We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
It's Champions League semi-final time! Chelski enter the lion's den (aka the Nou Camp) as they take on Barca tonight. The Catalan side are definitely the favorites but Guus Hiddink has been sounding confident in recent days, predicting a goal fest.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 1:04 PM
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
133 Comments:
Here are the sides for tonight's big match:
Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Marquez, Pique, Abidal, Xavi, Toure Yaya, Iniesta, Messi, Eto'o, Henry. Subs: Jorquera, Puyol, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Keita, Sylvinho, Hleb
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, Bosingwa, Mikel, Ballack, Essien, Lampard, Malouda, Drogba. Subs: Hilario, Di Santo, Kalou, Belletti, Anelka, Mancienne, Stoch
Rumor has it that Hiddink is going to use Bosingwa on the left to try to nullify the threat of Messi.
The teams are out and the CL anthem is going. I've got a superb stream up from ITV on:
http://www.justin.tv/sports_gool
4-4-3 for Barca tonight with loads of firepower up front.
On the Chelski side, it's all about containment, with Bosingwa trying to stop Messi, and Mikel and Essien as two holding defenders. That will put the onus on Lamps and Bollocks to get forward to help Drogs up front. Malouda will do his usual useless farting about wide left.
And we're off...!
Henry roasts Ivanovic out wide left and picks up a free kick. This looks ominous.
Dear oh dear, the ball went straight over everyone and Eto'o headed right along the line. Cech was nowhere there. Early scare for Chelski.
Half chance there for Lamps. Drogba did well to get free on the left and then find Lamps free at the top of the box. Lamps in fairness scuffed his shot and it was easily saved.
Valdez hesitated there and Malouda challenged him well.
Messi released Alves whose cross was far too long.
Ominous statistic - Cech has conceded goals every time he's faced Barca.
I reckon if Chelski can keep the score down to two goals, they're in with a chance at Stamford Bridge. An away goal, of course, would be very welcome.
Chelski have survived a nervy opening ten minutes here at the Nou Camp.
Oh dear, Cech dropped a cross there right at the feet of Henry. Not too inspiring.
Bosingwa brings down Messi in their first one-on-one contest. Free kick coming....
And it's a really rubbish free kick from an unusually short-haired Messi. Has Maradona adopted Daniel Passarella's crew-cut philosophy?
Alex hacks Marquez there. Another free kick to come...
Fifteen minutes gone then...
I'm counting the minutes as I'm sure all breathless Chelski fans are at home. Where are you, CIA?
My ITV stream has conked out so I'm on the Derek and Tommy show from ESPN2 through Atdhe.
Cech keeps knocking long, long balls toward Drogs but more often than not they're going straight through to Valdez.
Twenty minutes in then... 0-0
Chelsea will be pretty happy with the opening 20 minutes of this one. Barcelona have shown only glimpses of their attacking menace, and Chelsea have coped easily enough with everything so far.
Ooh, Henry got to the by-line there before being stopped by a desperate lunge from Alex. Corner to Barca...
Half way through the first half now. All good signs for Chelski who are blunting the sharpest blades in the Barca attack so far.
The slippery Messi evades several challenges and is brought down by Alex. Yellow card for the Brazilian, more for a collection of fouls rather than the severity of that one. Dangerous free kick here....
Danny Alves over this free kick...
No, it was Xavi in the end. Clipped off the top of the wall and out for a corner.
Barca have noticeably upped the tempo in the first few minutes. Chelski need to weather the onslaught for a few minutes.
Xavi launches a long shot after a ball in from Alves. Honestly, it's as if Barca have about eight attackers.
Abidal overlaps well but Cech collects his cross well.
Bollocks picks up the second yellow of the night for a nasty lunge in on Ya Ya Toure.
Essien gives away a needless corner. His teammates won't be happy with that. I don't think he works well as a defender. You lose his attacking runs and he's not disciplined enough to play at the back.
Half an hour in... a few scares in the last few minutes but Hiddink will be reasonably happy at this point.
