UEFA Draw

BaZmO*

leninbenjamin wrote: »

my money's on Chelsea being the only British team to get through.

I'd be surprised at that, although I do have a sneaking suspicion that Chelsea will win it this time.

tonc76

oobydooby wrote: »

With Milan and Inter both due to play their home legs second will that have any effect on the dates of matches? Do they always try and leave a few days between matches on the San Siro?

Not sure how it works but they try not to have fans from 4 teams in the city at the same time

Pepe LeFrits

Very pleased with that draw. A glamour game that I feel Arsenal will win.

Milan are no great shakes this season.

Killme00

PHB wrote: »

Arsenal V Milan - Milan

Of all the teams left in the tournament capable of beating Arsenal, I dont think Milan are one. Its is so hard to shut them down. Real or Barca are the only teams in the tournament capable of outscoring them, i dont think many defenses could cope with them. Tiredness could become a factor by March though.

PHB

Milan haven't been in great shakes before Christmas for the last 5 seasons. They've still got to 3 finals though.
The thing about Milan is, they have a tactical mastermind at the helm. Kaka can win pretty much any game, and in the champions league, he normally does. The worst team that Arsenal could have played imo was either Inter or A.C. They have defenders who actually understand how to defend against real passing football. They read games. Gattuso to do a job on Fabregas, Kaka to do a job on Flamini/Diarra. I think this game will be won in the midfield, and I think Milan will win it. That said, I think I'd prefer to see Arsenal go through. Their football deserves it, and personally I'll be rooting for the attacking team in every game.

Eirebear

MementoMori wrote: »

Not a great draw some good tasty games but some relative duds.

Two from Schalke, Porto, Fenerbache and Seville will be in the last eight, while three from AC Milan, Inter ,Arsenal, Roma, Madrid and Liverpool won't.

Doesn't seem right somehow.

Thats a ridiculous statement considering Seville have Won the Uefa Cup 2 years running, and Porto won the CL not so long ago.
Cup football is about shocks and excitement, and as much as UEFA have tried their best to make it easier for the 7 or 8 BIG teams to win it, there has to be some hope for the smaller teams.
Football snobbery.

Pepe LeFrits

PHB wrote: »

Milan haven't been in great shakes before Christmas for the last 5 seasons. They've still got to 3 finals though.
The thing about Milan is, they have a tactical mastermind at the helm. Kaka can win pretty much any game, and in the champions league, he normally does. The worst team that Arsenal could have played imo was either Inter or A.C. They have defenders who actually understand how to defend against real passing football. They read games. Gattuso to do a job on Fabregas, Kaka to do a job on Flamini/Diarra. I think this game will be won in the midfield, and I think Milan will win it. That said, I think I'd prefer to see Arsenal go through. Their football deserves it, and personally I'll be rooting for the attacking team in every game.

I'm struggling to think of many sides Milan will have faced recently who pass it like Arsenal.

As long as Inter were avoided I was going to be happy. Of Inter, Milan, Real and Barca, Milan are the least dangerous and the most susceptible to Arsenal's attritional pass and move.

PHB

Maybe, but they are also the team with the most consistant ability to perform when it matters out of those 5 too. Few sides do pass it like Arsenal, but certain styles of defence are much better than others. Milans style which is a combination of strength and an incredible ability to read the game, is probably the best way to deal with Arsenal.

cson

Flattuso better borrow the Kaka handbook off Mascherano.

Iirc, Masch did a great job on Kaka last year until he was taken off

pd101

FRM wrote: »

Man U fan's shouldnt under estimate Lyon !

Yeah I agree. I think thats the toughest draw United could have got.

mike65

Any conjecture now is pointless - in 11 weeks strong teams could have a string of injuries/suspensions.

Mike.

Eirebear

Easy draw for Everton against Brann in the Uefa cup, tough draws for Bolton and rangers against Atletico and Panathanaikos
Glamour tie for the Sheep against bayern Munich

mike65

Rangers play Panathinaikos.

SK Brann will play Everton

Bolton face Atletico Madrid

Aberdeen play Bayern Munich.

Slavia Prague against Tottenham.

