Champions League review: Valencia 1 - 2 Chelsea (Chelsea win 3 - 2 on agg.)

How can you go on about Frank's dead-ball kicks? His first three corners were fre headers on goal, the free-kick to Ballack was perfection and even the one that finished up well short was put back in by Essien for the goal.

What I'm saying is how many bows do you want to be tied round the most comprehensive defeat Valencia have suffered at home?

That's why I used the word "majority".

A handful of his dead ball kicks were as you would expect a professional footballer to deliver them, consistently into the danger area. Frank is not consistent with his deliveries; it's got to the point where I say something like "Just get it over the closest defender, Frank" every time he takes one.

Just a minor gripe in what was otherwise a great night.

Can someone PLEASE get a contact for Mr Abramovich so every Chelsea fan can mail him and ask him, no I mean plead with him not to let the best manager we have ever had in my life time ( Im a 40yrs old lifetime Chelsea fan ) leave our most beloved club. I enjoyed our football under Vialli but this guy Mr Mourinho is THE special one and he wants to stay with us.
Jools

This is one of those games that it is impossible to criticise anyone. Sure the first half looked much like so much we have seen this season - obvious class but totally missing any spark. The second half was chalk and cheese - yet again. I agree, Nick, that it is hard on the nerves. On the other hand, is there anything better than winning in the last seconds, no chance for the other team to come back? A real kick in the balls. Pity it wasn't Liverpool, but maybe ...

The last couple of weeks of the season could well have us playing ManU three times for three trophies. Wow. Don't think that has ever been done by any two teams anywhere.

My man of the match is Jose Mourinho. Sacking this guy would be the height of stupidity. Seb Coe in the Telegraph certainly thinks it would be the height of stupidity. So does Jonathan Stevenson over at the BBC (LINK). On the other hand, I also have a sinking feeling. Fortunately the last one I had was in drawing Valencia who I thought would beat us over the two legs, so maybe it's not so bad.

Sorry Nick but you and Tony are the most pessimistic Chelsea fans I know well plus a couple that wander on this blog...

To be honest truthful to you...I have not waivered in my belief in this team and fo this I was blighted with tonnes of words for having blind faith...

It is knowing who you support that has made me believe...Many of us have shot down Ballack but this bloke does bring a tactical angle to our game few people will realize. I finally realized what is wrong with Lampard...He is just tired...The man needs a rest and real quick say a week out...No FA Cup and No West Ham for Lamps please we will need him fresher for other games...

Nick I believe that the first good thing that should have appeared should have been TSO as it is his hand that forced the game...

I'm one of the biggest pessimists you could find Nick, but I won't put my hand up and and say I thought we were out of it at half time.

For me nothing had changed, even going 1-0 down, (stating the obvious here), we still had to score regardless. It just brought back memories of our Q/F against the "Arse" a few seasons ago when we were in the exact same situation.

On saying that, I wasn't prepared for the total domination we produced over Valencia in the second half, it was breathtaking stuff!

My moment of the evening came when Essien scored, and not knowing how to celebrate made a run out of the house towards my neighbour next door, who also is a Chelsea supporter.

But to my glee, he was doing exactly the same thing and we met at the mid way point hugged and screamed and then went our respective ways with huge grins on our faces.

Spontaneity at it's best!!

I have to say I agree that Frank was not great last night. He lost the ball several times and each time he got the ball I got worried.

Lassana really had a bad game and I was very happy to see him come off and replaced by Essien.

The boys really did well against very tough opponents - but I have to say Villa did not look that special to me - or was it just how well JT and Riccy marshelled him?

I was very pessamistic about us winning last night - specially before half-time as we were not creating a lot of chances. I hate our diamond formation as I think it is our least creative. The Switch to 4-3-3 was soo needed and it worked. My only concern is trying to win all our games now without Robben as J.Cole is not match fit and although his intro changed the game, he did not really do anything last night.

Come on Chlesea!!

Outstanding!!

