Champions League Week 1

A Dub in Glasgo

Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Barcelona v Levski Sofia
Bayern Munich v Spartak Moscow
Chelsea v Werder Bremen
Galatasaray v Bordeaux
Olympiacos v Valencia
PSV v Liverpool
Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk
Sporting v Inter Milan

Wednesday, 13 September 2006
AC Milan v AEK Athens
Anderlecht v Lille
Dynamo Kiev v Steaua Bucuresti
FC Copenhagen v Benfica
FC Porto v CSKA Moscow
Hamburg v Arsenal
Lyon v Real Madrid
Man Utd v Celtic

Tie of the round for me is the clash between Man Utd & Celtic. Surprisingly these teams have never met competitively in Europe before although they have played an enourmous amount of Testimonial games. Man Utd have a 100% record in their league and must start as red hot favourites. Hopefully the biggest name in European football will score to give Celtic a result!

SCULLY

Out of the British teams I think Utd will have the most comfortable evening and should win by a couple.
I think Chelsea will win but by a single goal, probably scored early and then closing up shop leaving fans with a nervous hour or so of soaking up pressure.
Arsenal and Liverpool to draw in their repsective games.

sofireland

I don't think united will have it that easy. Celtic will be well up for it. Obviously i think united will win it esp with Rooney and Scholes back...

Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal could all struggle, they're not exactly setting the league alight at the moment are they.

RE*AC*TOR

Tonight, we have a PSV side, who aren't quite up to their own standards from teh last few years. However, they are being managed by Koeman who has had some formidable run-ins with Benitez's Valencia, and last year as Benfica manager, knocked the Reds out.

I imagine Liverpool will feel they have a lot to prove tonight, after a very dissapointing result at the weekend.

I expect Liverpool to get at least a point. Hopefully Kuyt / Gonzalez / Bellamy start. Might be a good time to rest Alonso. Start Gerrard in the centre. Use Pennant out right.

Might also be a good time to rest Garcia.

zAbbo

Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Barcelona v Levski Sofia - Home
Bayern Munich v Spartak Moscow - Home
Chelsea v Werder Bremen - Away
Galatasaray v Bordeaux - Draw
Olympiacos v Valencia - Away
PSV v Liverpool - Away
Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk - Away
Sporting v Inter Milan - Away

Lots of away wins for me

Despite a clanger at the weekend, I'd keep Reina in goal, and the off form Alonso as well.

As for Celtic v ManU, on paper, and on form ManU are far better than an average Celtic side, but this is European football, and I'm hoping for a Celtic win (or if it's possible, they both lose)

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Weder Brement to win at the bridge? Optimistic...
Bordeaux to get a point in Istandbul is an interesting one.

PSV - Liverpool; either a draw or a win for the first team to score.

gustavo

Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Barcelona v Levski Sofia
Bayern Munich v Spartak Moscow
Chelsea v Werder Bremen Draw
Galatasaray v Bordeaux
Olympiacos v Valencia
PSV v Liverpool draw
Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk
Sporting v Inter

Wednesday, 13 September 2006
Milan v AEK Athens
Anderlecht v Lille Draw
Dynamo Kiev v Steaua Bucuresti
FC Copenhagen v Benfica
FC Porto v CSKA Moscow
Hamburg v Arsenal
Lyon v Real Madrid Draw
Man Utd v Celtic

A Dub in Glasgo

The more I think of it, it will be a torrid night for the inexperienced Celtic defence.

I think Chelsea & Liverpool will win.

mike65

Liverpool starting 11

---

Reina
Finnan--Carra-Agger--Warnock
Pennant-Sissoko-Zenden-Aurelio

---

Bellamy-Kuyt

subs Dudek, Hyypia, Gerrard, Garcia, Gonzalez, Alonso, Crouch.

Mike.

AthAnRi

mike65 wrote:

Liverpool starting 11

---

Reina
Finnan--Carra-Agger--Warnock
Pennant-Sissoko-Zenden-Aurelio

---

Bellamy-Kuyt

subs Dudek, Hyypia, Gerrard, Garcia, Gonzalez, Alonso, Crouch.

Mike.

Strange selections no?

Zenden? Gerard?

Chardee MacDennis

what is going on with the midfield?

