Closed Chelsea 1 - 0 Barcelona

[capriccioso 2,545]

You guys, I need some help.

I've been invited to go out on Tuesday night by some very close friends of mine. I've got no reason to turn them down, as Wednesday is a public holiday (the game will be played Wednesday morning Aussie time), so they'll be really, really disappointed if I tell them I'm ditching them for 'soccer'. I can't make them understand the importance of the event, and I won't be able to get home by the time the match starts, either.

What do I do? How can I tell them I don't want to come? I'm considering chucking a sickie, but that will be damn hard to pull off as one of them lives 2 houses away from me.

[Madmax 9,219]

The fact that Lampard didn't look up to locate Ramires before pinging that pass forward is what makes it amazing. He notices the space behind Xavi in the area vacated by Alves and without hesitation plays it in perfectly, trusting Ramires to pop up there. It's not telepathy, they obviously worked on this before the game. Credit to the team management.

[communicate 2,703]

Considering the lineup and the game plan for the away leg, this is what i would propose.

From watching Barca throughout the season, they will be more than eager to try a three man defense leaving Alves to push up as a right mid, leaving Puyol to fill the space. Fact of the matter is, we will barley see any of the ball, but with this method, it gives us a more direct approach to the game which allows us to attack Barca on the counter. When Barca have the ball, as they will for the majority of the match, putting Torres up top leaving Drogba to drop and fill his defensive duties, while Torres attacks the defensive and midfield while they possess will benefit us the most. Out of my experience in watching Barca play, they are most afraid and look vulnerable when someone is attacking their defense when Puyol and Pique have the ball, that is where Torres comes in. With this method, it allows us to get involved with the play rather than sit back and watch Barca come at us similar to the first leg, which i can guarantee they will shove their foot down our throats if we don't have a man pressuring the defense, I.E Torres

I don't think drogba is comfortable playing that deep and also if you watched in the 1st leg, the reason why we can stop them from penetrating our def is because we play 3 dm, taking out one dm and putting a striker instead will be dangerous. Yes with 2 striker we will be more dangerous in counter but we will be very leaky at the back.

[tmessy 139]

Torres or Sturridge have to start alongside Drogba for the 2nd leg imo - in the position Mata occupied in the 1st leg.

Yes, we need that pace an link up play... I've always wanted the Torres drogba combo to be like Hernandez and Rooney; how they play in front of each other in a line not out wide

[capriccioso 2,545]

You guys, I need some help.

I've been invited to go out on Tuesday night by some very close friends of mine. I've got no reason to turn them down, as Wednesday is a public holiday (the game will be played Wednesday morning Aussie time), so they'll be really, really disappointed if I tell them I'm ditching them for 'soccer'. I can't make them understand the importance of the event, and I won't be able to get home by the time the match starts, either.

What do I do? How can I tell them I don't want to come? I'm considering chucking a sickie, but that will be damn hard to pull off as one of them lives 2 houses away from me.

Sigh. I'm committed now because I couldn't think of an excuse. Bye bye biggest game of the season

I shall just have to watch what is uploaded to this site. Steve better not fail!

[Swedish House Mafia 508]

You guys, I need some help.

I've been invited to go out on Tuesday night by some very close friends of mine. I've got no reason to turn them down, as Wednesday is a public holiday (the game will be played Wednesday morning Aussie time), so they'll be really, really disappointed if I tell them I'm ditching them for 'soccer'. I can't make them understand the importance of the event, and I won't be able to get home by the time the match starts, either.

What do I do? How can I tell them I don't want to come? I'm considering chucking a sickie, but that will be damn hard to pull off as one of them lives 2 houses away from me.

Stay up. Once I stayed up until 6:30 am watching some shitty teams like Bolton vs Blackburn and then Everton vs Man City back in 2010 I think.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I'll probably crash at one of their houses, it would be kinda awkward for me to watch 'poofter soccer' with such a passion. When I watch at home I do all sorts of crazy things, wake up the house when we score, chuck stuff like pillows at the TV when the referee gets a call wrong, etc.

[Kieran. 6,317]

Say you have a migraine.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Say you have a migraine.

It was a thought, to say I'm sick but the problem is one of them lives 2 houses down the street and could easily tell if I'm genuinely sick.

Just a shame none of them like football, they would understand what this means to me

[Madmax 9,219]

Champions league semis don't roll around too often, not against Barca, not in the kind of season we've had. I, for one, wouldn't miss it for the world.

[Kieran. 6,317]

It was a thought, to say I'm sick but the problem is one of them lives 2 houses down the street and could easily tell if I'm genuinely sick.

Just a shame none of them like football, they would understand what this means to me

I understand where you're coming from, the majority of my friends don't care about football at all and it's weird to them that I'm so wrapped up into something they couldn't care less about.

That being said, I don't care what they say; I enjoy it so I'll stay in if I need to and watch the football. Thank you very much. :tophat:

Worse comes to worst, you could always just stay in your house all day...

[Ollie 4,400]

You guys, I need some help.

I've been invited to go out on Tuesday night by some very close friends of mine. I've got no reason to turn them down, as Wednesday is a public holiday (the game will be played Wednesday morning Aussie time), so they'll be really, really disappointed if I tell them I'm ditching them for 'soccer'. I can't make them understand the importance of the event, and I won't be able to get home by the time the match starts, either.

What do I do? How can I tell them I don't want to come? I'm considering chucking a sickie, but that will be damn hard to pull off as one of them lives 2 houses away from me.

Leave the party a bit early to get back in time, do both. At least u woulda shown up.

[Spike 12,049]

You guys, I need some help.

I've been invited to go out on Tuesday night by some very close friends of mine. I've got no reason to turn them down, as Wednesday is a public holiday (the game will be played Wednesday morning Aussie time), so they'll be really, really disappointed if I tell them I'm ditching them for 'soccer'. I can't make them understand the importance of the event, and I won't be able to get home by the time the match starts, either.

What do I do? How can I tell them I don't want to come? I'm considering chucking a sickie, but that will be damn hard to pull off as one of them lives 2 houses away from me.

Close friends or potential lay? No need to be coy.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Close friends or potential lay? No need to be coy.

No laying for pre-marriage me, its against my religion though I don't know how long I can resist. I've known this bunch since I was 5 so I doubt there'll be any laying inter-group

[Strike 7,219]

[ulsterchelsea 3,221]

No laying for pre-marriage me, its against my religion though I don't know how long I can resist. I've known this bunch since I was 5 so I doubt there'll be any laying inter-group

not to sound harsh but sack up fella. It's the CL semis against barca and they live 2 doors up from you, how do they not know you enough to know how much chels means to you? My Mrs had the girls coming around last wednesday before she was informed of the match. Wasn't best pleased but these are the joys. Plus if its early morning and your off the next day then go out, get drunk, come home and enjoy. You cannot miss it.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Nah. He is fine. That was his 1st yellow of the competition this season. Luiz(out injured anyway), Ivanovic, Meireles, Cole & Ramires are the ones 1 YC away from a UCL suspension.

Imagine if we got through... with no Luiz, Ivanovic, Cole and Ramires...

[Badboy 1,526]

I think Drogba is the biggest troll in ChampionsLeague history. I don't think there has been a player who has been as much a pain in the back side to play against like Drogba.