4/20/04 CL Semi-Finals, Leg 1: AS Monaco FC v. Chelsea FC [R]

[GPK]

http://www.uefa.com/ImagesContent/Competition/Clubs/Logos/70X70/50023.gif v. http://www.uefa.com/imagescontent/competition/clubs/logos/50x50/52914.gif

7:45PM Local
2:45PM ET

US TV: Live on ESPN2

Live on Big Blue (http://www.chelseafc.com/statpage.asp?id=Big_Blue_Live)

ChelseaFC.com (http://www.chelseafc.com/index.asp)

News on Soccernet (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team?id=363&cc=5901)

BBC-Chelsea (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/default.stm)

The full squad is: Marco Ambrosio, Neil Sullivan, Mario Melchiot, Glen Johnson, Marcel Desailly, John Terry, Robert Huth, Wayne Bridge, Gérémi, Jesper Grønkjær, Scott Parker, Frank Lampard, Claude Makelele, Joe Cole, Juan Sebastián Verón, Filipe Oliveira, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Adrian Mutu, Hernán Crespo and Eidur Gudjohnsen.

[BridgeMonkee]

Chelsea (from): Ambrosio, Terry, Desailly, Melchiot, Bridge, Lampard, Makelele, Geremi, Parker, Gronkjaer, Cole, Hasselbaink, Gudjohnsen, Crespo, Mutu, Huth, Babayaro, Veron, Oliveira, Sullivan.

Time for Veron to shine with Duff absent?

Veron-Parker-Makalele-Lampard

with Gronks for Veron after 70 mins or so?

[Clan]

Well, as i said with the Arsenal home game, the single most importent thing in this game is not to lose.Given all the games at Stamford Bridge this season where teams that have come to spoil and slink away with a point that we failed to beat, a loss could see us doomed.I highly doubt that fact has been missed by Dechamps and his staff.Therefore i think Monaco will play to score a few golas and try the "closed shop" version in the return.

This will, of course, suit us, as our best performances have come away from home aginst teams that have been up for a game and actually attacked us.
This fact probably hasn't been lost on Dechamps either though!

Still, i think we should have an attack minded team on the pitch and take the game to them.

--------------------------Ambrosio-------------------------

--------------Terry--------Desailly--------Huth------------

Melchiot--------------------------------------------Bridge

--------------------------Makelele-------------------------

Gronkjaer-----------------Veron----------------Lampard

----------------------------Crespo--------------------------


I await all your wtf's :D

[BridgeMonkee]

--------------------------Ambrosio-------------------------

--------------Terry--------Desailly-------------

Melchiot--------------------------------------------Bridge

---------------Parker-----------Makelele-------------------------

---------------------Veron----------------Lampard

----------------Mutu----------Crespo--------------------------

[nicephoras]

Actually, I quite like this, and I've wanted to try something similar for a long time. I've suggested playing some sort of a 4-2-3-1 with Makelele and Geremi as holding mids. My only concern is that without Gallas, that's a slow 3 man defense. Huth is also not quite at that level yet, but we'll see.

I am very interested to see how the Veron - Crespo link will work, especially since this isn't all that different from a formation Bielsa runs out for Argentina, where Crespo plays on top. (Not too different from their WC2002 lineup, which, admittedly, didn't fare so well.) I have a feeling, however, Melchiot will be running back to help out, since he's not as interested in rampaging forward as Bridge. As for Lumpy on the right.....ought to be interesting :)

Edit - this is in response to Clan's post. The cheeky monkee nipped ahead of me.

[SportBoy333]

Monaco will be healthy except for Sabastien Squillaci. Gael Givet will take his place along side Julien Rodriguez with Argentinian Ibarra on the right and Patrice Evra on the left. The back 4 is probably Monaco's weakness.
Midfield will be made up of Argentinian Bernardi and Zikos the greek with Jerome Rothen and Ludovic Giuly on the sides. Giuly is Monaco's best player.
Strikers you have Fernardo Morientes and Dado Prso the 2 best goal scorers in the Champions League with 7 and 6 goals each respectively. They can also pull off Shabani Nonda off the bench who led the French Leage in scoring last year.
If you hold Monaco to just 1 goal then you will have done a good job. It will be very difficult to hold them scoreless. Monaco has plenty of offense and no problems scoring. Beware of Morientes, Prso ,Giuly and Rothen.

