Champions League Thread 2011/12

[Olivier's xmas twist]

Yeah, he would. He really doesn't have much time for the win at all costs mentality.

Fair play to him, if he has always believed this then fair play.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Chelsea will be in the books as winners of the Cl who will care how they played. Same as Barca last season, yes it was a better final and yes they played Beautiful stuff, but in 10 years time no one will care about the performances.

I wish Chavs played a better game as a Neutral and thats why i was a lil disappointed they pub teamed their way to the cup, but i guess its winning all that matters.

We could never do that, which is why we'd probs never win the thing till we can change the way we play for the occasion.

Sorry but people really will remember Barcelona's win with more general affection than Chelsea's. Just like Brazil's 1970 win will always have more praise given to it than say Greece winning the Euros in 2004. One of those is far more recent but it will not be look back on with the same fondness.

We like to believe that 'all the record books will say' but it's untrue. Wins are always given more context than purely that. History books would be two pages long otherwise.

[Syn]

I don't get the whole good football-trophy trade-off that some seem to think exists. Sure you can't play 7 up front but playing good football usually means you have a better chance of winning. Because it's 'good' football. Not morally 'good', good 'good'.

If your team has ability you have to try to play good football because it is your best chance of winning. If your team is full of 34 year old wrestlers, kick it to Dids. Chelsea didn't win any tactical war. They just got damn lucky that Bayern couldn't finish anything off.

I've got the stats right here: Bayern had 734 chances. Ribery had about 624 of them. Gomez and Muller had 110. Chelsea were getting battered. There's an argument to say they might've won it properly if they decided to have a go. But it's understandable they didn't because they are old and shit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's true, there is a suggestion that if you can't play like Barcelona, that means you can only win like Chelsea. Another football anomaly.

The best example I can think of recently that has both those elements of style is Milan 06/07. Fuck you Inzaghi.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

I don't get the whole good football-trophy trade-off that some seem to think exists. Sure you can't play 7 up front but playing good football usually means you have a better chance of winning. Because it's 'good' football. Not morally 'good', good 'good'.

If your team has ability you have to try to play good football because it is your best chance of winning. If your team is full of 34 year old wrestlers, kick it to Dids. Chelsea didn't win any tactical war. They just got damn lucky that Bayern couldn't finish anything off.

I've got the stats right here: Bayern had 734 chances. Ribery had about 624 of them. Gomez and Muller had 110. Chelsea were getting battered. There's an argument to say they might've won it properly if they decided to have a go. But it's understandable they didn't because they are old and shit.

This is my point if you have ago then who knows. I mean look at Cardiff in the cup, ok they lost but they had ago and nearly one.

If that was Barca in the final then you could understand what chavs did, it still would have sucked but understandable.

[Olivier's xmas twist]

It's true, there is a suggestion that if you can't play like Barcelona, that means you can only win like Chelsea. Another football anomaly.

The best example I can think of recently that has both those elements of style is Milan 06/07. Fuck you Inzaghi.

It would be interesting to know if the Final was at SB would Chavs have played that way.

I think home Advantage affected Bayern tbh.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think they probably would have, they could barely pass against Benfica at home and sat back as much as they could, especially when Aimar was dominating midfield.

[Marc Overmars]

If Arsenal won the CL in the same manner as Chelsea, I'd be splaffing my pants for the entire summer. Their fans won't care if they're not revered around Europe and rightly so.

[Boss]

If Arsenal won the CL in the same manner as Chelsea, I'd be splaffing my pants for the entire summer. Their fans won't care if they're not revered around Europe and rightly so.

Pretty much.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

If Arsenal won the CL in the same manner as Chelsea, I'd be splaffing my pants for the entire summer. Their fans won't care if they're not revered around Europe and rightly so.

No doubt but it irks me when it's suggested nobody will care (outside of Chelsea) when looking back on it. They will.