Alternative title: 0 – 0 Advantage / Disadvantage
2nd Alternative title: The Road to Rome……will be decided at Chelsea’s dome
Just one statement, we are in for a difficult moment when we play in London.
Positives
- The biggest positive point from the outcome of the game is that Barcelona did not concede any (away) goals at all. Very important.
- The result obtained thus means that Barcelona will go through to Rome at London via any scored draw (minimum).
The objective now at least is to match up any goals that Chelsea might score at Stamford Bridge, which would bring Barça to the final showdown against Manchester United.
- Regarding overall game play and performance, a point to state is that Barça were the better attacking team; they dominated the passing, possession and tempo of the game (albeit that Chelsea’s tactics were ULTRA-defensive).
- A crucially and perhaps absolutely vital positive point; Valdes saving twice against Drogba’s breakthrough/chance in the first half.
Drogba had the best chance of the entire game, so Valdes came up big time.
A big positive point to note for Victor Valdes’ performance.
Negatives
- No goals scored, a huge negative and disadvantage:
- Barça will need to score anyway and in any manner possible because that’s what the situation now urgently brings too. Unlike in the game against Bayern where they scored 4 and conceded none in the first leg in that situation at least in the second leg Barça could afford a small loss at the opposition’s home ground even without scoring a goal (due to the advantage of the result from the first leg).
But now Barça has to score goals at all cost to ensure that final in Italy is theirs.
- And following up from the point above, the game is going to be played at Stamford Bridge and with the way things turned out (result wise and injuries/suspensions wise), the advantage will definitely be for Chelsea.
- There can be no doubt that Chelsea would play better than they were at the Camp Nou in the second leg, and they’ll be confident enough to get the result seeming that the 0 – 0 is seen as a positive point for them. Chelsea would definitely press more and they got their crowd backing them up in an important Champions League semifinals match.
- A 0 – 0 result at this stage and against an opposition such as Chelsea is utterly dangerously crucial.
- And there’s the semifinals disappointment from last season against Man Utd that seems to parallel with this year’s semifinals games themselves.
- Barça will need to score anyway and in any manner possible because that’s what the situation now urgently brings too. Unlike in the game against Bayern where they scored 4 and conceded none in the first leg in that situation at least in the second leg Barça could afford a small loss at the opposition’s home ground even without scoring a goal (due to the advantage of the result from the first leg).
- Regarding gameplay and performance, it wasn’t good as (evidently) Barça were stifled against Chelsea’s tactics and barriers and their style of play. They were not able to break down Chelsea.
- The (small, few) chances Barça had were not (critically) converted: Eto’o, Henry and that late header from Bojan.
- The attacking trio (as well as the entire attacking play) were unable to score/break Chelsea’s wall.
Henry, Eto’o and Messi all didn’t had games of their high standards I believe, and furthermore the Messi-Alves combo could not perform as well.
- I also believe that Pep Guardiola substitutions/gambles might have (decisively) backfired for the team. He took off Eto’o and Henry late on and then Barça probably had their best chance to score through Cech from that Bojan header and also that late cutting through and shot from Hleb. Had it been either Eto’o or Henry taking those last minute chances maybe, maybe just maybe, things could have turned out a lil (positively) different…
- Some other negatives of game, especially from the first half:
- The first set-piece Barça had early on in the first few minutes, Eto’o headed the ball, perhaps he couldn’t or able to direct it into goal since he was at a difficult angle, but the follow up was poor in terms that no one came in took chance of heading or directed the ball into Chelsea’s goal seeming that everyone just stood still watching the ball pass through above everybody in that box.
- Messi’s freekick was extremely disappointing.
- Toure’s yellow.
- Marquez could have really fu-ked up when he ‘misjudge’ that moment that Drogba had his (best) chance of the game (lucky Valdes came up big time).
- Some moment later, Pique could have damagingly fu-ked up as well like Marquez did when he misplaced his pass.
- Other than the result obtained, perhaps the equally biggest negative point coming from this game is Rafael Marquez’s injury. Now he’s out for the rest of the season, and that affects a whole lot of damn things; not just the 2nd leg but also him missing in the other upcoming competitions the team are fighting in still (Liga and Copa). Besides, the first choice CB tandem of Puyol – Marquez is no longer an option.
- Negative points from the second half:
- How badly missed was that header from Bojan
- Hleb had that late effort/chance of his that he couldn’t finish, but what was even worse was his follow up to that one, which was absolutely un-quality.
As written way earlier above, Barça is going to have a tough time at Chelsea’s ground.
That game at this moment will be Barça’s toughest yet (definitely) and things don’t really look good (and especially that the equally important clash against Real Madrid at the Bernabaeu is coming this Saturday) for team (as of now).
We can only hope for the best, and that Barça prevails in the end, as the treble is still alive at this point.
One thing that I want to state and one thing that is definitely sure,
Gerard Pique would have to come up big time. With Marquez out, he’s going to be the main guy now for Barça’s center of and all of the defense (besides Puyol).
It’s his time, now or never.
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