Wxgba

Thanks to those that have voted for me, albeit only a few. I haven't spent a sufficient amount of time on the forum over a long enough period to be able to formulate an accurate judgement, though there are a few categories where I feel I can offer a worthwhile nomination. Best newcomer: capriccioso. Best article writer: BlueLion. Best graphics designer: Jim. Best staff member: Steve. Most-liked forumer: Sh0nex. Wisest forumer: middleoftheshed. Biggest contributor: Strike. Oh, and anyone that has the cheek to use my avatars and not vote for me as "Best graphics designer", well, I hope you die a slow and painful death... (You hear me, Strike?)

Loving the new banners. Top notch.

Not learned much from that performance other than our timid line-up may have proven costly in the race for fourth. What it does show is that our back-up players are still not good enough and I hope tonight has served as a welcome reminder to Roman that we still need investment this summer. A morale boost can only improve the team so far - without an influx of quality in the transfer market we'll be back to square one... again. The performance lacked intent and incisiveness going forward, which hasn't been the case recently. That said, I don't think I've ever seen two goals (from the same man!) that are so deserving to win a football match. Papiss Cissé is the signing of the season, and I really hope that - should we fail to win in Munich - Newcastle pip Spurs to that final Champions League spot. We could take a leaf out of their [scouting] book - adept signings all across the board. It also goes to prove how influential January signings can be. We can't complain too much, though. We're all aware that our squad, as a whole, is less than adequate and needs changes in the close season. We're still in two cup finals and can finish the season on a massive high. Onwards and upwards.

Let me enlighten you on a solitary reason why we may not have encouragement from Spurs' trip to the Reebok: 1. As bad as Spurs have been playing, Bolton are fucking woeful. I'm against kicking someone whilst their down to begin with, never mind when they're finally showing obtainable signs of promise.

Difficult one, this. Two names instantly came to mind: Ollie and Strike. With Strike showing me up with his writing ability, I'll go for him! Good work all round though, guys. Keep it up.

When it rains, it pours...

When it rains, it pours...

A soggy pitch wasn't enough to dampen the spirits surrounding Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. Chelsea were clinical in front of goal, making it a day to forget for poor Rangers 'keeper, Paddy Kenny. Queens Park Rangers came into the fixture holding the worst away record in the Premier League, and they showed no signs of altering that statistic. They were devoid of attacking intent, and were poor defensively. When you're neither of the aforementioned - especially away from home - then there's little hope of coming away with anything. That being said, Chelsea hadn't succeeded in beating any London rivals in their previous league encounters, so perhaps could take optimism from that. Their performance proved otherwise, however. Chelsea's hectic schedule and unfortunate injury problems saw six changes to the team that started in Barcelona on Tuesday night. The most notable changes being Jose Bosingwa starting the game where he left off in the Camp Nou, at centre-half, leaving Paulo Ferreira to fill in at full-back, and Fernando Torres occupying the lone striker role. However, it was the return of Daniel Sturridge that broke the deadlock within the first minute of the game. A rare attempt on goal with his weaker foot caught Kenny off-guard and having to pick the ball out of the back of his net before the clock had even reached 60 seconds. The Blues bewildered QPR's defence and found themselves 4-0 up before the half-hour mark. The man in the spotlight, Mr. John Terry, offered his celebratory apologies when he doubled the score. Torres then bagged two in ten minutes to ultimately define the outcome of the game. Chelsea had barely reached second gear when the game was no longer a contest. The second-half saw more sightings of QPR's goal for the home side, who managed to tuck away two more opportunities, leaving the dumbfounded R's defence six goals behind. Rangers' only real threat on the day was the ex-however-many-clubs-he's-played-for, Djibril Cissé, who denying Petr Cech of a cleansheet to accompany yet another faultless performance. The goal, and even shot-shy Torres of times gone by seems to be reinvigorated by his late goal in the Camp Nou the other night. He looks like a completely different player to the one we saw a month or so ago. What a turn around. Rarely would we see signs of happiness from the Spaniard, but it was smiles all round on Sunday afternoon. The hunger was there; the confidence was there; and most importantly; the cool, calm and collected finisher of old seems to be there. Has Torres finally relieved the massive weight of his price-tag off his shoulders with that crucial goal against Barcelona? I certainly hope so! Although Torres' first hat-trick is a topic I'm sure we'd all love to discuss for hours on end, we mustn't dismiss the importance of his colleagues in all this. Petr Cech seems to have regenerated his form from a few seasons ago and finally looks comfortable and demanding once again. The Ashley Cole that was coasting a few months back is now playing like a captain. Bosingwas has proven himself to be a more than useful centre-half. Whoever deemed him a right-back in the first place?! The languid, lethargic Lampard of recent times has received a new lease of life, and is once again the driving force of our midfield. Finally - last but not least - the meticulous, midfield maestro that is Juan Mata. Or God. Or both. Although his ongoing battle against fatigue is blatantly evident, he still has to play, being the pivotal playmaker that he is. Conclusively, it was a nice, Sunday afternoon stroll in the park. We were rarely tested defensively and managed to carve their defence open at our free will. However, we must take into account the calibre of opposition we were up against. Our feet must stay firmly on the ground, particularly with Newcastle United - themselves fighting for a Champions League spot - coming to the Bridge tomorrow night. Fourth spot, here we come! Click here to view the article

