Champions League: Chelsea 3 - 2 Liverpool (aet, agg 4 - 3)
Match reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “The road to the final against Manchester United in Moscow on May 21 was as long and hard as Chelsea expected. In their third Champions League semi-final against Liverpool since 2005 the Stamford Bridge team have vanquished Rafael Benítez’s side at last.”
Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: “Frank Lampard last night struck the most poignant and significant goal of his fine career, driving home an extra-time penalty to take the Blues to Red Square. As he wheeled away in celebration, Lampard sought out his father, sharing an emotional moment a week after the midfielder’s mother passed away.”
The Independent, Sam Wallace: “If you could just tear yourself away for a second from the extraordinary game that was unfolding it was worth considering the poignancy of Lampard’s personal journey. Moments earlier with the game at 1-1, playing in his first match back since the death of his mother Pat on Thursday, Lampard had taken the penalty that virtually decided this game. That was something special, but on the night that Chelsea finally made good on Roman Abramovich’s personal investment, there was plenty to admire among the men in blue shirts.”
The Times, Martin Samuel: “What a player. What a man. What an absolute diamond of a footballer. The critics, the haters, they cannot touch Frank Lampard now. Not after last night. Not after that penalty. He won, they lost. What more is there to say? Didier Drogba’s second goal of the night might have made Lampard’s penalty, given when Sami Hyypia fouled Michael Ballack, superfluous, but not at the time it was not. When Lampard stood over it, in the eighth minute of extra time, it was about the bravest act most in the stadium had seen from a professional athlete.”
Official Chelsea FC Website, Andy Jones: “It was a night to remember for everybody linked with Chelsea, and the image of Didier Drogba and Steve Clarke bouncing along to Madness hit One Step Beyond will live long in the memory. Roll on Moscow.”
The goals
33′ Drogba 1-0
64′ Torres 1-1
98′ Lampard (pen) 2-1
105′ Drogba 3-1
117′ Babel 3-2
The foreplay
There’s a scene in my all time favourite movie, Pulp Fiction, where Butch the washed up boxer, when asked by his girlfriend where he’d been, after being the target of a hit man sent by his predatory paymaster Marcellus Wallace to exact revenge for not taking a fall as agreed, killing said hit man on the toilet whilst he was cooking pop tarts having gone home to get his watch that had been kept up the arse of his dad’s soldier mate for two years in Vietnam, then run over Marcellus Wallace who was carrying MacDonald’s breakfast, before being kidnapped by two red necks, tied up and almost raped before knocking out The Gimp, breaking free, rejecting a host of DIY instruments to adopt an ornamental samurai sword in order to kill one red neck and maim the other thus freeing Marcellus Wallace but earning his freedom, answers her with, “This has without doubt been the single weirdest fucking day of my life.”
Yep Butch, that applies to this week and this season if you’re a Chelsea fan.
Despite my protestations to all and sundry that I wasn’t bothered about this game, that it was a win-win with Avram Grant going if we lost, but a Champions League final and victory over Rafael Benitez the flip side if we won, the dreadful truth was I couldn’t eat this evening, couldn’t drink, couldn’t think and couldn’t stop shaking inside. Football matters, football hurts and football is unique in that, aside from ‘love’, nothing else generates this feeling and passion. No wonder the St. John’s Ambulance are at every game. From next year I might suggest to Roman Abramovich and gang that they despatch them to the homes of every Chelsea fan watching at home as well. I mean… sack our most successful coach, draft in an unknown and unqualified replacement, plagued by injuries again, losing players to the Africa Nations Cup, losing to Spurs at Wembley, losing to Barnsley in the FA Cup, producing the world’s worst game of football against Benitez’s gang in the league at Stamford Bridge, coming from behind to beat Arsenal, setting the world alight against Manchester United on Saturday… the list just goes on.
And then tonight…
The sex
- The first half performance and extra time. Whilst the first half wasn’t quite up to Saturday’s tempo this is understandable as the players spent a lot on the pitch and in extra time we found the old Jose Mourinho extra gear. I doubt the ‘boring’ tag can be used for our recent form.
- The atmosphere. I wasn’t there but it must have been electric. I watched it at my Scouse supporting brother-in-law’s house as he has a great big fuck-off TV. Our atmosphere tense, peppered by small talk used to try and remove it. Utter failure. I stood for the whole of extra time just as I stood for the whole game on Saturday.
- Didier Drogba. I’ve been critical of him lately and deservedly so, but on his night, on his game he is un-bloody-beatable and in-bloody-destructible. He’s a huge, growling, snarling, hungry slavering beast that would make an angry Mike Tyson look like Graham Norton in a shop selling sparkly pink butt plugs.
- Michael ‘The Bison’ Essien. Boy oh boy is he back. Him and Michael Ballack were utterly magnificent. Forget the Ballack/Lampard combination, worry about all three because together they are… awesome.
- Beating Benitez. I can watch the final knowing that the two best teams in England will play out a game like last year’s FA Cup final. I have no issue even if we lose, because Manchester United fans on the whole have doffed their caps when we have won titles or beaten them. Mutual respect amongst the loathing. Liverpool don’t know what that means and tonight was ample repayment for the grief and gloating we’ve suffered at their hands. Nothing, I mean nothing gives me greater pleasure than doing this to our new ‘Leeds’. Looking forward to tomorrow’s Scouse hunt at work.
- Avram Grant. A touching gesture at the end on Holocaust Day, plus his dignified demeanour and refusal to join in Benitez’s pre-match mind games means he gets his first and deserved mention here. I’m still not convinced he’s the future, but he deserves credit for everything bar the half time talk! The Nicolas Anelka for Joe Cole substitution was inspired. He seems to have one thing Mourinho didn’t… luck. I’m not complaining.
The orgasms
- Frank Lampard scoring the penalty. I didn’t think he should have played, but he showed he has balls as big as our Teutonic Midfield Android and let’s be fair he needed them for that penalty. Pat Lampard, wherever you are, you gave us one very special man. And that makes you very special. Frank Sr’s relief and pride made me want to jump through the screen and hug him. It was emotional.
- The other two goals. A triple orgasm if you like (I remember being young enough to cope with that!). Drogba back on song and showing his class with two wonder strikes of such power that TV stations might have to invent new technology in order to slow the pictures down to see them go in. Anelka’s turn, run and pass for the second was sheer class and intelligence that both Joe Cole and Salomon Kalou should learn from.
The post-coitus cuddle
- Rafael Benitez. Because I hate the fat beardy prick. The master tactician wound Drogs up with silly accusations and boy did I enjoy Drogs celebrating in front of him. Taking Fernando Torres off was downright silly if it was just a hamstring tweak… I mean what was he saving him for? The look on Torres’ face as he went off, and when on the bench crying said it all. If it was more serious then why not bring on that streak of piss Peter Crouch, who seems to cause havoc with our back four? Yeah, tactical genius… whatever.
