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Sorry saw it on the internet. Chelsea sorry Roman is fairly mad but the question is would he be mad enough to appoint Woy to steady the ship? I am 50/50 myself on it. I think Terry and Co would be happy as Woy is English and would get the defence going and steady the ship though the choppy waters it's going through.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
I have horse, i love fishing now!Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Any link?Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
It's on facebook and maybe twitter as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
On facebook it just said #hodgsonforchelsea. The perfect man to steady the ship.
Some concrete stuff there.
The Milan Barca match was fantastic last night. I was very impressed with Milan. Their workrate was excellent and really tried to get at Barca whenever they could. I thought the penalty for Barca was harsh but they deserved to win overall. Kevin-Prince Boateng was a lot better than I remember him being at Portsmouth! His goal was different class and was a real handful all night. Pato was very disappointing.
Chelsea and Valencia should be a cracker in two weeks time. It basically like a second leg after the first leg finishing 1-1, the only difference being that 1-1 will do Valencia to qualify instead of extra time.
Man United have put themselves in an awkward spot. Basel is a tough place to go but they should get, at least, the point they need. Finishing second would make the draw for the last 16 very interesting, but saying that they could get lucky and draw APOEL or Leverkusen too.
I wouldn't have a clue to be honest. I suppose paper never refuses ink!Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I doubt that appeared in a paper. Probably just some twistedly bitter Liverpool fan taking cheap shot on twitter/facebook. You know the ones.Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
I know the ones alright, i find most clubs have them:pQuote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
A lot of them don't attend games, they just vent their spline from a computer.
It was a fantastic match, I was also impressed with Milan. Both teams played to an utter standstill in injury time.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Some winner for Barca though.
Right now I'd vote for a Barca v Milan final, as the most likely to be a spectacle.
I was impressed with Leverkusen's football last night, I'd back them to beat Man U.Quote:
Man United have put themselves in an awkward spot. Basel is a tough place to go but they should get, at least, the point they need. Finishing second would make the draw for the last 16 very interesting, but saying that they could get lucky and draw APOEL or Leverkusen too.
I think a Bayern Barcelona final would be fascinating also. With the final being in Munich, they might be the best equipped to beat them.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I wouldn't rule it out by any means but it could be a different United by February. I just meant they could still get a relatively favourable draw even if they finish second i.e. avoid Barcelona, Real, Bayern, etc.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
I thought the pen was a bit soft too, also for Boateng's goal there is no disputing it was great skill and well hit shot, but Valdez seems to be beaten at his near post yet again in the Champions League.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
There are some good matches, in effect knockouts, next time. As well as Chelsea against Valencia there is Porto v Zenit; if Porto win they go through otherwise Zenit go through. Lille v Trabzonspor is similar, whoever wins progresses, a draw would favour Trabzonspor, but if it is a draw and CSKA go to Inter Milan (already through) and win then CSKA will go through.
Yeah speaking off the cuff a little bit here, but there seems to be a lot more groups going down to Match Day 6 than the last few seasons. If Manchester City can overcome Bayern I would give them a decent chance of going through as well. I don't think they'll get anything easy off them though, even if Bayern are already qualified. I really didn't expect Villarreal to give such a poor account of themselves and there might just be one big result in them. They're going poorly in La Liga also though and seem to be without a few key players.
I'd like to see Zenit advance against Porto, they seemed to do everything but score against Apoel last night. Peter Collins even compared it to our own result in Russia! I could see Olympiakos taking the final spot in Arsenal's group. They should definitely overcome Arsenal's Carling Cup team and Marseille could find it difficult to win in Dortmund.
Yeah, you have a point about Valdes being beaten at his near post but I wouldn't be too harsh on him. The little bit of skill from Boateng caught everybody a bit off guard and the shot was well struck from fairly close range. I'm sure goalkeeping coaches the world over would disagree with me though.
Boateng's shot was a perfectly struck thunderbolt.
Poor old AVB is now the most overhyped manager according to Eamo Dunphy! Got to laugh at Eamo for sharing these perils of wisdom just a pity he didn't make this call during the summer as opposed to when AVB is going through a sticky patch. Had an excellent season last season and some need to realise that football isn't all about the premiership. Seems to me he is a good young manager making his way who wants to give everything to do well. Hopefully he will be given the time to do so.
It's feels strange agreeing with you Rafa, but I was thinking the exact same thing when Dunphy was banging on about him the other night. I think he should be given time also, there are a lot of has-beens at Chelsea and he should be given a chance to build his own side. Probably won't happen though and a negative result against Valencia could be fatal for him, even if he doesn't get the bullet immediately.
Just another few points on some of the pundits around at the moment...
Ronnie Whelan is so miserable and has the worst speaking voice imaginable. About ten minutes into the second half of the 1st Leg of the Estonia match he was ranting and raving about what a poor Irish performance it had been, and that it looked like the Estonian's were the ones playing with the eleven men (as if they were laying siege on our goal). They had one good shot from way out in the first half and one dangerous ball into the box that was deflected wide in the second half. By full time he was going on about what a wonderful professional job the lads had done.
Gary Gillespie just sits there sprawled out like Joe Brolly and says nothing at all of interest... Ray Houghton over analyses the hell out of everything and is just as negative as Whelan. I turn the TV down to less annoying levels when he's about.
Mark Lawrenson I just want to strangle the second he opens his mouth. A couple of weeks ago he was doing the Arsenal-Marseille match and he started going on about how Vermaelen should be captain instead of Van Persie, just let Van Persie get on with scoring goals. Can you imagine Wenger stripping the captaincy off RVP for no reason at all, in the form of his life and the club are trying to get him to sign a new contract in the summer. There might have been some tiny logic to it if Van Persie's form seemed to have dipped due to the pressure of the captaincy.
Literally two minutes later he started talking about Marseille manager Didier Deschamps and how he's supposed to be a great motivator. He said that he heard that France's 1998 World Cup success was put down to Deschamps incredible speech at half time of the final....my God, they were up 2-0 by then. In fairness, if he's going to engage in telling apocryphal stories, they could at least make sense.
Possibility that only Arsenal of the English teams will make the knock out phase. Who would have thought that a month or so ago? That would certainly kill Sky's ratings and indeed Laughing Bill with Waldorf and Statler.
http://images.wikia.com/muppet/image...lerWaldorf.JPG
Still of course possible that all 4 will go through. Man U in Basle the best bet provided that Rooney is fit.
Apparently he's back for the Newcastle match tomorrow. I presume Vidic will be back from suspension also which will be huge, possibly an even bigger factor than Rooney. I suppose Chelsea would still be favourites to go through at the Bridge but it could be a tense night for them.
So CSKA and Zenit are both in the CL latter stages. The bulk of the Russian team we played over the two matches - keepers Akinfeev and Malafeev, defenders such as Ignashevitch, the Berezuitskii twins, the whole Zenit midfield (Denisov, Shirokov, Bystrov, Fayzulyn, Zyrianov), Dzagoev, and the Zenit strikers Kerzakhov and Bukharov have all heavily featured in these teams runs - I think we can say that out result in Moscow was against a top international team.
Very strange goings on in the Zagreb - Lyonnais and Ajax - Real matches.
I guess we won't see Man U beating Barca this season.
I picked the wrong match to watch last night - Porto waddle their way against Zenit.
Benfica look the better team from Portugal, just that bit more clinical up front.
Basel had a good night in the mud. Shaqiri looks like he can make the step up from the star u21 player at the Euros to a class senior footballer. It's a good sign for the Swiss league that one of their clubs could hold onto him this long.
unless they meet in super cup .. winners champ league v europa league winners :D::DQuote:
Originally Posted by geysir
That would still be next season :) United got what they deserved, not so much for the performance last night but for their complacency throughout the group. Good to see a few less obvious teams in the knockout rounds anyway, European football needed a season like this. If somebody could topple Barca, the tournament would be wide open.
Tommy Martin and 3e will be happy that Man Utd will be playing Thursday night football in the Europa League. I would imagine Fergie will give the young guns a chance in the Europa League and if fit Michael Owen so good news for them and Michael. I read an interview with Rio this morning and he is all out to win the Europa League so Fergie will have a decision to make there. I suppose it will all depend on what games they have on the Sunday/Monday and how the Europa League group is going. I saw another article with quotes from the great pro Evra saying he is embarrassed to be playing Thursday night football in the Europa League. I think he should be embarrassed by his form first of all. One player rapidly on the way downhill.
I think Lindegaard looks a lot less shakey than De Gea. I see that in his two games (Benfica away and Otelul away) he only let in 1 goal, whereas De Gea shipped 7 in his 4 games. He just doesnt seem to command the box as well and the Man Utd defenders seem to hit every panic button with De Gea in nets.
It's all very well that De Gea might come on and become a very good keeper for them, but in the short term it looks like its cost them getting out of the group.
Evra and co are right to feel embarrassed about failing to qualify, I don't see the problem with him saying that. I think Ferguson may want to win it all the same. It's the only European competition that United haven't won and it's a fairly elite group that have one all three...Juventus, Bayern Munich and Ajax. Ferguson would join our own Trap as the only manager to have won all three with the same club, in addition to his Cup Winners Cup with Aberdeen. Interestingly enough Marco Tardelli has won all three as a player.
Teams to have won all three major UEFA competitions
Embarrassed to be playing in the Europa League he said!
Good spin on it there have to say! PMSL!
Yeah I read the quotes...no spin, just agree with him. He also said "maybe one or two of us have to look at ourselves in the mirror and say we can do better than we have done". That, to me, sounds like he was including himself.
Embarrassed or not, it's tough sht. They weren't good enough after 6 games to make the CL groups, and they only beat one team, so they'll play something more suited to their capabilities in the new year.Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
Did RTE describe them going out as a "sad night" that "doesn't bear thinking about" again? Eamonn Holmes bragged to his news viewers last year, that he didn't know what Thursday Night European football feels like, as his team doesn't play on Thursdays. He'll find out soon enough. ;)
I meant you're spin!Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Mark Lawrenson was saying on the last word last night that the result on Wednesday had been coming yet on Monday on the same show he said and i quote him "Man U will sail through". The man is a c*ck.
I know...that's why I said "no spin, just agree with him"... explanation of which would translate into..."I am not spinning anything, I just happen to agree with what Patrice said", and it's "your" not "you're" ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
I don't think many would argue with that.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
SAD;)Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Sure look on the bright you can join an elite group who have won the 3 competitions as you said!
I know, you'd think at your age you'd know the difference :)Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
I supported United growing up alright but began to care less and less every year of my adult life. I'm really not pushed. I'd prefer them to win than City, Chelsea or Liverpool but it really doesn't upset me when they lose. I'd be happy out to see Spurs win the league with the way they play football. I've just a general interest these days to be honest. As for the three competitions thing, I do think it would be a nice thing for any club to have, and an incredible achievement by Ferguson, but I can't even see them winning that without Vidic to be honest. Not sure how seriously they'll take it in any case. Maybe if they lose to City in the FA Cup they'll try to give it a good go.Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
Most annoying pundit of all time, he doesn't even have a close rival.Quote:
Originally Posted by KK77
Ronnie Whelan goes close! LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Lawro came up with a decent pun on Tuesday, I suspect by accident rather than design, when Costa of Valencia received a booking, as they showed the replay, Lawro made the comment that he did something silly that cost a yellow.
What a draw!! The dream final of El Classico is on for sure now. Both Barca and Real away in their 1st legs of quarters and semis!!
Predictions on Agg:
Apoel 0-5 Real Madrid
Marseille 2-4 Bayern Munich
Benfica 2-3 Chelsea
Ac Milan 1-4 Barca
Semi
Bayern 2-3 Real
Chelsea 3-4 Barca
Final
Real 1-2 Barca
Barca have the tie they didn't want. Milan are a very difficult team to break down (under normal circumstances :)) and can play when they have to.
Madrid and Bayern are bankers to get through, Barca to sweat it out and Benfica to provide an upset of sorts.
Barca broke them down 5 times in the group stages, although they also conceded 4. It should be a decent tie, the game at the San Siro in the group was a cracker. The draw really sets it up for a Barca v Real/Bayern final, both of which would be intriguing in their own way. Bayern with home advantage in a one off game would be a serious threat to Barca and I think Mourinho would prefer to have them in a final than semi also. Bayern v Barca would be very open I'd imagine, whereas Real v Barca would be cagey and riddled with cheating. They bring the worst out of each other in that regard.
True enough that Barca scored 5 on aggregate, I forgot about that important stat:)
I suppose I was mainly thinking of the effort Barca had to put in at home after going behind to an early goal and where Milan looked like they enjoying themselves, defending effortlessly on the ropes.