On April 23 2012 23:06 Tyree wrote: Juve has a good chance to win the Scudetto now, they got mostly easy games while Milan still has to face Inter, and while Inter has been sucking a big fat one lately, a derby is always impossible to predict as its a different kind of game.
Its significant because Juventus are the most popular club in Italy and they have had that 2006 scandal, they were stripped of 2 titles and relegated, to see them win and maybe do a historic run of no defeats in the entire season would be quite special.
I've seen about 2-3 games of last 5 from Juve and I don't see them losing the title. Unless Milan can get their lazy people to really try it just seems way too big a challenge for them.
Letting Pirlo go to Juventus should go into history books as quite possibly beeing the stupidest thing ever done by a team.
On April 23 2012 23:06 Tyree wrote: Juve has a good chance to win the Scudetto now, they got mostly easy games while Milan still has to face Inter, and while Inter has been sucking a big fat one lately, a derby is always impossible to predict as its a different kind of game.
Its significant because Juventus are the most popular club in Italy and they have had that 2006 scandal, they were stripped of 2 titles and relegated, to see them win and maybe do a historic run of no defeats in the entire season would be quite special.
I've seen about 2-3 games of last 5 from Juve and I don't see them losing the title. Unless Milan can get their lazy people to really try it just seems way too big a challenge for them.
Letting Pirlo go to Juventus should go into history books as quite possibly beeing the stupidest thing ever done by a team.
I have been saying that all season as a massive Milan and Pirlo worshipper, how could let go such an outstanding player, who was the backbone to Milan's recent achievements as well as Italy's.
Barcelona (0) vs (1) Chelsea - Second Leg Tonight 7:45 BST - 8:45 CEST - 2:45 EDT
Team News:
Barcelona - Pique is fit, but manager Pep said he has not played him because of Masch and Puyol are a good pairing Messi is complaining of feeling unwell and missed sundays training session, but trained yesterday saying he felt ok Abidal is obviously out
Chelsea - Luiz has travelled with the squad to Camp Nou, but is still unlikely to play Drogba has trained ahead of the game and is likely to start
Other News - The Referee for tonight is Cüneyt Çakır reffing his champions league game of the season and its a Semi Final. Which just fuels more and more debate of the Referee is going to deter the outcome of this game and not the football itself. He has Reffed 2 games of the two teams playing tonight previously. Rubin Kazan 1-1 Barcelona in 2010 and Chelsea vs Spartak Moscow also in 2010 which ended with Chelsea winning 4-1. This will be his only game in Europe this season, which is even more confusing as to why to pick him. Really do hope he does not determine the outcome of this game!
0_0 Talk about last minute drama! Love the crowd btw.
Na, you love the colours
haha maybe.
Anyway the first time I saw it I thought, definite penalty. Coming in like that from behind is asking for trouble, but then it seemed like he was really clumsy. Now it looks like he may have been touched afterall. Funny even with Video evidence we can't be sure of everything XD
Ahahaha definitive evidence. A fuzzy picture where the guy has lifted his leg slightly. He took an extra step before falling over mate, he tripped over his own feet.
Pique is fit, but manager Pep said he has not played him because of Masch and Puyol are a good pairing
No way. Pique is the best defender in the world. Mascherano is not even a defender.
Direct Quote from Press Conference -
"As for Gerard, there is no problem at all. He has had an injury for a long time.
"I have many players and can choose Javier Mascherano and Carles Puyol, who are a good combination in central defence.
"We wanted to have the right players to face [Karim] Benzema, [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Angel] Di Maria and that is why I decided to play with the players I have chosen so far.
"I do appreciate Gerard because of his approach to life and because how he loves football.
"The rest is just my decision, the fact he plays or not."
Pique is fit, but manager Pep said he has not played him because of Masch and Puyol are a good pairing
No way. Pique is the best defender in the world. Mascherano is not even a defender.