Oh no, don't worry, you're not out of the loop - I was merely speculating.

All transfers are a gamble, and what young player doesn't show signs of inconsistency? He still has a lot to learn, but he's not going to develop much more as a player in Ligue 1. Bigger clubs will have up and coming youngsters on their radars, and I for one hope we take a risk on one or two of these so-called 'unproven' talents plying their trade in the less competitive European leagues. He's a flair player, who will link well with the likes of Mata and Marin. The formation we've settled on suits us down to the ground, and with Belhanda coming in, he could go straight into the starting eleven. Torres/Sturridge Marin -- Mata -- Belhanda Ramires -- Mikel/Romeu Bertrand -- Cahill -- Terry/Luiz -- Right back Cech For me, that's a force to be reckoned with. I'd like to have other quality players to rotate Marin, Mata and Belhanda with, but other than that, the starting eleven would be a pretty strong outfit. I know the chances of that line-up becoming reality are very slim, but in football, you can never be certain!

Quite surprised with the reaction to the article, in fairness. The purpose of the article was to highlight our fighting spirit, not John Terry's moment of madness. Within the article, I rarely mention the Terry incident - not to the magnitude you'd expect given the title of the piece, anyway. I only opted for the title as it would receive interest, as is the case with the majority of articles posted across the web. Although I was in a state of disbelief at JT's actions in the aftermath of the game, our resilience and fight are the points that should be highlighted by the media. Unfortunately, our "anti-football" tactics and Terry's dismissal are things that have spent time in the limelight. John Terry is a living legend, and it's very rare that we, as fans, can criticise him. I will never deny him of gratification for his commitment and devotion to the club, but the mistake he made could have been costly. I know speaking retrospectively doesn't change or affect anything now, but I'm sure you'd not be quite as public showing your support for our captain had his sending off sent us embarrassingly out of the competition.

