Champions League Round 2

Chucky the tree

Heres how it will go i think


Seed 1:
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Valencia
Lyon
Manchester United
Arsenal
AC Milan

Seed 2:
Barca
Inter
PSV
Roma
Real
Celtic
Porto
Lillie



I'd take Celtic and porto obviously. Hopefully there should be some great ties.

KdjaCL

Forgot Lille.



kdjac

Chucky the tree

Had them in the wrong place.


Odds on United vs Real and Inter vs Arsenal? i wonder..

A Dub in Glasgo

I'd take Liverpool, Arsenal or AC Milan

mike65

Lille Celtic Inter in that order

Barca and Real (even if they are in decline) to avoid.

Mike.

eirebhoy

I think Celtic have gone as far as possible. If we got the 2nd leg at home I'd fancy us beating anyone tbh but there's no way this team would even hold a 2 goal lead against any of those away from home.

Liverpool or Bayern Munich would probably be my choice anyway.

evad_lhorg

Chucky the tree wrote:

Heres how it will go i think


Seed 1:
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Valencia
Lyon
Manchester United
Arsenal
AC Milan

Seed 2:
Barca
Inter
PSV
Roma
Real
Celtic
Porto
Lillie

Im going to predict the draw for the laugh.

Chelsea v Roma
Bayern v Celtic
Liverpool v Barca
Valencia v Lille
Lyon v Porto
Man Utd v Real
Arsenal v Inter
Ac Milan v PSV

mike65

Arsenal are nailed on for Barca I'm afraid!

Mike.

evilhomer

KdjaCL wrote:

Forgot Lille.



kdjac

Lille make history in Milan

Good result for Lille and good for the French Coefficient.

Not too long ago they were playing Shels in the UEFA cup.

el rabitos

i'd rather pool got the most difficult match possible, which would be barca. i just think the team will excell as "underdogs".

lyon are the dodgy team, its hard to judge how good they are given their opposition week in week out, but they've done well in the champions league recently and i wouldnt be shocked to see them go all the way

kinaldo

mike65 wrote:

Barca and Real (even if they are in decline) to avoid.

Mike.

How are Real in decline? They were in decline, not anymore. Even Ronaldo is on the way back. Another 2 goals for him tonight to follow up his bit of magic at the weekend.

Dublin's Finest

And they've got Van Nistelrooy playing the best football of his career for them too.

kinaldo

Dublin's Finest wrote:

And they've got Van Nistelrooy playing the best football of his career for them too.

Not just that, they no longer have an obsessive president meddling with team affairs and sacking brilliant managers like Del Bosque. Instead they have a group of world class players (including defence) managed by one of the best (arguably the best) managers in the world. They're my tip for La Liga as well as hot candidates for the European Cup.

Raskolnikov

This must be the strongest group of teams in the knock-out stages of the Champions League ever. I think Lille, PSV, Celtic and Porto will most definitely be the preferred teams to be drawn against. PSV and Porto obviously have good recent histories in the Champions League but they've lost so much talent to really push a seed 1. team. Celtic showed a lot of people they're actually a handy enough team, but still, they won't go any further with awful away form. Lille, don't even need to comment.

eirebhoy

Celtic have actually played 6 of the 8 group winners in the last 3 or 4 years.

MrJoeSoap

I really fancy Lyon to do well.

Raskolnikov

kinaldo wrote:

Instead they have a group of world class players (including defence) managed by one of the best (arguably the best) managers in the world.

On paper they have a great defence, then again, on paper, Real have always had a strong defence. Back in their winning Champions League in 2000 and 2002 campaigns they had R. Carlos, Hierro, Helgeura and Salgado with either Redondo (2000) or Makelele (20002). They still leaked goals then, but they always scored more than the opposition. When Hierro and Helgeura were moved on, they were replaced with Woodgate and Samuel. Two world class defenders, both of whom were deemed surplus to requirements eventually. Now the two centre backs are Cannavaro and Ramos with R. Carlos and Cicinho as full backs. Sounds like a quality line-up once again but they've been found wanting several times this season. It seems to me, you could take any defender in the world, put him in a Madrid shirt and he instantly loses any of the abilities he once had as a defender.

I actually hold the view that Real Madrid went wrong when they started worrying about defence. It's the same with Barca now. Defensively, they're not too strong but because they're so irresistible in attack, they can just steam roll the opposition 99% of the time.

MrJoeSoap

Raskolnikov wrote:

Now the two centre backs are Cannavaro and Ramos with R. Carlos and Cicinho as full backs

Its been quite a while since you watched Real so.

Xavi6

Raskolnikov wrote:

When Hierro and Helgeura were moved on, they were replaced with Woodgate and Samuel. Two world class defenders, both of whom were deemed surplus to requirements eventually. Now the two centre backs are Cannavaro and Ramos with R. Carlos and Cicinho as full backs. Sounds like a quality line-up once again but they've been found wanting several times this season. It seems to me, you could take any defender in the world, put him in a Madrid shirt and he instantly loses any of the abilities he once had as a defender.

Emmmm Helguera is still there and starts. Cicinho's been out for months.

kinaldo

I was disappointed they let Woodgate go out on loan. He's been brilliant for Boro this season and has only missed one game for them. With him playing alongside Cannavaro they wouldn't have to worry too much about conceding stupid goals.

cashback

mike65 wrote:

Arsenal are nailed on for Barca I'm afraid!

Mike.

Yeah I have a feeling this will happen.
Oh well, revenge and that.

MrJoeSoap

People and their "feelings"...

Do you think the draw is rigged or something?

(Bet Arsenal draw Barca now...)

eirebhoy

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Its been quite a while since you watched Real so.

Well he did say "On paper they have a great defence". Cannavaro has probably been the best centre half in the world for the last 2 years. Ramos is a regular for Spain and Real they didn't spend €27m on him for no reason. Cicinho is now Brazil's first choice right back afaik. Carlos is still decent.

kinaldo

I also think Salgado is still a class act.

MrJoeSoap

eirebhoy wrote:

Well he did say "On paper they have a great defence". Cannavaro has probably been the best centre half in the world for the last 2 years. Ramos is a regular for Spain and Real they didn't spend €27m on him for no reason. Cicinho is now Brazil's first choice right back afaik. Carlos is still decent.

I was referring to the fact that Cicinho has been out for three months (and isn't due back til March at the earliest) with cruciates, and Helguera hasn't left the club!

aidan24326

Anyone else find this year's group stage less than inspiring? The also-rans eliminated, a few million banked and not a whole lot to shout about.

Granted it has produced a set of quality teams in the knockout stages, and there's sure to be some juicy ties in the last 16. But overall the groups went very predictably with most of them more or less settled even before the last round of games. Very few of the games that I saw were any more than average, and as for that Arsenal-Porto game tonight, well I'm just glad I wasn't one of the poor eejits who paid in to watch it.

I suppose the competition only really starts now tbf. I agree with those who say Lyon could be dark horses. Everyone will be talking about the obvious suspects Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea etc. but Lyon have cruised through their group with minimum fuss and while it's still questionable whether they have the class to go all the way, they will certainly be a tough test for anyone from here on. Probably the value bet at this stage, provided they avoid Barca in the draw.

Xavi6

aidan24326 wrote:

Anyone else find this year's group stage less than inspiring?

Have to agree 100%. I didn't see every game but most of what I did catch only served to bore me. The knockout stages need to be a vast improvement.

eirebhoy

aidan24326 wrote:

but Lyon have cruised through their group with minimum fuss and while it's still questionable whether they have the class to go all the way, they will certainly be a tough test for anyone from here on. Probably the value bet at this stage, provided they avoid Barca in the draw.

They're actually 3rd favourites behind Chelsea and Barca.

patmac

eirebhoy wrote:

I think Celtic have gone as far as possible. If we got the 2nd leg at home I'd fancy us beating anyone tbh but there's no way this team would even hold a 2 goal lead against any of those away from home.

Liverpool or Bayern Munich would probably be my choice anyway.

I could be wrong but I think because Celtic are in the second group of seeds they have to be at home in the first leg.
Also I agree with the group stages being boring the only contentious issue on Tuesday was the Barca match which was over after 20 minutes and yesterday despite Man Utd's best efforts the only excitement was the last 10 minutes of the AEK-Anderlecht game.

eirebhoy

patmac wrote:

I could be wrong but I think because Celtic are in the second group of seeds they have to be at home in the first leg.

Yeah, that's why I said they've gone as far as possible. If they won the group I'd be confident of making the last 8.

Raskolnikov

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Its been quite a while since you watched Real so.

I know Helguera is still at the club, he might as well not be though he's so far down the pecking order.

The only point I'm trying to make is that despite signing big name defenders, it never seems to address their defensive frailties.

MrJoeSoap

Raskolnikov wrote:

I know Helguera is still at the club, he might as well not be though he's so far down the pecking order.

The only point I'm trying to make is that despite signing big name defenders, it never seems to address their defensive frailties.

Well, as mentioned on this (I think) and other threads, Madrid have one of the best defensive records in Spain this season, conceding only 9 in 13 games in the league.

Helguera has started 6 games domestically and three in the Champions League. He's not "so far down the pecking order" at all.

patmac

eirebhoy wrote:

Yeah, that's why I said they've gone as far as possible. If they won the group I'd be confident of making the last 8.

I wouldn't rule them out as a lot of the boardsters here want Celtic they would be massive underdogs. Liverpool haven't exactly set the world on fire, Bayern are beatable, so are Valencia, but some of Celtic's away form is brutal 0-5 Artmedia, 1-3 Copenhagen, 1-3 Benfica but these are all games Celtic were expecting to do well in, as an underdog they should perform better.

TheMonster

Celtic will want either Arsenal or Liverpool or to a lesser degree Chelsea. Then it becomes less of an away game but more a battle of Britain.

BaZmO*

eirebhoy wrote:

They're actually 3rd favourites behind Chelsea and Barca.

Exactly. I don't get how people are tipping Lyon as if they're this secret darkhorse that nobody knows about. They've top their group in the last 3 years making it to the QF's each time. In 04-05 they went out after penalties, and last year they went out to Milan by 2 late late goals. Plus they've been winning everything in France for God knows how long.

PHB

That's why I used to love the 2nd group stages, lots and lots of tight games, they were great.

Nalz

I would have put United,Arsenal and AC ahead of Inter in the betting ranks. Inter at 10/1 - yeah right!

paddy power prices

bucks73

Inter??? Depending on the draw they will be going out in either next round or quarters. They look like a mix mash of over-rated, over the hill and brainless individuals.

MrJoeSoap

bucks73 wrote:

Inter??? Depending on the draw they will be going out in either next round or quarters. They look like a mix mash of over-rated, over the hill and brainless individuals.

Doing well to still be unbeaten in the Serie A so...

bucks73

You can only laugh when you see the Serie A table these days... (well...underneath it)

* Siena deducted 1 point for late payment of social security
* Lazio deducted 3 points for fixing matches
* AC Milan deducted 8 points for fixing matches
* Reggina deducted 15 points for fixing matches
* Fiorentina deducted 15 points for fixing matches

For the amount of money they spent and players they brought in you would expect them to be top but they have looked cack in the CL and I cant see them doing anything. Samuel, Vieira, Figo, Ibrahimovic, Materazzi....bring em on.

PHB

Do you think the draw is rigged or something?

I do

MrJoeSoap

PHB wrote:

I do

Seriously?

What are your 'predictions' for the draw so?

Guy:Incognito

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Seriously?

What are your 'predictions' for the draw so?

He'd have to be the one that fixes it to know that.

MrJoeSoap

Well I'm sure there are plenty of combinations that people will say are a fix, but has anyone the balls to call them before the draw.

TheMonster

If I was fixing it
Celtic would play an English team.
Arsenal/Utd would meet Barca
Chelsea would play Real(Hardest Draw-don't think Uefa would like to see Chelsea win it)
Liverpool to play Spanish team(Yes I Know its not possible with the others above )

aidan24326

TheMonster wrote:

If I was fixing it
Celtic would play an English team.
Arsenal/Utd would meet Barca
Chelsea would play Real(Hardest Draw-don't think Uefa would like to see Chelsea win it)
Liverpool to play Spanish team(Yes I Know its not possible with the others above )

Wouldn't make a whole lot of difference to anything even if it was fixed. As for the rest of us were concerned it would still be a random draw, as we don't know how they're going to fix it anyway

redspider

I dont agree with the conspiracy theory that the draw will be fixed. I dont think Uefa have any need to, notwithstanding the fact theat it is true that they probably dont want Chelsea to win it. And they have stated that a club cant be drawn against a club from its own country nor obviously can you meet a team from the same group.

Celtic have a 3/7 chance of meeting Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal. (they cant meet Man Utd)
Real Madrid have a 4/6 chance of meeting Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea or Arsenal. (they cant meet Valancia or Lyon).
Barcelona have a 3/6 chance of meeting Liverpool, Man Utd or Arsenal. (also cant meet Valencia or Chelsea)

With these probabilities, one of the above outcomes is nearly bound to come off.


Another important part of the draw is the draw for the path to the semi's. But no matter what happens, there are no easy paths to the final and no easy ways to win this trophy.

From a Liverpool perspective, Lille or Porto would be ideal but of course everyone wants them. Celtic would be okay too but perhaps more difficult in a way.

For Celtic, perhaps an English club would be as good as any as they will know intimately their strength and capability.

redspider

bucks73

redspider wrote:

From a Liverpool perspective, Lille or Porto would be ideal but of course everyone wants them. Celtic would be okay too but perhaps more difficult in a way.

For Celtic, perhaps an English club would be as good as any as they will know intimately their strength and capability.

redspider

I would like to see Celtic get Liverpool or Arsenal as they are well capable of beating them at Celtic Park and they wouldnt have the same fear going to Anfield or Emirates as they would say as going to Valencia, Milan or Lyon.

Their away record is terrible but would probably feel more at home at a English clubs ground and feel confident of getting a result.

gustavo

Real Madrid vs Milan
Roma vs Arsenal
Barcelona vs Manchester United

Any one of those would be nice for me

bucks73

gustavo wrote:

Real Madrid vs Milan
Roma vs Arsenal
Barcelona vs Manchester United

Any one of those would be nice for me

Chelsea fan?

aidan24326

When is the draw for the last 16?