CL knock out stage

On basis of what I saw, English teams are still way ahead of Italian teams.

On this point, I was at a Sports Governance conference on Friday & Saturday in London Birkbeck University. An Irish academic, Sean Hamil from Co. Down, presented a paper on regulatory failure in Italian football. The paper is to be published soon - maybe look out for it online.

A very worthwhile read if the presentation is anything to go by. Deals with corruption, drugs, television rights and general issues within the league structure, adding that Italy's WC success and the perception of Capello et al being master tacticians only masks the demise of Italy from the no. 1 league in Europe to the no. 4.

Dunphy trotting out the same old lines about Barcelona having a poor defence was annoying as it was predictable

I think tonight Real Madrid should beat Liverpool handy enough

Originally Posted by gustavo

I think tonight Real Madrid should beat Liverpool handy enough

I cant see that gustavo. Liverpool will turn it into a scrap and probably get a draw from it or at worst a narrow loss. They have always performed well in the knockout stages of the CL under Rafa.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

On basis of what I saw, English teams are still way ahead of Italian teams.

On this point, I was at a Sports Governance conference on Friday & Saturday in London Birkbeck University. An Irish academic, Sean Hamil from Co. Down, presented a paper on regulatory failure in Italian football. The paper is to be published soon - maybe look out for it online.

A very worthwhile read if the presentation is anything to go by. Deals with corruption, drugs, television rights and general issues within the league structure, adding that Italy's WC success and the perception of Capello et al being master tacticians only masks the demise of Italy from the no. 1 league in Europe to the no. 4.

after watching matches last night would have to agree both arsenal & utd better teams last night .. utd in particular with could have really embarassed inter milan last night a lot of the italian teams at the moment seem to be full of aging players and average ex preimership players .

Originally Posted by reder

I cant see that gustavo. Liverpool will turn it into a scrap and probably get a draw from it or at worst a narrow loss. They have always performed well in the knockout stages of the CL under Rafa.

You going to Boro on Saturday Reder?

Originally Posted by gustavo

Dunphy trotting out the same old lines about Barcelona having a poor defence was annoying as it was predictable

I think tonight Real Madrid should beat Liverpool handy enough

Well I've backed Madrid ew to win it out, so I hope you are right

On Barcelona....I watched it last night and their defence is very dodgy(although puyol was playing left full)

Henry has to be the most infuriating player around. I know he scored a vital goal but he was absolutely crap apart from that and looks like he don't give a toss.

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

the demise of Italy from the no. 1 league in Europe to the no. 4.

In attendances, Italy is behind Germany but CL results would indicate that, at the top level anyway, Italy is ahead on the pitch.

Originally Posted by reder

I cant see that gustavo. Liverpool will turn it into a scrap and probably get a draw from it or at worst a narrow loss. They have always performed well in the knockout stages of the CL under Rafa.

True reder I suppose you only have to look at them versus Barcelona 2 years ago , similar situation , But I still think this time they are meeting at a good point for Real and a bad one for Liverpool

Originally Posted by gustavo

But I still think this time they are meeting at a good point for Real and a bad one for Liverpool

Very true. Bookies have stopped taking bets on Benitez being the next manager axed and strong rumours going around that he could be gone by the weekend.

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Well I've backed Madrid ew to win it out, so I hope you are right

On Barcelona....I watched it last night and their defence is very dodgy(although puyol was playing left full)

Henry has to be the most infuriating player around. I know he scored a vital goal but he was absolutely crap apart from that and looks like he don't give a toss.

Real to win it is a good bet when did you put it on?

Pique & Marques at center back, Valdes in goal, Puyol left back. Thats an awful defence. Marques is average at best Pique is poor I think he is a desperate footballer we can all see now why Ferguson got rid of him. Valdes is terrible I'd say he is an accident waiting to happen but it's becomes a plane crash at this stage.

I can't agree about Henry he has been in great form all year for Barca he has had some excellent games. Every player in the world can have a bad game. He is part of a 3 man forward line that has scored 63 goals between them.

Originally Posted by Axe Man

Real to win it is a good bet when did you put it on?

Pique & Marques at center back, Valdes in goal, Puyol left back. Thats an awful defence. Marques is average at best Pique is poor I think he is a desperate footballer we can all see now why Ferguson got rid of him. Valdes is terrible I'd say he is an accident waiting to happen but it's becomes a plane crash at this stage.

I can't agree about Henry he has been in great form all year for Barca he has had some excellent games. Every player in the world can have a bad game. He is part of a 3 man forward line that has scored 63 goals between them.

If Valdes really was "terrible" theres not a chance he'd be top choice for Barcelona for the last 5 years , Similarly Marquez is a fine player much underrated in these parts

Originally Posted by Axe Man

Real to win it is a good bet when did you put it on?

Pique & Marques at center back, Valdes in goal, Puyol left back. Thats an awful defence. Marques is average at best Pique is poor I think he is a desperate footballer we can all see now why Ferguson got rid of him. Valdes is terrible I'd say he is an accident waiting to happen but it's becomes a plane crash at this stage.

I can't agree about Henry he has been in great form all year for Barca he has had some excellent games. Every player in the world can have a bad game. He is part of a 3 man forward line that has scored 63 goals between them.

I find it fascinating watching Henry nowadays. He's third best out of those three forwards and after being the top man in England for so long.
He is in good form though.
I've always said he's a very very good player, not a great one.

Originally Posted by Pike B

I find it fascinating watching Henry nowadays. He's third best out of those three forwards and after being the top man in England for so long.
He is in good form though.
I've always said he's a very very good player, not a great one.

personal bias of course but i'd say he'd be great if he weren't so smug. but incredibly skillful, balanced, athletic, in his prime he'd be a dream signing for most top teams in the world no?

Originally Posted by ken foree

personal bias of course but i'd say he'd be great if he weren't so smug. but incredibly skillful, balanced, athletic, in his prime he'd be a dream signing for most top teams in the world no?

Meh..

Can't wait for the match tonight. If it's a good one I fear for Liverpool. I fancy Real big time over the two legs. I don't think Anfield will be such a huge factor this time in the 2nd leg cos Real won't cave there like some teams do. They'll see themselves as superior to Liverpool, rightly or wrongly.

Originally Posted by BarelyLegal

Can't wait for the match tonight. If it's a good one I fear for Liverpool. I fancy Real big time over the two legs. I don't think Anfield will be such a huge factor this time in the 2nd leg cos Real won't cave there like some teams do. They'll see themselves as superior to Liverpool, rightly or wrongly.

0-0
Bet you..

Originally Posted by Pike B

0-0
Bet you..

So any scoreline other than 0-0 and I win? you're very generous

Originally Posted by Pike B

I've always said he's a very very good player, not a great one.

Henry in his prime with Arsenal was truly great.

Originally Posted by gustavo

Dunphy trotting out the same old lines about Barcelona having a poor defence was annoying as it was predictable

He was also covering every angle in the Inter vs Man U game. Inter are "rubbish Bill" while Man U are not playing their best team. Thus, if Man U won, it's because Inter were rubbish as he had said while if Inter won, it was because Man U didn't field the correct team as he had said. Couldn't lose even with the draw.

Strangely he said Man U "were magnificent" at half time. Might just have had something to do with Fergie's selection on the night which prevented Inter from playing - I don't believe they're as bad as the panelists thought (comparisons with Sunderland!!).

They always overlook that, to use the cliche, football is a game of two halves. How often have we seen a team dominated in the first half, come out and make much more of a game of it in the second? Numerous times - never seems to cross the two stooges minds at half time.

Originally Posted by OwlsFan

He was also covering every angle in the Inter vs Man U game. Inter are "rubbish Bill" while Man U are not playing their best team. Thus, if Man U won, it's because Inter were rubbish as he had said while if Inter won, it was because Man U didn't field the correct team as he had said. Couldn't lose even with the draw.

Strangely he said Man U "were magnificent" at half time. Might just have had something to do with Fergie's selection on the night which prevented Inter from playing - I don't believe they're as bad as the panelists thought (comparisons with Sunderland!!).

They always overlook that, to use the cliche, football is a game of two halves. How often have we seen a team dominated in the first half, come out and make much more of a game of it in the second? Numerous times - never seems to cross the two stooges minds at half time.

"You'd know more about Italian football than me Eamon" This is what Giles said to Dunphy. They actually believe that Dunphy studies the foreign lges in his spare time I'd say. I'm not even sure that Serie A is on any channel anymore is it? I know BBC3 showed the Milan derby recently but other than that. He's the same with the Spanish league, I'd say he watches the odd Barca or Real match like the rest of us and says he's in every wkd watchin it. Aimar and Baraja were key players for Valencia about 5 yrs after they were actually key players for them if one went by what Eamon said!! plus Seville were a far superior team to Real and Barca at the start of last season despite finishing 5 pts behind both of them the previous campaign.