Europa League Final 2013 - Benfica 1-2 Chelsea

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

This sucks.

Benfica are actually not the kind of opposition against which I feel too comfortable having a pivot of Lamps+Ramires. they play this free-flowing attack and both Lampard and Ramires like to go forward, whilst Lampard is likely to get overrun at times. Provided Mikel is out, I'd go with

----------Cech----

Azpi-Cahill-Iva-Cole

-----Luiz----Rami----

Oscar-Lamps-Mata

---------Torres-------

Maybe, it's half the team played out of position but it is far more solid than a pivot of Lamps+Rami.

Guys, say welcome back to the bus

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

btw we should not expect any truth from these reports in the press about our inuries. Rafa is clever enough to keep this secret.

[Muzchap 8,966]

Chelsea injuries mean Frank Lampard is to start Europa League Final

Key team news info...

Ouch - sounds like a real shit line-up...

Oscar and Ramires would be better in the pivot - I love Lamps but him and Ramy fuck up together too much!

Fucking Cahill - he needs to up his shit and leave Luis and Ramires in midfield!!!

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Soo many finals lost this year...

I think the main reasons are

1.) Half of team are players way past their prime and half of them are still raw talents. We dont actualy have one player who is in absolute prime age. Mata is close, but i think in age 27-29 he will master his passing and have more stamina (but less pace).

2.) No style, no tactics. What kind of play do we have? Possesion? Counters? JustWinItForRafa?

3.) Mentality, determination, finishing, experience, team-play,...we lack that.

It will be hard game, Benfica will play their socks off and we wont be as motivated as them.

[Henrique 9,133]

Chelsea 3 vs 1 Benfica

Luiz, Ramires and Mata to score.

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Soo many finals lost this year...

I think the main reasons are

1.) Half of team are players way past their prime and half of them are still raw talents. We dont actualy have one player who is in absolute prime age. Mata is close, but i think in age 27-29 he will master his passing and have more stamina (but less pace).

2.) No style, no tactics. What kind of play do we have? Possesion? Counters? JustWinItForRafa?

3.) Mentality, determination, finishing, experience, team-play,...we lack that.

It will be hard game, Benfica will play their socks off and we wont be as motivated as them.

1.Mata, Ramires, Luiz, Cahill, Mikel are in the perfect age for a footballer, which is 25-28 imo. Ivanovic, Cech are still pretty close to it. I do not think this is a problem, actually many clubs have this age structure e.g. Barca when they won the CL and Dortmund now.

2. We certainly do have a style. It is not that brillant but we play medium-paced posession style domestically and counter-attacking style in Europe, we just lack the pace to do it effectively. I think we often do decent pressing and I like the the short-pass, long-pass balance.

3. yup. but Benfica lack most of it, too.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

1.Mata, Ramires, Luiz, Cahill, Mikel are in the perfect age for a footballer, which is 25-28 imo. Ivanovic, Cech are still pretty close to it. I do not think this is a problem, actually many clubs have this age structure e.g. Barca when they won the CL and Dortmund now.

2. We certainly do have a style. It is not that brillant but we play medium-paced posession style domestically and counter-attacking style in Europe, we just lack the pace to do it effectively. I think we often do decent pressing and I like the the short-pass, long-pass balance.

3. yup. but Benfica lack most of it, too.

Only Cech and Iva are in prime, but even for them I could say they were better last year. Mata will improve further, dont you think? Rambo and Mikel might be going in their prime ages, but they are so incomplete players. One lacks ball control and other mobility. Luiz can still improve. He is still inconsistent.

And age structure is fine, but form wise isnt. Busquets is world class DM, while Mikel is just above average. and both are around same age...

[Magic Lamps 11,692]

Only Cech and Iva are in prime, but even for them I could say they were better last year. Mata will improve further, dont you think? Rambo and Mikel might be going in their prime ages, but they are so incomplete players. One lacks ball control and other mobility. Luiz can still improve. He is still inconsistent.

And age structure is fine, but form wise isnt. Busquets is world class DM, while Mikel is just above average. and both are around same age...

The former part one can argue about. I am pretty sure Mata won't improve much. With 25 you are won't develop too much as a player anymore, you only can try to get the best out of what you already got in terms of quality. Technically there is not much room for improvement anyway and physically it only gets worse once you pass that 25 years mark. Mata already is a relatively pathetic athlete.

Secondly, Rambo Mikel should be in their prime, even when this means they are incomplete. Ramires relies so much on his physical attributes he surely will not get any better.

This is not a problem of form but a problem of quality, then.

[Strike 7,474]

----------Cech----

Azpi-Cahill-Iva-Cole

-----Luiz----Rami----

Oscar-Lamps-Mata

---------Torres-------

[Pacquiao 1,834]

If Mikel is fit -

Cech

Azpi - Ivanovic - Luiz - Cole

Lampard - Mikel

Ramires - Mata - Oscar

Torres

[CHOULO19 24,332]

I had a dream that we lost on pens and now I'm very nervous about this game

[Wfisheruk 23]

Terry hazard & mikel are in the 25 man squad..