[thumb=H]dida18751_6115913.JPG[/thumb]
that's scary! :(
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
Liverpool surpassed Juventas challenge. Match ended in 0 -0 draw and liverpool are through on aggregate 
Fantastic achivement without the services of Gerrard and now they will face Chelsea in an all-english semi final. It is weird how well are they playing in europe this season and struggling to make it to next year’s champions league by losing to &hittty sides in premiership? 
**PSV prevailed in penalty kicks against Lyon after a 1-1 draw ** They will go to face Milan. Good for dutch football as dutch champions threw out French ones. Lyon should be disappointed though having drawn 1-1 at home in the prev leg. That is what cost them most tonight.
Semi Final Line up
Chelsea v Liverpool
Ac Milan v PSV
Brace yourself for Chelsea-Milan final 
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
It was indeed. I watched it live and it was disgraceful. Dida has frst degree burns.
I think Uefa might end up banning Inter from next year’s CL even if they qualify.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
I didnt realise Italian fans were just as bad if not worse than British football fans... its awful and i think those UFEA people need to reconsider a few things...maybe starting with security checks?
What the **** is wrong with Juventus? Couldn't have been a bigger home match and it seemed like they weren't even trying. Un****ing believable.
Now, I'm hoping PSV can pull off two straight huge upsets.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
yeah, Juventus were playing really badly. Only had one or two scoring opportunities in the whole match.
Now I hope Milan win, cuz they got the best attack-minded team of the 4
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
Milan all the way :k: But PSV has played really well in this competition and are in top form in dutch league.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
Milan 2 - PSV 0
Both teams were equally balanced with chances on both sides, however when Milan accelerated PSV had no chance
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
^ Milan didnt deserve to win 2 - 0 because PSV literally pounded them in second half and Milan defence totally lost it. It should have ended 1-1 but for psv to waste so many chances, that is a heart break.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
Posted March 8th
Need i quote again on 25th May 
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
Chelsea 0 - Liverpool 0
This is what you expect when placing two defenisvely minded teams opposite each other. a very boring match 
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
^ I dont agree with the notion that Chelsea is defense minded because with the likes of Lampard, Robben, Cole they always back themselves to score but today Liverpool went for a goalless draw or at best an away goal and the way the played they got their desired result. I am sure second leg will be quie different. This is how Real madrid appraoched the second leg against Juve. But I will agree that second half today was quite boring as compared to first half which was open.
By this token Milan are equally defense minded when they opted to defend the whole match against ManU at home and in second half against psv yesterday :p
Liverpool did a great job defensively, broke up lots of Chelsea moves and kept possession well.
Should be cracking second leg next week ...
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
what I meant with defense minded is the following:
first Liverpool, as we all saw kept 8/9 men regularly behind the ball, so that was quite obvious defensive.
chelsea was 'defensive' in another way. Chelsea isn't a team that want to spend much time in the build-up, they don't have such players in attacking midfield center either. They're strenght is the turn-around. When they take over possession of the ball, that's when they're at their best. Makalele or Lampard take over the ball half-way through their own half, immediately Robben or Duff sets off on the wing. Drogba is already near the penalty box. So all in all it only takes 3/4 passes from the moment of ball-retrieval till Chelsea are in front of the opposite goal. The opposition doesn't get enough time to organize and that's when most chelsea goals fall. In this regard they're comparable to Dinamo Kiew of the late nineties, when they were lethal like this with Shevchenko and Rebrov.
This means Chelsea's play revolves around letting the opposition come to them, take over the ball and with 3/4 touches strike on a lethal counter attack.
See the goals they scored at home to Barcelona or out against Bayern. most of those goals followed this pattern. The flaw in Chelsea's play becomes apparent when they are allowed to keep the ball and setting up play. That's when they falter: just see yesterday's match: Liverpool isn't a team that wanted ball possession either, it left the initiative to Chelsea. how often didn't you see Chelsea midfielders giving lame passes and losing the ball at awkward positions. Chelsea were made to play against their intuition. Chelsea is at its best against attacking oppositions: Barcelona, Arsenal etc. Against Milan they will be very good as well.
Milan on the other hand have a different defensive strategy. They keep 10 men behind the ball when defending and hope one moment of brilliance by either Sheva or Kaka brings them a goal. However when in attacking mood (see first half against PSV) they have 6 attack-minded players. And that's a LOT! especially for Italian clubs. In this attacking mode they're comparable to Real Madrid or Barcelona
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
I agree that Chelsea rely on long balls and counter attacks. But you have to say that against Barcelona there was no other way for them. Chelsea team does not have any technical players (apart from Robben, Cole, Gudjohnsen etc) unlike Barcelona (Ronaldinho, Eto, Xavi, Iniesta ) so Chelsea cannot match them playing possession and build up football. I dont think anyone can when Barcelona play at thier best but Chelsea countered them tactically. Maurinho has built Chelsea from the defence and next season when he brings one or two more technical players, Chelsea can only get better.
I dont fully agree what you said regarding Milan. Yes they got brilliant attack-minded players but they are at their dominating best when other team is defending. (this is what PSV were doing in the first half). When an attacking team hits, Milan just sit back and rely on individual brilliance. That is why they were outplayed against Barcelona in both legs this season (won one, lost one). Only time Milan showed attacking intent against an attacking team was when they played against ManU at old trafford. But 9 out of 10 times they will look for 1-0 results. Having said that, they are master at it.
I dont blame Liverpool for playing the way they did against Chelsea. New players havent gelled as well as Chelsea players did and by introducing spanish technical and creative players like Alonso and Garcia, manager is laying the foundation for them.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
tonight Liverpool vs Chelsea, I think it will be a more exciting match than last week
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
^Quite right. It was an exciting first half but Chelsea really missing their injured wingers Robben and Duff. Liverpool leading 1-0 at half time through a controversial goal. If chelsea scores in second half, It could end up 5-4 for any side given the nature of semifinals and away goals.
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
stupid Liverpool will be going to the final 
Re: Champions League - 2004/5
They deserved it.
Have you guys been keeping up with the face of girl, praying for Liverpool’s victory? Cute face. :love: