What can I say that has not already been said already?
Nothing really, but over-riding emotion is pride. I'm proud the club made it to the final, proud of their performance, proud of our captain and proud of our overall achievement.
With one exception, the team gave their all and were very unlucky not to come away from Moscow as European Champions. Hard to take that United have won it all this season and we have won nothing after we have run them so close.
Hardly seems fair, but when was football ever fair?
I do not wish to demean United's achievements either. They are a great team and held their nerve at the end, so well done to them.
What breaks my heart is that in a few years, people will just remember the result rather than the manner of it. Our magnificent efforts will be forgotten. I just hope we get another crack at it soon, so we can overcome the pain of this result.
Personally, I felt worse when Liverpool beat us in the semi on penalties last year, That one really crushed my spirit, but I feel strangely uplifted by Wednesday night's efforts. I feel the players will use it to motivate them to go on to greater things in the next few years.
Now that all the Champions League hype has died down and I have come to accept the fact that United will be domestic and European champions until the end of next season, the question is now raised.
What will happen to Chelsea now?
Chelsea signed Bosingwa from Porto in a 16M deal prior to the final. We are now being linked with a 28M move for Robinho from Real Madrid. We have been constantly linked with the likes of Sergio Ramos (55M), Messi (88M) and Kaka (50M).
First of all, Messi and Kaka are not what Chelsea need at the moment as we already have too many ego clashes. I'm afraid that we might turn into the so-called "Galactico" type of club.
It didn't work for Real Madrid, so why will it work for us?
Secondly, what makes people think that their clubs (Milan and Barca) are going to let them go, when their respective clubs have their teams build around them.
The players I would like to see at Stamford Bridge next season are as follows: Dos Santos from Barca (12M to 15M maybe), Promote Di Santos to first team, Robinho (28M). That's it!
Players I would like to see the back of: Drogba (pathetic attitude, plus he wants to leave), Pizzaro, Sidwell, Ben Haim, Ferreira or Belletti, Malouda and SWP.
Apart from Drogba, these players offer nothing.
On a separate note, on the few times I've seen them partnered, Ballack and Essien look formidable together.
Does this mean Lampard has to go? I'm stuck in a dilemma on that one.
Then we have the manager situation. Do we get rid of Grant? I personally think he has done enough to be given real crack at it next season. He exceeded everybody's expectations and has rightfully earned a chance to do better next season. The question is, will he get his wish?
With the current Chelsea upper management, we know one thing for sure. They are not a very patient lot.
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4 months ago
Good article. I dont think a clear-out is necessary really. Just a few tweaks. Drogba out anyway. Thats a definite. But with Drogba gone do you think Chelsea's style of play will change then if they dont have the big man to play on his own up front? Will Roman finally get the stylish play he wants? He might. Especially if Robinho is acquired.
If I was a Chelsea fan, I wouldnt be too disheartened this week. I think Drogba leaving could be exactly what they need. And of course, start playing Essien more in midfield. Was I the only United fan who nearly cried with relief when the line-up showed he was played right back?
Lampard is a tough one. I dont really know what to say about that situation. Essien and Ballack is mouth watering. But Lampard is one of the faces of Chelsea, be hard to imagine them without him you know?
from 4 months ago
A clear-out is definetely not what is needed! With Drogba done, will Anelka flourish? Or will he prove everybody who calls him 'Le-Sulk" right? I certainly do not want all these names people are throwing at me. Hunterlaar, Villa, Ibrahimovic, Berbatov, Eto, Messi, Kaka.
Robinho and Dos Santos should be enough in my view. We have some really talented youngsters such Di santos and Sinclair. Shouldnt they be given a chance at some point?
I was Inconsolable at first. Felt depressed throughout the next day. Now though, I feel a sense of pride. Our first European Final, we couldnt really expect to win too, could we?
I seriously do not want Lampard to leave. I was so excited when we signed him back in 2001. After a few years in the shadow of Zola and Wise, he has really become Mr Chelsea. The fact that he's held his own ground during the huge influx of foreign superstars, tells its own story.
4 months ago
lampard doesn't need to go, in-fact, only drogba and sheva need to. everyone else desrves to stay, and rebound from the disappointment. i think roman would ruin the integrity of english football if he did spend those amounts. i would rather see english players coming thorugh the ranks.
from 4 months ago
Pizzaro, Sidwell, Ben Haim, Ferreira or Belletti, Malouda and SWP. These players have offered nothing all season. If Sidwell leaves for 5M to Aston Villa, as reported, Then surely we've made good business....
4 months ago
that's a good point actually. ian wright seems to think swp is leaving, so i think we can expect it. i thought malouda had a decent season. it does disappoint me that for some reason, you have to have a great first season to stay, not in swp's case, but u see my point. keith wrote an article about one-team players. hardly anyone has a hope of that happening at chelsea.
i aint bashing chelsea, just peter kenyon.
from 4 months ago
We actually do have a one-team player in our team and his name is, you guessed it! John Terry..
4 months ago
Ok i think Chelsea need a slight clear out and freshen the team up a bit. We definatly need wingers why we sold Robben and Duff i have no idea, I would like to see either Robinho or Messi (tore Man Utd apart), i think we have accomidated Drogba far too long when we played 442 a few years ago we were unstoppable remember Barcelona v Chelsea at the Bridge 4-2 and Bayer Munich 4-2 we were damn entertaining back then.
In
Ribery,David Villa/Benzema/Huntelaar (2/3), Messi,Kaka/Van der Vaart and Micha Richards (cover for the right and central defense)
OUT
either Ballack or Lampard as they are getting to the 30 + age as well as Sidwell,Pizzaro,Drogba,Belletti,Malouda and Ben Haim,
Keep
Anelka
Kalou has so much energy and like to run at players in 2-3 years he will be world class
Joe Cole
SWP as he is an amazing player when used regular look at when he save are ass early in the season
Essien
Ballack/Lampard (pointless having both)
Mikel
Makelele
Bridge
Ash Cole
Terry
Carvallo
Alex
Cech
we already have the basis for a really good squad we just need to add real class in certain areas of the pitch and in terms of class i mean players who can make something out of nothing. Terry yet again will be the heartbeat of the team with Petr Cech the saftey net and Makelele the Don as usual next season Chelsea will do the quadrupal :)
from 4 months ago
My friend, all these names you want us to get are useless. With Drogba gone, Anelka can easily fill that void. Kalou is a striker not winger (where we normally use him), so he can partner Anelka up front - Thats if we play 4-4-2.
I cant believe you want us to keep SWP. He has offered nothing ever since he joined. If he cant break into our first team, we should get rid of him. We have a perfectly good backup winger in Scott Sinclair.
Whether or not Lampard should leave is huge dillemma with me at the moment. Ballack is obviously the better player of the two and his understanding with Essien seems greater than Lampards understanding with Essien. Lamps/Ballack obviously aint working, so your right, one of 'em has to go. Who should that be? I have no clue...
4 months ago
oh and sheva needs to go he doesnt even have a 1st touch anymore
4 months ago
John Terry's egotism lost chelsea the final, he only took that penalty because he wanted to be "the man who won chelsea's first champions league, if drogba hadn't been sent off he would have took a penalty instead of Juliano Belleti, but John Terry would have still taken the 5th one, guarenteed.
And as for Grant, what has he done, realy? he took a team bought by Roman, and built by Jose, kept the same tacticts and the same coaching staff, he has hardly revolutionised chelsea, he brought in anelka, which was hust a quick solution, Jose would have brought in someone else. (on a sidenote, it was fantastic that Nicolas Anelka, the former Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool player missed the penalty that won us the cup.)
Grant just had a bit of luck in the semis, something Jose never had, with that Luis Garcia goal and then the lottery of the penalty shooutout. Grants luck was obviously the riise own goal.
But to awnser the question of do chelsea need a clear out, well i think if they had an injury crisis, they do not have adequate cover, so its up to whoever the NEW manager is.
from 4 months ago
Fair enough Harry, thats your opinion. Someone has already written a whole article about Terry's 'so-called' selfish act. Its complete drivel if you ask me...
