Champions League 2016-17 [Archive] - Page 2

DeLorean

29/09/2016, 9:10 AM

Fair play to Celtic, I couldn't really see them hanging on once they were pegged back the third time but Manchester City seemed to lack real intent, despite being pretty dangerous at the same time. They could end up in a tricky situation yet if they don't take something from the back-to-back games with Barcelona and, say, Monchengladbach managed to win both games against Celtic (or vice versa but can't really see that happening or Celtic getting anything in their final two games anyway). Both Celtic and City will be a bit relieved that Barca came back to win last night.

OwlsFan

29/09/2016, 9:14 AM

A slight bit more composure on the ball and that was Celtic's for the taking. They gave the ball away carelessly on a number of occasions and were punished. Some pride restored. Sky pundits seem to think Rodgers would be pleased. I would say before the game he would have taken a draw but having lead three times, he must be disappointed.

DeLorean

29/09/2016, 10:01 AM

I'd agree if they weren't pretty much hanging on for the final half hour. Obviously he'll have been disappointed to have conceded three times so soon after they scored themselves, but equally Guardiola will be annoyed that City kept conceding after getting themselves back in the game. I felt watching it that there was only going to be one winner the longer it went on, so in that context I think Rodgers will be delighted and as you say, some pride restored. With the other result it gives them a fighting chance of competing for that Europa League spot, which I think would be a big achievement in this group.

Some impressive performances from Celtic players... Tierney, Forrest and obviously Dembele with his two goals. Toure and Brown were excellent in the second half having been chasing shadows as the first half wore on. Has Griffiths fallen out of their best XI with the emergence of Dembele? Must be tough to take for a guy that seems to have been carrying them for the last year or so.

OwlsFan

29/09/2016, 1:39 PM

I think Griffiths is just on the way back from an injury.

BonnieShels

29/09/2016, 3:36 PM

I would never have been mad about Bayern either for some reason but I'm a big Ancelotti fan so I'd be okay with them winning it this season. It would have the added bonus of showing up Guardiola a little too I think. A good little piece on Ancelotti's reign so far here. (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2665835-how-carlo-ancelottis-bayern-munich-match-up-to-pep-guardiolas)

I too have a soft spot for Ancelloti. But Bayern are absolute filth so they can suck it as far as I'm concerned.

If Dortmund or Atletico don't win the Champions League then I'll be unhappy. So prepare for me to be unhappy come May.

DeLorean

29/09/2016, 4:06 PM

But Bayern are absolute filth so they can suck it as far as I'm concerned.

What's your major gripe with them? Other than the obvious financial muscle they have in Germany.

I wouldn't give Dortmund much hope but you couldn't rule Atletico out. I'll be reasonably okay with anybody outside of Barca winning it this time. Ancelotti moving clear on four wins as a manager would soften the blow of Bayern winning it. Surprising that Bob Paisley's record has survived so long really, and he rattled his three off in four years!

BonnieShels

30/09/2016, 3:06 PM

It's the obvious financial muscle and the impunity with which they wield it. Constantly tapping up of players.

The ballix with G�tze before their Champions League Final with Dortmund shouldn't have happened and the rest.

Plus the transgressions of Ruminegge and Beckenbauer just makes you know that there's a rotten core there that will explode forth soon enough. Hopefully. (I know it won't)

But yeah, I'd have them winning it over City, Barca or Real it has to be said.

Admittedly the CL has completely slipped off my radar re interest these days. Hard to get in anyway excited about the same teams constantly playing each other inevitably in the latter stages of a competition.

OwlsFan

30/09/2016, 5:06 PM

Admittedly the CL has completely slipped off my radar re interest these days. Hard to get in anyway excited about the same teams constantly playing each other inevitably in the latter stages of a competition.

Leicester City aside and Crusaders up north, is that not pretty much the way of it in most leagues/cups around the world? Same old, same old...

BonnieShels

19/10/2016, 6:51 PM

Leicester City aside and Crusaders up north, is that not pretty much the way of it in most leagues/cups around the world? Same old, same old...

True enough I suppose in the grand scheme but it's the manner of these dominations'. There's precious little hope. Even if there was a clear favourite every year most teams think "this could be our year". These days the hope and joy is fraining from the game.

Barca v City on tonight now... Who cares? Can both lose?

