Just a reminder that we have Shaffer loaned out who would of been better (never had a tenth of the chanes given to Emerson) and Carole the young Frenchman that though young at this stage is still better than Emerson and is the new Fabio in the making. The problem is that playing average sides in the league has masked Emersons ineptitude to a degree. As far as the game is concerned: Chelsea had LB problems but they brought Paulo back with Ramires covering, Emerson was not getting covered by Cesar, he then switched Gaitan to cover but when late on Gaitan switched back the goal came (if I remember correctly); they took out Lampard, Essien and put in younger players to counter our pace. So they covered their vunerablities to an extent, we did not; as usual big European game Gorge starts to think and reveals an inner idiot, his tatics in big games are infantile (playing one striker and playing like Bolton); Chelsea's goal Rodrigo bad touch, Jardels failure to take Torres out, Luisao anticipates the pull back but is too far back and Maxi loses Kalou ie a gift Gary Neville is a C**t
Our CB is going to be a situation. 3 injured CBs. Javi Garcia is our most likely candidate to partner with Luisao. That means Matic as DM.
if this is true, it is a stroke of good luck which the team can use now... I heard, and I hope I'm wrong, that Luisao is also injured...please tell me I heard wrong...Benfica can't afford to have that bad of a CB issue for this game...
Luisao was in doubt but he's going to play. He's the only available CB. JJ admitted to possibly using Emerson as a CB and Capdevila as LB. "Capdevila won points" in the exhibition against Braga for a good performance. Still think Javi is the best option for CB.
along with Garay. From what I read on abola, JJ said its nearly impossible for Luisao to recover in time for the game, meaning we will use 2 makeshift CB's against Chelsea. NOT GOOD.
We're ********ed. BUT if we got a win there it would be the most epic win in probably the last 20 years.
Chelsea is WAY....WAY....WAY... overrated. However, they will probably score a few against Emerson and Garcia as CBs. Ouch. This game is going to be ugly. Not sure who will really start in the CB slots, but it's not going to be pretty to watch.
Good luck! It's a tough one, but I think Benfica may have the mental advantage as far as confidence. Chelsea knows these types of games inside and out, but they're a shadow of their former selves.
the press here are all talking about Chelsea playing Barca in the semis really would love to see Benfica beat them just to shout the scum up
So true. I also think that if Benfica scores an early goal, they will be rattled. This Chelsea team is unstable and so a comeback is very possible. Tough, but very possible.
Just a quick OT - Abolatv is awesome. Have it on all the time. Very good sports news channel. You can stream it anywhere in the world for free.
Chelsea starting XI: Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Mata, Kalou; Torres Subs: Turnbull, Ferreira, Cahill, Essien, Meireles, Sturridge, Drogba Benfica starting XI: Artur; Pereira, Garcia, Emerson, Capdevila; Gaitan, Matic, Witsel, Cesar; Aimar; Cardozo Subs: Eduardo, Almeida, Nolito, Djalo, Oliveira, Rodrigo, Saviola -----------Artur Maxi--Javi--Emerson--Capevila --------Matic---Witsel---- Gaitan-----Aimar----Bruno ------------Cardozo-------- LETS GO!!! FORÇA BENFICA!!!!!
Official Starting XI's.... Benfica ------------Artur---------------- Maxi-----Javi---Emerson--Capevila ------Matic-----Witsel----------- Gaitan-----Aimar----------B.Cesar -----------Cardozo-------------- Chelsea -------------Cech------------ Ivanovic--Terry---Luiz----Cole -------------Mikel------------- -----Ramires------Lampard----- Kalou---------------------Mata ------------Torres-------------