The cidellas, umlauts and fadas have scared the bejaysus out of me already!!
Printable View
The cidellas, umlauts and fadas have scared the bejaysus out of me already!!
I think you are underselling Çalhanoğlu there. He has a very good career in the Bundesliga under his belt, 100+ league games for Hamburg and Leverkusen. I'm shocked to see how long he has been in Milan, over 100 games for them in Serie A already. He has an absolute hammer for a right foot, and is well known for his long distance free kicks.
Hes also got 48 caps for Turkey and hes only 26.
I'm also shocked that Donarumma is only 21, hes been around for ages, but that makes sense when I think baout it, he was only 16 when he made his debut.
Simon Kjaer is another name I'd single out. Hes probably past his best at this point or approaching it. 95 caps for Denmark, long career with medium/big clubs in Italy, Spain, France Germany and Turkey.
I think it’s wrong to portray Milan as a team on a downward curve. As mentioned previously that’s not a reflection of their recent significant and sustained improvement, they have been the form team in Italy for several months.
They are not the European powerhouse of the noughties but likewise neither are the likes Manchester Utd but there are very very few bigger clubs in the world (you might be able to just about use one hand to count them) and Milan are very much amongst the favourites to win the entire competition and will see it as an alternative route back to the Champions League given an improving and increasingly competitive Serie A.
It will be the miracle of all footballing miracles if Rovers even lay a glove on them and unfortunately given the circumstances de jure it is truely an awful draw in every way.
We'll see how good donna summer is in the penos tho. I trust Super Al to do his thing, eventually.
I'm gonna say 16/15 to Rovers on penos. I feel love.
Rovers home draw against AC Milan has a certain resemblance to LASK LInz' home draw vs Man United. Happened right at the start of lockdown. Their supposedly big money-spinning home draw plays out in an empty stadium, and they lose 5-0. Sadly, can't see anything different to that for Shamrock Rovers. I only hope Milan don't take them seriously at all, and somehow Rovers themselves play with freedom and shackles off, almost like a League 2 team in the FA CUP against a Premier League team. Sadly, that's quite unlikely, but it will still be a fascinating match to watch.
If Rovers do happen to win on Thursday, it'll become the footballng equivalent of the GPO - with thousands claiming they were at the match years later :D
If Rovers do win on Thursday i will have to buy a new hat as i will have eaten the current one :)
Happy but with indigestion....and a hangover
If Rovers win I will happily and without complaint, wear a Rover jersey to the next game between our 2 clubs when crowds are allowed back. Assuming I could find one to borrow of course.
U might buy me a hat :)
Interesting how this pans out, if Rovers win and there is a chance, slim still, but its one off, how will this rate in terms of LOI results in Europe.
Plenty of criteria to list, from biggest clubs, to more advanced rounds in Europe, plenty of examples too from Bohs 3-2 win over Rangers, to Cork drawing 1-1 to Bayern, Shels 3-2 v Hajduk, Shels 0-0 v Deportivo, Pats 0-0 away to Celtic, Rovers first to qualify for group stages, Dundalk first club to win an away euro tie (1963), Dundalk also first to win and draw in group stages, there has to be more and more.
For a 'scalp' this is up there for a right go but how will it compare?
It'd be bigger (in terms of comparative size of the opponent) than anything Rovers have achieved. Not sure how you'd weight that against the importance of the game: Milan are a much bigger team than Partizan but beating them wouldn't qualify us for anything.
Bigger then anything else
Talk of Rovers league form and position meaning they can enjoy the game against Milan is interesting. A team with nothing to lose can be real banana skin and a free hit with only one match. I just hope that the game isnt lost on a complete LoI like howler.....gone a bit soft on Rovers of recent I think so a howler might be a bit funny:p
Realistic assessment would be anything other than a 4 or 5 goal defeat is unlikely.
Milan finished the Italian league in form and are full of level 1 players. A trouncing for rovers with us on top of the league will play nicely with the anti loi set.
Here is hoping we play at our best levels and keep it decent
If Rovers were to win, in my books it wouldn’t be as impressive as Athlone's 0-0 draw with AC Milan given that the gulf between those two sides at the time was much bigger than a good rovers side by LOI standards playing against a Milan side that have been very poor by their standards for years now and haven’t been in the champions league in 7 seasons
If a shark and a tiger mate, would it be known as a Thark or a Shiger?
Does new Government measures on crowds mean Rovers miss out by one day? Could they not apply for an excemption? This is cruel otherwise. Maybe Micky + Leo are Bohs fans.
So Nigel-Harps 1954 you're saying it is a UEFA rule about no crowds at games not an Irish rule?
That’s it. UEFA decided on no crowds at any qualifiers as the different rules around Europe would have led to inconsistencies in the allowed attendances at games and obviously it could then have given an advantage to a home team that was allowed a crowd for a one leg game.
Just seen that UEFA are selling supercup tickets for Bayern v Seville. 30% capacity on 24th Sep. If that goes fine then euro crowds might be allowed back.
Dundalk have confirmed the game on Thursday with Inter Club Escaldes will be streamed free. Full details to to confirmed later.
Yossarian is it correct that Dundalk's game k.o. is 6:30 pm Irish time? If so it mucks me up. Now I need a third screen. Want to watch the games on silent while attending a Zoom meeting. How do we sign up for Dundalk match?
Rovers have hit the heights, they’re mentioned in a Waterford Whispers story.
If Rovers want to really frighten AC Milan get the Kilkenny hurlers to hold a quick training session before the match, in Rovers shirts. And put up highlights of Harps eh, 'tackles' with Ollies voice on full volume over the tannoy.
How are Rovers fans feeling? If I was one, I'd have mixed feelings about it all. On a hiding to nothing, in front of zero fans, knowing there's 95% chance of not just a defeat, but a thrashing. It's a pretty impossible position. As hard a draw that an LOI side has got since Shels vs Deportivo (though Rovers did play Juve and Spurs I guess). Will it just be a case of taking a deep breath at kick-off, and just seeing how it goes? It's a fairly well-worn cliche, but this time particularly, there would be no shame in a heavy defeat here. If AC Milan were on the level of the Legia/BATE sides around 2016 that Dundalk contended with (technically better but beatable), there would be a better chance for Rovers, I feel. I wish them the best, but keeping all my expectations lower than the Netherlands for this one. At least there was a good Waterford Whispers done about it ;)
A heavy defeat!???
Have you even been paying attention there. This isn't the callow Rovers II we're talking about.
I expect Rovers to give Milan a decent game and the worst case scenario goal wise would be a 2:0 defeat.
But I won't be shocked in the slightest to see Rovers take them to extra time.
If, IF, we can take them to penos I'd be disappointed to see us go out.
For those interested, Dundalk’s game tomorrow will be streamed on the clubs Facebook page or at this link:
http://www.laola1.at/
Although from looking at the media this week most people will probably be shocked to learn there are actually two LoI teams playing in the Europa League tomorrow.
Blind faith is a good thing!
Any Spanish speakers? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHUWy-jYyGo