Grant hasn't done anything amazing but surely they did not appoint him, then give him a 4 year contract just so that they could sack him 6 or 7 months later. Does that really seem right with you?
In my opinion, he's did enough to merit another crack at it next season, thats just my view though.
Sure, Jose wasnt blessed with much luck in the Cl and Grant was. Since when, though, have teams progressed all the way to the final, on 'pure luck'? Whether Jose was still in charge or not, Chelsea were bound to get some luck at some point. We couldnt keep being unlucky against Liverpool every single year, can we now?
4 months ago
I would add Danial Alves to your list.
from 4 months ago
Jay is right buddy, we've already signed Bosingwa. Alves would be of no use now...
from 4 months ago
Yes but are those guys of the same caliber?
from 4 months ago
Of course Daniel Alves brings more quality but his club were quite frankly taking the piss last summer, rejecting a 17M bid i think because they wanted 24M or more...
We settled with Belletti that summer..
Bosingwa is obviously talented because it was Jose that brought him to Porto as a 20 year old.
4 months ago
true but we already got Bosinga and Ivanovic can also play right back and Essien
from 4 months ago
This reply is meant for salomon....if u think anelka can fill drogba's boots, u r crazy. Anelka is half the player drogba is at best. when the two are fit. Drogba at 100% is a world class player, anelka 100% is good at best...but I frankly think Anelka is very overrated. I like to see Messi at the Bridge, but do i think he can handle the physicality of the english game?? I doubt that....I am a huge didi fan, but Drogba definetly needs to go. Bring in Berbatov as well...i would have said eto'o...but frankly, he's not the same player he was 2,3 years ago. But maybe all he needs is a change in scenery.
He still has the pace, skill and he can finish. He has the ability to be even more potent than Torres.
from 4 months ago
I think you under-rate him. He has barely played for us since he joined. When he DOES play its either out on the wing or the last few mins of the game. Drogba leaving might just push other players in the team to imrove on their game, like Kalou and Joe Cole. Anelka is more of a team player. He will help the midfield, chip in with assists and score his fair share of goals.
The man scored 10 goals this season prior to joining us. Thats 10 goals before January for Bolton.
Who had scored 10 goals before January in our team this season?
4 months ago
just heard Grants gone :) its about time bring on Frank Rikkard or Phill Scolari
4 months ago
Hmm what would you think of Kaka, Messi, Torres, Richards, Ronaldo, Rooney, Robinho, Pele and all their cousins?! Every Chelsea fan just makes a list of the best players in the world as their transfer targets, instead of thinking of players who would fit into the squad like a jigsaw piece. Obviously Kaka or whoever would benefit any team, but would they fit into CHELSEA'S exact set-up? No. You have enough attacking midfielders, you need a goalscorer and maybe some cover for Makelele.
from 4 months ago
Quit chatting bull bruv....
Did you even read the article mate? I wrote Messi and Kaka are NOT what Chelsea need at the moment. That doesn't mean, they wouldn't improve the team but it simply means that Chelsea already have too many midfielders and its the one place that dont need strengthening...
4 months ago
'Messi and Kaka are not what Chelsea need at the moment' come on mate no side around would trun down these two players. Secondly the whole galacticos thing with Madrid was more a sucess than falier. Firstly, Players like figo and Zidane helped win trophies, then Ronaldo and Beckham came in and took the club to a new leval in terms of finance and global image. People are to quick to look at the arival of certain players instead of looking at continous managerial change and the fans reluctance to part Raul.
from 4 months ago
Yes David, players of that quality would improve any team. What I am saying though, is that we already have too many midfielders at our disposal. It is not the area we need to strengthen as it is already our strongest point..
Real Madrid bought their first 'galactico' in 2000, when they signed Luis Figo. The last 'galactico' they signed was Michael Owen in 2004. They won their last league title in 02/03, before last season.
How you can say that is a succesful period is beyond me/...
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