Champions League 2012-13

[BonnieShels]

Stay on in England?

[geysir]

Yes Bonnie, not go back to Madrid.

Moving on.
Blink your eye at the wrong time, a person could miss the tv 3 analysis.

[BonnieShels]

I totally misread that. Been a stonker so far.

Pepe coming on... there'll be another red.

[geysir]

Jose is making a pitch for The Man U job.

[SkStu]

"Best team lost.... best team lost..." Not so sure about that Jose.

[geysir]

United were doing all right 'til the sending off, but Jose said 'regardless of the sending off, the best team lost'.

He's probably sliding across the dressing room on his knees, screaming 'RIP Fergie'.

[BonnieShels]

Jose is making a pitch for The Man U job.

Exactly my thoughts.

Shame about the red. I was enjoying that.

RVP to be dropped from my fantasy team...

[BonnieShels]

Have watched 22' of Dortmund v Donetsk... as I know the result I can assume it's gonna continue in this relentless vein from Klopp's men.

Edit:
26' Possession stats:
Dortmund 61%
Donetsk 39%

Edit edit:
35' Passing stats:
Dortmund 216; 80% accuracy
Donetsk 101; 66%

[geysir]

Yep, Dortmund took control and were clinical. Did you see Lewandowski going down easy after the slightest of nudges in the box?

[Charlie Darwin]

Yep, Dortmund took control and were clinical. Did you see Lewandowski going down easy after the slightest of nudges in the box?
Robbie Keane-like.

[geysir]

It's not pc at present to besmirch Keano.

[Charlie Darwin]

Maybe Lewandowski fell over on account of all the donkey work he is undoubtedly doing on Keane's behalf.

[geysir]

Clearly he's not very adept at the art of diving. Before the Ireland/Poland game, I had the impression that he was one of the few 'honest lads'.
Is he angling for a big money move to Italy?

[BonnieShels]

Yep, Dortmund took control and were clinical. Did you see Lewandowski going down easy after the slightest of nudges in the box?

Saw a bit of it for the bit I watched. I hate knowing the results of games and trying to watch highlights.

Goetze's goal was great.

[Charlie Darwin]

Clearly he's not very adept at the art of diving. Before the Ireland/Poland game, I had the impression that he was one of the few 'honest lads'.
Is he angling for a big money move to Italy?
6 months at Inter before a lucrative move to Leeds.

[geysir]

Saw a bit of it for the bit I watched. I hate knowing the results of games and trying to watch highlights.

Goetze's goal was great.

Dortmund's manager looks like a teacher who has just stepped out of a sleazy soho bookshop.

[BonnieShels]

Dortmund's manager looks like a teacher who has just stepped out of a sleazy soho bookshop.

And is very happy with himself...

Have ya seen the cover of FourFourTwo this month?

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/fourfourtwoview/archive/2013/02/05/in-the-new-issue-inside-borussia-dortmund-gerrard-amp-carra-in-conversation.aspx

[geysir]

And is very happy with himself...

Have ya seen the cover of FourFourTwo this month?

http://fourfourtwo.com/blogs/fourfourtwoview/archive/2013/02/05/in-the-new-issue-inside-borussia-dortmund-gerrard-amp-carra-in-conversation.aspx

He's clean cut there, on the sidelines he looks a bit on the shabby side.

[BonnieShels]

He's clean cut there, on the sidelines he looks a bit on the shabby side.

Well you would too when you start your night with those fine specimens...

You'll start off like this... all eager and randy...

http://cms.442.haymarketnetwork.com/contentimages/misc/Cover%5B5%5D.jpg


...and after some of this...

http://www.welt.de/img/fussball/crop101775654/1388724533-ci3x2l-w620/klopp-trainer-ASA-Sport-Leverkusen.jpg

...end like this...

http://sports.mylaunchpad.com.my/Portals/0/Football/J%C3%BCrgen%20Klopp_L.jpg

[KK77]

Didn’t think the Man U v Madrid game was anything to special. The usual crap of Jose trying to make it all about him, Fergie being a sore loser and Ferdinand carrying on like a complete moron at the end. I think Fergie was slow to react to going to ten men, well he was out cheer leading but that’s not what Man U really needed at that stage but sure he was showing the passion all supporters want to see from managers on the side of the pitch.

[Dermotron]

Rising the crowd and the players at that time was probably a poor decision on his part. What you want after going down to 10 men after an incident like that is calm and focus. Pumping up the adrenaline whilst a man down seemed the wrong thing to be doing entirely. Works well if you've just conceded a dubious goal but they really needed to try take it beyond the 70-75th minute without conceding.

[geysir]

Didn’t think the Man U v Madrid game was anything to special. The usual crap of Jose trying to make it all about him, Fergie being a sore loser and Ferdinand carrying on like a complete moron at the end. I think Fergie was slow to react to going to ten men, well he was out cheer leading but that’s not what Man U really needed at that stage but sure he was showing the passion all supporters want to see from managers on the side of the pitch.
It wasn't special in one sense that Madrid didn't look like champions. I think we already knew that Man U were far away from being champions material.

Many years later, my pride levels still grow about how we (and supernatural forces) handled the Dutch in 2001 with 10 men in that crunch game.
The red card last night was a game changer, Madrid already on the offensive grew in effect, Modric was on the pitch growing in influence and Man U couldn't adjust fast enough.

[Stuttgart88]

Chelsea weren't champions material at any stage last year either, until about 80% of the way into the penalty shoot-out!

Red card was definitely a game changer but I've rarely seen a team just down to 10 men be affected so badly and so quickly. United still had 3 or 4 great chances to score and with their track record had they scored one goal even as late as 90 minutes (there were 5 added on) anything could have happened. Rooney's was gilt-edged.

Modric's goal was superb.

[OwlsFan]

Who'd want to be a referee? Ferdinand's reaction of clapping in to the face of the ref at the end was pathetic. I wonder how Ferdinand would feel IF he made a mistake and someone did that to him? Referees have to make judgement calls all the time and being human, they get a lot wrong but most correct. For instance, last night Wednesday scored against Watford. The ball crossed the line and it was stopped when it was over the line by a hand of a Watford player. Goal or peno? Neither given. Wednesday manager rants. The team may be relegated because of this but while we have humans refereeing games this will happen. Personally I think Nani saw the Real player at the last second but decided to leave the foot in. I can understand why the red was given and it is a very brave decision. I can also understand why 85% of refs wouldn't give a red. The commentators said it should be a yellow? Surely it should be nothing or a red? If it was a ball coming over his head and he didn't see the Real player as they say, then why a yellow? It was either an accident or deliberate.

Delighted to see Ferguson unable to bully the foreign officials like he does the English officials.

Game changing ? WHo knows? There was still a long way to go in the game and we have no idea how it would have turned out. I would have been very surprised if Madrid didn't score even against 11. Mind you up until then United had been reasonably comfortable. I didn't see Keane on the ITV Panel but I understand he might still bear a grudge (shock horror) against Fergie from his comments.

[geysir]

Game changing ? WHo knows? There was still a long way to go in the game and we have no idea how it would have turned out. I would have been very surprised if Madrid didn't score even against 11. Mind you up until then United had been reasonably comfortable.

We don't have crystal balls, that's why most would say/good guess/ probably/ that the red card was a game changer.

[Stuttgart88]

I agree with the rest of Owls Fans' post though.

I always say to those (like Radio 5 Live this morning - though I didn't talk to my radio) who say that these decisions are becoming increasingly crucial to get right by video replays etc. because there's so much money at stake, that they've got it the wrong way around. I see it as being that there shouldn't be so much money at stake on something that so obviously hinges on human beings being right.

Anyway, had it gone the other way there'd be little fuss I reckon. "You win some & lose some / they all even out" and other such nonsense. It was tough on United as I was very impressed by them but sh1t happens.

Ferdinand's clapping in the ref's face? I'm not condoning it but I've seen worse (and from him!) and in fairness he did shake hands with all 3 officials shortly afterwards.

[geysir]

Ferdinand's exaggerated shaking of hands with the officials had the appearance of adding overt sarcasm to his previous insult. I thought the officials acted with dignity throughout that episode. Maybe Ferdinand was apologetic but it didn't look it.

[Charlie Darwin]

Ferdinand's exaggerated shaking of hands with the officials had the appearance of adding overt sarcasm to his previous insult.
I don't want to sound like a broken record but exaggerated hand-related gestures are classic Robbie Keane behaviour.

[geysir]

A blind spot refereeing example from last night?

http://i.minus.com/iJ6XysLT7IFnG.gif

[seanmac]

What I found strange is that the ref didn't book Ferdinand when he was applauding sarcastically. The match had ended but the ref still has power to issue cards.

[Lionel Ritchie]

A blind spot refereeing example from last night?


Y'know I haven't heard one MU supporter gurning about the ref getting that wrong.

Their high expectations I understand but their increasingly wearisome sense of entitlement -from management to players to supporters makes seeing anyone dick them chucklesome.

...and RK was right -the ref had every right to send Nani off.

[Stuttgart88]

Ferdinand's exaggerated shaking of hands with the officials had the appearance of adding overt sarcasm to his previous insult. I thought the officials acted with dignity throughout that episode. Maybe Ferdinand was apologetic but it didn't look it.Didn't notice that, but you may well be right. Maybe I was still dizzy from my cartwheels.

[Stuttgart88]

A blind spot refereeing example from last night?

http://i.minus.com/iJ6XysLT7IFnG.gif

I can't open it. What incident was that?

[geysir]

61minutes
Inswinging corner by Modric, Higuain header. Clearance made by Rafael off the line.
Rafael jumped up to make the block, the ball was blocked from crossing the line by his outstretched hand. Goalie was beaten.
The ball went out for another corner.
If the ref saw it, penalty for sure and red card for Rafael?

[Stuttgart88]

Yep, I remember that. His arm prevented a certain goal but doesn't there need to be intent? It's one of those where the mandatory red rule is an ass. I'd have called it as a penalty but no card. It wasn't a cynical handball of the line. It reminded me of Harry Kewell(?) in last world cup. Ball hit him on the arm preventing a goal, but he also got sent off when he knew next to nothing about it. A goal and a man down for an unintentional block was too much. Sometimes I just think that even if an accidental handball is so clearly handball it should be penalised by a free / penno, but without an additional punishment.

[SkStu]

I noticed that while watching yesterday and cannot believe how much the commentators (of whom Naill Quinn was one) just flat out ignored it while the replay was happening. I actually thought i had imagined it they said so little. Bizarre. Should have been a penalty regardless of intent. No card.

Does anyone else feel the same as me with regards to the "well we should have had a penalty" argument. Im not denying that stonewallers are denied regularly but I think any team that has ever played a game can say the same thing and so it just doesnt mean anything to me when arguing about who should/could have won...

By the way, with regards to Owlsfans post about referees, i agree that people shouldnt be castigated over human errors but there should be transparency around poor decisions i.e. referees should own up after the fact when they make bad calls during games. This is unfortunately all too rare and i think that is why there is sometimes a level of frustration with referees that mutates into something needlessly ugly and agressive.

[geysir]

Yep, I remember that. His arm prevented a certain goal but doesn't there need to be intent? It's one of those where the mandatory red rule is an ass. I'd have called it as a penalty but no card. It wasn't a cynical handball of the line. It reminded me of Harry Kewell(?) in last world cup. Ball hit him on the arm preventing a goal, but he also got sent off when he knew next to nothing about it. A goal and a man down for an unintentional block was too much. Sometimes I just think that even if an accidental handball is so clearly handball it should be penalised by a free / penno, but without an additional punishment.
That's why I put the ? I'm not aware of what the standard/default ref reaction is. For sure it wasn't a Suarez type cast iron, dual offence, penalty + red card.
I'd agree that a ref should have to see the intent before he adds a red card to the penalty decision.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Yep, I remember that. His arm prevented a certain goal but doesn't there need to be intent? It's one of those where the mandatory red rule is an ass. I'd have called it as a penalty but no card. It wasn't a cynical handball of the line. It reminded me of Harry Kewell(?) in last world cup. Ball hit him on the arm preventing a goal, but he also got sent off when he knew next to nothing about it. A goal and a man down for an unintentional block was too much. Sometimes I just think that even if an accidental handball is so clearly handball it should be penalised by a free / penno, but without an additional punishment. It's extremely poor technique from Rafael. I have a photostack somewhere of my 7 year old clearing a ball in a similar scenario (well ...minus the 70,000 spectators and against Geraldines not Real Madrid) . He actually got a header on it and then the ball hit his raised arm as it cleared. Ref pointed straight to the spot. I told him if your arms are up you don't deserve and won't get the benefit of a doubt. If that's good enough for a kid it's good enough for a numpty on 90 grand a week.

[Charlie Darwin]

Forster has been as bad in these two games as he was good in the Barca games. Joe Hart has nothing to fear.

Every Celtic player is two yards slower than his counterpart. Juventus haven't had to play well in either game, and haven't played well.

[OwlsFan]

I wonder why Nani spent so much time on the floor after the incident pretending to be injured unless he suspected some harsh punishment was coming.

[geysir]

Valencia have pegged one back, brilliant strike for the goal.

[geysir]

So ends the CL adventure for Celtic, they went further that certainly I thought they would. A good result, beyond expectations, would have been to finish 3rd in their group, to finish second was exceptional. Some good performances along the way, the away win against Spartak was special after a good home draw against Benfica, to put them into the qual ballpark.
Then the 125th anniversary game against Barca followed by the pressure last game, a shaky home win against Spartak.
Not as solid as Strachan's team in the last 16, but no great dishonour to go out to this Juventus team.
Not bad for a team who ply their trade against teams, supposedly < LOI standard (thats for you Charlie :)).

The way back into the CL next season, shouldn't be any more difficult than it was this season, seeing as Celtic will be in the league champions section.

[shakermaker1982]

I thought the Nani foul was a red card but there is no way the rafael arm block would be a red/penalty.

What about the Madrid goalkeeper punching a United player straight in the head (was it Vidic?) when going for the ball? Dangerous play but goalkeepers tend to get away with stuff like that.

[Stuttgart88]

What about the Madrid goalkeeper punching a United player straight in the head (was it Vidic?) when going for the ball? Dangerous play but goalkeepers tend to get away with stuff like that.Good point, though I'm not sure I'd call it dangerous play.

Goalie goes to punch the ball, misses and punches opponent in head instead - no foul. But if the goalie went to kick the ball, missed and kicked an opponent instead, it'd have been a foul.

[geysir]

I thought the Nani foul was a red card

What about the Madrid goalkeeper punching a United player straight in the head (was it Vidic?) when going for the ball? Dangerous play but goalkeepers tend to get away with stuff like that.
If you have the opinion that the Nani foul was a red card, then the Gibson high kick would be a dead certainty. I see the FA appeals panel revoked the red card given to Gibson.
Imo, that gives a bad message to refs, regardless of whether there's doubt in the video replays. The ref was right there and was best placed, his decision should have been supported by the FA.
I guess UEFA will have no such qualms about supporting the ref in the Nani decision.


but there is no way the rafael arm block would be a red/penalty.
The main question here, was it a penalty?

[SkStu]

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8379/8535242657_aeff58daa1_o.gif

[Charlie Darwin]

I give up, Messi. Just do whatever you want.

[SkStu]

The real Special One.

[BonnieShels]

I see Fuentes made it back to the Nou Camp for the second leg... :O

[Charlie Darwin]

Can't believe Niang's miss. Still, if Milan score they will be in with a very good shout.

Schalke have fouled up at home. They now need to beat Galatasaraay outright, from 2-1 down.