tlax25

I don't think there is a conspiracy - at least I like to believe there isn't, otherwise what is the point. I think it is pretty clear though that Platini does not like the success of English teams all that much. Having said that, I am appalled UEFA reuses to make any comments on ref decisions, or make refs available to the media after a match. If the manager and players must answer questions s to why they made poor decisions, so should the ref. BUT, CFC would not be dragged through the mud nearly so much if Drogba and Ballack did not act like idiots after the match. Passion for the club is one thing, and a thing I appreciate, but there is also something for professionalism and both Ballack and Drogba stepped over the line. I wonder why few in the media are not reporting that JT went to the Barca dressing room after the game and shook each players hand???

Hah. I watched the game at my local here in Chicago and there were a lot more Barca fans than Chels. They knew they got lucky and one of them even said we were the better side yesterday. All Barca did in all that possession was pass the ball laterally across the midfield. As soon as the ball came into our third, we closed them down very quickly. The first 70 minutes was the finest, most organized CFC team defense I have seen in three years. Barca finally started playing some long balls out to the wings in the final 20 minutes which opened us up a little, but not much. Yeah, all that possession meant a lot....

I think there will be a pretty big clearing out this summer - I only with Guus was not one of them! As for players, I think for certain that Belletti, Deco, Ferreira, Drogba, Ballack will be gone. I used to think Malouda as well, but the last month or so he has been really playing (though I am not convinced yet). Hopefully some players out on loan will also be shipped off permanently, mainly Pizzaro and Scheva. We might also lose Anelka, which would to me would be no great shakes since he seems to rarely perform in big, big games. That would leave us needing at least 2 strikers. A winger. 2 or 3 midfielders and a left back, at least. Don't even know who we would bring in. I just pray we are not seriously considering bringing Trezugat.

The first three (Malouda, Drogba and Pique handball) were an absolute disgrace not to be called and make me think just maybe Platini really does have it in for English clubs (not one for conspiracy theories usually, but really, how can both ref and linesman miss those first three?). The last two...would have been very dodgy if awarded, but could have been. I understand emotions in the heat of the moment and glad that Ballack and Drogba showed such passion. I just wish they might have done it a little more professionally, say in the press conference afterwards. Either way, gutted about the whole thing. Not just the disgraceful ref decisions, but also in the missed chances. We could, and should have, scored another from open play.

I think it is clear that at the start of the 2007 season Jose had lost some interest in being Chelsea's manager. He no longer got excited by big goals, he hardly ever got off the bench anymore. And I think that is because certain players were forced on him and Roman and Buck and the board would not give him complete control over player transfer decisions. So in a sense I think Buck gives us 40% of the truth but doesn't explain why Jose probably felt it was time to leave. We can only guess what might have been had Jose been given full authority. Maybe some of those draws last year would have been wins and we would have won the league again? Who knows. But certainly buck is not being 100% honest.

As much as I think I want Jose back I can't see it happening. Besides, Jose was not very successful in buying players for us. He brought us Essien and Ballack (if Jose wanted Ballack, never really sure about that). That might be his best signings, and only really good signing. Everyone else important to this club. But more often than not he was a loser in the transfer market. CR was brought much more important players to CFC. Still, I would love to have Jose back.

I am not sad to see Grant go but didn't have the hatred of him either. Clearly he was in over his head. Paraphrasing Michael Ballack in his pre UCL final interview "Normally the Manager has a lot to do. Tactics, training, game planning. But we are a big club with lots of big players who have experience playing in big games with a lot of pressure so the Manager really doesn't have to do much but take care of substitutions.". Grant, as an earlier poster mentioned, was successful because of what Jose and Clarke built. He did not bring more entertaining or beautiful football, and he did not sign anyone significant for us in the January transfer window. Grant seems like a nice enough fellow, but not capable of managing such a big club. As to who to get to replace him I really have no idea. Laudrap does not impress me. His record is marginal as a Manager. Eriksson? No thanks. Mancini maybe, but then we certainly will not get free flowing, exciting football. Maybe winning football, which would work for me. Hiddink? Again, no thanks. Whoever is chosen though has to be somebody to that brings stability and a long-term commitment to CFC. Someone who can help build the youth teams and manage a club of superstars. Who is that person? I have no idea. This should be an interesting summer to be a Blues fan.

