Champions League Quarter Finals

WhiteWashMan

Schalke

im sure the liverpool chelsea matches will be as dire as previous games at this stage.
although, if its utd barca in the other final, i really have no idea who i think would go through. should be good football though.

OPENROAD

hamnegg wrote: »

So what have you got to whinge about tonight? You're a sore loser. You deserved to win the first game but its always the same with some Arsenal fans. they get beaten and its the ref or they got lumped out of it. Being honest I think the majority of Arsenal supporters are brilliant. I rang mates of mine at half time and there was no bad feelings. The likes of you are SAD. You win some ya lose some. thats football. its cruel at times. GET OVER IT

Why don't you read the posts before launching into a personal attack on me :rolleyes:

Mr Alan

here Openroad, be a little gracious, no?

I especially wouldnt be taking the piss over 4th spot with the beautiful magic arsenal finishing there the last 2 seasons, and tbh, doin a nice job sliding back down into it this year-how've the last 12 games gone for ye? people in glass houses etc

Mr.Nice Guy

hamnegg wrote:

Boo Fookin hoo. Munich were done in '99. its football get over it

Munich were done in by legitimate goals. Remove your blinkers.

kaimera wrote: »

Thanks for clarifing your team. I honestly couldnt tell from your post :rolleyes:

Guy:Incognito

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Munich were done in by legitimate goals. Remove your blinkers.

and arsenal were done by 5 legitimate goals over the 2 legs. The peno tonight wouldnt have warrented a mention if Arsenal had got theirs in the 1st leg. Thats not the fault of tonight's ref.

OPENROAD

Mr Alan wrote: »

here Openroad, be a little gracious, no?

I especially wouldnt be taking the piss over 4th spot with the beautiful magic arsenal finishing there the last 2 seasons, and tbh, doin a nice job sliding back down into it this year-how've the last 12 games gone for ye? people in glass houses etc

the first think I said when I came on here tonight was well done to Liverpool, I said it twice. Is that not being gracious??

Mr Alan

not sure, i only saw the point saying "close to that 4th spot yet", which i thought a little ****ing stupid.

NotWormBoy

mada999 wrote: »

should have been taken out of it by Aurelio...:(

For Arsenal's second... I almost completely agree. If it was pro evo, I'd have chopped Walcott down without a second though. Without even a first thought. Sometimes in footie you have to take one for the team.

Mind you, I'd never be able to defend him doing it in public... ever.

OPENROAD

Mr Alan wrote: »

not sure, i only saw the point saying "close to that 4th spot yet", which i thought a little ****ing stupid.

just a bit of banter with a spurs fan, whats wrong with that.


As for asking me to be a little gracious, for a THIRD time "Well done Liverpool" My own view is that it was not a 4-2 match the teams are very evenly matched and it is a shame someone had to loose on the night.

Mr Alan

well then i owe you my apologies openroad, i thought the 4th place swipe was meant for Liverpool, sorry man. i should read properly. unlucky tonight.

OPENROAD

Mr Alan wrote: »

well then i owe you my apologies openroad, i thought the 4th place swipe was meant for Liverpool, sorry man. i should read properly. unlucky tonight.

no it was against the spurs fan

obviously as an Arsenal fan I'm devestated, the one minute we are on our way,the next we are out, all in the space of a couple of minutes which is hard to take but fair play for coming back a lot of other teams would have crumbled.

Mr Alan

aye, thats football....our record in Europe is constantly not given the credit it deserves from most people, the media, rival fans etc, hopefully if we ****ing win it again, that'll put that to bed

on another note: did anyone see the bird in the crowd with the huge tits bouncing? near the end? or was i hallucinating from all the excitement?!

Melion

Mr Alan wrote: »

aye, thats football....our record in Europe is constantly not given the credit it deserves from most people, the media, rival fans etc, hopefully if we ****ing win it again, that'll put that to bed

on another note: did anyone see the bird in the crowd with the huge tits bouncing? near the end? or was i hallucinating from all the excitement?!

Too ****ing funny . My girlfriend came out to watch the match with me. I got very excited towards the end and when i seen her on the screen i said "jesus christ". Cue the other half being pissed with me all night. She had said she was staying in my place tonight but went home instead and said that the reason was because of what i had said.

