost as if some forumites haven't watched Chelsea play this season.

Just heard the most convincing argument yet that Chelsea can beat Barca.

A Liverpool fan on Talksport explains why he thinks the Blues can win the Champions League.

"When we [Liverpool] won it in 2005 guess who won the Grand Slam.  Wales.

And who won the Grand Slam this year?"

Errrrr.  With logic like that who needs an army of pundits and BF football forumites.

Barca-Martillo is yet another glory-hunter, never been to Barcelona in his life.

Wonder if highlander was watching that

if chelsea play like that v barca they will be malicuted

Chelsea have been passed off the park by 10 man Benfica and Wigan, both at home. Barca are going to smash these, though they might save it all for Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, if Chelsea don't improve they will finish 6th.

I saw a Chelsea victory... why do you ask Roy?

I hope you realise that Wigan would beat half of La Liga, would probably finish about 5th in that easy league.

Pass for show, score goals for dough

yeah but won both games and only 3pts behind the **** that is spurs, and we have been rubbish all season tells you how good this premership is

You seen the chelsea team at home? lol This could be embarassing.

Its like relegation fodder looking to park the bus and keep the score down at home! What do they think is going to happen at camp nou?

Seen nothing to change my mind

still nothing

all gone quiet in the Barca Camp ........lol