The Brit

i remember sky saying on sunday that sheva was taken off with an injury

can't believe how poor we have looked at the back...even cech of all people made a mistake for the goal and then flapped at a cross...jt is looking anything but the jt we have come to love...I personally think it was a mistake by jose not to play mikel as the holding player...he's better at it than essien, gives the back four real protection...has to be said swp's goals were top draw, funny how tyler hit the roof over tevez's goal and was fairly muted over ours...I wonder if our two goals were entertaining enough for waddle?

I know it's important to spread the game and tournaments around the world, but I can't think of a more unappealing place to host a major tournament...has anyone gone to gliwice? It's a scary place..

what was the jist of the gerrard stuff Loz?

I think the issue was reported that JT wanted guarantees that he would always have the same wage as the highest earner, thus preventing what happened last summer with sheva's and ballack's arrival...wouldn't surprise me if true, if you were jt, captain and leader you wouldn't want anyone to be on more money, but sounds to me like there is no danger of him leaving...it will be sorted whether jose stays or not

hilarious anti-chelsea/mourinho rant...this guy should have a pint of bitter named after him! http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6559625.stm

I took a bit of stick when I said we'd done the right thing in selling him, but even duff's biggest fans must admit he's had a poor season for newcastle...like my feelings for maka, it in no way was meant as disrespect for what he did for chelsea...they have been superb for us, although i thought maka did all right for us yesterday, but no doubt the future is mikel...duffa was a shadow of his former self for us last season and it appears injuries have sadly caught up with him...top player when on form though

blackburn had a few chances in second half but it was noticeable how sky kept going on about them having 20 attempts on goal...the definition of attempt should be applied here...I would say at least half of their shots were way outside the area and never a threat to our goal, the shot of the hopeless optimist...it's not always a reliable statistic...cech made a couple of great saves, but he was hardly keeping them out every minute...Chelsea dominated possession for most of the game and their superior play was evident...blackburn's rough and tumble worked for 30 minutes in the second half but that was it

Just occured to me too...to leave essien out is the greatest miscarriage of justice since some nob-end decided to ban celery!

I'm not saying lamps has been at his best this season, but how on earth does gerrard get nominated? what has he done this year? lamps is considered to not have had a great year and yet he has 21 goals, gerrard has played his part in another average liverpool season outside the champs league and has been sh*te for england...but then this is voted for by the players so what do we know I have always thought players are the ultimate tabloid readers and just vote for the players that get the headlines Oh Ronaldo will win by a mile...plays for man u not chelsea

I didn't have the best of days myself...I was working so couldn't attend the game as planned, yet I managed to pull off the amazing feat of avoiding the score all day...I even walked round public areas with ipod really loud just in case I overheard someone talking about it...but watching game at 11pm felt strange, like I couldn't affect it, even though I know my insane rants at the tv rarely helps the team! It was a bit anti-climatic. Obviously delighted we won and amazed at the fitness of our players, how can they be in better shape than blackburn who had no game in midweek and played 20 games less than us this season! Thought we totally bossed first half, looked really good and it was almost too easy...perhaps we got complacent, while hughesy gave them a rocket up his players arse...we hung on thanks to cech and then completely bossed extra time...must say about Joe...i'm amazed how quickly he has got back into some form...his tricks and skills make us a completely different side...I'm sure if he was slightly more fit he would have finished off some of those runs he did.

have to say great celebration from ballack...that's the passion we want to see...it looks like he gives a sh*t.

utd basically scored from two shots, watford had more than fair share of the game and all motty and lawrenson are doing is bigging utd up and patronising watford...I remember they did the same the us in final of 94...watford are playing a lot better than the beeb are giving them credit for

The difference being that there is an arguable case for Mikel starting ahead of Maka however there is none whatsoever for Cole ahead of Bridge. I agree 100 per cent with you over bridge...cole better than bridge defensively...not seen anything this season to prove that...he looks vulnerable every time someone runs at him...I thought Joaquin caused him problems especially in the first leg...the team's dominance at the mestalla ensured he wasn't as exposed...still bridgey's playing the semi tomorrow...cole let it slip on chelsea tv last night

I have been on mikel's side from day one...he was inexperienced at this level and fact he hadn't played footy for 12 months was bound to make him a slow starter...but he showed enough in his early appearances to hint at his talent...maka's recent demise has actually worked in the club's favour as jose has had to play mikel more and he hasn't disappointed...the game where he really showed he is the man for the occasion right now was his appearance as a sub in the win over porto...cool, composed, great passing and shielding of back four and he's maintained that level ever since...I think maka's days as a regular starter are over and he will now be to Mikel what bridge appears to be to ashley cole.

I think there is enough here to sggest all the problems with roma are true...it makes for worrying reading, but hopefully there is time to turn things around http://sport.independent.co.uk/football ... 444375.ece

I'm half looking forward to it half dreading it...not sure I could cope with losing to the scousers again, but to get revenge, it would be so sweet...there is no doubt liverpool aren't as good as us, but they are one of the toughest to play in a cup-tie situation

predictably it has received far less attention than utd and I noticed some writers still went on the same chelsea grind it out, relentless, efficient line, when our football in the second half was as good as anything in europe. I think it will work in our favour as utd are now favourites and everyone's attention is on them...it was funny yesterday on sky sports news when they led with 'utd on course for the treble' and 'can anyone stop them now'...then the link went, 'meanwhile chelsea are on course for the quadruple', but the whole report was far more understated and not so sensationalised. I think it has to rank as one of our best performances in europe, but there are others too of course...Galatasary 0 Chelsea 5 has to be right up there...they were a top side then and it was all about 'welcome to hell'...we showed them...beating barca in 2005, when I think their football was better than the team that won it last year and so on.

thanks for telling me yogic...i didn't know

here's my attempt, hard to be neutral as i'm buzzing Cech 6 had very little to do. Can't remember him making a save as he had no chance with morientes goal and one that hit the post. dominated area with crosses though Diarra 5 struggled in the first half and made a few mistakes.Still no grudges, this guy is top class Terry 7 kept villa (who?) very quiet Carvalho 7 Despite cock up for their goal, he was quality for the rest A Cole 7 up and down the flank all night. still makes mistakes and not good enough going forward but worked v hard Mikel 8 superb showing once again. Cool on the ball, great passing and won tackle after tackle. Maka thanks for your service, but this could be your last season Lampard 6 had good and bad moments in equal measure. Some of his free kicks and corners were better Ballack 7 thought he got stronger as game went on and was v unlucky not to score Essien 8.5 better at right back than in midfield strangely. got the winner and provided tremendous width on the right flank all second half Sheva 7 got better as the game went on and big name player once again proved the difference on the big night Drogba 7 worked so hard for the team. an injury seemed to take a bit out of him in second half but valencia couldn't deal with him. subs: Cole 8 awesome. for someone to out for so long and be this good already is a credit to his talent and desire. was a major key to our victory

don't want to be too much of a doomer after a great night, but Valencia's goal was an example of why riccy won't win over all the fans as a top top defender...he was at fault as he left morientes to join cole and terry marking villa which was completely wrong...i think hasselbaink in the studio said diarra should have gone over to cover but he had a man on the outside of him and rightly was worried by him...it was riccy's mistake and though he played brilliantly for the rest of the game it just backs up my point that he can play well 99% of the time but there is always a major cock-up in his locker

I know what you're saying gullit, but i think Jose was just making sure we kept them quiet and the crowd before going for it big time...we still had 60% possession in the first half...them scoring didn't really change the tie...in fact the whole game reminded me of our win over the arse, even the time of the goals was pretty similar

loved the way he gatecrashed itv's interview with jt and essien to give them a big hug and roared like a nutter

diamond wasn't doing too badly...they only had five minutes of play in the first half and I think jose went out with the gameplan of keep it tight, quiet the crowd and go for it second half and that is how it panned out...we definitely played better footy with 4-3-3 system, but fact it was saved to second half made it a shock and valencia never recovered

what a brilliant second half showing and shows how much we've missed the bloke...to look that good after so long out and gave our team so much more cutting edge...noticeable how ballack and sheva also improved with joe floating about...if he'd been around in the prem this season we'd be top and not complaining about the style of footy...all hail king cole