Damn blonde bitch on the TV!!!!!!!!!!

kinaldo

Mr Alan wrote: »

our record in Europe is constantly not given the credit it deserves from most people, the media, rival fans etc, hopefully if we ****ing win it again, that'll put that to bed

Yeah, I think it's Benitez that deserves most of the credit though.

OPENROAD

kinaldo wrote: »

Yeah, I think it's Benitez that deserves most of the credit though.

he is superb in Europe, you can't fault his record.

shane86

Mr Alan wrote: »

aye, thats football....our record in Europe is constantly not given the credit it deserves from most people, the media, rival fans etc, hopefully if we ****ing win it again, that'll put that to bed

Dont be silly. If Man U dont make the CL final it isnt even a real competition, its a runner up feelgood tournament for 4th place nobodys

on another note: did anyone see the bird in the crowd with the huge tits bouncing? near the end? or was i hallucinating from all the excitement?!

Jesus yes I ****ing love Scouser women. Blonde, busty and with an accent dirtier than the Mersey after an oil spill, all I need in life tbh. Anyone get a screenshot/youtube?

Melion wrote: »

Cue the other half being pissed with me all night. She had said she was staying in my place tonight but went home instead and said that the reason was because of what i had said.

How people go out with someone so highly strung I dont know.

Melion

shane86 wrote: »

How people go out with someone so highly strung I dont know.

Ah its because i love her and that was re-inforced tonight when she came out to watch the match with me. Now i just have to watch Step-Up 2 tomorrow night to even things up

invincibleirish

Barca

Personal Issues FTW!:D

Mr Alan

women/relationships and football dont mix. never really have for me

they dont get it. with some obvious exceptions (before i get banned)

shane86

Melion wrote: »

Ah its because i love her and that was re-inforced tonight when she came out to watch the match with me. Now i just have to watch Step-Up 2 tomorrow night to even things up

There are some pretty hot bizzatches in that and all :pac:

The most recent never dragged me to a chick flick, mainly because I point blank refused.

She did, however, drag me to Cloverfield, which I knew would be appallingly bad sh1t. Id have sooner went to a chick flick....

So, PI, Films, Ladies Lounge or BGRH, the last few posts could go anywhere really

So, back OT

Eh, yeah. Classic match......:pac:

Mr Alan

there is an OT thread in here lads, always a laugh

Xavi6

Jays the claws are out tonight.

Mr Alan

tell me about Xavi, not everyone can be as reasonable as me and you

invincibleirish

Barca

So anyway reverting this PI back to the CL.... Roma and Schalke to overcome the odds? any takers? i voted for them, but really its unlikely

Mr Alan

have a feeling the roma and utd game aint as over as a lot of people think.

whether or not they do enough to overturn the deficit i aint sure, but i dont think it'll be easy money for the mancs.

or maybe Utd will win 7-1?!

this fence is comfy.

Xavi6

Roma to win 3-0 thanks to OGs from Brown, O'Shea and Van der Sar

shane86

Mr Alan wrote: »

or maybe Utd will win 7-1?!

this fence is comfy.

At 500-1 Im putting a euro on it

But my tenners are going on 3-0 and 3-1 Man U. Roma are nothing, they will not pull off an upset.


Might throw money on Grant still being in the job at the end of the EPL.

Time for bed, I have to be up to assess the team lineups and my betting strategy

Memnoch

As a neutral football fan I really enjoyed the match. A great spectacle and some amazing football was played. My general thoughts:

Arsenal played the better/more enjoyable to watch football tonight and I feel probably deserved the win more than Liverpool based on tonight's game (did not see the first leg).

Torres's goal was a beauty to behold. He is too good a player for the current squad at the club. Best overall/complete striker in the Premiereship IMO. Imagine him with Ronaldo/Nani/Tevez/Scholes/Rooney
around for support. Fergie should get rid of Saha and try to steal either Torres (prolly impossible) or Berbatov (possible but expensive)

Crouch worked hard but clearly cannot compete with Torres.

Some great passing by Arsenal esp in the first half, this is the kind of stuff I pay to see.

Senduros needs to be... well... sent. Spend some money in the summer Arsene.

Walcott showed his class. One of the best moments of individual skill I've seen in a long time. Only 18 years old you say? Have England finally found a world class winger/striker? Maybe. I hope Capello sees the highlights of this game at least.

Not sure about the Peno, there was some contact and Babel seemed through otherwise. Was probably a fair decision in the end by the ref. Didn't see the 1st leg so can't comment on previous peno but the accepted wisdom seems to be that Arsenal deserved one.

Even though I felt they deserved to win Arsenal only have themselves to blame. Adebayor missing an EASY goal + Senduros's spectacular defending for at least 2 of the goals and finally falling asleep at the end after scoring the equaliser and thinking they were through.

Hoping Chelsea vs Liverpool won't be a big borefest in the semi's.

Well done to Benitez for orchestrating the win. (and buying Torres).

Dont be at yourself

Schalke

Great game, no doubt about it.

Rafa's team selection was a surprise for most. In starting Gerrard, Torres, Crouch and Kuyt, he seemed to be resigning himself to Arsenal getting a goal, and realised they'd have to score to go through.

Arsenal came out of the traps flying, as was to be expected. Liverpool failed spectacularly to cope with them, and the goal was only a matter of time. It was very strange for Liverpool to look so shook and so hurried on the ball on a European night at Anfield.

Arsenal couldn't sustain the tempo and workrate, and Liverpool slowly started to assert themselves on the game as the first half wore on. Hyypia's header gave us a huge boost, and Flamini's injury took its toll on Arsenal as well.

At half-time, the tie was on a knife-edge. I would have settled for extra-time, because I didn't think Arsenal would have the legs in them. I would have even settled for penalties, because Pepe is always good to save a couple

Rafa, very surprisingly, thought differently. Liverpool bossed the game early in the second half. They played very high up the pitch, and really took the game to Arsenal. Torres' goal was very well taken, but perhaps he could have kept it in the locker until the 89th minute or so!

Arsenal threw men forward, but Liverpool still pressed them in Arsenal's half, obviously aware that one goal was a fragile lead due to the away-goal rule. Walcott's run was a slow-motion horror show for Liverpool fans, but he did well and Arsenal seemed destined to go through.

The penalty decision is open to debate, but not especially controversial. I found it hard to watch the penalty kick, and the pressure on Gerrard must have been immense. With Liverpool back in control, Arsenal looked like they had nothing left in the tank. Babel's goal put the tie beyond doubt, and allowed me my first minute of calm in 89 or so minutes!

In the end, Liverpool deserved to go through. They largely contained Arsenal's game, and took their own game to Arsenal too. It was performance that wasn't very typical of Liverpool, especially for a European 2nd leg. Their second half performance in particular is probably as good I've seen them play against top opposition. Hopefully they can kick on from this and have the confidence to impose their own game on the opposition from now on.

Inter and Arsenal both dispatched over two legs, and there's still the accusations of luck. Frankly, I don't think anybody can dismiss the notion that Liverpool are a real force in Europe, and are deserved semi-finalists. They're not where they are due to luck, they are where they are due to winning games, tactical superiority, hunger, motiviation and fitness levels - plus the odd moment of magic from Torres!

Chelsea in the semi-finals. Though I've no great appetite for meeting them again, Fenerbache would be potentially trickier. I'd rather travel to Stamford Bridge in the second leg than to Turkey. We have the beatings of Chelsea, and I'd be confident we can go through.

vorbis

Roma

I really hate the type of "results equal performance" analysis typified by you Bibleman. Liverpool have been INCREDIBLY lucky over the last two ties. A continuation of other years to be honest. Inter had players sent off in both legs that completely changed the complexion of the tie. Inter were not in control of those matches but the sending offs killed them. Indeed even at 10 men, have you forgotten that appalling miss by Ibhrahimovic that would have brought them back into the tie.

Two penalty decisions went their way against Arsenal. Thats it. That decided the tie. No tactical superiority, hunger, motiviation and fitness levels bullsh*t. Arsenal get the penalty at the Emirates and its a completely different tie. One Liverpool probably don't go through from. The penalty tonight was a very debatable call. A real homer call. Again LUCK.

I'm sure Shevchenko thinks Liverpool had no luck in the Champions League final....

Dont be at yourself

Schalke

Teams make their own luck.

It wasn't luck that had Inter down to ten men, it was poor defending by Materazzi, and superb attacking play by Torres. It wasn't luck that kept Ibrahimovich from scoring, it was solid defensive work by Liverpool, and failure by him to take his chances. Similarly, it wasn't luck when Torres stuck his half-chance in the top of the net yesterday, it was skill. You can't dismiss poor performances as being due to bad luck, nor can you dismiss good performances as being due to good luck.

We can sit here and hum and haw about penalty decisions, but we can't know the outcome - and you certainly cant say that Liverpool would not have come back from a first leg defeat, considering they came back from a losing position twice in the second leg. Kuyt had claims for a penalty tonight, and if Arsenal had won the tie, there'd be plenty claiming Liverpool were unlucky.

Nobody with a sound, rational mind can write off Liverpool's European exploits as down to luck. Since Rafa arrived, we have lost one tie over two legs - are we to assume that we fluked the rest - including ties against then reigning Serie A champions Juventus & Inter, against then reigning La Liga champions Barcelona and against then reigning English champions Chelsea? That's one hell of a statistical anomoly.

But anyway, we'll agree to disagree. Some people just wont take their head from the sand.

pickarooney

shane86 wrote: »

Jesus yes I ****ing love Scouser women. Blonde, busty and with an accent dirtier than the Mersey after an oil spill, all I need in life tbh. Anyone get a screenshot/youtube?

Was it this lady?

super_furry

Jesus, how crap are Chelsea fans? Your team are winning 1-0 at home in a crucial Champions League quarter-final, and winning on away goals and you boo them off at half-time. Truly unbelievable, fans like that deserve relegation.

Xavi6

pickarooney wrote: »

Was it this lady?

No apparently it was this one -

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j159/capo1_photos/Jennifer_Ellison23_jpg.jpg

iregk

super_furry wrote: »

Jesus, how crap are Chelsea fans? Your team are winning 1-0 at home in a crucial Champions League quarter-final, and winning on away goals and you boo them off at half-time. Truly unbelievable, fans like that deserve relegation.

People who post up such stupid comments can't even call themselves football fans if you ask me.

Did you watch the game, any of it? At half time I was baffled to say the least. The first 10 mins Chelsea were class. Got the goal, went for a second then played like the away side for the rest of the first half.

They let Fener have the ball all over the park, didn't press them, no urgency, no drive and to be honest it looked like no interest. The latter stages of the first half Fener were the better side, stoking the ball around with confidence. Thats what got up our backs. Chlesea gave them far too much time and space and allowed them back into the game. Remember we were only winning on away goals. A goal from them could have put us in real trouble.

super_furry

I watched the full game late last night. Regardless of how well or bad Chelsea were playing, they were winning in what was, to that point, the biggest game of their season and their own fans boo them off at half time. Where's the support from the so called supporters?

I know that Chelsea fans have had problems, with real supporters getting frozen out because of the ever increasing ticket prices, but really it's unforgiveable to boo your own team off the pitch at half-time in those circumstances.

Contrast that with the kind of support Liverpool or Man United players get on a European night.

GuanYin

Lets keep it about football here. The off topic thread is elsewhere.

I'm not in a forgiving mood.

iregk

super_furry wrote: »

I watched the full game late last night. Regardless of how well or bad Chelsea were playing, they were winning in what was, to that point, the biggest game of their season and their own fans boo them off at half time. Where's the support from the so called supporters?

I know that Chelsea fans have had problems, with real supporters getting frozen out because of the ever increasing ticket prices, but really it's unforgiveable to boo your own team off the pitch at half-time in those circumstances.

No its not. The fans are the ones paying the money, the wages of the players, wages of the manager and if they aren't looking commited then they have every right to boo them off the park.

If you did really watch the game you'd have heard the Chelsea fans sining and supporting for the fist 30mins until it became apparent that the team wasn't trying. Then they started to sing "were supposed to be the home side". Fair enough as its exactly what I was thinking myself. Half time sections of the crowd started to boo. When I say sections I mean the shed end, the hard end, the real fans end if you must know!

The second half they came out with more urgency, moved the midfield up about 10 yards and the fans responded in kind. Whats your problem?

smemon

Roma

Liverpool deserved the win imo last night.

They played a very high tempo game which arsenal couldn't handle - typical arsenal really.

When people get in amongst them they crumble under the pressure.

It's also typical Liverpool - raising their work rate just because it's a european game and because they're against top class opposition.

Nothing wrong with that, but you need to question why they can't / won't do that every week both home and away.

jank

Teams make their own luck

Especially when the refs make the calls

iregk

Its a good job it didn't go to penalties last night. Arsenal would have been denied all 5!!!

jank

LOL you might be right!

Dave!

What did ye think of the peno decision? Looked very soft to me

super_furry

The peno should have been a free-kick. If you watch it back, you'll see that Babel begins to stumble when Fabregas drags him back outside the box. Toure coming in from behind him knocks him over, but it's the Fabregas contact where the initial foul is. Still, can't blame the referee for not seeing that as it all happened so quickly and Toure's clumsiness made it look like he was the guilty party.

eZe^

Schalke

Barca squad for the Schalke tie;

Valdes, Pinto

Zambrotta, Puyol, Milito, Thuram, Marquez, Abidal, Sylvinho

Xavi, Toure Yaya, Iniesta, Edmilson, Gudjohnsen

Giovani, Bojan, Eto, Henry



I would like to see;

---

VV

---

-Puyol----Marquez--Milito--Sylvinho-

--Xavi

---

Toure---Guddy--Iniesta--

---

Henry

---

---

Etoo

---

Dont want too much pressure on young Bojan. He can make an impact as a sub if needed.

We all know Frank will end up using;

---

VV

---

-Puyol----Marquez--Milito--Sylvinho-

----Xavi

---

Toure

---

Iniesta--

---Etoo

---

Bojan

---

Henry--

He made Etoo hug the touchline against Getafe, almost nullifying any threat from the striker, stupid stupid tactics.

Sherifu

Schalke

DaveMcG wrote: »

What did ye think of the peno decision? Looked very soft to me

It was clumsy. There was cover there. Rush of blood to the head.

StickyMcGinty

Schalke

super_furry wrote: »

The peno should have been a free-kick. If you watch it back, you'll see that Babel begins to stumble when Fabregas drags him back outside the box. Toure coming in from behind him knocks him over, but it's the Fabregas contact where the initial foul is. Still, can't blame the referee for not seeing that as it all happened so quickly and Toure's clumsiness made it look like he was the guilty party.

it looked to me like fabregas clipped toure and toure stuck his arms out for balance.

The peno should have been a free-kick.

no, it wasnt.

PHB

Schalke

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

Nobody with a sound, rational mind can write off Liverpool's European exploits as down to luck. Since Rafa arrived, we have lost one tie over two legs - are we to assume that we fluked the rest - including ties against then reigning Serie A champions Juventus & Inter, against then reigning La Liga champions Barcelona and against then reigning English champions Chelsea? That's one hell of a statistical anomoly.

This is what Liverpool fans can't seem to get.
Liverpool were lucky.
Liverpool did enough to go through with that.

If Arsenal had been given the penalty they deserved, then the tie would have been completely different. In that sense, Liverpool were lucky.
However, Liverpool in that tie were extremely clinical and determined, in that sense it wasn't about luck.

The two concepts aren't mutually exclusive!

---

Heading up to Manchester now in 30 minutes, pretty nervous about the tie to be honest. Our defence isn't going to be great and it'll be interesting to see. I really hope Ferdinand plays. Would be surprised to see Carrick play.
Tonight will amazingly be my first European home tie (I've been to 5 aways, surprising, it's easier to get tickets on European aways bar the semis and final than it is for anything else as a United fan) and I'm very excited

Nalz

This agrument could go on

Liverpool had the luck with the pen decisions
Liverpool had the fight\grit that Arsenal hadnt
If Toure hadnt a been so clumsey tie was Arsenals
If Gerrard played in his proper position
bla bla bla

Well done Liverpool regardless. Scored 4 goals and drew away from home. Congrats

Sherifu

Schalke

Have a good one PHB! Looking forward to a good game as a neutral.