5/5/04 CL Semi-Finals, Leg 2: Chelsea FC v. AS Monaco FC [R]

[GPK]

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

7:45PM Local
2:45PM ET

US TV: Live on ESPN2 from 2:30PM ET
UK TV: Live on Sky Sports 1 from 7PM

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)

[Lowecifer]

Come on boys, you've got to find it within yourselves to get this result.

[cfc069]

I haven't got tickets for this one. I have known and been to some BIG nights at Stamford Bridge, but I do not think that there will be a BIGGER night than this, until May 26th

I will be there, probably ending up in The Shed Bar watching and hopefully getting home in the wee small hours - drunk as a skunk and happy as Larry :)

[Dr_Intoxicated]

I haven't got tickets for this one. I have known and been to some BIG nights at Stamford Bridge, but I do not think that there will be a BIGGER night than this, until May 26th



I have a ticket as I signed up for all Home European games with the season ticket. It will be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like, in the last couple of years the best atmospheres have been, Liverpool at Home last year which saw us into the CL and Arsenal in the CL QF.

I am hoping for a similar atmosphere tomorow as the team will need all the support it can get.

[bmw9983]

Gallas has been declared fit, hopefully he is up for a full 90, because we certainly need him.

Provisional squad: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Bridge, Lampard, Geremi, Parker, Cole, Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Gronkjaer, Veron, Johnson, Huth, Babayaro, Oliveira, Stanic, Ambrosio

What I'd like to see:

Cudicini
Johnson Gallas Terry Bridge
Cole Lampard Parker Gronkjaer
Gudjohnsen Crespo

Veron for Parker if fit and motivated...

[nicephoras]

Gallas has been declared fit, hopefully he is up for a full 90, because we certainly need him.

Provisional squad: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Bridge, Lampard, Geremi, Parker, Cole, Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Gronkjaer, Veron, Johnson, Huth, Babayaro, Oliveira, Stanic, Ambrosio

What I'd like to see:

Cudicini
Johnson Gallas Terry Bridge
Cole Lampard Parker Gronkjaer
Gudjohnsen Crespo

Veron for Parker if fit and motivated...

Eidur had better come to play. As for the midfild - so long as Parker will be in Makelele's role, fine. NOT on the right. Cole on the left will be another adventure. I'd be tempted to play Geremi to cover for Johnson.

[cfc069]

It will be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like, in the last couple of years the best atmospheres have been, Liverpool at Home last year which saw us into the CL and Arsenal in the CL QF.

I am hoping for a similar atmosphere tomorow as the team will need all the support it can get.

Well all I can say is that if the fans who are going to be inside the ground do not do their job, then they don't deserve nights like these...... I am confident the atmosphere is going to be electric :)

COME ON CHELSEA!!!!!

[Clan]

Anybody watching the other game?

50th min.
0-0

Dire.

And on top of all that, that bloody Irish bufoon is doing commentary again :rolleyes:

Have any of the Porto players not taken a dive yet?

[Clan]

Gallas has been declared fit, hopefully he is up for a full 90, because we certainly need him.

Provisional squad: Cudicini, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Bridge, Lampard, Geremi, Parker, Cole, Crespo, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink, Gronkjaer, Veron, Johnson, Huth, Babayaro, Oliveira, Stanic, Ambrosio

What I'd like to see:

Cudicini
Johnson Gallas Terry Bridge
Cole Lampard Parker Gronkjaer
Gudjohnsen Crespo

Veron for Parker if fit and motivated...

Well, i realise we can't throw caution to the winds as we only need 2 goals to go through.
However, we need to do something different for this one.
Given the success that teams have had coming to the Bridge looking for - and more often than not getting - the draw, we ned to change it up a bit.

If i were Ranieri i would put out this starting 11.

----------------------------Cudicini----------------------

Melchiot--------Gallas------------Terry----------Bridge

Johnson--------Lampard----------Cole----------Gronkjaer

----------------Crespo---------------Gudjohnson---------

......but, who am i?

