cl semi's

[seanworth]

Next time a religion thread pops up, TD might want to bear this in mind as evidence. All made sweeter by the fact Lampard put in one of the best midfield displays I've ever seen, and then lost. With a fat lip. Glorious. Glorious glorious glorious.

Of what, that miracles happen? There was a far better example in the game: Drogba dived onto the floor in extreme agony, shuddered and died. The Chelsea medic dashed on, sprinkled him with holy water and he leapt back to his feet cured, rivalling anything that Lourdes has ever produced.

Indeed, the whole night was divine. Another topic of convo in the pub was, what the feck does the trainer say and do when he runs on. Everyone knows there is nothing wrong with Drogba, but they have to at least pretend!

I thought about that last week during the 1st game when he came on and gave Drogba smelling salts after taking a knock to the back of his head (he was holding the front part of his head though). Drogba nearly freaked when he inhaled the salts and the look on his face was "I didn't want the real smelling salts you idiot I only wanted to sniff some holy water".

[TANGODANCER]

All this really shows is what a farce the away goal rule is. To go all that way and the expense and effort of it and lose by effectively getting a draw makes no sense. Same for both sides I agree, but that's just compounding the felony for me. Barca are a goal down, get one back and it's a win? Nah, just makes no sense. Time they scrubbed it in favour of extra-time.
Even penalties is a joke to settle something of this magnitude.

[Worthy4England]

The referee of the Champions League semi final between Chelsea and Barcelona has received internet death threats and had to be smuggled out of the UK following his controversial handling of the game. Norwegian Tom Ovrebo was harangued by Chelsea players incensed at his handling of the game at Stamford Bridge that saw them dramatically dumped out of the competition.

Posters on website forums and even groups on Facebook threatened reprisals against the 42-year-old. He had waved away at least four Chelsea penalty appeals during the game that saw Barcelona score a late equaliser to make it 1-1 and go through on the away goals rule. At the final whistle he was forced to run down the tunnel back on to the pitch to escape furious Chelsea players including England captain John Terry, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba, who also launched a foul-mouthed rant into nearby TV cameras. Drogba turned to a cameraman after the final whistle and shouted: "It's a disgrace. It's a f***ing disgrace."

Police were so concerned for Mr Ovrebo's safety they reportedly changed his hotel then later smuggled him on to a flight back to Norway.

In Mr Ovrebo's home city of Oslo police said they were investigating threats made on the internet, which has seen a flood of messages including the referee's home address and warnings that fans will 'hunt him' and 'kill him'. Groups such as Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo and We Wanna Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo began to appear on Facebook. The controversy overshadows a dramatic semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge which Chelsea had dominated.

Chelsea had led the game for most of the semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge, west London. They seemed destined to seal a date in the final against Manchester United for the second year running after Michael Essien's wonder strike put them ahead. But the referee denied Chelsea spot-kicks for a number of perceived offences, including a shirt pull on Drogba and handballs by Gerard Pique and Samuel Eto'o.

Sky Sports later apologised for broadcasting the bad language from the incident, which was shown again with sound after an advert break. A spokesman said: "At the end of the game, shortly before 10pm, Didier Drogba was heard swearing on the pitch as he faced the steady camera. "An immediate apology was made in the studio for the language and any offence."

And you wonder what's wrong with football...

[thebish]

getting the tube back home, stopped at the station next to Stamford Bridge...never seen so many depressed people in such a confined space (the Reebok being the previous holder of that title). Me and my mate at work have been basically just laughing all morning about it.

there'll be a fair few at the arsenal-chelsea game on Sunday...

[BWFC_Insane]

The referee of the Champions League semi final between Chelsea and Barcelona has received internet death threats and had to be smuggled out of the UK following his controversial handling of the game. Norwegian Tom Ovrebo was harangued by Chelsea players incensed at his handling of the game at Stamford Bridge that saw them dramatically dumped out of the competition.

Posters on website forums and even groups on Facebook threatened reprisals against the 42-year-old. He had waved away at least four Chelsea penalty appeals during the game that saw Barcelona score a late equaliser to make it 1-1 and go through on the away goals rule. At the final whistle he was forced to run down the tunnel back on to the pitch to escape furious Chelsea players including England captain John Terry, Michael Ballack and Didier Drogba, who also launched a foul-mouthed rant into nearby TV cameras. Drogba turned to a cameraman after the final whistle and shouted: "It's a disgrace. It's a f***ing disgrace."

Police were so concerned for Mr Ovrebo's safety they reportedly changed his hotel then later smuggled him on to a flight back to Norway.

In Mr Ovrebo's home city of Oslo police said they were investigating threats made on the internet, which has seen a flood of messages including the referee's home address and warnings that fans will 'hunt him' and 'kill him'. Groups such as Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo and We Wanna Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo began to appear on Facebook. The controversy overshadows a dramatic semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge which Chelsea had dominated.

Chelsea had led the game for most of the semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge, west London. They seemed destined to seal a date in the final against Manchester United for the second year running after Michael Essien's wonder strike put them ahead. But the referee denied Chelsea spot-kicks for a number of perceived offences, including a shirt pull on Drogba and handballs by Gerard Pique and Samuel Eto'o.

Sky Sports later apologised for broadcasting the bad language from the incident, which was shown again with sound after an advert break. A spokesman said: "At the end of the game, shortly before 10pm, Didier Drogba was heard swearing on the pitch as he faced the steady camera. "An immediate apology was made in the studio for the language and any offence."

And you wonder what's wrong with football...

Didn't similar happen with Barry Knight?

[ratbert]

Just found this in the Grauniad:

As the former Barcelona player José María Bakero pointed out: "1-0 up against 10 men, Chelsea could have gone for another; instead, they sat back and defended."

Sounds familiar!

[Worthy4England]

Didn't similar happen with Barry Knight?

Not remotely comparable.

This kind compassionate individual has save the British nation from having to watch John Terry blub all over our screens for the second year running, whilst still leaving the door open for someone other than United to win it.

He's also saved Chelsea the embarrassment of being runners-up two years on the trot.

With hindsight, they will thank him.

[claus jensens guitar]

All this really shows is what a farce the away goal rule is. To go all that way and the expense and effort of it and lose by effectively getting a draw makes no sense. Same for both sides I agree, but that's just compounding the felony for me. Barca are a goal down, get one back and it's a win? Nah, just makes no sense. Time they scrubbed it in favour of extra-time.

Without the away goal European knockouts would be very boring. No one would try to score away from home. Chelsea/Barca knew last night that Barca only needed one goal whether Chelsea scored 0 or 1. It put the game into life and death in the later minutes, rather than having the saving grace of extra time to fall back on (which players and fans hate the agony of) Chelsea have to defend otherwise they are out. But the pressure is too great for Essien (IRC) who fluffs the ball and the coolness of Iniesta pays off.

I think the away goal brings a lot of excitement. The play-off games against Ipswich were a lot more memorable due to the away goals.

They should have away goals in the Carling Cup (seeded big teams always at home, still as 1 leg, away goals = 2 goals) to spice it up more.

[BWFC_Insane]

All this really shows is what a farce the away goal rule is. To go all that way and the expense and effort of it and lose by effectively getting a draw makes no sense. Same for both sides I agree, but that's just compounding the felony for me. Barca are a goal down, get one back and it's a win? Nah, just makes no sense. Time they scrubbed it in favour of extra-time.

Without the away goal European knockouts would be very boring. No one would try to score away from home. Chelsea/Barca knew last night that Barca only needed one goal whether Chelsea scored 0 or 1. It put the game into life and death in the later minutes, rather than having the saving grace of extra time to fall back on (which players and fans hate the agony of) Chelsea have to defend otherwise they are out. But the pressure is too great for Essien (IRC) who fluffs the ball and the coolness of Iniesta pays off.

I think the away goal brings a lot of excitement. The play-off games against Ipswich were a lot more memorable due to the away goals.

They should have away goals in the Carling Cup (seeded big teams always at home, still as 1 leg, away goals = 2 goals) to spice it up more.

Away goals only counted in the play-off games against Ipswich under Todd.

The next season when we played them in the play-offs under Allardyce Sheepshanks had convieniently managed to get away goals in the play-offs scrapped. Not sure you can argue that the games in the play-offs under Todd were more exciting than the ones the year after without away goals for neutrals, though undoubtedly better for us!

[bobo the clown]

Posters on website forums and even groups on Facebook threatened reprisals against the 42-year-old. In Mr Ovrebo's home city of Oslo police said they were investigating threats made on the internet, which has seen a flood of messages including the referee's home address and warnings that fans will 'hunt him' and 'kill him'. Groups such as Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo and We Wanna Kill Tom Henning Ovrebo began to appear on Facebook.

Haven't Chelsea fans got previous for this ?

The guy had a poor, poor game, but to suggest it was bent is ridiculous. If he'd been tipped an envelope then he wouln't have sent a Barca player off ... & he wouldn't have waited to the 93rd minute to see if they could score.

It was simply inept ... which is why it's different to the Barry Knight episode.

[FD]

If the players show such fragrant disrespect to the officials, its no wonder their fans then make death threats. They are grown men on a wage the likes of myself could never dream of getting, yet they are like petulant children. If your boss calls you into his office to dress you down do you stand up, scream obscenities at him, harrass him physically?

I can totally empathise with the emotions they felt and I wouldn't want football without the passion, but Drogba could and should have won them the game without the penalites, he didn't, he should be angry with himself for blundering a chance that a player of his quality should score 10 out of 10 times and not angry with the officials.

The ref was poor and got an awful lot wrong, but that kind of thing happens to fans of clubs like Bolton, Wigan, Sunderland, Stoke, West Brom week in week out, when the potential 3 points are just as important to us as a Champions League final are to teams like Chelsea, Man Utd etc. If we acted in the way Chelsea did, no matter how poor the ref was, we'd get the book thrown at us.

For the record though, that Essien goal was goal of the season for me.

On a more related note, why the hell is Megson getting involved in this?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 31,00.html

Bolton manager Gary Megson believes the behaviour of Chelsea's players on Wednesday night was unacceptable.

Chelsea bowed out of the UEFA Champions League in dramatic circumstances as Andres Iniesta secured a 1-1 aggregate draw for Barcelona with a late away goal.

The Blues were also frustrated by a series of unsuccessful penalty appeals, with Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack both angrily confronting referee Tom Henning Ovrebo.

Drogba was also picked up swearing into the television camera and Megson was appalled by the scenes.

"I can fully understand the Chelsea players being as irate as they were, being so close to a Champions League final yet finishing so far away from it," he said.

"But I thought the scenes did not reflect well on the game we have - not so much Chelsea and the players involved but football.
No justification

"Whether the referee has had a good, bad or indifferent game you can't behave like that.

"Football does not intend to hold its players up as role models, people tend to do that for them, but just in normal behaviour that is not on."

Megson does not think there was any excuse for what happened and he expects those involved to eventually apologise.

He said: "You can come out with a load of reasons why, although you can never justify it, but it is just not on and I'm sure everyone involved in it will apologise for those things.

"It does not reflect well on the game itself."

He's right, but why the hell get involved?

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

I had to stop my lunchtime football club today, because one lad - seven years old - said he was fouled. When told that he wasn't, he did the arm waving and "IT'S A DISGRACE!" tirade that Drogba did to the camera last night. He stopped short of the swearing, thank the Lord. I had to sit them all down and educate them on the rights and wrongs of speaking to referees.

I can't say that I've seen seven year olds mimic anything other than goal celebrations of their heroes before. It's the first time I've ever seen my lads, some of the best behaved lads I have ever taught, be suckered in by the petulance that professional players show.

And I've been in many situations where inept refereeing has cost my team dearly, especially since the Respect campaign has been brought in and referees have made more mistakes than ever before. I can understand how much is at stake, and how emotions run high. But there is abslutely no excuse for the aggression towards the officials as the Chelsea players did last night.

And as for the death threats - well, big club fans, innit? Arsenal fans did it to Martin Taylor after a clumsy (nothing more) tackle that put Eduardo out.

[FD]

Wow, that is an incredibly sad thing to read KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab...

[KeeeeeeeBaaaaaaab]

On a more related note, why the hell is Megson getting involved in this?
................
He's right, but why the hell get involved?

Because everyone in the game - and I mean everyone, from Graham Roberts to Jason Cundy to Phil Neville to Gary Megson to Steve Bruce to Steve Coppell to Gordon Taylor* - has been asked about it this morning, and amassive amount of views have either been aired or published.

* = Those are the ones that I remember seeing and hearing today, just off the top of my head. There have probably been more.

[Tombwfc]

Because he was asked, presumably.

Anyway, I've no real problem with the way Chelsea players acted. I'd maybe give Drogba a couple match ban for swearing at the cameras, but that's it really. It's alright people sitting on their high horses saying they should've just accepted it, but in the heat of the moment people will do crazy things, and what they get paid is utterly irrelevant in relation to human emotions.

Don't get me wrong, things like that shouldn't happen, but for me it's a one in a million type of refereeing performance, and I understand where they are coming from. If Bolton players had reacted the same way towards Barry Knight I would've thought the same too.

Chelsea are a hard team to feel sorry for, but at the end of the day, they've worked for a year to get back into the CL final, and it's been taken away by a man not fit to do his job. A lot of those Chelsea players are over 30 and will never play in a Champions League final again because of that referee. Michael Ballack is 32, and has never won a real major honour despite being one of the best midfielders of his generation (he's lost in a World Cup final, a European Championship final and two Champions League finals). If i'm him in the last minute of the game, with all thats gone before, and see Samuel Eto'o punch my freekick to safety right in front of the referee who gives nothing, well..... I think he was resonably restrained considering.

[TANGODANCER]

If the players show such fragrant disrespect to the officials, its no wonder their fans then make death threats. ?

Something smells not quite right here!

Sorry FD, couldn't let that one go.

[FD]

I definitely let one go! Sorry, teaches me for posting after a 13 hour shift

Megson is one of those managers who gets asked about everything for some reason. Any time anything happens he gets asked. I've seen him on Sky Sports News talking about things totally unrelated to Bolton Wanderers many many times, you don't see every manager doing that, that's all I was getting at.

Anyway, I've no real problem with the way Chelsea players acted. I'd maybe give Drogba a couple match ban for swearing at the cameras, but that's it really. It's alright people sitting on their high horses saying they should've just accepted it, but in the heat of the moment people will do crazy things, and what they get paid is utterly irrelevant in relation to human emotions.

It's a game of football Tom, not a close relative dying. They were aggressive toward someone and shouting and screaming like children. Nobody is on their high horse and nobody is saying they should have just accepted it, but there are right and proper ways to show displeasure in public, and it isn't the way they did it. What they are paid is relevant to me, and I'm sure people who's children are saying "F*cking disgraceful" like their hero did last night might feel the same. What about what Ballack did? You'd just let him off for that, a yellow is sufficient for that?

What if every team that lost a cup game did this? Or is this more acceptable because the ref had a nightmare?

[officer_dibble]

Yo, Keeeeebab man, you aint the only teacher I've heard say that today. Be thankful there was no swearing....

I've had it with Chelsea, should give them a years ban from Europe if its found out serious threats have been made to the ref. No replacement from the UK either.

Might give their fans something to think about.

For the record, the ref was bad, but he wasn't 2 red cards, 10 yellow cards and 3 penalties bad, with NOWT for the other side was he?

Get overit you f*cking fannys. Hoping Platini throws the book at them this time - cos our lot wouldn't have the balls.

Maybe give Terry a 3 match international ban or something as well.

[bobo the clown]

... It's alright people sitting on their high horses saying they should've just accepted it, but in the heat of the moment people will do crazy things, and what they get paid is utterly irrelevant in relation to human emotions. ..............I understand where they are coming from. ..... I think he was resonably restrained considering.

Tom, truly, that's bollox.

The only reason it's seen as reasonable is because they haven't been pulled up (nor have Stretford, Arse & presumably any number of other clubs) when they've done similar before.

It isn't a reasonable reaction other than that it compares with previous instances.

As said above, if you or I reacted like that to our boss or a customer or client when something went wrong it would not be tollerated. Nor should it be in football. Toleration of this will simply perpetuate it and next time it happens this would be quoted. The circle has to be broken.

Further, as Keeebaaaab proves, these guys are role models. If they do this it will be copied. Not just in football matches, but, eventually, every time something goes wrong. It's not too far fetched to say that can & will lead to far more serious issues on the street next time an influenced person feels badly treated. Utimately this (& lots of other instances) leads to loss of control in far wider arenas.

Anway, Ballack & Drogba are wastes of good oxygen.

[Worthy4England]

Anyway, I've no real problem with the way Chelsea players acted. I'd maybe give Drogba a couple match ban for swearing at the cameras, but that's it really. It's alright people sitting on their high horses saying they should've just accepted it, but in the heat of the moment people will do crazy things, and what they get paid is utterly irrelevant in relation to human emotions.

Sorry Tom, can't agree with that in any way, shape or form. This is like the bollocks Micky Quinn spouts on radio, that somehow or other footballers can't control their emotions. It's complete and utter crap. Drama queens the fecking lot of 'em.

If rugby players can still manage to call the ref "Sir", when taking illicit punches, then these wankers probably need to be on some sort of reality TV show. Spoilt brats.

Maybe boxers should be allowed to kick the opponent every now and again - after all someone just punched 'em.