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Chelsea v Atletico - (CL SF 2nd Leg) 30/04/14 KO 19:45 BST

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Well that was probably the easiest big game defeat i have ever had to suffer and stomach as Chelsea fan. Sometimes you just cant argue. We were done good and proper. I have nothing but admiration for Atletico, the right team went through. This was no 05 or 09. There were no gripes, even Jose seemed to accept it afterwards! He can have no complaints. More on Jose in a second...

Great atmosphere to start, though the sense around me was that it wasn't ever going to be 'one of those nights'. There was just that feeling you sometimes get. People are saying the turning point was their equaliser but for me the turning point was actually our goal, from that moment on they stepped up a gear and we couldnt cope, and looked ponderous and nervous. Lets be honest, a few of their players were outstanding, Koke and Juan Fran in particular. Was also great to see Tiago again, ive heard that his SKY interview afterwards was fantastic - can anyone confirm ? I also enjoyed watching Costa and thought he put himself around brilliantly, bemused about the comments about him and the pen spot - what was he supposed to do ? Any one of our players would do the same. I really hope we sign him.

As for our players ? Cahill had a bad game, it happens. Hes been awesome this season. No issue there. Dont think Cole played particularly well either, nor Luiz.Hazard wasnt fit and hm being out there reeked a little bit of desperation. Eto'o even more so. Staggered that Jose chose to change the back four to be honest, and in that respect i dont think its unfair to throw a few questions Jose's way. He has now lost 6 of 8 Champions League semi finals (4 in a row) and i think its fair to suggest he needs to look at how he approaches these matches. Last night reminded me a little of the semi at Anfield in 07, the one that went to pens - as soon as the opposition scored the game plan went out the window and we looked bereft of ideas.

Good luck to Atletico in the final (and thats coming from a huge fan of Carlo Ancelotti). I suspect that team will be taken apart over the next 12-18 months and so they need to make the most of that fantastic group of players and spirit they have. Worthy winners and its not often Chelsea fans stay to applaud the opposition but many did last night.

Oh and regarding applauding i can confirm Torres did go and applaud the Atletico fans. Ive personally no issue there, but what grates is that he didnt seem to acknowledge the home fans at all. Still with any luck we will only ever see him at Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea player once more.

 
I think last night showed that we are a side in progress and a side that needs to find that right balance of defense and attack.

At the moment it feels like our creativity going forward is being nullified by our defensive duties. For me our best performance of the season was at City when it seemed like everyone flowed. Matic was a big miss last night, his presence in midfield was sorely needed.

I think Jose got his tactics wrong for the most part, you have to go into these games with the idea of taking it to the opposition. It felt like both teams were set up for a 'you go, i go' situation so one or the other could do them on the counter. If you take it to them, you see what type of team they are. Like PSG, they buckled under the pressure from lack of experience, though you do get the feeling Simone's team would never buckle. 

I can't say we've overachieved this season, with the players we have and the manager we have. Winning trophies is expected in this day and age, even if it is his first year in charge again. 

Credit to Dave aswell, easily the player of the season for me. His workrate is phenomenal and he backs it up with quality going forward and not many people get past him. We really should sign a left back next season and Dave should play in his natural position of right back instead of Ivanovic. 

A couple of signings and key departures next season and I believe securing the league title should be our priority.

 
We were second best last night. It was actually a relief that we were not cheated out of a result by crap refereeing, we were just second best, and when that's the case you can only hold your hands up and say so. Good luck to Athletico.

Hazard was absolutely awful in every sense, sometimes I honestly think we can be a better team without him (depending on the type of opposition). He was at fault for two goals. Against that sort of opposition, with his fitness concern, he shouldn't have played. Shurrle should have started. The penalty we conceded was just unlucky.

The occasion got to Cahill and the back line in general it seems. Very very unlucky not to score the header from JT. Courtois looked good.

Jose had to roll the dice after we went down, however I maybe would have kept Torres on for a bit longer.

It never looked like it was gonna happen after they scored.

Now all the critics come out to stick the knife in. f**k them!

There will be no excuses for Jose next year, hes had a full season now, we'll no longer be the 'little horse' - get out there and buy the strikers and whatever else to make this team winners again.

 
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After seeing the line up I must admit, I was very happy, however, once the game kicked off, it looked like Hazard is not fit, perhaps that was the reason to start Dave in midfield, to protect him, but I would say, Jose got this one wrong to certain extend, don't get me wrong, I'm 100% sure, he was aiming to score and to make sure Hazard is protected, however it turn that those 2 left backs (Ash and Dave) where a bit lost in positioning themselfs when Atletico make runs and square the ball to the left. Hazard was nowehere near Atletico man in both cases ( for equaliser and for the 3rd goal).

All in all, I'm more then happy with the season. Could it be better, Hell yeah!!! could it be worst, maybe! Anyway, we did the best we could do, with young, unexperience players in that level, with all the bad luck (injuries,suspension and all the rest of it).

2 games to go in PL, lets win them and see what happens next.

KTBFFH ::ChELSeAFaN::

 
Mourinho didnt get anything right here, but you know, im not mad. Im disappointed, depressed about the result but we were out done by a better team. No if's, ands or buts.

We got the goal in the 1st half through a moment of sheer class from Willian but we didnt look comfortable then either.

Bringing on Eto'o so early was a disaster and we were over-run from then on.

Apart from the goal, Torres was awful and Ba proved winning his aerial duels in the second half he would have done it.

To win these games there an element of luck, Luiz hits the post and it drops to courtois to palm away, Turan hits the post and it drops to Turan with an open net. Athletico were better and congratulations to them.

To not have a trophy at the end of the season is a disappointment, Mourinho chose not to buy a more clinical striker in the summer and we've suffered, but theres more too it then that. I think some departures are as important as incomings.

Lets just win or next two games and see how that sets us.

Win or lose, up the chels!!

 
Quite a few raised eyebrows at last nights starting XI and ultimately it proved to be too negative a side.

Six of the starting XI were defenders and considering we are side that struggles for goals it was an odd selection choice, as soon as Atletico pulled it back to 1-1 following some shambolic defending after instantly dropping far too deep having got our noses in front you were left wondering where the goals would come from.

Torres had done well to score but let's be honest a goal from him a rare enough site as it is let alone him coming up with 2. 

Hazard played like a man who had just returned from a muscle injury, struggling to impose himself on the game, meanwhile two of our biggest goal scoring threats Schurrle and Oscar started on the bench. 

Then the first change came, the old man Eto'o setting his walking cane to one side and trotting out, his first and only significant contribution to be to concede the decisive penalty within 5 minutes of coming on. 

I love Jose and wouldn't want anyone else in charge but he got it wrong last night, the lack of ambition shown in the team selection was telling and he should have shown more ambition, the club spent £50m on attacking midfielders in the summer and further £55m on attacking midfielders the summer before that and we ended up playing a right back, whose been a make shift left back, on the right of midfield.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but for me last night was a missed opportunity. 

 
I really don't know what people expected from a team selected and put together from very limited available players, we have struggled in the league and looked far better since the arrival of Matic...that in itself is going to make any other midfield partnership worse than before he got here as game time together always helps and with Matic nailed on for any game he is eligible for other partnerships are going to be hit and miss, add to that our most experience players for that position are suspended (Lampard and Mikel) our most gifted creative player is struggling for fitness (Hazard) but has to play because we needed to score and our three strikers are all mediocre at best.

Then look at the replacements in midfield (a RB, a CB and Ramires who has had a woeful season) Oscar is clearly suffering from a loss of form or tiredness so again was overlooked and the only player who for me should have got on earlier was Shurrle...again though he could have been less than 100% for all we know and with JT, and Hazard rushed in for the game it just wouldn't make any sense to risk anymore less than fully fit players in a team of eleven.

We played a superb team and circumstances were against us, our best eleven, all fit would have been a far better match for them and we should be proud of the CL run as well as the tilt at the title.

No  idea who we will bring in next season as we need changes up front and in central midfield, for me Luiz and Ramires could go although I like them both but would prefer a reliable player alongside Matic, A striker is a must, maybe two but nothing impressed me about Costa over the two legs and I'm not sure who would fit here or who will be available.

Oscar is a worry for me but I wouldn't think about letting him go as at his age and with what he has showed so far he is stil going to be some player.

Roll on next season and the transfer window is going to be interesting, more so after the World Cup and some viewing of players maybe not thought about up to now. 

 
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Knew I shouldn't have read the news, including the main match report the DM have written 14 articles about last night. Jesus f**king christ do people love us that much.

 
robdog said:
man I was so depressed some Atleti fans offer to buy me a picture of beer & I declined. I didn't even want to get my drunk on. Sorry I will hide my head in the dirt somewhere.
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Is that some strange Spanish tradition?

Did they at least offer to throw in a picture of some salted peanuts?

 
No complaints at all about the result, the best team won. Now I can just relax enjoy the last few games of the season and look forward to August..

Like many other posters I feel a lot less dejected after this defeat, as it was a fair one...

Killer hangover though..Gah !

As for the final it would be good if Athletic won it, but on the other hand I am still really fond of Carlo...Hmmmm...

As for other fans I have imposed a total black out of all football sites, papers etc for the foreseeable..with the notable exception of this one of course...

 
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Can't complain.

Hope they go on and win it now - then we can take some of the credit for the fact that Courtois has helped them out!

At last I can relax, for a few months at least!

 
JoeyN said:
:face_palm:   It was a joke dude. I've actually been impressed with Mikel recently.
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Pretty poor joke! I wonder how many bothered to laugh? Good job you have been impressed, :ohmy:   wonder what you would have slated him with had you not been?  :face_palm:

 
Result was a fair reflection in my opinion, Atletico played a Mourhino way whilst we didnt have the players to respond to that ... Hazard was clearly not fit or .... not interested (PSG next year perhaps) and the midfield had no leader / link to Torres up front ... Matic is a huge huge miss in our team, Dave gave everything in an unfamiliar position, Etoo was brought on to early and gave away a penalty no arguements there and as soon as they scored two it was game over.

To move forward the team needs a few players, whether the loanees are good enough to come back Jose will know but i'm sure Lukaku should return and Courtois should take over from cech now he proved he has the quality and ability last night in buckets.. I personally wouldnt have Diego Costa and i think he showed by his attitude over the two games he doesnt want to come to us ... i would however have Koke.

It's gonna be an interesting time over the summer but i'm confident we will get the players that Jose wants and we have a few great youngsters as well that will enhance our chances of increasing our performance levels to the required standard.

 
Jesus bloody christ, what is wrong with the modern man ?.Gerrard the weekend and then JT last night, just want to say, to the pair of them, MAN UP BOYS !!

 
Still on a downer!

We were so friggin close, who knows when we will get a chance like that again.

 
AnIrishTrueBlue said:
Mourinho didnt get anything right here, but you know, im not mad. Im disappointed, depressed about the result but we were out done by a better team. No if's, ands or buts.

We got the goal in the 1st half through a moment of sheer class from Willian but we didnt look comfortable then either.

Bringing on Eto'o so early was a disaster and we were over-run from then on.

Apart from the goal, Torres was awful and Ba proved winning his aerial duels in the second half he would have done it.

To win these games there an element of luck, Luiz hits the post and it drops to courtois to palm away, Turan hits the post and it drops to Turan with an open net. Athletico were better and congratulations to them.

To not have a trophy at the end of the season is a disappointment, Mourinho chose not to buy a more clinical striker in the summer and we've suffered, but theres more too it then that. I think some departures are as important as incomings.

Lets just win or next two games and see how that sets us.

Win or lose, up the chels!!
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Sums it up perfectly for me.

We choose to have a makeshift team and playing 5 defenders, we had players like Schurrle and Oscar on the bench so it's not like we were forced to play that way.

The one area we lacked before kick off was the middle and apart from Matic we are desperatly poor in that area, we need a Lampard type partner for him and we just don't have anyone like that.

 
coco said:
Jesus bloody christ, what is wrong with the modern man ?.Gerrard the weekend and then JT last night, just want to say, to the pair of them, MAN UP BOYS !!
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Exactly, Coco!  Kick the furniture!  Let out a string of rich Anglo-Saxon expletives!  But don;t blubber!! You're not on a f**king reality show!

 
moi said:
Exactly, Coco!  Kick the furniture!  Let out a string of rich Anglo-Saxon expletives!  But don;t blubber!! You're not on a f**king reality show!
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I don't blame them.

Like Mourinho said, the CL owes Terry one. Imagine the pressure knowing that millions of people take the mickey out of you by missing that penalty and wearing a kit in a final you didnt play in. He wants to win it where he's involved to make up for Moscow, he may get paid alot but it shows emotion that he cares about it. He hasn't got long left.

Same case for Gerrard, having millions of people talk about how hes never won the league. Must haunt the top professionals.

 
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