What Made The Difference This Time? | Blue Champions

What Made The Difference This Time? - [BlueChampion]

Fri, May 2, 2008

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Are we third time lucky? That does not quite explain how we were able to overcome Liverpool this time. If you ask me, what made the difference was that the key players such as Drogba, Lampard and Essien rose to the challenge and were determined not to get eliminated in front of their crowd that has never seen their team in tears, for seasons. I mean those cement sacks!

So the lowly cement sacks are in the finals of the champions league? I feel really sorry for those so-called Chelsea fans who are disappointed that this team of unskilled labourers assembled by Jose Mourinho are in the champions league finals! Do the fans of a club call their players as ‘cement sacks’? What kind of fans would they be? I know fans blowing hot and cold on certain players or managers. When someone calls their team as cement sacks, that shows they no longer have any love for their team. They have no respect for their team. They cannot be fans. Anyway, Drogba and Lampard have already shut them out.

Did anyone else think that Grant’s celebrations were very fake? He is generally slow to react to things. See the bench reaction when John Arne Riise scored that thundering header. His final whistle celebration after the second leg match looked like he wanted his ‘knees-on-the-ground-arms-aloft’ picture would be the image of the champions league. Sure he listens to his PR man for all that he pays him but that reaction was a bit out of order for what you can expect of him. To his disappointment, most papers carried images of Drogba or Lampard. The ‘knees-on-the-ground-arms-aloft’ thing wasn’t to be seen. I care the least about how well he can celebrate success but I thought it wasn’t spontaneous, you know what I mean.

The below would have been much more in order:

Sky: Avram Grant, you’ve created history!
AG: I know
Sky: This must be a great achievement in your managerial career!
AG: Yes
Sky: Chelsea are in the champions league final for the first time ever in theis history? Wow!
AG: Yes
Sky: I mean you have defeated Liverpool in the champions league semi final and are in the finals of the UEFA champions league?
AG: True
(Sky reporter goes down on his knees with his arms held aloft and celebrates in ecstasy)

Jokes apart, Grant has certainly entered the history books of Chelsea FC. Even if he is to return to his football directorship at the end of this season, the achievement of having reached the final or having won the champions league, would always remain in Chelsea FC history. Like JT put it, no manager or a set of players have ever done it for Chelsea. Very true.

With the new developments, you can’t ignore the incredible similarity between Avram Grant and ex-Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque. del Bosque had a brilliant team. All that he had to do was to put up a playing eleven, ensure that the stars are happy, the football was taken care of by the galacticos. del Bosque won two champions league titles and two la liga titles with Real Madrid in their most successful period. But Madrid sacked him after he won the second la liga title. Ever since del Bosque was sacked by Madrid, he could not find even mediocre success with his later assignments. May be, some people find it easy with bigger teams. From here, Avram should go to Real Madrid.

Okay, now let’s put the result of the Chelsea vs Liverpool tie in perspective. I should admit that Liverpool’s performance in Stamford Bridge was miles above Chelsea’s performance at Anfield. They are the first team to score two goals in Stamford Bridge in a champions league match after Barca, when they beat a 10-man Chelsea 2-1 in March 06. They got two away goals in a semi finals but still it was not sufficient. Which was the single important factor that helped Chelsea to reach the champions league final?

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Written By BlueChampion

43 Responses For This Post. Add Your Comments Here!

I voted riise’s own goal, although all the others played their part it was this that gave us the mentality to play so well in the 2nd leg, in my opinion.

the most important thing was the own goal without which there was no hope. we played horribly at anfield. we were lucky not to get beaten 3-0 and we should been happy with 1-0 but we got a lucky bonus. if we had lost the match 1-0, liverpool might have ended in 2-1 for liverpool or 2-2.

no.1 - own goal
no.2 - chelsea players’ performance
no.3 - second match at SB
there is no no.4 here

chelsea player were amazing that night. where are those guys like TBF, AGFF etc who called our players with all silly names? where are they? hiding? waht will they say now? we have useless players and grant made champions out of them?

I felt the injuries to some key players where a blessing in disguise. Because of this they were not stretched and are peaking well. Joe & Ashley cole must have played the max matches and Joe cole was one player who didn’t play that well in the semis.

The second leg at Bridge is definite factor.

That’s a good point. I keep thinking this is maybe what is being done with Sheva, as a tactic, but time keeps ticking and no effort is made to bring him into the team so he can peak late in the season. Maybe it’s a really sneaky long-term plan and we have rested him this year so to surprise everyone next fall?

“Citizens asking for a one-year loan with a view to a permanent switch, while the Blaugrana want to off-load the player immediately”……Dos santos
Is chelsea after this player? if not….why?

LUCK. we are the most fortunate team now. with this kind of draw and own goal luck, even i could have led chelsea to champions league finals.

I think that the own goal and second leg at home were crucial.

http://www.chelseafcchampions.blogspot.com

it doesnt matters now as we have reached the semis … i am happy with that. i know it was lodsa luck into it.. risses own goal , liverpool not able to play with their top choice defenders, hyypis penalty but ill take it.

up the blues

PS: BC cement sacks as well as with “Wrestler Drogba” was used quite often last year as well as this year.

Second Leg at the Bridge was massive for us. I suspect that might have played a part in our poor performance at Anfield. As for Riise’s goal, I feel even if we would have lost 1-0 at Anfield we would still have done enough at the Bridge to qualify. Although the scoreline and the match might have been different. It’s our attitude and performance that was amazing. We could have beaten them by any scoreline we wanted. Plus Babel’s goal would never have gone inside normally. It was just because Cech was off concentration a bit because of the pressure release after such a tight game.

I cant wait till 21st of May. The real show down.

Cheers Blues

@6 Denver

@6 Denver

It could be Thiery Henry also .There are rumours he want to be back to London.

2nd leg at stamford bridge is the main reason why Chelsea reach the final. 2nd leg mostly decides the winning in this type of games…just look at UEFA Cup as well as Champions League… playing 2nd leg always gives the home team more advantages and more on mental advantages..

1) Bayern first leg(home) win 1-0 then 2nd leg lose 4-0 to home team(Zenit Petersburg) to make the aggregate 5-1

2) Barcelona(Home) 0 - ManUtd 0, then 2nd leg - Manutd won 1-0 at home.

just look at the history… 2nd leg advantages works 99%, 1% for miracle or luck for the away team. Look at Manutd last season against Roma, first leg they lose to Roma, but at home, the scored 6 passed Roma. Liverpool won twice against us in the Champions League (previous) because their 2nd leg is both at Anfield.

there is no doubt. the difference is the own goal by riise. that was the single biggest factor. also the own goal in the fenerbache match. nothing else was so significant. grant can claim all the credit. but i will never accept him because he is not a good man. you’ll come to know about that very soon.

i think it was grant who made the difference. leave alone the luck part. every champions league winning team has had luck. i don’t mind those lucky moments. of course we were fortunate with the draws too. but grant deserves the credit and i think it was grant who made the difference than anything or anyone else.

also i hope grant is allowed to stay. let him take his time. i like his methods. he is quiet and has things done his own way. he should be allowed a free hand in the team management unlike it was under TSO.

This could be very naive and idyllic, but I’d like to think we did it because we’re Chelsea. We LOVE to prove people wrong. We THRIVE on it. We need people to tear us to bits and dismiss us, to hate us and tell us we can’t, and that’s when we play our best.

Our players are like that, our club mentality is like that, Roman is like that. We do things we aren’t supposed to do, like build a competitive club in no time at all, break all the records in our first year under new ownership, come from behind in the premiership race after suffering more injuries than Omaha Beach at normandy, sack TSO for light reasons at best, and make an incredible comeback with a no-name manager and a shattered team spirit.

We’re not supposed to be as good as we are, and the press and fans of other clubs always remind us. Drogba, Terry, Lampard, Joey, Essien, they all enjoy being given a challenge to prove people wrong. And so do I, so do many Chelsea fans.

But we did it.

KTBFFH

I am new from Germany, my first time writting but have been reading for about 1 year.
What you people do not want to understand, is that Chelsea only played well in the 1st half and not the entire 45 minutes.
But I must admit that Drogba is one hell of a player, and he was fired up by Rafa Benitez, the biggest motivator that chelsea had.
In your survey the element that made the biggest difference, was luck, I saw quite a few games of Chelsea and really luck played the most, but then again your manager must be the most lucky one, even in getting the job.
Also the Uefa CL we had the easiest draws, had you had liverpool, Barcelona or even roma after the group you would have been out, and last your players they really want to win in big games, against liverpool R. Benitez was silly in saying what he said about Drogba, only fired him up, cost him the game, but folks Liverpool in their last 8 visits never scored and now they scored 2, just a bit of luck on their side in the 2nd half, and chelsea was out, but as I said Avram Grant must be the most lucky manager in the world.
In my country press no one gives any credit to AG as a manager, the commentators in the TV says that is the “luck of the begginner” like when you go to the casino the 1st time, you win, but when you think you master it you start losing.
But I would like him to stay in chelsea and draw Jose Mourinho next team in the Champions, that would be very interesting, provided Jose Mourinho goes to a team that has some decent players.
Unbelievable that chelsea still thinks AG merits credit, are they all blind? I recommend you to watch “you tube” search for avram grant and laff at his expertise knowledge of football.
No luck was the main factor for chelsea to be where it is.

sometimes all a good manager has to do is to choose the right players in the right time and stay out of the way. hire good assistent coaches (instead of being too stubborn and narcissistic). two players I think are better since Grant arrived: essien and ballack. essien in right back is the right place for him.

I really enjoyed how SAF looked when was asked about Grant’s comments- he wiped the smirk out of his face.

Guys after 90 minutes, i saw Grant encouraging and motivating the team especially ballack. He should be gives credit for this, i agree with kelvins comment. He needs a bit of time give him the summer to buy players and actually ake it more of his team not Jose Mourinhos team. He said he would play attacki ng football next season so we shall see how that ends up.

grant has done quite well to last the race. he has stayed on against all odds. credit to him for that. but we haven’t really seen any difference or any additional value for sacking TSO. if RA thought TSO’s footie was not good, he should not be happy now too.

then again, if we say AG will do it with ‘his’ team, the true colors will be at display. it is not that easy to make a winning team, no matter how much skill they possess. being consistently successful is an art and a science. look at barcelona. they swept the football world in 05-06 and they are the fallen giants now.

GermanFan @ 19

very interesting perspective from Germany. i liked the idea about ‘beginner’s luck’. so in the german press, who gets the credit for chelsea being in the finals and the close in the title race?

i admit grant always gets up on the right side of his bed. but you have to give him some credit in ensuring that the team did not fall apart after TSO left. to gather them together and make them play as a unit despite their unhappiness is no mean feat.

the below made the difference this time:

1. we had loads of luck with own goals
2. we did not have to play with hilario for too long
3. we did not have to make players play out of position due to injury absences
4. we have a bigger squad with many players getting better in their second season
5. we had loads of luck apart from own goals

Tallbott

There was a blogger here, AGfriend that once wrote that if he managed the brazil team in the world cup, he would risk to world champion.
Well the same I think of Avram Grant, he has inherited a fantastic squad, and most of them were bought by Jose at least the ones that are making the difference, Essien and Dobgra, Carvalho, the best central in the world at present, citing the german press and tv commentators, and mostly were world champions in the past.
Although I dont reckon chelsea’s manager at all, I must admit that his luck has steered the ship well, but as many bloggers in here and other blogs say, what about Steve Clark? a coach that have been for ages in the club and the players respect him for that.
regarding John Terry comments a few days ago, what do you expect? to say the opposite and risk to be marginalise? in fact since Jose left J Terry has not been the same player wityh the same pace.
I still think the attitude that was left with the players after Jose left they managed to carry on, for the season, and asd i read in here an interview about how Jose taught the players “how” and “why” to beat Manchester United, and TV programe in here showed the game againt MU last week (2-1) and showed the one last year, and they were comparing the play and it was almost identical.
As I am an avid football fan, I watch many many teams all over europe, and frankly never seen a team with so much luck,as chelsea displayed with A grant as manager, apart the national israeli team that managed 3rd place in the group with the same amount of luck, so typical of A grant, particularly the game against france were they drew in paris, but if they were still playing france wouldnt have scored another goal.
There was a joke, at the time, that the french officials measured the goal after the game, to see if the goal had shrunk.
Maybe A grant keeps his job for next year, and has his own players, and i pray to meet Jose’s new team in the champions, specially if he can have Lampard and Drogba, will be very interesting.

German Fan

As i said i agree that AG has been very very fortunate, right from how he got the job. but what i’m trying to say it he’s done a decent job in handling the players. looking back at the circumstances under which jose left, the team could easily broken into pieces. AG kind of steadied the ship and ensured that we stayed in the race.

he may have been helped by steve clarke a lot. may be, all the trouble of handling the players and keeping them together and focussed was steve’s job. still, all this happened under AG’s overall management and that’s why i think he deserves some credit.

Kelvin #17

” I like his methods” lol
which methods? he delegates thats all, if it is true he uses psychologists as well,what does he do, picks the names of the players that will play?
again if it is true he sues psychologist it is another proof that the man is extremelly short in football and man management knowledge, I never heard, another manager using a psychologist to fire up players. OK we all know chelsea has lots of money,and can throw it away, but can you imagine clubs like Real Madrid, bayern, Inter, Milan, Porto, Barca etc., using psychologists? another heavy salary going out of the club.
His (A Grant) methods wouldnt fit any other team in the world.

Talbott #26

OK it is your opinion, and I respect that. But to give credit to A Grant, ok I agree give him 10% in football management and 100% in luck, the factor that he brough to chelsea. Next year I predict, if he stays as manager, that he will be pushed before christmas, but with his luck, chelsea may draw again in the CL the weakest teams in the competition. Even Schalke a middle of the road team in Germany, outplayed Chelsea completely when they played in German,in Greece the same, and in London against Fener.
Yes i give him 10% credit and 100% luck.

well if i had a psychologists to motivate players, tacticians to work out tactics, fitness trainers to take care of training sessions, very good assistant manager to take care of player management, even I can manage this Chelsea team and bring success. i my not be able to do it consistently but i’ll be successful for sure.

i turly wonder why AG needs to hire psychologist? if he has so much experience in handling players, he would not need a psychologist. i dunno where we are heading to. i still have the article by duncan castles in guardian bookmarked. he talked about too many greedy people taking advantage of roman’s generosity. only those who wanted win played this game of politics and power, backstabbed and ousted TSO. it may all be true.

I think the voodoo man who cut the chicken throat over the doll in the red kit deserves some credit! In fact, he deserves credit for the whole season. How else do you explain a team that can loose to Spurs and BARNSLEY make it into the Champion’s League Final and could still win the Premiership? Avram Grant’s tactical genius and substitutions? Some old man with a monkey foot around his neck from New Orleans relocated to London after Hurricane Katrina. He became a Chelsea fan and is using his skills to work for the team. Y’all may think I’m crazy. But, if Ronaldive’s left leg falls off, Ferdinand is kidnapped by Martians, and Rooney gets eight months pregnant just before the Final…….
Seriously, the character of our players made the diffrence all season long. There is just too much talent and pride in their hearts to let each other and the fans down. I pray they win something this season and that a new manager will be selected soon. If not, Grant and Roman had better figure out how to keep the team together!

Avram Grant, fortunate and brings fortunate to Chelsea. Everyone will be happy this time even we won both Domestic and European Cup by LUCK. I welcome Luck this time but not next season.

Have you guys ever heard of perfect storm? It is the mixture of all natural elements that forms a Perfect Storm or disaster? But for Chelsea case, it is the mixture of all the elements in football that forms a “Perfect Chelsea Winning Luck”.

Here are the mixtures:
Win againts Liverpool (2nd Leg)
1) Drogba Fired Up by Benitez’s commment
2) 2nd Leg at home advantages
3) Lampard to play for his mother,apparently scored the penalty.
4) Liverpool rested all his players before this match, then they have lazy players already for this match.
5) Ballack fired up all his teammates after the win againts Manchester United.
6) The rain at Stamford Bridge
7) Chelsea players believe in themselves that they can advance to final as they believe this time it is their luck.
8) Avram Grant to prove critics are wrong and JM name will be forgotten soon if they advance to final. Easy, just name the best 11 and the benched.
9) Chelsea WANT to create History…and they did.
10) Liverpool Torres, could not play 100% as he is slightly injured during the start of the match. But still manage to score a goal. Imagine if he is fit.
11) Ballack, a great player BUT, easily loses the ball to opponent and not a strong player. He normally fell down anywhere on the field easily and then losses the ball. but the penalty conceded by Liverpool is the result from Ballack, the not so strong player, easily taken down but Luckily, Hyypia touches Ballack’s feet in the penalty box and Chelsea get a penalty and scored through the Strong Hearted Lampard.
12) The mixture of the above creates Chelsea playing beautifully most of the times and then de-motivates Liverpool and destroy their courage.
13) Avram Grant did not really change the tactic since he took over from Jose Morinho except naming players and substitutions. If he introduces new changes as in tactics, we would not want to know what is the worst thing will happen to Chelsea and he dares not to do so.
14) After all the FORTUNATE EVENTS, Chelsea and the fans faith, becomes Greater and this will continue until the day we face MU in the final. I am not surprised if Chelsea can win both Premiership and CHampions League.

Didier Drogba..!!

hello guys..there is this really cool ‘road to moscow’ video put up in the followin link.id suggest u check it out..trust me..its awesome..
http://www.CFCnet.co.uk/2008/05/03/road-to-moscow-video/

Luck this, luck that, seems to be the answer for everything. When the team plays poorly its because he’s terrible, when they win its because he’s lucky. His celebrations are “fake”, he looks like a “toad”, he talks like a fool, the players don’t like him… blah blah blah. Last time I checked results are all that matter, if he loses fire him, if he wins keep it. Pretty simple. All this talk about luck, and “Jose’s team” is kind of pitiful. Blame him all you want when he loses, but give him credit too. Everybody makes him out to be so lucky, but I guess not lucky enough to prevent those last minute goals which probably will cost Chelsea the title…

13. Krishna….do we need a 30 year old striker at this rebuilding stage….??
9. Nihongo Blue… bought my Chelsea shirt the other day…. the back is blank though but i love it never the less.

EVERYONE played their part and thats why we are in the finals!!!
and if everyone plays their part in the finals we will win!!!

If Drogba should go who should we get to replace him- I can only see one- Luca Tony of italy and real Madrid.

Bayern, am sorry

30. Denver - I didn’t say we need a 30 year old striker. All I commented was there are rumours of Thiery Henry moving to London. BTW do you think Barca would give their youngsters ?

If it comes to a young good striker, I would definitely like to have Balotelli in the squad.

38. Krishna no problem im not saying you did … that was meant to be a question…ok
Balotelli seem stronge! i recall Ibra saying he would play in England too.

@ 36. MourofEssien Toni … great player but I think he is a bit too old (30) for our rebuild ?… dont you think…Ibra (he is around 26-27)would be a better bet. what about Mario Gomez (22), good on the ground and in the air and he has skill too,Balotelli (17)not bad either but he is not that well know yet.
by the way i heard that we are thinking about swapping Ribery for Malouda…. would this be a good move… Ribery looks much quicker, however Malouda seems to be finding some form to some extent…

Do we really need anyone new players in our midfield??
look at it if we go for Van Der Vaart, Diego or even Gerrard, what will happen to Mikel, Ballack,Essien or even Maka….
certain players will be leaving… SWP, Sidwell, pizarro, Sheva, Drogba..?? Lamps..?? Maka (retire) Malouda..??
do you guys think Messi will come for that fee(80 mil), I think it is too much for any player though…. we must not be come a Real Madrid…!

40. Denver - We would need players in the midfield if SWP and Sidwell leave, just to take care of any injuries etc during the season.
Most likely Maka role would be taken care by Mikel. If lampard leaves ( hope not), we will have to buy either of three you have mentioned or an attacking midfield as we lose a 15 - 20 goals per season player.

If he stays, the question is whether to go for established players who expect to start every game or with some youngster who wouldn’t mind if you start them 15 games a season. We should have really tried out Sinclair more this season rather than loaning him out.

In the striker dept, price of Ibra would be too high and have never seen him play well in crunch games for inter or juve.Mario Gomez is a good player.

@41. Krishna Grant does not have enough sense to use Sinclair one of our brightest young players along with Sahar and Dos santo. knowing Chelsea they will go for established players…. i dont have a big issue but we need a good manager to manage big egos!! i think we should look into the prospects of getting Dos Santos from Barca…

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What Made The Difference This Time? - [BlueChampion]

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