Captain. Leader... Let down. That night in Barcelona will be a night for Chelsea fans to hold in their memory until their death. Overcoming the odds not once, but twice. Man-handling Messi, making Iniesta ineffective, excluding Xavi... not many teams can say they've done that against Barcelona in two consecutive games! Let's be honest, we were up against it from the outset. I'm sure Guardiola came to Stamford Bridge for the first leg with the impression that his team will break the Chelsea backline, leaving a relatively easy second leg for his side to stroll through in second gear. Plan A soon came to a halt, though, when the Blues battled out a 1-0 victory over the Catalan outfit. They'd failed in securing a crucial away goal, and they were made to pay. All their dominance, of possession, of the better chances, paid no dividends as Didier Drogba - as he so often seems to do - scored the goal to give Chelsea the upper hand going into the second half of the tie. Bare in mind that was our only shot on target and Drogba's only touch in their eighteen-yard box all game - it just goes to prove how clinical you have to be on such important occasions. Travelling to the Nou Camp has never been an easy feat and it left Chelsea an uphill climb going into the second leg, even though, on paper, they had the upper hand. However, what must have given Chelsea confidence was the fact that, no matter how fierce Barca are going forward, they always hold an air of vulnerability at the back. Chelsea were always going to be offered a chance or two, their chances of qualification rested upon these chances that were made available few and far between. Thankfully, Di Matteo's restored confidence into the camp, and that will to fight was ever-present across both legs. The first notable point of discussion came in the first five minutes, where Messi meandered through the Chelsea defence, only to find the side-netting. The next falling a mere ten minutes into the game. No, not a goalscoring opportunity: an injury to Cahill. A catastrophic end to the tie for Cahill, who encapsulated the Chelsea spirit in the first meeting of the two sides. On came Bosingwa... I know what you were all thinking at this point - I was thinking the same, but my gosh did he prove his worth on the night. However resolute the Blues' backline was, it was inevitable that Barca would find an opening every now and again given how well they penetrate. A rare lack of concentration made Chelsea pay, with Cuenca squaring a pass to an unmarked Busquets - of all people - to slot into an open net. Although giving Barcelona the advantage on the night, if left the tie in the balance: 1-1 on aggregate. The only worrying thing for Chelsea fans was that now, even if they could hang on for the next hour, it would take the game into extra time. Another goal was needed, and with Barcelona pushing for their second, their would be gaps that Chelsea may be able to utilise to full effect. With eleven men, that might have been a plausible tactic. Hold on for dear life until we receive the ball, then break quickly on the counter. If need be, Drogba was up their to hold up the ball. However, there was one member of the team that didn't fancy that. Guess who? John fucking Terry. Of all the people, with all the experience, it had to be him that made an idiotic mistake. Yes, Sanchez was rolling about and did need a little sorting out, but at least do it whilst he's got the ball. Talk about making it obvious. I think Terry must have forgotten about the thousands of fans watching, the TV cameras, and then the linesmen and them useless twats behind the net. So that's it, then. 40 minutes gone. One goal down. Now down to ten men. Surely this meant nothing more than a Barcelona victory. Fortunately, the man who Terry passed his armband to as he walked off the pitch, Frank Lampard, envisaged Chelsea going through. He and his other nine colleagues, although battered and bruised, fought until the death and made us Chelsea fans proud. If it wasn't for John Terry's nonsensical knee-to-the-back, then perhaps it would have made the battle that little bit easier. It only took a few minutes after the dismissal for Barcelona to make their advantage pay, with Iniesta making it 2-1. Any other team in that situation would have been happy to play for pride, and to retain the score to an acceptable deficit. Not our lot, though. No, Di Matteo wouldn't allow us to fizzle out and go down without a fight. This new-found resurgence in confidence was epitomised by Ramires' nonchalant chip over Victor Valdes late on in the half. Seemingly nowhere to go, no support, Ramires kept running - as he always does - to find a yard or two of space... and then that moment of magic. He showed his inner-Brazilian there, that's for sure. A fantastic finish that reinstilled hope into the team, leaving the scores tied at 2-2 (on aggregate) on the night. Should the game have finished there, Chelsea would be victorious and mark a momentous achievement in reaching the Champions League final, in Munich. Just one goal was not enough though, not for our number nine. Torres, whose turbulence of late has been nothing less than disappointing, proved to be the match-winner. Chelsea, after all their hard work, were fatigued and had ran their legs into the ground. There was no energy left, just fate. One big punt up the pitch and Torres was clear; one-on-one with Victor Valdes. Torres' torrid spell at the Blues only equated one situation; a glaring miss. But he proved everybody wrong, showing that he still has that bit of class and composure in his locker, to coolly bypass Valdes and slot the ball into an empty net. Game, set, match and most of all... relief for Fernando Torres. All this talk of him being a waste of money? Don't be silly, that goal had just sealed Chelsea a place in the Champions League final. There wasn't too many negatives to take out of the game, other than the fact that the captain of his beloved club let them down when it mattered most. The other, more important negative is that Ivanovic, Meireles and Ramires all picked up cautions on the night, resulting in them missing the final in Munich. Heart-breaking. Not to fear, though, when we've got a rejuvenated centre-half in Jose Bosingwa! In all seriousness, it was a great result and performance. We were finally able to avenge 2009, and what made it that little bit sweeter was the fact that, all things considered, we didn't need the away goal rule to put us through. We're going to be up against it, yet again, in Munich, with our opponents effectively having it as a home game, but I believe. Ashley Cole believes. Di Matteo believes. All the team believes, and that is what matters. Let's make that night in Munich happen.

A valid point that, Alex, but I'm not so sure whether the submission that I have posted for Marcel Desailly is as good as the first write-up. In my head, it isn't.

That kind of effort is exactly why you're so well respected across the board, Steve. Very much appreciated, mate - cheers.

Don't want to double post in the 'Ex Blues Database' topic so I've opted for here instead. I've finished the Desailly entry, I just wasn't sure on the date of his debut for us, nor was I sure how to work the formatting so the paragraphs in the first section aren't visible. If anyone feels like editing it so it looks nice and tidy, feel free! I'll post a reasoned article on our performances over two legs tomorrow when I'm in a more suitable frame of mind. I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement at the minute, never mind focus on an article.

You can shove your tiki-taka up your arse... you can shove your tiki-taka up your arse... you can shove your tiki-taka, shove your tiki-taka, shove your tiki-taka up your arse! Up your arse!

So pissed off right now. Just spent the best part of an hour researching and writing a submission on Desailly, only for me to accidentally press a button that wipes it all... Brilliant. I'll get one up before the game tonight, though.

Regardless of what happens come the end of the season, Di Matteo's situation needs to be analysed critically and in a lot of detail; not just a knee-jerk reaction depending on whether he's brought silverware back to Stamford Bridge come May. In the unlikely circumstance that we were triumphant in Munich should we get there, I think Roman will instantly offer him the job on a full-time basis. However, there's a lot more to consider when choosing the "right man", particularly when preparing for future, long-term success. There's all this talk about "Barcelona did it with Guardiola, why can't we?" and that there's "no-one better out there that is available". How do we know there's nobody more suitable for the role out there, somewhere amidst managerial obscurity? Barca did nurture Guardiola in to the manager that he is today, yes, but that won't be the case for every former player. Di Matteo's a legend amongst the stands, and I'm sure he'd like to keep it that way. Taking the job could run the risk of dinting his relationship with the board and fans alike. Hypothetically-speaking, what would we, as fans, do if Di Matteo's offered the job in the summer and his terrific turnaround this season is overhauled by torrid turbulence, such as what Liverpool and "King Kenny" are facing currently? It wouldn't leave us in a promising predicament, and both Di Matteo's reputation and our top-four hopes will be taking severe blows. He is a viable option, yes, but I just hope the decision made isn't a rash one. Roman and the board have become prevalent in premature decision-making; I just hope this isn't the case this time around.

Not the greatest of entries but I don't think I'll get chance to submit an entry before the deadline otherwise. I'm aware it's a little messy, and I'd be able to clean it up if I was to win, but I'm not expecting that so there's not much point doing it now.

Why thank you, kind sir. I would write for the forum on a frequent basis if I had a set topic to write about - it's deciding what to discuss that's the difficult task.

