Chelsea V Sparta Prague (includes score)

SCULLY

Not a great game - CFC dominated possession but failed to score against a team that wouldn't attack and just defended (all be it very well). Mutu's miss in the dying seconds was a howler(for him) but still they have qualified with a game to go. A point from their last game will give them top spot as well, so while it was a bit dissapointing, they are still in command of the group. No new injuries for the Man Utd game either.

Lafortezza

The Sparta lads played very very well, if their strikers had a bit more pace they might have caught Chelsea on the break once or twice, but Gallas and Terry were a bit too quick.
The Hubschmann guy at the back for Sparta is very very good, could see him being bought before the season's out.

Chelsea seemed to play a bit too much direct football, sending it in for Mutu etc to try and control *then* turn and play, instead of a slower buildup and playing balls for players to run on to.

Ah well, nice to see Chelsea moving on to next round.

smuckers

It was a desperate game but we're through, I thought Duff and Cole did well Crespo wasn't offside but it was a tough call how did Gallas miss that open goal? he tried to head it in.
Veron out for a month with a back injury he sustained while playing for Argentina, roll on Sun.

AdMMM

That German player at Sparta's back was brilliant!

Gallas missed it cos he's a defender!!

eirebhoy

Originally posted by smuckers
Veron out for a month with a back injury he sustained while playing for Argentina, roll on Sun.

That gives Joe Cole a chance to cement his place in the team and I absolutely love watching him when he's at the top of his game.

At the start of the season we were all wondering who is Ranners going to pick but now he more or less knows his team the squad seems to be getting smaller and smaller by the week. I have more or less forgot about the players that don't make the bench even though a lot of them are very good but its time for them to move on.

I am beginning to wonder why Geremi was ever bought, he hasn't done a useful thing all season although maybe it could be a confidence thing. Also, Veron seems to be getting injured a lot now he hasn't been named in a lot of the premiership squads with not a lot of explanation.

smuckers

Geremi was bought as a squad player though not the same player last season he was at Boro.

tomED

Sorry Guys!!!

I'm a neutral to this match, watched the whole thing the other night and I have to say that it was one of the greatest 0-0 draws I have seen in my life!!!

Maybe it was because I was a neutral, it was end to end stuff. I had to keep reminding myself that it was nil all!!!

If the match on sunday is as good as this I'll be well happy, even if chelsea win!!!!

ULTIMATE ENTERTAINMENT!

eirebhoy

Originally posted by tomED
I'm a neutral to this match, watched the whole thing the other night and I have to say that it was one of the greatest 0-0 draws I have seen in my life!!!

I have seen a load of better 0-0's in my life. I didn't think it was end to end stuff, Chelsea dominated it IMO. I seem to find Chelsea games a lot more enternaining because Duff is playing, I love watching Irish players show the English how to play.

tomED

Did you watch the whole match or just the highlights?

Maybe end to end was the wrong phrase, should ahve really been, both teams never gave up!

I'm still finding it hard to remember a better 0-0 draw, if you can remind me of one that would be great!

eirebhoy

Originally posted by tomED
Did you watch the whole match or just the highlights?

Maybe end to end was the wrong phrase, should ahve really been, both teams never gave up!

I'm still finding it hard to remember a better 0-0 draw, if you can remind me of one that would be great!

Jaysus Tom, you musn't watch much football. I can't remember much off the top of my head but that certainly wasn't the best. Maybe, Man U -v- Arsenal was better.

tomED

LOL

Why mustn't I watch football much? Because I don't agree with you.... pityful attitude......... if noone agrees with you they don't know what they're talking about?

I watch and play footie all the time. Did you watch the whole match????

Maybe you look for something different in a match than i do.... like goals......

To see a class team (chelsea) being held to a scoreless draw by a team full of grit and determination was great! Yes some of it was sloppy, I wouldn't have been happy if I was a chelsea fan with the team for not scoring - but as a neutral it was great.

Man U and Arsenal??? Cmon - both teams were more cautious than they usually play, which left the match a bit stale. It was a very start stop game and there were only about 3 or 4 chances on goal. The most exciting part of this game was the end with all the frascas going on.......

Doesn't compare......

eirebhoy

You keep ansking me if I saw the whole match. you don't think I would comment on it if I never saw it. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good match but it was absolutely dominated by Chelsea. If a match is completely dominated by the one team I don't know how it was the best goalless draw you have ever seen

Match stats:

Opta Index 	        Chelsea 	 Sparta Prague
 Goals 	                         0 	            0
 Shots on target 	         1 	            0
 Shots off target 	         11 	            4
 Corners 	                 7 	            0
 Fouls 	                        14 	            15
 Off-sides 	                 3 	            2
 Yellow Cards 	                 0 	            0
 Red Cards 	                 0 	            0
 Possession 	                 67% 	            33%

and that is why I am saying you musn't watch much football because there was nothing special about this game except Chelsea should have scored 1 or 2.

tomED

Why can't a match be great if it was dominated by one team????????????????
Does a great game have to be evenly matched? I dont think so...

Again it comes down to what you class as a great match. For example, i was at a match in old trafford about 2 years ago. United and southhampton. Man u 5 - Southhampton 0. Evenryone said "that must have been a great game", well it wasn't. It was the worst match i have ever seen. The match was evenly matched, it was very scrappy, a lot of stopping and starting but united took their chances.

My idea of a great match is entertainment. In the chelsea game i loved watchning Mutu, Crespo, duff and even cole had a few moments of class. I loved the fact that chelsea tried everything to score and they DIDNT. I loved the hard tackles flying in from sparta, I loved the constant action, lack of ball out of play and overall competitiveness........

Dig out the stats for United and Arsenal and tell me that they show that it was a better match, stats mean **** IMO.....

U have an opinion and I respect that - but I don't think its fair for you to say that I couldnt know about football because I really enjoyed a game of footie.

So how often do you take part in soccer that makes you so knowledgable of what is a good and bad game?

eirebhoy

I'm not saying i am knowledgable in football but if you want to see one team providing entertainment go see a prem team -v- a third division or something. It was a good game but it shouldn't have been 0-0 with Mutu and Gallas's chances. It was just a regular match and nothing special IMO.

tomED

Originally posted by eirebhoy
if you want to see one team providing entertainment go see a prem team -v- a third division or something.

Another very stereotypical response.... another one of my greatest football memories that i had the pleasure of being at was between Man City and Bournemont in Maine Road about 13 years ago. It was a FA cup match at the time Man City were in the 1st division (equiv of nows prem) and Bouremouth were in the 3rd division. First half, one sided game with man city going off at half time 3-0 up. The second half, bourmouth came out and dominated the game and the match finished 3-3. U don't need to have a match between a high division and a low division team for it to be a great match. I also never said that it was because one team dominated that I enjoyed the match, i gave my reasons, the fact that chelsea dominated the game wasnt one of my reasons.

It was a good game but it shouldn't have been 0-0 with Mutu and Gallas's chances.

Yep I agree, but that's what added to the excitement for me!

It was just a regular match and nothing special IMO

And I respect that, but IMO it was an excellent match and that's all I'm trying to say!

eirebhoy

Originally posted by tomED
And I respect that, but IMO it was an excellent match and that's all I'm trying to say!

We both have our own opinions and we'll have to agree to disagree.