Champions League final prediction

[bozza]

Dodger can i ask you a question?

If your team had just done what Chelsea had done would you not be happy?

Yes they were poor but they found a way to win when the odds were stacked against them.

It wasn't pretty but at the end of the day it won them 2 cups which is what will show in the history books.

By the way i'm not a Chelsea fan but i'd much rather see a English team win than zee Germans.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Yes, they can. Football is NOT all about attacking.

Kell, how would you describe the best team?

Some of Munich's play tonight was superb tonight and at times it was wave after wave for them but when chelsea tried to play good passing football they looked very dangerous. They just didn't do it enough.

1st corner they got after 86mins they scored from.

 

[Kellfire]

Kell, how would you describe the best team?

The team that wins, providing no major refereeing decisions go wrong to cost the game for one team or the other.

Why?

Do you think a team should be able to lose on goals but be awarded the game on performance? :/

 

[Deleted member 1740]

The team that wins, providing no major refereeing decisions go wrong to cost the game for one team or the other.

Why?

Do you think a team should be able to lose on goals but be awarded the game on performance? :/

No I don't, I just don't think you could class chelsea as being the better team tonight just because they won.

They put in a very good shift and took their penalties well that's about it.

The better team doesn't always win that's football.

 

[bozza]

I can see Kellfire's argument here.

Yes Bayern attacked more, had more possesion and more shots on goal but like he says football is not just about attacking.

Chelsea knew with the team they had they couldn't go all out and attack them, just like when they played Barcelona.

It's not pretty football but at the end of the day it got the job done and they have there name on the trophy.

 

[MegaSteve]

Not the greatest of matches... I particularly dislike penalty shootouts...

But a great result... Anytime a PL team wins in Europe is OK by me...

Front wheel skids condemned to ITV of a Thursday... Perfect!

Oh... And no surprise Dodger can't find a good word for the winners...

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I can see Kellfire's argument here.

Yes Bayern attacked more, had more possesion and more shots on goal but like he says football is not just about attacking.

Chelsea knew with the team they had they couldn't go all out and attack them, just like when they played Barcelona.

It's not pretty football but at the end of the day it got the job done and they have there name on the trophy.

So can i, I still don't agree with him though.

Especially as this game was won on pens and let's be honest pens are a lottery.

I'm not trying to put chelsea's victory down though they seen the job through.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Lets face it when you win a European cup, especially your first, your not going to be bothered how you do it. At that stage it's the result that counts. Man U got whacked by Bayern in 1999, but it is one of man U's most famous nights, because of the last 5 minutes.

Dodger's right that a squad that has cost 500 mill to put together, should be a better advert for football than that. The thing with Chelsea over the last 7-8 years is that they can play lovely football at home, but they can also go route one for most of the match, especially away from home, due to Drogba's strength and aerial ability.

This is where Wenger suffers, as he only has plan A, and that only ever gets them to the Q/F's normally. Arsenal will batter teams in the group stages and get some high scores, but go out in the Q/F's most seasons.

Most cheats are the stature of Robben,Suarez,Ribbery which makes it even worse when Drogba and Van nistelrooy go down so easy, when they are so strong when they want to be.

I didn't want Chelsea to win, but congrats to their decent and long serving fans,just not to those horrible ones who spoiled the wembley minutes silence and the bandwagonners. They used to be the most loyal,loudest, best travelling london away fans in the 80's, but sadly most of their fans are no longer of this standard.

They have rode lots of luck getting there (Barca home and away, and tonight), but they have also showed lots of Character against Valencia, napoli at home and also the Barca games to see it through.

 

[Chrimbo]

Chelsea played for penalties from the tenth minute ............. but it won them the champions league and that's all that matters to the team and the fans ........

However it's not the 'beautiful football' Roman Abramovich seeks so expect some major changes in the summer.

 

[arnieboy]

Good shout Liverbirdie. As a Laner I didn't particularly want Chelski to win but the longer it went on, the more the Bayern strikers couldn't hit a barn door, it just felt like Chelski were going to nick the goal back. Lucky? So what!

 

[sawtooth]

Yes, they can. Football is NOT all about attacking.

Sure but great teams defend and attack in equal measures. Chelski parked the bus, invited pressure and rode their luck.

I'm not disputing that winning is not the most important thing but I cant agree that Chelski were the better team on the night.

Put it another way, if it was a boxing match Bayern would have been awarded every round.

But well done to Chelsea they are the champions.

 

[GB72]

To keep with the boxing analogy, there is little point in winning every round if you then get felled with a knockout punch in the dying seconds.

Part of the issue may be the venue. All Chelsea did was play in the way that alot of teams do in the away leg of the knockout stages, focus on defence and try and nick an away goal. It was a massive disadvantage to be playing on Munich's home ground and there may be an argument for the CL final to be played in National stadiums only to ensure a neutral venue.