- The second Liverpool goal. A howler from Petr Cech. Let’s hope we get Carlo Cudicini to coach him next year instead of ‘hoof it up field’ merchant Christophe Lollichon. Because, despite his great potential, this season has been a litany of errors from our Cat in the Hat.
- Liverpool. Horrible players, horrible strip, horrible fans. Undignified, whining wasters. How can such a great club become so detestable?
- The second half performance – or at least part of it. Why oh why oh why can’t we go a goal up and then take the game to the other team? Is what’s said at half time so soporific that the players may as well have a nurse come on with a pillow and some warm milk to help them sleep? We couldn’t keep the ball, couldn’t pass the ball, couldn’t get the ball and frankly descended into moments of pub football. You could see their goal coming. It’s utterly bizarre.
- My other brother-in-law – the one who supports Chelsea. Ten minutes to go, 3-1 up, he says, “That’s it we’ve done it… game over.” How did I react to this blatant ignorance of the Sod’s Laws of Football? The truncated version is that I stood in front of him and told him to shut the fuck up, that he would be the cause of Liverpool getting another goal. It’s like waving when you’re a street in front on the crib board. You just don’t tempt that cruel breaker of Chelsea hearts, the ancient God with the fickle fingers called Fate. He got the message.
Player ratings
Discussed at length with the numbskulls and voices in my head.
- Petr Cech: Don’t be sad coz two out of three ain’t bad. Two great stops, one howler - 7/10.
- Michael Essien: Don’t stop the music! - 9/10.
- Ashley Cole: He wants your sex! - 9.5/10.
- John Terry: Solid. Solid as a rock! - 8.5/10.
- Ricardo Carvalho: Claire, the moment I met you I swear… ladies and gentlemen it’s Gilbert O’Sullivan! - 8.5/10.
- Michael Ballack: When the going gets tough, the tough get going - 8.5/10.
- Claude Makelele: He got by with a little help from his friends - 8/10.
- Frank Lampard: Super Trouper, lights are gonna find me - 9.5/10.
- Joe Cole: Unwashed and somewhat slightly dazed - 7.5/10.
- Salomon Kalou: Things can only get better… - 8/10.
- Didier Drogba: I am the god of hell fire, and I bring you… fire, I’ll take you to burn, fire, I’ll take you to learn, I’ll see you burn - 9.5/10.
- Andriy Shevchenko (sub): Over the Hills and far away - 7/10.
- Florent Malouda (sub): They call him the Wanderer, he wanders round and round and round - 7.5/10.
- Nicolas Anelka (sub): Shine on you crazy diamond - 8/10.
- Overall team performance: Back in the USSR - 9/10.
Man of the Match
Blimey, what a choice… Drogs for his two goals? Essien for being so bloody brilliant? Ballack for running more than anyone else even on an empty tank? John Terry for being a true captain?. Sorry peeps, for having balls the size of water melons during a time of adversity - Frank Lampard, take the bouquet and the bow me old mucker. Inspirational.
The nervous “Was I any good?” slide into satisfied sleep
I’m exhausted. What a season. What a week. What a night. What a game. It may not have been a purists’ delight. It may not have had North London Circus football or Catalan flair. It had everything an English cup tie should have. A lucky team playing a tactical game based on fresher legs carrying a big reputation, and a team hated by the media and neutrals everywhere for having the temerity to find a rich benefactor, but with a sense of doggedness that would make Columbo proud.
A game that to’d and fro’d, where the pendulum of luck swung either way, alongside the pendulum of grit, the pendulum of skill and the pendulum of passion. So many pendulums were in action one can only imagine there are a lot of silent grandfather clocks in London tonight. We were the better team over the 180 minutes, although a little credit goes to Liverpool for spotting our usual habit of falling into a second half/one goal lead malaise and capitalising on it through the impressive Torres. Steven Gerrard was kept quite by Ricardo Carvalho and Terry in front of goal, and Ballack showed him how to command midfield alongside our much maligned Frank. On tonight’s performance we saw why Frank is better than Gerrard, and why Terry is a better captain.
It was a night for us, but also for English football, surely now firmly back on the European map and back in the big time. Can anyone imagine two teams from Spain or Italy producing such a feast? No, me neither. But on a night like this, I say bollocks to the purists, because this is real football, ugly, passionate, hot, sweaty, grasping, desperate and relieving. And it’s over in one go. Just like a one night stand.
Keep the Blue Flag Flying High!
Related links
- Reaction: Difficult but happy day
- It’s Chelsea v Man Utd in the final. Now fans face the struggle for a Moscow visa
- Champions League final - advice for travelling fans
- Upright Drogba shows all the deadly talents United will fear
- Goals and ghosts
- Penalty a victory for Frank Lampard - and for life
- Frank Lampard: Image of the day
- Avram Grant: Out of the blue
- Posted at 02:09 AM · Permalink · Print · 5045 views · Last indexed by Google on the 11th May 2008
- Tags: Avram Grant, Champions League, Chelsea, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Liverpool, Michael Ballack, Michael Essien, Rafael Benitez
WELL DONE CHELS! WELL DONE BOYS!!! i am so fucking proud of you guys!!!! Lampsy’s penalty kick was so emotional and he did great. Didier - Man of the match, in fact everyone who participated tonight as well. We are actually going to Moscow!!!!!
KTBFFH!!!!!
Take a bow Super Frank. What guts he has to take that penalty! I would have probably pee-ed on my pants if you ask me to do that.
The good
Frank Lampard. Given what Lampard’s been through this past week I’ll admit that I was surprised and a tad concerned when I saw his name on the team sheet. But he declared himself ready to play and was fit, and a fit Lampard should always be in the starting eleven. It’s difficult to put into words just how much admiration I have for him; to put in a performance like that seven days after losing his mum - remarkable. A legend.
Didier Drogba. “It’s very personal what [Rafael Benitez] said. I’m doing everything to promote English football and I’m doing my best. It’s not good.” Drogba post match. Well Didier, you did your talking on the pitch, where it matters most. You were simply awesome. When you play like that you’re the best in the world. The look on Benitez’s face after you scored was priceless. Fantastic celebration too.
Avram Grant. Who’d have thought it, eh? Avram Grant has taken us to our first European Cup final. Avram effing Grant! I need to get my emotions in check before commenting further… but deep down I think I’m warming to him. These past few days have more than made up for the embarrassment of the League Cup final defeat to Spurs and the capitulation at Barnsley in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Or have they? Yeah, they definitely have. We’re in the European Cup final! Hmm… but I’m not sure. Nicolas Anelka on the wing again? Anelka did make Drogba’s second goal. Perhaps Grant does know what he’s doing. We’re in the effing European Cup final! Yeah, I’m warming to Grant and he deserves at least another season at the helm. Steve Clarke needs to stay too, though. We’re in the European Cup final!
Glancing at my second monitor and seeing ‘Eat My Goal’ by Collapsed Lung at the top of an iTunes Party Shuffle playlist moments before we scored. This synchronicity was ruined by the linesman who disallowed Michael Essien’s goal. The bastard.
The bad
The second half. We were pretty poor and invited Liverpool on to us. It was just a matter of time before they scored. Fortunately extra time has a first half and we finished them off before nearly effing it up in the second half of extra time. There’s a pattern developing…
Man of the Match
Frank Lampard. Amazing.
Final thought
Revenge is sweet.
Congrats to the boys.
I said to the Man Utd supporting wife that I don’t really care who wins in the final, beating the classless scousers was the main thing.
Bollocks to that, we can be the first London team to win the Big Cup!
@NICK BENFIELD
Can you enlighten me on what pattern you are refering to. I certainly can see a weird one developing. We are like Zombies. Alive –> Almost Dead –> Alive –> Alive –> Almost Dead –> Reborn!
Had the privilege of watching on ESPN2 here in America. Absolutely thrilled, having recovered from the nerve-jangling unease derived from the atmosphere in general and particularly from Cech’s miscue in the closing minutes.
The go-ahead goal from Super Frankie Lampard couldn’t be more poetic. Surely a day to remember.
Just like a one night stand, but, we will come and keeping coming back for more !!
Guys, I have that ‘tired smile’ on my face, the one I was hoping for. The moments of the match were explosions of joy, poignancy, despair and then happiness.
Though, we are saving the biggest explosion of pure unadulterated ECSTASY for the 21st of May.
PAINT THE KREMLIN BLUE !! Chelsea are marching to Moscow !!
GO BLUES !!
Great report Tony!!!!
Best sex I’ve had in years!!!!!!!
Well done to all our guys - fabulous play, fabulous team spirit
and go on, you know you all want to………
give a few compliments to Avram - especially on a really hard and emotional night for him. He may not be the special one but he is the solid one, the lucky one and the underestimated one
we are gonna win this one - bring on Moscow!!!!!!!!!!
What can I say that I didn’t shout at the TV at the end (which woke up half the street…!). Bloody fantastic, Frank in particular for his courage in taking the penalty and his allround game but everyone on the team and bench for the passion, grit and determination to give us fans another glorious night to remember.
The real glory is still to come in 3 weeks time but let is all soak up the moment when we finally beat Liverpool in Europe, finally won a semi final and finally reached the final of the best club competition in the world.
There were tears in my eyes has Frank stood there steely eyed before taking the penalty as i KNEW he would score… I could feel it and then when he broke down on the pitch… wow… what can you say other than to doff your hat to the man.
Other highlights, Essien’s amazing bulldozing run where he nearly scored… Drogba’s single minded determination to grind every liverpool player into the sodden pitch… his pointed celebration in front of Tubby and most of 4 fantastic goals (Essien’s should have be allowed).
I too have to doff my hat to AG having been an ardent critic of our performances in the past. There is still a problem with our half time talks given the way we play in the second half when we have a lead, but bugger that… AG, SC and the team have won through to the CL final and that is all that matters right now.
All those lucky enough to make the trip enjoy the biggest night in this proud clubs history and maybe.. just maybe.. you will seem the team make history by winning their first European Cup and be the first London team to win it.
I can’t wait.. ! But of course there is the small matter of winning 2 prem games to win the title…
KTBFFH
Tubby was cheeky and tried to poke the bear. What happens? He got mauled real hard…
Do we have to have a post-coitus cuddle? Can’t I just get up and watch Sky Sports?
To be fair to Liverpool fans, as I listened to TalkSport on the way home, they were all calling in and congratulating Chelsea and hoping we go on and win the final. I know the last bit is because they all hate Man U but even so they were all surprisingly magnanimous in defeat.
Great Game
Great Report
As vivid as my dream was the night before the game and the incorrect scoreline I predicted, the end result was the same a win for the mighty blues. All the symptoms that have been described by us fans on this blog about anxieties, sleepless nights and loss of appetite, effected all of us as if some mass virus had struck us down. But the treatment and cure was simple and effective, just go out and win, and our beloved Chelsea, along with Avram, did just that last night.
I also had my first slice of a very large humble pie, and if we go on to win one, or both of these trophies the rest will follow with lashings of cream and a huge fucking cherry on top.
And finally thank you Senor Benitez the tactical genius, thank you very very much for the inspired team talk you gave our boys, especially Didier, who showed you last night what big players can do in big games.
AND FINALLY….TAXI FOR GERRARD! WE THINK HE WAS THERE SOMEWHERE ON THE PITCH IN A RED JERSEY.
PS Brilliant report Tony by the way.
See - We are there boys - no danger.
All the boys were great - i didnt watch the penalty to be honest. Yup i had my eyes firmy shut and was sat in my seat relying on the crowd to guide me - i swear the elation when they started going crazy was like nothing else.
On a night like this it does wonders for bonding with those sat around you.
A few helpful phrases for the trip/game in line with the excellent write up by Mr Glover:
what the fuck? - `tchyo za ga`lima?
how old are you - skolko vam let
you are pretty (to a woman) - ty krasivaya
i love you - ya tebya lyublyu
asshole - mu’dak
Did anyone else struggle to sleep last night - i was so overjoyed that is seemed like an eternity for me to calm down enough to sleep!! Struggling today.
It’s not groundhog day is it?
Cheers Tony, enjoyed the report. What a fucking fantastic night. Have to agree with Frank being MoM. Also thought Ashley Cole did really well. They all did, maybe even Kalou. And as for Essien………the guy’s a machine. Always thought he needs to be in the middle but he was every bloody where from right back last night. Very very satisfying night. Three massive games to go……………..
What a night so proud of the team really proud pf lamps. scousers only sing when there winning.
I shall put thoughts to the blog when I’m a little more together.
What a night. All together now - you can stick your f**king history up your arse…
great report tony, i’m still in shock…couldn’t watch the pen..i had to leave the room, but what a fucking result….what a match…bring on united..AVRAM Forgive me for some my comments about you…..and I hope it pissed down on the fucking scouse scum on their way back up north.
WELL DONE BOYS, YOU DID US PROUD!
@ Everyone - when the penalty came I despatched myself to B-i-L’s back garden in the pissing rain with my fingers in my ears singing la la la……which was apt because I was pretty ga-ga at this point anyway.
B-i-L’s wife, Nicky came out and very gently said these beautiful words “Frank took it…..and he got it” …I could have bloody cried.
In my next next life I want to follow a boring sport please.
Just a quick note Tony on the song titles for the boys, I think you should change Lamps to the Led Zep classic, because he took us to heaven last night.
@ Clive, I’ll try harder but it was 1:30am - and Abba were at the top of my iTunes list!
You’re forgiven Tony, impressive reporting for such a late hour. ;-)
Great article Tony. Fulham was buzzing last night. There was thirty men crouching to ‘one man went to moe’ at the crossing of Fulham Road and Harwood, great atomasphere.
