Why Its The Champions League Group Stage Day Six Thread!

mike65

At last, finally and about time too.

A number of teams playing have not too much to get excited about but that said a few big names are not certain of qualification

Tuesday, 06 December 2005

AC Milan v Schalke 04, 19:45
Artmedia Bratislava v FC Porto, 19:45
Chelsea v Liverpool, 19:45
Lyon v Rosenborg, 19:45
Olympiacos v Real Madrid, 19:45
PSV v Fenerbahce, 19:45
Rangers v Inter Milan, 19:45
Real Betis v Anderlecht, 19:45

Wednesday, 07 December 2005

Arsenal v Ajax, 19:45
Benfica v Man Utd, 19:45
Club Brugge v Bayern Munich, 19:45
Rapid Vienna v Juventus, 19:45
Sparta Prague v FC Thun, 19:45
Udinese v Barcelona, 19:45
Villarreal v Lille, 19:45
Werder Bremen v Panathinaikos, 19:45

Ajax, Arsenal, Barca, Bayern, Chelsea, Juventus, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Lyon, and Real Madrid are all through.

Groups D and E are the most intriguing as both Man Utd and AC Milan might not qualify. Rangers could give scotish football a lift with a win.

CL Tables

Mike.

Töpher

C'mon Artmedia!

Kingp35

The last couple of weeks the Champions League has been on there have been some pretty terrible games on the tv. Some I couldnt watched they were so awful. Im hoping for better games this week but the Chelsea Liverpool game I am expecting to be a very boring affair with neither having anything to play for. Hopefully the Man U game will be better.

I really need a good CL game as the last few have just been terrible to say the least

Jivin Turkey

Kingp35 wrote:

Im hoping for better games this week but the Chelsea Liverpool game I am expecting to be a very boring affair with neither having anything to play for.

While sometimes games with nothing at stake can be the ones to watch, I have a feeling you are right and we will see Liverpool line up with a 4-5-1 and go for the 0-0.

To be honest there is a good bit to play for here, the way the groups have gone, topping your group should be a good advantage going into the next round.

Kingp35 wrote:

Hopefully the Man U game will be better.

United games are usually exiting when they need to play to win.

PHB

I have a really good feeling about this game, both in the winning it sense and the excitment sense.

United are on form with all the injuries subsiding
It's benfica just after Best's death
Its such a crucial game

I think we will win this impressivly and excitingly, or at least I hope so

Can't decide what I want though in relation to first or second.
There are some impressive teams in second place that I don't want to run into,
Juve
Milan/PSV
Real
Chelsea/Liverpool

Its 50-50 no matter what, so I think its best I cheer for Villareal to win, and that way even a draw will do it for us.

Corben Dallas

ManU should do enuff to qualify. can anyone form that group qualify seems very tight. + Georgie Best has got ManU 9 points it the last 3 games its like hes out ther on the pitch!

I had to laugh at Juve suggesting that Rangers could beat Inter to qualify! LOL
Juve 12 pts
Rangers 6pts
Can u say >SerieA local rivalry

YeatsCounty

Kingp35 wrote:

The last couple of weeks the Champions League has been on there have been some pretty terrible games on the tv. Some I couldnt watched they were so awful. Im hoping for better games this week but the Chelsea Liverpool game I am expecting to be a very boring affair with neither having anything to play for. Hopefully the Man U game will be better.

I really need a good CL game as the last few have just been terrible to say the least

In fairness, the only awful games I've seen have involved the English clubs for whatever reason/ :-/ Any other game I've seen (be it in full or extended highlights) have been entertaining at worst.

As for Groups D, E and H, this is how I see them turning out:

Group
Benfica vs Man Utd - Draw
Villareal vs Lille - Home win

Group E:
AC Milan vs Schalke - Draw (anything less than a 3-3 draw or better will see Milan qualify)
PSV vs Fenerbahce - Home win

Group H:
Artmedia Bratislava vs FC Porto - Draw (although I can see Artmedia winning this one tbh)
Rangers vs Inter Milan - Draw (Inter have won the group and have the Milan derby to look forward to this weekend)

p.pete

I'm expecting Liverpool's run of clean sheets to end tonight. Having said that, I don't feel Chelsea have been in amazing form in the last week or two. They're still grinding out results but nothing spectacular, much Liverpool. Hopefully Liverpool can respond if and when we do go behind. I don't mean to be boring but I reckon a draw is a decent result for us, preferably a low scoring one after the thrashing they gave us in the league.