Whilst I cannot applaud the way in which Chelsea went out to play, it was not surprising given the position that they were in and the players that they had available. Yes they rode their luck but surely it is down to the 'better' footballing side to break down the defensive effort as the top teams in any league have to do against lower and mid table opposition on a weekly basis when their aim is simply to try not to lose.

 

[MegaSteve]

there may be an argument for the CL final to be played in National stadiums only to ensure a neutral venue.

My thoughts exactly or at least have an alternative venue in place should the 'home side' win through to the final...

As the 'away side' part of the reason why Chelsea adopted their win ugly approach maybe...

 

[SS2]

Compare and contrast the Bayern-Chelsea game with the fantastic final in the Heineken cup at Twickenham. Rugby of a very high standard and also a great refereeing performance.

 

[garyinderry]

im with dodger. chelsea are a bore to watch. awful team! rubbish football. i can see past that when we are talking about minnows in the f.a cup but playing like that to win a european cup just plain stinks. when you think of the money they have spent its just awful.

yes dodger, another sad day for football when another team plays like that to win footballs top club prize. bring back replays. that would force a team to play.

 

[birdieman]

I loved the game, CL finals are rarely classics as the prize at stake is too big. Chelsea are European champions and in 5 or 10 year when people look back no-one is going to say it was a poor game, what will be remembered is Drogba's header which was fantastic and his penalty and Robben/Schweinsteiger's misses.

My only disappointment was that the presentation wasn't on the pitch with the platform and all the streamers and stuff you expect.

CL final is back at Wembley next year as UEFA reckon they've done it better than anyone to date, that is a plus for English sides. Can't see a Chelsea repeat but Man City could do it.

 

[pokerjoke]

Well done Chelsea,thats what i say.
Forget about the football and the quality of football,Chelseas name
is on the cup.
Nobody gave them a hope against Barcelona,and a lot thought they had
no chance against Bayern because Bayern were at home.
As for Drogba being a cheat,yes he can be and it Pees me off that
someone that strong can fall over so easy.
It just goes to show he can stay on his feet if he wants to,he never fell
over once last night.
But surely we dont want the Germans to win,unless your Scottish.
Well done Chelsea and especially Di Matteo has turned Chelseas ageing
stars into winners.
Obramavich wanted the champions league,now hes got it he should
reward Di Matteo with a contract.

 

[GB72]

That is one thing that I found a bit odd. Those in charge at Chelsea were all very evasive about the Di Matteo issue last night and today. You cannot tell me that there have not been discussions about whether to appoint him if they won but nobody was willing to go further than 'that is an issue for another day'. Certainly you would have thought that someone would made the evening even better for the manager by saying that the job was his.

I really think that he is not going to get the job and a 'big name' will be appointed or if he does get it then it will be because others have said no.

 

[Liverbirdie]

My thoughts exactly or at least have an alternative venue in place should the 'home side' win through to the final...

As the 'away side' part of the reason why Chelsea adopted their win ugly approach maybe...

UEFA said that they wouldn't allow it again, after the final in Roma's own ground in 1984. As long as the UEFA delegates get their free tickets and their flights etc, they aren't bothered.

 

[CrapHacker18]

Well, I'm an Arsenal fan. I was as unbiased as it's possible to be, coz either result was bad for me.

As it happens I thought Chelsea were outstanding.

All this guff about attacking football is the only football worth watching just proves how lazy the modern football fan has become.

Football has two phases. When you have the ball, and when you don't.

At the beginning of the game, Chelsea had virtually zero possession, and therefore couldn't be expected to shown much attacking acumen.

As the game progressed, Chelsea looked more and more threatening on the counter attack. The team as a whole played great, but I think special note should go to

A) Cole. An absolute tosser, but he played brilliantly on the night.
B) Drogba. Led the line tirelessly. His goal was unstoppable. But for me, the best sign was in the 76th minute. Cole made an attacking run, but the move broke down. The ball was played over the top into the vacant space where Cole should have been. Dogba made the 60 yard run, tracking back to help out the defense, and preventing any danger (For those of you that don't understand, that is called 'good football')
C) Lampard. Has finally accepted his new role, and was outstanding. Making himself available, and rarely missing a pass. He made sure that once Chelsea managed to win back possession, they kept it for as long as possible.
D) Mata. Again, once Chelsea started winning even a little possession, Mata looked very dangerous on the break. Boy, should he have gone to Arsenal, or what.

But apart from them there were loads of good performances:
Cech was at his best for years.
Bosingwa is a player with many critics. He was rarely out of position, and definitely played his part.
Luiz didn't do anything stupid. Which means he played well (It's usually, Luiz played well, except....)
Cahill is now our first choice starter for the Euros
Bertrand did exactly what he was asked.

If you only enjoy watching easy victories, go and watch Celtic next season.

This wasn't that game. This was a competitive, combative game.

And Chelsea deserved to win.

:clap: