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We were superb and first half we completely outplayed them. We deservedly went 2-0 through Gronkjaer's "poor cross" and lampard's well worked goal, and we were cruising. But following those two minutes of complete euphoria, Monaco grabbed a crucial goal. Now having seen the replays, I think it was handball, and although I'm disappointed at the poor decision, that's football. Some days the handball would have been given, on others the goal would stand. I'm not one to bitterly complain about what might have been.
At 2-1 we still could have gone on and done it, but the timing of that goal was disastrous. I honestly feel that had we gone in 2-0 up at half time, we could have won 4-0 or something like that. However that goal in injury time was a huge blow.
After that we missed a few great chances, Gudjohnsen and Gronkjaer 6 yards out with a free header, chested it down and ran backwards (top stuff Jesper! You magician you...) and Morientes' goal was the killer blow. There was no way we could score 3 more. We'd done all that we had to do tonight, but in the end it was not enough, and we just looked more and more tired as the game went on.
Our fans cheered right till the end (bar a 5 minute period of hush) and with 5 minutes to go, with us crashing out of the CL semi's 5-3, chants of "Ranieri's Blue Army" and "We love you Chelsea we do" rung around the stadium. This just summed it all up. We've had a great season, 2nd in the league at the moment, and we reached the CL semi finals, and it just showed how much we appreciated their efforts this season and how much we love the club.
So well done lads, you did us proud tonight. We couldn't have asked for any more from you, and we look forward to next year's European adventure.
Congratulations Monaco, and good luck in the Final and for the rest of the season.
(Chelsea til I die)
Seriously, though, I can't believe Chelsea did it again (and I doubt anyone else really can either... Aside from all those Monaco fans, like that Prince-bloke on SkySports News earlier, who strangely sounds A LOT like a Yankee... :P ).
Once again, the first-half was incredible. If only they could play like that for BOTH halves of every games - they'd be Champions all-over, for sure!
I don't really understand why it happened though.
Did they just go into the half-time break a little 'shaken-up' by that scruffy piece of contraversiality in the dying seconds? Jesper Gronkjaer was certainly affected by that yellow card, I feel; as unpredictable as he can be.
Were they just getting a little too carried-away and "cocky", even, with a whole 45-minutes still to be played? (Yet, they weren't no Arsénal, were they! ;D )
Replacing Melchiot was a mistake though. Does anyone know why he had to go off? He had the kind of experience you need in these games, unlike Glen Johnson - who could've easily been sent walkin' for that lunge, had the referee had only a slightly different view!
I agree with Martyn Tyler and Andy Gray - it should've been Gronkjaer instead.
Now it's all over, Chelsea fans still have a great deal to 'shout-about'.
Okay, so you're gonna lose Claudio Ranieri against your own wishes and you will finish the season trophy-less; but, within such a short space of time, you've already achieved some great things.
You haven't won the Champions' League, but you've gotten to the semi's at least - further than Treble-winners Man United and the `unbeatean´ Arsénal (of whom, you also managed to defeat along the way).
You look set the finish second (providing Man United don't improve). When was the last time you even came near such a top-of-the-table finish in recent years exactly?!
One thing I liked about last night's game was how they pretty much resorted back to "last season's team" with the starting-eleven. Ranieri left the over-priced, under-performing likes of Hernan Crespo on the bench in favour of the Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen that made HIS team; not Roman Abramovich's.
As much money has gone into the squad for this fading season, he proved it doesn't really count for sod-all in what the team has really achieved.
Hopefully, next year we'll see a Man Utd vs Chelsea final... :)
Morientes is awesome. My advice to Real is sell Ronaldo and go back to Raul and Morientes up front!
Monaco should beat Porto...hopefully.
Chelsea will be back, although Roman is an idiot for getting rid of Claudio.
We were superb and first half we completely outplayed them. We deservedly went 2-0 through Gronkjaer's "poor cross" and lampard's well worked goal, and we were cruising. But following those two minutes of complete euphoria, Monaco grabbed a crucial goal. Now having seen the replays, I think it was handball, and although I'm disappointed at the poor decision, that's football. Some days the handball would have been given, on others the goal would stand. I'm not one to bitterly complain about what might have been.
At 2-1 we still could have gone on and done it, but the timing of that goal was disastrous. I honestly feel that had we gone in 2-0 up at half time, we could have won 4-0 or something like that. However that goal in injury time was a huge blow.
After that we missed a few great chances, Gudjohnsen and Gronkjaer 6 yards out with a free header, chested it down and ran backwards (top stuff Jesper! You magician you...) and Morientes' goal was the killer blow. There was no way we could score 3 more. We'd done all that we had to do tonight, but in the end it was not enough, and we just looked more and more tired as the game went on.
Our fans cheered right till the end (bar a 5 minute period of hush) and with 5 minutes to go, with us crashing out of the CL semi's 5-3, chants of "Ranieri's Blue Army" and "We love you Chelsea we do" rung around the stadium. This just summed it all up. We've had a great season, 2nd in the league at the moment, and we reached the CL semi finals, and it just showed how much we appreciated their efforts this season and how much we love the club.
So well done lads, you did us proud tonight. We couldn't have asked for any more from you, and we look forward to next year's European adventure.
Congratulations Monaco, and good luck in the Final and for the rest of the season.
(Chelsea til I die)