We’ve never had a team with such great spirit who refuse to be beaten. In a previous blog I criticised Ballack but last night he had a good game so credit where it’s due. Lampard was disappointing, several misplaced passes from dead ball and open play positions. But Lampard has earned his Chelsea stripes so I forgive him and we just need to keep playing him till he rediscovers his form.

Biggest revelation is Mikel. He’s shed his early season immaturity to become a silky smooth operator. I love Maka but Mikel is the the T1000 compared to the original Terminator – bigger, stronger and more heavily armed.

Cech did in fact not make a save in 90 minutes. Even in the first half we dominated the game bar a 7-minute spell around the half hour mark.

With about 90 seconds gone of the second half I began to get a positive feeling about the way things looked to be panning out. In the end, Man U pulverised Roma but we crushed Valencia and (although I didn't for obvious reasons watch the Manu Game) although Utd scored 7, our win was every bit as comprehensive. The 2 best teams in Europe now have the prospect of playing in, effectively, 3 finals in 2 weeks. Its a mouth-watering prospect.

Sacking Mourihno would be the pinnacle of crass decisions only welcomed by opposition managers and fans. As a neutral maybe everyone wants to watch pretty football of the like played by Arsenal, but as a supporter you want the raw power, determination and never say die attitude of our team. Bring on Utd (and Liverpool for that matter)

Sorry - one last thing - man of the match has to go to Essien - his cross created the 1st goal and he scored the winner!!

Spot on summary as always Nick.

I'll admit to solidly sitting in the pessimism camp. We got what we deserved in the first half - nothing. I thought this was one 'victory from the jaws of defeat' too far. I expected Valencia to shut up shop, and as much as they tried, it didn't work.

The determination and will to win that the squad have is nothing short of astounding. By and large, great performances all round, especially Joe Cole. How important his return could be.

Nice bit of revenge on the cards in the semi's I reckon.....

Agony. What a bloody night. This game going on at the same time as Life on Mars. I could barely decide what to watch! In the end I plumped for the football knowing that my V+ box was set for Life on Mars. This meant I had to avoid any reference to LoM from my Sister in law after the game when talking to my Brother in Law about the game.

90 odd minutes of frustration, despair, wonderment, tension and joy. What a season, as you say Nick. I, too am a pessimist by nature but even my head is starting to turn to thoughts of sweet revenge over Liverpool and a finale against The Mancs on 3 fronts.

Am I mad. In a coma? or back in time?

And Life on Mars? Simply the best single hour of TV drama I have ever seen. Truly last night's devious plots and twists and turns for both the footie and LoM scrambled my mind more than any other since an early 1979 episode of my life featuring an unfortunate mix of Distalgesics for back pain, Holsten Pils and a bag of Purple Haze!

Luckily my bedroom provided me with a cool dark place in which to lie down and take it all in.

I'm in 100% agreement regards Lampard.

His dead ball deliveries of late have been well below par, as Nick B points out, he rarely gets it past the first man.

Last night his first few corners were taken well, but Frank returned to his old 'break the nose of the first man'.

Last nights game was bubbling, i was on edge all night. If Chelsea can continue with tenacity and this "never-say-die" attitude everyone is raving about then we'll win the EPL, CL & FA Cup.

My confindence in the team is growing with every game and i can't wait to watch ManUre try and break us down (Roma last night must have been shockingly poor). Then (although i took 33-1 for Liverpool Redskins to win the CL) we'll beat liverpool redskins and take revenge.

KTBFFH
steam train.

Yet one more time shows that he is The Special One, The Master Tactician!!! What a game!!!!!

I do agree with Jose about fatiguing of our players. It is not only Lampard who is tired, Drogba seems extremely tired as well. They need rest they clearly need a week or so.

Come on Chelsea!!!

The disparity between our first and second half performances is incredible and surely not coincidental given that it happens time after time. What's the thinking here? Are we lulling the opposition into a false sense of security? Resting so we can blitz them for the second 45, getting stronger and stronger? It's quite unlike anything I've ever seen before.

