Will Chelsea beat Barcelona tonight? Can they knock off the favourites for the champions league over two legs and earn the right to play Manchester United again in the finals?
I believe they can; Barcelona is a force because they accept that they have weaknesses but play to their strengths which presently is attacking and continuing to attack until they have basically beaten their opponents.
They are vulnerable in defence but their defence is rarely involved in defending as the quintet of Samuel Etoo, Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Xavi and Iniesta seem to keep the opposition defending instead.
Of course if you read the nonsense spouted by pundits like Tony Cascarino, you would believe that Barcelona is a pub team with one superstar with a back up group of duds. In an article this morning he has dismissed Thierry Henry and Samuel Etoo as not hard enough to hurt Chelsea. He of course believes that Chelsea is strong and brawny and can beat Barcelona by being disciplined.
How this former water carrier has descended on this assessment is unknown but it is not backed up by any facts; but we know that these pretend journalists don’t like facts getting in the way of a silly story. How does he dismiss a defence that is in the semi finals of this competition and have been on the top of their league all season as poor or a goal keeper who has already won this competition as the worst left in the semi’s (Manuel Almunia ???) as just taking poetic license to its most absurd limits.
Samuel Etoo has scored 32 goals in all competition, Thierry Henry has scored 24; but Cascarino believes that Drogba with his 12 assisted by Nicolas Anelka (21) and Solomon Kalou (9) have an edge. If you add Messi’s 34 goals there is a 48 goal gap in Cascarino’s assessment but he still believes Chelsea are better.
Chelsea’s chances of winning this tie depend on stopping a supply to the front three. Playing Michael Essien as a spoiler as he did so well against Steven Gerard and Liverpool is an option but stopping Xavi leaves Iniesta free to pull the strings and he can’t possibly stop both of them because it is footballing suicide to man mark two midfielders.
Chelsea can win but it will take super performances from every one. Frank Lampard and Michael Essien must continue as the supermen and hope that Michael Ballack stops running around being an absolute ass and feeling sorry he has lost two finals. John Terry and co in defence will have their hands (feet?) full with Henry and co so slacking or lose concentration will not be allowed.
Guus Hiddink earns his pay and status over this tie.
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