Hes been pretty god aweful a looottt of games this season. But then again you'd have to have seen it. His only redeeming feature has been his passing out of defense. Otherwise his positioning has been suspect, and therefore pace bothers him when they get caught offgaurd, and most importantly Mascherano other faults aside is a better 1 to 1 defender. This last point been true forever not just recently.
On April 23 2012 23:06 Tyree wrote: Juve has a good chance to win the Scudetto now, they got mostly easy games while Milan still has to face Inter, and while Inter has been sucking a big fat one lately, a derby is always impossible to predict as its a different kind of game.
Its significant because Juventus are the most popular club in Italy and they have had that 2006 scandal, they were stripped of 2 titles and relegated, to see them win and maybe do a historic run of no defeats in the entire season would be quite special.
I've seen about 2-3 games of last 5 from Juve and I don't see them losing the title. Unless Milan can get their lazy people to really try it just seems way too big a challenge for them.
Letting Pirlo go to Juventus should go into history books as quite possibly beeing the stupidest thing ever done by a team.
I have been saying that all season as a massive Milan and Pirlo worshipper, how could let go such an outstanding player, who was the backbone to Milan's recent achievements as well as Italy's.
It's not only that but ever since around 06 when Juve's old guard started retiring and moving away it's been pretty clear what kind of player they have had the most problem finding.
On April 24 2012 17:11 Pandemona wrote: Barcelona (0) vs (1) Chelsea - Second Leg Tonight 7:45 BST - 8:45 CEST - 2:45 EDT
Yellow Cards - (1 away from suspension) A.Cole
Other News - The Referee for tonight is Cüneyt Çakır reffing his champions league game of the season and its a Semi Final. Which just fuels more and more debate of the Referee is going to deter the outcome of this game and not the football itself. He has Reffed 2 games of the two teams playing tonight previously. Rubin Kazan 1-1 Barcelona in 2010 and Chelsea vs Spartak Moscow also in 2010 which ended with Chelsea winning 4-1. This will be his only game in Europe this season, which is even more confusing as to why to pick him. Really do hope he does not determine the outcome of this game!
I AM SO EXCITED! and i am not even a chelsea or barca fan, (man utd fan)! It would be amazing to see chelsea topple the "worlds" best club.
I highlight what i think is important.. Ashely cole out for the final would be HUGE
Pique is fit, but manager Pep said he has not played him because of Masch and Puyol are a good pairing
No way. Pique is the best defender in the world. Mascherano is not even a defender.
Hes been pretty god aweful a looottt of games this season. But then again you'd have to have seen it. His only redeeming feature has been his passing out of defense. Otherwise his positioning has been suspect, and therefore pace bothers him when they get caught offgaurd, and most importantly Mascherano other faults aside is a better 1 to 1 defender. This last point been true forever not just recently.
None of Barcelona's defenders are world-class in the truest sense of the word. In a lot of other teams they simply wouldn't be good enough. I'd compare their deficiencies to the problems that David Luiz has exhibited thus far at Chelsea: On the ball they are incredibly talented, especially for defenders, but off the ball they have poor marking and poor defensive movement, making them very susceptible to long-ball "kick-and-rush" football.
Pique would've never made it at Manchester United and thus is a classic example. The difference for Pique at Barcelona is that, because of the way they play and because of the way most teams they come up against play, it is better for them to have a competent defender who is really good on the ball (Pique) than a really good defender who is competent on the ball (someone like Vidic, I guess). When you rarely give the ball away like Barcelona, and when you have a midfield system that restricts the opponent's chances to pick out long-range passes from the very moment you lose the ball, having defenders with world-class defensive movement isn't that much of a problem...
... Although I'd go on to point out that Chelsea's goal against Barcelona came about precisely because their defensive movement is not world-class.
Pique was also pretty young when he played at United.
I've always suggest that barca play with 7 midfielders and 3 strikers.. they actually dont have a defence, the reason they hardly let goals in is because of the dominance in midfield. they also win the ball back from midfield as you can close everything down when its 7 midfields vs 4..
EPT
that fucker made the Di Marias, Drogbas and other divers proud.
, shows another angle on the challenge 