Chelski are not committing anything to going forward at this point. Just long hopeful balls wide to Malouda and Drogs as if they'll be able to hold them at the corner flag.
Spanking drive from Henry. Cech flings himself at it and parries it away.
Ten minutes to go until half time now.
Danny Alves is having a real chin wag with Drogs over some imagined infraction.
Now it's Henry complaining about Ivanovic. Barca players are clearly getting frustrated and are trying to game the ref.
Mikel upends Iniesta and picks up a yellow card. No, actually its Yaya Toure who's picked it up for yammering at the ref. I don't know what he wanted the ref to do beyond blow up for a foul
Forty minutes in now. All good for the Blues.
Drogba went on a terrific run and then stumbled outside the area. That was a real opportunity to score an away goal against the grain.
Great run from Iniesta but Eto'o was offside when he played it through. Marginal call.
Pep Guardiola is not looking terribly relaxed on the sideline.
Henry was nearly in on goal there but overthought it when he could have dished off to Messi.
The crowd is howling at the Chelski players for hassling Barca but that was the game plan right from the start.
Into stoppage time now. There can't be much to play really. No injuries to speak of, no goals, no substitutions.
Just the one minute to be added on.
Half-time: It has been pretty but Chelski have come to do a job tonight and have done it in an extremely disciplined manner.
0-0.
I am home from work just as the half time whistle goes
I will read your comments now
I just went to the link that you gave earlier. It sounds Australian, not ITV
Not good scores for your lot at half time
Scunthorpe 2 Cheltenham 0
Northampton 0 MK Don 1
I got an ITV link at
http://www.justin.tv/wazz50tv
Second half underway
Afternoon, Davey!
The links have been popping around like crazy. I'm on the ESPN stream now through Atdhe.
Early Chelski free kick opportunity...
Ballack got his head on it but it was over the top. You have to think that a free kick is probably Chelski's best bet for an away goal tonight.
Henry is prone on the ground. Alex caught him with an elbow and Henry looks almost unconscious!
Bloody Norah - the stretcher mobile is already out on the ground. This doesn't look good.
TH looks very droggy
TH is up and walking off under his own steam at least. Looks very groggy, though.
Droggy?
Link I posted is working fine
Marquez is down hurt...yikes
Maybe it is Swine Flu...isn't he Mexican?
Now Marquez has gone down. Hamstring probably. No maybe the knee. It just went all "twang" on him. Not good for Barca now. Stretcher cart back on.
Marquez is Mexican, you know. But I don't know how often he gets back. Maybe it was the pigeon wrapped with bacon butty that he had at half-time?
Carlos Puyol to come on for Marquez then.
Look, I hit the D instead of G... I was thinking about Drogs
Puyol didn't start?
Meanwhile, Chelski have eaten up another five minutes time. So forty minutes plus change to play.
No, it was Pique and Marquez to start. Puyol's on a yellow and would miss the return match if he picked one up tonight.
How has Messi been?
Another Barca man down
Tommy's just getting frustrated that he hasn't been able to trot out his catch-phrase tonight.
Pique is an ex Red Devil
Now it's Danny Alves down. Come on, you Barca lot. You've only got forty minutes left. Get on with it!
Messi has looked dangerous in flashes.
It was a really choppy first half with lots of Chelski players putting the boot in. Alex and Bollocks picked up cards and Bosingwa and Mikel were very close.
Fifty five minutes in...
Malouda had a chance there but gave Alves the chance to tackle him. Shame.
BTW, you are welcome to come on Memorial Day Weekend
On Sunday, my computer can have my United on, your computer your United on
Jon's 11th birthday is on Monday May 25th so we would want to do something for him on Monday
Essien with an unconvincing clearance. He's been Chelski's worst player IMHO.
ESPN's commentator doesn't see too excited when that through ball went into the box
Sounds good, mate! I'm come and then bugger off whenever you like.
When did Messi get his haircut!!