[Clan]

I have a ticket as I signed up for all Home European games with the season ticket. It will be interesting to see what the atmosphere is like, in the last couple of years the best atmospheres have been, Liverpool at Home last year which saw us into the CL and Arsenal in the CL QF.

I am hoping for a similar atmosphere tomorow as the team will need all the support it can get.


How lucky you are Dr I - in more ways than one as well.
When i was still living back home "European games' were something i watched on the telly!!!!!

[USsupport]

I'll be at the pub rooting for Chelsea. if they manage to turn this around, which they can, it'll be quite a sight.

[billyho96]

Good Luck Guys.

I know that you can pull this one out, Monaco is not that good.

I'll be watching and cheering for you. If you play like you did against us in the second half, this will be a piece of cake.

[Papa Bouba Diop]

Good Luck Guys.

I know that you can pull this one out, Monaco is not that good.

I hear this assertion all the time, but I never hear any kind of reasoning. So please enlighten me as to why you think Monaco is not that good.

[billyho96]

I don't mean they are a bad side, but 2 nil to Chelsea is reasonable. I'm just saying its not a mountain too high.

[Papa Bouba Diop]

I don't mean they are a bad side, but 2 nil to Chelsea is reasonable. I'm just saying its not a mountain too high.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv


see post below.

[Papa Bouba Diop]

I don't mean they are a bad side, but 2 nil to Chelsea is reasonable. I'm just saying its not a mountain too high.

Yes indeed, and since English teams never give-up, i am concerned for Monaco, as far as i'm concerned this is still 50-50. How do you think the players will react to the pressure tactics of Abramovic?

[SportBoy333]

I don't mean they are a bad side, but 2 nil to Chelsea is reasonable. I'm just saying its not a mountain too high.

It is not resonable because Monaco always scores goals in Champions League. They haven't been shut out in Champions League in like forever. Their attack is so explosive it would take monumental effort to hold them. You are very lucky Prso and Rothen may not be 100 % but you still have Morientes and Nonda to deal with.

[cfc069]

Well here we are. Chelsea's day of destiny.

The British Press reckon this will be the team tonight

Cudicini
Melchiot
Gallas
Terry
Bridge
Cole
Lampard
Parker
Geremi

Crespo
Gudjohnsen/Hasselbaink

Personally I would have gone for Johnson instead of Melchiot. He has got more pace and is a better crosser.
I think Ranieri has to start Hasselbaink with Gudjohnsen. JFH will be up for it no doubt and plus the fact they know each other so well.

If Geremi does make the team, he will go into the Makelele holding role, as he did on Saturday against Southampton.

But then again, who am I. A nervous wreck at 10:50 on Wednesday morning fearing that once again that Chelsea will fail to deliver and let us all down, like Chelsea teams of the past have done.

PMA = Positive Mental Attitude

COME ON CHELSEA!!! and COME ON THE FANS!!!! :)

[Andy Bennett]

Contrary to the assertions of our resident frogs on here can I just remind everyone of a couple of things.

The first Monaco goal was pure luck. The ball more or less bounced up and hit Prso on the head and it looped over creamed rice boy into the top left hand corner. The last goal was also pretty jammy. In fact the 2nd and 3rd goals were both scored because, for reasons best known to Ranieri, we were chasing the game. What we should have done is sit back and just play our usual game. WE should have been the ones hitting THEM on the break. Not the other way round.

I don't think we'll play that badly again.

As I've already said, I have scientifically proven that we are going to win this game 4-0 so any further discussion is pointless.

[nicephoras]

It is not resonable because Monaco always scores goals in Champions League. They haven't been shut out in Champions League in like forever. Their attack is so explosive it would take monumental effort to hold them. You are very lucky Prso and Rothen may not be 100 % but you still have Morientes and Nonda to deal with.

Erm, yeah. If Monaco hadn't been shut out at home last week in a league game, I'd believe what you say a lot more.