What can be said? I just want to add my perspective, from across the Atlantic, in Chicago. I have been a CFC supporter since 1997, when football was first aired on television, mostly in pubs, here in the States. I was always a football fan, but not having access to watching games regularly, well, I never had a team. Until the 1997 FA Cup comeback win against Liverpool. Since then I have been die hard Blue and have been to several games at the Bridge. I will not be calling anyone out today. Rather I would like to reflect on the season that was. Today truly gutted me. This season has been one of ups and downs, highs and lows. Todays game could have been won by either team. Were it not for the heroics of Cech it would have been over early. Were it not for the woodwork, twice, CFC might have ended it in regulation time. No one can be blamed. I feel everyone gave their all in the game. And while I might never have wanted to see Malouda on the pitch today, he was ok. It was just one of those things that you cannot account for. 98/100 JT scores that penalty, I am sure of it. But for whatever reason - fate, the rain soaked pitch, who knows - he hit the woodwork. What can you do? The elation I felt at Ronaldo's miss was only equaled by the dispair I felt seeing JT miss. As much as I wish it were different, and as much as I loathe seeing the Mancs win, there is nothing I feel, that was done incorrectly in this game. Both sides played hard and played well. This season has been much like today. Lows followed by highs followed by the lowest of lows. I can't recall, in my 12 seasons of following CFC, a season like this one. This season tested many, not least of which has been the supporters. I know we are going to lose some of our favorites in this close season. Riccy? Lamps? Essien? Cech? Who knows. Anything is possible. I only know this. I cannot wait for the 08/09 Prem season to start, to get to the Bridge this Fall and wear my Blue shirt again, sit in the Matthew Harding stand and sing as CFC once again takes to the pitch.

out: Grant SWP Malouda Sidwell Ben Haim Mikel Obi Shevchenko Pizzaro Beletti Drogba - Doesn't seem interested in CFC anymore and probably leaving anyway. Lampard - probably leaving. Don't want to see him go. In: 2 strikers 2 wingers 1 left back Don't know who we go after. Should be a busy off season, and interesting.

Well, I am probably going to get stick, but CFC v. liverpool is the last thing I wanted to see happen in the CL. Not only do we seem to not be able to beat them in the CL, the games are almost always a complete bore and terrible football. The only CL game that was entertaining, for me, was the goal-that-never-happened game. I am resigned to seeing the scousers in Moscow in May. For some reason we never play our best football against liverpool, especially in the CL.

I agree with everything but #4. Ballack has been great this season. He is a massive presence in the midfield and has scored some big goals for us this season. I just hate that he sometimes gives the ball away with errant passes. But he works hard every game and for me has been one of Chelsea's best players this season. SWP, Malouda, Sheva can all go for all I care. Waste of space. And some of the players who look completely disinterested right now, like they can't be bothered, are starting to annoy me. Essien is prime example of that.

Grant aside, we are missing a lot of the elements that made the first season under Jose so entertaining and why we won so much. We are missing any speed on the wings when we used to be able to call on from Cole, Duff and Robben. And I know some will consider this hearsay, but Lampard and Terry have not been playing well at all, when healthy, which for Terry has not been all that often the last two seasons. Right now we have no one, other than JC who can create any kind of danger on the wing. We are slow and predictable, plodding through the middle or playing long balls. We have made some terrible buys in the last couple of years, and let some strong players go and it is finally catching up to us. I agree with what many have said, we need to make a lot of personnel changes i the summer. Bring some speed to the team again.

Why should Grant be given a chance? What has he done in his career to merit one? Coached a couple of Israeli sides to Championships? Big deal. What other club, who claims to be world class, would ever select Grant to manage their team? The Mancs? The Arse? Liverpool? Milan? Real? Never. And Roman promising another 100 million pounds for transfers means nothing when no one of quality is going to want to come to play for Grant. Hell, I think we will be lucky to retain some the current stars on our team in the off season, like Essien, Ballack, Cech, RC and a few others. It is time Grant either leave the club, or move back to his Director of Football position where he can sit with his buddy Roman in the Directors box and not do anything to hurt the team. I think our club, with Grant in charge, are in real danger of falling apart and completely losing the winning ways that JM had instilled in the club the last couple of years. Was it pretty football under JM? No. But we did win and that counts for a lot. We need a top class manager and soon.

I agree with all here. Grant is not the right man for the job and yesterday only proved the point. Why didn't JC start? Why did Grant play Anelka wide? As far as I know Anelka has never played wide before and it showed. He was a complete non-factor in the game. I was willing to give Grant some time, after I got over JM leaving. However, clearly he has done nothing to improve the club to date. We still play boring, boring football and now we are not even winning anything. I think I fell asleep watching the television during the Liverpool game it was so boring. Granted, Grant has had to deal with a lot of injury problems and the ANC, but for me, we need to get a top manager in who can motivate the players (and they seem to be lacking motivation right now) like JM and also try and get us to play some more entertaining football.