A superb victory, and one that the press seems to acknowledge as being every bit as impressive as Man U's trouncing of Roma. This team is remarkable; what might they have achieved with a fit Cech in Autumn...

Clinical Chelsea are like a professional assassin: They don't mutilate, just execute one deadly blow! They even let the opponent die quickly at the last minute! :-)

I am doing my own counting and wondering whether Essien's goal was the 100th this season...can someone help out here?

I am certain that the first Chelsea goal this season was by Shevy in the Charity Shield...

Okay okay...since we are on another record it would help to keep track of some of this "small" details...There is the making of Chelsea Legends this season...Imagine how silly Billy Gallas must be feeling now with a possibility of not playing Champions league next season...kind of reminds me of the pain I feel for Zola for retiring from Chelsea prior to winning a medal with us...Pity really...Hey Billy guess what A. Cole will be wearing a Champions League medal, Premiership medal, an FA Cup Medal and a Carling Cup Medal...Hmmm

TSO may well be gone in the summer. Let's stop worrying about what we can't control and just enjoy the remainder of the season.

Roman can buy anything he wants and what he wants is the winning mentality of Chelsea plus a Ronaldo down the wing and, after last night, 7 goals every week!

The fact that we're happy with our fully loaded, top of the range Mercedes is irrelevant, Roman wants a Bentley with a diamond encrusted shift knob!

Yay verily, 'twas truly a night to remember!

Right up there with the Arsenal and Barcelona CL games.

Still a bit concerned about our overall lack of creativity though...and I have to lay the blame for it with Lampard and Ballack...Our attack is only as good as the supply allows, yet considering their undoubted ability and reputations, it's just not happening with either of them at the moment. Or all season truth be told.

Yeah, they're both tackling hard to get us midfield dominance, but their distribution to our front men has been poor IMO.

Never mind though, The strength and quality of our squad and Morinho's tactical guile is seeing us through.

Another biggun Sunday...What a team eh?

Bucky

I thought Lamps had a good game, he and Ballack won a lot of headers in the middle and valencia's mid pairing was invisible for the entire match. And that was due to Frank and Ballack. I think we'll see good things from lamps now that joey is back.

I will say it now: After this season, the mere idea of letting Mourinho leave is UTTER LUNACY. If Abramovich were to make this/let this happen, then his business skills are obviously much less than they are cracked up to be. Success is guaranteed with this man at the helm.

I never had any pessimism after we went the goal down (sticking hard to my guns in the previous thread)... I knew full well Jose would sort it in the second half. Joey for Diarra was a stroke of genius.

Essien's goal didn't sink in at first; I thought it just hit the side netting. What a shot!
I would rather lose him for the home leg than the away -the outstanding players we have is more than capable of dispatching the Scousers at Stamford Bridge.

Lampard was poor, but Mikel's maturity compared to the start of the season is unbelievable. He should win Young Player of The Year. A fully capable right back is needed this summer!

Oh my aching head...

Run out of words to describe this team; if we don't win another thing this season I'll still be bursting with pride at the spirit, attitude and determination we've displayed given the circumstances. Anyone that doubts just how good Jose is after this season needs their bumps feeling - and that includes Roman.

For a 'boring' team we've been involved in some of the most exciting games of the season and there will surely be more to come. You simply don't get to watch football like this too often in your life - and I doubt many of us ever dreamed it would be Chelsea playing it. Just fantastic.

And yes, I thought it was the side netting too. Old habits and all that :-)

'Oh what a night . . .!'

This team never ceases to amaze me. After all the doom and gloom of January, this could well end up as our most successful season ever - it has probably been our most exciting already!

In a way, I just love it when we go behind in the first half - I so enjoy watching Jose's tactical genius and the players' immensely tough mentality combining to lay siege to the opposition in a bid to rescue the match. It has happened many times this season and has invariably resulted in the best matches to watch. Last night was no exception. I think that was our best performance in Spain, even first half we were the better side. The match stats show such complete dominance for Chelsea that it is hard to comprehend this was at the Mestalla, supposedly such a fortress!

