Champions League Final 2012 - Chelsea 1 (4)-(3) 1 Bayern Munich

[Strike 7,527]

Just saying, if Cahill is unavailable for the game, what would the lineup be?

Bosi at CB and maybe Essien or fereira at rb

[Krypt 241]

Can still see Ramires being the biggest miss from this game , his ability to run around without tiring for 90 mins is amazing. we need Essien to have the game of his career.

[didierforever 7,349]

Just saying, if Cahill is unavailable for the game, what would the lineup be?

considering the barca antics i would say

cech

pf jose luiz cole

mikel lampard

kalou mata danny

drogba

with the barca tactics would suit us very well.

[Term-X 7,891]

Bosi at CB and maybe Essien or fereira at rb

Lmao, RDM will prove to be the most clueless manager in world football history if Essien even steps foot in the Munich final.

Ferreira, Heck.. even Oriol, as bad as he was yesterday over Essien in a heartbeat.

[Strike 7,527]

Lmao, RDM will prove to be the most clueless manager in world football history if Essien even steps foot in the Munich final.

Ferreira, Heck.. even Oriol, as bad as he was yesterday over Essien in a heartbeat.

yeah. i always have this blind hope that he will turn up when needed. sadly, he has proven me wrong enough times

but seriously, if cahill doesn't recover in time, we are fried

[HRiver 1,512]

Remember what happened to Essien when Grant played him as RB against United in Moscow. Ronaldo humiliated him, Ribery would do the same.

[Strike 7,527]

Remember what happened to Essien when Grant played him as RB against United in Moscow. Ronaldo humiliated him, Ribery would do the same.

who is our best option then? bosi fereira ess hutch. all 4 have their shortcomings

[HRiver 1,512]

who is our best option then? bosi fereira ess hutch. all 4 have their shortcomings

Bosingwa and Ferreira are both miles better than Essien. Essien is imo our worst player atm.

[We Hate Scouse 10,330]

Last time Atletico Madrid won the Europa League, Bayern Munich lost the Champions League :eyebrows:

[Kieran. 6,317]

He's in, he's in! Fernando Torres is in! This could be the most dramatic story of the season! It's Torres (oooaaawwwwhhhhhhhhhhh) to give Chelsea a place in the Champions League Final!

Whatever happens, we've defied all odds and made it this far. Everyone will be pumped and must give the performance of their careers.

[Tomo 21,751]

I'd rather a drunk Ferreira over Essien or Bosingwa.

[Tortilla9 390]

My daughter watched the LFC game and her comments about Essien were empathetic to where he is athletically. She's had 3 knee surgeries in 3 years (2 acl tears) and each time it's harder to come back but you desperately want to be back out there. Just because you're cleared to play doesn't mean you're mentally or physically back. She said it was about a year post-surgery before she felt close to her old self and then she got hurt again. All she wanted was a week/month where she could practice and play without the knee flaring up - swelling, tightness, etc.

At the end of the game my daughter said "I really wanted him to play well but he didn't look so good. Probably how I looked out there." She's hung up her boots after 10 years because of knee pain, hamstring tightness, herniated disks, etc. She loves the game still but the game doesn't love her body.

I hope Essien can go out with dignity and be remembered as being a class player, not a player on his last legs who over-stayed his welcome.

[Rambo 1,729]

Essien is past it and I don't know if he knows if we know, but he really should know by now.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Man... The amount of Essien hate here is deafening. He's not past anything he's just not up to game speed after missing more than 6 months. We haven't been able to give him enough games at get him back to full fitness. I'm anticipating a full summer of training and a complete training camp will get him back to controlling to midfield... I agree its hard to imagine now though.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Fact 1: Finale is a game that is played extremly carefull, no team realy go straight in attack.

Fact 2: Bayern is very attacking team, they have relatively bad deffence

Fact 3: Chelsea has good defence, not that good attack.

Fact 4: According to fact 1, Chelsea will play easier, because defensive/careful tactics are more suited to them, Bayern could struggle there.

Fact 5: We have efficient attack, score when it is needed; one goal could be enough to win

Fact 6: Germans are favourite, pressure is on their side, home-ground will be pressure on them aswell.

Fact 7: We are more experienced team, realy passed through barca, not an easy job

Fact 8: With Bos-Mikel-Iva-Cole defense, we stopped Messi, Xavi, Iniesta,..why not Gomez and Robbery too?

Fact 9: Watching tonight game (realy absurd comparison, but still); Bilbao is very ofensive and young, unexperienced team. On other hand, there is Atletico who are more balanced and older, mixed with younger. Result? 3:0 to Atletico, who were not favourites to win.

Fact 10: There will be lot depending on will, determination, motivation, day form and battle-spirit. Experience will play huge role on all that.

Fact 11: Bayern have lost against Dortmund on realy important match, meaning they can be defeated even at their highest determimation to win the game. That game is also likely to be observed by RDM to find weaknesses in Bayern team.

Fact 12: When we lose, we lose because of lack of motivation, when we played on top motivation, we havent lost once (maybe to City only). That means we can win against anyone and lose against anyone. We are extremly unpredictable team, Heynecks will have hard time to figure our weaknesses

Fact 13: We have defeated extremely attacking teams like Napoli (bayern only draw to them at Alianz arena!) and Barca. Napolis, Barcas and Bayerns defense is not realy superior. We are known to find holes in opponents deffences, only by having one deadly attack or counter-attack. That means, with right tactics, Bayern is defeatable.

Fact 14: Both sides will miss some key players, Chelsea has some decent replacements, while Bayern will find problem with CB.

Fact 15: Ball is round, anything can happen.

What do you think, can we win? I say YES.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Robbery? Please. Kalouda will show them how it's done

[capriccioso 2,545]

Lmao, RDM will prove to be the most clueless manager in world football history if Essien even steps foot in the Munich final.

Ferreira, Heck.. even Oriol, as bad as he was yesterday over Essien in a heartbeat.

He has to be sold in the summer

[warnie_666 1,081]

Essien shouldnt be anywhere near the first team.

Two knee surgeries and he isnt the same.

[Strike 7,527]

Mikel should play RDM and cover the Right-back in case (when) Ribery gets past him

[Predator 114]

Fact 1: Finale is a game that is played extremly carefull, no team realy go straight in attack. Yes true

Fact 2: Bayern is very attacking team, they have relatively bad deffence Last season, I would have really agreed with you but this season, Bayerns defense has been superb, 17 clean sheets in the Bundesliga, that hasn't been done since the 2005/2006 season

Fact 3: Chelsea has good defence, not that good attack. Really? Ive heard only good things about Chelseas attacking force

Fact 4: According to fact 1, Chelsea will play easier, because defensive/careful tactics are more suited to them, Bayern could struggle there. I dont think Chelsea can park the bus against Bayern

Fact 5: We have efficient attack, score when it is needed; one goal could be enough to win. But you just said that Chelsea aren't good in attack?

Fact 6: Germans are favourite, pressure is on their side, home-ground will be pressure on them aswell. True but Bayern do play better in bigger matches

Fact 7: We are more experienced team, realy passed through barca, not an easy job I dont see how Chelsea are more experienced team when Bayern play in the Champions League almost every year?

Fact 8: With Bos-Mikel-Iva-Cole defense, we stopped Messi, Xavi, Iniesta,..why not Gomez and Robbery too? Chelsea have suspended players unlike last time

Fact 9: Watching tonight game (realy absurd comparison, but still); Bilbao is very ofensive and young, unexperienced team. On other hand, there is Atletico who are more balanced and older, mixed with younger. Result? 3:0 to Atletico, who were not favourites to win. I think that more of because Atletico Madrid know more about the playing style of Bilboa since they play in the same league

Fact 10: There will be lot depending on will, determination, motivation, day form and battle-spirit. Experience will play huge role on all that.

Fact 11: Bayern have lost against Dortmund on realy important match, meaning they can be defeated even at their highest determimation to win the game. That game is also likely to be observed by RDM to find weaknesses in Bayern team. Dortmund are more domestic hungry than Bayern, Bayern are more internationally hungry.

Fact 12: When we lose, we lose because of lack of motivation, when we played on top motivation, we havent lost once (maybe to City only). That means we can win against anyone and lose against anyone. We are extremly unpredictable team, Heynecks will have hard time to figure our weaknesses. If Jupp Heynckes is good at anything, its doing his homework against other big clubs, he showed that against Madrid

Fact 13: We have defeated extremely attacking teams like Napoli (bayern only draw to them at Alianz arena! We won 3-2 at the Alianz, drew 1-1 away, whereas Chelsea lost 3-1) and Barca. Napolis, Barcas and Bayerns defense is not realy superiors Read my response to fact three. We are known to find holes in opponents deffences, only by having one deadly attack or counter-attack. That means, with right tactics, Bayern is defeatable.

Fact 14: Both sides will miss some key players, Chelsea has some decent replacements, while Bayern will find problem with CB. True

Fact 15: Ball is round, anything can happen. True

What do you think, can we win? I say YES. As I said, its a finals match, its always 50/50