CL Midweek

Tusky

Likely last 8 ?

Manchester Utd
Chelsea
Liverpool/Inter
Arsenal
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Fenerbahce
Porto/Shalke

PHB

Yeh, 4 English teams, 3 Spanish teams, and Porto/Schalke

applehunter

Ronnie Whelan...Boring bastard

oobydooby

Tusky wrote: »

Likely last 8 ?

Manchester Utd
Chelsea
Liverpool/Inter
Arsenal
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Fenerbahce
Porto/Shalke

The first six would be the best 6 teams in Europe (including Inter rather than Liverpool). The last 3 are unlikely and Liverpool being there isn't really a surprise. The only big absentees are Milan and Juventus.

Raskolnikov

super_furry wrote: »

Sevilla can't be out. Dunphy said they're one of the best teams in the competition. Don't tell me he was.....wrong?

I usually like Dunphy, but he's been a clown for the last couple of months.

Scholes was a fantastic player, but it's clear to anyone that he doesn't have the legs for 50 games a season. Fergie is well aware of this, hence we're seeing a lot more of Anderson. Anderson has a bit to go to reach Scholes, but he definitely has potential. Also, while Nani isn't a great player, it's clear that he's got pace, a couple of tricks and can beat a defender. To dismiss him as a clown is moronic. We're also seeing Ronaldo prove him wrong, time after friggin' time. Tiresome.

Nunu

PHB wrote: »

Yeh, 4 English teams, 3 Spanish teams, and Porto/Schalke

So, Fener' are spanish now:D

Guy:Incognito

PHB wrote: »

Yeh, 4 English teams, 3 Spanish teams, and Porto/Schalke

Fenerbache arent Spanish.

oobydooby

Stekelly wrote: »

Nah but seriously, they seem to raise their game against decent teams but have a serious "meh" attitude to the lesser ones. It's not good.

True but Fenerbace are in the same bracket as Besiktas. Also Dunphy says Barca won't win the CL this year and you could lay your life on it so I'd prefer Pool to avoid them.

If we (Pool) get through we've the quarter final sandwiched between trips to Old Trafford, Emirates and Blackburn with Everton at home. Bet we'll get Chelsea:mad:

eZe^

Gutted about Sevilla, I really thought they could go all the way... Even more gutted about Messi, thats prob the CL and league gone.

Tusky

oobydooby wrote: »

The first six would be the best 6 teams in Europe (including Inter rather than Liverpool). The last 3 are unlikely and Liverpool being there isn't really a surprise. The only big absentees are Milan and Juventus.

What have Inter, Chelsea or Arsenal done in Europe to oust Liverpool from the elite group ?

PHB

If we (Pool) get through we've the quarter final sandwiched between trips to Old Trafford, Emirates and Blackburn with Everton at home. Bet we'll get Chelsea

Yeh I saw that. I think if Liverpool do go through, Rafa is gona have a real headache, as he's going to want to rotate in the league for the CL, but Everton and Villa aren't going to be rotating.

PHB

Tusky wrote: »

What have Inter, Chelsea or Arsenal done in Europe to oust Liverpool from the elite group ?

I think he's talking in terms of joint league and European performance.
Although, the way Milan play in the league, and normally play in Europe, are they the Liverpool of Italy :P

Necronomicon

eZe^ wrote: »

Gutted about Sevilla, I really thought they could go all the way... Even more gutted about Messi, thats prob the CL and league gone.

What happened to Messi? I only noticed through fantasy football that he only played 38 minutes. Was it a bad injury?

Guy:Incognito

PHB wrote: »

Yeh I saw that. I think if Liverpool do go through, Rafa is gona have a real headache, as he's going to want to rotate in the league for the CL, but Everton and Villa aren't going to be rotating.

Everton are still in the UEFA cup too tho.

PHB wrote: »

I think he's talking in terms of joint league and European performance.
Although, the way Milan play in the league, and normally play in Europe, are they the Liverpool of Italy :P

Meh, assuming Utd overtake Arsenal this season, Arsenal will have a 2nd/3rd place finish and a coupel of 4th spots in the last few years, hardly stirling stuff.

Necromomicon wrote: »

What happened to Messi? I only noticed through fantasy football that he only played 38 minutes. Was it a bad injury?

Hamstring.

Sherifu

Poor aul Alves, sucks. Fener in the next round pls.

oobydooby

Tusky wrote: »

What have Inter, Chelsea or Arsenal done in Europe to oust Liverpool from the elite group ?

I know our record in Europe is better (and Rafa's too) but in honesty we have overachieved recently. These teams have been in excellent form all season, despite Inter's recent wobble and Arsenal's too (which has been stabilised tonight).

I'd say we're the 9th best team in Europe but we can beat any of them over two legs.

BobbyD10

Only read the last couple of pages does anyone know when the draw is, presumably friday week after the Liverpool game.?

Up the gunners....hehe...

oobydooby

Stekelly wrote: »

Everton are still in the UEFA cup too tho.

They are but Moyes is on record as saying that 4th is the big prize. Of course the big prize is to get one up on Liverpool;)

This surprises me when other fans (of the top 3 usually) say that Liverpool just focus on the CL and ignore the Premier League. Having to battle for 4th place is just as stressful as mounting a title challenge, arguably more stressful as the difference between coming 2nd or 1st is no big deal financially but coming 5th could be very damaging for Liverpool or any of the 'Big 4'.

Raskolnikov

Tusky wrote: »

What have Inter, Chelsea or Arsenal done in Europe to oust Liverpool from the elite group ?

After tonight, you could make a case for Arsenal.

Chelsea have been consistantly strong in the Champions League for the last five years (3 semi-finals). Of course, Liverpool have won it and reached the final.

Inter are probably the most overrated Champions League team in recent times. They always get a handy enough draw in the groups, but fail miserably in the knock-out stages.

PHB

Inter are without a doubt the worst underachievers the CL has ever known.

Nunu

Necromomicon wrote: »

What happened to Messi? I only noticed through fantasy football that he only played 38 minutes. Was it a bad injury?

Stekelly wrote: »

Handstring.

A string in his hand:D

...I think it was his persistent thigh injury yet again:(

Guy:Incognito

Nunu wrote: »

A string in his hand:D

...I think it was his persistent thigh injury yet again:(

Whoopsey, fixed.

oobydooby

BobbyD10 wrote: »

Only read the last couple of pages does anyone know when the draw is, presumably friday week after the Liverpool game.?

Up the gunners....hehe...

That's right Friday week. There was an interesting post here a few weeks ago about the bookies laying odds on who draws who.

bbc wrote:

I know what you want to know. When's the quarter-final draw? Friday 14 March. Huge. And we could get Manchester United v Arsenal.

eZe^

Necromomicon wrote: »

What happened to Messi? I only noticed through fantasy football that he only played 38 minutes. Was it a bad injury?

It could well be he tore the same hamstring that kept him out of most of 05/06 season and most of the WC.. Im hoping he only pulled it though, although he was pretty distraught..

mike65

I heard thats its another 8-10 week injury.

Mike.

eZe^

I just hope it doesnt keep happening to him, he's becoming quite injury prone and at only 20 thats pretty frightening.

Bounty Hunter

Sherifu wrote: »

Poor aul Alves, sucks. Fener in the next round pls.

considering Sevilla are almost def not in europe next Season as they are somethng like 11th in spain and will take a huge revenue hit through TV money due to this is it fair to assume that Alves will be gone from there next season

Fuzzy_Dunlop

Fantastic performance from Arsenal tonight! Just think what it woulda been like with Rosicky and Van Persie instead of Diaby and Eboue. Nice that Van Persie didn't need to come on actually thinking about it.

eZe^

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

considering Sevilla are almost def not

Wouldnt say that, only 5 points off. But ya, Alves is gone this summer, he has stated he wants to move onto a more established club.

Mr.Nice Guy

Have to give credit to Arsenal. Outstanding result. I didn't think it could be done.

jank

http://i25.tinypic.com/szerue.jpg

Sherifu

jank wrote: »

http://i25.tinypic.com/szerue.jpg

LMAO

Dave!

DaveMcG wrote: »

Barce + Unireh + Sevilla

E20 = E49 please!

Yay, forgot they take the winner @ 90 mins and not after penos!

Drinks are on me!

I'm a student, it all counts

gimmick

Must say, that Fabregas' performance last night was one of the most complete I have ever seen in a long time. Tackled perfectly, passed perfectly, scored what was ostensibly the winner. Great great Arsenal performance.

PHB

With Messi out injuried, and Kaka out of the CL, I think Ronaldo for player of the season is a pretty good bet

PHB

Really looking forward to the Roma Madrid game tonight

Fratton Fred

DaveMcG wrote: »

Drinks are on me!

Great, beers all round from the Non Drinkers Forum Moderator

Fratton Fred

gimmick wrote: »

Must say, that Fabregas' performance last night was one of the most complete I have ever seen in a long time. Tackled perfectly, passed perfectly, scored what was ostensibly the winner. Great great Arsenal performance.

+1.

Outstanding.

Dave!

*Hands Fratton Fred a glass -- nay, PINT -- of 7up*

Pighead

PHB wrote: »

With Messi out injuried, and Kaka out of the CL, I think Ronaldo for player of the season is a pretty good bet

Good call. Also he has a good chance of finishing as Champions League top scorer. He's joint top scorer with Messi on 6. Van Nistelrooys on 4 but he's not playing tonight.

jank

With Messi out injuried, and Kaka out of the CL, I think Ronaldo for player of the season is a pretty good bet

Euro Champs will have a big baring on this.
If Portugal win with Ronaldo having a good tournament then he will def get it.
However too many other top players in top teams to make it that easy.

PHB

Yeh you are probably right. I think in terms of MVP for this CL, he should probably win it.
Player of the year might come down to Euros, but Kaka and Messi won't be in them. That said, if somebody really turns it on at the Euros, they will probably win the player of the year award.

Mr Alan

depends how far Utd get in the CL. early exit and he has no chance.

MrJoeSoap

gimmick wrote: »

Must say, that Fabregas' performance last night was one of the most complete I have ever seen in a long time. Tackled perfectly, passed perfectly, scored what was ostensibly the winner. Great great Arsenal performance.

His passing was far from perfect, but it was an outstanding performance. Flamini was more impressive for me, and Hleb was equally as good.

In the build-up to the peno shout / free-kick shout / dive shout, Arsenal kept the ball for two straight minutes, with Milan only getting two brief touches and two blocks on shots.

It was Arsenal at their dominant best.

redspider

A good result from Arsenal last night, and a good display too. Arsenal fans must be well pleased.

Milan did have their chances though, notably Pato from 6 yards out and with time, but he failed to shoot well and tried a weakly hit lob. Arsenal had their moments too, with a few shots from outside the box. Hleb's penalty shout was just outside and its a discussion point whether a forward sticking their leg out to block a tackle with their foot and then going over because of it is an actual foul. Hard to see that in real-time though and frees and indeed penalties have been given for these.

Fabregas's goal was from way out. I measured it at something like 33 yards going by the grass cut markings. The keeper went down very late, and his only excuse was that it came through players on the edge of the box. Most other keepers would have still saved it and he looked guilty afterwards so it was a break for Arsenal.

Overall though, Arsenal would have taken it to extra time and they gave as good as they got, shaded it in points terms perhaps if it was a boxing match. Thats football though, so a major scalp on the record books.

Man Utd were lack-lustre to some extent and although Lyon lacked any teeth, they took it to them at times and could have got a goal. But its coulda, shoulda, and Man Utd were always just one step ahead in the tie.

Celtic were blown away once again by Barcelona, although the score was only 1-0. Celtic only had two attempts at goal all night. The big news the match of course is that Messi is out, which will hold Barca back in both the CL and La Liga. If there is a good time to play Barca, it may be in the next round.

I expect Chelsea to go through tonight, and hopefully Liverpool wont implode next week, so that will see 4 english teams in the final 8. That is dominance whether we like it or not.

Redspider

SantryRed

Can't wait for Madrid Roma tonight.
Going to be a cracker.

MrJoeSoap

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

In the build-up to the peno shout / free-kick shout / dive shout, Arsenal kept the ball for two straight minutes, with Milan only getting two brief touches and two blocks on shots.

It was Arsenal at their dominant best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnUgvJTE2do

mike65

Chelsea game not being shown live by RTE??????????

Mike.

Nunu

mike65 wrote: »

Chelsea game not being shown live by RTE??????????

Mike.

No, Setanta have it and Madrid v Roma ... RTE couldn't be bothered showing the so called lesser game that is Porto v Schalke (you can be guaranteed it will be the game of the night now!)

mike65

A bit pathetic. Don't they know footie fans will watch almost any live FTA game?

Mike.