Champions League draw

[Peadar]

anyway draw is Sturday morning 12 bells I think.

I hope Reading get Wednesday.
The Royals deserve an easy draw for a change.

[OwlsFan]

[QUOTE=OwlsFan]Beat mighty Stockport 4-2 after extra-time. Ritchie Partridge got 1.

:eek: I thought yous were in a replay when I left it last night,should have known it goes to penaltys though!,anyway draw is Sturday morning 12 bells I think.

Didn't go to penos.

Tips to go through:

Bayern & Juve, Arsenal & Ajax, Barca & Bremen, Man U & Villa, MIlan & Schalke, Real & Lyon, Chelsea & Betis :eek: ; Inter & Porto

[OwlsFan]

Still have my Real Betis green and white stripes shirt which I swapped for an Irish jersey after the match in Seville some years back. Come on Betis :D

[sligoman]

He He, Chelsea/Liverpool. Brilliant! :D

[sligoman]

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard said he was not surprised when the UEFA Champions League holders were pitted against Premiership champions Chelsea in Thursday's draw.

The inspirational England international was a top target for Jose Mourinho's Blues in the summer but eventually opted to commit his future to his boyhood idols.

After being named as last season's Champions League MVP at an awards ceremony before the draw, Gerrard was quizzed on the fact that there will be a repeat of last season's semi-final between the two English clubs.

"It was a special atmosphere and it was a special match," he told Sky Sports News, in reference to the second leg at Anfield last term. "I'm sure the two this season will be very similar.

"They will be very close.

"They're a fantastic team with a special manager so we look forward to those two games.

"It wasn't a surprise to be honest.

"I think, when we never got the country protection, there was always the chance and, when the first couple of teams came out, I knew it was going to happen.

"It's a very exciting group and there's some amazing games to look forward to.

"I think it goes without saying our fans are very special at Anfield and I'm sure they will make sure the roof comes off again. I'm sure the Stamford Bridge game will be similar but they're going to be very tough.

"It would be nice to see all the English teams progress for the country so we hope we don't cancel each other out and get sucked in, but it's a very tough draw.

"Everyone's going to be talking about Liverpool and Chelsea but Real Betis and Anderlecht are two very good teams. Us and Chelsea have got to be on our toes to qualify."

[davey]

Could see Liverpool going out to be honest. Chelsea will be gunning for them and they haven't shown too much so far this season. Betis have the beating of them. Don't know too much about Anderlechts current team

[deecay]

Your all welcome for the excellent up to date coverage i gave you all today. ;) :D

[jockser]

number 6 on the way
Paris here we come

[sligoman]

Your all welcome for the excellent up to date coverage i gave you all today. ;) :DJaysus, talk about craving attention :rolleyes: :p.

[4tothefloor]

So now Real Betis are better than Liverpool, based on our reserve team losing to Sofia......jealousy is a sad thing :p We beat the best last year, w'll do it again this year.

Jockser, we'll have to make sure we get tickets for all the group games on our fancards, don't want to be missing out on tickets for the final in Paris seeing that its nice and cheap to get there. Let the road to number 6 begin ;)

[sligoman]

Jockser, we'll have to make sure we get tickets for all the group games on our fancards, don't want to be missing out on tickets for the final in Paris seeing that its nice and cheap to get there. Let the road to number 6 begin ;)Well, if ye make it to the final :rolleyes:, it could clash with a Limerick game. So, who you gonna put first then? :confused:

[Dotsy]

25-1 Liverpool to win it at Paddy Power. Definitely worth a having a few bob on. This is an easier group than last year ;)

[4tothefloor]

Well, if ye make it to the final :rolleyes:, it could clash with a Limerick game. So, who you gonna put first then? :confused:
If I got a chance to go to a European Cup final, Liverpool wouldn't even have to be in it, I'd go at the drop of a hat, Limerick game or no Limerick game. That's a typical stupid question from an EL fan. You'd swear to god the EL was La Liga :rolleyes: Poor standard First Division game Vs European Cup Final.....Oh that's a hard one alright.....

[sligoman]

If I got a chance to go to a European Cup final, Liverpool wouldn't even have to be in it, I'd go at the drop of a hat, Limerick game or no Limerick game. That's a typical stupid question from an EL fan. You'd swear to god the EL was La Liga :rolleyes: Poor standard First Division game Vs European Cup Final.....Oh that's a hard one alright.....That's not a stupid question. I just wanted to see wheather you would put an English team ahead of an Irish team, which you would ;)

[OwlsFan]

So now Real Betis are better than Liverpool, based on our reserve team losing to Sofia......jealousy is a sad thing :p We beat the best last year, w'll do it again this year.

Lightening doesn't stike the same place twice I'm afraid. If Liverpool sign Michael Owen or a couple of other decent signings they have some hope of progressing. Otherwise I suspect it will be a struggle to get out of the group. But as Jimmy Greaves would say, "football is a blah de blah de blah..."

[KK77]

Lightening doesn't stike the same place twice I'm afraid. If Liverpool sign Michael Owen or a couple of other decent signings they have some hope of progressing. Otherwise I suspect it will be a struggle to get out of the group. But as Jimmy Greaves would say, "football is a blah de blah de blah..."

Owen to return next week!!!!

[Dotsy]

Liverpool have come out today and admitted they do want to sign Owen. This wouldn't have been released unless Raf had agreed to it. They are still owed £4m from the transfer last year and might write this off as part of any fee they have to pay Madrid this time.

I think if they do sigh him Rafa may end up using him primarily in the Premiership and play two up front. He might not get as many outing in the CL where Rafa would like to play 4-2-3-1 with probably Morientes getting the nod.

[OwlsFan]

Liverpool have come out today and admitted they do want to sign Owen.

Might be a PR job to appease the fans who want Owen back.

Morientes up front on his own ? I would have thought Cisse would be more the man for that role as someone who can hold the ball up. Does Morientes not need someone to feed off ?

[Dotsy]

Might be a PR job to appease the fans who want Owen back.

Morientes up front on his own ? I would have thought Cisse would be more the man for that role as someone who can hold the ball up. Does Morientes not need someone to feed off ?

I think Morientes would be fine for the job. He is also a great header of the ball and should trive on a good supply from two wide men.

Cisse's first touch is pretty poor. Not sure he would be the best man to hold the ball up. His best atribute IMO is his speed and ability to run at people with the ball.

[jockser]

That's not a stupid question. I just wanted to see wheather you would put an English team ahead of an Irish team, which you would ;)

So would i. Whats your point?

[sligoman]

So would i. Whats your point?Well obviously you would cos I dont know if you support an EL team at all(never seen you post in an EL team forum and no avatar are signs of this). :rolleyes:

[jockser]

Well obviously you would cos I dont know if you support an EL team at all(never seen you post in an EL team forum and no avatar are signs of this). :rolleyes:
Yup i tend to scroll down past the EL forum pretty fast :p

[Gerrit]

I'm glad with the draw. Real Madrid and Lyon means $ $ $ for Rosenborg (ex-RBK star Carew plays for Lyon so will attract lot of fans) and we have a realistic chance to grab the third place. Olympiakos is a team we can handle with.

One of my sweetest memories in football was when Real Madrid were beating by "minnows" Rosenborg in the late nineties. Lerkendal was covered in snow and it was freezing way below 0 C, and Real was simply nowhere. Rosenborg outclassed them and we won 2-0. Probably the almost-arctic weather circumstances helped, as Real is not used to that, but still it was also the strongest Rosenborg line-up of the last decades. I am realistic, repeting that stunt will be almost impossible, but you never know in football. Every game has to be played, and with a bit of luck...

[4tothefloor]

That's not a stupid question. I just wanted to see wheather you would put an English team ahead of an Irish team, which you would ;)
I didn't say that, I said if given the chance, I'd go to the European Cup Final regardless of who would be in the final. All the better if Liverpool are in it.

I have often gone over to Liverpool and missed a Limerick game because of it. So what? You can't be two places at once. I don't have to go to every Limerick game to prove to myself, or anybody, that I'm a fan, and I don't go to every Limerick game. The same way that the same people don't go to Anfield or any English ground every week. I don't see what your point is to be honest!

I'm a football fan who supports my local team, Liverpool and Ireland. This stuff that comes from EL fans about the "premiershi.t" is just sad and sounds pathetic. All our top players play over there. It's better than the EL. Get over it. :rolleyes:

[Closed Account 2]

anyone see the goals from Olympiacos v Rosenberg

The Greeks took the lead, then the Norwegians equalised before half time. Then there was a gem of a howler, Rosenberg winger kicks the ball into the box, it hits a defender's leg, loops up way into the air, spins, bounces between the keeper and another defender and rolls over the line as the keeper (who has scrambled back towards his line) clatters into another defender - comical stuff.

Rosenberg then get a 3rd in injury time, classic hoof up the pitch keeper (the one who looks like the actor-guy, Clooney, runs out and then just stops letting the attacker run round him)... quality stuff.

[OwlsFan]

Well done to Liverpool beating my favourite Spanish side, Real Betis. Love those green stripes.

Interesting choice of players by Benitez. They still seem to be playing better in Europe than the sum of their parts.

Chelsea, like last season when many people were saying "they haven't played as well as they can" continue to grind out results exactly like last season.

[4tothefloor]

Liverpool are a different animal this season, you can see it in every away game they have played so far. Hyypia would be a worry, but there is definate progress in things as a whole. Would we have been able to leave Steve Gerrard on the bench away to a quality side like Betis last season, and still win? Nope, and we won it last season!

[jockser]

glad to see that "dispair" has gone!!!!! :D :D

[4tothefloor]

It hasn't, we're still short in vital areas. Had we signed quality in those areas we would be laughing now. Over the course of the season it will be our downfall. For example, if Carragher gets injured we're up s**t creek

[jockser]

well i wont dispair just yet coz we will do better than last season for sure. All that worry is bad for ya you know!!!! ;)

[OwlsFan]

I see Wednesday got a bigger attendance for their game against Leeds than Chelsea did in a Champions League game. Can't beat tradition and loyalty :D

Was amused by Alex F's rolling of the eyes as Rooney marched past him after his sending off. Rooney is still 19 and I wouldn't be too worried about it. He'll learn not to clap referee decisions and avoid other silly sending offs. The red mist when it comes down is another matter - not too sure he'll ever be able to cope wit that.