We were offensively inept, there's no way anyone can argue against that fact, but we were resolute defensively, and given the drastic changes in the starting eleven, we did look like a unit. We worked as a team in our own half, it's just a shame there wasn't any glimpses of cohesion in their final third. I'm pro-Sturridge and Torres, but yesterday they were below par. Usually, there's the excuse that they've tried hard and put a lot of effort in during the game, but that was seemingly absent throughout - there didn't seem to be any motivation there. You'd think they'd be all guns blazing, fighting for a place in the team that travels to the Nou Camp in a few days time but they were disinterested. Malouda showed signs of his former self and actually looked promising going forward. He worked back well and was one of our better performers yesterday. Kalou does try hard, bless him, but he's never going to establish himself as a first-teamer here as he's simply not good enough. Romeu looked nervous to begin with but soon slotted in nicely back into the middle of the park. The disappointment spurs from the fact that we lacked any attacking ambition, and looked atrocious going forward. We were void of cohesion, and that's something you desperately need as a "big club". Without cohesion, you won't be a big club for long. You need players who work well together, who are able to read and adapt to eachother's games and finally, players who get on both on and off the pitch. As much as I hate to admit it, it's obvious that certain players don't get along off the field - this shouldn't be evident on the pitch as it's a recipe for disaster. Torres doesn't seem to "get along" with many players as they seem to rarely pass the ball to his feet. Yes, they'll play a through ball when they have to, but otherwise they'll opt against it. He doesn't seem to be enjoying his football here at the Bridge: when he scores we see signs of relief as opposed to ecstasy - definitely shouldn't be the case for a striker. Overall, it was a hard-fought result that could have easily swayed either way. A point at the Emirates should never be considered a poor result, but given the opportunities that we had, we ought to be taking full advantage and making a the top four our aim. Spurs slipping up yet again has kept us within contention, but I think Di Matteo's thrown all his eggs into one basket: the Champions League. I hope he succeeds, but I do feel that should his "plan" fail, it could cost him the permanent job, which would be a real shame given the wonders he's worked over the past couple of months.

Jim wins.

Only just stumbled across this with it seemingly having gone off the boil, but good to see it picking up interest once again. I'm more than happy contribute, albeit regularly or occasionally. It's a fantastic idea and if it becomes a success I'm sure the forum will benefit as a result - it's something I definitely want to be involved in, and something I'm more than willing to put my spare time in to. I loved this bit of the preview Sh0nex did: *Sh0nex coughs* "Sorry about that, I am a bit sick." That didn't half make me chuckle. Don't worry about us being "tolerant" with your English either, mate; you're English is just as good, if not better than quite a few of my friends! A question I do have though is what would I need to be able to participate in terms of equipment? I don't have a mic so I'm presuming I'd have to get one, but other than that, would there be anything else I'd require? I'm sure you'd all love my Yorkshire accent...

I know. And he calls himself an Admin? My nan could do a better job!

No doubt the media, along with everyone else out there who seems to dislike Chelsea will go on and on about how we parked the bus for 90 minutes and all that nonsense. Yes, we played extremely defensively to say we were at home, but how else are you going to beat Barcelona? Try and play them at their own game? Don't be ridiculous - we'd get annihilated then! The fact of the matter is that, regardless of popular opinion, Di Matteo got it spot on tonight. It says it all when four of the best players are within the Chelsea defence. Cech, Cole and Terry were solid tonight but Gary Cahill was on another level. He look shaky initially but soon turned it round and produced one of the better individual performances I've seen this season. Drogba, well, what can I say? The man's a fucking machine. Couldn't care less about his 'diving' when he puts in performances like that. He certainly knows how to raise the volume, that lad. A great team ethic and belief was there tonight and was evidently visible - something that hasn't been there since Mourinho's departure - and we only have one man to thank for that: Roberto Di Matteo. He's reinvigorated the winning mentality and has seemingly won the dressing room over. My hat goes off to him as he's done a fantastic job in revitalising the team in just thirteen games. Let's hope for more of the same in the Nou Camp. I'm expecting the double-decker will be utilised to full effect then!