RedNik

Ok fine even if that is the case... he didnt leave us to get more money. He left because he thought he would achieve more with Madrid, and he always wanted to test himself abroad. Thats the same reason he didnt sign a contract. That being said, they way he strung us along was s***ty.

I sometimes feel bad for the genuine lifetime chelski fans. They're club has bought everything, players, trophies and fame... but also a pathetic fan base who didn't previously follow a team or know squat about football. Its really exaggerated bandwagon stuff and sometimes you just have to pity it.

Typically, when you boss the game, the 2 center backs and the holding midfielder will not be heard from much. Why is this? - because they do the little things well, snuff out opposition attacks and ensure that you can play your football. Xabi got caught in possession a couple of times but he was reliably solid again. Believe me, once Kewell is fit or we get a left winger who spreads play better than riise - whichever comes first - we'll see xabis quality distributing. All this big game stuff is b******s.

Geez man so Riise had a truck load of shots - 1 on target, which I think was more of a cross. Was he our best player today then? Come on man its getting tedious now to endlessly debate the uses and misuses of statistics. The game isnt that cut and dry, especially football, where statistics aren't that telling. Were this cricket or basketball, your arguments about statistics would have more value. Fact is we CANNOT take into account the intricacies of the game through statistics. For example, could there be a stat for the number of times he pulled the defender away from the ball by just his movement? Or the number of times he forwarded our posession etc? Football stats don't come close to explaining the game. You and I both know this. Start arguing based on what you see instead - and I say this with no malice - mate.

aren't you the one with the stats? .... my world is falling apart here!

Wow do you even know that for a fact? The lengths to which people will go just to make the whole situation into a sinister conspiracy from MO, the ingurland loving welshman who never gave a fck about lfc.

MO took a pay cut to join madrid

That being said about Drogba, not one of chelseas attacking players had any influence on this game really.

Its an improvement on his previous attitude. Its good to see it all stems from passion on the pitch, but he needs to watch himself. Rafa wont be best pleased with the yellows he's picked up thus far. Otherwise, yes good performance, lots of good crosses in, held posession well. Still needs to add a threat of shooting - couple of situations I wouldnt've minded him having a go in.

Torres - scored the only goal that should have stood Gerrard - immense, especially defensively Arbeloa - impeccable today, swp put in 1 cross, if i recall correctly.

Mclaren is fkin t*** end of. In the build up to the game they were talking about Carra, and he placed the blame on Carra himself, by saying that he wished he had been told of Jamie's disappointment earlier.

No I think if everybody has seen the replay and it is conclusive in one way or another, managers will be less likely to say it was a bad decision. Thats the definition of conclusive isnt it?

I actually think there'd be less complaining etc. If it is inconclusive in the video evidence after looking at it 2 or 3 times, then there should be no overturn. If it is conclusive either way - how can there be complaining? If so, why anymore than there is already. Besides managers, whose jobs rely on these decisions almost more so than those making them (quite bizzarely imo) have a right to be angry when a poor decision is made.

The fact of the matter is that they are an important part of most games around the world - because you want the players to decide the game, not the refs. They use it in tennis to debate a point, they use it in cricket for wickets, they use it in the NFL for points. In football, EVERYTHING can be decided by 1 kick. A whole game, 3 pts and maybe even the final position you finish in. There is so much riding on a goal - and I think this is why we love the game so much. The ability to get genuinely excited when someone scores a goal, as opposed to meaningless 3 pt basket in basketball. The scarcity of goals makes them hugely important, and the players should be responsible for scoring them, not the refs. Technology is a MUST, because it is available and can ensure that the CORRECT result is achieved.

Why would 2 challenges in a game delay it that much?

I think something similar to the situation in the NFL where theres a red flag could be interesting. Each manager would have one red flag, or challenge alotted per game, if the call gets reversed, he gets the flag back. You can use it whenever you want. Its sure to cause some debate but I think its a decent system, and with just 1 per game each (and presumably most games there wont really be a challenge), it wont delay the game too much. That is of crucial importance. What makes football so great to watch is that its non stop end to end stuff and delaying the game through replays etc would detract from that.

Reading that, knowing that this horrendous ref is going to be called out makes me much much happier / less disappointed.

aside from portsmouth, all teams that will be in an around the drop zone come may.

Wow this forums lost it ... understandably so too.

Worst bit is for fkin penno, he was standing RIGHT THERE. He had the best view on the pitch, and had to've seen Malouda leave the ground once he realized it was behind him.

Emotions and hope aside, you really think the FA is gonna have a look at this? Had it been Man U instead of us, maybe... but i dont see anything coming of this.

It wasnt just the attrocious call where Malouda was jumping in the air well before Finnan arrived on the scene.... he also let chelsea get away with they're customary dirty tactics. Fat frank tripping Xabi after the whistle, mikel kicking at Gerrard, ashley cole tackling torres - absolutely sinister stuff. Add that Tal ben haim should've been sent off for blocking torres as he was breaking behing they're defensive line - somehow Terry ended up with a card instead. The t*** styles also somehow managed to get in the way of our attacks a number of times - kuyt and gerrard coming to mind - though thats clearly me just being furious with the result.

only one team was ever trying to win this. in big tight games, its a shame that a ref will always have such a big influence on it.

and may the riise bashing begin....

Would he play much though? - he's what 17 years old? Barcelonas academy is just stunning. Seems like Rafa is putting in place that sort of system, where we collect a lot of young talent and develop them.