axman2526

Wonder how much input Robbie had on this one. Do not know too much about the lad, any write ups on him from my fellow blues?

If this is true we are screwed for the final...: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/apr/27/gary-cahill-injury-champions-league

Yeah Uefa will not let that happen. Bayerns attack looks pretty awesome, they will likely have Muller in midfield due to the suspensions, so him, BS, Kroos, Robben and Ribery supporting the goal happy Gomez. Best attack we will face all season imo. The backline looks like it can be got at, but will we be creative enough and as clinical as we were against Barca?

Robbie has to rotate the squad to keep as many players fresh as he can. We will have a full week to prepair after the final league match against Blackburn for the CL final. Far as Bayern go though, it can be argued their midfeild and attack, (BS, Kroos, Ribery, Muller, Robben and Gomez) looks even more dangerous and dominating than the Barca counterparts. That attack has a focal point. Though they do look like we can get at their backline, but without Ramires can we create enough openings, or be as clinical as we were against Barca? (4 good chances, 3 goals).

We'd trade the FA cup and the league position in a heart beat to beat Bayern and win the CL. Is it likely though, can we really beat Bayern in their own country, on their own turf with JT, Ramires, Meireles and Brana? I have my doubts, we have already pulled off 3 big scalps making it 4 may be asking too much.

rofl one of the best I have seen at Shreeves since Tuesday.

We need to win, but the lads need a rest after the hard work of tuesday and we then have the Toon up in midweek. Ruh Buh Juh side looks pretty much on the money, aside from maybe Kalou for Malouda. Would not mind seeing us use a diamond for this one either, Romeu at the base, Essien on the right, Flo Mo left and Mata the tip, with Torres and one of Danny or Lukaku up top.

Not sure if the above happened who it would help more, us or Bayern. JT is banned whatever else happens, so while getting Brana and Rami back would be huge, there is bo certainty that Raul would play, whereas Bayern have 3 key players out that would start for certain.

Bayern's attack is pretty amazing, an equal to Real or Barca imo. Ribery - Kroos - BS (not going to try and spell his name lol) - Robben and Gomez up top. Unlike Barca and Real, we do not want Bayern to be able to chuck the ball at Gomez, even more so as we have no JT for the game. Facing them is very dangerous, Barca ended up being without a tip to their arrow with Villa out, but Bayern have that with Gomez and Muller if they use him. Very, very tough ask to beat them. Though with 3 big defensive options out for them you would hope we can get at them. Can we create enough without Ramires though? We lose pace with him and Meireles out. Can we get the Bison back and use him in the Ramires role?

Pros and Cons to facing them. Gomez will love the fact JT is banned, but they are going to be missing a few options at the back. Could leave both sides being got at a fair amount. We could have beaten Real but we also could have lost to them, just like Bayern. Both sides have a lot of quality, great keepers and very dangerous attacking options. However not having to come up against Jose is, for me, a bonus.

Every chance he would have started the final, but unlike Brana, JT and Rami it is not certain he would if fit. At the moment 2 of the midfeild 3 are certain to start the big games, Mikel and Lamps. Meireles has, of late, made the spot 3 his own. However if Romeu or Essien come in to a run of form either could have taken the spot. Every player out there, besides JT for his moment of madness, deserves great credit for the result in Camp Nou.

There were/are pros and cons to facing Bayern just like there would have been to facing Real. The final being in England did not help United last year, true it was Wembely not OT but atill. We know Bayern gain an advantage from being in their own stadium, but they will be missing 3 key players at the back, like we are missing JT, Brana, Ramires and Meireles. They will be hard to stop scoring, Gomez will love that JT is banned. But we certainly have every chance of getting at their backline as well.

Decent looking side, though see how Paulo does fitness wise as it is likely him vs Boswinga so long as Cahill and Luiz are fit (bubble wrap them Robbie!) Essien or Romeu alongside Mikel, or Lamps with us using Mata in the middle and 2 from the 4 of Torres, Sturridge, Kalu and Malouda wide. At this time I do not know who is best, but if we can get the REAL Bison back...

Auditions for the CL final team begin on Sunday. If fit we know a number of players that will start for Robbie, Cech, Cole, Cahill, Luiz, ?, Mikel, Lampard, ?, Mata, ? and Drogba. Those three spots need to be filled and so far Boswinga has the leg up for the RB spot then it is a case of whether Mata plays as one of the middle 3 or wide, leaving it open for Romeu, Essien, Kalou, Malouda, Torres and Sturridge to obtain births. With that in mind I want to see Essien and Romeu start some games, maybe both against QPR.

Yes yes but years of following the blues gets you used to getting kicked when your down, so today was a very pleasent surprise. Anyways lots of key players a yelow away from missing the final on both sides there. Would rather not have to face Jose but would it be better to face Bayern on their own patch? Either task is a hard task and we will be underdogs. Can Robbie do what Grant could not?

Suspended will be JT, Ramires, Brana and Meireles. Will have to see on the injury front when we get closer too it. Can be argued the first three are in the top 4 or 5 of our players of the season. Essien you need to refind the Bison of old for just one more match...

Line ups for the final guys and gals? Bayern or Real, who do we want?

Though for fun what should the side be if everyone else is fit? Cech, Boswinga/(Paulo?), Cahill, Luiz, Cole, Romeu, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou, Mata and Drogba? (or does Nando now start out wide?)

No cure I've found works well, cause usually when I believe we are going to go on and do it we end up playing hopeless and lose lol Problem their is height, Bayern have Gomes and a few others, Real have Ronaldo and co, so good in the air. Barca had what...Pique and he went off injured. No JT or Brana means at both ends out set plays lack, no Ramires is one of, if not our, players of the year out. No matter what though we'd rather have our FA youth cup side out against Bayern/Real than been knocked out tonight!

Hit me in the kidneys mate, read this thread all the way through and could not believe what I was reading for most of it. Being pessimistic only works when we lose, makes winning really hard to believe lol.

Wow, just wow. Few times do Chelsea surprise me in my 17 odd years of following them but tonight, tonight they have. Beating the best team in the world 2-3 on Agg, with 10 men for over an hour. Amazing. Though it is massively harsh on Ramires and Brana they will miss the final after being two of our best players throughout the tourny. Final can wait though, tonight belongs to the lads who beat the very ebst the game has to offer and got us through to the final, and the fans who believed we could beat the best. Hats off to you, enjoy this night it does not get better than this in football terms.

Bold move by Robbie taking off the Drog, we need as many leaders out there as we can muster.

Not about forgiveness, the fans have, and always will, have the right to have a go at any player that has done something moronic. Just like with Drogba in Moscow, he has dumb and deserved the flak that came his way but in no way needed to be forgiven. Was a mistake, we all make them and in the eye of the storm that football is many will see it and point it out. JT has made one today, he made one in Moscow moving ahead of Kalou in the pen line given Kalou has what, a 100% record with pens but again no need to forgive. Was a error of judgement, but his judgement has been sound for us on many occasions and won us many medals. Does not alter his legend status nor did what the Drog did.

Someone early predicted this could be 5-3 to Barca. Well if it carriers on like this they have every chance. Not sure what we can do to tighten it at the back now, Essien at CB or RB seems the only decent option. 4-3-2, Cech, Boswinga, Essien, Brana, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Torres and Drogba? Long ball counters to Drogs, knock down to Torres. I do not know cannot think of anything that will allow us to not lose the second half...

Huh well I guess on a lesser scale JT has cost us a second CL title. Not that we would have one for certain in Munich but you get what I mean. Helped us win pretty much everything else but in this tourny he is a bad luck charm...