[Andy Bennett]

The line-ups got to be right for this one. I thought about Parker on the right as well but I don't want what happened against the Arse to happen again. Gronks has been around a bit now, including some big games, and he does make full-back think twice about coming forward.

Also, I don't think that Veron has had enough games to start this one. Having said that he's exactly the sort of player this game cries out for.

[Andy Bennett]

Strikers you have Fernardo Morientes and Dado Prso the 2 best goal scorers in the Champions League with 7 and 6 goals each respectively. They can also pull off Shabani Nonda
That should take his mind off the game.

Seriously, though, how do you think Monaco will approach the game? I know they scored against Madrid but, in my opinion, Madrid's defense is about the worst in Europe. Well, more accurately, half the time they haven't got one. Roberto Carlos and Michel Salgado spend most of the game at the other end of the pitch.

[the101er]

If you hold Monaco to just 1 goal then you will have done a good job. It will be very difficult to hold them scoreless. Monaco has plenty of offense and no problems scoring. Beware of Morientes, Prso ,Giuly and Rothen.

This looks like a classic rock vs. hammer battle. Tough to be without Gallas for this one.

Let's go Rock!

[Andy Bennett]

This looks like a classic rock vs. hammer battle. Tough to be without Gallas for this one.

Let's go Rock!
Yes, but doesn't hammer break rock or wrap it or blunt it or something.

[BridgeMonkee]

Yes, but doesn't hammer break rock or wrap it or blunt it or something.

thumbs up means “dynamite” as in dynamite blows up rock :)

[BridgeMonkee]

thumbs up means “dynamite” as in dynamite blows up rock :)

Dynamite blows up Hammer too :)

[Andy Bennett]

All this reminds me how long it's been since I was in short trousers.

Actually... thinking about it... it was only last night, but, err...

Never mind.

[SportBoy333]

Battle of the Italian goalkeepers. Your gk is 2nd string and might make mistake on the big stage and cost you.

[nicephoras]

Actually, he's our 3rd choice keeper. And he's been very solid for us. Far more solid than our number 2, I might add.

[GPK]

Amazing that he started the as 4th string...

Counting down. I have beers chilling in my fridge and am ready to rock with our Blues.

:)

Go Chelsea!

[servotron]

So I have to ask: Is there anywhere I can listen to this game live? I'm recording it on Tivo at home, but I'm at work and I'd like to hear it as it happens. Anyone have any ideas?

[Lowecifer]

I'm watching this one on my own personal tape delay again. Beers will be had though.

[bmw9983]

So I have to ask: Is there anywhere I can listen to this game live? I'm recording it on Tivo at home, but I'm at work and I'd like to hear it as it happens. Anyone have any ideas?

groups.yahoo.com

Search for the "Chelsea Matchday Chat" group. Join and go into the groups "Chat" page at matchtime.

[paulo]

I'm watching this one on my own personal tape delay again. Beers will be had though.

you and me both lowecifer.
kickoff starts for me at 9pm Eastern.

sorry i will be on media blackout until then.

I will give my game plan
stay traditional, no sense getting to crazy with the lineup with Gallas out
and being away and all. I hope for 2-1 Chelsea but would be happy with
2-2 and satisfied with 1-1.
D: Melchiot, Terry, Desailly, Bridge
(if Desailly looks out of sorts as he did a few weeks ago,
I could bring Huth on at halftime)
M: Gronks , Lamps, Makelele, and Geremi
Geremi keep your head in the game and play lots of defense switch inside with Lamps on defense if necessary. Don't hesitate to bring on Joe Cole for Geremi or Veron for Gronks if we are losing at 60 minutes. Tell Gronks to stretch their defense to keep their wings on defensive alert.
F: Eidur and Crespo
(if either of them don't look sharp replace with JFH at half or at 60 minutes - if winning bring in Mutu for holding the ball in offense at 75 minutes)

see you at halftime around 10pm.
I should be 3 guinness' deep by then (brilliant!)