Much to the fans disappointment, today's Champions League match between the London Blues (yellows?) and the Catalan side ended in a goalless draw. I, however, seemed to be the only one who really understood the meaning of this match. This was a great display to fans of the game who are not just looking for goals or even goal to goal action. Although Pep Guardiola's side controlled the game with 70% possession, Guus Hiddink showed today why he is one of the best coaches in the world. When Guus stated in the press conference that it would be "all out attack" my neighbors rang my doorbell complaining they had heard a dog die. No, I had not killed my beloved Chi-Chi, but my loud screeched laughter could have pierced and deafened the old dog's ears nonetheless. Oh Guus! Comon! Barcelona is clearly the best team in the world and "all out attack" at the Camp Nou when you have the upper hand (second home leg) is never going to happen. Ever. It was clear that he would put 11 men behind the ball and give up possession in favor for a little 0-0 or 1-1 draw which he deservedly got. From the start it was Barcelona's game but the question was weather or not they could crack the Chelsea back four. They could not. Ivanovic and Bosingwa both had nearly flawless games and other than a stupid challenge by Alex, the two center backs didn't have much to do. Cech looked like the Cech from the Mourinho, pre-head-injury days, and not like the Cech who concedes three goals in the last 15 minutes in a first round game against Turkey in Euro 2008. Hiddink and his staff knew exactly what to do:
1. Get 11 men behind the ball,
2. Make sure Iniesta and Xavi are quiet in the middle,
3. Shut down the (soon to be?) best player in the world, Lionel Messi, and
4. Exploit Barca's weakest point, the center backs (Marquez and Pique) and Victor Valdes who surprisingly didn't play poorly at all.
Yes, I do realize that Barca outnumbered Chelsea something like 17-3 in shots in the second half alone, but so what? How many serious goal scoring opportunities did the teams get to. The answer is 4-2 in Barcas favor. Thierry Henry beats the defense! He's onto goal alone! This should be 1-0, but Henry is French and you honestly cant expect anything from a Frenchman other than a good baguette and a cigarette. He steps on the ball like he has all the time in the world and the chance has gone. Bojan Kircic is ANGRY! He doesn't get enough playing time for Barcelona! Today, Ladies and Gentlemen, he showed you why. I was actually excited to see what the 18 year old can muster against a solid back four like Chelsea's (may I remind you, sans Ashley Cole) and he disappointed. The kid could have been the hero but ended up the zero. Leave the ball to Messi, you idiot, or just header it DOWN like every coach since you were 7 years old has taught you. So frustrating it was to see. I only remember one play from Samuel Eto'o that was worth wile, and that was when he put the ball betwix the shins of John Terry, to run onto it into the box, juke Alex who flew sliding by, and nonchalantly hit the ball right at PetPet. What do you want, the man only has 27 goals in 33 La Liga games! What could you expect from a man with such a record like that, that he would score AGAIN? Please. Last but not least, I love the player to death but he should have never left Arsenal. Hleb, oh Hleb. why did you leave the Gunners for these Catalonian idiots who don't play you and bag on you. In my honest opinion you were a top 5 player in the premiership but you threw that all away to play for the best team in the world. Fine. Be that way. But don't come complaining that you forgot that in a real country with real Football (England!) when defenders get beat, they still chase you. Yes, I know, its a daunting idea that is becoming less and less evident in everyday football but Hleb, you should have beaten Petr with the pressure from the defense. Plain and simple. Henry woulda done it. Eto'o woulda done it. Shit, maybe even Bobo Jerkit coulda finished it. But you Aleksander, you managed to stick to the fad of hitting the ball right at Cech. Chelsea's chances on the other hand were much more limited and few and far between but Didier, Didier, Didier. Not once, but TWICE you threw away that oh so precious away goal. The first good connection was a great save by V Valdes but why try to get cheeky with it? A toe poke woulda done! A goal is a goal, and Didier is the number one shit-goal scorer in the world. The man knows how to score but he tried to get fancy and Valdes did well. The other Chels oppertunity came from and early second half free kick the found the head of Michael Ballack. The chance the just went over the bar would be considered a half chance by most but I included it for two reasons:
1. The Michael Ballack of the German National Team or of Bayern Munchen 3 years ago would not have put it high,
and 2. 4-2 in opportunities sounds a lot better for Chelsea than 4-1.
After all this you ask me, Oh holy one, you all seeing all knowing FootyFetish15, what will happen in the second leg in Stamford Bridge? I will tell you.
I'll start with the bad. You never like seeing a player get hurt when nobody is around him and although its mildly amusing purely because he is Mexican, Rafa Marquez is out indefinitely with a Meniscus injury. Carlos Puyol will not play on yellows which leaves Gerard Pique in the center of defense with someone (ideas?) replacing Puyol/Marquez. This is a problem considering it was a problem today with the teams' starting central defenders. More bad news for Barca: Dani Alves is pissed. Why is this bad, you might ask. Well, for one, today he was shut down other than a half effort on the free kick from 20 yards. Malouda did well to go for his shins and exploit his physicality. Alves is strong and physical but Malouda flipped all the right switches just to piss him off enough and take him out of the game. Well done Florent Malouda, you finally did something worth while. Messi, I believe, will not step up to the challenge that is Jose Bosingwa. The Chelsea left back was just as solid as his brow which reminds one of Frau Farbissina's uni from the movie Austin Powers. Jesus man! Shave that thing! Anyway, much to the dismay of all Barca fans, I'm sorry to say that i do not see them moving on. Chelsea is going to play for another 0-0 draw, possesion will end 60-40 in favor of Barca, the game WILL be 0-0 and Chelsea will win AET in PK's. Why? Simple answer. The Guus man. His brilliance will shine once more, like on other countless occasions, and he will be victorious. Cech (hopefully) will be his usual self and be able to block a penalty or two while Valdes is too weak for the wrath that is the Bridge faithful. Roman Abramovich will be pleased to know that (at least till the end of the year) he has the best coach in the world and his team is moving on to the Champions league final.
Arsenal V Manchester United (first leg) preview:
I will not write you lot another story but I will say that I hope this match in the continuing rivalry of magnificent tacticians will prove to be another great episode in the saga. Prediction : I want a 2-2 but its going to be 2-1 MANU at Ol' Trafford.
Goodnight,
FootyFetish15
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