[Archived] Champions League

[alexanders]

He took the ball before he did anything.

I agree.

But would you say it was a Rovers penalty or not if it was us instead of Arsenal?

[Hughesy]

Honestly - 100% I would of screamed my head off on the initial challenge, but once id seen the replay, id say it was a world class tackle and the ref got it right (if he didnt give us the pen).

[Eddie]

How on earth can you say its not a tragedy?????

The only Scots man with a chance of playing in the champions league final and he can't, I hope the ref does the right thing.

I'm gutted for him.

Why would I care about him being Scottish? He was there last year. He plays for United, it's hardly his only chance at the big time. I'm not going to lose sleep over it. Always sad to see a player miss out on a final, but this is far from the worst example I've seen.

[BlueWhiteDynamite]

its not a tragedy. but its a shame for the lad, or anybody else who has been caught up in a similar thing in the tournament.

when i saw the tackle i said it was a great tackle, but someone else said penalty, however after the replay it showed he took the ball first and yes at the time you'd be frustrated if it wasn't awarded, but you cant argue after you've seen the replay. The ref got it wrong, but as Uefa have said, it can only be taken away for mistaken identity

[T4E]

I agree.

But would you say it was a Rovers penalty or not if it was us instead of Arsenal?

Nobody in their right mind could have said it was a penalty, Rovers or not. It was a fantastic tackle.

[riverside returns]

Fletcher made the challenge from behind, made contact with the player first and then diverted the ball before pulling him down. It is a clear foul, ergo a penalty and he was the last man preventing a goal scoring opportunity, therefore he gets sent off. He should have just let it go.

[T4E]

As I said, nobody in their right mind could have said it was a penalty.

Two words: Contact Sport.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Tugay4England

[DE.]

It's amazing... even the most obvious wrong decision still has people supporting it

[CrazyIvan]

Watching last night I said penalty straight away for two reasons, first off was the fact Fletcher reaches out and pulls Fabregas back before he makes the tackle, not much of a tug but the ref would have seen the arm go out. The second is that he makes contact with the player BEFORE the ball. It was a great tackle though and one I'd love to have seen let go. Unfortunately, the ref didn't and he followed the letter of the law.

Watch it here.

[Oklahoma]

If Fletcher's arm was enough to make it a penalty, there will be penalties all the time.

There is no way it was a foul.

[DE.]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/200...and_arsene.html

good article.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

The ending to the Barca v Chelsea game was a frenzy.

[bazza]

Watched both games which I enjoyed. Arsenal were the poor side and the other three were superb.

I just get frustrated that the beautiful game has been damaged by silly interfering instructions given by the powers that be to the officials.

For example, Fletcher's tackle last night. The ref should have given a penalty (as he saw it) but NO card.

Yellow cards should be for persistent fouling or a one-off bad challenge (in old fashioned terms "a caution") and a red card for violent conduct or a really cynical foul.

Refs are not allowed to use their own judgement. And they should give EVERY foul they see, such as shirt pulling, arms around an opponent etc.

It's time we had goal-line technology, video replay by the fourth official, and time-keeping taken away from the ref.

Chelsea should have scored a second tonight to make sure and should have been awarded a penalty instead of a free kick in the first half.

All other penalty shouts were dubious.

However, all credit to Barca. They remind me of Man Utd with their never-say-die attitude.

It'll be a great final to watch in Rome (on the telly, of course).

[Silencio]

"It's a disgrace, it's a f***** disgrace" said Didier Drogba at the final whistle. He was right if referring to the constant diving, pouting, cheating and whinging that he displayed throughout tonights game and all the ones before it throughout his career.

Chelsea were on the wrong side of some decisions tonight but were favoured in the first leg and I am so glad to see them out of the competition.

Drogba doesn't deserve to be in any final. Ballack's behaviour was also disgusting. The pair of them should have been sent off.

Looking forward to the final because I expect both Barcelona and Man Utd will at least try to play football. Unlike Drogba and his team mates...

[Eddie]

I don't think we can exactly take the moral high ground on free flowing football at the moment. Chelsea went out with a game plan and executed it perfectly. The diving could be done away with, but not as if it is something you never see Barcelona players doing. They made Barcelona look like a fairly average side and that is quite an achievement. It will hopefully be a good final, but Chelsea were the side that deserved to get through.