RE*AC*TOR

Would I be right in saying that If Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-0 and Betis beat Anderlecht 4-0 then Chelsea would be out?

*edit* no I wouldn't be right - the goal difference is 9. Does it go on goal difference first or the results between the teams?

p.pete

Think it's results between teams, pretty sure Chelsea are through regardless I'm afraid.

I'll settle for 0-4 though

YeatsCounty

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

Would I be right in saying that If Liverpool beat Chelsea 4-0 and Betis beat Anderlecht 4-0 then Chelsea would be out?

*edit* no I wouldn't be right - the goal difference is 9. Does it go on goal difference first or the results between the teams?

Chelsea are already through due to their better aggregate results over Real betis. Check here and go to page 13 of the PDF document.

Screenshot of those rules here because I suck and I couldn't copy the text from the document.

KdjaCL

Looks like its in Pools best interest to get hammered 4-1 again seemed to have a worthwhile effect in the league.


Utd should win but their awesome 2 goal in 5 games record is shocking and suggests 1-0 should be the most they can hope for.
Ac should also win handily enough.


kdjac

mchurl

KdjaC wrote:

Utd should win but their awesome 2 goal in 5 games record is shocking and suggests 1-0 should be the most they can hope for.
Ac should also win handily enough.


kdjac

I dont know if milan will win handily but i expect them to go through. United on the other hand just havent played well in europe but i think they have enough about them to pull it out of the fire and go through with a 2-1 win

YeatsCounty

Millan score in the 42nd minute with an Andrea Pirlo special. Shalke respond in the 44th minute witha a Poulsen header from a Shalke free. Milan can't defend free kicks for the last two seasons! :mad:

In the other game, it's 1-0 to PSV over Fenerbahce. If Shalke get a winner, which is highly possible despite Milan's superior posession (they're very dangerous when they attack), and PSV don't lose, then Milan will be out.

EDIT: Rangers are doing their bit to survive, 1-1 in Ibrox. It's 0-0 between Artmedia and Porto.

Royale with Cheese

Kaka makes it 2-1 to Milan with a low drive across the keeper into to bottom corner from just inside the box.

Royale with Cheese

Kaka saves Shevchenko's blushes after the Ukranian completely miscues a shot on an open goal from 6 yards, only for the ball to fall into Kaka's path who slots home. 3-1 to Milan. Almost immidiately Kevin Kuranyi misses from 6 yards with only the keeper to beat.

Royale with Cheese

Some guy called Lincoln sees his shot from just outside the box deflected past Dida. 3-2 to Milan. Great game. Milan doing alot of counter attacking.

mike65

Rangers go through! Exellent, if Liverpool can get them next....:)

Mike.

Royale with Cheese

mike65 wrote:

Rangers go through! Exellent, if Liverpool can get them next....:)

Mike.

No Arsenal got dibs on them as soon as full time was blown. I suppose if Arsenal do get Rangers and Chelsea get Milan Jose will be out saying Arsenal are fixing draws again.

YeatsCounty

Milan win 3-2. Comfortable enough at the end it has to be said. It was a very good game alright, really enjoyable to watch. I thought that Gattuso's poor sportsmanship right at the end of the match was totally uncalled for. He gave what can only be called a "victory yell" in Poulsen's face.

As for Shalke's second goal, I can't see how he was credited with it. It was clearly a deflection! Cheers for the updates Royale btw. PSV won tonight, so Shalke must look forward to the UEFA Cup.

Rangers have qualified as well, 1-1 draw tonight. 0-0 draw in Bratislava. Porto are out of Europe completely! :eek:

Necronomicon

Did anyone see the state of the pitch in Bratislava? I thought I was looking at a match from the 70's!

eirebhoy

Rangers win 1 bloody match and they get into the last 16. Celtic won 3 matches a few years ago and came 3rd.

Pepe LeFrits

Didn't they lose the other 3?

Well done Rangers.

Royale with Cheese

Rangers through with 6 points? That's got to be the lowest total ever to see a team into the second round.

Ok then, 7 points. Still fairly low although I do remember other teams qualifying with that total in the past.

Thanx 4 The Fish

They got seven points.

eirebhoy

Pepe LeFrits wrote:

Didn't they lose the other 3?

Well done Rangers.

Aye, Amoruso decided to take a dive to win a last minute peno for Juve.

I'm not too disappointed that Rangers are through. They're still 10 games without a win.

A Dub in Glasgo

Amazing how a pretty medicore Rangers team can get through to the last 16 of the CL with 7 points. :eek: Standards have definitely dropped in that competition

YeatsCounty

A Dub in Glasgo wrote:

Amazing how a pretty medicore Rangers team can get through to the last 16 of the CL with 7 points. :eek: Standards have definitely dropped in that competition

They wouldn't have if FC Porto weren't utterly useless, heh.

Jivin Turkey

A Dub in Glasgo wrote:

Amazing how a pretty medicore Rangers team can get through to the last 16 of the CL with 7 points. :eek: Standards have definitely dropped in that competition

Definitely. It would make you wonder how poor the teams that don't actually qualify are....

meepmeep

mike65 wrote:

Rangers go through!
Mike.

\o/

Wooohooooo

etc.........

(not that we're gonna get any further.....but still)

redspider

A close game, with both teams strong in defence and trying to sneak a goal through. A draw suited Liverpool more so a moral victory of sorts. With only 13 attempts at goal in the whole match, not one for the neutrals or those entertained by goals only. A match of intrigue nonetheless, more like a slow chess game.

Liverpool reverted to a more defensive 4-2-3-1 formation, for this match.

---

Reina

---

Finnan - Carra - Hyppia - Traore
---- Sissoko --- Hamann ---
- Garcia -- Gerrard -- Riise -

---

Crouch

---

A surprise selection for Traore perhaps, but with the protection of Riise on the same side as well as Hamann and Sissoko acting as the 1st line of defence, Chelsea's wide options in Duff and Robben were nullified. Drogba was used as the Chelsea battering ram, and was very well shepharded by Carra and Hyypia. The only danger from Chelsea was coming through the packed middle. A sequence of mis-kicks gave Chelsea their best chance, a shot from Lampard from 20-22 yards out which was too close to Reina although powerfully struck. Reina saved it but should have done so more comfortably as he nearly let the ball reflect down and into the net.

Liverpool adopted Crouch as their battering ram. Indeed, he did this job well, winning most of the balls and laying about 75% of them to a Liverpool runner, usually Gerrard. This gave Liverpool possesion at about the 35-40 yard range and from there it was a case of whether Gerrard could thread a pass through or take a shot himself or get Garcia free who was, hovering around in his usual fashion.

Indeed,the game was more like the Lampard v Gerrard show as these were the two best players on the pitch and the ones most likely to create something. Liverpool's best chance came to Riise and his shot was well saved by Cech. Lampard had 4 shots on target to Liverpool's 3. Crouch got a header from one cross from Riise, who it has to be said did not cross well all night, but it was a very weak attempt and no danger to the Chelsea goal as it sailed high and over. It was a game where you thought a goal may come, indeed, Chelsea should have upped it if they really wanted a win.

Both defences solid, no need to elaborate there. Carra good, Hyypia good, not left on a one on one with Robben thank christ, Finnan good, Traore, all legs, but good enough. Liverpool didnt want to take the game to Chelsea, with Sissoko and Hamann not venturing forward at all.

In a way then I was surprised by the sub of Kewell on for Riise after 60 mins. Liverpool's setup seemed to be working well so why change a "winning" formula. This meant more work for Hamann an Sissoko. Kewell once again didnt do much in the match. He was off the pace, and on one occasion Gerrard fed him a ball expecting him to hare after it but he didnt even move. Luckily Chelsea werent able to exploit a Kewell weakness. When Morientes came on for Crouch, he was less effective as the battering ram, although more likely to be able to get a goal. But he didnt get much of a sniff and on the coupe or was it just one occasion when the attack was coming through, he was yards behind the move and fell back as opther players streamed past him.

Pongolle came on at 80 mins and I thought did quite well. He moved around a fair bit, which may not have been so good, but he injected some pace and created half-threats if nothing else as Liverpool finished the stronger of the two teams.

Generall a match with not so much at stake, both teams unwilling to take major risks, and both teams cancelling each other out. For Chelsea though, I would have thought that they would have tried a bit more as the onus was on them to do so, needing the win, etc.

That Essien foul on Hamann was atrocious and not the 1st won he hasgotten away with this season. To give some support for the ref the tackle was in a melee with Gerrard also tangling, and Essien being more than well prepared with his foot up. Slow motion makes us all experts, but Uefa should do something to show that no fouls with intent, and clearly there was, his face told his guilt, can get away with it and dish out some form of punishement, a belated yellow card if nothing else.

There will be few easy draw's in the last-16 round. Liverpool v Juventus, Barcelona v Chelsea anyone? Amazing that Rangers made it through, giving McLeish a stay of execution perhaps.

redspider

therecklessone

For the record:

Lokamotiv Moscow finished 2nd to Barcelona in Group H (1st Group phase) in 2002/2003 with 7 points.

And..........

Liverpool finished 2nd to Barcelona in Group B (2nd Group phase) in 2001/2002 with 7 points.

Liverpool won 1, drew 4, lost 1, scored 4 and conceeded 4 (Rangers scored 7, conceeded 7)

mchurl

Cant belive rangers got through. Along with arsenal's group, that has to be the weakest in the tournament. To go through with only seven points is a joke but fair play to them. Will McLeish hold on to his job now?

p.pete

therecklessone wrote:

For the record:

Lokamotiv Moscow finished 2nd to Barcelona in Group H (1st Group phase) in 2002/2003 with 7 points.

And..........

Liverpool finished 2nd to Barcelona in Group B (2nd Group phase) in 2001/2002 with 7 points.

Liverpool won 1, drew 4, lost 1, scored 4 and conceeded 4 (Rangers scored 7, conceeded 7)

yeah, Barcelona, Roma and Galatasary, was that the group? slightly trickier then having trips to Bratislava and Inter behind closed doors.

therecklessone

p.pete wrote:

yeah, Barcelona, Roma and Galatasary, was that the group? slightly trickier then having trips to Bratislava and Inter behind closed doors.

Ah but pete, Liverpool in 2001/2002 were a vastly better team than Rangers 2005/2006.

Not looking to have a go at Liverpool, they're just an example of another team who got 7 points from 6 games and proceeded to the next phase.

By the way, would anyone (not specifically pete) have mentioned it if it wasn't Rangers who'd qualified?

SpAcEd OuT

eirebhoy wrote:

Aye, Amoruso decided to take a dive to win a last minute peno for Juve.

Rangers I assume you mean

eirebhoy

SpAcEd OuT wrote:

Rangers I assume you mean

http://www.soccernet.com/championsleague/news/2001/0919/20010919cfcsvjuverep.html

SpAcEd OuT

ah sorry I thought you were talking about the rangers match last night.

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

eirebhoy

Group winners:
Juventus
Arsenal
Barcelona
Villarreal
Milan
Lyon
Liverpool
Inter

2nd placed:
Bayern
Ajax
Bremen
Benfica
PSV
Real Madrid
Chelsea
Rangers

Teams from the same group can't play each other, teams from the same country can't play each other (except Liverpool).

If you were to split the 16 teams into 2 groups based on how good they are maybe only Chelsea would make it into the seeded teams so this year the best teams won the group. Can't see most of the unseeeded teams getting into the quarters.

Rikand

well, it was good to see all the teams that were more or less expected to go through, go through


oh, well, except for united . . .

YeatsCounty

I'd like to see the following draw:

Juventus vs Ajax
Arsenal vs Rangers
Barcelona vs Bayern
Villarreal vs Bremen
Milan vs Real Madrid (Just to prove that Milan are still better than Real, despite the Rossoneri's recent shaky form)
Lyon vs PSV
Liverpool vs Benfica
Inter vs Chelsea

I also wouldn't turn my nose up at a re-match between Milan and Liverpool. There really needs to be a "devil" smiley.....:D

Tusky

Id love if Liverpool were drawn against Benfica.

YeatsCounty

Same here, that would be a cracking match. I'd really fancy Liverpool in that one.

If Inter faced Chelsea, that would serve up one of those rare occasions where I would actively support Inter. :eek: What can I say, I like Italian teams to progress as far as possible (damn Udinese).

The only teams that scare me from a Milan point of view are Bayern and Chelsea. Of course, Milan can't face Liverpool at this stage. Nice reading from me in my previous post. :rolleyes:

OTliddy

I hope there are two big ties, scheduled for different nights. Then I hope there are no surprises(I wouldn't mind Chelsea getting knocked out though).
Then there would be something I'd be intersted on every night. Seeing Barcealona vs Rangers would be class. :mouth watering smilie: Barcealona could get into double figures over the 2 legs:D

lili

Necromomicon wrote:

Did anyone see the state of the pitch in Bratislava? I thought I was looking at a match from the 70's!

indeed, what a ground:eek: