On a day when Liverpool beat Inter and Roma beat Real Madrid, Chelsea could not get that crucial away goal as Olympiakos held on to a goalless draw. We managed 3 shots on goal in 90 minutes with our best line-up. That’s bad.
But this results is not bad though. A draw in the away leg is always okay. I’m sure that we’ll come out trumps at Stamford Bridge on 5th March.
Terry and Lampard were rested (not dropped) by AG. I’m fine with that. That shows the kind of luxury we enjoy now. Despite this luxury, we could muster only very few chances, most of which came through rebounds and the like.
We should have done lot better with such generous draw. I’m not sure with what idea we approached this match. It looked like we played for a draw, which is a dangerous plan in knockout rounds. If Olympiakos manages to score first at the Bridge, it could become tricky. That said, we should prevail, given our might.
what an awful, boring game. Anelka was about the only guy with any flair when he came on, and kalou wasted the only chance of the game for us at the death.
chelsea need goal = need pizarro !!
I almost fell asleep.
:(
yeah xd!! it will be better if you stop talking about pizarro like he’s a good player. sinclair is better. We could have scored if Grant played Mikel, i’m 100% sure of that. Mourinho never benched that midfielder in a champions league match. He would have provided the pass and assists for Drogba. I’m so disappointed with the result. Hope we thrash them at the bridge.
Congrats to Liverpool on their win, I’m really happy for them. Ihope AC milan trashes Arsenal tomorrow.
Had to get that out my system…
Wich looneybin did you crawl out of???
REALLY HAPPY FOR THEM?!!???!
You sould be LYNCHED
I said in the pre-match thread that I would refrain from expressing my thoughts on what the score would be until afterwards. I predicted 1-1. 0-0 is not as good as I expected, but it could be much worse. I can’t believe that chance at the end of the game fell to Kalou. That goal would have been incredibly valuable, and I would much rather have had Drogba or Anelka on the end of that cross.
We must win at Stamford Bridge now, as any draw will not see us through. I thought, watching the game, that we played around far too much on the wings and were afraid to confront Olympiakos’ centre-backs through the centre due to our lack of two strikers and Frank. When Avram brought on Kalou and Anelka in the 75th minute, I thought we were going to switch around but he just kept the same formation which proved ineffective despite our pressure. We need to be more attacking at Stamford Bridge and get a comfortable lead ASAP. Olympiakos should not be knocking out a team of this quality. Time to wait.
Despite my last comment, I am actually optimistic for the return leg! We should be able to get through.
Terrible starting team by Grant, and his double substitution makes no sence to me.
This Chelsea is going nowhere!!
Not even Wembley? :)
i couldn’t see the match but i don’t know why lampard didn’t start . i believe that he is the best player of chelsea ……….. avran grant you mess it out .(moyo) if i want to talk about pizarro, it does not concern you . if u think that pizarro is not a good player . i respect you point of view but i think he is a good player !!
I think we should replace Grant with Ramos whatever the cost is. Ramos will show Abramovich what he wants to see – sexy footie.
Pizarro is crap.
@ BC
Have to disagree that we managed this with our “best line-up”.
Grant’s decision to leave out Lampard three days after he scores two goals (even if they were against Huddersfield) was absurd. Also, if you consider the fact that Grant left out our Captain and Vice-Captain and still expected us to play inspired and incisive football in a hostile away environment was ludicrous. I appreciate his attempt to rest key players prior to the final against Spurs, but doing so days after you declare ambition for winning the Champions League is fool-hardy. Grant needs to admit to himself that he under-estimated Olympiakos and stop making foolish squad selections and saving his substitutions until it’s already too late.
Shitty game , fell asleep,
i hate ballack styles of play! no urgency, no creativity. i think if lampard is not around, he is the one who should be the playmaker. but i am very frustrated with the game. so bored!
the headlines in uefa.com says olympiakos held by solid chelsea ……… it should be the other way round right??
the only reason why maka played was that yesterday was his birthday
Poor result, poor tactics, poor attitude poor everything. Grant you are a ****** of the highest order. P.S anyone see the footage of Frank wearing that singlet after he scored the double last week? Fat Frank indeed.