[Rover4ever]

I don't think we can exactly take the moral high ground on free flowing football at the moment. Chelsea went out with a game plan and executed it perfectly. The diving could be done away with, but not as if it is something you never see Barcelona players doing. They made Barcelona look like a fairly average side and that is quite an achievement. It will hopefully be a good final, but Chelsea were the side that deserved to get through.

Both sides were evenly matched, Chelsea had 1 shot on target in Nou Camp, and Barcelona had one shot on target at Stamford Bridge.....Barcelona with 10 men dominated against Chelsea with 11, at the most, we can say they were evenly matched. Parking the bus in both legs doesnt make a team "deserve" to get through. ......

as for refereeing decisions, when Barcelona complained about Ballack not geing sent off in the 1st leg, or Henry getting a penalty, they were "whinging, moaning, sore losers". Not that the referee screws Chelsea up for a change, they are rightly aggrieved, and Barcelona dont deserve to go through.........

[philipl]

Chelsea can think themselves very unlucky not to have been rewarded with a place in the Final for superbly executing their game plan nullifying Barca. Piqué's handball was as certain a pen as you are going to see but at the end of the day, Essien made a mess of an easy 93rd minute clearance and Drogba fluffed two extremely easy chances. You don't do that and get to European Cup Finals.

Two dodgy sending offs will have a huge impact in Rome. Even if Puyol is back, the Barca defence will be far too weak to cope. Whilst Scholes will be a red card waiting to happen.

[Iceman]

Drogba of all people should have shut his mouth. I love the way it turned out, and how many times in the league have referees looked the other way when a smaller team appeals for a penalty, against the big 4. Barca actually played football at the Nou Camp and at the Bridge. Yes they had 1 shot on target, but again Chelsea sat back and tried to counter, this on their home ground. I dont feel sorry for Chelsea, because how many teams have come unstuck against them through poor refereeing decisions. Barca will have Puyol, Henry and i think Marquez back. Abidal could still feature, if they appeal the red card with Marquez or Puyol slotting in at Right back. Barca will be much more fluent with Henry, Eto'o and Messi back together.

[Olveres]

Hiddink called it an injustice. Personally I call it justice. About time a big team found itself on the end of some woeful referreeing, the sort of garbage I watch week in week out at Ewood Park whenever the bigger teams come to town. Roman needs to dig deeper next time, someone outbid him for the referee.

Redknapp wants to put a sock in it too on Sky. If he thinks he can referee better get down the FA, do the courses and get out in the middle.

Platini must be licking his lips in anticipation of the punishments about to be slammed into Chelsea. You can guarantee they will be severe.

[rover6]

How overrated are some of these players?

People hail Alves as some kind of God of fullbacks, simply because he uses his exceptional fitness and confidence to neglect his defensive berth. But he seems to me to be no genius but just a good player and, frankly, a hysterical cheat.

[thenodrog]

How Wenger is considered by some to be a failure is rather astonishing.

Because the shallow thinkers only use the collection of silverware to measure success. If I was an Arsenal shareholder concerned with the financial aspect equally then I'd deem him God given and miles in front of his other 3 managerial rivals in this country.

[CrazyIvan]

Because the shallow thinkers only use the collection of silverware to measure success. If I was an Arsenal shareholder concerned with the financial aspect equally then I'd deem him God given and miles in front of his other 3 managerial rivals in this country.

If Arsenal gain consistent success as judged by winning the League/Champions League etc. a number of times, i.e. domination in the next few years, the way Arsene Wenger has gone about building this team will be praised to the heavens and deservedly so. It will be interesting to see if his long term planning pays off.

[thenodrog]

How on earth can you say its not a tragedy?????

The only Scots man with a chance of playing in the champions league final and he can't, I hope the ref does the right thing.

I'm gutted for him.

The effects of the Tsunami were a tragedy. 9/11 was a tragedy. etc etc. This at worst is disappointing for the lad.

[Rovermatt]

Barca will be much more fluent with Henry, Eto'o and Messi back together.

They still won't win though. Ferguson must have slept very soundly last night.

[thenodrog]

I agree.

But would you say it was a Rovers penalty or not if it was us instead of Arsenal?

No cos it wasn't. It was a clean, well timed tackle. Any contact came later. I'll tell you what in answer to your question....... I'd have been bloody gutted if it had been awarded against us.