Aurielio should be lb, zenden should be on the bench...

are gerrard and gonzalez fit? will be interesting to see kuyt and bellamy up front, and pennant on the wing from the start

Kojak

Tuesday, 12 September 2006
Barcelona v Levski Sofia - Home
Bayern Munich v Spartak Moscow - Home
Chelsea v Werder Bremen - Home
Galatasaray v Bordeaux - Home
Olympiacos v Valencia - Away
PSV v Liverpool - Away
Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk -Home
Sporting v Inter Milan - Home

Wednesday, 13 September 2006
AC Milan v AEK Athens - Home
Anderlecht v Lille - Draw
Dynamo Kiev v Steaua Bucuresti - Draw
FC Copenhagen v Benfica - Away
FC Porto v CSKA Moscow - Draw
Hamburg v Arsenal - Away
Lyon v Real Madrid - Home
Man Utd v Celtic - Draw

Guy:Incognito

Call_me_al wrote:

what is going on with the midfield?

Aurielio should be lb, zenden should be on the bench...

are gerrard and gonzalez fit? will be interesting to see kuyt and bellamy up front, and pennant on the wing from the start

Aurelio's been muck. Glad for Warnock, really like him.


Is rafa picking names out of a hat?

The Muppet

Call_me_al wrote:

what is going on with the midfield?

Is Benitez Houlier in disguise? Big gamble with the changes .

AthAnRi

Slightly off topic but the world truely has gone mad. A golf presenter on one channel(ITV1) an F1 presenter on the other. Robbie F**king Earle as a pundet and all while Desmond Lynham Presents countdown:eek:

God I miss those pixie headed F**ks in the RTE

Vokes

Sissoko has showed he's able to anchor midfield without Alonso/Gerrard. No worries there,

But Zenden hasn't managed yet this season to replicate his attacking play he had for 'Boro in CM. Hopefully he'll suprise us tonight

Garcia is being wrapped in cotton wool and saved for the weekend against Chelsea i guess

RE*AC*TOR

I think zenden is an improvement over the displays Alonso has been putting in so far this season.

Aurelio is deployed in left midfield, where I think he is better than at left back - but why no love for Gonzalez?

Bellamy is running his legs off. Good to see.

Sissoko still can't control/pass the ball.

Guy:Incognito

RE*AC*TOR wrote:

I think zenden is an improvement over the displays Alonso has been putting in so far this season.

Aurelio is deployed in left midfield, where I think he is better than at left back - but why no love for Gonzalez?

Bellamy is running his legs off. Good to see.

Sissoko still can't control/pass the ball.

The thing that strikes me about Bellamy is that he seems to have watched a video of "Milan Baros' greatest ways to fall down near the goal". Each match he has played , there have been 4 or 5 incidents where he falls down when near an opposition player, arms flailing, then gestures at the ref for a couple of mins. He's not once come close to getting anything cos he usually has a couple of handfulls of the defender.

RE*AC*TOR

Morientes just equalised for valencia.

I am genuinely happy he's doing well at valencia, bit of a shame though he couldn't do it at Liverpool.

*edit* and now he's put them in front. :eek:

mike65

Missed the first 15 mins, but whats I've seen so far is promising, Kuyt and Bellers look like they already have an understanding while the midfield is easily able to stop PSV from biulding much. That Warnock is doing well says more about the opposition I think!

Mike.

Tusky

Kuyt and Bellamy look fantastic together, they arent getting alot of support though. Pennant looks very sharp and Sissoko is doing well in midfield. Warnock is actually playing well also. We need Alonso or Gerrard on for Zenden, a bit of creativity. I also think that Liverpool are playing too deep.

el rabitos

the warnock fella has no composure under pressure at all

agger is getting better every game, he's doing well, need to bring gerrard on to push the team up a bit forward i reckon

RE*AC*TOR

sissoko is having a crap game.


and now he's off... good.

Guy:Incognito

el rabitos wrote:

the warnock fella has no composure under pressure at all

Is it you that trots that line out everytime he plays. He's done nothing wrong, has turned a couple of times inside players when he could have hoofed it. He's been solid. If we are going by the amount of goals conceded so far this season, solid is a big improvement.

1 up front now? wtf, does he actually want to win this. Psv are no great shakes, he should be going at them. Zenden must have pictures.

RE*AC*TOR

nasty ****ing collision there between Reina and Carragher.


gonzalez coming on - good. should have started really.

RE*AC*TOR

Game over. Liverpool never really got going in the second half.

Oh well. Chelsea at the weekend.

mike65

I think that was a match plan built on the % game. Rafa will be happy enough.

Mike.

RE*AC*TOR

hat-trick for morientes ....

wheres me jumpa

Just saw the last 20mins. Liverpool didnt look great but not a bad result, the result Benitez seemed to be playing for.

Chardee MacDennis

not really happy with that performance absolutely no creativity in midfield - if it werent for bellamy and kuyt playing so well we would have looked a lot worse.

sissoko couldnt hold on to the ball, pennant didnt try and run the wings, zenden was brutal and aurielo looked out of his depth.

on the plus side warnock played well, along with agger and finnan. kuyt and bellamy will have to start together if we play 2 up front against chelski.

btw did anyone see the joke of a formation rte guessed at the start of the match, they really have their heads up their ar$e$.

anyway from players rested today i would expect to see this line up at the weekend:

---

reina
finnan-agger-carra-aurielo
gerrard-alonso-sissoko-gonzalez
----garcia

---

crouch

Tusky

What a signing Agger is turning out to be. He is a seriously good player. Liveprool never really attacked or got enough players forward. Having said that I am absolutely delighted with the Kuyt/Bellamy partership.

RAFA, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTINUE TO PLAY KUYT AND BELLAMY TOGETHER. FOWLER IS A 4TH CHOICE STRIKER AND SHOULD NOT START UNLESS HE ABSOLUTELY HAS TO.

Pennant, Warnock & Sissoko had good first halfs but werent great in second. Good to see Carragher looking solid again.

Zenden ? meh. Was he even on the pitch in the second half ?

A Dub in Glasgo

I decided to watch the Liverpool game... bad choice for the neutral. I should have turned over to the Valencia game doh!

Results
Barcelona 5 - 0 Levski Sofia
Bayern Munich 4 - 0 Spartak Moscow
Chelsea 2 - 0 Werder Bremen
Galatasaray 0 - 0 Bordeaux
Olympiacos 2 - 4 Valencia
PSV 0 - 0 Liverpool
Roma 4 - 0 Shakhtar Donetsk
Sporting 1 - 0 Inter Milan

Tusky

Call_me_al wrote:

btw did anyone see the joke of a formation rte guessed at the start of the match, they really have their heads up their ar$e$.

Yeah I noticed that... How did they manage it ? It was something like this...

---

Reina

Finnan--Carragher--Agger--Aurelio

Warnock

---

Sissoko

---

Pennant

---

Bellamy---Kuyt----Zenden

ROFL.

mike65

I would'nt blame RTE no-one expects Rafa team selection (not even the Spanish Inquisition!)

The other groups game ended 0-0 as well so is pretty good for Liverpool.

Mike.

Töpher

Barcelona game was alright, a bit dull in fairness. Seriously, they never even engaged second gear after the first 5 minutes I reckon - and they were still class. The goals were nice enough though.

jesus_thats_gre

Tusky wrote:

Yeah I noticed that... How did they manage it ? It was something like this...

---

Reina

Finnan--Carragher--Agger--Aurelio

Warnock

---

Sissoko

---

Pennant

---

Bellamy---Kuyt----Zenden

ROFL.

Even better was there spelling of Kuyt, i.e. Kuiyt.

chiller

cant understand why he took bellemy off! the could have went and won it in the last 20 minutes! the players should be fit enough to play chelsea on sunday u should always start yr best team or u will get no balance!
liverpool can forget any chance of european glory if he keeps that up!

eirebhoy

I kept switching between RTE and Setanta (hadn't got Sky tonight as I'm only allowed it one of the 2 CL nights ). You have to wonder why PSV sold Hesselink judging by their performance. Hesselink was their target man who stayed in the box with Kone and Farfan supporting. The latter 2 are not suited to playing together in a 4-4-2 and if PSV are relying on that front line (plus Kluivert) they won't be doing much this season.

I noticed tonight there was plenty of clean sheets tonight. Valencia were the only away team to score.

Did anyone watch the Chelsea game on Setanta? They had a decent panel. That chap that presents the Ireland match on Sky Sports, Brian little and Pat Dolan. They showed all the goals after the game and it just looked very professional. Was the studio based in Dublin?

On a sidenote - Lampard was getting pushed around by his own teammates. Ballack took the ball for the peno and showed him how it's done while a few minutes later Sheva grabbed the ball for a freekick.

DaBreno

Good show from our front men, I look forward to seeing more from them this season. I just hope they get the chance to play together more often.
Kuyt looks like an all action, swashbuckling kind of forward, just needs to stay a bit further forward.
Another good game by Agger, early mistakes cut out, he now seems to be growing in confidence with each game. That said, I fully expect Sami to be reinstated for the Chelsea game.

I dont know whether to regard this as a good point or an opportunity passed.
PSV aint the side they used to be. Then again its an away point and a clean sheet against a good, organised side from Koeman.
Xabi is off to a slow start this season.
Pepe seems far too concerned with proving himself that he's making mistakes. He's too wired, needs to chill.

A hat-trick for Morientes tonight. 4 goals already in Europe including the qualifer. Too bad it never worked out here...:(

evilhomer

Stekelly wrote:

Zenden must have pictures.

*shudder* at the thought of Benitez doing anything that could be blackmailed with pictures

On another note, did anyone else watch the Chelsea vs Bremen match?

Chelsea played with 4 centre mids

Essien--Makelele--Lampard--Ballack

Looked very narrow and relied on the fullbacks for width. On a positive note Essien looked a much better player with the freedom he had on the right.

Morientes with the Hat trick!! must be something in the air over Anfield that stops strikers scoring goals these days.

Inter showing that no matter how many good players they have they will always **** on it!

Roma looked good, as do Barca (but did annyone expect anything less then a romp for Barca?)

AthAnRi

mike65 wrote:

I would'nt blame RTE no-one expects Rafa team selection (not even the Spanish Inquisition!)

The other groups game ended 0-0 as well so is pretty good for Liverpool.

Mike.

Your showing your age there Mike65. Don't thin too many on here will get that.

Chardee MacDennis

AthAnRi wrote:

Your showing your age there Mike65. Don't thin too many on here will get that.

i should hope everyone knows monty python!

mike65

Maureen at it again.

Mourinho also hit out at Greek referee Kyros Vassaras' decision to show four yellow cards to his players in the second half against Werder Bremen.

He said: "The reality is that if you look at Barcelona tonight they had no yellow cards, Bayern Munich had no yellow card, Liverpool had no yellow card, Valencia had no yellow cards, Roma had no yellow cards but Chelsea have four. Do you think it is violence?"

They're all against him poor fella!

Mike.

eirebhoy

He should count himself luck that Terry didn't get a 2nd.

AthAnRi

mike65 wrote:

Maureen at it again.

They're all against him poor fella!

Mike.

I only watched parts of the Chelsea match and Noticed that they are a very physical team. They play a very strong agressive style of football with little or no fluency(Yet). So I'm not surprised they got only 4 yellows. In fact there were a number of decisions that I thought they got in their favour.

Either way it's ridiculous to blame the referee for the style of play he adopts.

wheres me jumpa

eirebhoy wrote:

He should count himself luck that Terry didn't get a 2nd.

Exactly, the cheek of him!

Only saw the highlights and Bremen had a few chances. I cant wait for this weekend when they play the Pool. Its the last thing Chelsea want right now.

Back on topic. United and Celtic tonight. celtic have imo made some great signings and are always tough opposition but I think at OT anything less than a win would be dissappointing.

If our friendlies are anything to go by this will be a cracker!

kinaldo

I though things would be different under Fabio Capello but Lyon are still Madrid's bogey team - Raul and Co. have hardly had a kick tonight.

evad_lhorg

wheres me jumpa wrote:

Exactly, the cheek of him!

Only saw the highlights and Bremen had a few chances. I cant wait for this weekend when they play the Pool. Its the last thing Chelsea want right now.

I think this is when Id want to play liverpool.... when theyre playing terrible. They were rubbish last night and havnt been convincing at all this season

el rabitos

evad_lhorg wrote:

I think this is when Id want to play liverpool.... when theyre playing terrible. They were rubbish last night and havnt been convincing at all this season

eh....were u watching utd there tonight? they were fairly terrible themselves tbh

wheres me jumpa

el rabitos wrote:

eh....were u watching utd there tonight? they were fairly terrible themselves tbh

Although he didnt actually mention United, are you going to argue that Uniteds start to the season is as bad as Liverpools?

el rabitos

wheres me jumpa wrote:

Although he didnt actually mention United, are you going to argue that Uniteds start to the season is as bad as Liverpools?

what are u talking about? who mentioned starts to the season? last night liverpool were pretty average, tonight so were united...it is what it is.