Anyone else at Stamford Bridge yesterday? There's just something off about the team. I wouldn't put it down to lack of desire. We were just too slow in build up and Man Utd were always allowed to organise their team before we could cause any damage. Very impressed with United but we made it too easy for them. I was behind the goal where Evra challenged Ramires and it was so clear that even if the Ref missed it, the bloody official behind the goal should have seen it. Anyway, we have to move on as we're more than capable of getting a result at OT. But the system just doesn't seem to work. I wouldn't blame Torres. Our players were under performing well before he arrived. I think we need to go back to 4-3-3 but the problem is with Torres up front and Anelka on the right, who can we put on the left? Malouda and Zhirkov are both playing below par.

@ stakman1011

Carlo is always class. Even when he's having a moan.

Edit: I wouldn't even consider Drogba next week as he is struggling big time. Torres played well yesterday and performed more freely when Drogba was taken off.

As he gets universal flak, a mention to John Terry. Outstanding again yesterday.

Was the atmosphere as...not atmospheric as it appeared on TV?

There's never much atmosphere at Chelsea tbh. Strange evening last night considering the magnitude of the game.

I'm willing to stick 100 on that as well which is +ev for you cos i prolly only got 40 yrs left in me tops

as a neutral, i thought the torres call was a penalty in real time, but that torres' unbelievable flop got him a no call. after seeing the replay, don't think it was a penalty or a yellow card. just one of those things that happens. doesn't always have to be one thing or another. evra's challenge was obv a stonewall pen.

Drogba was vastly more threatening than Torres. I did like his little sulk when the ball was still in his possession though. Class. I was absolutely delighted and pretty much shocked that Chelsea took off Drogba and not Torres. More meddling from on high? Torres played well? I thought he was useless.

of course it was. Drogba's reaction when he came off, and the fact that he shook Ancelotti's hand, suggests to me that Drogba is well aware what is going on and doesn't blame Ancelotti for it.

Drogba kept giving the ball away in bad positions and trying too hard to do it alone. He was increasingly becoming a liability from what I saw. Plus Rio Ferdinand seemed to have him in his pocket. However, he did have one decent effort well saved by Van Der Sar. Torres did as well as he could in the system we employed. He played a couple of great through balls down the right. Made a nice turn to get away from a defender on the left. Had a decent header saved by Van der Sar and just needed a bit more service. Plus, he didn't give the ball away as cheaply as Drogba.

Anyway, I'm not having a pop at you for thinking he was useless . It's impossible to analyse 22 players in a game without missing some of the good things some players do during a game. Hence why no one ever agrees with post match player ratings.

They must do surely, TSO will is their biggest threat imo.

Awesome.
I was listening to them on talksport and it's just laughable.
He was bad as well but Evra was dodgy as.
Didn't exactly 'gift' us the goal, Carricks 50m chipped pass was sweat and would be hard to read for any defender. Giggys touch was superb and played the perfect cut back to Rooney.

+1. I think the whole squad at Chelsea know what's going on. Like Raz I was glad that it was Drogba that came off. He was the most threatening Chelsea player and was the one who was trying to create/kick start the comeback.

I mean you can look at Real attacking talent but even against Spurs' ten men they looked pretty bad at the back. Barca will destroy them once again, this time over 2 legs.

Don't get my wrong I'd prefer them over Barca without a doubt but they're still a good side.

Yeah they are a good side, I never said they weren't, but I would fancy us really strongly to beat them.

Haven't had a chance to read through the thread yet, won't now either with The Masters.

I'm not after-timing because I have posted here that a) Bosingwa should never start a meaningful game, I even posted that i'd strongly consider Ferreira over him for last night and that b) 4-4-2 invariably gets found out against good sides.

As soon as I saw the line-ups I feared for us to be honest, and once I saw that United were lining up the way I expected from the teamsheet I felt even worse. United were set up very well, perfect for an away European tie.

We were bordering on poor and lacking tempo, too concerened with the threat of United on the counter attack. This only became more apparent once United had scored because obviously two away goals would have been gg.

Saying that, depsite being poor we hit the post, had a shot cleared off the line, forced a great save from VDS and were denied a clear penalty.

I'm not going to rant and rave about the penalty because i'm going to assume everybody agrees it was blatant but secondly I find it hard to do so when we have not performed.

United are obviously now pretty big favourites to progress but we are still in it and have a good record at Old Trafford. Having Alex back will be a big plus.

almost as mythtastic as your "Chelsea are a better team than Utd" ramblings

Agreed about Bosingwa. Since he returned from injury he has been awful. Essien has been far from his best in midfield this season, maybe we should employ him at right back as we did between 2006 and 2008 on numerous occasions. Ferriera isn't the answer. If Alex was fit (or Luiz not cup tied), Ivanovic would be at right back.

We have to go back to 4-3-3 next week or the same will happen at OT. It isn't strictly a 4-4-2 Ancelotti is using. His idea is that it is flexible so that it can become a 4-3-3 or 4-1-2-1-2 at any stage during the game. This requires Anelka to play of course. But it just isn't working at the moment.

Apart from the fact that since 1966 in 35 league games at Old Trafford, Chelsea have won 12, Man Utd have won 7 and the other 16 have been draws. In general, historically Chelsea have fared better at Old Trafford whereas United better at Stamford Bridge (apart from last 9 years until yesterday). But I'm sure you're aware of this history.

you won't be surprised to learn that your arbitrary starting-point is set slightly earlier than my arbitrary starting-point

I think he just likes trolling Langer. At least that's the way it seems to me lately.

It's cool, you've only been supporting United for a 4 or 5 years. I get it.

haha, pathetic

Yo, this is a European tie. We ain't playing for 3pts next week.

this argument is so trite and tired 'round these parts

Obviously. We're outsiders and will clearly have to play much better but it would hardly be a surprise result if Chelsea won 2-1 on Tuesday.

Yet it hits so many nerves