Well done lads - I can't wait for the rest of the season, just hope playing on all fronts won't prove that bit too much in the end!

With regards the JM/RA situation, they have both contributed immensely to our success in recent years - I think our success would have been impossible without both of them being there. Let's hope they can bury the hatchett and provide many more trophy-laden years!!!

'if we don’t win another thing this season I’ll still be bursting with pride at the spirit, attitude and determination we’ve displayed given the circumstances. '

Absolutely agree, though I doubt RA and the press will be so understanding.

United for beauty; Chelsea for drama. Every time.

Just had a quick browse at one particular Liverpool blog site to see what they're saying about our potential semi final meeting .
They really are a bunch of smug, arrogant twats, accusing us of resolving to dirty tricks to win the game. If any team " Never" deserves to win the Premiership or Champions League, it's them!

Video of Jose jumping on JT and Essien during their live TV interview:

LINK

Nothing to add really.

Everything has been said and far more eloquently than I am able to.

A truly fantastic performance. Thought we dominated the entire game but didn't really fashion anything of note in the first half.

Second half we pulverised them. Brilliant to see Joey back and he looked very lively despite his lay-off. Played a crucial part in the winner in fact.

And Michael Essien. What heart. He needs a decent bloody song!

I have to support Nick on his criticism of Lamps though. I thought he was pants. It felt like we had fifteen dangerous set pieces in the first half and only two cleared the first man. His corners against Tottenham on Saturday were equally terrible. He seems to be completely lacking in confidence. Ballack, on the other hand is growing in stature every game. I have also noticed he is very protective of our players and excellent at having a word (rather than a moan and a scream a la Drogba) with the ref.

A truly fantastic night.

Up the Chels!

Nick lovely one of TSO making a toad of himself there lovely

Jose Musumba, tut, if I was you, I would buy a calculator!!
MIckeys goal was actually our 105th!!!
We have 56 League, 16 CL, 18 FA Cup, 14 Carling Cup and the solitairy one you mentioned by Shevy in the Charity Shield
Note the papers made big of ManUre only scoring their 100th last week

Time for the missionary position.

Call me conventional, and I know that coming from behind is exciting, but for a change I’d like to get on top whilst we get the first leg over then stay on top whilst getting the second leg over.

I agree with the commenters who believe the main problem with Lamps is his fatigue...in fact, even drogs I think needs a big rest though both sitting out the blackburn semi seems a bit risky...

As for this tso-abramovich stuff, there is so much stuff in the media about it that i hesitate to dismiss it entirely but the truth remains that abramovich has had a major divorce this year and that would be a reasonable explanation of his absences on "business" to russia not to say that the prospect of Putin's succession coming up worries a lot of people with much less at stake than he does so there are plausible alternative explanations. After all, as a general principle it would be stupid for abramovich to tell the world what he is upto over there given his business history. However, Mourinho seems to buy that Abramovich is ready to sack him but the man, at least based on his career, seems to be the ultimate pragmatist (ditching Yeltsin for Putin, Yukos for Gazprom, etc.) and I doubt he is going to act on emotion. Mourinho has also been paranoid in the past, etc. Anyway, I still see much room for optimism and hope this whole saga was just overblown speculation... Bring on the scousers...

Nick, very nice link :-) to watch.

Good enough Manure are in the semifinals to face ACMilan and this surely creates a HUGE DISTRACTION for them when the play their away matches in the EPL......Remember the lunar moon cycle!

In all fairness, valencia never looked a team that can beat us right from the 1st leg and got their goal through an individual brilliance.

Although i give essien the man of the match for his role from the right back, Mikel had an inspiring game. he his not the finished product yet and his control, composure and passing on the ball was a delight.

its one game at a time and lets paint the blackburn blue.

I think Lamps, in terms of his ability to completely dominate games as he did for almost three years in a row, might have peaked.

Or he could be completely knackered and in need of a rest.

If it wasn't for his contract situation I would probably sell him for a gigantic fee (£20 million plus). I know a lot of people will think this insane as he has been a brilliant (albeit very well paid and adored) servant to the club and has played a major role in making us one of the top teams in the world. He has been at the top or near to it of the goalscoring and assist making charts for almost four years. However if you are to remain a top team in the world you need to be ruthless and sometimes that involves despatching your top players as their powers start to, albeit subtly, wane (I am thinking especially of United early to late 90's here - Hughes, Ince, Kanchelskis all sold to howls of derision) and introduce new blood or adapt your style of play.

I genuinely don't think he has been at his best consistently for over a year and I don't see much evidence of him getting any better. Plus he looks increasingly ponderous on the ball and moves tend to slow (or even worse break,) down when he becomes involved.

Of course this all begs the question who do we replace him with. No quite ready to answer that one yet.

I know I am going to get hammered for this...

Up the Chels!

Lamps - 20+ goals a season from midfield. How can you replace that?

I think he is still the top man, he just needs to give up taking corners. He seems hit the first man if he tries a pacy top-spinner. Otherwise they just float high into the box with no pace which makes it difficult to score from. I guess that's one thing we miss since Duff left. Maybe let Bridge/Cole take them? It would be useful to have Lamps on the edge of the box - maybe he would score even more then!

I still think we're not the same team when he doesn't play.

Anthony - i've been a big Frank defender in the past, but agree he's starting to look more like a David Platt, only showing up when he scores, than the all-round player he used to be. The great think about Lamps 02-06 was that, although he didn't have the technical skills of Deco or Xavi, he was playing as if he did, and some of his touches and passing was sublime. These days he looks so heavy on the ball, rarely makes a prescient pass and is slowly turning into the player his critics have always claimed he is. He's starting to remind me of Andy Townsend.

I'd be happy to flog him and build the team round Ballack, Cole and Mikel. I think it would make us more three-dimensional, though we'd really need those three to step up when it comes to goalscoring.

re: his deadballs, we almost scored three times from his deliveries on Tuesday, so he's not as bad as he sometimes appears. Robben takes a mean corner though.

Anthony...I have been seeing that for sometime...interesting that many are finally getting on the force side...

Lamps needs to have a two weeks break....now to re-charge those batteries...He is actually getting fat around his tummy...maybe we should send him to Whinger to put him on one of those diets that are making Hleb look like a ghost...maybe..

Obi Mikel can take the corners better...We can not sacrifice Ballack because we need his height...Obi should be given the Corner Kick status

I'm in agreement with Anthony here;

I've been saying this all season. When a player gets past his bast and/or is not contributing to a good performance of the team then they should be given a final chance (this season in Frank's case) and shiped out. Frank wasn't great last season either.

'But Lamps is 20+ goals a season'
This is an impressive stat as a mid feilder. So we ask why is his goal tally so high; he's got a good shot, he's an attacking MF; true true but he's also GREEDY. As an attacking mid fielder of course he could shoot; Frank does this more often then not, rather then layoff passes/through balls/chips/flicks for strikers.

The man scores goals but it has to be compared to his role in the team and why he scores more goals the our top striker.

The fact that the majority of Chelsea fans ignor or aren't aware of this means Lamps has unconditional love from the fans.

Me however, i curse him in most games these days as he isn't playing at all well.

All of these points are made against his form as the 'second best player in the world' in 2005 which he dominated the mid in the UK (let alone Chelsea). Now lamps should go and for as much money as possible.

Who do we replace Lamps with? Essien, Ballack, Sidwell?

KTBFFH

Difficult to replace Lamps (or any decent goalscoring midfielder) these days. Part of our success in the title winning seasons was how difficult we were to play against as the goals came from all over the pitch.

No question that Frank is struggling for form, but losing his goals without a replacement that chips in as many could cause us problems.

One of Arsenal's strengths a few seasons back was the number of goals from midfield - Pires and Ljungberg chipped in 25 plus a season and they simply don't have the same firepower these days.

I see Fat Raffa of the Wirral has started the personal insults in the war of words between the two teams already.

It's amazing how the press don't see this guy for what he is, a Hypocrite and more importantly, an "Arsehole" I'm beginning to think he's a bigger Tw*t than Wenger.

On saying that it raises the profile of the game.... as if it needed it!

Guys,

Some interesting points on Frank, which I partially agree with. I thinks he's looked a bit 'un-Lampard' like recently, but we can hardly speak about dropping him and building a team around Ballack - he's 2 years older !!!!

We need to be looking at the youngsters, be it Jimmy Smith, or one of the other youngsters at the club, or summer singings. Maybe playing Joe Cole at the tip of the diamond.......

Clive - yep, Jose hasn't said squat about Liverpool since he made up with the World's Dullest Manager at last year's semi, but Rafa keeps on squawking. And yet, no matter how much he flaps his chops, he remains incredibly boring.

Talk of selling Frank is just as foolish as talk of letting Jose leave.

Frank has not been his best this season - but even at this level only Gerrard is a better midfielder then him.

I would rather Frank then Ballack anyday. I realise Ballack needs time to settle but he is old and I just do not see what he does that Essien cannot do. A midfield trio of Obi, Essien and Frank is awesome.

I agree Frank is tired and maybe he will never reach the dizzy heights of 04/05/06 - but if any manger can get the best out of him it is Jose.

We need to concentrate on getting another CB and 2 more strikers. With the African cup next season we will lose Essien, Obi, Drogba and Kalou. That scares me silly.

God bless Roman's Blue Army!!

Jonathan, I understand they give it more time to brew over there but that's not a good reason for telling us RA needs a brain scan.

Jose's been asking for a sack(and his compensation) and that's what he's gonna get().

Do you realize the pressure Jose is putting on the return of Crespo??? Well that is all down to the African Cup finals...

Crespo really as disgruntled as he may get he is on a contract....

Selling Lamps is plain looney...or rooney whatever suits you...Frank is definately going no where...20 plus goal midfielder...are we losing it??

First Jose now Frank...I hate his game because I know what he can do...he is giving us less that 45% and for Chelsea it is not good enough...we need more...

Anyone realize that our goal ratio in the premier league has fallen below last season by over 8 goals???

AC Milan’s director Galliani said: “We have an appointment with Andriy Shevchenko for the final in Athens. It will be AC Milan v Chelsea." I hope so! :-)

AC vs. Che sounds nice. However i'd prefer to stuff the ManUre Rowdees.

Firstly to Mr True Blue:

"..Frank has not been his best this season - but even at this level only Gerrard is a better midfielder then him..."

In my view the best midfielder in the world is Michael Essien. He is probably also the best right back in the world but that is merely incidental. I don't buy this Steven Gerrard thing, however talented he may be. There is no discipline in his positional play which can often leave his team wide open. It is the reason why his various managers never know where to play him.

To Jose Musumba:

"..Anyone realize that our goal ratio in the premier league has fallen below last season by over 8 goals???.."

Do you mean by that that at this stage of the premiership season (ie 32 games) we have scored 8 goals fewer than we had at the same stage last season? I think you're right that we would all like to see more 4 and 5 nil wins

It is true that Frank has not played well this season, and although he scores many goals, sometimes when his shots end up in the stands, or get blocked etc, you do wish he had tried to pass the ball instead. He may not score so many but the team might score more. But there is no doubt, he does look absolutely knackered.

Talking of big wins, the predictable reaction of the press to MU's thrashing of Roma, never seems to mention the other side of the coin. Having seen extensive highlights on video, I would have to say that it is one of the most inept defensive displays I have ever seen. A conference team could have done better than that! Look at all the goals and imagine it was Chelsea defending and not those bunch of clowns. How many would have gone in?

:-)Didier Drogba's parents banned him from playing football for a year when he was 16 to make him concentrate on his school work (Mirror).

Congrats, hope it's not the last final we're gonna play this season.

Man of match: Petr Cech by a far, far margin!

Tired win but I loved it