I’m still buzzing from the win. This was down to Avram Grant’s tactics and our player’s hunger to be in the Champions League final. I’m full of confidence that we will beat ManUtd in Moscow.
When walking home down the northend road one old chap was whispering “Avram Grant’s blue and white army” I said i think it’s time Avram gets his own song.
KEEP THE BLUE FLAG FLYING HIGH!
@Tony
Came on the blog to find something nice to read and wow you just decided to write crap…I am just thinking to keep the quality of the blog such high sex tonation be kept to oneself…I was totally disgusted! Guess it could be the drink…
@ Nick
3. Nick Benfield · 2:28 AM · 1st May
Thanks for keeping with the norm. Lovely game by the boys
Blimy Jose! Have you any emotion?
@Jose
to keep the quality of the blog such high sex tonation be kept to oneself
Yikes, that’ll severely limit my postings! Still if I’ve got to keep sex tonation to myself surely I’ll go blind and won’t be able to see the final?
Mary Whitehouse lives.
Top knee-trembler Tony; blogging Viagra at its very best :-)
@ Jose. Fuck off. Go somewhere else, you’ve fucked off about the only ally you had. I don’t do abuse. But you’re a fucking twat.
@Mark
Go blind? we did not go this way with our previous Premiership wins guess it must be Avram Grant or Chelsea reaching the finals…whichever I think it is bad influence…Makes us out like Arsenal fans…really bad taste
@ Tony
Actually I intend to…this blog has gone way below the quality it had when I first got here about 3-4 years back and willing I will say adieu…
@ 28. Tony.
LOL! :-)
LMAO at TG - 28
To keep the theme - jose - please dont go, nooooooooooooo, please dont go.
Jose are you a munk?
The sexual remarks were/are brilliant. I think TG must be an amateur though as there is no mention of the reach around!! Only a true master can perform that puppy!
If we are going for no sexual remarks then Clive/Lolli are fooked!
I dread to think what this place will be like if we actually win the thing; it’ll be a full-on Bacchanalian orgy.
YAY!
Reasons For The Change In Form
1) Return of ‘The Bison’ - Whether at right back or in midfield, Michael Essien’s form in the last month has been nothing short of spectacular. He provides us with so much drive and simpy seems to bulldoze his way through players. An absolute star.
2) Ashley Cole’s incident with the referee at Spurs - Is it my imagination, or has our luck with refs changed since the Cole incident? Ever since we stopped harassing the referee at every opportunity, the 50/50 calls have started to go our way. We are a far more likeable team and I have even seen a few positive comments from the ‘haters’.
3) Pat Lampard - With the greatest of respect, our team spirit, which let’s face it had appeared to be on the wane, has been totally galvanised in the last week. The team have rallied around Frank and his family and we now look like the ‘Band of Brothers’ that was first formed under Jose.
4) Der Kaiser - Has there ever been a more arrogant looking player than Michael Ballack? His casual approach, which many originally took for not giving a shit, is now almost an aloof swagger. It is no coincidence that he is always the player covering the most km’s in the Champions League games. When required to stand up and lead, he does, when required to take a back seat, he does so without making a fuss. An absolute diamond….. How long does he have to leave in the UK before he can trade his German passport in.
and finally
5) Avram Grant. Originally we said he couldn’t beat big teams. Well now we have Arse, Scum, Mancs all now slayed. Then I said, he couldn’t change the game with substitutions. They have improved out of sight, and last night he turned around a gam that was slipping away in the 2nd half. Better than that though, he has made both Sir RedNose look pathetic with his whinging and the Fat Spanish Waiter look absolutely pants at ‘Mind Games’ inside 4 days. Like others have mentioned, he is winning me over. I do hope this season doesn’t finish without us winning anything…. Avram deserves better than that for his efforts and the ‘Rocky’ pose after the Utd game, and the kneeling on the turf after the Scum were 2 moments that will long live in my memory. They show how much he cares for Chelsea and the lads. But they also show respect for tradition, himself and others. He isn’t ‘The Special One’, but he does deserve his own place in Chelsea history.
SO, there you have it…… My top 5 reasons why this season has been turned around. There are a few others that deserve a mention of late (Ricky, JT, Ash, DD)….. If we can continue this form through 3 more games, we will end the season with something to show for it… Dare To Dream!
Greenlight. with no 4 being the main one!! :)
Oh…. And Fuck off from me too Musumba…..
Your rantings are predictable bollocks and you could never be more wrong than you have been about Frank Lampard….A true Chelsea Legend, unlike yourself!
i am simply ecstatic. at 1:1 and after babel’s goal i “knew” - that’s it, we’ll blow it again.
but, we didn’t.
am away on a bussines trip and this blog is the only place right now, where i can express my emotions…if i could find the right words.
great game, great win…and now premiership and moscow.
ps if i was writing a report about the two semifinal matches i would name it “Riise and fall of Rafa Benitez”. ;)
If we are going for no sexual remarks then Clive/Lolli are fooked!
@Munkey
If we play and win like that, I’ll be happy to be fooked by anyone!!
i guess with that open minded nature it doubles your chances of a date!!
I wonder if jose is spitting his dummy out reading all this devil speak.
We’re all going to hell. But it will have been fun…
Is Musumba leaving?
Double YAY!
He’s made more comebacks that Sinatra and Status Quo put together though…
Huge respect to Lampard for stepping up to take that pen.
He has more bottle than gerrard can only dream of.
OMG, I’ve just come back to London from a long overseas trip, and what a Welcome Back gift from my beloved Chelsea!
Is it a dream or is it real?… It’s a bloody miracle! It’s like the Red Sea opened up for the Blue Army to cross to the promised land!
Let us get the Euro holy grail now!
Is Musumba leaving?
Double YAY!
Yes the day just gets better doesn’t it!
If Ken wins, I’m taking the match ball home.
There’s a photo in one of this morning’s papers which summarises it for me. After the penalty, Frank Lampard is on his knees with his eyes closed, almost in in a different world, Didier Drogba is on one knee with his arms around Frank’s shoulders and Ricardo Carvalho is standing behind Lampard, also with a comforting hand. It’s like an Italian Renaissance masterpiece.
On a side issue with regard the Russian Visas, why has this become such a problem? Surely UEFA knew that Visas were required, and the likely hood was that it would be teams outside Russia getting to the final. If there were going to be problems, why did they pick Moscow, oh wait a minute this is UEFA incompetence is their middle name.
Jose’s reaction was so OTT it’s made me wonder if Jose is Tony’s repressed alter ego, perhaps some sort of dual personality. Always being a contrarian, talking bollocks (oops, in a non-sexual sense I mean) - as JMc almost said, he cannnot be serious.
As all have said before me, what a night, what a game, and what a lot of heros. I totally agree with Greenlight’s comments (#37) regarding 5 key reasons why we are playing better. And like many of you out there, I’m softening towards Avram. I like the fact that Avram’s quiet nature has helped expose Rafa for the unpleasant idiot he has been since he came to the ‘poo’, whereas TSO would have led with the bombast. I was absolutely certain before the match yesterday that Didier would play the game of his life, because of Rafa.
My hope now is that Didier, who as we know is incredibly emotional, can be the most irritating footballer to watch and on his day is the best in the world at what he does, will now emotional buy into the post-Mourinho Chelsea. Also, with Superfrank being shown the genuine love by all at Chelsea, his teammates, Avram and us, I think he will stay. With Essien and Obi proving their potential - magnificent against Man Utd. And finally, Herr Ballack, words fail me. Man Utd trying to distract him from his penalty was laughable. And the way he froze Didier out when DD was going mad with him - the man is made of ice and steel. What a midfield.
Unfortunately I couldn’t get tickets for last night, so I went with my brother and friends to a sports bar in town - full of scousers. I spotted a fellow chelsea fan and we got talking at the end. It turns out he is a friend of Avram’s (through kids at school) and has had dinner parties with him etc. He said that AG was working on the assumption that he would manage us next year, though he conceded that with Abramovich, nothing could be taken for Granted, and nothing was certain. Apparently Huntelaar is a certainty and RVDV is very keen on us - but let’s see. I can’t believe I’m writing this, but I am warming to AG.
Final highlights:
1) I was wrong, I thought SuperFrank should have been a supersub - he was magnificent. A few weeks ago I might have been inclined to say that it is an example of AG’s weakness that he couldn’t be strong with Frank, or JT or DD
2) Frank taking the penalty. Again I was shouting at the screen that we shouldn’t risk Frank’s emotions going wrong, when we had Ze German in the wings. How wrong was I
3) The penalty celebration - I must be getting old, but the picture of Frank ands 3 others kneeling on the ground, reminded me of the conquering Christian warriors that yoiu could find in countless works at the Uffizzi or the National Gallery. I have to stop myself from crying just thinking about it (have just seen Emerald Blue’s comment #50 above - totally agree)
4) Didier Drogba. The goals - how good were they, especially the first
5) DD’s first goal celebration - did he dive or slide towards Rafa?
6) AG’s demeanour, kneeling post-match, and his substitutions
7) Steve Clarke’s expression - he almost looked happy for the first time since TSO left
8) The behaviour of JT and the team with referees since the Spurs/Ashley incident
9) Nic’s cross
10) Non-stop Essien, and his goal that should have been
11) The fact that we did it without my favourite player, Joe Cole, really showing
12) Seeing Sheva play his part - almost a pity he didn’t have to clear a certain goal by StevieMe at the end of the match
well done . i am a liverpool fan , hope you go all the way . i must how ever , point out a few mis givings about the treatment i and my friends recived last night at the bridge . we had tickets suplied to us by ford , one of the champion lg sponsor s . we were not in the liverpool end , we were in the west stand, an area set aside for these block tickets . when tores scored , we were elated , no swearing no bad language , no un ruly behaviour . the next thing u know , 10 or so stewards appeard , singled a friend of mine out and turfed him out of the ground ….end of . ive been to a lot of grounds up and down the country , and i think this sort of treatment is well out of order . well done again .
Sorry peeps, about the language but by God he chose the wrong day to annoy me!
Still running on adrenalin, but when that runs out I’ll probably drop where I stand. Scousers at work today are rarer than a snog with The Pope! Ooops there I go again, upsetting the moral minority…….
@ Lozer, its a sad fact that common sense often fails Stewards and anybody else prepared to dress in bright yellow tabards. The exception is us in our second strip of course.
Utterly superb report Tony with great extended metaphor - and if it makes Jose Musumba take his repetitive nonsense somewhere else at least for a while then even better.
Just a few other memories not already mentioned above from a second heart stopping game in a week:
1) the flag briefly hung over the top tier of Matthew Harding early on - “Making History, Not Reliving It” and why did some officious steward apparently insist it be removed?
2) “One Step Beyond” now clearly established as the ultimate post big game victory celebration that can even make a 2-left feet non-dancer like me shuffle about inanely
3) All those dedicated Scouser fans streaming out of their end with 5 minutes still to go in extra time just before Babel scored.
4) Skipping through my recording of Sky’s coverage when I got home [partly to check extra time really did pan out as I remembered it] and wondering just how much they pay Andy Gray to come up with nothing deeper than a repeated “Wow!” - hey as Yosser Hughes put it “I could do that” - but then back to Tony’s theme in the post-match “expert” discussion when someone pointed out that Abramovich hasn’t been at a game since L Cup final and Souness instantly quipped “Yes, but have you seen his girlfriend?”
More reflective thought this morning - I think @ Greenlight No 37 is spot on with points 1-4 about what’s turned the season but I just can’t make up my mind about 5.
As one of those BOFs on here who’ve been season ticket holders for over 30 years my mind has been going back to my first season at The Bridge [1976-77] when Eddie McCreadie’s young side won promotion back to the top division and we really felt we had the basis to progress. The Board promply screwed up re-negotiating his contract and he left in disgust. They made an internal appointment, we had one average season [with a great FA Cup win over Liverpoo] and then plummeted disastrously to relegation.
I really don’t know whether Avram has now won the right to another season or if he’s just a lucky internal appointment who should be kicked upstairs and someone with an established record installed to really move us on?
But hey we can still dream first of snatching the double away from Old Purplenose for a few more weeks - Come on Chels!
By some miracle we got tickets for the game last night. Two observations:
The first 15-20 minutes were the loudest I have ever witnessed at the Bridge - incredible!
Loved the banner in the North Stand Upper ‘Chelsea - Making history not reliving it’ - absolutely.
Moscow here we come!
Sorry to hear that Lozer, but the club gets very nervy about away fans in the home ends because these things can turn nasty quite quickly.
Good post Z, especially about Rafa finally getting shown up to be the snide hypocrite we’ve always known he is.
Interesting also that JT’s performances have improved markedly since he stopped hassling the ref - chicken and egg? I’ve always believed that he was acting like an arse because he was unhappy with his own displays, but he’s getting back to his best and the self-confidence and level-headedness is returning.
@Jose Musumba
Jose, you might like or do not like this review and this is your right to do so. To tell you the truth I find this review pretentious, just my opinion Tony. However, I think you (Jose) should not shut the door like a small kid that thinks that everybody hates him. This blog is probably one of the best in the country and your participation in this blog in a way made it so. And one more thing Jose there is something in common we all share and it is…. CHELSEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a night! Truely Amazing! Sums up the Red Scousers - “Horrible players, horrible strip, horrible fans. Undignified, whining wasters.” It feels so fucking good to knock these scums out - and we did it in 2 competitions this season, mind.
Didier Drogba. What else can you say about him? By a distance, the best striker in the world. Scored over 15 goals this season, where he missed more than half the matches (35+) - with him and Lamps fit we definitely wouldn’t have had the large goal diff at the Premiership. The matches that Drogs has scored for us, as well:
Carling Cup Final v Liverpool
Carling Cup Final v Arsenal (2)
Carling Cup Final v Spurs
FA Cup Final v Manchester United
Premiership v Arsenal (2) this year
Champions League v Valencia away this year
Champions League Semi Final v Liverpool (2)
…and many others
Absolutely crucial goals in the BIG matches against the top teams and in most cases they were the match - and trophy - winning goals. Quite frankly, without him we would have won a bit less than 5 trophies in last 3 years and would not be in the position we are this year - Champions League Final and at top of the Primiership (level with Man U in points). I still don’t think he gets the plaudits that he truely deserves - I don’t expect it from that filthy Fat Spanish wa*ker - but from Chelsea supporters as well. He deserves a bit more for what he has done for our football club. By the way, what a celebration! Right in front of Rafa! Simply Awesome!
Lamps - Incredible. That’s all I can say after what you did yesterday - after what you have been through. Super? Blimey, that’s an understatement!
Finally, Avram. Well done. The first manager to take the club to a Champions League Final.
We are going to Moscow! Still on course for a Double! Come on the Chels!!!
Good God Musumba, what’s wrong with you? You won’t be missed.
@ Lozer — appreciate the post. There was an incident in the Carling semi home leg when an Everton fan who’d got in among the home support leaped up to celebrate their equaliser. He was immediately assaulted by some Chelsea lads. Not his fault except for sitting in the wrong area, but you can see why the stewards get a bit nervy.
If there are any other ‘poo fans about, I’m curious about who you hate more, us or the Mancs — or will you just not watch the final?
My analysis of how the season has turned around:
1) Arse disintegrated. They made a nutjob captain of a callow team, and when things started going against them they couldn’t hack it. Funny how everyone in the media is now talking about the CL final being between “the two best teams in England”, when all season long everyone’s been saying that Arse were actually the best, it’s just that they didn’t always win. People have short memories (a theme I’ll return to…) Anyway, the collapse of the Arse has helped us a lot.
2) Mancs dropped points. Since I can’t bear even to watch them I have no idea why this happened. They do seem to have a few fairly average players.
3) We *visibly* raised our game against opponents we wanted to beat. For most of the season apart from a patch in Jan/Feb we’ve been playing not that well, scraping by 1-0 against mid-table outfits, or conceding weird numbers of goals. We’ve drawn against weaker teams; we’ve slacked off in winning positions. We progressed through the CL playing badly against unimpressive teams. By all accounts we were poor against the ‘poo up at Anfield last week, and we had an outrageous slice of luck. Then, suddenly, on Saturday, a hunger and relentlessness appeared pretty much out of nowhere. You could feel it in the crowd as well as in the team. It was as if they, and we, had decided enough was enough and it was time at last to try and show what we could do: a feeling that may well have been provoked by the self-proclaimed champions-elect arriving on our pitch. It was there again last night, and again, you have to suspect that it came from the desperation we all felt as the ‘poo threatened to take the CL final away from us a third time.
It’ll be very very interesting to see if the same fiery urgency is there on Monday.
4) We’ve had some luck at critical moments recently.
5) and I agree with Greenlight that a few key players have rediscovered their lost form, most notably Cashley and Essien.
I’m going to eat my share of the humble pie and give Average every ounce of deserved credit for getting us much, much further than I ever thought we’d get this season. He’s been quiet and steady under the pressure and the ridicule, and if the suits decide that he’s earned an extra year, I won’t be able to grudge him it. (Let’s see how the next three games go, though, before we assume that’s likely.)
However. I’m not going to agree with Greenlight that Average is part of the turnaround. Looking at the body language of the players as they came off on Saturday, I still don’t feel he has their full respect. Maybe he deserves their respect, maybe they’re being as unfair on him as we are, who knows: but I don’t think he has it. It was very touching to see his incredible relief when he sank to his knees last night, but did anyone else think how alone he looked? It was a fan’s reaction, the kind of thing you’d do if you were watching the game at home on the telly: he didn’t seem to be sharing it with the team, or they with him. Anyway, that’s all circumstantial evidence, but in essence I don’t see that something has happened in the team which can plausibly be put down to him — unless you argue that for some reason his message finally got through to the players last Saturday, after not quite getting through from September through most of April.
It’s the short memories thing. We’re giving him credit now because we feel good (ahhhh the sex). We’re giving him tons of credit because we feel *really* good (mmmmm do that thing again, ooo yeah, like that). Just like we all unloaded on him at the end of the Wigan game because we felt miserable (what headache???).
So, after the cold shower, I’m not convinced (still) that he’s a good manager for this team.
But. You just can’t argue with results like those last two. So if he stays, I won’t be able to complain. He’s earned that much, no argument from me.
Of course there are three games to go, and after them everyone will have a different set of results not to be able to argue with.
My opinion on Grant stays the same as it was from 14 of July 2007. He is not the manager for Chelsea.
Have to agree with Syed and said it on the Guardian blog this morning:
Drogba is the best big-game player in Europe, bar none.
The Drog is an absolute monster; if he stays in that kind of mood until May 21, we’re in with a cracking chance.
as long as he has his stabalisers with him he is good.
Q - who moans more Jimmy Floyd or DD?
Jimmy was the only player who wouldscore and then moan about something but i have to admit i did love that crazy dutchman.
All liverpool fans i know are p/t chelsea fans now - they HATE man u - hence why the 2 clubs would never do business together.
Jimmy probably moaned and dived every bit as much as Drogba. Imagine those two together?
What do Clive’s Scousers have to say about the game and atmosphere? ‘You can stick your fucking history up your arse’ was long overdue.
I’d say Jimmy and Drogs were about equal, and whilst the former was one hell of a goalscorer, he wasn’t even 10% the footballer that Drogs is.
Like a man with an empty pants drawer clawing through the old laundry basket for an old pair that might be wearable, I spent half of last nights game casting around for coping strategies that might help when the inevitable happened and it all went tits.
But it didn’t and I can hardly believe it. As often happens with the witch or vampire at the end of those films I visibly aged about a 1000 years in seconds when Babble scored.
Well done TG for getting the report out. I believe “Standing on the Edge” played no small part in our victory and will go down in the annals of sports writing.
My only quibble is that as my children grow up and ask to have alphabeti spaghetti how can I feed them something that will always conjur up a vivid picture of Alan Greens arse as I spoon it on to their plates, while gazing into their trusting angelic faces.
Well done to everyone on the Blog today it makes a great read.
One concern is that with Marco going yesterday and now Jose, unlike Napoleon, we appear to be losing the troops before we get to Moscow.
your right JD but my word i have never seen a player hit the ball as hard as jimmy.
He was a player you had to see live just to appreciate how F’ing fast the ball went and for so long!!
Best. Chelseablog. EVER.
@ LTB [60]
Phew! I was about to try to write what you said in most of your points above but was beginning to fell like a heretic as I haven’t been able to comment today till now and my euphoria has been tempered with a slight apprehension.
Everything you say about Grant is, I think, spot on, and an excellent extension of the sex/feel-good analogy btw. I’m not convinced, yet, but happy to give a share of the credit to him for the last two results. *Doffs hat to AG*
I think it was the catharsis of actually overcoming them in a semi-final after the last two, that was such a high. Some great performances from the boys as others have noted, and some very personal moments for Frank and DD sharply focused to boot. I also hope their is more to come of that ‘fiery urgency’.
An unforgettable European NightTM at the Bridge that made the banner that someone mentioned about history being made all the more poignant, I think I saw that it was in ‘65 that Liverpoo last lost a euro semi-final, so I hope history continues to be made in Moscow and that my reservations are swept away with more results and emphatic performances like last night.
Ten years ago, we played Bolton at the Bridge on the last day of the season and relegated them. A couple of weeks later, we went to Stockholm…
And I’d also like to apologise to the makers of alphabet spaghetti for completely destroying their sales amongst Chelsea fans.
STFU Jonathan! The alphabeti spag line has had me, my mates and even my old mum pissing ourselves over it. It was brilliant.
Too bad Mourinho is no longer at the club, I would be very proud to have a Portuguese winning the CL with a foreign club!
Best of lucks in Moscow.
FYI, I have 2 tickets, category 2, to sell for a nice price.
If anyone is interested, please contact me at:
cajo_vcambra at yahoo dot com
Absolutley delighted. Every single player was a hero today. There’s not much to say about the game that hasn’t been said, so instead i’d like to argue with your choice of MOTM! Frank Lampard? What game were you watching? The lad is a Cheslea hero, but last night he was virtually anonymous. Yes he has balls. yes he took a high pressure penalty. Yes his mum just died. Honestly, i’d be rather annoyed if he had have missed it. Everyone is going on like he’s the first person ever to have a mother die. He’s not, and to be honest i find it rather cringeworthy. Nobody made this much of a deal when Dirk Kuyts father died recently. Why not?
We won. Lets celebrate! But for gods sake Didier Drogba was MOTM by a mile!
i think ze german was. hile ballack
Lampard was superb first half, and there’s no shame in a bit of sentimentality and thanks to one of our key players for the last six years.
@ FBM - 75. So a bit of sentimentality crept in. Sue me :-)
Now then, now then, this is a Chelseablog, for Chelsea people. We don’t want any trouble here!
In my view he played a good game, kept the midfield together and showed some tigerish tackling, which is unusual for him. With respect to Ze German who I’ve no doubt would have scored, Frank did not let his emotion get in the way and took a penalty that Ballack would have ticked as perfect. I like to think of us as his extended family as I would anyone at Chelsea, and if Liverpool mfans didn’t make a noise about Kuyts Dad then that’s their issue.
Like I said it could have been any from 4 or 5 last night but MoTM isn’t about goals alone so my conscience remains clear and the decision stays.
@72 JD
To compensate could we perhaps offer them first refusal on my new breakfast cereal product?
Riise and Sh*te
(trademark applied for)
It is basically a flaky bran product.
I wondered if you would license me the “Soapy Ferret” image for a small consideration. I feel he could be as big as Tony the Tiger.
Do you think I’m on the right track with this or perhaps I’m heading in the wrong direction……..
Oh suit yourselves….
@79 BB - presumably there will be a range of free plastic sticks to go with the Sh*te?
you could have the free toy as a “runners up medal”
I may be clutching at straws, but I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that all major trophies could end up with a team that wears blue. We know one of the FA Cup winners will be, possibly Rangers if they progress this evening, and of course us for the PL and CL.
You heard it here first, you can put your mortgage on it!
clive that is an amazing fact! you have far too much time on your hands!
clive that is an amazing fact! you have far too much time on your hands!
Yes I know, ;-) and I’m going to prefix my name with blue until the 21st May, we should all follow suit, you know it makes sense!
PS I’m looking forward to Peter doing it. ;-)
Seriously Clive - that is rediculous
All aboard the blue showboat
Yeah, baby.
They say that patience is a virtue. Chelsea fans have waited and waited and waited, and finally, we have a place in the Champions League final. It has arrived via two fantastic strikes from our much maligned striker Didier Drogba, a penalty from Frank Lampard and a fortuitous own-goal in the first leg. But even the most delusional Liverpool fan would be hard pressed to justify saying that we did not deserve to win overall. Cuz. We. Did.
We made by far the brighter start last night, dominating the midfield through Ballack and Makelele and Kalou, Lampard and Ashley Cole playing in a neat left-hand triangle. I couldn’t stop laughing when Drogba scored and then pointedly celebrated in front of Rafa Benitez. Aside from him slagging off Drogs for diving being akin Keira Knightley having a go at someone for being thin (because all Torres and Gerrard are such saints), it had the ironic effect of inspiring/provoking Drogba to give one of his best performances for Chelsea, and by far his most pertinent.
After half time, however, it looked like we’d had momentarily slipped into their “score a goal, let the opposition equalise” regime that has been taking its toll all too frequently under AG. Whatever Benitez said to his players seemed to have taken effect, because Liverpool looked much fresher in the second half. Considering that they had rested key players at the weekend in their Premiership match against Birmingham, a luxury our Chelsea boys couldn’t afford as we had, you know, other commitments too as we didn’t crap up in the league, this is not altogether surprising, but major alarm bells rang when Yossi Benayoun dovetailed around the wing to seek out the otherwise anonymous Fernando Torres, who shot past Cech. The Chelsea Champions League balloon was beginning to deflate temporarily.
Fatigue was taking its toll on us. John Terry looked tired. Michael Ballack was limping. Avram Grant took off the lively Kalou for the more composed Malouda and Nicolas Anelka on for Joe Cole to inject some much-needed pace into our side. But Chelsea could not go into attack fully, knowing that conceding another goal to Liverpool would mean they would have to score two. And it was too big a risk to take for Chelsea. The match, which had started out so promisingly for us, was scarily becoming another case of how to defend.
But it was Liverpool that cracked first. Thank God that Sami Hyypia fouled Michael Ballack in the penalty area. With ice-cool precision in the face of the good penalty saver Pepe reina, Lampard sent us 2-1 up. Lampard’s penalty, unlike Cristiano Ronaldo’s last week, was completely on target, completely well-struck, completely vital. To even play for Chelsea following such a huge tragedy shows what a great professional he is. To score a penalty, under such pressured conditions, shows what a great player he is. His heartfelt tribute to his mother shows what a great man he is.
Anyway, Chelsea won, fair and square. Liverpool were crap, Torres is a 10 year old girl, stevie Me sux etc etc etc. We now have two crucial Premier league matches before a date in Moscow with premiership rivals Manchester Utd. We had the beating of them last weekend, and our players will be elevated by this to go on win it. Chelsea have everything to look forward to now; and nothing to fear.
Man of the Match: Frank Lampard
But will people think they are seeing double double if they see entries by Blue Blue Bayou or BlueBlueBoy Dave etc?
Interesting that! Here in America NY Giants won the Super Bowl (trained at Cobham earlier in the season before playing Miami in Wemberly!) and Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA basketball tournement, all wear BLUE!!!!
What else to say about the match? All has been said.
Everyone was bloody brilliant, end of!!
For me Lamps edges it by an inch over Drogs for MOTM as he did provide some sublime passes through the Poo defence in the first half. Didi should have scored on his first one on 19 minutes and of course the one to Kalou for the first goal. Two that comes to mind. Drogs was awsome mind, and I just knew he would be after Tubby’s comments before the match. Cheers Tubby!!
As for the negatives (being picky here) we let in their first two goals at the Bridge to the thieves under Tubby in eight tries and one to the PurpleNose lot on Saturday in four years, was it? I know i know who cares, yeah? But still!
And although I will give AG kudos for helping us to this position with three matches to go, I still do NOT think he is the one to take us to the next level and for the future. Only now I do’t have as much issue with him stepping upstairs rather than just leaving.
I will reconsider this position if somehow he has pulled off the double, as just keeping that kind of luck on your side is potentially the end of that discussion.
CAREFREE…………….
And just to add to the blue theme Zenit FC who also play in blue, are currently playing Bayern Munich in the other semi final are winning 3-0 and 4-1 on aggregate.
It must be a sign - even if Rangers mess up, Fiorentina play in purple which is of course a mixture of BLUE (and red)- so near enough….
The adrenalin has run out. I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ll think about the Blue Omen stuff whilst heavily investigating the inside of my eyelids tonight.
But that CFC Logo tattoo might just be a step closer……….
I’m off for some cheese on toast. And no it isn’t Blue cheese!
Aaah…change the name and suddenly I’m moderated!
Change it back Tony you won’t be moderated for long.
Looks like one team in blue in the UEFA cup final already
What a beautiful beautiful beautiful day. Drogba solidified himself as an absolute Chelsea legend yesterday and Frank Lampard reminded us why he’s been one for so many years. Can Avram do the big one on the 21st? I’ll be pulling for him louder than ever.
Anyone got a link to the photo mentioned in comment no. 50 of Lampard, Drogba and Carvalho, the one taken after Lamps’ penalty?
I think the photo Emerald Blue refers to was in the Sports section of today’s Guardian — unfortunately I’ve lost mine already. There is something classical about Riccy generally (except when he just looks dopey) — perhaps it’s the way he stands very very straight, and the high forehead, and the generally tranquil expression. Even when he’s going in to kneecap someone he looks very stoical about it.
Nick - I have the copy in todays Guardian…..i’ll see how it scans and send it on. It might need cropping, but I’m sure a software whizz like you can deal with that.
One thing about Avram Grant, as a conclusion, he is not the special one, but he is - “THE FORTUNATE ONE”. He is not a good coach nor good tactician. So, hopefully the Headlines will label him as “THE FORTUNATE ONE”. Even a lot of fans did not enjoy his team selections at times, his substitutions at times, but the result is fortunately- FORTUNATE. Found out that we all enjoy his fortunate fortune and as a fan we should take this positively since we may not have someone as special as JM or someone with better tactical knwoledge. But, hell!!! Just enjoy the moment of fortune with Chelsea this year with the strength of players we have in this team, their determination plus AG’s fortunate tactics, will result more win for chelsea. Hopefully, AG’s fortunate tactics and our players strong determination will help Chelsea grab one or both cup title. Hail AG’s the Fortunate Ones and our players strength combined as one…!!! Hail Chelsea!!!
I have indeed, Nick:
http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....ys/2-1.jpg
I think Emerald Blue is refering to The Guardian’s pic, where it was taken from a slightly different angle, but it’s the same image. Gorgeous.
I’ve also got:
- Torres crying: http://i30.tinypic.com/o7pz86.jpg
- Drogba tauting Benitez: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....ys/7-2.jpg
- nice one of Lamps: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....s/12-2.jpg
- All the boys together: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....862558.jpg
- Lamps kissing his armband: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....90pw2e.jpg
- Drogs and Lampard holding each other: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....833981.jpg
- Ecstatic JT: http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....oys/25.jpg
Chelsea 4 Barcelona 2, Chelsea 4 Bayer Munich 2, Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2
Take your pick guys. Which was the most epic European game we had at The Bridge?
Those are great photos Emma, thanks for sharing :-)
Success! Found the exact pic.
http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....oys/14.jpg
@ Emma…boy you’re good :-)
Nick…I won’t bother scanning now!
I’ve been grinning like a Cheshire Cat all day..
Great review TONY, even if it was a tad seedy! LOL
We’ll go on to win now, i just know it! I honestly didn’t expect us to get to the final but now we’re there i’m confident we’ll give Man Ure a well deserved beating! I’ll be ecstatic just to see the smug grin wiped off McFergie’s arse..sorry…face. The look on his ugly mush at the final whistle last night said it all really, he wanted a Scum v Man U final because of the divide?! F***ing liar! He wanted them in the final because he knew there’d be a chance of winning the cup, no other reason!
Even the Scousers and Arsenal fans are behind us on this one..BRING IT ON!!!
I was in tears again this morning when i saw Frank taking his pen and then kissing his armband. YOU ARE A LEGEND FRANK AND YOU’RE ALWAYS MY MOTM..
Thanks again Chelsea boys for getting us to where we’ve wanted to be for so long..i finally know now what love is!!
Up the Chels xxx
@ EMMA
What you trying to do to me?! I’ve got tears streaming down my face!!!
Thank you, Emma. Marvellous.
Someone with better Photoshop skills than me could do something special with an image like that.
That picture I think has summed up the game and Chelsea, enough said!
59 images from last night here :
http://theblues.chelseafc.com/.....semi.htm?2
If the link doesn’t work, I found it at the bottom of the interview with MB on the CFC official website
Ok, compare Emma’s pic —
http://i191.photobucket.com/al.....oys/14.jpg
with this –
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.c.....-pieta.jpg
Am I just being creepy/obsessive/weird? Or is Frank actually God?
Name change.
ermm..just showing off my bluename to enter into the blue bandwagon.
Thanks for the pics Emma and Stephen! thanks :)
Am I just being creepy/obsessive/weird? Or is Frank actually God?
@ BLUE LTB
Yes to both!!
I’m loving the blue theme here guys! It’s fuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!
Thanks for everyone that are sailing on the good blue ship lollipop (your name gets everywhere lolli) Lets keep it going at least until the 21st!!
I’m still waiting to see a post from Peter with his name change ;-)
@ BLUECLIVE
The good blue ship lollipop? I LIKE IT!!!!
Yeah, where’s Peter?!
Oh, Emma(103)… That pic made me cry too… OMG! Can someone lend me a hankie?