Morinho and his antics again......
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there is no point arguing against the facts.
mourihno is a sore loser.
chelsea is the defending champion and will most probably by this season's champion.
chelsea is the most consistent team in the premiership.
chelsea spent a lot of money on players. but you cant take the credit away from their winning performance. it takes a lot of consistency to win a premiership. since the inception of the premiership did arsenal, man u, liverpool and newcastle not spend a lot of money on building their teams too? the fact that chelsea spent more, even at one shot, does not mean they dont deserve the title. why keep picking on this point?
non-chelsea fans always choose to pick on chelsea. i hardly see any posting them praising chelsea's performance. but i do see a lot criticising them for diving, pretending, cheating etc. is chelsea the only team guilty of such behaviour? is alex ferguson not arrogant when man u was dominant? -
Updated: April 23, 2006
Carragher: Reds are closing gap on Chelsea
Jamie Carragher heads for the FA Cup Final agreeing that Chelsea are a better side than Liverpool but believing that the Anfield club are beginning to bridge the gap between themselves and the champions.
The Liverpool defender played a major role in the defiant rearguard action in the final half hour of the semi-final showdown at Old Trafford, when desperate Chelsea battled unsuccessfully to save their double dream.
Liverpool were under relentless pressure by the champions-elect, but clung onto the lead given them by John Arne Riise and Luis Garcia.
Carragher said: 'We can beat them in cup competitions. But they are the best team in the league and they are a better team than us, we are not going to argue about that because the table doesn't lie.
'But we have cut the gap on them this season and we aim to cut it again next season, and we are closer. But it is only in one-off games.
'We haven't got a great record against them, we have only won two out of 10 but those two wins are the most important ones. We have won the very big ones, the Champions League semi and now this FA Cup semi.'
Carragher insists that Liverpool were the underdogs, and added: 'We have had a lot of tight games with them, but they have a bigger squad than us and have more quality. Their `bench' is better than ours and that makes a big difference.
'They are ahead of us but we believe we can bridge that gap. About three teams behind Chelsea are at a stage of re-building, Arsenal are looking very good, and with the addition of a few players they could be right back up there.
'Everyone can see that with a couple of new players, just the same with Manchester United - high class players - we can all be much closer to Chelsea next time around.
'Hopefully we have laid down a marker for next season. We want to go closer to Chelsea in the league. It is achievable but they will bring in a few more players so it will be hard.
'I'm not having a go at them because of their money, if we were in the same position we would be delighted.
'Beating Chelsea is bigger now for us than beating Manchester United, because Chelsea are the best team.
'If we can all get these players in it will be a very interesting Premiership next season.'
Carragher also revealed that Liverpool were surprised by the Chelsea team selection without any width that failed to work in the first half and allowed Liverpool to grow in confidence and grab their goals.
He said: 'Chelsea have been playing a similar style over the last few weeks, a diamond shape in midfield. But we were a bit surprised to see Ferreira in midfield, we thought it would be Geremi.
'But they did cause us a lot of problems at the end with the wide men on. They seemed to have six forwards out there.
'We like a bit of width but they've done well with the way they are playing. It was crazy in the last half hour, it was very much like the end of the Champions League semi-final against them last season.
'They even had a great chance from Joe Cole at the death, just like (Eidur) Gudjohnsen did last season in the European semi.
'But now we are there in the final there is no danger that we will start to think we have done the hard part, it's always tough in a final.
'We won the first final in Cardiff and we now want to go back there and win the last final there.'
John Arne Riise, who suffered the agony of scoring a cracker against Chelsea in last season's Carling Cup final in Cardiff only to finish on the losing side, made up for all that with a clever first goal in the 2-1 FA Cup semi-final victory at Old Trafford.
With potential new Norwegian backers considering a move to buy into Liverpool, a goal and Cup final appearance from one of their most famous-ever players hit just the right note.
News of a potential move by a group of Norwegian businessmen broke on the morning of the semi-final against the West Londoners.