Still a great Chelsea man none the less.
Pizzaro is just awful. I know people like to bash the Shevchenko signing but at least Sheva can still run occoniaslly. Pizzaro runs like he has a piano on his back. You can’t consistently score when anyone from the other team including the trainer runs faster than you.
I don’t think Drogba should’ve started today. I think Anelka up top with Drogba as a sub would’ve been much more successful. We need both Drogba and Anelka to help capture the Carling Cup on sunday.
This result makes me a bit nervous but I’m confident that Chelsea will secure a win in the 2nd leg and move on in the Champions League.
i dont know wat is wrong with avram but if he wanted to give a gift to maka he should have brought him leather jacket not the captain’s arm band at the expence of terry and lampard
All is fine. Problems will start if we cant score against them in the 2nd leg first half or if they score which seems unlikely. Its gonna be a good 2nd leg to watch and much more tactical one. Good game to access grant if they score at bridge before us !!
i dont want to see another 1-0 wins at the bridge grant should play two men up front finish the game within the first half
pizarro could it be a better subtitution than anelka…
all i can say is that we just need to give him more time…
in the domestic league…
he signed a contract for 4 years…
all we have to do is just wait :D
Grant had better start producing some good results, thats all i have to say
Poor game, so-so result.
Played conservatively for a draw by the looks of it.
No issues with Lampard and JT being out, Ballack and Alex have more then proved their worth to start.
Kalou missed a sitter at the end so no change there then.
Anelka was the only player who livened things up at the end.
Pity about Liverpool getting off the hook like that but fingers crossed Inter can make up for that in 3 weeks.
We should be able to beat them at home so I’ve no real concerns on that score.
Mourinho’s shadow still looms large on Chelsea team…though not surprising as team still consists of his ‘solid’, ‘effective’ players…anyone who has been following Chelsea for last 3-4 seasons must not be surprised with these sorts of results….Chelsa just doesn’t have those sort of players who can take the game by scruff of its neck….Mourinho assemled machine components with best components for defense, lesser ones for MF and average ones for attack….at least 3-4 flair players needed, 2 on flanks , 1 in MF who can create ‘things’…Lampard,Ballack,Drogba all are straight players…they can’t be creative….
I m more upset about Liv result than Chelsea’s. We will win it @ SB, but what about Inter? I thought Liv would go out of CL at this stage and Rafa getting sacked, but hell NO. That mad Materrazzi spoiled everything. I dont think inter will score 3 and wont concede. Rafa will park the bus at San Siro. Even Torres & Crouch (if he plays) will defend.
Coming to Chelsea result, I havent seen the match but going by the statistics we should have more number of shots on goal and obviously number of goals.
Giles smith midweek view : I liked this part about the liverpool inter game
“Instead, we discover at half-time that the referee has sent off Marco Materazzi after 30 minutes for two fouls which, even taken together, barely added up to a wave of the linesman’s flag, let alone a double yellow carding.
Liverpool? Beneficiaries of some wobbly refereeing? At Anfield? In the Champions League? It’s ringing a bell…
Nope. It’s gone.
Anyway, analysts are still examining the tapes, trying to work out what, if anything, Materazzi did, in those two separate moments, that was so blindingly contrary to the spirit of the game that he could no longer be entrusted with his freedom on the pitch. The best wisdom, at the time of writing, is that the first card was for breathing on the back of Torres’s left leg, while the second was for coughing without putting his hand over his mouth. “
Dear friends i can see that u still underestimate Olympiakos.It was a really boring game.But Olympiakos is tougher when they play away and the proof is that they won away twice on the first round.You should have lost in Athens and i think even UEFA agrees with me…..olympiakos held by solid chelsea lol….
i tink avram should b sacked.He is not attack minded.He should have started the gave with all attack formation,was he dir to draw or wat.I love Mourinho
The game was boring. It looked to me that the plan was to give as little effort as possible and not lose.
We did not really attack, which is frustrating but understandable, but we did not run back for defense when we lose the ball, and that was bad. The players would slowly walk into Olympiakos’ half, try to pass ball around as much as they could, and then when the ball was lost, most of players would simply stand or stroll back like it was nothing wrong with Olympiakos contra-attacking. When it was really tough, we would get a yellow card… This attitude is what worries me. Otherwise the game objectives were fulfilled, and we could have even sneaked a win at the end… probably undeserved… :)
The return game should be more interesting as there is no option for a draw anymore. It would be more open and more dangerous for Chelsea as Olympiakos will contra-attack skillfully knowing that any score draw will take them through. Let’s see how it is going to end.
very comprehensive highlight package
http://tinyurl.com/2vl28r
Check out the way makalele blasts ballack for his mistake
c’mon guys, what you talking about? a display of “sexy attacking, destroy the opposition defence, football” so loved from our AG, the man that claims chelsea is playing a better kind of footbal, not like “before” or the “past” the man that replaced the “boring” Mourinho in order to save Chelsea. Olympiakjos was a very predictable team, real crap.
In SB there is no problem, Olympiakos has the same chance as huddersfield, will manage the max about 10/15 minutes where could cause problems, but they will not score, particularly with cxarvalho in that form, what a player, the best in the world in his position no doubt.
Anyway maybe it will be liverpool v chelsea next round with 1st game in SB a repeat.
@ethan
Olympiakos has not been underestimated ethan, olympiakos is crap would struggle in EPL to avoid relegation, even AG a mediocre crap manager, didnt field FL or JT, only because AG knew olympiakos has no dangerous players in their team, no creativity an OAP team.
2-0 for chelsea in SB on the return leg, with another display of sexy attacking football with a fantastic tactics from our “knowledgeable manager”.
Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit bring Frank from Barca.
chelsea not living up to
…….. even one of AG’s black shirts is livier than the way chelsea is playing lately
@BC
Boring match[reminded me of last year] but atleast the fat blok has the guts to admit that we were poor………..atleast he takes the blame instead of blaming individuals and according to me it’s a fine result considering we rested terry and lamps[long term injury victims]………played maka and rested mikel…..and i think we were the better side……….i guess that fat blok really wants his first piece of silverware.
guys read this
http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=79609
My patience is running thin with AG. He talks of revolutionary change in Chelsea, yet i see the same style, same results as Jose Mourinho. The only difference is free-roles for everyone! it’s ruining the club.
I’ve got a small question according to Makelele’s capitain arm band – why do you think it’s so important that he has it yesterday? It practicaly gives nothing to him, am i right?
Of course it’s a prize or something for him to be a capitain, but in my opinion it’s not important in any other case. Do you think than other player’s morale was lower because of Maka being a capitain?
I’m just curious ;)
had it*
in any other way*
think that*
Sorry, but i’m ill ;)
0-0 is a good result @ nationalist Greece. Real lost here isn’t it?
i think the result was bad. if they manage to score a goal on the brigde we sill have to score 2. we had or chances but we didnt create anything. as long as we play 4-3-3 drogba is like any other player. he needs the space 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 is good plus its more attractive.
i saw more long balls in this game than in any other chelsea game so far. the worst part is that the long balls was shit, they still couldnt score. we have a great team but not a good manager.
tbf @ 36
It was NOT like last season. We were utterly crap yesterday. It was a typical chelsea game under AG. We were outplayed and lucky – thats our story of this season.
Hey any of you send a package to AG ? LOL LOL
Hilarious : someone’s sending death threats to the fat bloke , he don’t need that kind of stuff ;
He needs to be replaced by someone who can thrill us ; not bumped off .
Guys! My internet connection is down. That’s why I’m unable to post the match reaction article. Hope the conn gets fixed soon.
Last night I watched Lyon-ManU match…..I really felt sorry for Roman Abramovich…that guy has spent millions, his valubale time,attention, everything…just to have his team play attacking attractive expensive footie….but what he gets in return is boring,long ball,eyesore football….he deserves better….
i pity him as well but we cannt do anything just hope and pray chelsea play the ball on the ground rather than in the air
Yes I pity him too but not for the reasons stated above
I pity him for not having the brains / foresight to let the team evolve into a splendid attacking force like Barca
@50…if you r pointing towards Murinho’s sacking then it was a right decision..the quagmire Chelsea is in is to his credit…that fool assembled such a team which is devoid of any attacking flair…efficient machine,my foot….he left because he knew that he can’t overcome newly rebuild ManU,Arsenal….he has capacity to make even Barca play like shit….
Roman needs to pump in more money for few ‘human players’ to replace ‘machine components’…and bring in someone like Rijkard…I hope he gets what he wants….
Unbelievable! That result and game was rubbish! I want the days back where you could see fear in the eyes of our opponents (Mourinho’s second season)! It was as fun watching the players gather in the tunnel and walk out for the game and actually see fear in the eyes of Manu, Arsenal, and Liverpool players. Where mid table teams capitulated on their home grounds even before the game started out of fear and repsect. I don’t care to watch Arsenal play beautiful passes in the middle third only to see them not put the ball in the net and lose every trophy! I want machines that do whatever it takes to win period! We need trophys at all costs to continue the dynasty that Mourinho started! The world respects only winners and only losers respect trying hard but coming up short (Liverpool fans anyone).
Whether it is 1-0 games or destroying Barca 4-2 to advance! Chelsea need game winners on the pitch who can turn a game in a split second and snatch wins that were ties or deafeats! But, more importantly, we need players who believe they are the best and will accept nothing less than winning and absolutely hate to lose. We also need a coach who has a fighting spirit and demands that his team wins or dies trying!
@Mourinho_Is_Boring
You are nuts was never the right decision to sack JM and replace him with AG.
Had him (RA) sacked JM and replaced him with a decent, talented, proven CV manager
yes, I may go along with that, but to replace JM with a manager that would struggle to keep Brighton in league 1, nope not my cup of vino.
Just watched spuds v “a very poor team” from eastern europe and my God Ramos has a lot to do
in that team, such a brilliant manager but a very very poor team, this is a foregone conclusion on sunday, cant see chelsea not scoring at least 3, less than that i would send all the team to Siberia, including the manager, just read in “investement monthly” they need miners over there.
The weather there is really warm with all this stuff from global warming, even the siberian bears are shedding their fur.
anyway will come back later.
byezzzzzzzz
cool new theme!!!
Yesterday I watched the clash between Fenerbahce and Sevilla (3-2) in Istanbul, where I am from, and both of those teams play better than Chelsea. Sadly so.
Well guys do not worry about olympiakos at SB, it is a foregone conclusion just like this sunday, why do I feel so confident????
Because although we have a lousy team with players that would not fill a stadium in league 1, really bad players no international experience,etc etc .
But we have a brilliant manager, fantastic knowledge of the modern game, very versed in tactics, brilliant at substitutions, brilliant at changing the rythm of the game when it is going against our team,
extremelly intelligent at man management, but guys has got an “arse” the size of piccaddilly circus, so what the worry???
Chelsea will win carling cup, thats obvious, and will be in the next round against liverpool in the CL with 1st game in SB.
Have faith in our manager, brilliant tactitian, dont forget Chelsea no longer “shut shop” we now play a better attacking football, just like Barca, in fact the directors of Barca are thinking to bring AG to manage their team, the football discovery of the 21st century, the walking thinking football manager.
I bet he will not have the guts to keep JT and FL out of the final this sunday.
So AG fans thank our benevolent owner, for having the foiresight of bringing his pal to Chelsea,
Do I recall someone in Real Madrid board, that recommended capelo as a manager and after 1 season the fans requested his sacking????
I don’t believe Mourinho has really left the team. I’m almost positive that Avram is just a doll in Mourinho’s hand
Why?
1-the team is still playing in the same technical way it used to be with Mourinho but without a soul!
2-if Avram is such a bright coach to lead the team in that highly technical way, how come we’ve never heard about him!?
3-why Mourinho has signed a contract settlement stating that he should not coach any English team this season?
Why should Mourinho agreed? Money talk
Why would Chelsea board do such a thing?
The president is Jew and Avram is Jew as well, in fact the president is well known for his unlimited support to Israel and all what Israel missing now is to have a famous name in football field, that sport which captured millions hearts around the world and what’s better than using a famous English team to reach that goal!
Mark my words, Israel will be qualified to world, just check its group in the European qualifying groups to world cup 2010
well well well looks like Olympiakos might just be the better team