No one was marking him there!!!
That's the Derek Rae style. He used to drive me crazy when he was doing the New England Revolution matches. Regardless of whether we'd won a tight 1-0 win or had been shellacked 4-0, his vocal inflections were exactly the same.
Scunny now three up
MK Dons still one up after 56 minutes
And he's a fake Scot. At least Tommy's Irish.
We're definite for fifth place now. We'll take what we get, whether it's the Dons or more likely Millwall.
JP Del used to get excited for a throw in but not for a shot that screams across the box
Drogs still on the floor
He looks very Droggy
There's a Chelski player prone in the box. Drogba down.
Come Friday and leave Monday
Yeah, JP never really understood the game either. Let's hope FSC pulls out the stops and brings over someone good. But I have a feeling it will be the Bretos/Sullivan show.
Yes, sir! What can I get Jon for his birthday. Any ideas?
AGAIN, the FSC president said they were going to have the feed commentators. He said it is always better having the commentators in the stadium than in a studio
I know he said that
We had 85 degree weather yesterday. Now it's 48 and raining. Make your mind up, eh?
You don't have to get him anything!
Of course, definitely don't get him anything COSTA
Alright, no need to shout. I'll believe it when I see it.
Twenty five minutes left. Hiddink must be delighted. The spark has completely gone out of this match.
Tommy thinks that Chelski might have "given it more of a go." What a berk!
Free kick chance for Barca
Who will take it?
Messi, Iniesta, TH, Alvez?
Over the top
Danny Alves lining up this free kick...
My feed's gone!
Well done Cech!!
http://www.justin.tv/wazz50tv
working fine
Cech saved a one on one with Eto
Terry got megged for that breakaway
Lampard is coming off for Chelski for Bellitti
Bellitti with a nice round of applause coming on.
He scored the winner against the Arse in the Final
0-0 is not a good score for Chelski
I'm back and now it's on the ITV stream with David Pleat doing the color.
I have that
Why not? Would they prefer 0-2?
I still can't believe we can see all this stuff!!!!!
No way was that a penalty for Henry.
Puyol picks up a yellow for a cynical challenge. He is out for the second leg.
It is amazing.
I can see Barca scoring at the Bridge
That could have been a penalty there against TH. He was pulled back
My link has frozen. You're a jinx
Puyol is out of the next leg
same scores in League 1
18 to go at Northampton
Free kick chance for Chelsea
That was another foul by Puyol. That was nasty!
A big ruck in the middle of the pitch now. Offside had been called but then Puyol went scything into Malouda. Should he have got another yellow even though the whistle had gone?
I'm on the first atdhe link, mate. Not a jinx.
The ref gave it offside!
It was offside after Chelski tried to restart it quick
There's no clock on this screen but I would imagine that there is about fifteen minutes left, right?
It is a lot worse of a link than the one that is frozen
I've got about five minutes before I have to trudge over to class in the rain.
Frozen link again. I'm off to class, mate. Let's hope Chelski can hold out for another ten minutes or so.
I'll be here for the big match tomorrow!
take care
I am off to Matt's tennis before I go to my class
ONLY ONE MORE CLASS AFTER TONIGHT
5 to go
Ex Gooner Hleb going to come on with 3 minutes to go
He is on for the other ex gooner
Two to go and I have to go!!
Good luck in the last two minutes CIA
I'll be here tomorrow
Full-time: 0-0. I disagree with Dave's assessment. I reckon that it's the result that Chelski came into wanting. It wasn't a pretty performance but they got the result.
I am not saying that it is a bad result but it is very dangerous.
United went to Inter and should have won but only drew nil nil. The second leg was always on a knife's edge because of the possibility of an away goal.
United drew 0-0 in Real in '00 and went to Old Trafford and lost 2-3
Again, to clarify, it is a good result but a false sense of security result.
One more thing
Tony made a good point in an email
The score is okay but it does mean that Chelski have to win!! Barca don't!
Well, someone does!
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