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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.
Arsenal top their group for the first time in a number of years and are rewarded with a game against.....Bayern Munich :)Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
Predictions: Monaco
Real Madrid
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Barcelona
Sevilla
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 :)Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
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.
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.
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
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.
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.
Coquelin shepherding Robben in onto the left foot!
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.
I thought it was atrocious to be honest.
Mourinho might be moaning about the inevitable fixture pile up but he certainly can't be accused of not trying to win things.Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
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.
- 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?
Thought ir was a dive myself too.Quote:
Originally Posted by osarusan
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.
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.
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?
Echo the sentiments on here all round. A shocking but entertainment game. Falcao's chip was wonderful. Just had me swooning.
And like TOWK I was taken aback by the joy of Bernardo Silva.
Valencia hung on with death grip determination onto their one goal lead v Madrid, excellent game and the atmosphere was unworldly. Not much love lost there between those two.
Leicester fans singing "How sh!t must you be, we just scored a goal":D
6 of the 8 home teams (group runners up) have the advantage to varying extents going into the 2nd leg, flying in the face of conventional wisdom.
Should this thread just be general (non-Irish team) European thread?
Europa draw done:
FC Copenhagen v Ajax
KAA Gent v Genk
Olympiakos v Besiktas
FC Rostov v Manchester United
Lyon v Roma
Schalke v Borussia Monchengladbach
Apoel FC v Anderlecht
Celta Vigo v FC Krasnodar
Hmmmmmmmm...
3 Belgian sides into the last-16. At least one will make it to the QF with the All Belgian Gent v Genk
A Greece v Turkey tie in Olympiakos v Besiktas
All German tie with Schalke and BormMon
Why not use this?
Jeez Bonnie, it only seems like a few weeks ago that you reached 10,000 posts. Now I'm luring you into number 11,000... a Foot.ie posting machine.
I couldn't find the EL thread. I don't think there's enough traffic to warrant 2 threads. I would be pro-merging them into one.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Yeah, 11000 posts outta no where and I haven't been on a lot since Christmas either!
Wow. Bayern 10-2 Arsenal on aggregate (and still a few minutes to go)
Arsene's done a superb job at Arsenal over the past two decades of course, and I think a lot of the criticism of him is over the top, but could this be the result that tips things?
I did call it to be fair :o;)
I think things were already 'tipped'. His press conference was surreal, blaming the referee after losing 10-2. ;)
I can understand the frustration but I do think some of the protests and demonstrations are very disrespectful towards a man that's such a massive part of their history now.
Sergio Ramos doing what Sergio Ramos does in the other tie tonight. He ruined it as a spectacle actually because it had turned into a fascinating tie with Napoli dominating the first half. What a player he is though.
Not just him though, the BTSport lads were a bit onto the ref also, I mean yes he ruined this 90 as a spectacle maybe, but the 10-2 is all yours Arsene / Aresnal. I remember reaching for the remote soon as that began, it's simply not the situation which I had watched.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
As soon as the discussion on the ref began is it?
Yeah, if it was the first leg and it turned on a poor refereeing decision it'd have been understandable, but beyond embarrassing to zoom in on it after losing 10-2. Plus, it looked the correct decision in any case, didn't it? Well, the penalty part definitely. The referee would have probably got away with giving a yellow maybe under the new rules but I'm not even sure about that. Looked like he deliberately impeded him to me without having any chance of getting to the ball.
It was a penalty. Under the new rules, thought the red was a bit harsh. Looked to me like he was getting arm across him to hold hime off and make space to get a leg in, but Lewandowski dropped immediately.
If Koscienly had been on the pitch, they'd have conceded fewer, but that was as good as it would have got.
Without him they were an absolute embarrassment. The goals they conceded were shameful at any level.
I was actually thinking after the first half that even though they were going out, they'd be able to recover some pride and ease the pressure on Wenger with a decent home performance at least. But then they fell apart. The put on a lot of pressure in the first half and looked like they completely ran out of gas with about 20 minutes to go.
Arsene Whinger blaming the ref !!?? Are you sure we're talking about the same person and it wasn't a doppelganger ? Bayern were never going to come out with all guns firing sitting on a 5-1 lead and the fact that Arsenal dominated the early part of the game is not a surprise. Usually happens when a team has a comfortable lead from the first leg. I agree with Osarusan that it was a peno but that the sending off was harsh but that hardly changed the outcome or spoiled it, unless you are an Arsenal fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I'm not sure I like the softening of the professional foul rule. Great in theory but almost impossible to determine intent in most cases. Maybe just give a yellow (or nothing) in all circumstances where a penalty in awarded, barring dangerous tackles obviously.
Bayern fans last night. I'm sure my brain just isn't functioning but what do they mean by 'MUNICH 59 + 1€'?
http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i/?img...38&site=espnfc
There's a €1.00 advanced booking fee on all tickets. Would have been easier to just lob on "€60" on the banner given the plethora of fees and charges for Munich tickets. Also, it's a bit rich for fans of that club to complain about ticket prices!Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I see. I thought Bayern (and Germany in general) had a great reputation when it comes to ticket prices? Anyway, isn't it their fans that are protesting, not the club?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CaodgpSXIAILUCu.jpg
They have a generally decent reputation when it comes to tickets alight. But in the CL they are as greedy as everyone.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Not 100% on when it began but it recurred during post match broadcast, it even got to Ian WrightWrightWright suggesting it would all have been different had the ref given Arsenal the earlier spot kick. Laughable stuff, not credible at all. And yes it was the right decision, the card colour change was iffy after it, but none of this makes the ensuing collapse remotely acceptable.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I thought it meant they were protesting about their own prices too.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Right. I still don't really understand how it's rich for Bayern's fans to protest about the prices though?Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels