By AVI CREDITOR
One of the Champions League's most anticipated knockout stage ties kicks off at 2:45 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel) as Chelsea and Inter Milan do battle in Italy. Jose Mourinho, who has been doing his fair share of talking (otherwise known as the usual) during the week, welcomes his former team to the San Siro for the first leg of a sure-to-be-entertaining matchup.
CSKA Moscow and Sevilla already drew 1-1 in Russia earlier in the day in another Champions League Round-of-16 first leg.
In England, four FA Cup fifth-round replays are being played. Brad Guzan is back in net for Aston Villa against Crystal Palace. He was replaced by Brad Friedel in the original fifth-round match, but returns in goal to try and keep the favorites alive.
Bolton manager Owen Coyle has said that Stuart Holden will make his Wanderers debut against Tottenham in their replay. West Brom faces Reading, and Stoke City faces Manchester City in the other two replays.
If you will be watching any or all of these matches, either on TV or via Internet feed, please share your thoughts or play-by-play in the comments section below.
I certainly do, at least a sub off the bench. Was his fitness an issue due to MLS off season or was it his injury that kept him off the bench?
I’m interested in the player ratings…please link if someone finds them in the next few hours.
Not likely, but probably gets him to the bench.
So I’m closing this feed after that 4th goal. I only caught bits and pieces of the game because I’m at work. From what I saw, Holden looked solid. He served some good balls in from free kicks and his overall passing was good. I hope he gets some first team action in league play. Good debut.
Does anyone else think this game earns Stu a starting spot for the next game with bolton?
Well Pavlyuchenko scores another, but you have to admit, it’s an excellent ball from Danny Rose to find the Russian. Bolton aren’t playing well, but Tottenham are still a great team.
Question:
With the Stoke – Man City replay looking like it will go extra time, and with Adebayor being shown a red card, what would happen if this game went to PKs and happened to tie after 10 spot kicks? Would Stoke get the only PK in the 11th round, or would they recycle the kick takers?
I have wondered this for a while, and the chances of this happening are very very slim, but it is a possibility.
lee looks like a pretty good player. stu’s playng well. the rest… well.
Mid-season Dynamo could easily give Bolton a game. Stu looks good, team is bad.
I should really start keeping track of how many times the announcers say “holden” he’s been playing wonderfully as time has gone on, getting more confident in his position and reading the players around him.
Lee on the left flank and Holden on the right.
Not such a great free kick that time from Holden, but that’s been one of the few blemishes on his play today.
Holden looking good, keeping possession, solid passes. This team is terrible though.
Holden has probably been the best player out there in this second half. He’s been tracking back, passing well, crossing well, positioning him self nicely, and hasn’t looked out of place at all.
Stuart Holden continues to take the set pieces for Bolton.
Bolton overall looks like a team headed for relegation, but Stuart Holden definately appears to be the one bright spot TODAY.
Holden puts in another good free kick, but all it gets is a flick on from Zat Knight to nobody
Stu is playing about as well possible in a game like this where he is getting no help from his teammates and his team is unable to maintain possession
Wow, Holden seems to have come on from the ESPN feed. Took a corner. Took a direct free kick. Had a missed shot, and a shot on goal. looks like the team thinks a lot of his dead ball abilities!
Sweet.
😀
Can’t wait for Dempsey to come back on the field. The one and only USMNT player who is not afraid to play his game.
The More Holden gets the ball, the better he gets. He looked like he was trying to chip the keeper. Holden heads one on target but right at the keeper. Half chance.
Bale has been kept relatively silent since Stuart Holden has been moved wide right.
You’re way off base. The humiliation is done.
What i am starting to realize about american players is that our conservative soccer upbringing allows us to play a controlled game when we are in bigger leagues….. So our conservative nature is actually a benefit… we do not try to do anything too much out of ourselves…. just look at Reyna he had amazing ball control
nice snag. Cheers.
Not saying he’s been terrible, but if you’re not contributing to the attack it doesn’t really matter. I thought he was an attacking midfielder? Muamba can hold possession as well as anyone. Bolton need goals. Maybe he should have shot.
The English comments on Stuart Holden seem positive. His play has steadily imrpoved since moving wide right. He delivered a beautiful free kick. Surprisingly, his temmates have been looking for him since making the switch to RM as opposed to CM.
Some really fantastic play from Bolton totally out of nowhere… good service from Holden but they cant finish.
Inter’s defense is so good. They always seem to be in the right shape….always.
If Holden gets subbed out I’m closing the feed; it’s like a train wreck, you can’t stop watching. It’s almost painful. Awesome free kick by Holden though. Would I be off base if I said that he is saving Bolton from further humiliation?
Holden with some nice movement off the ball…and Stu draws a free kick right after and puts in a beautiful free kick. He’s playing great in the past few minutes.
Wonderful free kick from Holden and AGAIN Riga scuffs it, this time on target.
make that 2 assists already but gardner has missed 2 clear shots on goal
It wasnt first decent pass.. it was first offensive pass, since most of his other decent pass where to keep possession. He’s not playing bad at all
what a beautiful free kick by holden
Ha Ha Con Air…Classic!
holden actually could of his first assist, but the guy missed it! bolton sucks
Holden draws a good foul
Holden should have been greedy there
Holden with his first decent pass and Riga misses.
Wow….Holden sets up Riga well and Riga skies it.
Possession is something the US Nats could also use for that matter
Why didn’t Riga start? he’s been on for a few minutes and has done more to attack Spurs than anyone on Bolton has done the entire match.
These announcers are talking like Inter has been the markedly better side. I see this game as pretty even. Inter got the jump early and are defending well but Chelsea is still getting their chances. Tough game, really but I don’t think you can say Chelsea is playing poorly.
Ghost, i was away for few minutes.
Sopcast Channel – 90337
At least Holden is getting playing time and he’s doing pretty well, so that’s at least one positive thing from Bolton during this match.
Evertything going wrong for Bolton. They can’t even sub in correctly, apparently there were too many players on the field…
Channel – 90337
Channel – 90337
Holden is applying good defensive pressure. He’s not necesarilly winning the ball, but he’s stepping to the Tottenham players and stalling them from starting runs.
What is Morinho thinking by bunkering down. This chelsea team is full of great ball handelers and great long distance shooters. I think this game will end 2-2 with inter in some trouble.