Charlie Darwin

19/10/2016, 6:55 PM

True enough I suppose in the grand scheme but it's the manner of these dominations'. There's precious little hope. Even if there was a clear favourite every year most teams think "this could be our year". These days the hope and joy is fraining from the game.

Barca v City on tonight now... Who cares? Can both lose?
They can but it means Bayern Munich will get six points by default.

BonnieShels

19/10/2016, 7:53 PM

They can but it means Bayern Munich will get six points by default.

Oooooh... I'll have to think so.

EDIT:

Joe Hart must be laughing at this.

Charlie Darwin

19/10/2016, 8:02 PM

Haha Bravo

BonnieShels

19/10/2016, 8:36 PM

City are brutal.

Guardiola... all fart and no sh!t?

EDIT:

What a goal from Neymar.

OwlsFan

20/10/2016, 9:46 AM

Saw some of the game and City seemed to do ok in patches but were masters of their own downfall and missed a few good chances when it was 1-0. I wonder how long before Guardiola's stock begins to fall and he ends up managing at Rotherham United.

DeLorean

01/11/2016, 1:23 PM

Who says the Germans don't have a sense of humour?

A German Team (http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37834104)

DeLorean

02/11/2016, 7:36 AM

OwlsFan

02/11/2016, 8:57 AM

Entertaining night in the CL. Good effort from Celtic, pity McGregor didn't score the winner at the end, would have been a lovely goal. Have their supporters only added 'Grace' to their songbook this year by the way? Never noticed it before but it sounds class in full flow, especially considering it's such a depressing song under normal circumstances. Depressing in a heartbreaking sense that is.

Manchester City looked good value for their win from what I saw. Barcelona look a bit of a shambles at the back without Pique.

Yes, Celtic game was good viewing. I think the Germans went in with the attitude that they would roll over them and hence the muted celebration for their opening goal but Celtic played some nice stuff and even had more of the possession. Armstrong looks useful, if prone to the odd lapse. Certainly at the moment appear to be a much better side under Rogers than last season's outfit.

Only saw the highlights of the City/Barca game but Messi needs to lose that beard. Is he in disguise hiding from the taxman?

OwlsFan

04/11/2016, 9:30 AM

Have to mention Ozil's goal against Ludogorets. One of the better ones:
VMzmuUPZVTg

DeLorean

23/11/2016, 7:34 AM

Fairly entertaining night in the CL. Dundalk's conquerors knocking seven goals past the mighty Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in two matches, okay so they conceded a few as well!

Real Madrid rode their luck but have set up an interesting final night at home to Dortmund now, when they'll have to win to top the group. Bale went off injured yet again, he'll surely miss a Wales game one of these days. Not wishing that on him or anything. :)

Sevilla Juventus looked like a proper match. Mark Clattenburg made some big calls against the home side and looked to get them correct to be fair to him. Lyon v Sevilla should be interesting now on the final match day, basically Sevilla are up 1-0 from the first leg. They'll hardly manage to end up continuing their love affair with the Europa League again? Some 16 year old came on for Juventus, think he's the youngest ever to play in the CL.

Leicester have impressively topped their group and Tottenham are out of contention, both with a match to spare.

pineapple stu

23/11/2016, 9:39 AM

He's not the youngest - that's Babayaro apparently - but he is the first player born in the 2000s to feature.

Dundalk definitely dodged a bullet I think. Obviously would have been great playing Real, Dortmund, etc (assuming the draw was the same), but I don't think shipping ten goals would have got quite the same kudos as the current EL run.

DeLorean

23/11/2016, 9:48 AM

He's not the youngest - that's Babayaro apparently - but he is the first player born in the 2000s to feature.

Oh right, not sure what I heard last night so, maybe just the youngest to play for Juventus in it or something. Actually, does anybody know who the French fella was on the BT Sport CL goals programme? Former player I presume.

Dundalk definitely dodged a bullet I think. Obviously would have been great playing Real, Dortmund, etc (assuming the draw was the same), but I don't think shipping ten goals would have got quite the same kudos as the current EL run.

Yeah although maybe they would have been a bit more organised defensively than Legia, who seem a bit gung-ho. I'm sure they would have shipped some fairy heavy defeats but I don't think that would have been a big deal, they might have had a really famous night or two as well. It kind of depends on if they actually get through the Europa group or not I think. If they're eliminated then I think I'd have preferred to have seen them make the CL group stage.

osarusan

23/11/2016, 7:52 PM

Can anybody else hear Celtic fans singing a song to the tune of Amhran na Bhfiann? Maybe it is just that, or else some word put to the tune.

ForzaForth

23/11/2016, 8:13 PM

A traditional Celtic song. They know more of the National Anthem in English than I do.

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

osarusan

23/11/2016, 8:51 PM

Thanks. Obviously been around quite a long time too.

Hitman

23/11/2016, 9:48 PM

Actually, does anybody know who the French fella was on the BT Sport CL goals programme? Former player I presume.

Julien Laurens, he's a journalist.

DeLorean

24/11/2016, 2:31 PM

Good man, thanks. I like the way he doesn't even pretend to be neutral.

osarusan

12/12/2016, 12:05 PM

DeLorean

12/12/2016, 12:22 PM

I'd be more inclined to think it's a great draw for Sevilla but it was going to be difficult for Leicester regardless. Arsenal draw the short straw as usual but maybe they're better equipped to take on Bayern than they have been previously, and Bayern certainly don't look like the force they were.

osarusan

12/12/2016, 1:52 PM

Sure, Sevilla will definitely be happy, but if Leicester had come up with a list of teams they wanted, Sevilla would have been near the top.

DeLorean

12/12/2016, 3:04 PM

I think they'd be in the middle maybe, along with PSG. Leverkusen and Benfica would have probably been numbers one and two with Real and Bayern the ones to avoid. I wonder though would they have been as well off with a nice glamour tie when they'll more than likely be knocked out anyway. They didn't get to play any real powerhouse in the groups, Porto's historical European credentials notwithstanding. Maybe I'm making too big an assumption that they won't beat Sevilla though.

OwlsFan

13/12/2016, 9:22 AM

Knockout stages. Decent draw for Leicester.

Manchester City v Monaco
Real Madrid v Napoli
Benfica v Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich v Arsenal
FC Porto v Juventus
Bayer Leverkusen v Atletico Madrid
Paris St-Germain v Barcelona
Sevilla v Leicester

Arsenal top their group for the first time in a number of years and are rewarded with a game against.....Bayern Munich :)

Predictions: Monaco
Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Barcelona
Sevilla

DeLorean

13/12/2016, 9:40 AM

Hard to argue with those, bar maybe Man City beating Monaco but I wouldn't back them with your money. I think Arsenal should put it up to Bayern as well this time.

geysir

14/12/2016, 11:27 AM

Hard to argue with those, bar maybe Man City beating Monaco but I wouldn't back them with your money. I think Arsenal should put it up to Bayern as well this time.
I'd back them with your money anytime, only I don't bet :)

OwlsFan

15/02/2017, 9:12 AM

Article in yesterday's Daily Telegraph that PSG intend to rule the football world within a couple of years. After yesterday's result, they mightn't have to wait that long.

osarusan

15/02/2017, 12:01 PM

Barca were atrocious though, it was like they only had 7 or 8 players on the field.

It might sound crazy, but beating a team playing like that 4-0, whether that team is Barcelona or not, doesn't actually make me think they are contenders for the title.

DeLorean

15/02/2017, 12:53 PM

Yeah I see what your saying but I think it looks fairly open now. Bayern are the favourites and they don't look anywhere near as strong as they once were. Real Madrid have stuttered a bit lately and it's a notoriously difficult competition to retain in its current format. I'd probably have Atletico, Juve & PSG next in line and maybe Dortmund, but they're probably not strong enough defensively and are on the ropes a bit after last night themselves.

It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that Barca might come back though, or is that crazy talk? If PSG score it surely curtains but, if not, who knows.

osarusan

16/02/2017, 8:27 AM

OwlsFan

16/02/2017, 9:34 AM

Arsenal humbled again.

I think the post mortem into their performances is unmerited - there is just a huge gulf in quality.

There were some individual mistakes, but their being dismantled by Bayern was quite predictable.

Football is all about making money really. Every year Arsenal qualify and that seems to be the limit of their ambition. Qualifying is as important it would appear as winning the league. Mourinho is bemoaning the fact that Man U are in the last 32 of a competition they should have a good chance of winning when he'd sooner be trying to qualify for the CL. I thought sport was about trying to win things rather than making money but perhaps I am just a bit naive.

Old George H was at it again. It was only 1-0 to Bayern at the time and he was talking as if the game was over when there was another "Danger here" moment and much to his shock it was suddenly 1-1. In all his years he still hasn't grasped that no matter how dominant one side is, there is always the possibility that the other might score. As it happens Bayern pulled away but it was so typical that Arsenal scored just as he was waxing lyrical about Bayern. I still haven't forgiven him for the Bulgaria v Scotland commentary in 1987 when, with 5 minutes to go, he was saying we should all start getting out our German travel books and 10 seconds later the Bulgars hit the post.

geysir

16/02/2017, 3:41 PM

Old George H was at it again. It was only 1-0 to Bayern at the time and he was talking as if the game was over when there was another "Danger here" moment and much to his shock it was suddenly 1-1. In all his years he still hasn't grasped that no matter how dominant one side is, there is always the possibility that the other might score. As it happens Bayern pulled away but it was so typical that Arsenal scored just as he was waxing lyrical about Bayern. I still haven't forgiven him for the Bulgaria v Scotland commentary in 1987 when, with 5 minutes to go, he was saying we should all start getting out our German travel books and 10 seconds later the Bulgars hit the post.
I forget which important game it happened in, but seeing as how we survived a grade 1 George Hamilton jinx late on in that game, I think our team has developed a natural immunity since.

The Madrid v Napoli game was a joy to watch, quality football for the 90 minutes. Napoli have a good bit of Bielsa influence in their style of play, unfortunately it's a big ask for them to come back from 1-3.

BonnieShels

16/02/2017, 5:11 PM

Regular readers know how much I detest FC Hollywood but I have to say I enjoyed watching them dismantling that shambles of a team.

Lahm's ball into Lewandowski for his header was a thing of beauty. What a player he has been. A delight to have witnessed they career.

TheOneWhoKnocks

16/02/2017, 5:50 PM

Coquelin shepherding Robben in onto the left foot!

Charlie Darwin

16/02/2017, 7:36 PM

Thought Coquelin was unfairly slated for that. It obviously wasn't a great piece of defending, but shepherding Robben in on his left foot is something some much better defenders are guilty of.

DeLorean

17/02/2017, 3:55 PM

I thought it was atrocious to be honest.

Mourinho is bemoaning the fact that Man U are in the last 32 of a competition they should have a good chance of winning when he'd sooner be trying to qualify for the CL. I thought sport was about trying to win things rather than making money but perhaps I am just a bit naive.

Mourinho might be moaning about the inevitable fixture pile up but he certainly can't be accused of not trying to win things.

osarusan

21/02/2017, 8:03 PM

Aguero getting booked for diving tonight will be a controversial one.

I think it was a dive, but I think I'll be in the minority.

TheOneWhoKnocks

21/02/2017, 8:05 PM

The Monaco goalkeeper looks exactly like Stephen Henderson.
Bernardo Silva is a joy to watch.
Kevin De Bruyne is also a joy to watch.
Falcao has fairly mixed the horrid with the sublime. Badly at fault for the City equaliser but what an exquisite finish to restore Monaco's lead.
How is Stones remotely worth what City paid for him?

pineapple stu

21/02/2017, 8:07 PM

Aguero getting booked for diving tonight will be a controversial one.

I think it was a dive, but I think I'll be in the minority.
Thought ir was a dive myself too.

He does clip the keeper's leg on the way down, but that's different to the keeper clipping Aguero's leg.

Daft stuff from him I though. Great game though.

DeLorean

21/02/2017, 8:53 PM

Shocking game of football for this level really, great entertainment obviously but really atrocious stuff. Monaco looked savage at times in the first half but unfortunately they couldn't mix it up and batten the hatches when they needed to. I think most centre backs would look as poor as Stones with that setup and that manager, lamb to the slaughter.

geysir

21/02/2017, 10:55 PM

I switched over to the manchester game after Atletico M. went 2 up V BL.
The defending in the MC v Monaco game was simply atrocious, no doubt there was a big wtf element for Man City fans to see their team score the last 3 goals.
Now MC are 1.99 goals ahead in the tie, I don't think that will be enough, traditionally Monaco defend better at home (verified fact).
It would be big for the French league to have 2 teams in the last 8.

In form Juve away to inform Porto tomorrow night, a draw?