Riise said: 'That goal went a long way to making up for the fact that I scored in a final against Chelsea last season and didn't finish on the winning side.
'Jamie Carragher and some of the lads asked me before the game if I knew anything about the Norwegian takeover speculation, but I don't.
'I was interested to read about it, but I know how big Liverpool are in Norway and it is not surprising for me to read that there are people interested in buying into the club from Norway.
'There are 20,000 members of the Norwegian Liverpool supporters' club, so they would all be very happy if a group from my country got involved.'
Liverpool have declined to comment on the speculation, but are believed to be aware of the plans being put together in Norway.
Anfield sources reckon that such a move has far more financial credibility than the recent failed moves by a Spanish group, but there are genuine doubts that the Norwegians could raise the £500m needed to finance the new stadium, buying shares and five years of Rafael Benitez's team building.
The move is believed to be led by a financial investor, Oystein Stray Spetalen with the backing of hotel chain owner Petter Stordalen.
Riise then showed that Norwegians could produce goals as well as money.
He explained how he outwitted the Chelsea wall, driving his shot between Paulo Ferreira and Frank Lampard.
He said: 'We had been working on the free-kick for the last couple of days. I said to Steven I wanted to take it.
'I could see that Ferreira thought I was going to put it round the wall, I could see him moving to his right to anticipate what he thought was going to be a curled effort.
'So it was a fantastic feeling to score after putting my effort between the two players on the end of the wall.
'I felt in the hotel before the game that I would score in the semi-final.
'Now it will be my first FA Cup final and I can't wait. I joined the club after the 2001 final victory and have always wanted to figure in a final because so many of the other lads have.'
Riise revealed Liverpool's surprise at Chelsea's tactics, saying: 'We were really surprised that they did not play with wingers. That was good for us.
'But we knew that when they went in for half-time they would have to change things because it was not working.
'But in the last 20 minutes Chelsea proved how good they are, and I was really tired. But now we are in the final, and we have certainly done it the hard way, beating Manchester United and now Chelsea.' -
Mourinho can sometimes be a very sore loser, especially when his team loses to the bigger teams or closer rivals e.g. Liverpool, Manchester United, Barcelona.
Yes, he's hugged Chris Coleman, when Fulham beat Chelsea, but he has also refused to shake hands with Alex Ferguson, Rafa Benitez and Frank Rijkaard. -
the fact that chelsea spent more, even at one shot, does not mean they dont deserve the title. why keep picking on this point?
well, one term came up last weekend, cheque-book manager - Mourniho.
when you buy another team, like what blackburn did, you have to win everything. compare to what chelsea has spend in one season, I expect them to be double EPL winners (which they going to be), FA Cup winners, League Cups, European Cup, Super Cup.
But till date, Mourniho showed, the Chelsea is the most consistent team in the EPL. Nothing at the European stage. Porto won just like Greece, a silent assassin. But Chelsea, different, people expect them to do this and that. so till date, NO success.
And EPL, they were consistent for the first part. If not, Mourniho would have been champions when they are at Christmas, or even West Ham.
Now, you get the pictures, Mourinho, although a breathe of fresh air, doesn't give respect when needed. And still now, generally, all fans are asking for his blood, cause he doesn't respect EPL, or even other teams.
For those chelsea fans who have been living under the shadows of Liverpool, MUFC, and the gunners, yes, be proud, for you are EPL champions.
But just be more gracious. -
I dun find it a must to praise teams i dun support and guess most of the Fans also did this, but deep down we know that the current chelsea team is just too good. This just happen always, did we see any of the chelsea fan praising other clubs? Chelsea will nv be in the same class as ManU , liverpool or even Arsenal as they dun built on their sucess down the road. And top teams will always be hatred by their rival fans, it cun be change. I wun be surprise to find chelsea fans picking on other teams if they dun win the title next season.Originally posted by dragg:there is no point arguing against the facts.
mourihno is a sore loser.
chelsea is the defending champion and will most probably by this season's champion.
chelsea is the most consistent team in the premiership.
chelsea spent a lot of money on players. but you cant take the credit away from their winning performance. it takes a lot of consistency to win a premiership. since the inception of the premiership did arsenal, man u, liverpool and newcastle not spend a lot of money on building their teams too? the fact that chelsea spent more, even at one shot, does not mean they dont deserve the title. why keep picking on this point?
non-chelsea fans always choose to pick on chelsea. i hardly see any posting them praising chelsea's performance. but i do see a lot criticising them for diving, pretending, cheating etc. is chelsea the only team guilty of such behaviour? is alex ferguson not arrogant when man u was dominant?
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Just name me 1 team.. just 1 team.. that can spend over 100 million pounds for players for 2 successive seasons.. if u can.. i will go back to being objective... if u cannot.. can u pls also just post objective arguments/statements only?Originally posted by ghimpheng:and I am not a joker and naturally everyone expect chelsea to win every game just because they used money........Man Utd Used alot of money too........AC Milan And Juventus Too used alot of money and Real madrid Used alot of money...........Chelsea is not the only club that used alot of money -
whether they spent 100 million on players in one season or ten does not make much of a difference. the important thing is they won the title last season and will most likely win again this season. they achieved in 1-2 years what they failed to achieve in decades. at least the money was justifiably spent.
newcastle has spent a lot of money since the inception of the premiership but have not won a single thing. INTER MILAN spent a lot too but underachieved.
actually after rainieri they neednt change the whole squad. i guess RA is someone without patience. -
Hi all,
just read this and the last part especially.
YOU ARE TO BLAME, JOSE
FA CUP SEMI-FINAL: Chelsea 1 Liverpool 2 FROM OLD TRAFFORD
The Special One turns into The Tinkerman to wreck Blues' Double dream
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer
JOSE MOURINHO has basked in the accolades, revelled in the confrontations, encouraged the hostility.
But in football, as in life, you reap what you sow.
And as Mourinho fatally undermined Chelsea's Double dream by tactics that handed the initiative, the momentum and ultimately a place in the FA Cup Final to Liverpool, it was not just the Merseyside fans who were laughing at the Special One.
For all the moaning of Mourinho, the bitter truth he will have to accept is he, and he alone, was the architect of his team's downfall.
Out-thought and outfought, outsmarted and out-grafted, there could be no denying Liverpool deserved the win.
But it was Mourinho's Ranieri-esque tinkering that brought about defeat. Chelsea's machine was purring again in recent weeks, taking them to the brink of back-to-back titles. Yet instead of sticking with what was working, Mourinho was simply too clever for his own good.
Paulo Ferreira has hardly featured at full-back recently, yet at Old Trafford he was employed on the right of the midfield diamond, simply proving another Blue shirt for a rejuvenated Harry Kewell to skate past as well as the hapless Geremi.
And at the tip of the quartet, Mourinho used Michael Essien, whose power and tackling ability was neutered in that position and who did not have the imagination to create anything.
It meant Chelsea, lacking width with three wingers on the bench, were able only to see a narrow channel through the middle, allowing Xabi Alonso and Mo Sissoko to block them off with as soon as they crossed the halfway line.
Complaining "every crucial decision" went Liverpool's way was an over-statement by Mourinho, although only Graham Poll saw John Terry's tackle on Luis Garcia as a foul.
But it was not Poll who ordered the Chelsea wall to fracture and allow John Arne Riise's shot to squirt into the bottom corner.
And while Terry then got above the Norwegian defender to nod home an "equaliser", it was with the clear assistance of both hands on Riise's shoulders.
Likewise, it was Didier Drogba, no one else, who squandered two great chances at 0-0, the second when two yards offside but not flagged, and Ferreira and William Gallas who allowed Garcia to score the winner. Drogba made partial amends to breathe life into the game but it was only when Mourinho threw out plans he devised in expectation of a dour battle, sent on Joe Cole, Damien Duff and Arjen Robben and used Terry as a centre-forward, that Chelsea almost took the game to extra time.
Rather than blaming himself, Mourinho turned his fire on the three substitutes, suggesting they had forced the selection and tactics. Cole fired over the bar from close-range and Mourinho said: "I don't know why Joe Cole's form has dropped, but it's the reality.
"At the same time Duff's had a lot of problems in his tendon. He was playing and training but with a lot of problems in his Achilles. He lost form because he couldn't feel good. Robben dropped too when he was suspended for four weeks. When he got back into the team against Birmingham he lost form. That's the reality.
"The team wasn't getting results. This kind of player is very individual in their game. If they're good they can win matches for you - if they're not good they lose possession of the ball, the team loses balance and compactness.
"I made the decision because of that. We got three consecutive victories playing with two players up and we were happy with the way we were. You can think what you want and write what you want." It was an open invitation, but so was a game-plan Rafa Benitez and his side exploited to the full, with Mourinho's insistence Liverpool have "no chance" of winning the league next term more sour grapes.
Benitez, though, got it right. Kewell looked the player he once threatened to be, Garcia buzzed and sparkled and Jamie Carragher and Sami Hyypia were immaculate at the back.
For Benitez, it was another chance to reiterate his pregame jibe that Roman Abramovich, rather than Mourinho, was the reason for Chelsea's success.
"Chelsea will spend money," he said. "The key of this last three or four years is Roman Abramovich. No other team in the world can spend this money. It gives them a big advantage. Chelsea have a good team, good players, good manager, but also an owner with a lot of money." -
so many ppl dont know how to spell mourinho.. well done..
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Real Madrid also fit the bill....they bought alot of player every season but just that thier coach is lousy wonder why they dun hire a more well known coachOriginally posted by nOrmalbOi:Just name me 1 team.. just 1 team.. that can spend over 100 million pounds for players for 2 successive seasons.. if u can.. i will go back to being objective... if u cannot.. can u pls also just post objective arguments/statements only? -
They not only didnt hire good coaches, they also sacked their best coach who was del Bosque.Originally posted by ghimpheng:Real Madrid also fit the bill....they bought alot of player every season but just that thier coach is lousy wonder why they dun hire a more well known coach -
Actually, the main point is not dat chelsea don't deserve to win. They deserve it!
They have been consistent and efficient. And its not easy to rotate a bunch of players who will easily be a first choice player in other teams.
So, chelsea fans, we acknowlege dat u r worthy winners.
But but but........morinho and the team have to be more graceful.
Sure, winners like wenger, fergie etc are bad losers at times but in just under 2 seasons, there has been so much bad press about the chelsea team.......surely u know there is something wrong?
And dats the point which irks other supporters. Not dat chelsea arent worthy winners. They are. But they hav to be more graceful in defeat too. -
have they spent over 100 million pounds per season, 2 seasons in a row? sure RM have forked out about 50million pounds for zidane and ronaldo each. but they were bought at different seasons wor.. correct me if im wrong.. when they bought the both of them.. i think they were the only purchases wor.. if not oso at most 1 or 2 other small fries..Originally posted by ghimpheng:Real Madrid also fit the bill....they bought alot of player every season but just that thier coach is lousy wonder why they dun hire a more well known coach
admit it dude! no use denying that RA has brought untold riches to Chelsea. it is there for everyone to see. and those riches help in no small part to their success.. but i wouldn't go as far as to say those riches are the ONLY reason.. they r a big reason.. big factor to why chelsea are gonna be champs for the 2nd season in a row. -
Ya.. I also feel $$ is a big reason to why chelsea can win 2nd title ina row. Do you think chelsea can win back to back titles if RA had not brought the club and inject tons of cash in it??? Ability of coach n teamwork therefore came next. These day $$ plays a big big part.Originally posted by nOrmalbOi:have they spent over 100 million pounds per season, 2 seasons in a row? sure RM have forked out about 50million pounds for zidane and ronaldo each. but they were bought at different seasons wor.. correct me if im wrong.. when they bought the both of them.. i think they were the only purchases wor.. if not oso at most 1 or 2 other small fries..
admit it dude! no use denying that RA has brought untold riches to Chelsea. it is there for everyone to see. and those riches help in no small part to their success.. but i wouldn't go as far as to say those riches are the ONLY reason.. they r a big reason.. big factor to why chelsea are gonna be champs for the 2nd season in a row. -
chelsea would probably be facing adminstration and be fighting against relegation if RA had not bought the club at the end of the 02/03 season.Originally posted by tarcki:Ya.. I also feel $$ is a big reason to why chelsea can win 2nd title ina row. Do you think chelsea can win back to back titles if RA had not brought the club and inject tons of cash in it??? Ability of coach n teamwork therefore came next. These day $$ plays a big big part. -
hahaha.. adminstration maybe but dun think relegating will happen, they are already a top 10 team during ken bates time.Originally posted by MingFreeman:chelsea would probably be facing adminstration and be fighting against relegation if RA had not bought the club at the end of the 02/03 season. -
Ah ya.. with so much money put in, Don't say Chelsea, even our very own Geylang United can win the league title. As for Porto, even without The Special One they can still win the title cos Portugal league only got 1 good team and another quite ok in Benfica.
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porto lost the league title to benfica the very next season after he left..Originally posted by zocoss:Ah ya.. with so much money put in, Don't say Chelsea, even our very own Geylang United can win the league title. As for Porto, even without The Special One they can still win the title cos Portugal league only got 1 good team and another quite ok in Benfica. -
not to mention they have spare changes to buy SWP for 21 millions pound and bench him for most of the season.Originally posted by nOrmalbOi:have they spent over 100 million pounds per season, 2 seasons in a row? sure RM have forked out about 50million pounds for zidane and ronaldo each. but they were bought at different seasons wor.. correct me if im wrong.. when they bought the both of them.. i think they were the only purchases wor.. if not oso at most 1 or 2 other small fries..
admit it dude! no use denying that RA has brought untold riches to Chelsea. it is there for everyone to see. and those riches help in no small part to their success.. but i wouldn't go as far as to say those riches are the ONLY reason.. they r a big reason.. big factor to why chelsea are gonna be champs for the 2nd season in a row.
if one has deep enough pocket, it is also a strategy to weaken other teams by bidding/buying whom they are interested, even if it mean the target is an abundant asset. -
Cause most of the core players also left porto the very next season.Originally posted by stellazio:porto lost the league title to benfica the very next season after he left.. -
it is a fact that without money you cant win a premiership.
according to pundits it takes 20 million just to survive in the premiership.
its true that chelsea spent a lot of money to win the premiership. but the money did not win the title. the money was spent on the players. the players won the title!!! what is wrong with that? those who keep bringing this up is just plain sour grapes.
if RA has bought the club you are supporting i am sure you will not keep bringing it up. -
And Porto has won it again this year even without most of the core players The Special had.
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SWP??? who?Originally posted by www:not to mention they have spare changes to buy SWP for 21 millions pound and bench him for most of the season.
if one has deep enough pocket, it is also a strategy to weaken other teams by bidding/buying whom they are interested, even if it mean the target is an abundant asset.
OH... that former Man City player who supposed to have lots of potential. I completely forgot his presents.
Is he still playing soccer?
That's what you get for joining Chelsea. Good for him -
well if he didn't play much this season but got away with a winners medal..Originally posted by X-men:SWP??? who?
OH... that former Man City player who supposed to have lots of potential. I completely forgot his presents.
Is he still playing soccer?
That's what you get for joining Chelsea. Good for him
who's to say? -
That is very naive to say the least....Originally posted by zocoss:Ah ya.. with so much money put in, Don't say Chelsea, even our very own Geylang United can win the league title. As for Porto, even without The Special One they can still win the title cos Portugal league only got 1 good team and another quite ok in Benfica.
Note: Not a Chelsea fan