Mike.

eZe^

Glad we got celtic... Nice connections with there fans... Should be a good tie... Im quietly confident.

Bluetonic

mike65 wrote: »

SK Brann will play Everton

Then if we win it's Rosenborg or Fiorentina away first.

Norway will be a home from home for us Evertonians with all the Liverpool supporters over there

~Rebel~

mike65 wrote: »

Any conjecture now is pointless - in 11 weeks strong teams could have a string of injuries/suspensions.

Mike.

Be tough to get a European Suspension without playing any games in the meantime

mike65

/shakes fist at ~Rebel~

Mike.

eirebhoy

Bloody hell, didn't want Barca.

I fancy Milan to beat Arsenal. Of all the teams Arsenal could have faced I think Milan is the worst. They're the masters at stopping the opposition play and Arsenal need to play. They can't rely on a Kaka or a Ronaldo to win the game for them.

Nice money spinner for Aberdeen.

godtabh

Inter - Liverpool. Gona try and get tickets for the Liverpool game. Inter all the way

DSB

Celtic are gonna get absolutely taken apart.

eirebhoy

We know you really love Celtic DSB.

herbieflowers

I dunno, they said the same of Liverpool last season...and Barca aren't the same team they were when they won the CL a few seasons back...Celtic could well make life difficult for Barca

DSB

herbieflowers wrote: »

I dunno, they said the same of Liverpool last season...and Barca aren't the same team they were when they won the CL a few seasons back...Celtic could well make life difficult for Barca

Barca are probably a better team now. Iniesta and Xavi have really perfected their game, Henry will continue to be a superstar with them. Messi is just out of this world whereas he was still really finding his feet back then. And Celtic really aren't good at all. Wouldn't be a match for any of the top 7/8 in the Premiership. Nowhere near the quality of Liverpool. Liverpool beating Barca wasn't THAT big a shock like.

Eirebear

Eto will be back for the ties also i think....i cant see celtics defence holding up against him no matter who strachan signs in the window.

eZe^

herbieflowers wrote: »

I dunno, they said the same of Liverpool last season...and Barca aren't the same team they were when they won the CL a few seasons back...Celtic could well make life difficult for Barca

Its true, Toure, Milito, Abidal have made their defence stronger... Iniesta is in my opinion better that fabregas, he has grown into the complete midfielder... Xavi has become even better, his passing is second to none...

The only big losses to barca are Ronnies form and the loss of Henrik... Minor losses being Marquez has become pretty dire (he's improving lately though)...

Im in no way dismissing Celtic, they are a great club and there fans were really nice last time they visited, its just i personally think we will still get through...

eirebhoy

Yeah Stachan was asked who he thinks the best of the lot is. "There's 3 or 4 in there who could be world player of the year the last 6 years but I think the one who excited most just now is young Messi. And they've also another fantastic gem in Iniesta. He's a fantastic player".

Melion

Not too bothered about getting Inter. They are a good side at the minute and flying in Serie A but they normally fúck up at the business end of the CL. We should be able to take them if Agger is fit to look after Zlatan.

I think United fans might be underestimating Lyon though.

eZe^

Melion wrote: »

Not too bothered about getting Inter. They are a good side at the minute and flying in Serie A but they normally fúck up at the business end of the CL. We should be able to take them if Agger is fit to look after Zlatan.

I think United fans might be underestimating Lyon though.

You think Inter will be that much of a stroll in the park?? I think liverpool fans are definitely underestimating inter... Should be a quality game nonetheless...

A Dub in Glasgo

A glamour tie for Celtic although we will be lucky to get away with anything but a loss. I really enjopyed my trip to Barcelona for the UEFA Cup tie a few years ago.

BobbyD10

oobydooby wrote: »

That's very clever and interesting too. Wish our maths teacher had shown us stuff like that. Any odds it'll be the Liverpool and Arsenal games shown on RTE?

Don't bet on RTE showing an Arsenal game, don't quote me but I think it is more than 14 champions league gameweeks since Arsenal have been live.

Thankfully I have other channels to watch the gunners...should be two good games

eirebhoy

The fact is that they'll get more viewers if they show Man Utd. I do think they'll show Arsenal though as they seem to be copping on recently.